Marisa Aviles Lemus has been a UFCW 21 member for 7 years, after she started working for Draper Valley Farms in Mount Vernon. Before working for Draper she was employed at another Union employer for 19 years. Marisa works in production, and along with her coworkers has been an essential frontline worker keeping our country’s food supply chain running throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2019, UFCW 21 held an event with the UFCW’s Union Citizenship Action Network (UCAN) program, where union members could get resources and support with applying for U.S. citizenship. UCAN workshops help provide necessary documents, legal advice, and any assistance necessary to help union members on the path to citizenship, which comes with legal rights like voting along with other benefits.
Marisa learned about UFCW 21’s Citizenship Day through her steward, Esperanza, and contacted the Union to sign up. She has been in the US for 32 years and her dream has always been to become a U.S. citizen. She had not realized that her Union could help her through this process.
Marisa was able to complete the process and attain her citizenship after getting support from the UCAN program, and says: “I still cannot believe that I am a U.S. citizen. It was a wonderful experience and a beautiful moment. I was very nervous, but with the help of my Union I was able to overcome my fear and make my dream come true. I highly recommend people become US citizens. The experience is unforgettable.”*
Have questions about the UCAN program or other support for immigrant workers in UFCW 21? Call your Union Rep or contact us online.
*Marisa’s quote translated from Spanish by her UFCW 21 union rep, Faviola Lopez.