The gravitational pull of their shared DNA was irresistible. On Dec. 29, 2023, the inhabitants of Alessandria del Carretto convened with their paesani in America in this ancient Calabrian mountain town for their first-ever Heritage Day. The two groups organized the gathering to celebrate the enduring bond between them. The day’s festivities, which were videotaped for American viewers, began at the municipal library, where attendees were shown a display of photographs. Among them were images of the town’s American descendants wearing T-shirts printed with their names and family connections. The display also included a photo of Mayor Domenico Vuodo with …