I produced this video for the New Americans Campaign during a naturalization workshop in San Francisco, CA. I asked people to pose for a portrait by San Francisco-based photographer Pat Mazzera, and afterward to tell me why they wanted to become American citizens.
Asians are the fastest-growing wave of newcomers to the United States and they were well represented at this event where more than 200 people were seeking free legal counsel. Everyone had an intense desire to vote in the upcoming election, and to give back to the country to the best of their abilities. “In Mongolia,” one aspiring American told me, “our traditional saying is, ‘even a drop of water is helpful for the ocean.’”
JANNETTE DIEP
The New Americans Campaign also held its annual practitioners conference in San Francisco for people who help lawful permanent residents become U.S. citizens. Many of these workers are immigrants themselves.
Janette Diep came to the U.S. as a refugee from Vietnam. She now runs Boat People SOS in Houston, TX providing immigration services to members of the Asian-American community.
