In celebration of International Citizenship Day, we want to highlight one out of many immigrants that put in much effort to become a citizen of this country. Milco De Moya came alone from Cuba on January 2, 2017. In Cuba, Milco worked in an International Hotel for 24 years where he was able to enjoy the beautiful beach at a job he loved every day. However, due to certain circumstances, Milco had to come to the United States to fight for a better life. Here, starting over was difficult and leaving his family and friends behind was not easy. Adjusting to a new country was constant work and it was difficult to find a job and establish himself. However, he was strong, worked hard, and grew to love this country.

In November 2021, Milco’s love for this country inspired him to apply for U.S. Citizenship. He reached out to a lawyer for help on the application and took a citizenship class offered by YMCA International Services. During his constant state of nervousness while waiting for his interview date, he studied and prepared every day for the exam.

In the end, his hard work paid off and on April 22, 2022, Milco passed his citizenship exam and attended his Oath Ceremony a month later. Today, he is proud to be an American with a US Passport. He now plans to bring his two daughters and is excited to register to vote for the upcoming election. He is not the only one that is proud though! His daughters cannot wait to come to America and become U.S. Citizens as well.

When asked what he would recommend to new incoming immigrants, he shared some wisdom: “Be strong. Be prepared for a different life. Even though it is difficult, there is different food, different culture, life is different but better compared to before.”

We are very proud of Milco, our students, and anyone else that is successful in becoming United States Citizens!

For more information on programs offered at YMCA International Services, please visit our website.