On Monday evening, Hammond celebrated Independence Day by welcoming 47 new U.S. citizens from 25 different countries at their annual Naturalization Ceremony.
Organized by the League of Women Voters in collaboration with the City of Hammond and presided over by Magistrate Judge Andrew Rodovich, the ceremony has long marked the start of Hammond’s 4th of July festivities at Wolf Lake. Family and friends of the new citizens gathered to watch their loved ones pledge allegiance to the country and celebrate a moment that for some was decades in the making.
“My family, my parents, brother and I came here from Venezuela just looking for us to learn English,” said Katrin Cermeno, one of the new U.S. citizens. “Shortly after us being here, things went south in Venezuela and that prompted us to stay. After that, I was kind of just figuring out how to become American, and that process was lengthy, but definitely well worth it.”
Every new citizen has a unique story and a different set of circumstances – but all shared a common drive to pursue naturalization. Keynote speaker Rosalie Levinson, a professor of law at Valparaiso University for over four decades, shared her own story with the gathered crowd, describing how her Jewish parents survived the Nazi concentration camps and sought to build a new life in the United States.
“My father came here with literally only the shirt on his back, with a wife and young child to support,” he said. “From nothing, he created a successful business and was able to send all four of his children not only to college but also to graduate school. He never, ever forgot that it was this country that provided him that opportunity.”
With citizenship comes responsibility, and a wide array of commitments are made before it is made official. Levinson highlighted just a few, and how they shape a common American identity.
“First, harbor no prejudice against anyone because of race, religion, or national origin,” she said. “Second, respect the rights and the opinions of others. I know all too well from my family’s experiences that hatred is not harmless. Like my parents, some of you came to this country fleeing injustice, bias, and inequality. The United States truly is a melting pot of many races, religions, and ethnicities. We should always strive to be a nation that welcomes this diversity.”
Hearing those speeches and making those commitments after so much effort was both a moment of celebration and solemnity for Cermeno.
“It’s overwhelming, it’s mixed feelings but I’m very proud,” she said. “It feels like something coming full circle. It’s a wholesome feeling, I’m very, very proud of this moment.”
After the ceremony’s conclusion, many of the new citizens headed straight to a table set up by the League of Women Voters where they helped them register to vote.
“It’s just so gratifying to see them so engaged,” said Mary Jo Gorman, voter service chair at the League of Women Voters Calumet Area. “They’re so excited that it gets us so excited. This is always an enjoyable thing to do.”
Later on in the evening, the city hosted the Bill Porter Orchestra in the Pavilion at Wolf Lake as well as their own fireworks show.
To keep up with the latest from the City of Hammond, visit www.gohammond.com.
