20 area residents become United States Citizens
By: Rachel Polansky
Updated: September 24, 2012
The pledge of allegiance is recited at schools, games and ceremonies
across the nation - it's something we hear quite often. But for 2 Utica
residents, the pledge has a particularly special meaning. Eyewitness
News spoke with 2 area residents who took part in a naturalization
ceremony and officially became United States citizens this past weekend.
They say the ceremony was one of the most important and memorable days
of their lives.
"He's like I'm a U.S. Citizen now, so what it means to my family. It feels like we're here now, it actually feels like apart of america now," says Ana Latic, Sulejman's daughter.
Ana's father, Sulejman, along with 19 others took the oath of allegiance, officially making them U.S. citizens.
"The united states to say i am a citizen is everything freedom," says Kar Rin, new citizen and Burmese native.
"I am very proud, I am happy, because I'm a citizen, same chance for jobs, same chance for small business," says Sulejman Latic, new citizen and Bosnian native.
Latic moved to Utica 12 years ago and opened his own karate dojo for children.
"This is a special program for kids," says Latic.
Now that he's a citizen, he feels he can be more of a role model for his students.
"I like to teach kids, I teach respect for old people, for family, a lot of experience," says Latic.
And Rin says for the first time in his life, he truly understands the word freedom.
"My country is no democracy, no freedom, I moved to United States with my family 5 years and now I have me and my wife become citizens and I am very happy," says Rin.
The 20 new citizens can now get a passport and vote in the upcoming presidential election. They hail from Burma, Bosnia, Egypt, Sudan, Ukraine, Vietnam and Malaysia, but now, they all call Central New York there new home.
"He's like I'm a U.S. Citizen now, so what it means to my family. It feels like we're here now, it actually feels like apart of america now," says Ana Latic, Sulejman's daughter.
Ana's father, Sulejman, along with 19 others took the oath of allegiance, officially making them U.S. citizens.
"The united states to say i am a citizen is everything freedom," says Kar Rin, new citizen and Burmese native.
"I am very proud, I am happy, because I'm a citizen, same chance for jobs, same chance for small business," says Sulejman Latic, new citizen and Bosnian native.
Latic moved to Utica 12 years ago and opened his own karate dojo for children.
"This is a special program for kids," says Latic.
Now that he's a citizen, he feels he can be more of a role model for his students.
"I like to teach kids, I teach respect for old people, for family, a lot of experience," says Latic.
And Rin says for the first time in his life, he truly understands the word freedom.
"My country is no democracy, no freedom, I moved to United States with my family 5 years and now I have me and my wife become citizens and I am very happy," says Rin.
The 20 new citizens can now get a passport and vote in the upcoming presidential election. They hail from Burma, Bosnia, Egypt, Sudan, Ukraine, Vietnam and Malaysia, but now, they all call Central New York there new home.
