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[Naturalization Ceremony on December 6, 2024.]
MORNING.MY NAME IS LIZ
I AM THRILLED TO EXTEND A WARM WELCOME ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF DALLAS.
FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PRESENCE OF OUR ESTEEMED ELECTED OFFICIALS AND DIGNITARIES WHO HAVE JOINED US HERE TODAY.
YES, WITH COUNCIL MEMBER PAUL RIDLEY OF DISTRICT 14.
COUNCIL MEMBER JANIE SCHULTZ OF DISTRICT 11.
COUNCIL MEMBER OMAR RAS, DISTRICT SIX.
AND SHORTLY I BELIEVE WE'LL HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER JESSE MORENO OF DISTRICT TWO, MONICA CAMPOS WITH THE OFFICE OF STATE REPRESENTATIVE RAFAEL MICHAEL CIA.
AM I MISSING ANYONE? COLIN COLUMN.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING PART OF THE SIGNIFICANT NATURALIZATION CEREMONY.
IF YOU HAVE EVER PARTICIPATED IN ONE OR TAKEN THE OATH, YOU REALIZE WHAT A SIGNIFICANT MOMENT THIS IS TO PARTAKE IN.
AND WE'D LIKE TO, WE'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE CITY OF DALLAS, OUR ENTIRE ELECTED OFFICIALS, OUR CITY MANAGEMENT TEAM, FOR MAKING THIS COME TO FRUITION WITH OUR PARTNERS AT THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, US CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES.
THANK YOU U-S-C-I-S FOR JOINING US IN THIS SPECIAL MOMENT.
IN 2017, THE CITY OF DALLAS MADE A HISTORIC COMMITMENT TO BECOME A WELCOMING CITY FOR THOSE FROM OTHER COUNTRIES, IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES WHO CALL DALLAS HOME.
THROUGH OUR WELCOMING DALLAS STRATEGIC PLAN, OUR FOCUS IS ON REDUCING ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DISPARITIES AND OUTCOMES, INCREASING OPPORTUNITIES, AND ENSURING THAT ALL DALLAS RESIDENTS CAN EXPERIENCE SHARED PROSPERITY AND CREATE A MORE VIBRANT INTERNATIONAL CITY.
A KEY ASPECT OF THIS WORK IS PROMOTING CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, INCREASING ACCESS TO NATURALIZATION SO THAT MORE DALLAS RESIDENTS CAN BECOME PROUD UNITED STATES CITIZENS.
IN COLLABORATION WITH U-S-C-I-S, THE CITY OF DALLAS HAS PROVIDED WELCOMING SPACES AT CELEBR TO CELEBRATE AND HONOR OUR NEIGHBORS AND TAKING THIS MONUMENTAL STEP IN THEIR JOURNEY TO BECOME UNITED STATES CITIZENS.
THE CEREMONY IS A COLLABORATION ACROSS VARIOUS CITY DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING OUR OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION, THANK YOU, OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION, WELCOMING COMMUNITIES AND IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS, THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE, DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT FACILITIES AND ESTATE MANAGE REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT, CUSTOMER AND CLIENT EXPERIENCE.
CAN YOU JOIN ME IN THANKING OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS FOR COLLABORATING ON THIS IMPORTANT OCCASION? THANK YOU.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO EXPRESS MUCH GRATITUDE TO MY COLLEAGUE AND OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKER TODAY.
ANDREA UREA WHO SERVES AT THE CITY OF DALLAS'S, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT, OUR PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, AND THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS.
WHERE ARE YOU? LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS.
THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS LEADING OUR VOTER REGISTRATION EFFORTS TOGETHER WITH YOU.
WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT EVERY ELIGIBLE UNITED STATES CITIZEN HAS THE ACCESS TO EXERCISE THEIR RIGHT AND RESPONSIBILITY TO VOTE JUST AS IMMEDIATELY AS POSSIBLE.
I ALSO WISH TO THANK THE FIRST GRADE CLASS OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD ESCO EPISCOPAL SCHOOL OF DALLAS.
ARE THEY PRESENT TODAY? THROUGH A REPRESENTATIVE? MS. MORGAN IS THEIR TEACHER AND SHE'S TEACHING THEM THE SPIRIT OF WELCOMING.
