Both of my parents left Mexico at a young age, leaving family and friends behind. When my mother arrived in the United States, she was 18 years old and went to live with my uncles in Brooklyn. My dad, on the other hand, arrived to the United States with no where to go. He rented a small apartment in the Bronx where he lived there alone. He could not call his parents and he didn’t know anyone in the United States. A couple of years later, my mom and dad meet each other and began to form their own family. As my twin brothers and I grew up, our parents taught us to value our family. They believe that family is the strongest form of unity, especially in today's world of social media. That is why every year my immediate family gets together on “el dia de los reyes magos” to cut the “rosca de reyes.” I remember waking up to the smell of “champurrado” and coffee. My dad bringing in the large rosca and my brothers being excited to cut it. I remember the teasing of my aunts and uncles whenever one of us got a baby figurine and the fights my brothers and I would have over the sweetest part of the bread. To me, the rosca signifies family and unity because it allowed my family and I to connect and share memories together. 

– Jennifer Morales

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