Sharing with a Sister from another Mister

My mother only had four girls: Precious, Ammed, my twin sister Jehbeh, and me. In 1986, my mother moved from Liberia to Sacramento, California in hopes of finding a better life for herself as well as he family. She managed to get Ammed to the United States and soon after my dad followed. Due to legal issues as well  as other prohibitions, Precious was unable to be a part of the family until 2001. Because of her absence, Ammed, Jehbeh, and I grew up together. I didn't even know I had another sister until shortly before her arrival. I always wanted to know about the sister I never grew up with, the woman I never knew. My sister Precious is the woman I chose to interview. In doing so, I was hoping to form not only know more about her but to also better our relationship.

The interview took place over ice cold lemonade and snacks on her patio deck in the backyard of her home. Despite her three sons making constant sound effects and laughing at the top of their lungs, we managed to discuss a lot of things. One of the things we discussed was her childhood. After my mom left, Precious was sent to live with relatives, her relatives. You see, Precious has a different father than me, Jehbeh, and Ammed. I was completely unaware of this until many years after she arrived to the United States. When in Liberia, she mostly lived with her aunts and uncles but soon was sent to live with our grandmother on our mother's side to care for her when she became ill. After the passing of our grandmother, she was then taken back to live with her father's side of the family. She grew up in a well sustainable environment with enough food and school fees paid for. Precious mentioned how privileged the other sisters and I were to live in America and not have to pay tuition for school or other associated fees. The only thing they had to worry about was the roofing during raining season which is summer time here in Minnesota. If patches weren't fixed or the roof wasn't fully enact, water could get into the house thus causing damage. With her slight accent she said, "Ha, that roof is no joke!" Her adolescent years took place late 1970's and '80's when there a lot of war going on. She explained how women and young girls were taken off to secluded places, raped, then beaten before being told to go home. The government was corrupted with rebels ruling the streets, making it unsafe for families. Eventually she made it through and finished her schooling at LTI-Lutheran Training Institute in Monrovia, Liberia. Soon after accomplishing some college credits, Precious made her way to America in order to continue her education and become a successful woman. Little did she know that money didn't just grow on trees like she though it would..

In time, Precious managed to get an apartment, enroll in class at MCTC in Minneapolis, and began a job at Wal-Mart. "Let me tell you, working at that job was not easy but I did what I had to do," she explained in reference to her first opportunity of employment. In hopes of pursuing her nursing degree, she then found a job working as a PCA. It wasn't her ideal job but it was "something to pay the bills." There she struggled with power. Precious explained to me that she felt quite inferior to her bosses and even co-workers due to being female with a cultural difference. In reference to the Racism in America video, there were many stereotypes that were related to black people. Similar to this, people who can directly relate to a country of origin experience more stereotyping. She shared with me that people rudely asked her why she talked a certain way, why her skin tone was so dark, and treated as if she was beneath all others. Precious said she felt powerless and unworthy. She left shortly after she began to escape the ridicule.

Precious met her first two sons' father but he left for Kenya immediately after their second child was born. Alone, she struggled to work to provide for her family and put herself through school. Throughout those years she encouraged me and twin sister to make sure we finished school and waited to get married and have children. According to the article by Goldman, marriage and love don't necessarily have to be linked together. Goldman considers marriage to be an institution designed to imprison women and continue the oppression that exists, which is similar to how my sister felt. She continued to advise us to find a good person before settling down. She is now married to her husband that shares the responsibility of working to pay the household expenses as well as take care of the household chores.

Today, Precious is a proud and hard-working mother of three boys. She has fought hard to achieve a bachelor's degree in nursing and is currently working as a case manager for a large hospital. She's satisfied with her life. In all, my sister Precious is the woman I chose to interview. In doing so, I was hoping to form not only know more about her but to also better our relationship, and I did.