Happiness of Being Naturalized

Oct 26, 2023 | by Rev. Joseph Kazadi

Gilbert Mukeba lives in Tarrant County, Texas. He arrived in the United States in 2012 from his home country of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (AFRICA). This year he decided to be naturalized. He describes here a certain feeling of happiness that comes of being naturalized. He says: “I am proud to be American. Becoming a US citizen gives a sense of freedom to do what I want, within the law. Besides, voting is important to me. Because it is the ability to be part of decisions that impact a large community or neighborhood.” Some African immigrants don’t want to become naturalized because they are afraid that they will get in trouble. But they don’t understand the protection that becoming a citizen gives them. They need to be encouraged and become culture ambassadors in our communities. They need to be encouraged to visit naturalization ceremonies and connect with others who have gone through the process.