Was looking for something or other, and found this stashed away:
(You can click on it to make larger.)
That was my late father's naturalization certificate, the day he became a U.S. citizen. If you ever wonder why immigration is so important to me, it's because my family is a family of immigrants: my father from Greece, my mother from El Salvador. And while I was born in Chicago, I spent my early years in El Salvador as well, and faced many of the challenges all immigrants face today (except, notably, a fear of deportation).
I can't describe the pride I felt when I found this fading piece of paper, ran my fingers across the seal, saw how my father would've looked to me when I was four. Let's just say I had a moment. So this debate is personal to me. Very much so.
No comments:
Post a Comment