This picture symbolizes many things. From barriers, language, retirement planning, property ownership, education, money, class, time, to family. This is one of the most common jobs that are first available to immigrants in the U.S.A. This was my mother's first job when she got to this country. Except to this day my mother has held on to it due to her lack of education in the English language and education in general. Before she immigrated to this country she had her own business but was presented with an opportunity to come to the United States and achieve the american dream. But most of it came with suffering as opposed to success. With housekeeping came long work hours, lost family time, lack of education, and discrimination . Not being able to spend quality time with my mother truly affected my childhood and adulthood. My mother has internalized her title as a housekeeper and has defined her life by this. This type of job has excluded her from many things. Especially retirement benefits. Her ambition to make quick and immense amount of money led her to owning property. Property that at her age now will not be easy to pay off. Especially since her retirement money will not even be enough for basic needs.Watching my mother having to work so hard to earn her money has put a lot of pressure on me on getting an education, a degree, and setting a stable future for my daughter. 

– A.V

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