This necklace and pendant are both very important as they tell the story of the foundation of our family. My great grandmother, Elsa Camacho Gonzalez, lived in Bolivia her whole life under the roof of her abusive father. He had many families and was never there for Elsa. Upon turning twenty years old she married my great grandfather, Pedro Gonzalez. A couple moths later Elsa applied for a medical school in Iowa and was accepted. From this moment on her dream was to move to the United States and start a new life, free from her abusive household. Her dad did not support her moving to the United States, so she had to devise a plan with Pedro to leave without anyone noticing. Pedro had been a successful accountant in Bolivia and he had hopes of starting his own firm in the United States, despite knowing little English. Pedro and Elsa snuck out one night and set off to Iowa with very few belongings, all of their money and of course the necklace, showing two alpacas, that her mom had given her years before as a gift. She wore this necklace all the time as it served as a reminder of her family she left behind and all of the memories she had growing up. This necklace has been passed down to my grandmother, to my mother and now to me to remind us of the sacrifice Elsa made to ensure bright futures for the rest of her family. 

– JG

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