Four of the six spring 2021 citizenship class graduates pictured here.

Six Washington-area residents are now one step closer to becoming U.S. citizens, thanks to Latinos for Washington, Inc.

The group has been sponsoring twice-annual citizenship classes since spring of 2017, which are six-week sessions taught by local volunteers. Each graduate earned a scholarship to cover half of their U.S. citizenship application fee. Becoming a U.S. citizen can be a years-long process, and Latinos for Washington Secretary Martha Hernandez says the group is grateful for their anonymous donor who has contributed for these scholarships. Applications cost over $700 each, which Hernandez says can be a deterrent for some people applying for citizenship.

Hernandez attends every class as a translator, and she shares how it feels to have a new crop of graduates, as their previous spring session was cancelled because of the pandemic, “It’s amazing to be able to still get this done, even with everything going on I think it just kind of brings us back to normal a little bit and it’s a good feeling for sure.”

The fall citizenship class session is anticipated to begin in the second week of September, and those who want to learn more or wish to donate to this program can email latinosforwashingtoninc@gmail.com.