CHARLOTTESVILLE (WINA) – “Immigrants, we get the job done”… and “I’m not throwing away my shot” as Hamilton was on the mind of a new young citizen at the 61st annual July 4th Celebration and Naturalization Ceremony at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello. 56 individuals from 28 countries became U.S. citizens at the ceremony, which is actually a court session for the Western District of Virginia where Chief Judge Michael Urbanski administered the citizenship oath.

A standing invitation exists for the President of the United States to speak every year, and this year a president did speak. However, it was University of Virginia President Jim Ryan the new citizens to tell their stories, and listen to others’ stories. He said as well discuss and debate issues to understand the stories of others from where their perspective comes. He urged them to continue writing their stories as new citizens, and contribute to the unfolding story of this country, and to participate in civic life.

Among those who shared their stories toward the ceremony’s end was Colombia native Karen Garcia who said she came to the country later than life, too late for high school and also late in the opportunity for college. She took her oath wearing a “rookie” hat for Albemarle Fire Department Station 8 saying she volunteered for the fire department to get to know people and establish the Charlottesville area as her permanent home. She said she arrived in the U.S. six years ago not knowing English and has slowly learned.

Sui Amaama, a native of Samoa (“Hawaii, just go west and that’s where you’ll find us”), along with his wife has followed their son to Charlottesville after he enrolled to play football at UVa. He said he moved to California with his parents and everyone became a citizen, and he’s the last. He said they moved to Utah, where he grew up, went to school and got married. His son was a national recruit and “we ended up here in Charlottesville because he chose Charlottesville… out of all the places he picked, he picked the furthest one away from me”.

Amaama said they considered his son “a pioneer, he’s doing it out there by himself”.

About two months later, Amaama said his wife told him they need to go to Charlottesville and support their son “and this is our new home”.

“Little did I know that the journey to come out this way, following the pioneer in him, I became a citizen in the same process.”