ABOVE: Hervé-Michel Jackson Bremaidou participates in Naturalize Now, Houston! event

When we think of the path to becoming an American citizen, we usually hear more about people from the country of Mexico or other Latin countries, but there are people who are a part of the African diaspora who also seek to become a part of this great nation on an annual basis.

Born in the Central African Republic—a tiny country in the middle of Africa—Hervé-Michel Jackson Bremaidou moved to the U.S. as an international student in 2013, attending college in Houston. While here in the U.S., another civil war had broken out in his native country.

Back home, his father, who was a politician, was targeted for political reasons, religious reasons, and other reasons. Because his parents were providing for him at the time he moved to the U.S., Jackson Bremaidou was dependent upon them for tuition and other financial resources, as he pursued his education here in Houston.

Back home, Jackson Bremaidou’s family began to struggle financially because of the civil war, so they eventually had to flee the Central African Republic and move to a neighboring country—Cameroon and eventually to France.

Unable to provide for himself at the time, Jackson Bremaidou knew he had to find a way to work, pay for his schooling, provide for himself, and take care of his family abroad.

Jackson Bremaidou eventually obtained asylum in January 2015, but he felt it wasn’t enough. After working hard and contributing to society, he wanted to have all the rights and privileges of an American system and felt he needed to become an American citizen, so he got approved by the immigration office and two years later, he received his green card with the help of BakerRipley.

Hervé-Michel Jackson Bremaidou

“In America, you have to pay for everything, so I was unable to maintain the cost of living, my tuition, and everything,” said Jackson Bremaidou. “I never thought, of like, becoming a citizen or even having any immigration stature. For me, it was like, come here and get one of the great diplomas America was offering.”

Eight years after obtaining asylum, Jackson Bremaidou became a U.S. citizen in April 2023.

“Becoming a U.S citizen is like a superhero joining the Justice League, alongside amazing heroes like Batman and Wonder Woman,” Jackson Bremaidou explained. “Let’s accomplish greatness by being the indivisible one American nation under God.”

There are many stories like that of Jackson Bremaidou, right here in Houston, which is why the City of Houston, Harris County, Houston Endowment, National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA), Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative (HILSC), and several other nonprofit organizations recently announced an unprecedented public-private partnership to help eligible immigrants apply for citizenship.

Houston – Naturalize Now, Houston! is a call to action for the 300,000 lawful permanent residents in the region who are eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship.

Houston Endowment is funding this initiative with a $2.13 million grant to NPNA to strengthen and expand naturalization programming, along with $1.65 million for “Give Citizenship A Boost,” a program to fund application fees for eligible immigrants. Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative is leading that project.

“When eligible individuals become naturalized citizens, they unlock opportunities for greater stability and prosperity and make our region stronger as a whole,” said Ann B. Stern, President and CEO of Houston Endowment. “Houston is home to 300,000 legal permanent residents who add to the rich diversity of our city. We want to ensure these individuals are equipped with the information and resources they need to become full and active participants in our community.”

On September 19^th, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner issued a proclamation declaring the day as Citizenship Day in Houston, following the national observance on September 17^th.

“Becoming a U.S. citizen is an important step towards full participation in our society. Lawful permanent residents contribute significantly to our city’s cultural diversity and economic growth,” said Mayor Turner. “We are proud to collaborate with the National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA), Houston Endowment, and Harris County to support and encourage more individuals to pursue U.S. citizenship. By doing so, we enhance Houston’s unity and prosperity.”

Harris County also celebrated the national observance with a resolution on August 29^th.

“The American dream is deeply tied to the story of immigrants, and I commend the determination and grit of anyone going through the naturalization process,” said Commissioner Lesley Briones of Precinct 4. “I am proud of Harris County’s collaboration with the National Partnership for New Americans to bring robust naturalization services to our area. The strength of our region and the health of our democracy depend on our ability to deliver on the great promise of this nation.”

The National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA) is a national multiethnic, multiracial partnership network of 66 of the country’s leading immigrant and refugee rights organizations who together advocate for policies and programs to successfully integrate New Americans.

Through Naturalize Now, Houston! the NPNA will train teams of Citizenship Community Navigators, together with local partners Mi Familia Vota, Woori Juntos, OCA-Greater Houston, and SAAVETX Education, to reach the eligible-to-naturalize people across greater Houston.

“We understand that the citizenship application fee of $725 is a significant financial burden for families with limited means. Through the ‘Give Citizenship A Boost’ project, we will help individuals overcome this barrier by covering the application fees,” said Zenobia Lai, Executive Director of Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative. “Together with our eight project partners serving diverse immigrant communities, we will make citizenship attainable.”

The organizations are also collaborating with the City of Houston and Harris County to hire an official in each office to expand the role local governments play in promoting citizenship. This follows the commitments laid down in the Harris County Citizenship Day resolution, which passed on August 29^th, and Mayor Turner’s recent Citizenship Day proclamation before City Council.

“The Citizenship Community Navigators are trusted leaders within their communities, many of whom have personal experience with the naturalization process,” said Nicole Melaku, Executive Director of National Partnership for New Americans and convener of the initiative. “Their job is to address language barriers, help community members navigate the naturalization process, and connect them to low-cost legal services as well as financial assistance for application fees. No one should be priced out of participating in our democracy. Citizenship opens the door to opportunities for immigrants, to the benefit of entire communities. If we are going to reach 300,000 eligible people with information, tools, and help so that they can become full U.S. citizens, we need everyone’s help.”

For more information on Naturalize Now, Houston! please visit http://www.houston.naturalizenow.org.

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