THEY CREATE CARDS FOR OUR US CITIZENS, OUR NEW US CITIZENS ON EVERY NATURALIZATION OCCASION.
AND THEY SU THEY'RE SURELY VERY SPECIAL.
AND I HOPE THAT ALL OF YOU ENJOY THEM AND MAYBE PUT 'EM UP WITH YOUR HOLIDAY CARDS THIS SEASON.
THESE YOUTH LEADERS, THESE FIRST GRADERS EMBODY THE SPIRIT OF WELCOMING.
TODAY, 30 DALLAS RESIDENTS FROM 19 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES WILL TAKE THEIR OATH OF CITIZENSHIP.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN GIVING A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
YOU ARE THE PRIDE AND JOY OF OUR CITY.
WE'RE SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE YOU CALL DALLAS HOME.
TO EACH OF YOU WHO ARE BEING SWORN IN AS US CITIZENS TODAY.
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THIS IS YOUR DAY.I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE PRIDE AND JOY YOU FEEL THAT YOUR LOVED ONES FEEL, THE THE PRIDE THAT YOU HAVE IN YOURSELVES AND THE PRIDE IN WHO YOU ARE, THE LIVES THAT YOU LEAD, THE PLACES FROM WHICH YOU COME, AND THE PLACE THAT YOU CALL HOME.
OUR CITY OF DALLAS, TEXAS, WHERE ABOUT ONE IN FOUR RESIDENTS IS FROM ANOTHER COUNTRY.
I AM IN DEEP ADMIRATION, ADMIRATION AND RESPECT FOR YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AND I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE UNIQUE PERSPECTIVES AND TALENTS THAT YOU BRING TO OUR CITY.
I JOIN OUR INTERIM CITY MANAGER, KIMBERLY BEISER TOLBERT AND THE CITY OF DALLAS TO SAY, WELCOME.
I EAGERLY ANTICIPATE WELCOME YOU ALL AS FELLOW CITIZENS IN JUST A MOMENT.
AND NOW I WILL TURN IT OVER TO MY LONG-TERM FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE, MR. OSCAR GARCIA, SECTION CHIEF OF U-S-C-I-S TO BEGIN THIS CEREMONY.
I HOPE EVERYBODY'S DOING WELL TODAY.
UH, LIKE LIZ SAID, MY NAME IS OCA GARCIA.
I'M A SUPERVISOR WITH THE CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES OFFICE AT THE DALLAS FIELD OFFICE.
AND IN AND ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND THE UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES, I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME ALL OF YOU TO YOUR NATURALIZATION CEREMONY.
I AM ALWAYS GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO NOT ONLY WITNESS, BUT TO BE A PART OF SUCH A JOYOUS OCCASION.
IT IS MY GREAT PLEASURE TO BE A PART OF THIS CEREMONY HERE TODAY.
THIS IS A SPECIAL DAY FOR EACH OF YOU AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
EACH OF YOU HAS YOUR OWN SPECIAL PATH THAT LED YOU TO THIS MOMENT.
FOR SOME OF YOU THIS DAY COMES AFTER A LONG AND DIFFICULT JOURNEY, BUT FOR ALL OF YOU, THIS OCCASION IS A DEFINING MOMENT IN OUR LIVES THAT YOU WILL SOON, THAT YOU WILL NOT SOON FORGET WHATEVER REASON YOU HAD FOR APPLYING FOR CITIZENSHIP AND WHATEVER STRUGGLES YOU MAY HAVE FACED ON YOUR JOURNEY TO THIS DAY, I CONGRATULATE YOU.
AND ONCE AGAIN, I WELCOME YOU TO YOUR NATURALIZATION CEREMONY.
I EMPHASIZE THE WORD YOUR IN THAT SENTENCE BECAUSE TODAY IS TRULY YOUR DAY.
I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE, TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKER ANDREA RE, DR.
ANDREA RE, FOR TAKING TIME FROM HER BUSY SCHEDULE TO BE HERE TODAY.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE CITY OF DALLAS AND ALL THE CITY OFFICIALS THAT MADE THIS EVENT POSSIBLE.
WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE USE OF THIS BEAUTIFUL HALL.
THIS HALL IS KNOWN AS THE FLAG ROOM.
I CANNOT THINK OF A BETTER PLACE TO HOLD SUCH AN EVENT.
