The Newest Americans: New Citizens Reflect on What America Means to Them

Description

The journeys, hopes, dreams, and concerns of 29 new U.S. citizens come to life through vivid color portraits and personal stories.

Saying the word immigration has become an invitation to an argument. Perhaps that was always true. On the one hand, our history supplies countless examples of the sins and transgressions committed in our ceaseless struggle to say who has the right to live in the land of the free and the home of the brave. On the other hand, we call ourselves a nation of immigrants and take pride in the mythology of the melting pot.

In the months following a bitter election that saw the definition of what it means to be an American called into question, we witnessed 20,000 people become naturalized U.S. Citizens. We asked how they came to this country [and] what the American Dream means to them.

Sam Comen and Michael Estrin

The Newest Americans encourages visitors to see the United States and the immigration process through the eyes of new citizens representing over 20 origin countries. All photos were taken and interviews conducted in the moments immediately prior to and following two naturalization ceremonies in February and March of 2017. The exhibition is fully translated into both English and Spanish. Learn more about the initial project, and view the photographs and accompanying narratives, here.

The Newest Americans, an exhibition from Sam Comen (photography) and Michael Estrin (reporting), is produced in partnership with The California Museum and traveled by Exhibit Envoy.