My mother loved her family, so in the hopes to help her family, she’d leave her motherland Mexico in 1997 to locate employment to aid her parents. When first arriving to the United States with her brother she experienced crests and troughs, her experiences would break people but in her words “Fue mi motivación”. In June 2020 she received the news of her eligibility to travel. After 13 years she would have the opportunity to see her parents. Seeing her parents after a decade was emotional, her trip was surreal but comforting. A couple of months after the trip, we suddenly received news of her father’s passing from COVID-19. She was heartbroken. Day of the dead is a tradition that has been tradition in my family for generations. It is a 3-day celebration for Mexicans all over the world. Beautiful traditions & celebrations construct this event of festivities for our departed loved ones. Although that year was different, it was the first year a frame of her father was on the altar. That my family constructed in my aunt's home. My mother was given a calaverita de azucar from my grandma that was sent from Mexico, to display on his altar. She felt some attachment to the Calaverita so she kept it. I never understood why she had so much cherishment for the Calaverita. Up until recently the realization dawned on me that the Calaverita de Azucar has significant meanings, not only because of my mom’s story but because of the contributions of religion, culture and reminiscence. 

– Michelle pineda

Relationship:  Im/migrant Im/migrant