Crystal Muñoz, GALEO Student Intern
Walking up to the building one can already feel the nervousness and excitement in the air. Some people came with families, others alone, all waking up early to experience a once in a lifetime moment. They worked hard, studied all the questions, forward and back, and now all that time and dedication will pay off in huge ways. Becoming a United States citizen comes with great benefits, but it also comes with unforeseen responsibilities, such as civic engagement. One of the biggest responsibilities as a citizen is that of voting. As a citizen of the United States your opinions and ideas matter and it is your right as a citizen to go out on Election Day and make your voice heard.
The soon to be citizens are ushered into a room where they wait to be sworn in. They are sitting, shifting in their seats, looking around the room to find familiar faces of family members who are standing and watching. The lights turn off and the ceremony begins. Everyone is attentively watching their new commander-in-chief, and silently taking in a new nationality and a new culture. Everyone is becoming an American right before our very eyes. Although 150 may not seem like a lot, each of those 150 people is now someone to be taken seriously. They now hold a power, a right, which could change our communities.
Once the new citizens were sworn in the League of Women Voters in contribution with Pro Georgia, New Georgia Project, the Asian American Legal Advocacy, and GALEO were able to register 88 of them to vote. Regardless of our organizations’ mission statements we came together irrespective of race, color or creed to work towards one common goal. Each organization recognizes the importance of voting and how it can have a huge impact on the lives we lead. Working as one helped us gain a respect for each other’s cause and organization. At the end of the day we all wanted the same thing: to help our communities’ voice be heard.
It is especially important for Latinos to register to vote. Immigration and immigration reform are both hot button issues that affect our community. Millions of undocumented peoples are being treated as if they were not people. Their families are torn apart and they are mistreated and under paid in the work place. Many undocumented peoples do not report crimes done against them because they fear the consequences. They are invisible.
I, however, am not. I am to registered vote not only because my voice gets to be heard but the voice of my community does as well. I am willing to give my voice to those who do not have one. I vote because they cannot. Give your voice, register to vote. Su VOTO Es Su Voz!
***Crystal wrote about her experience registering new Americans to vote at a USCIS naturalization ceremony. If you are interested in volunteering at similar events please check out our volunteer registration page: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0b48a4aa28a5fd0-naturalization