►
Description
The City of Pittsburgh hosted the United States Citizen & Immigration Services for a naturalization ceremony in Council Chambers on September 14, 2023.
A
Well,
good
morning,
everybody
you
all
look,
lovely
and
ready.
This
morning
my
name
is
Melvin
HT
eel
and
I'm,
the
senior
community
advisor
for
mayor
Ed
gainy,
and
it
is
my
pleasure
today
to
introduce
our
person
who's
going
to
do
the
star
Spang
Banner,
our
national
anthem.
This
morning,
it's
a
very
special
person
to
me
personally,
I
known
her
for
quite
some
time
matter
as
a
middle
school
student,
so
I'm
so
proud
today
that
she
come
down
to
share
her
Talent
with
you
today.
A
A
B
C
C
C
D
D
D
You
good
morning
my
name
is
Steve
Rice
I'm,
the
field
office
director
for
United,
States
citizenship
and
immigration
services
in
Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania
on
behalf
of
US
citizenship
and
Immigration.
Services
I
would
like
to
welcome
all
the
candidates
for
naturalization
today,
as
well
as
their
family
members
and
guests,
who
are
here
to
celebrate
with
them
very
special
thanks
to
mayor
Ed,
gainy
City
of
Pittsburgh
for
hosting
this
special
ceremony
to
the
candidates
for
naturalization.
In
a
few
moments,
I
will
be
administering
the
oath
of
Allegiance.
D
You
should
each
be
very
proud
of
yourselves.
This
journey
that
led
to
this
point.
What
by
no
means
was
an
easy
one.
Each
of
you,
as
well
as
your
families,
can
agree
with
me
that
this
journey
was
most
likely
very
a
very
lengthy
process
for
you,
a
culmination
of
hard
work
and
perseverance,
but
you
stuck
with
it
and
today
is
your
Ultimate
Prize.
D
D
Diversity
is
what
makes
the
United
States
strong
I
urge
you
to
continue
to
embrace
your
heritage
as
you
embrace
your
United
States
citizenship,
with
citizenship,
how
overc
comes
Civic
duties
and
responsibilities,
I
encourage
you
to
become
engaged
in
your
politics
within
your
communities,
exercise
the
privileged
right
you
now
have
to
vote
during
elections.
Heed
the
call
of
jury
duty
when
called
upon
and
continue
the
Journey
of
the
outstanding
citizen
that
you
have
already
begun.
I
wish
you
all
continued
success
and
hope
that
becoming
a
citizen
is
everything
you
dreamed
it
would
be.
So
thank.
E
Good
morning,
everyone
all
right
so
I'm
very
excited
and
I'm
also
a
little
nervous.
This
is
my
first
naturalization
ceremony,
so
you
are
my
first,
but
it's
a
special
occasion
not
only
for
you
but
for
us,
because
you
all
have
worked
so
very
hard
sacrific
a
lot
for
this
great
honor
and
privilege
to
call
yourself
a
citizen
of
this
great
country,
so
I
want
to
say,
take
a
step
back
and
say.
Congratulations
and
thank
you.
Thank
your
families
for
the
support
of
your
work
and
your
endeavors.
So
thank
you.
E
We
are
very
proud
that
you
have
chosen
to
take
this
course
and
to
take
this
endeavor
on
and
as
the
young
man
said,
Mr
rice
I
think
he
said
you,
you
don't
have
to
change
who
you
are
because
the
greatness
of
this
country
has
always
been
to
celebrate
our
diversity
and
our
differences.
You
just
have
to
have
the
pride
and
the
spirit
and
the
go
get
itness.
E
If
that's
a
word,
I'm
going
to
create
it
today
to
be
all
that,
you
want
to
be
in
this
country
to
do
all
that,
you
want
to
do
to
be
the
person
that
is
going
to
be
live
up
to
our
values
and
your
values
and
your
ethos
and
this
city.
This
mayor
has
charged
us
to
make
it
welcoming
to
open
our
arms
and
our
doors
and
our
processes
to
all
who
want
to
call
this
home.
E
The
mayor
believes
that
Pittsburgh
is
the
home
of
this
country
and
that
you've
chosen
to
make
it
your
next
stop
your
new
home.
We
welcome
you,
we
thank
you.
We
support
you
all
the
folk
who
are
around
here
from
our
city
departments.
We
mean
what
we
say
when
we
open
our
arms
and
say
hey,
how
can
we
help
you
do
the
things
that
you
want
to
do
so
welcome
to
our
city
be
engaged,
be
active.
We
need
all
of
your
power,
we
need
all
of
your
intellect.
E
We
need
all
of
your
knowhow
to
make
our
city
our
state,
our
country
greater.
