In the 1970s, my mother and my 3 aunts arrived to New York as young children. They came to Staten Island after leaving Busan, South Korea and their rural farmstead. They didn't have many material possessions but my grandmother was able to bring this hanbok, a traditional Korean dress. Its size meant for children to wear, usually saved for special occasions. In this photo, it's me wearing the hanbok for my first birthday, and in the stitches is a story being passed down to me as my mother worked towards her goals of creating generational prosperity and family. My mother's struggles and successes as a first generation immigrant built a foundation for me to stand on, but a reminder of where she started our family's story is what makes me proud and grateful to be Korean. 

– IS

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