Ms. Usha Sanghavi (Broadening Narratives)

Description

Usha Sanghavi, 77, is a retired Dunkin’ Donuts employee born in Bombay, and longtime member of the Gujarati Indian community in the Chicago suburbs. In this interview, she reflects on her childhood in South Bombay, her father’s sari business and early death, and the pivotal role her mother and grandmother played in sustaining the family business. She discusses her education through the 12th standard, her arranged marriage at a young age, and her transition from life in India to immigrating to the United States in 1989. Sanghavi recounts her early years in America, including working night shifts at Dunkin’ Donuts and gas stations alongside her husband, learning to drive and speak English later in life, and supporting her family through long hours of labor. She describes raising three children, saving for weddings, purchasing homes, and navigating the U.S. citizenship process—passing the exam on her second attempt in order to sponsor her married daughter’s immigration. Additional topics include: women’s labor and resilience, intergenerational family dynamics, Gujarati cultural practices, clothing and gender norms, early Indian grocery shopping on Devon Avenue, maintaining ties to India through annual visits, and reflections on aging, independence, and adaptation.