THIS ROOM TRULY REPRESENTS THE DIVERSE AND INTERNATIONAL NATURE OF THE CITY OF DALLAS.
ONE THAT MAKES DALLAS SUCH A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE, WORK, OR VISIT.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL THE CITY, THE CITY OF DALLAS, AND ALL THE CITY OFFICIALS THAT MADE THIS CEREMONY POSSIBLE.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK, THANK THE FOLLOWING DEPARTMENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS, THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION, THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE, THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE, THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, AND FINALLY THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT.
ON THAT NOTE, OUR CEREMONY CONTINUES WITH THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT PROVIDING THE PRESENTATION OF COLORS.
AT THIS MOMENT, I WOULD ASK EVERYBODY TO PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
THIS WILL BE A VERY SPECIAL PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE BECAUSE THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME THAT MANY OF YOU DO IT.
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CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES, WE PLACE OUR HANDS OVER OUR HEARTS.WE FACE A FLAG AND WE DO IT ALL TOGETHER.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THE PROGRAM CONTINUES WITH THE NATIONAL ANTHEM FOUR, ONE AND YOU MAY SEATED PLEASE.
SO OUR PROGRAM CONTINUES WITH A CALL OF COUNTRIES.
UH, AS I CALL THE, UH, YOUR COUNTRY OF FORMER NATIONALITY, PLEASE STAND UP AND ONCE UH, EVERYBODY IS STANDING UP, WE'LL DO THE OATH OF ALLEGIANCE.
OKAY, WE'LL START OFF WITH BRAZIL AND FEEL FREE TO CLAP IF YOU WISH.
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NORWAY, PAKISTAN, TAIWAN, UGANDA, UNITED KINGDOM, AND VIETNAM.IS THERE ANY COUNTRY I MISSED? ALRIGHT.
SO EACH OF YOU HAS BEEN FOUND TO BE ELIGIBLE TO BECOME A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES.
SO WITHOUT ANY FURTHER ADO, UH, WE WILL DO THE OATH OF ALLEGIANCE.
ONE FINAL STEP TO BECOMING A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES.
WE ALL TAKE THE OATH TOGETHER AND WE BECOME A CITIZEN TOGETHER.
SO IF YOU CAN PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND AND CANDIDATES, PLEASE REPEAT AFTER ME.
I DECLARE, DECLARE UN OATH THAT I ABSOLUTELY AND ENTIRELY, ABSOLUTELY RENOUNCE AND ABJURE, RENOUNCE AND ABDU ALL ALLEGIANCE AND FIDELITY, ALL ALLEGIANCE AND FIDELITY.
20 FOREIGN PRINCE, TWO FOREIGN PRINCE POTENTATE, POTENTATE, STATE OR SOVEREIGNTY.
OR SOVEREIGNTY OF WHOM OR WHICH OF WHOM OR WHICH I ADHERE TO FOR I ADHERE FOR BEEN A SUBJECT OR CITIZEN, A SUBJECT OR CITIZEN THAT I'LL SUPPORT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS, THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
AGAINST ALL ENEMIES, FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC.
THAT I'LL BEAR TRUE FAITH, THAT I'LL BEAR TRUE FAITH AND ALLEGIANCE TO THE SAME AND ALLEGIANCE TO THE SAME THAT I WILL BEAR ARMS, ARMS ON BEHALF OF THE UNITED STATES WHEN UNITED STATES WHEN REQUIRED BY THE LAW, BY THE LAW THAT ALL PERFORM NON PERFORM NON-COMBATANT SERVICE, NON-COMBATANT SERVICE IN THE ARMED FORCES.
THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES.
OF THE UNITED STATES, WHEN REQUIRED BY THE LAW, WHEN REQUIRED BY THE, THAT I'LL PERFORM, OUTPERFORM WORK OF NATIONAL IMPORTANCE, WORK NATIONAL UNDER CIVILIAN DIRECTION, UNDER CIVILIAN DIRECTION WHEN REQUIRED BY THE LAW, WHEN REQUIRED BY THE LAW.
AND THAT I, I TAKE THIS OBLIGATION FREELY TAKE THIS OBLIGATION FREELY WITHOUT ANY MENTAL RESERVATION, WITHOUT ANY RESERVATION OR PURPOSE OF EVASION ORATION.
