Ever since we moved to America, we always bought cake from our local Chinese Bakery in order to celebrate every single birthday in our family. Birthday celebrations were one of the few times when our family was able to celebrate our Chinese culture and traditions because most of my family were normally too busy with work to spend some time together when we first came into this country. Beginning with the cake, my parents often disliked how sweet and artificial cakes made in America were, so they opted for the cakes that they often ate for their own birthdays in China. Along with the Chinese cuisines and decorations that were used in our celebration, birthdays were one of the few ways I was able to actively participate in my family’s Chinese culture and traditions and spend some time with my family. My parents migrated from Fuzhou, a city in China, to Las Vegas, Nevada, in search of better opportunities and to achieve the American dream. My parents decided to move to America because they believed that simply moving to a similar country wouldn’t be enough to change the trajectory of their lives. It was a 7,000 mile trip across the world into a completely different environment than they were used to, and although it was difficult they were able to create a better life for themselves in America. While my parents were grateful for the fact that they were able to achieve the American dream, they still found it important to never lose sight of their culture and heritage which they were able to pass on through celebrations like birthdays. 

– Vinson He

Relationship:  Im/migrant Im/migrant