Chapter 21: Healing Through Heritage: Personal Cultural Identity as the Daughter of Immigrants

Oral personal cultural heritage practices have helped me construct my identity as a daughter of immigrants. Through oral practices such as storytelling, I learned about my family, their traditions, and my family's past in Havana, Cuba. Oral traditions provide insight into the things we may not have witnessed, such as words, emotions, and memories expressed through joy, sorrow, and, at times, anger and fear. These practices have strengthened my connection to my heritage, especially when physical remnants of my family history are not visible, tangible, or preserved. As a library professional, I am deeply concerned about the future of significant personal oral artifacts, existing only because of the long-aged craft of storytelling. The threat of these stories being lost is real, a concern that I carry with me every day. As a child of immigrants, seeing my family share their stories has contributed to a healing that spans generations. Oral storytelling practices are a second chance to reclaim identity and give our future children a chance to know more about their ancestors. Oral personal cultural heritage practices further allow the once invisible familial member to be seen. As a personal record keeper, I cherish opportunities to hear stories and share memories, traditions, and the ways the family lived boldly through the stories told, capturing the essence of who I am. As a child of immigrant parents, I hope this chapter encourages others to seek their own stories and keep them alive through research exploring how these voices can live on.