I chose this bottle of Dominican rum because of what it represented to my grandfather. He fled his country (Dominican Republic) in 1961 and was at first overwhelmed by America, his new home. So many things in this new country were foreign to him: the language, the people, the atmosphere. New York City was fast paced and did not slow down to teach new immigrants the ins and outs of the city; you had to just jump on the train and learn as you went. In the midst of all this change for my grandfather one thing that remained consistent was the taste of his Dominican rum. Although he adjusted to new the new life and culture he also kept his Dominican culture and traditions close to his heart. He would invite family and friends over to enjoy Dominican rum and reminisce about their home country. They would drink rum from their country, speak in their native tongue, and bond over stories of the immigrant experience in New York City. Every time my grandfather went back to the Dominican Republic he would make sure to bring back bottles of Dominican rum, to keep the traditions and culture of his country alive. To this day you can always find his cabinets stocked with Dominican rum and compelling memories.

– Gabe C.

Relationship:  Grandchild of im/migrant Grandchild of im/migrant