50 new U.S. citizens take Oath of Allegiance at Sunnylands

The Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands Center & Garden hosted a naturalization ceremony in partnership with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Wednesday morning.

The 50 new U.S. citizens came from 20 countries and took the Oath of Allegiance and waved their U.S. flags in front of friends and family in the Sunnylands garden.

For many new citizens, like Paula Baldo, the ceremony signified a new beginning in the United States. Baldo said she was aiming, much like the other applicants, for the opportunities the U.S. provides citizens.

After five years of the naturalization process and over 27 years since her family had petitioned for the naturalization process, Baldo said receiving her citizenship certificate was a "dream come true."

During the ceremony, the applicants countries were announced and they said the Pledge of Allegiance. Baldo said she realized she fully achieved her citizenship status and had made it to this long awaited moment after hearing the announcers call for applicants from Philippines.

“When they called the Philippines, that’s when I’m like, 'Wow, I actually did make it here', Baldo said. "So much people want to come here, and I’m one of them who was fortunate enough to be here and become finally a citizen.”

David Lane, the President of the Annenberg Foundation Trust, described the day as "powerful" as the new citizens received their certificates and celebrated with loved ones.

"For us at Sunnylands, [hosting the ceremony is] a privilege and very much aligned with what we stand for," Lane said.

Sunnylands hosted the naturalization ceremony last year, and hopes their partnership with USCIS will continue so they can annually host the event and support more people in their citizenship journeys.

"You could see when they held up their certificates, when they waved their flags, when they proclaimed their oath how proud and emotional they were," Lane said. "So, we're just proud to be able to support what they did."