Dear Immigrant Mom,
What a wonderful moment in history it is for us as immigrant mothers in the United States, as we witness the daughter of immigrant parents take on the position as the first female Vice President Elect of the United States of America.
We beam with pride at this great achievement because we all can identify with Vice President Elect Kamala Harris’s mother- now of blessed memory, who came to this country at age 19.
When Ms. Harris speaks of her Immigrant mother, her story strikes a cord that resonates deeply with us because we wear the Immigrant Mom shoes and we are walking miles in those shoes.
We are Immigrant Mothers, who left our home countries for several reasons and now are committed to raising our children in a country that we did not grow up in, one far away from our home countries. And we are comforted to know that even as we muster courage to parent in a new culture, we know that the possibilities for ourselves and our children are endless.
As immigrant mothers, we have to become familiar with the issues of our new country, its holidays, it’s culture, and learn how to win, so we can show our children that they too can win.
Today we all should feel extremely proud, encouraged and inspired to see that the sacrifices for our selves, our families and our children are valid.
The daughter of an immigrant as the vice president of the United States gives us a sneak peek into the future to see all that our children can be. We must commit to build principles in our homes to ensure that our children are getting that proper foundation to be tomorrow’s leaders.
As always, now and more than ever, we will teach our children the following values;
- To Be Proud of Their Heritage
Teach them to be proud of their dual heritage. To be committed both to their country of ancestry and their country of birth or residence. We will teach them to embrace their diversity and that of others, to believe in the possibility of their potential. To continue to give back to the society through service, hard work and excellence. To be accepting of the fact that they are able to switch between two accents. The accent used at home and the one used in school. To accept that their lunches may taste or have an unfamiliar scent from what their classmates know. To accept to have a name that is difficult to pronounce.
2. To Join The Conversation
We will teach them to take a seat at the table and not always wait to be invited. To look for opportunity and rise up to it, to contribute towards the development of their country of birth or residence. We will teach them by example, through our own lives by seeking to learn as much of this new society, by breaking the limits in our own lives, scaling our businesses, not shying away from important conversations that will have an impact on us and our children. Intentionally we seek out opportunities for self and professional development.
3. Hard Work and Excellence Pays Off
We will teach our children the value of working hard and seeking to be excellent in just about everything. To understand that failure is part of life and that sometimes we win, and sometimes we loose, and sometimes things do not always go as we imagine but more importantly to have the ability to keep moving. To be resilient, brave and determined. To give up any excuses or limiting self beliefs and truly believe the endless possibilities available to them through their potential.
As Immigrant Moms we will continue to take our roles seriously and the part we play in shaping the destiny of this country and instilling the right values in our children. In understanding our importance and rising to the occasion. We must step up and share our stories and form bonds with other immigrant mothers because we have a unique struggle and face similar challenges of settlement and integration.
If you are an immigrant mom, join our Facebook group ” The Immigrant Mom Group”