As the United States midterm elections approach, Americans are registering to vote and many residents, citizens and immigrants alike, care about the election’s results. For our eligible immigrant population, the ability to vote is one of the primary reasons to apply for U.S. citizenship, for it provides an individual with a voice in our country’s politics. In this spirit, various businesses, non-profit organizations, and community groups continually try to increase civic engagement. The City of San Jose, for example, partnered with New American Workforce two years ago. Through this partnership, the City’s eligible immigrant employees are provided with citizenship services at the worksite and, in turn, are able to make their dream of voting a reality.
One such City of San Jose employee, Pedro Corona, moved from Mexico to Arizona with his family when he was seven years old. As a young adult, Pedro moved to San Jose and spent the last 30 years serving his local community. He stared working as a paramedic, but now serves as the City’s fire captain, going on 22 years with the fire department.
Although Pedro loves his job with the fire department and caring for the community, his wife and children are his main focus and bring him the most joy. After having his green card for decades, Pedro heard about the City of San Jose’s partnership with New American Workforce, and he wanted to apply for citizenship due to growing concerns about his family’s security. He also desperately wanted to vote and exercise his voice, stating:
“The political climate scared me. You start hearing things, and I have kids who depend on me. I didn’t want anything to happen.”
Through the City of San Jose’s partnership with New American Workforce, Pedro attended citizenship workshops last year and completed the citizenship application at his worksite. He was thrilled that his employer supported and offered this opportunity and was excited to share that he became a U.S. citizen last spring. He can’t wait to vote for the first time this November!