When my mom turned fifteen, her mom gave her a semanario ring. In Mexico, semanario jewelry has seven bands, and is given as a symbol of good luck. On a girl’s fifteenth birthday, she will usually receive a ring, typically a gift of the girl’s parents or godparents, symbolizing their infinite love. Even though a fifteenth birthday is very important to my culture, amidst the chaos of immigrating to another country, most of my family did not put much value on my mom’s birthday. The only one who remembered to make it important and special was my grandma, and so she combined two traditions together to get my mom a meaningful gift. When I turned fifteen, my mom gave me her semanario ring. I use it to bring a sense of comfort when I’m anxious, a sense of stability when everything feels like it’s changing, a reminder of the love that has been passed down generations. In a way, it acts in the ways a mother should. Through her times alone, figuring out her place in the world after immigrating, my mom constantly wore a reminder of her mothers love. Now when I have the opportunity to explore the world on my own, it will be in a different way. I’ll still wear my ring through the whole journey, and the farther I go, the more their love moves me. 

– Daphne Vasquez

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