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We have no love
without family

Below is a picture of my self, my husband, and my 2 children.

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Part of my cultural background includes parties and the food we eat. Usually when we have parties, our families are too large to fit in the house and we have to rent out spaces or have the parties outdoors. Celebrations are important to us. When ever we get together we discuss how things used to be when members of the family were young. For example, my parents discuss how strict their parents used to be and how they (my parents) were raised.

Below is a picture of my children and I with my sister in law at her aunts 60th birthday celebration. During the party members of the family spoke about past memories.

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Every month my family and I get together for a game night. we usually order seafood or pizza, eat, then play a variety of games all night. We do this to stay connected and surprisingly we learn new things about each other every time we meet. We have family members of all ages ranging from 2 years to 65 years that participate in playing games.

Below is a picture of my family playing a board game and eating dinner together.

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I am special because I am an African American. Within my culture we celebrate by having block parties and cookouts. The food we eat and the music we listen to reflects who I am. During our parties, we listen to old school hip hop and eat kabobs, grilled meats, and an assortment of salads. My ethnicity is also special because of the way we wear our hair -twisted, straight, afro puff, curled and so much more, and the many beautiful complexions of our skin.

Below is a picture of myself in my house. I am comfortable and happy in the skin I am in. Notice my family photos hanging in the background.

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When my siblings and I were younger, my father was very strict and made sure we knew how to behave in and out of the house. We were told to keep our conversations to ourself rather than being too loud. We were told to use proper English when talking and we were corrected if we misused or pronounced a word incorrectly. We were not allowed to run in the store or sit on furniture other than a bed or couch. We were taught to respect ourselves, our belongings, others belongings, and people older than us and treat them with kindness even if they weren't kind to us

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Some things I value include
1. Family- Family is what makes you who you are.
2. Opinions- everyone is entitled to an opinion and I am an open-minded person.
3. Trust/Honesty- I need to be able to trust and believe in my friends and family in order to build relationships.
4. Respect- I was always taught to respect myself and others, this is a trait all individuals should possess.

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My family and I celebrate every major holiday together. Now that I am married, my husband and I always visit different sides of the family. For New Years, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas we visit a total of 4 homes to see all of our family. Holidays are important to each member of the family for different reasons. Holidays are important to me because tomorrow is not promised and I'd like to spend as much time with my family as possible.

Below is a picture of my children celebrating the New Year holiday, we stayed the night at our aunts house.

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I never got the chance to meet any of my grandfathers, but I learned many things about them. One of my grandfathers owned many pets. He would purchase and take in many animals to provide better homes for them. My other grandfather was very family oriented and made sure he and his family did things together like enjoying meals together at the dinner table. This behavior was passed down to my siblings and I. I now am very family oriented and make an effort to attend events for the entire family, eat together, and enjoy each others company. I also show my children the importance in family and helping and caring for animals.

Below is a picture of my children eating dinner together as we (my children, my husband, and myself) discuss how each of our day went.