As the first woman ever hired at Evaporated Metal Films — now Omega Optical’s Large Format Coatings Division in Ithaca, NY —Dorothy built gun prisms for tanks and aircraft during WWII, helping America’s soldiers fight overseas.
Now, more than 80 years later, she will return to the very factory where her journey began — carrying a powerful original song she helped write that brings her story to life.
The song, “The Things I’ve Seen,” features Dorothy’s own voice woven into the recording and was co-written by Dorothy herself alongside her niece and caretaker, Robin Nicholas, and songwriter-producers Janeen Ferdinand and Sammy Maloof.
The track captures Dorothy’s memories, resilience, and enduring love for her family, her faith, and her country.
“We don’t have many women like her left,” said Janeen Ferdinand. “Dorothy’s story isn’t just being told — she’s telling it herself. Every lyric reflects the wisdom, grit, and gratitude she’s carried for over a century. This is more than a tribute.
It’s her voice, her heart, and her history set to music.”
“Dorothy is a living example of how one woman’s hands helped build the future of America,” said Robin Nicholas, Dorothy’s niece. “This homecoming honors her work, her love, and her faithfulness.”
Media Invitation
Dorothy and her family will visit EMF (formerly Evaporated Metal Films), a division of Omega Optical in Ithaca, New York, on Friday August 1, 2025 for the first time since World War II.
Local press and national media are invited to attend this once-in-a-lifetime homecoming and legacy celebration.
For interviews or press inquiries,
Contact: Janeen Ferdinand
Email: janeenferdinand@gmail.com
About the Song
“The Things I’ve Seen” is a moving collaboration between 102-year-old Dorothy Nicholas, her niece Robin Nicholas, singer/songwriter Janeen Ferdinand, and Sammy Maloof; (star of the Netflix series: “DRIVE HARD: The Maloof Way”). Featuring Dorothy’s own voice, the song is a testament to her incredible century- long journey and the enduring sacrifice of the Greatest Generation.
Watch Dorothy’s story and listen to her song on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72AGkdM2yA8
