This is a suit from my grandpa’s clothing store. This and other clothes were up for sale in the store during the time it was open. My grandpa opened up the store when he moved to Great Neck, Long Island in 1978. When they moved to America they thought that they were going on vacation and to visit his oldest son who was in school here, but they ended up staying because of the Iranian Revolution. They didn’t have a home, so they stayed with my grandpa’s parents, while my grandpa worked to make money in order to purchase their own home. I first saw the racks of clothes a year ago, when my cousins and I were hanging out in their basement. After finding the racks and telling our parents about them, they told us that they had been here for years. Every time we were at our grandparent’s house for a holiday, my dad and his brothers would take suits and different clothes. These clothes connect to my identity and culture because they show what hard workers my family was and still is. I can’t imagine being in my grandfather’s shoes and not even knowing the language of his new home, but yet opening a store to provide for his family. They are important to me because it shows me the life my grandfather led before I was born and reminds me of the great person that he is.

– LM

Relationship:  Grandchild of im/migrant Grandchild of im/migrant