While a sugar packet may seem like a boring everyday object—small, paper, white with blue lettering—to me and my mother, it is so much more.
This packet is special, as it is one of the few thousands remaining from the Imperial Sugar factory in Sugar Land, Texas, which went out of business about 20 years ago. These days, it is exceptionally rare to find a Sugar Land sugar packet, but every once in a while—especially in Texas—you might come across one of these unique packets in an old family style restaurant or casual diner. 
My mother was born and raised in Sugar Land. After she finished college in Texas, she moved up north and began searching for these sugar packets as a reminder of where she came from. She has since passed this tradition on to me, so every time we visit Texas we continue our tradition of searching for Imperial Sugar packets. This particular one joined my and my mom’s collection during our trip in 2022. 
To us, the sugar packet is more than just paper and sweetener. It represents familial roots, and my connection to a place that is important to me. While perhaps being a “trivial” object, it is a reminder that even if I move away from where I came from, I can always find ways to stay connected to my past and those who raised me to be who I am today.

– RC

Relationship:  Im/migrant Im/migrant