So
welcome
again,
thank
you
for
giving
me
the
space
and
time
on
behalf
of
the
mayor
of
this
great
city,
mayor,
Ed,
gainy
and
all
of
our
residents.
We
want
to
welcome
you
to
the
F,
welcome
you
to
the
home
of
the
country.
Thank
you
for
your
work.
We
look
forward
to
building
with
you
as
you
build
your
future
in
this
great
place.
So
thank.
E
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
So
so,
on
behalf
of
the
United
States
government,
it
is
my
pleasure
to
present
these
candidates
for
naturalization.
Each
of
the
candidates
has
been
personally
examined
under
oath
by
a
designated
officer.
Each
has
demonstrated
an
understanding
of
the
English
language
unless
exempt
and
knowledge
and
understanding
of
the
fundamentals
of
history
and
principles
and
form
of
the
government
of
the
United
States
of
America.
D
Each
has
been
found
to
be
a
person
of
good
moral
character
attached
to
the
principles
of
the
Constitution
of
the
United
States
and
well
disposed
to
the
good
order
and
happiness
of
the
United
States.
The
investigations
of
the
government
have
been
completed
in
their
cases
and
each
has
been
found
to
meet
all
requirements
of
the
law
to
be
naturalized.
Therefore,
on
behalf
of
the
United
States
government,
I
respectfully
recommend
that
all
candidates
be
admitted
as
citizens
of
the
United
States
of
America.
D
I
o
that
I,
absolutely
and
entirely
AB
en
renounce
and
abjure
rounce
and
all
Allegiance
and
Fidelity
all
Al
Andel
to
any
foreign
Prince,
Force,
potentate,
state
or
sovereignty,
state
orere
of
whom
or
which
of
whom
or
I
have
here
to
for
I,
have
here
to
been
a
subject
or
citizen
that
I
will
support
and
defend.
I
will
support
and
defend
the
Constitution
and
the
LW,
the
consti
and
the
of
the
United
States
of
America,
of
the
against
all
enemies
against
all
enemies,
foreign
and
domestic
foreign
and
domes.
That
I
will
bear
true
faith.
D
D
States,
when
required
by
the
law,
when
required
by
the
law
that
I
will
perform
non-combatant
service,
I
will
perform
service
in
the
armed
forces
of
the
United
States,
the
AR
States,
when
required
by
the
law,
that
I
will
perform
work
of
national
importance.
I
performal
under
civilian
Direction,
when
required
by
the
law.
B
D
You
so
one
of
U,
the
most
unique
and
often
most
memor
able
parts
of
our
ceremonies
as
hearing
from
our
citizen
candidates
and
at
this
time,
I'd
like
to
open
the
floor
to
our
candidates,
who
would
like
to
briefly
share
their
story
or
say
a
note
of
thanks
to
someone
here
who
was
with
them
during
their
journey
to
citizenship?
Would
any
of
you
like
to
come
up
to
the
podium
and
share
your
story
or
give
thanks
to
anybody
in
particular
that
was
with
you
along
the
journey?
It's
okay,
if
you
say
no,
it
happens.
F
D
G
It's
founding
that
very
idea
has
been
nurtured,
enriched
and
advanced
by
the
contributions,
sacrifices
and
dreams
of
immigrants
like
you
and
immigrants,
like
my
own
ancestors
from
Ireland,
like
generations
of
our
fellow
Americans,
and
today,
you've
earned
a
new
title
equal
to
that
of
an
American
president.
The
title
I'm
most
proud
of
Citizen
citizen
of
the
United
States
of
America
I,
look
forward
to
standing
with
you
as
you
embrace
your
new
rights
and
responsibilities
as
you
build
your
lives
and
Legacies
here,
as
Generations
have
done
before
you
in
this
great
nation
of
immigrants.
So
welcome.
G
C
C
F
C
D
See
so
at
this
time
we
will
all
join
in
reciting
the
Pledge
of
Allegiance,
before
we
do
that
I'
like
to
invite
the
aworth
Middle
School
to
come
up
to
the
stage
and
join
us
aworth,
Middle,
School
last
fall,
they
completed
a
unit
study
about
citizenship
and
each
were
assigned
topics
to
research
about
different
aspects
of
citizenship
in
the
United
States.
These
topics
were
divided
into
to
several
different
categories,
including
important
events
of
American
History,
patriotic
symbols.
D
Rights
of
citizens
come
on,
come
on
up
duties
of
Citizens,
Community
government
assistance
and
notable
immigrants
in
Pittsburgh.
So
at
the
end
of
the
ceremony,
when
we
hand
out
certificates,
they
actually
are
going
to
hand
you
this
really
neat
guide
the
good
citizenship
guide
book
that
they
actually
made
for
you
today,
so
I
think
that's
pretty
support.
