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Dreams realized: Newport News man gains citizenship, literacy, through local non-profit

Gambian native earns citizenship through nonprofit organization

Meet Ebrima Secka. On any given day you can find him in houndstooth chef pants, white button-up jacket, with a beaming smile. Most of the time he can be found traveling to and from the Chesapeake Retirement Community, where he is employed as a chef. It’s gainful employment he can be proud of, but he’s more over-joyed by his latest achievement: passing his citizenship exam.

Meet Ebrima Secka. On any given day you can find him in houndstooth chef pants, white button-up jacket, with a beaming smile. Most of the time he can be found traveling to and from the Chesapeake Retirement Community, where he is employed as a chef. It’s gainful employment he can be proud of, but he’s more over-joyed by his latest achievement: passing his citizenship exam.

A native of Gambia, a West African nation, Secka came to the United States in 2003 to improve his life financially through education, and to enjoy a more laid-back atmosphere. He first came to New York City, where he met his future spouse, a native of the Virginia Peninsula. When she decided to return to Newport News, he followed, and the couple soon married.

“I am very proud to become a citizen on August 16,” he said. “I got a lot of hills to climb to meet my goal to open a restaurant one day.”

Helping him meet his goals since 2006 has been Peninsula Reads, a Newport News-based, nonprofit, literacy organization. Serving the Peninsula for nearly 42 years, Peninsula Reads places English-as-a-second-language students in learning groups, and partners adult basic literacy students with tutors; all free to the student. In addition, Peninsula Reads offers a citizenship course to help immigrants prepare for the lengthy citizenship exam.

Secka, who is not quite an ESL student, but not illiterate in his native tongue, presented a bit of an amalgam. Having completed a standard education in Gambia, Secka came to the United States with the ability to speak English but not to read or write it.

Enter Pat English, Secka’s devoted tutor.

Having gone through the naturalization process herself as a Canadian, English is a comfortable match for Secka. Volunteering with Peninsula Reads since 2001, she has been working with Secka since March 2009. He passed his citizenship exam April 14, 2010.

“I think citizenship emboldens them tremendously,” English said of the immigrant community on the Peninsula. Secka was “on fire to get his citizenship,” she said.

The two have continued to build his English language skills, which have greatly improved since 2006, but also spent time working with the myriad tools the Federal government provides citizenship candidates to prepare for the exam.

“Some of this stuff I didn’t even know,” English admitted. “The required knowledge to pass the citizenship exam is extensive.”

Despite the mountain of information, and the ominous language barrier, Secka remained steadfast in his goal to become a citizen.

“To go home anytime I want to, and then come back to U.S. with no problem, secondly, if you become a citizen you get a lot of chances. It’s like a dream come true,” Secka said of wanting to become a citizen.

Chances such as the opportunity to achieve a higher education, job salary and standard of life.

Secka credits Peninsula Reads as a major tool in his success. Without it, “It was going to be very tough on me, especially job-wise,” he said. “I would still be in the process of learning. If not for Peninsula Reads, I could not pass my citizenship test.”

Since his time with Peninsula Reads, Secka has referred other immigrants to the organization for both literacy and citizenship programs.

On Aug. 16, 2010, at the Federal Courthouse in Norfolk, Secka will be sworn in as a United States citizen. His tutor, and friend, Pat English, will be in attendance.

Peninsula Read is a Newport News-based, nonprofit, literacy organization. For more information, please call (757) 283-5776.

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