Every day, I wear something that represents me and my heritage. Jewelry. Something simple, but still impactful that represents my ancestors and heritage. All of the jewelry I wear on a daily basis is sourced from Pakistan and given to me by my grandmother. My grandfather immigrated to America during his forties or fifties, in seek of a better life. After securing a job as a taxi driver and securing a home, he brought my nineteen-year-old mother and her seventeen-year-old brother from our tiny rural village in Punjab to bustling Las Vegas. My mother returned to Pakistan to get married and came back to America pregnant with me. She then returned back to Pakistan to give birth and when she returned to America, I already had been given the necklace I wear every day, I was also set to get my ears pierced in the upcoming months. Although I have only been to Pakistan a handful of times, it completely transforms my life every time. From necklaces, to earrings, to nose studs, all these items bring me comfort because they serve as a reminder of my identity and my family. Even if I am 7,729 miles away from home, I will forever be linked to it via the gold that rests on my skin. 

– Hamra Asif

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