A simple wood stick, that’s what most people would think when they see my moms embroidery tool. Although it seems like an ordinary stick that has a sharp tip and the color is rusty, this embroidery stick was gifted by my grandfather to my mother. My mom was in middle school in Coz Bazar, Bangladesh, and she had started a new stitching project in 1985. Grandpa had just returned from Dubai. He had brought back a souvenir – that will be the only thing she will have to remember grandma by. I always saw my mom using this stick to pick out the loose threads on me and my sisters dresses, and remembering my grandpa every time. At the time he brought this for my mom, this stick was very rare to find. In 2003, when my grandpa had passed, that embroidery stick represented a kind of love that goes beyond just words. In 2025, I had also started my own embroidery project in studio art. Given it was my first time stitching, naturally I made many mistakes. When I had told my mother, she passed down the embroidery stick that was once gifted to her from Dubai in 1985. Now I am using it in Brooklyn, New York for my art project.  The beauty of ordinary objects that may seem old represents a love that surpasses even the largest oceans. My mom now volunteers in her local city government and helps set up for community events. Each stitch represents a diverse contribution of the people who come together for their community. Connecting to We The People, although we all come from different paths of life, being a human who can express love through small actions makes up we the people. 

– NZ

Relationship:  Im/migrant Im/migrant