It’s never too late.
As Marina Mercedes Ynfante waved the tiny American flag in her right hand, a broad smile spread across the face of the 88-year-old woman. The flag was more than a small square of fabric — it was a symbol of a dream that had taken decades to make a reality.
“I have always wanted to be an U.S. citizen,” she said through her granddaughter, Anyelica Capellan, who translated the conversation. “I would have done it sooner in life, but the process has been difficult.”
Ynfante and her late husband arrived in the U.S. from the Dominican Republic nearly 25 years ago to spend their twilight years with family members who had already made the move.
And on Wednesday afternoon, she expressed her love for the country that provided her with that opportunity by swearing an oath to it.
Ynfante was one of 34 immigrants who gathered inside a Berks County courtroom to officially become citizens during a naturalization ceremony. And while the new citizens may have started their journeys in 12 different countries, they all shared a desire to make the U.S. their official home.
Capellan said she was so moved by the determination and perseverance shown by her grandmother and all the other people who became citizens that she is looking forward to starting the process as well.
“They are an inspiration to me,” she said.
Lisbet Gonzalez Puentes is happy that her story will inspire others like Capellan. Having immigrated from Cuba in 2015, she said the importance of knowing her voice will be heard at the ballot box was the motivation she needed to become a citizen.
“You have no say in the government,” she said through a translator. “The system is rigged. In a country run by a dictatorship you have no way to voice your opinions.”
Puentes, who lives in Sinking Spring, said she is counting down the days to the presidential election so that she can cast her first vote as an American citizen.
During the naturalization ceremony, the Berks County Bar Association invited a number of special guests to speak to the new citizens about the importance of playing an active role in the community.
Berks County Judge James Lillis, who presided over the ceremony, thanked all the family and friends who have supported the new citizens on their journey. He said the decision is not one to be taken lightly and that the process can be arduous.
But, he added, it is one that helps weave the fabric of American life.
“We not only welcome you, we need you,” he said. “We need your talents, we need your energy, we need your optimism to keep the American spirit alive. You are the brightest lights here.”
The keynote speaker, Berks County Commissioner Michael Rivera, told the county’s newest citizens that what they have to offer — their experiences, their culture, their thoughts and dreams — only adds to the spectacular melting pot that is the United States.
“Diversity of its people is what makes the country great,” he said, adding that as new citizens they will bring their diverse perspectives to the community in a way that will strengthen the nation.
“You now join a long line of individuals who have contributed to the growth and prosperity of this great country,” Rivera said. “With your new status as citizens you have the power to shape the future of our nation.”
Rivera said their new citizenship represents a new chapter in their lives. He encouraged the group to take an active role in their communities and to participate in the democratic process by registering to vote.
“The possibilities are endless,” he said. “You are the author of your own future. Only you can write the next chapter of your life and you should embrace this chapter with pride and confidence. And remember you are now an integral part of this nation.”
Source: Berkshire mont
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