Turning fifteen in the Mexican culture is a big deal. You are transforming from a young kid into a young lady. The necklace I wear every day since the day I turned fifteen was a gift from my parents in celebration of turning into a young lady. The necklace I have is a gold chain with a charm that has a number fifteen on the front. I received it as a gift at my fifteenth birthday party from my parents. Most girls that turn fifteen in the Mexican culture get gifted some type of jewelry symbolizing that they have turned fifteen, but when I turned sixteen I did not need the fifteen symbol anymore so my parents bought me a charm of La Virgen De Guadalupe. La Virgen de Guadalupe is the mother of Jesus and is said to protect you now and until the time of our death. I now only wear the necklace with La Virgen De Guadalupe because in the Catholic Church she is said to protect us. I haven’t taken this necklace off since the day I got it.  Being the only girl in my family makes these small gifts feel bigger than they truly are and maybe someday I'll be able to gift one to my own daughter.  

– T.O

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