CONGRATULATIONS MY FELLOW AMERICANS.
YOU'RE NOW CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
AND NOW IT'S MY DISTINCT PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKER FOR OUR CEREMONY TODAY, DR.
ANDREA RE IS A DIRECTOR, A DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF ZONING WITHIN THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF THE CITY OF DALLAS.
THE TEAM HOLDS THE ZONING AND ADMINISTRATION FUNCTIONS OF THE CITY VIA REZONINGS VARIANCES AND SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS.
REVIEW ALL THINGS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF CODE, UH, AMENDMENTS.
IN ADDITION TO THE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW VIA ZONING COMPLIANCE DETERMINATIONS, ANDREA HAS BEEN WORKING FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS FOR ALMOST SIX YEARS AND HAS BEEN SERVING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS.
SHE'S ALSO A EUROPEAN PLANNER, MOVED TO THE UNITED STATES FROM BUCHAREST, ROMANIA, WHERE SHE LED THE PLANNING AGENCY FOR THE CITY OF BUCHAREST AND WAS AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN PLANNING EON MHU IN BUCHAREST, SORRY, I MI MISPRONOUNCED THAT
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SO ANDREA LEARNED HOW TO DRIVE AND GOT HER DRIVING LICENSE UPON MOVING TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.HENCE, SHE STILL RETAINS ALL PEDESTRIAN ONLY INSTINCTS WHEN PLANNING AND CODE CODING CITIES.
SO, UH, PLEASE, UH, LEAD, HELP ME IN, IN WELCOMING, UH, DR.
ANDREA UD ANDREA TO UH, TO GIVE US OUR KEYNOTE SPEECH.
UM, I'M VERY, VERY EMOTIONAL SO PROBABLY YOU'RE GONNA FORGIVE ME IF I'M GONNA CRY A LITTLE BIT.
I KIND OF LIKE STUMBLE IN HERE.
UM, ALL OF THIS, THIS IS ABSOLUTELY WOW.
PLEASE JOIN ME TO GIVE YOU ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
AND I'LL SAY AGAIN, I AM SO NERVOUS.
I'M GONNA READ NO MATTER HOW MUCH I TRY.
CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN AND WELCOME TO THIS NEW CHAPTER OF YOUR LIFE, BUT ALSO WELCOME TO A NEWER DALLAS, A BETTER ONE, AN ENRICHED ONE.
NOW WITH 30 MORE WONDERFUL CITIZENS WHO CAN VOTE.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SHARE THIS SPECIAL MOMENT WITH YOU, UM, TO FEEL THIS JOY AND WONDERFUL ENERGY.
UM, IT IS THE MOST INCREDIBLE HONOR TO BE ABLE TO BE HERE WITH YOU, MY IMMIGRANT FAMILY, AS I TOO AM AN IMMIGRANT, A PROUD ONE.
WHEN I WAS ASKED TO BE HERE WITH YOU, I CRIED INSTANTLY AND SINCE THAT DAY I KEEP ON SAYING I HOPE I WILL NOT CRY.
AS I ALWAYS THINK OF MY IMMIGRATION JOURNEY AND HOW SPECIAL AND RAW IT IS STILL FOR ME AND MY OWN NATURALIZATION CEREMONY.
THANK YOU FOR COMING TO AMERICA.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THIS MAJOR EXTRA STEP AND WANTING TO BECOME A CITIZEN.
I AM CONTINUOUSLY REFLECTING ON MY OWN JOURNEY OF BECOMING WHAT IT MEANS TO LIVE ALL YOUR POSITIONS, FAMILY, CULTURE, BITS OF YOUR OLD SELF, AND NOT JUST TO BE A PASSENGER, BUT TO STAY AND BUILD A NEW SELF, A NEW YOU.
FOR ME, IT MEANT FREEDOM, BUT I CARRIED MY OWN SELF A LITTLE BIT.
I CARRIED MY VOICE, I CARRIED MY PLACE IN SOCIETY.
I CARRIED MY DUTY AND CONTRIBUTION TO THE SOCIETY THAT I CAME TO SERVE.
LET ME EXPLAIN YOU FURTHERMORE.
MY ROMANIANS US ARE THE WORKFORCE BACKBONE OF EUROPE.
