Shanae

Are you ready?

I said, yeah.

He does an interview.

He starts asking me questions.

And he says, well, where are you from?

I said, I'm from Staten Island, but I'm an eighth generation direct descendant from Sandy Ground.

He said, funny you say that.

30 years ago, I used to hang out in the Sandy Ground burial grounds.

You were a kid then.

I said, wow.

He said, yeah, this is like a full circle moment for the both of us.

I said, yeah, I guess it is.

I guess I kind of like...

did what my ancestors wanted me to do.

I got the only two stars that the entire Staten Island has ever seen in any restaurant in history.

And so the proudest moment was that I got the opportunity to show my ancestors that I too was the first one.

I feel like the restaurant would not have achieved anything

as much success if I didn't mention my family history.

It didn't dawn on me that the restaurant's foundation would come from me learning the importance of telling the story of what my lineages and what their legacies were.

I knew that the tie was going to be me making sure that I always repeat