My family's object isn’t an actual object, but rather a recipe. Pastel is a Brazilian recipe for a good filling food, or if you make many, a good meal for your family. My parents came from Brazil, my dad came when he was 15 years old and brought his mother’s recipe with him. He couldn’t come here with his mother, unfortunately, he was the only one in his family who was approved for the paperwork to come to America, leaving his mother and sister behind. He made pastels to help keep a piece of his home with him at all times. When he met my mother and had kids he started making this recipe with me. We make this on special occasions such as holidays and birthdays, and it is always such an amazing meal. It gave me a part of his home and even though I wasn’t born in Brazil, I can feel the experiences that he had with his mother, making them when he was so young and helping out in the kitchen. All I want is to do that for my dad and carry this tradition on by making it for my kids.

– JA

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