As far back as I can remember, my dad always had stories about his travels and the hardships he endured just to come to America.  No matter how much he spoke about these life challenges, which included separation of family, enduring long work hours, and being treated unfairly by others, I could always count on the ending being the same.  “Do you know why I do what I do and what my hope is for you?”  I would always shake my head no, even though I knew.  “My hope is that one day, you will be more successful than me. I hope you will study hard, work hard and be able to stand on your own two feet; you see in America the education you earn is yours to keep. Always remember that.”
I made this pig rattle in an elective college pottery class I took for stress relief.  For me, the immigrant dream can be overwhelming. Many hopes and dreams land on our shoulders, the children of immigrants, and we are afraid to disappoint. This rattle’s gentle ring reminds me of the hardships my father has endured but that routes to a dream can be different. It just depends how fast or slow you want to shake things up. 

– Mary C

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