Citizenship program

Maria Silva at her U.S. Citizenship Oath Ceremony in Northern California

Maria Silva is a property service worker in Sacramento, California. Her story in America begins 30 years ago when she migrated to the United States from the state of Michoacan, located in Central Mexico. 

During her time with Building Skills Partnership, she has participated in the organization’s Citizenship and Civic Engagement courses, which supported her in her ultimate goal of becoming a U.S. Citizen. 

She has also taken BSP’s Digital Literacy classes, and is currently enrolled in BSP’s ESL programs. 

Maria expressed how her studies with BSP have helped her obtain skills and have more confidence in many aspects of her life. She described feeling more comfortable, being able to effectively communicate with contractors on her job sites as well as when purchasing materials. 

Aside from being a property service worker and BSP student, Maria is also a mother to eight  children, the oldest being her 32-year-old-son and the youngest being her 6-year-old-daughter. 

She had the following message for her fellow workers and BSP students: "Try hard. Do not be afraid. It's not as difficult as it seems, it's having self-confidence. It’s letting go of your fear. When you're there [in the citizenship interview], it's like a normal conversation. You get nervous, but you don't have to when you have the knowledge.”