My mom, Wilemis Harwood, was born in Caracas, Venezuela. It is a very dangerous place and is currently one of the worst places to live. She was born in the center of the capital, so there was always crime going on. When she was 19 years old, everything changed for her. She met my dad, a young musician that was playing music with her brother. They ended up falling in love, and my mom decided that she was going to start a new life in California. She lived in the US for about two years before she married my dad. When I was born in 2003, my mom introduced me to arepas. Arepas are the most popular food in Venezuela. They are eaten every single morning and sometimes for dinner. This is a very special food because it means so much to our family. My mom makes this for me every morning before school. We love to put cheese and ham in it, as well as shredded beef, turkey, butter, and eggs. Another form of arepa that is really special is fried arepa. It's really crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle. My mom taught me how to make arepa and friend arepa at a very young age because it’s a family recipe. This is why arepa means a lot to my family!

– MH

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