The coin in this necklace is 20 Francs from 1895 that came from my great grandmother’s father who was a merchant. She gave them to my grandfather who then passed it on to my mother. This coin represents more of my family’s European ancestry than it does Albanian culture, but it holds a place in my heart because it comes from the woman my mother was named after. My parents immigrated at different times to the US. My dad came in his twenties with his family and my mom came after marrying him years later. My family’s immigration story is unique because even after immigrating they never lost their ties to their heritage. The coin represents my family’s ancestry and their strong ties to home. My family’s story relates to many others because of their want for opportunity for their family.

– SZ

Relationship:  Child of im/migrant Child of im/migrant