I HAVE IMMIGRANT FAMILY SURPRISE ALL OVER EUROPE AND EVER SINCE I KNOWN THEM AND EVER SINCE I WAS ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS, EVEN BEFORE I BECAME AN EXPAT MYSELF, I ASKED THEM A CRUCIAL QUESTION.
NO, NO, WHY DID YOU LEAVE? THAT WAS VERY CLEAR TO ME.
BUT ALWAYS, ARE YOU A CITIZEN YET? BECAUSE YOU KNOW THE RIGHT TO WORK COMES FIRST, BUT THE RIGHT TO VOTE.
AND FURTHERMORE YOU SEE, IT ALSO MEANS A RECOGNIZED RIGHT TO OFFICIALLY REPRESENT YOU CAN RUN FOR OFFICE FOR COUNTRIES SUCH AS ROMANIA.
THIS IS A VERY, VERY LONG COMPLEX AND EMOTIONAL CONVERSATION TO HAVE WITH ONESELF.
THAT'S WHY WHEN I GOT MY RIGHT TO VOTE, I FELT LIKE MY VOICE, MY VOICE WAS HEARD.
I FELT THAT I MATTER BECAUSE WHEN I WAS ASKED, I COULD ANSWER BY VOTING NO MATTER WHAT THE OUTCOME WAS.
NOW I VOTED FEW CYCLES FOR AMERICA, FOR LOCAL ELECTIONS, FOR DALLAS, DALLAS.
THIS LAST WEEK ON THE THANKSGIVING DINNER AT MY THANKSGIVING TABLE, WE WERE THREE ROMANIAN FAMILIES IN DIFFERENT PATHS AND CYCLES AND STAGES OF IMMIGRATION AND ABSORPTION BECAUSE THE ABSORPTION TAKES TIME.
UM, WE WERE ALL MESMERIZED OF HOW AMAZINGLY MULTI-CULTURAL DIALYSIS, HOW MUCH WE LOVE THIS, HOW MUCH EASIER IT IS TO COME INTO A WELCOMING PLACE WHERE YOU CAN FIND BITS OF YOURSELF.
BUT OF COURSE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT FOOD, BUT THERE IS SO MUCH MORE THAN FOOD.
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LANGUAGE, ART, MUSIC, POPULAR WISDOM, ALL OF THAT IS BECAUSE OF YOU, BECAUSE OF US IMMIGRANTS AND WHAT WE BRING WITH US.AND LOOK AT DALLAS CITY HALL, MY WORK, FAMILY, MY WORKPLACE THAT I LOVE SO MUCH.
I ASKED MY FRIENDS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT MAKES THIS PLACE SO MAGICAL.
I ASKED MY FRIENDS FROM CITY HALL FELLOW EXPERTS LIKE MYSELF ABOUT THEIR CITIZENSHIP JOURNEY AND WHAT THEY CAME TO AMERICA AND CHOSE THE NATURALIZATION PATH AS WELL.
I GOT A LOT OF ANSWERS, A LOT, UM, ABOUT HOW PROUD WE ARE, UM, HOW THIS IS A BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT, HOW THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU EARN.
WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT HOW BEING US, BEING A DRIVING FORCE FOR CHANGE, HOW WE HAVE AN ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT, HOW WE ARE WILLING AND BRAVE AND WE TAKE RISKS, UM, AND HOW WE ARE WHAT MAKES AMERICA, AMERICA AN ENVIRONMENT OF INNOVATION, RESILIENCE, ADAPTABILITY, CREATIVITY, ALWAYS AT THE FOREFRONT OF PROGRESS.
WE TALKED ABOUT HOW US IMMIGRANTS ARE HARD WORKERS AND FREE THINKERS, BUT ALL ABSOLUTELY ALL.
AND EACH PERSON I ASKED TALKED ABOUT HOW PROUD THEY ARE.
HOW ABOUT TALKED ABOUT HOW THIS IS A SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT.
WHATEVER BROUGHT YOU HERE NEED NECESSITY, LOVE, ADVENTURE, SPIRIT, CURIOSITY.
YOU ARE EXPLORING NATURE, FAMILY, FRIENDS, CAREER, SPOUSE.
YOU CAME, YOU STOPPED, BUT NOW YOU ARE COMMITTED.
NOW THAT'S FOR WHAT I THANK YOU FOR.
