By Kassidy Arena , Senior Reporter Nebraska Public Media News and Maggie Berndt, Nebraska Public Media
Every month, tens of thousands of people go through the process to become U.S. citizens, with hundreds choosing to have their naturalization ceremony in Nebraska. Dozens of New Americans in Grand Island became citizens this year with one main goal in mind: participating in the election.
The new citizens walked out from their naturalization ceremony in the Grand Island Public Library on a sunny fall day.
The city of Grand Island participates in national welcoming week, in which communities from all over the country raise awareness about the importance of welcoming inclusivity and diversity. One of the events for this year was welcoming new Americans.
Ruth Noemí Alvarado, Carmen Smith and Oliva Montañez Ávila stopped to talk in Nebraska Public Media’s mobile studio about how they’re most excited to participate in this year’s election.
Montañez Ávila (in Spanish): “Hello, my name is Oliva Montañez Ávila. Today is a very special day because many people of different cultures are becoming American citizens, which is a great privilege for them. And I know what that represents because three years ago, I became an American citizen.”
[“Hola. Mi nombre es Oliva Montañez. Ávila. Hoy es un día muy especial porque a varias personas de diferentes culturas se han convertido en ciudadanos americanos, lo cual es un gran privilegio para ellos. Yo sé lo que esto representa porque hace tres años, yo me convertí en ciudadana americana.”]
Alvarado (in Spanish): “Hello, good afternoon. My name is Ruth Noemí Alvarado. This happy afternoon I am a new U.S. citizen and I am very happy to be a part of this country and to be a new citizen and have the power to vote. Thank you.”
[“Hola, buenas tardes. Mi nombre es Noemí y Rut Noemí Alvarado. Eh, Feliz tarde. soy nueva ciudadana de los Estados Unidos y estoy muy feliz por ser parte de este país, por ser un una nueva ciudadana y para poder votar. Gracias.” ]
Smith: “Hi, my name is Carmen Smith and the thing that I’m most excited about becoming a new citizen is to go register and vote, and to do so in the first time, for the first time in a general presidential election, is the most exciting thing there can be, I think. And I can’t wait.”
The new Americans in Grand Island were presented with various resource tables outside the library’s great room where they took their oaths. Among them were voter registration forms, library card sign ups and information pamphlets. Montañez Ávila shared she is looking forward to having her voice heard in creating state laws.
“Laws that work in favor of the needs of our community, especially communities that come from different cultures and nations,” she said in Spanish.
She added that she sees her status as a U.S. citizen as one that comes with a great responsibility.
“To be a citizen is a great privilege. It’s something very beautiful, you feel safe because you know that it is another way you are going to contribute to the country,” she continued.
All three of these women needed to go through the extensive process of becoming a U.S. citizen, including studying a list of 100 questions. They answer up to ten of those randomly chosen questions in the interview process.
Alvarado, Smith and Montañez Ávila are up for a unique election, as the ballots will be full. They will have six separate ballot measures, the president race and two U.S. senate races.
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