My grandparents came from the Dominican Republic in 1968 and with them they brought their culture and their Dominican way of life. After 10 years of living in the U.S., they had my uncle, and then 2 years later in 1980 my mother was born. When my mother and uncle were children, my grandparents would constantly pressured them to embrace their Dominican culture and identity. My grandmother would take them on trips to the Dominican Republic every summer when they were in school so that they could connect with their other roots and spend time with other family members since most did not live in America. One major object that is a part of Dominican culture that was taught to my mother and uncle was the faceless ceramic doll. This doll was made faceless due to the fact no one face could showcase the diversity of Dominicans. The lack of faces makes them a true symbol of the Dominican Republic, as it reflects the Dominicans’ mixture of African, European and other identities. The importance of this doll has been passed down to me when my mother told me about them when I was much younger and told me how we may all look different but we all came from a similar place. 

– Brandon Sanchez

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