On Wednesday, Oregon celebrated its statehood with a personal touch, welcoming 29 new citizens from a tapestry of 19 nations at a ceremony held at the Oregon Historical Society. According to OregonLive, the event has become a cherished tradition coinciding with the state's birthday every Feb. 14.
Illustrating the diverse roots of America's newest members, immigrants like Nona Tchintcharauli, now an architecture major at Portland State University, hailing from Georgia, marked the end of her seven-year journey to citizenship. Proudly holding bouquets, she expressed her excitement to Here is Oregon, saying, "It's important to be able to vote."
Immigrants and their descendants played central roles, with stories conveyed by the master of ceremonies, Hannes Geiger, who told OregonLive about his own path to citizenship since 1997 and the emotional moment of his swearing-in. Echoing this sentiment of roots and belonging was former Governor Ted Kulongoski, who shared his family's immigrant background from Poland.
Mohammed Yunus, 37, who prefers to call his homeland Burma rather than Myanmar, has called the U.S. home since 2018. Standing tall alongside his fellow new Americans, Yunus' citizenship was a poignant moment reported by The Portland Tribune. He and the others are now part of the nation's fabric, their individual stories woven into the broader American narrative.
The ceremony underscored a shared narrative of hope and the American Dream, bringing into focus the contributions immigrants have made and continue to make to Oregon. It is a narrative enriched by people like those sworn in, whose many backgrounds reflect the state's and the nation's changing face.
