I grew up in America. However, my parents did not. Both my parents were born and raised in Yemen. Yemen is a Muslim country so you can imagine it’s very festive during our holiday, Ramadan. When my mom was 16 years old, my grandparents purchased a dish set with traditional art on it. My grandparents always used this specific dish set during Ramadan. It became their own little tradition. When mom and dad first came to America as immigrants, it was difficult and challenging. They felt isolated and distant from our culture because everything was so different in America. When my mom left Yemen, my grandparents made sure to make space in her suitcase for their traditional Ramadan dish set. My parents’ first Ramadan in America was not easy for them. Ramadan is not a major holiday in America, so my parent did not feel the festivity they were accustomed to in Yemen. The first night of Ramadan in America, my mom cooked her family's traditional meals: rice, chicken, samosas, and my grandma's famous cake recipe and plated them on her parent's dish set. My mother later told me that that night was the first night she and my dad felt truly at home. My family's traditional food and dish set made Ramadan in America feel like Ramdan in Yemen. My mom continues with this tradition. Every Ramadan since then, we continue to use my grandparents' dish set and their traditional recipes. This tradition has helped me and my siblings feel connected to our grandparents. 

– OM

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