Mayor welcomes 41 new citizens in Tulsa ceremony

Tulsa Mayor GT Bynum welcomed 41 new citizens in a ceremony in Tulsa last week, the city’s first naturalization ceremony of the year.

The celebratory event took place last Wednesday, January 8, at the federal courthouse in downtown Tulsa.

The individuals who took the oath of citizenship to their adopted country had come from Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, as well as from Mexico, Central and South America.

“We're so honored that you picked our city out of anywhere in the world,” the mayor told the new Americans. “We want it to be the best that it can be for you… so I hope that you will work with us at the City of Tulsa. We need your help and we want your help to make this the kind of city that you want to leave to future generations. The door is open, and we're excited at the opportunity to work with you.”

Bynum gave special thanks to his Deputy Chief of Staff, Christina da Silva, who was instrumental in bringing the naturalization ceremonies to Tulsa.

“We wouldn’t be having these if it weren’t for Christina,” the mayor said, pointing out that in the past most naturalization ceremonies took place a hundred miles away in Oklahoma City.

da Silva, herself an immigrant from Panama, heads up the city’s New Tulsans initiative.

“We want you to go through this process and this special process here, because we know how hard this process has been for you,” the mayor said, “and we want you to celebrate it at home, here in Tulsa. So on behalf of all my fellow Tulsans, I’m so thankful that you’re my fellow Tulsan and my fellow American and we’re so proud to have you in our city.” (La Semana)