Crowds of people streamed out of the Paramount Theatre just after 11 AM today, brandishing cameras and seeking out their loved ones. They had just been sworn in by the federal government as US citizens in an official court hearing sanctioned by Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton.

Most of them have been here for years and have had to endure a long application process including testing, background checks, and language study. They must be able to answer questions which probably render smarter than the average high school graduate. Can you tell me off the top of your head which states border Canada and what document is known as the “supreme law of the land?”

I was part of a group of local Democrats who regularly stage a voter registration effort through the auspices of the Alameda County Democratic Central Committee which represents the official local Democratic Party. We were there in hopes that many of the new citizens would want to be registered and vote in the next election, and we weren’t wrong as you can see by the pictures.

The Obama group, Organizing for America, was also part of the effort. Mario Juarez, Fruitvale businessman and Democratic activist, volunteers his time as an organizer of this project along with Sharon Ball, another activist.

Also signing folks up was Bobbie Steinhart of the Voting Rights Task Force, a project of the Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club. The VRTF (contact-vrtf@wellstoneclub.org) has been working on behalf of election integrity issues since 2004 and sees as one of its focuses, informing underserved groups of citizens such as the formerly incarcerated about their voting rights.

It was a joyous occasion for these US residents who hail from all over the world, and I spoke to a few of our newest Americans as they registered.

Juan is a twenty-year-old from Michoacan in Mexico. He has lived here since he was ten where he graduated from the LA public school system. He is saving his money in order to attend college in Sonoma County.

Silma, is a 29-year-old from Guatemala. She also has waited 10 years to become a US citizen (I don’t say American because isn’t a Guatemalan also an American). She retold her story of loss that as a newly arrived immigrant in her late teens, her mother who had arrived first, suddenly died. The rest of her family was still in Guatemala so she considered returning; but her present husband was also a new arrival, and she stayed to raise a family with him. They now have twins.

A Mom from Cameroon in Africa had her whole family with her, teenage children and sisters, but told me that she had lots more family at home. I asked her how many languages she spoke and she told me “lots, French, English, and many dialects”. They continue to speak French, English and more at home so that the children do not lose their cultural inheritance.

Then there was Lorena with her two children Loren and Eden. Lorena is from El Salvador but her children were born here. She came as a refugee from her war torn country. Her older daughter is attending college and is a very savvy young woman. There are more such events coming up at the Paramount and your help is needed to register voters.

This is a Democratic Party initiative but voters may choose any political party affiliation or none-contact Sharon at sball45050@sbcglobal.net or Mario- mario@mariojuarez.comz, but in any case, it’s a great way to spend a foggy morning in Oakland town.