The image of our Lady of Juquila is a representation of my parent's American Dream. Before coming to the United States my parents visited this saint's shrine in Mexico. Here, people created small symbolic objects of mud in what they would like this Saint to make true. My parents created a small home, car, and a family and wrote "Los Estados Unidos" out of mud. They hoped that when they came to El Otro Lado, they would be able to realize their dreams. This image of Juquilita (as my parents call her) is an image that they carried with them when they came to El Otro Lado. For my parent's El Otro Lado were opportunities to create something in life because they were not able to have the same opportunities in Mexico. They wanted to leave Mexico because of violence, corruption and poverty they were experiencing. In the United States they knew they would be safe, they would have more income and they would be able to give their children more opportunities in education than they had in Mexico. For them their American Dream was their children's success and they had all their faith on this Saint in making those dreams come true. When they crossed over, they took with them this image as a powerful symbol of faith that they would be able to cross over. Since then, she has been with our family witnessing my parent's sacrifices and suffering in Mexico, their crossing over, the birth of their three children, the obstacles and happy moments we experienced in the United States together. 

– Liliana Maldonado

Relationship:  Im/migrant Im/migrant