My mother was born and raised in Dominican Republic. She grew up in a city where money was something the people there dreamt having lots of. My mother was 24 years old when she came to the United States in 1993. During that time, the process took 4 years of wait. However, she got lucky with a 2 year wait. When she came to the United States my mother brought a picture of my great grandma as a memory of her love and hope that everything will always be okay. In the picture it was my great grandma’s 70th birthday celebration before she passed away. My mother chose this object because moving out the country leaving her siblings and parents behind, the picture made her feel at home. My mother decided to come to the United States because my parents both agreed on starting a family here in New York. Since she knew what it was like living in a country of a low economy, moving to New York with better benefits in jobs which leaves better opportunities in creating a family. It’s important for people to learn about the experiences of immigrants because many immigrants struggled in their country and coming to the United States was a life changing opportunity and beneficial in many ways. Many immigrants support and honor the United States for all the opportunities it gave them to be successful, and if we did not share these stories, people would not be able to understand how this country has been a lifesaver for millions of immigrants.

– Kilsy Baez

Relationship:  Im/migrant Im/migrant