AURORA, Colo. — For the first time in three years, Coloradans gathered in person to officially become citizens of the United States.
"Today is a very special day," said Ricardo Gambetta-Alvarado of Aurora’s Office of International and Immigrant Affairs.
Wednesday's naturalization ceremony at the Aurora Municipal Center included 50 people from 27 different countries, a figure the City of Aurora is proud of and believes speaks to the city's diversity.
"One in five residents of Aurora was born outside of the United States," said Mayor Mike Coffman at the ceremony. "This is part of the fabric of our community and what makes us such a united and welcoming place."
One of the people participating in today's ceremony was Audrey Gachire. Coming from her home country of Kenya, she immigrated to Colorado with her mother. Gachire said becoming a citizen was important to her and that she is glad to be an American now.
"Just to be able to see the process of, from not being a citizen to becoming a citizen, is just such an empowering, beautiful experience," Gachire said. "So, I'm so honored to be here to now be able to call myself a citizen and be able to have rights and freedoms that I did not have prior to taking the citizenship test."