The House the Children Built pays homage to the child immigrants who came to America alone, leaving their families behind in dangerous living conditions. This house is filled with mementos and symbols of life in the new world representing their bravery, heartbreak, challenges, and ideals in seeking a better life. It seeks to portray the emotional turmoil that these minors endured in becoming adults overnight in pursuit of their dreams.

 

Two of these children were my grandfathers, ages eleven and thirteen, youngsters whose journeys paralleled those who have followed and continue to follow in their footsteps. Our collective story is ongoing, and we need to be as proud of today’s immigrants as if they were our own ancestors. Whether migrating as adults or children, this is the story of their inner child. I invite you into this house, built with great diversity, to embrace it as your own.

    
   — Ellen Hanauer