((PKG)) BRAZILIAN / AMERICAN
((Banner: A Long Journey))
((Reporter: Aline Barros))
((Camera: June Soh))
((Adapted by: Zdenko Novacki))
((Map: Baltimore, Maryland))
((Pop-up Banner
Kelly Oliveira became a U.S. citizen through MAVNI, the military's now-closed program for expedited citizenship))
((Kelly Oliveira, New Citizen))
I’ve always think myself as an American. American by heart, so today was just the day to make it official.
((Jim McKinney, Spokesman, U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services))
We are here for a naturalization ceremony, where 28 candidates for citizenship will become new U.S. citizens and it is extra special because it is Flag Day, the day that the United States adopted our country’s flag. And we are here at the Star-Spangled Banner House where that flag was actually made.
((Kelly Oliveira, New Citizen))
I had someone telling me about a program through the military, it’s called MAVNI program, in which, if you serve, you’ll get citizenship through that program. So, I went to a recruiting center and got more information about it, and since Portuguese is one of the languages that they, you know, were looking for, so I, you know, enlisted in the military, in the Army, so that is how I got my citizenship.
It has been a long journey, like, 13 years, so of course, there were moments that I was thinking, oh man, should I continue waiting? Should I wait? Should I go? But I have a lot of friends, I have a lot of support from my family. If you really want something, you have to work hard. There are sacrifices that you have to make, and one of those sacrifices is being away from my family, not being able to go see them, but, you know, I just had to keep thinking about what is the good that is coming. I just had, you know, I learned to have patience. So, patience is one thing that I learned to have, and it paid off, it paid off.
((Lauren Schroeder, Friend))
I don’t think I’d be able to do it because it’s, I mean, it’s been a long journey. It’s been a struggle and it’s been like a nightmare.
((Jim McKinney, Spokesman, U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services))
These candidates, today, are going to take the oath of allegiance, the oath that says that they are here as an American, ready to defend the country and to participate in the democracy that we have here. They'll get their nationalization certificate and that will be the official moment that they are U.S. citizens today.
((Kelly Oliveira, New Citizen))
I am very proud of being a part of the military. I am serving the country that you know I learned to love and that I adopted as my own. The sky is the limit for me now. It is just the beginning of my new journey. Now, I am going be going to basic training in a couple of months and I am very excited about that too.
