The sewing machine in my family has been here for four generations it goes back almost 80 years. The machine was built in 1927. My great-abuelita and Abuelo came to the United States from Puerto Rico in 1948, where they stayed in New York. In 1962, my Great Abuelita got her sewing machine. In 1964, they moved from New York to New Jersey that’s when her sewing business grew. She made bridal dresses and men's clothing for singers and musicians. One musician in particular who is connected to my family is Mongo Santamaria, a famous Cuban conga player of that time. In 1968, they moved again from New Jersey to California. During the move, the sewing machine's motor broke, but my Great Abuelo built my Abuelita a new motor for her machine. She then worked in a sewing shop in California before she opened another shop in 1972. She continued to sew and make clothing until she got sick with breast cancer in 1991, when my abuelita then stepped in to make the clothing by hand. My great abuelita had to close the shop down and stop sewing completely. In 1994, my Abuelita moved to Florida with my Great abuelita to take care of her while she was sick, but she got sicker with bone cancer. She passed away in 1996, that same year, my abuelita inherited the sewing machine. To this day, we still have the sewing machine, and it carries my family’s history and Journey from Puerto Rico to America, as well as how my family saw an opportunity and took it, even if it meant starting from the bottom and having to work to the top and never giving up no matter how many times you fall.

– S.S

Relationship:  Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more