#Earning Her Right to Vote
"I have lived in this country for a long time and [until now] I could not vote. I didn't have a voice," Milu Benko said. "As a high school teacher, I would always encourage my students to vote and register to vote. But I myself couldn't do that."
"One summer, I took my daughter to the Southeast Library and saw a flyer for classes for citizenship... I decided it was time."
Milu's now looking forward to voting in our next election and being a contributing member of this society by having that right. "I've paid taxes since I was a student but never had that right to vote... Now that I am a citizen, I can do that."
#Milu's Path to U.S. Citizenship
Milu came to the United States in 1994 to attend Hope College in Michigan. "I have worked [in the United States] with an H1B for many, many years," she said. She had even started the process of studying and preparing for the U.S. Naturalization Test and Interview a few times.
It wasn't until her husband got a job with the Jaguars and they started to put down roots here in Jacksonville that she decided that she needed to continue that process.
After completing the nine-week online course with the Library's Center for Adult Learning, she scheduled her test and interview and started reviewing everything she had learned. "I did my flash cards. I would practice with my daughter to make sure I knew my answers... Once that was done, I went to my interview in Orlando and was granted my citizenship that day."
#Thinking about signing up?
Here's what Milu has to say to anyone who's considering taking the class:
Thank you for sharing your story, Milu!
#Are You on the Path to U.S. Citizenship?
You, too, can get free help preparing for the U.S. Naturalization Test and Interview.
Classes meet once a week for nine weeks, online via Zoom, and are offered 3-4 times a year. Instructors cover United States History and Civics, the naturalization process, and interview preparation.
#Sign Up Now
To express your interest in US Citizenship classes hosted by the Jacksonville Public Library or to begin the process of signing up for the next set of classes, visit our Become a U.S. Citizen page and complete the Citizenship Course Wait List.
Registration is open to residents of Duval County, 18 years of age and older.
For questions or to schedule your appointment over the phone, call the Library’s Center for Adult Learning staff at (904) 255-6135.
For general information about U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, please visit https://www.uscis.gov/citizenship.
