Ligaya is an energetic, yet equally introspective 7-year old girl. Her name means happiness or joy in Tagalog/Pilipino. An only child, her parents divorced when she was very young. She hates it when people think she is spoiled or shy because she is neither. She likes wearing bright clothing and her favorite pair of velcro shoes. She enjoys simple things like the feeling she gets when her mom brushes her hair. She needs a little time to warm up to new people, but is bright and bubbly when with Lolo. She enjoys reading sci-fi and fantasy books, watching cartoons like Tom and Jerry and hopes to be a marine biologist one day. She also loves the Simpsons and looks up to Lisa Simpson. She can speak and understand Tagalog very well, as it was her first language. She considers Lolo to be her best friend and looks forward to their weekly aluminum can hunting expeditions.
Lolo has white hair peppered with spots of black. In his late 60s, he is soft-spoken, dignified and kind. He immigrated to the United States from the Philippines with his wife, Ligaya’s grandmother, after being petitioned for by his daughter. Sadly, his wife of over 40 years passed away before Ligaya was born due to complications of pneumonia and he looks forward to being with her again one day. He lives with his daughter and his granddaughter Ligaya, both of whom he loves dearly.
Ligaya’s
mom loves her family very much. However, raising Ligaya as a single mother has taken a toll on her and she is unable to spend as much time with them as she would like. Gigi works long hours to support her family. Simple, beautiful and strong, she is what Ligaya will be in a few decades.
