Every week, the AWM is excited to bring you stories written by our visitors in our Story of the Day exhibit, which features typewriters that visitors can interact with directly, or our newest temporary exhibit, My America: Immigrant and Refugee Writers Today. Check back weekly for new stories, and visit My-America.org to see a virtual version of the exhibit, share your story, and possibly be featured here!
Part of our newest temporary exhibit features an interactive station that allowed visitors to write their familyโs story on a luggage tag and stamp it with the reason their family came to the United States or how they’ve moved within the country, whether it was Family, Refuge, by Force, for Freedom or Opportunity, or a different reason. Below are four stories shared in the exhibit, which opened to the public November 21, 2019. Visit My-America.org or comment below to share your familyโs immigration (or migration) story.
“My parents went to Canada in 1989 as refugees during the Civil War. My grandfather had an accident, we all went back to El Salvador when I was 7. Years later, my wife got her US papers. We came here in love. We married, which is illegal in my country. I have never felt so free to be me and this is what America means to me: freedom to love! Back in El Sal I had to hide my sexuality and now I celebrate it! Second wedding anniversary and a home full of love.”
5/18/2020
Ligia Milla
“My grandma was born & raised as an orphan in England during WWII. With a desire to see the world & no connections holding her back, she immigrated to Canada then the US, where she met & married my grandpa.
2/5/20
“My [illegible] came over for opportunity during the Civil War from Germany, to settle & farm
Sunday, Feb. 11, 2020
“My parents escaped Communist Poland in the 80s. My father was forced into the Russian Army and to work in the coal mines and was wanted for death when he escaped.
2/10/20