My parents grew up in a small village in Vietnam. Every day was a struggle and they had little to no time to rest. My dad worked in a rice field and sold goods on the streets. Meanwhile, my mother worked at a Fleamarket and sold clothes. They both had a golden dream which was to travel to America for a better life. Despite living in poverty, there were also good times. Once a year my parents and grandparents would celebrate Chinese New Year, like New Years. In this tradition a red envelope, also known as a Laisee, is given to the youngsters of the family. Inside the red envelope is usually money or a lucky charm or note. It is also used as a blessing, wishing them happiness and health. Luck stroke in 1996 when my parents were able to cross the borders of the United States. From there, my parents established a successful business. Moving forward in 2019, my family continued to celebrate the holiday, and I was given a Laisee. These Laisee are not only a great gift for me but it shows the hardships that they went through and enabled me to work as hard as them.  

– Henry Nguyen

Relationship:  Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more