LET'S REPRESENT, LET'S BUILD DALLAS, A BETTER DALLAS FOR ALL OF US.
I DO HAVE TWO PERSONAL STORIES THAT I WANNA END WITH.
ONE IS MY BEGINNING JOURNEY AND ONE IS LIKE MY NATURALIZATION MOMENT.
DURING MY FIRST YEARS IN AMERICA AND IN THE DALLAS AREA, I WAS AN EMOTIONAL BALL OF FIRE AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, CONSTANTLY DOUBTING, QUESTIONING MYSELF, MY BELONGING HERE AS WE KNOW, IMMIGRATION CAN BE A VERY ALIENATING AND IS ISOLATING STAGE.
AND ONE DAY, THIS WONDERFUL GENTLEMAN THAT I WAS LOOKING UP TO, AN OLDER GENTLEMAN SERVING AS A PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSIONER IN THE CITY I WAS WORKING FOR CAME TO ME, MADE A POINT TO COME TO ME AND SAY THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING TO AMERICA.
THANK YOU FOR SERVING OUR CITY.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING YOUR TALENT HERE.
I SUPPORT IMMIGRATION BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT MAKES US BETTER.
AND SINCE THEN I REALIZED HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO BE WELCOMED, HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO HEAR SOMEBODY SAY THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
IT GAVE ME FUEL, IT GAVE ME A PURPOSE.
I HAVE NO WORDS TO SAY HOW IMPACTFUL THOSE WORDS WERE TO ME.
CONVINCE ME THAT THIS IS MY PLACE AND I BELONG.
MY SECOND MOMENT, VERY IMPORTANT TO ME, MY OWN NATURALIZATION CEREMONY.
A FEW YEARS AGO THE OFFICER GAVE US A WONDERFUL SPEECH AND HE WAS TRYING TO MAKE A VERY STRONG POINT AT THE END.
AND HE SAID, WHAT IS YOUR NAME? AND I SAID, MY NAME IS ANDREA.
HE SAID, WOW, THAT'S A GREAT NAME.
WHAT KIND OF NAME IS THAT? AND I SAID, INSTANTLY, IT'S ROMANIAN.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THIS STEP.
WELCOME TO DALLAS, WELCOME TO AMERICA.
UH, DON'T WORRY, WE'RE ALL NERVOUS.
ALRIGHT, SO GOOD MORNING MY FELLOW AMERICANS, GOOD MORNING AND ESPECIALLY GOOD MORNING TO OUR NEWEST CITIZENS.
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ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITIES, UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON BECOMING CITIZENS OF OUR GREAT NATION AS AMERICANS, WE ARE UNITED NOT BY BACKGROUND, RACE OR RELIGION, BUT RATHER BY OUR COMMON CITIZENSHIP BASED ON DEMOCRATIC IDEALS, EQUAL AND INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND SHARED RESPONSIBILITIES.UPON TAKING THE OATH OF ALLEGIANCE, YOU HAVE JOINED A LONG LEGACY OF AMERICANS WHO HAVE FOLLOWED THIS SAME PATH AND CONTRIBUTED TO THE VIBRANCY AND SUCCESS OF THIS COUNTRY.
AS OF TODAY, YOUR STORY IS FOREVER WOVEN INTO THE LARGER NARRATIVE OF OUR COUNTRY.
AS YOU'RE NOW PART OF THIS SPECIAL LEGACY, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO USE YOUR TALENTS AND SKILLS EVERY, EVERY DAY TO BUILD A, A BETTER, STRONGER, AND BRIGHTER AMERICA FOR ALL HERE TODAY AND FOR THE FUTURE GENERATIONS TO COME.
ALONG WITH ALL THE RIGHTS YOU NOW HAVE COME, THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF OUR SHARED CITIZENSHIP, IT IS NOW YOUR DUTY TO CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR COMMUNITY AND THE NATION.
SO WELCOME, WELCOME TO OUR SHARED CITIZENSHIP.
YOU ARE NOW FULLY VESTED MEMBERS OF THIS GREAT NATION.
MAY YOU CHART A SUCCESSFUL PATH AS OUR NEWEST CITIZENS.
AND NOW I BELIEVE WE HAVE, UH, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR CHRISTINA DE SILVA.
PRESENT CERTIFICATE OH, PRESENTING THE CERTIFICATES.