D
All
right,
you're,
being
too
shy,
though
you
have
to
come
up
to
the
you
have
to
come
on,
come
on,
come
on
yeah,
you're,
leading
this.
You
know
how
you
know
the
Pledge
of
Allegiance
right.
Of
course
you
do
come
on
come
on,
come
on,
it's
it's
yours
at
the
M
all
right!
So
if
you
could
all
please
stand,
we
say
the
Pledge
of
Allegiance
with
our
hands
on
our
hearts
facing
the
flag.
You
guys
can
you're
fine.
So
we
want
to
make
sure
you
want
cuddle
up
on
the
microphone
that
way.
D
H
H
D
D
You
so
at
this
time
we
will
be
presenting
each
of
you
with
your
certificate
of
naturalization.
When
you
hear
your
name
called,
if
you
could,
please
come
up
to
receive
your
certificate.
I'll
present
each
certificate
to
you
we'll
have
Michelle.
Would
you
like
to
hang
out
hand
out
the
flags
or
F
Flags
Okay,
and
then
this
is
a
great.
This
is
one
of
those
great
opportunities
for
photos.
So
if
you
have
family
members,
if
don't
be
shy,
you
can
come
up
when
they
receive
their
certificate
or
use
use
the
buddy
system.
D
F
F
B
B
F
F
F
B
B
C
B
B
B
B
B
B
F
B
B
B
B
F
B
F
F
D
D
D
D
You
all
right
so
on
behalf
of
United
States
citizenship
and
Immigration
Services.
We
would
like
to
thank
the
city
of
Pittsburgh
for
providing
the
venue
today
ceremony
in
particular,
of
course,
we'd
like
to
thank
mayor,
Ed
gine,
but
we'd
also
like
to
thank
Fe
AB,
F,
Abola
and
Michelle
King
I
always
try
to
like
get
those
names
right
so
and
all
the
staff
that
help
coordinate
the
ceremony
today
so
I'd
like
to
give
them
a
round
of
applause.
D
Too
I'll
add
to
that
as
well
and
just
say
that
the
relationship
that
we
have
with
City
Hall
is
probably
one
of
the
most
fruitful
in
terms
of
connecting
you
this,
the
new
citizens
with
you
know
your
your
are
the
city
of
the
primary
city
in
our
jurisdiction,
at
least,
and
that
City
you
know
we
go
to
a
concert
or
something
like
that.
It.
It
means
a
little
bit
something
more
the
or
the
organ
or
the
events
that
they
they
participate
in.
D
So
when
you
see
them
wave
at
them
say
thank
you,
you're
you're,
part
of
the
city
now
you're
part
of
the
team.
If
you
will
just
kind
of
piggybacking
off
of
what
the
chiefest
staff
had
said,
chiefest
staff
wheatle
had
said
as
well
so
they're
out
they're
out
in
the
community
and
I
know
that
they're
they're
recruiting
too
so
out
here
at
the
booth.
If
you're
interested
in
employment
with
the
city,
please
stop
by
and
take
a
look
another
big
shout
out
to
Iris
Brown.
That
was
amazing.
D
We'd
also
like
to
acknowledge
and
thank
representatives
from
again
Pittsburgh
careers,
immigrant
services
and
connections
and
boy
boy,
Community
Association
of
Pittsburgh
I,
see
Bap
on
here,
and
sometimes
it
gets
tricky
with
those
acronyms,
but
all
of
them
have
a
booth
out
here.
So
if
you,
if
you
have
time
to
stop
by
before
going
back
to
work
or
before
you
go
party
for
being
a
new
citizen,
cuz
I
know
I
would
if
I
was
you
I
know
that's
planned
for
the
weekend
right
right,
right:
okay,
yeah!
D
If
you
could,
if
you
want
to
take
a
moment
and
see
what
services
they
have
to
offer
they'd
love
to
see
you
they'd
love,
to
talk
to
you
and
they'd
love
to
register
you
to
vote
as
well.
Immigration
Services
officers,
which
is
me,
will
be
available
to
answer
any
questions
following
the
ceremony
and
there
are
staging
areas
behind
me
and
around
the
facility.
So
you
can
feel
free
to
stay
and
take
additional
photos.
D
While
we're
here
for
social
media,
please
feel
free
to
post
your
photographs
and
comments
to
us
CIS
back
City
of
Pittsburgh
Facebook
pages
Twitter
#
new
citiz,
new
US
citizen
and
hash
at
city
of
Pittsburgh.
With
that
one
last,
congratulations
to
all
of
you.
Your
journey
is
just
your
new
Journey
has
just
started
as
of.