On July 1–just three days before the United States’ 250th birthday—76 people from 28 countries around the world celebrated becoming U.S. citizens at a naturalization ceremony on the USS Hornet. The ceremony was presented in partnership with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
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[2]Naturalization candidates, along with their friends and families, boarded the Hornet as “This Land is Your Land” played quietly over loudspeakers. Everyone present was given a small American flag to hold as they took their seats in the hangar deck of the ship.
According to Russell Moore, Chief Experience Officer of the USS Hornet Sea, Air, and Space Museum, the USS Hornet has been hosting the annual ceremony for over 10 years. Most people who become citizens go into an office to take their Oath of Allegiance [3], but each year USCIS invites 76 people to get sworn in on the Hornet in a more celebratory ceremony.
Moore told the Alameda Post that the Hornet staff enjoys hosting the ceremony. “I love America and I love what we are as a melting pot… I just like the fact that we can welcome immigrants to become citizens in this country.”
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[5]Once everyone had arrived and was seated, TOSCA, a chorus of 20 people from the Golden Gate Symphony Orchestra & Chorus [6] began singing patriotic a cappella tunes. “This land is now your land!” exclaimed the choral director before the group launched into their rousing finale.
After four members of the U.S. Coast Guard presented and set up American and Homeland Security flags, everyone present sang the national anthem before Maureen Whalen Vavra, Board Chair of the Hornet, addressed the crowd with a history of the ship. She ended by saying, “Much like this ship, each of you has your own unique history, experience, and strengths. We welcome you to bring these to our country.”
Ellen Jenkins from the USCIS San Francisco field office then called out all the former countries of citizenship of the naturalization candidates and asked them to stand as their country was called: Bangladesh, Belgium, Cameroon, China, Columbia, Dominican Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Guatemala, India, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Mexico, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Phillipines, Russia, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay, and Vietnam.
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[8]After everyone was standing, she led them in taking the Oath of Allegiance.
Laura Fies, Executive Director of the Hornet gave the closing remarks to the newly minted citizens. “History is a living, active force and you write it everyday,” she declared. “Likewise, citizenship is not merely a document. It’s an opportunity to participate in the shaping of the country. To have a voice. To be counted.”
Fies finished by stating, “Welcome and congratulations! We are glad you’re here.
Afterwards, the Pledge of Allegiance was led by new citizen Phannarai Inkun. Originally hailing from Thailand, Inkun is currently a math major at UC Berkeley. She told the Post that her family came to the U.S. “for the same reason everybody else came. For better opportunities, jobs, and security.”
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[10]When asked what made her most excited to be a U.S. citizen, Inkun replied, “I’m really excited to vote! I’m really excited to have my voice heard.” She credits her high school civics teacher with encouraging her to speak up and become involved with public policy.
At the end of the naturalization ceremony, all of the new citizens were given a certificate along with a QR code that linked to voter registration and information on how to obtain a passport. Many of the families then celebrated with pictures taken around the ship and were given a gift card to come back for a free visit to the Hornet.
Amrit Gautam, a former citizen of Nepal, was happy to become an American. “It’s all the opportunities you get… it’s a country full of people [from] all around the world and that’s something unique. There’s so much diversity.”
Jean Chen is a contributing writer for the Alameda Post [11]. Contact her via [email protected] [12]. Her writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Jean-Chen [13].