OKAY, SO THEN AFTERWARDS, OKAY, SORRY ABOUT THAT FOLKS.
ALL RIGHT, SO NOW WE'RE GONNA PRESENT THE CERTIFICATES.
ARE WE GONNA HAVE, UH, LIKE WE DID LAST YEAR, COUNCIL MEMBERS COME UP? YES.
UM, AND IF YOU CAN COME UP, UH, AND WE'LL HAND YOU THE CERTIFICATE OVER HERE, LIKE I MENTIONED BEFORE, THE CEREMONY.
PLEASE TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT YOUR CERTIFICATE BEFORE YOU WALK OUTTA HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO INCORRECT DATA.
OUR FIRST NAME IS YOUNG OAK YI.
CONGRATULATIONS, CONGRATULATIONS.
DORA DELIAS, JASMINE GARCIA VILLANUEVA, JOE KIM, BURNED SHEIK.
CONGRATULATIONS ALMA LETICIA SANCHEZ.
CONGRATULATIONS ALEJANDRO ANTONIO SIGO.
SO I DO BELIEVE HE'S ONE OF OUR NO-SHOWS.
10 ARE GANI GANI, LUIS ORLANDO, CASTANERA, MATU ASMA AHMED.
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CONGRATULATIONS, CARLOS CEUS WILBURN, JONATHAN ESCO, AL JEFFREY DAVID TELFER.SO BARBARA JEAN BIDEN, THAT'S THREE.
CONGRATULATIONS, TRACY TO TRANG.
DARA SORUN, MARTHA MARTINEZ, ARMANDO GUTIERREZ RE, TOM WALDROP, SAL JOSEA MARTINEZ, CONGRATULATIONS.
DIANA OR LOPEZ, HAITI, LEON AMADOR, MARTHA, PATRICIA SANCHEZ.
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CONGRATULATIONS.AND LAST BUT DEFINITELY NOT LEAST, FAITH BUKA.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR NEWEST CITIZENS.
UH, AND NOW WE HAVE, UH, CHRISTINA DE SILVA TO PROVIDE CLOSING, UH, STATEMENTS.
I APPRECIATE YOU BE BEING HERE.
THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS ONCE AGAIN.
UM, MY NAME IS CHRISTINA DESILVA AND I'M THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION.
I WANT TO JUST BRIEFLY SAY A FEW MORE THANK YOUS, UM, TO EVERYONE WHO HAS COME HERE TO HELP WITNESS THIS AMAZING HISTORIC MOMENT.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO RECOGNIZE, UH, OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, ALEX ALEXANDRA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HELPING US WITH MAKING THOSE INVITATIONS.
UM, AND THEN ALSO, UH, BE KINDER COFFEE PROVIDED REFRESHMENTS FOR US TODAY.
THEY ARE A LOCAL NONPROFIT THAT ALSO PROVIDES WORKFORCE SKILLS FOR AFGHAN, UM, REFUGEES.
SO THEY'RE A WONDERFUL PARTNER OF OURS AND WE'RE SO GRATEFUL THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO HELP US WITH THIS EVENT.
UM, I ALSO WANNA QUICKLY RECOGNIZE LINDA FLORES.
SHE IS ACTUALLY A LOCAL CIVICS TEACHER, AND TODAY SHE TOLD ME THAT SHE HAS HELPED OVER 2000 STUDENTS BECOME US CITIZENS.
AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE A FEW MOMENTS.
I KNOW WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO TAKE PICTURES, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SHARE ONE QUICK, UM, NOTE, MAKE SURE WHEN YOU'RE TAKING PICTURES TO COVER, UH, ANY IDENTIFYING INFORMATION LIKE YOUR A NUMBER, BECAUSE IF YOU POST IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, YOU KNOW, YOU WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOUR INFORMATION IS SAFE.
UM, THE OTHER THING I WANNA SHARE IS WE LIKE TO HAVE A BIG GROUP PICTURE OF ALL THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BECOME SWORN US CITIZENS WITH ALL OF OUR DIGNITARIES.
SO WHEN I'M DONE SPEAKING, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN TAKING A PICTURE WITH ALL OF US, YOU CAN COME TO THE FRONT.
I JUST WANNA SAY, YOU ALL ARE HISTORIC MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.