I had the wonderful experience of being a part of AM:PM’s “Sin Sangre, Con Alma”. A gallery dedicated to immigrant artists and immigration stories. For the first time I showed my art piece “ΓΙα να Ξξερειες που παεις στη Ζωη σου, Πρεπει να ξερεις απο πογ καταλεδαι” (To know where you are going in life you have to know where you come from). The title is one of the last things my papou said to me before his passing in 2014- I have always held those words very close to my heart.
The installation includes images of when my family was moving my yiayia out of her home. Two of my Yiayia, one of my fathers. The last image my eighty - nine year old yiayia took herself. I asked her to photograph something she loves deeply. It didn’t feel right to not include my papou. They came here to create something more, to have drive and dedication to build a new life. My mother and father continued to work hard, have faith, and to remember where we come from. Me and my siblings continue to hold strongly to those values. I included a collage of images of Papou in Greece, and of the first few years after immigrating to America. He is the foundation of what he built.
The entire piece is surrounded in a traditional Greek tea my yiayia would give us when we were sick. A nod to Healing generational trauma, wanting to grow but to keep value in traditions and culture. I am incredibly blessed to have grandparents who took the risk for more. Who left a small village thousands of miles away with just hope and prayers for something better.
America is built on immigrants.
Every individual should have the opportunity and freedom to build more for themselves. To build more for their loved ones. To not live in fear of separation.

Thank you to my family for giving me two amazing cultures, strong morals and a beautiful heart (as well as amazing genes ;)I love you deeply. Παππού σ’ αγαπώ πολύ. ελπίζω να σε κάνω περήφανο
-Κούκλα