Cultural RingAfter my father proposed to my mother in 1996, my grandmother gave her wedding band to my father.  It was my mother’s favorite ring when she was younger and she admired it all her life. When my grandmother gave it to my dad, she knew that my mom would never forget the special place it came from. This ring comes from a very special place in my family. My grandmother is from Guayaquil, Ecuador, which was where her and my grandfather got married. In addition, her wedding band was made out of gold and diamonds from Ecuador so it is very valuable and special to my mother. Although I never had the opportunity to meet my grandmother, this wedding band is a significant piece of remembering her and where she comes from.  To begin with, my grandmother is one hundred percent Ecuadorian, making me twenty-five percent Ecuadorian. Therefore, her culture and ethnicity play a huge role in my life and how I was raised. Also, it was a difficult journey for my grandfather to obtain this piece of jewelry. Through hard work and lots of love for my grandmother, he was able to find the perfect piece of jewelry that would complement their marriage in the best way.

– Jordan Cohen

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