“I was born and raised a proud American. At an early age, I learned that my grandparents immigrated here from Mexico in the 1950s in pursuit of life, liberty, and opportunity for their family. I remember my grandmother Marina wore an apron and clip-on earrings, every day. She spoke to you in Spanish and smiled in broken English. As a child, I watched her study for her Nationalization exam to become a US citizen. In 2004, I turned 18 and voted in my first Presidential Election. I thought of my grandma that day, realizing my fortune in not having to pass an exam to be considered a citizen of the country we both call home.”