Ninety Take Oaths of Allegiance in Tulsa’s Third Child Citizenship Ceremony at Gathering Place

Photo Credit: City of Tulsa Facebook page

(OKLAHOMA) Ninety children from 26 countries took their oaths of allegiance Thursday morning at Gathering Place in Tulsa’s third child citizenship ceremony. 

Thursday's ceremony is the largest citizenship ceremony to date, and just last month, the City celebrated its 1,000th naturalized citizen since the City began hosting Naturalization Ceremonies in 2019.  

Countries represented in this morning’s ceremony include Brazil, Burma, Cameroon, China, Costa Rica, Cuba, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Iraq, Israel, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Australia, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and Vietnam.  

Each citizen received free admission to Discovery Lab and a soccer game ticket to FC Tulsa.  

“Today is a great day for Tulsa and everyone who got a chance to participate in our third children’s citizenship ceremony at Gathering Place,” Mayor G.T. Bynum said. “Taking their oaths of allegiance is just the beginning of the opportunities these children will get to experience, and I’m grateful for this opportunity to congratulate them on becoming our newest fellow Americans.” 

Children’s citizenship ceremonies are a bit different from naturalization ceremonies in that because of the Child Citizenship Act of 2000, the majority of those who became citizens in the ceremony derived U.S. Citizenship by the action of their parent(s) naturalizing while they were under the age of 18. 

“It’s such an honor for Gathering Place to once again host a citizenship ceremony for children in our community,” said Julio Badin, Executive Director of Gathering Place. “One of the greatest moments in my youth was when I became a naturalized citizen of the United States.” 

Program participants and volunteers in the ceremony included: 

Presentation of Colors: Scouts BSA Troops 20, Scissortail District, Indian Nations Council, sponsored by Boston Avenue Methodist Church 

Pledge of Allegiance: Carolyn Julia Morehead, 7th Grade Student, Tulsa School of Arts and Sciences 

National Anthem and Musical Entertainment: Sistema Tulsa Community Youth Orchestra 

Keynote Speaker: Mayor G.T. Bynum 

Background
As part of the New Tulsans Initiative, the City of Tulsa began hosting United States Naturalization Ceremonies in 2019 with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) at Tulsa City Hall. The City hosts monthly naturalization ceremonies at City Hall, with bigger ceremonies held at larger venues.