My family immigrated in 1950. They worked in the fields in Santa Barbara for Sunkist. They had my Father in Cottage Hospital and they went back and fourth to Aguascalientes, Mexico and Santa Barbara throughout his childhood. He decided to stay by himself at the age of 15 because he knew there was nothing for him in Mexico. He worked and lived with his aunt as he finished high school. My mother was also born in Santa Barbara and they met in their 20s. They moved away, about 2 hours, but all their family stayed in Santa Barbara. I was baptized in Santa Barbara and I grew up in both Rosamond and Santa Barbara. I met my husband where we lived, Rosamond. He is a second generation, also from Mexico. When we got engaged, we knew that we would get married in Santa Barbara because it is so close to my heart and our family. My dress symbolized my family's journey to me and our own. We now are located in Ventura, but we all worked hard to be where we wanted to be. We all made it through a lot. This dress is a symbol of our new journey, a family that we plan to start. It represents me, it is exactly my personality and style. 

– Ciera Anda

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