My father came to Brooklyn, New York in search of the "American Dream" in 1981. Coming from a country that was recovering from WWII, his goal was to come to America to become successful and wealthy. His parents (my grandparents) didn't want him to leave Poland. They were worried because he didn't know the language and other than his one uncle, he didn't have family or friends living in America that could help him. My father's plan was to stay with his uncle who had a job lined up for him and a home to live in. Before he departed for America, his grandmother gave him her late husband's Polish plag. His grandfather served in WWII as a Polish officer and this flag represents his deep roots and love for the country. I am beyond honored to now have this flag in my possession and it will continue to be passed down because it represents our heritage and culture. Every time I look at this flag, I think about my father's journey and how much he sacrificed to start a new life. He worked really hard and saved up as much as he could before returning to Poland. When he returned, he met my mother. They got married and she became pregnant with me and they decided to return to Chicago to start a life together. 
 

– Lukasz

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