seen on the scene
Naturalization Ceremony at City Hall
November 7, 2018 - Mayor Sylvester Turner and his daughter Ashley Turner
hosted the naturalization ceremony of 50 new U. S. citizens the day after the
midterms in November. It is the second time that city hall has been able to host
the ceremony, which is held several times throughout the year all over the US. In
speaking to the new citizens, the mayor said, “You reflect one of our most cher-
ished values, which is that there is strength in diversity, quite naturally, that diversity
is an asset.”
U. S. District Judge Vanessa Gilmore presided over the ceremony. She pointed
to the very heated midterm elections in which Ted Cruz narrowly beat Beto
O’Rourke and the Democrats seized control of the House as a good example of
how powerful their newly acquired right to vote is. Also, she reminded the new
citizens that should they become dissatisfied with the work of their elected of-
ficials they should consider running for office now that they have that right also.
Miriam Arellano, age 29, was among 50 others, about a dozen of whom were also
from Mexico, who gathered at City Hall to earn their citizenship that day. After
being handed her certificate, Arellano spoke of how her father’s hard earned cash
was sent to Mexico for her medical treatment. As soon as she was healthy, she and
her mother crossed the Rio Grande to join her father in 1990. Her parents are
still seeking their citizenship in Dallas. She graduated from University of Texas in
Austin and is now working as an IT analyst in Houston.
New citizens in the group came from several countries including Argentina, Cam-
eroon, Canada, El Salvador, Honduras, Hungary, India, Iran, Nepal, Nigeria, Phil-
ippines, Poland, Turkey, Venezuela, Viet Nam, and the United Kingdom.
November is citizenship month for Houston with several paths to citizenship
events and celebrations being held annually throughout Houston. Also in atten-
dance were several consuls, David Godwin with Sister Cities, Daniel Stoecker
with the alliance, and Art Acevedo, Houston’s Chief of Police. It is always an inspi-
rational ceremony to witness and be a part of.
Heidi Powell-Prera
IF Magazine Journalist
8 iF Magazine | January 2019