One of the most influential experiences so far in the leadership program has been working towards my leadership project this year. This project was extremely important to me because of my experiences with the naturalization process. When I was little, I constantly watched my family suffer at the hands of their citizenship status. I am very cognizant of the privilege I hold as a citizen born on American soil. Watching my family go through the naturalization process when I was 8 made me want to make a difference in the immigrant community. There were so many kind souls that provided my family the opportunity to pursue naturalization—one of them is now my godmother.
I held a naturalization workshop with a representative from Casa de Maryland on April 6, 2021. It was great to help immigrants that attended and recommend more resources in the DMV area. Although it was hard because of the online format, I was really happy to have the opportunity.
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