My father is the first born son of a butcher in our family from Senegal. My grandfather had him at a very old age. My grandfather did his best so that my father could go to school. My father was a very good student and he loved going to school. This is why he had very good grades. After he finished High School, his father sold half of his herd so that he could come to the United States. My father came all alone and he did not have any family here. As a reminder of him, his father gave him a Kaftan that his religious guide gave him. My father struggled a lot to go to college here. On the tough days, he used to wear the Kaftan to pray to God. He would even wear  it to sleep sometimes to feel his father’s love. At some point, my grandfather became very old so my father sacrificed his education to take the family in charge. When I was born, my father already started working. He was in charge of at least 15 people in our big family house. He struggled a lot so I can come to this country. He had the Kaftan all along to remind him that he has to persevere. When I came to the United States, my father gave me the Kaftan. He said that he knows that this country has lots of opportunities but also lots of struggles. He wanted the Kaftan to remind me to always pray when I face hardships. It was also a reminder of who I am and where I come from.  I respect the Kaftan a lot because I want to give also to my child in the future.

– A.N

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