My family and I immigrated to the United States from South Africa in 2004. My family's long heritage as South Africans dates back to my father's great-great grandparents and my mother's family when they moved from England in 1980. This picture is of the 2010 South African World Cup Mascot Zakumi. Zakumi is a young leopard that was created to signify while at this time South Africa has many safety and political issues, “he” is a proud South African and will unify the people as the world comes to South Africa. This object represents my family's complex journey as we left South Africa because of all the crime and unrest, but we will forever remember and embrace our culture and traditions. As an immigrant family, it has not always been easy to express and celebrate our heritage. Since South Africa is a third-world country, many Americans do not understand why my family would miss their home country. They do not see our heritage through our eyes. The beauty of the game reserves, the delicious Ouma buttermilk rusks, or the family we left behind. While this object serves as a symbol of my history, it also reminds me of how hard my family has fought to live in this new opportunity-filled country. Sharing the Mascot Zakumi fills me with pride to be a first-generation immigrant.

– Caitlyn Flemmer

Relationship:  Im/migrant who arrived as a child Im/migrant who arrived as a child