104 new US citizens sworn in at WorldFest naturalization ceremony in Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- More than 100 people were sworn in as U.S citizens Friday during WorldFest's Naturalization Ceremony.

People representing 29 different nationalities gathered just down the road from the festival at the Muhammed Ali Center to take the Naturalization Oath of Allegiance.

For some, it's been a decades long process, and the day was full of emotions.

"The fact that I'm an American citizen has been a dream for a long time," said Erick Wolford, who moved to Kentucky from Venezuela and said it's been a 20-year process to become a U.S. citizen. "The fact that it's taken so long, I think, makes it deeper for me, and it's very emotional. The fact that I'm going to have the same rights anybody else has — rights for voting — is very important right now."

Francisco Hernandez is in a similar boat, moving from Mexico. He said he's waited a long time for this moment and he's happy to do it next to his partner of 17 years.

"Finally, thank God, I made it here," Hernandez said. "We made it here. I feel together because she's been helping me a lot. So I'm glad to be here."

"We met at Kroger here in Louisville to try to help him translate because I thought he was handsome" added Kim Langunes, Hernandez's partner. "And we've been together ever since."

Hernandez moved to Louisville for horse racing, and the couple worked at Churchill Downs together for more than a decade.

"I started in Arizona, then California, then came here to Louisville," he said. "And I like this place, so I bought me a house here and everything."

Now, as Americans and Kentuckians, Hernandez and Wolford are looking forward to the future.

"I do feel validated," Wolford said. "I do feel it's a new beginning."

Many different nationalities we're represented among the 104 people at the ceremony, but the Congo had the most people become U.S. citizens with 27 being sworn in Friday.

WorldFest runs through Labor Day. For more information, click here.

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