Many years ago, my ancestors traveled from Central Europe to America, searching for a better life. Through hard work, perseverance, and love, they were able to forge a new existence for themselves and for the generations that would come after. Today, all the way in 2023, I stand with my family, admiring and appreciating how far we have come. My ancestors could not have predicted how fortunate we would be in this century, all the simple luxuries we as a society take for granted that they would have never even experienced. One such luxury is the charm bracelet my parents gave me as a young child to capture my experiences. Though it doesn’t look like much, the charm bracelet is a time capsule. A birthday cake shows the year I became a teenager. A small tropical fish reminds me of the first time I left the country. An angel symbolizes my confirmation in the Catholic Church. Tiny, seemingly insignificant trinkets that I, unfortunately, do not look at often enough. I cannot explain the feeling, but I feel connected to the years before my existence just by wearing the bracelet. Nothing on the chain was passed down from the first immigrants, and I do not yet have a charm that shows my heritage. What I do have, however, is an appreciation for the people who came before me. People I never met, but who did everything to secure a future for their children, and their children’s children, and for every person after. It has given me this world and the little gifts, big and small, inside it.

– Jaden-Grace Anderson

Relationship:  Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more