This is a necklace icon of St. Nicholas, a gift I received from my baptism. It represents my Orthodox cultural and religious identity, but its paramount value resides in all the memories and experiences it holds. I have worn it for the entirety of my life, and is symbolic of my life experiences. Therefore it is not only a religious artifact, but a very personal object that has stayed with me throughout my life. Nicholas is also my baptismal name, and reasoning behind the gift. Since this artifact represents the journey of my life, which includes coming to the US, it is a constant reminder of my home that I consider to be Georgia. Without it I feel stripped of my cultural as well as individual identity.

– Nika Kvizhinadze

Relationship:  Im/migrant Im/migrant