Rachelle · Katherine Appello
Keeper of
Ancient Flames
Recovering hidden ancestral stories — Sephardic, Romani, Crypto-Jewish, and southern Italian — and sharing them so we can better understand where we come from, and find empathy for one another across every culture and heritage.
About Rachelle · Katherine
Tracing the Hidden Threads
of History
I'm a writer, digital artist, and genealogy researcher exploring the concealed lineages of Converso families who survived the Inquisition by hiding their Jewish identity for generations — preserved in the DNA and daily customs of Southern Italy and the Iberian Peninsula.
Through DNA testing, archival research, books, and music, I honor these ancestors — and I'm soon relocating to Puglia, Italy, to continue this living research alongside my ESA dog, Lizzie.
"
Food carries memory across diaspora — every dish a letter from ancestors who could not speak freely.
— Exiled Flavors
Read Exiled Flavors →The Mission
Understanding our roots deepens our humanity.
My work is built on a simple belief: when we understand where we truly come from — the migrations, the persecutions, the hidden identities, the resilience — we become more empathetic toward people whose ancestral journeys look different from our own. Every culture carries wounds and wisdom worth honouring. These stories are an invitation to listen.
Explore the Work
Where Art Meets Ancestry
Books & Writing
If you've ever felt your family history doesn't add up — these books will show you why. DNA evidence, archival research, and the human stories behind the data.
Get the Books →Music & Visual Art
Original songs drawing on Sephardic, Romani, and Mediterranean traditions — the emotional soundtrack to ancestral discovery. Let the music move you before the records confirm it.
Listen Now →Ancestral Research
Understanding your own heritage builds bridges to others. Discover the methodology behind the research — and how it could illuminate your own family story.
Discover More →Available Now
Books on Lulu
Four books that will change what you thought you knew about Sephardic, Romani, and southern Italian heritage — and perhaps your own roots too.
Connect
Find Me Around the Web
Follow along on the journey — uncovering hidden histories and building bridges of understanding across cultures and ancestral experiences.