My parents and my siblings were living happily in the capital of Kosovo. My father worked in the city library and my mother was a nurse. Chaos broke out when the Serbians wanted to take out Albanians from what they thought was “their” territory. My family had to leave to Macedonia and stayed there for about 2 months. When America stepped in to help stop the war, my family went to America. That’s when they were handed the refugee travel documents. These were temporary, as their classification would change from refugee to U.S. Citizen. After war and tragedy, they got back on their feet and started a new life, bringing hope to others that might go through the same struggles. Their refugee travel documents showed who they are, and how they changed. It shows the background of who I am, a child and younger sisters of refugees and now U.S. Citizens. My parents came here for a better life for them and their kids, not knowing they were going to have another one. I was a new start for my parents.

– Jonida Kukaj

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