Several years ago, an elderly constituent, who had served in World War II, came to my office and asked me, with some agitation in his voice, “is it true that, if you are born here, you automatically are a U.S. citizen?”  A little surprised by the question from the gentleman, I advised him that, yes, the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution affirms that anyone born in the United States has all the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.  It’s been that way since the 14th Amendment was adopted in 1868, so it’s not a new idea.  

I was thinking about that conversation last week, when I attended the Citizenship Celebration at Goodwin House Baileys Crossroads (GHBC).  For the past few years, the Goodwin Living Foundation has sponsored applications for its employees who qualify for citizenship.  Residents at GHBC and Goodwin House in Alexandria support the effort monetarily (the citizenship application fee is $725) and tutor candidates for the difficult test.  More than 100 employees and family members have attained American citizenship through this effort.

At last week’s celebration, four recent citizens told their stories, especially reflecting on the opportunity to vote, and the freedom that citizenship brings.  One young man from Ethiopia revealed that he had not yet registered to vote.  By the time photos were taken an hour later, a voter registrar had his paperwork completed!  

The star of the program, however, was Eric from Ghana, who has been a maintenance engineer at Goodwin House for eight years.  An article about the program appeared in The Washington Post, which prompted a filmmaker from the American University to contact the Goodwin Living Foundation about making a documentary film about Eric’s path to citizenship.  There wasn’t a dry eye in the room when “The Test” documentary was screened at the celebration. The film followed Eric through months of study and tutoring (he passed!) and a trip home to Africa to see the family he left behind but had supported all through the eight years.  The day before the celebration, his wife arrived from Ghana, and was welcomed warmly by the residents who had followed Eric’s arduous journey from immigrant to American citizen.  For more information about the Goodwin Living Foundation citizenship program, and how you can help, log on to www.GoodwinLiving.org/Giving.

There are at least 100 civics questions on the Naturalization Test, covering Principles of American Democracy, the System of Government, and Rights and Responsibilities.  Another section asks about American History, including the Colonial Period, the 1800s, and Recent American History and other Important Historical Information.  Then there are questions about geography, symbols, and holidays.  Can you explain the “rule of law” or name your U.S. Representative?  Can you name three of the 13 original states, or the year the Constitution was written?  Perhaps the trickiest question centers on the authors of the Federalist Papers.  You have to name one of them. 

Most of these questions may sound familiar, and might even be found in a “Jeopardy!” television quiz.  But imagine how they may be viewed by someone from another country, whose first language is not English, and who might be working two or more jobs to support themselves here and a family far away.  It takes resources, determination, English proficiency, and a lot of patience to prepare for the citizenship interview and take the test.  And it makes one appreciate even more the privilege, as the song goes, being “Born in the USA!” 

Penny Gross is the Mason District Supervisor, in the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. She may be emailed at mason@fairfaxcounty.gov.