When my mother immigrated to Lowell, Massachusetts from a town where the mountains touched the sky in Ancash, Peru, she brought with her a small bag. This bag contained only what she needed for her long trip. Her trip to America was a scary and isolated experience. She came to the United States alone, petrified, confused. She was in her early 20’s. During the journey to the States, my mother took a 9 hour bus ride to Lima, from Lima she took a plane to Miami, Florida. She stayed in Miami for a couple days. Not being able to speak any English, she was rightfully afraid. During her travel to the United States she wore this dainty bracelet that she made in grade school. The bracelet consists of this mute pink thread, a greenish blue thread, and a brown thread woven between the two. This bracelet has been through lots of trauma, and experiences and it is a part of my mothers identity and has now carried onto mine. I wear this bracelet with pride and I represent my mothers identity with even more pride. My mothers story resonates with many others. She just like many left, escaped, fled, her country to come to the United States in a hope for a better opportunity at life, for work, for family.

– KM

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