I had a key chain made up of five small dolls in green, red, purple, orange and yellow. I still have it, but I lost the yellow doll. It belonged to my older brother and he gave it to me in Bangladesh when I was 16 years old. I took the keychain with me to New York. The five dolls represent my family members: my mother, father, brother, sister and me. My favorite color is red, so the red doll represents me. I liked to play with them when I had free time. I imagined that the dolls were happy in their life and that the red doll represents freedom. She did not have to worry about her life and her family. She did not have to work, so she spent time with her friends and family and in school. The small red doll’s face always seemed to smile. However, when I came to New York, it seemed that the life of my doll family completely changed. It became more difficult. The dolls worried about their children. The red doll grew frustrated with her life. Now she had to worry about her family and work; this was very hard for her life. The first year was more difficult for her, but now she has confidence that she can find happiness and success in the future.

– Firoz Shahna

Relationship:  unknown unknown