BANGOR, Maine — There's a new group of citizens in Maine following a naturalization ceremony in Bangor on Friday.
A total of 25 people representing 15 countries became citizens in Bangor Friday morning, each with a unique story on the journey to becoming naturalized.
Some came to the United States to seek higher education, others applied for specialized work. Some sought asylum, and one woman was a lucky lottery winner to come to the United States.
Julia Kintiva, a native of Congo, fled her home to take up residence in South Africa but said she was faced with extreme xenophobia during her time there. With the luck of the draw, she won her ticket to the United States through the State Department Diversity Visa Program.
Another came from the African country of Cameroon. He studied here and now has a business, the Mbingo Mountain Coffee in Waterville.
"Where I live in Waterville, in a state like Maine, oh my goodness! How would anyone not want to become part of a community like this?" Churchhill Elangwe-Preston beamed with pride. "It is a beautiful community. I'm so happy to become a United States citizen today."
One woman born in the Donbas region of Ukraine shared her story. Yuliia Ismayilov, who changed her name, said she escaped to the United States when Russia first invaded Crimea. She said there was no intention for her to stay here, but as the war escalated, there was no turning back for her.
"In 2014 when the war started, I was kind of forced to move to the United States ... [the] United States is a country of opportunities, and if you come here with good intentions, and you love people and you work hard, you can achieve whatever you want."
For these new Americans, today was a proud moment, and for some, it was a relief.