Happy Citizenship Day!
Make sure you VOTE
A fun fact for you from one of the DNC’s resident Hamilton experts: Our great Constitution was signed on this day (September 17th) in 1787.
Today we celebrate Constitution Day and Citizenship Day. So my Hamil-fan club card isn’t really the reason I’m so excited to talk about this holiday: I’m an immigrant — a Canadian-American proudly celebrating my 5th Citizenship Day as an American citizen.
I moved to the United States when I was six years old, when my family relocated to North Carolina’s burgeoning Research Triangle Park for my dad’s job. We never assumed we were going to stay there, and as a kid, American citizenship was a far-off thought.
In 2008, millions of Americans — and folks from around the world, including this teenage Canadian — were inspired by “a skinny kid with a funny name.” I heard his call and was inspired to organize in my community and fight for this country’s future. And three years later, it became my country when I became an American citizen. One year after that, I cast my very first vote for Barack Obama, and since then I’ve dedicated myself to working for candidates who know that immigrants make our country stronger and will make sure the American dream is available to everyone who works for it.
The DNC is full of immigrant stories, and the beautiful thing is that almost none of them are alike. Miss Natalie, our receptionist who greets every single visitor and caller with a smile, was born in London and moved to the United States from Jamaica in 1977. It was a celebratory day at the office when she passed her citizenship test three years ago, and she voted in her first election in 2014. We have staff with family from Mexico, Lebanon, India, Ireland, and more. Our immigrant stories are intrinsically tied to our work. And we’re proud to fight every day to elect Democrats up and down the ballot who will fight for new Americans just like us.
I know that my workplace is stronger — more dynamic and more inclusive — because it brings people together with diverse backgrounds. There’s only one candidate for President who agrees — who knows that America’s diversity is our strength. That’s Hillary Clinton. She’s spent decades on representing the United States on an international stage fighting for the rights of women and children. She makes me proud to be an American, and I will proudly cast my ballot for her this November. But when Donald Trump insults immigrants — whether they be Muslim, Mexican, or Polish — he personally insults me. His actions and bigoted rhetoric offends all of us, and we can’t stand for it.
Barack Obama has said many times that on January 20, 2017 he’ll be returning to the most important job in our democracy — citizen. The most important thing that any citizen can do is vote. So this Constitution and Citizenship Day, make sure you’re ready to do that. Visit IWillVote.com to check your registration status and register to vote. Make your voice heard. It’s never been more important.
