To celebrate Law Day 2009, and to further explore the possibility of becoming involved in the naturalization process, the HCBA Community Relations Committee co-hosted a citizenship ceremony with the Festival of Nations Celebration on April 30th.
197 people from 66 different countries became citizens during the ceremony. They were joined by an audience of over 400, including friends and family, and members of the visiting public.
Volunteer attorneys served as greeters and ushers. The presence of the volunteer attorneys enhanced the experience for everybody involved. Throughout the ceremony, the volunteers were there to lend a helping hand. They welcomed guests with U.S. flags and assisted with getting the “soon-to-be” citizens checked in.
The ceremony began with a presentation of the colors by students from the Arlington High School ROTC. Following the national anthem, a motion to grant citizenship was accepted, and the applicants took the Oath of Allegiance. Judge Donovan Frank of the U.S. District Court-Minnesota led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance and delivered remarks.
“It is great to celebrate diversity, especially in these difficult times,” said Frank. “This ceremony is a reminder of the true strength of America.”
The ceremony closed with a video message from President Barack Obama, and a music video of Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” with its famed refrain: “I’m proud to be an American.” The crowd cheered when the verse, “From the lakes of Minnesota, to the hills of Tennessee,” played through.
The excitement of the new citizens carried into the reception after the ceremony, where the Community Relations Committee managed a photo station offering free commemorative photos for each new citizen, distributed public legal education materials, and provided refreshments.
This was the first citizenship ceremony hosted by the HCBA. The event was a success and fits well with the Community Relation’s ongoing efforts to tutor citizenship applicants. The next “Teaching Citizenship” workshop will be on June 4th from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Minnesota Literacy Center. If you are interested in teaching citizenship classes, tutoring applicants, or would like to be involved with the Community Relations Committee, please contact Jim Skoog at jim@hcba.org or 612-752-6615.
