Before adopting the U.S. dollar as its official currency, Ecuador faced hyperinflation with its native currency, the Sucre. This economic collapse caused immediate effects on citizens’ daily lives, forcing hundreds of thousands of citizens to flee. Among them was Maya (name changed for privacy reasons), who migrated to America in the hopes of finding a stable future. Upon arrival, she navigated the language and economic barriers, which today shapes the way she raises her daug

As Amy’s (name changed for privacy reasons) six month visit in America turned into a permanent stay after unexpectedly finding love, she built a life with her husband and two daughters while navigating the opportunities and challenges of starting over in a new country. “We received a permit…for only six months, and I was planning to visit friends here for that period of time, six months. But I met a guy here, and I started thinking about the possibility [of staying here] for

“Whenever my mom makes food, it just brings me back to my childhood because you can't get t anywhere else. It's eating 苦瓜 (bitter melon) or 蒸肉饼 (steamed pork patty). It makes me feel like I'm back in my mom's home and we're eating this as a family…that expression [of love] is done through cooking, because they don't express [love verbally]. They say, ‘here, eat this,’” Sue (name changed for privacy reasons) reflected, remarking on the love language seen within Chinese culture

“I think I left everything. We only packed a few luggages and moved here, and we had no idea about the US at all. Once we got here, we just looked around for a place to live and get a car. And by that time, I really didn't think [I was going to] leave Hong Kong for a long time. Or [that I was going to] leave my parents for a long time, because I [could] still fly between these two places.” A first generation immigrant from Hong Kong, whom we’ll call Lily, followed her husband