Racine is full of families that carry names that carry reputations and stories, generations and legacies.

If you have one of these generations-deep Racine names, you probably find it hard to move through the community without being asked if you’re related to so-and-so or told a story about a relative, whether you know them or not.

While a name like Lauren is pretty plain, a name like Sklba tends to stand out. When someone learns of my last name, it’s not uncommon to be asked if I’m related to my mom or my dad or my grandfather. Sometimes a stranger will offer me a tale about a relative I never knew.

Recently my last name brought me to a story about my great grandmother, who I never knew. I was chatting with a woman who attended St. Catherine’s decades ago. This women knew my dad as a fellow student. And she knew my Great Grandma Ann, who was a cook at the school. The woman who I was speaking with had fond memories of her—particularly the bread she used to make and serve. At Sew ‘n Save, when the employee asked for my name to pull up my rewards account, she asked if I was related to my Grandma Clarice, and proceeded to talk to me about her sewing. My Grandma Clarice was a great quilter.

I love hearing stuff like this. I’m really thankful for the little windows into a family legacy I uncover as I carry my last name with me in the Racine community. There is a bridge to the past. This is the gift of generations in a place.

In response to this sweet aspect of my family’s time in Racine, I’m tasking myself this week with writing a poem about my name. Not so much about me, but about the people who’ve carried the name as well. It wouldn’t be my name if it hadn’t first been theirs. And it wouldn’t carry the weight it does if it didn’t come with the stories of bread in the St. Cat’s kitchen and award-winning quilts.

I encourage you to do the same. Consider the conversations your name has prompted. What does it mean to you? Who were you named after and who else shares your last name? What are they like? What are the stories and traditions you associate with your name?

Write it down. A poem to tell the story of a name.

Happy Monday,
L.A Sklba