COMMUNITY Tomball hosts rst naturalization ceremony, swearing in new US citizens
BY ANNA LOTZ
across Harris County to hold natural- ization ceremonies, and from there, the Tomball ceremony was in the works, building upon what services the library already o ered. Howard said as candidates must be pro cient in English to pursue citizenship, the library o ers English as a second language and citizenship test prep courses at no cost. During the
Sixty-four new U.S. citizens were sworn in Sept. 17 at Lone Star College-Tomball’s Beckendorf Conference Center, the rst time the city of Tomball has played host to a naturalization ceremony. The Sept. 17 ceremony was held on Constitution Day, which commemo- rates the signing of the U.S. Constitu- tion in 1787. “What I want you to consider as you obtain
Sept. 17 ceremony, 25 countries were represented, including Argen- tina, Bangladesh, Canada, Egypt, Germany, Hondu- ras, India, Nigeria, Pakistan and Rus- sia, according to a call of countries by Bertha Johnson, section chief of the USCIS Houston Field Oce.
TODAY YOU BECOME A PART OF SOMETHING GREAT AMERICA AND TODAY AMERICA BECOMES MORE COMPLETE BECAUSE OF ALL OF YOU.
New U.S. citizens receive certi cates of citizenship, congratulated by Tomball Mayor Lori Klein Quinn (left) and other o cials during a naturalization ceremony Sept. 17 in Tomball.
your citizenship today is to share your values, share your culture, your experience, your diversity,” said Edward Melton, director of the Harris County Public Library, during the cere- mony. “Under-
PHOTOS BY ANNA LOTZ COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
LORI KLEIN QUINN, TOMBALL MAYOR
stand your in uence and your ability to take advantage of all freedoms that we’ve been o ered through the rights of being a citizen that is established by the U.S. Constitution.” The LSC Tomball Community Library organized the ceremony, an initiative Library Director Janna Hoglund said came out of growing citizenship programs at the library. Susan Howard, the literacy coor- dinator for the Tomball library, said she learned the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Houston Field Oce was looking for more venues
“Citizenship brings with it so many privileges and responsibilities. ... I only ask that you choose to partici- pate fully in the civic institutions,” Johnson said during the ceremony. “Register to vote, make your voices heard, and volunteer your time and energy to improve your community.” While the ceremony was a rst for Tomball, Hogland said she hopes to continue working with USCIS to host future ceremonies; Tomball High School’s Naval Junior ROTC and LSC Tomball were involved with the ceremony as well.
Candidates for U.S. citizenship take an oath of allegiance to the U.S. during the ceremony.
“It’s becoming a collaborative e ort by the Tomball community, and we are very much excited to welcome new American citizens. … [To think these candidates will] go through such an important step and moment in their life and that will be happening in Tomball,” Hogland said in an interview ahead of the ceremony. Tomball Mayor Lori Klein Quinn gave the keynote address during the
naturalization ceremony. “Even though you renounced your former citizenship and pledged your loyalty to the United States, you do not give up your own his- tory; you do not give up your own culture. Those things you cherish from your past,” Quinn said. “Today you become a part of something great—America—and today America becomes more complete because of all of you.”
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