In 2014, the Citizenship Academy was launched as a collaborative effort between the Maddy Institute, New American Legal Clinic at San Joaquin College of Law, Fresno County Public Library, Fresno Adult School and Mi Familia Vota. The Citizenship Academy seeks to provide Civic, Economic, and Linguistic resources for immigrants to become successfully integrated in the community. The Citizenship Academy is part of the Network for Integrating New Americans of the Central Valley, one of five networks nationwide participating in the Networks for Integrating New Americans (NINA) initiative sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education.
Each year, the Citizenship Academy, in conjunction with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, hosts a Special Naturalization Ceremony at Clovis Veterans Memorial District. Over 150 people are sworn in as new citizens in front of an audience of over 600.
- To learn more about the ceremony, click here.
- To view pictures of the ceremony, click here.Media Coverage of the 2018 Ceremony:
Video of the 2019 Ceremony
GV Wire
The Fresno Bee
abc30
Video of 2017 Ceremony
CMAC – Community Media Center for Fresno and Clovis
FOX26 Fresno
Telemundo51 Fresno
- To view a video of the ceremony from previous years, click here.
If you would like an agency profile added to the list of immigrant resources below, please email your suggestion to: mjeans@csufresno.edu
Fresno Adult School
Web Site: http://www.fas.edu/
Main Office Contact: (559) 457-6000
•Linguistic and Academic Education:
- Offers ESL, ABE, GED, and High School Diploma courses to help improve basic reading, writing, and mathematics skills.
•Economic
- Career Technical Education (Information Technology)
- Service
- Education
- Medical
•Civic Engagement:
- Free Citizenship Classes
- Free ESL Classes
- Free EL Civics Classes
- Free ABE
- GED classes in both English and Spanish
Fresno County Public Library
Web Site: http://www.fresnolibrary.org
Central Library Main number: (559) 600-READ (7323)
Literacy Services Center number: (559) 600-9243
WoW! WithOut Walls Mobile Library office number:
(559) 600-9699
Services for Immigrants and New Americans:
• Linguistic and Academic Education
- World Languages Collections
- Learning Languages Materials (Mango, a learning database with 63 languages and English Language Learner, an online information resource designed for secondary and young adult English language learners)
- Literacy Services Center (free adult tutoring in reading, writing, spelling and math; conversation circles)
- Free computer classes
- Practice tests (GED, ASVAB, SAT, GRE, CBEST, TOEFL, civil service exams and citizenship, ESL courses for Spanish-speakers)
- College Prep Centers (Caruthers, Riverdale, Selma, Mendota, San Joaquin, Tranquillity, Parlier and Orange Cove)
• Economic
- Free library card
- Job and Career Services (access to help with resume and cover letter writing, interview skills, Internet skills, links to job searches)
- Free Internet access
• Civic Engagement
- Citizenship materials
- Voting materials and information
- Community events
- Literacy Services Center (Naturalization resources; citizenship toolkit)
Mi Familia Vota
Web Site: www.mifamiliavota.us
Main Office Contact: (559) 473-6096
Fresno Office Contact: (559) 447-2560
Fresno Office Fax: (559) 261-9308
Services for Immigrants and Citizens:
•Civic Engagement
- Citizenship materials
- Civics Education
- Voter Registration
New American Legal Clinic at San Joaquin College of Law
Direct Office Contact: (559) 326-1553
Services for Immigrants and New Americans:
• Civic Engagement
- Free legal advice on immigration issues for low income individuals
- Encourages immigrant integration in the workplace
The White House
Website: http://www.whitehouse.gov/
Address: The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20500
Telephone: (202) 456-1111
United States Senator Dianne Feinstein
Website: http://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/
Washington Office: United States Senate, 331 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510; Tel. (202) 224-3841
Fresno Office: 2500 Tulare Street, Suite 4290, Fresno, CA 93721; Tel. (559) 485-7430
Los Angeles Office: 11111 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 915, Los Angeles, CA 90025; Tel. (310) 914-7300
San Diego Office: 880 Front Street, Suite 4236, San Diego, CA 92101; Tel. (619) 231-9712
San Francisco Office: One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Fransisco, CA 94104; Tel. (415) 393-0707
United States Senator Kamala Harris
Website: https://www.harris.senate.gov/
Washington Office: United States Senate, 112 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510; Tel. (202) 224-3553
Fresno Office: 2500 Tulare Street, Suite 5290, Fresno, CA 93721; Tel. (559) 497-5109
Los Angeles Office: 11845 West Olympic Blvd., Suite 1250W, Los Angeles, CA 90025; Tel. (310) 231-4494
San Fransisco Office: 333 Bush Street, Suite 3225, San Francisco, CA 94104; Tel. (415) 981-9369
Sacramento Office: 501 I Street, Suite 7-600, Sacramento, CA 95814; Tel. (916) 448-2787
San Diego Office: 600 B Street, Suite 2240, San Diego, CA 92101; Tel. (619) 239-3884
Federal House of Representatives
Website: http://www.house.gov/
Address: U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515
Telephone: (202) 224-3121
Governor of California, Gavin Newsom
Website: http://gov.ca.gov/home.php
Address: c/o State Capitol, Suite 1173, Sacramento, CA 95814
Telephone: (916) 558-3160
Agency Profile: California Secretary of State, Alex Padilla
Website: http://www.sos.ca.gov/
Address: 1500 11th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
Telephone: (916) 653-6814
Agency Profile: California State Senate
Website: http://senate.ca.gov/
Find your Legislator: http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov
Agency Profile: California State Assembly
Website: http://assembly.ca.gov/
Find your Legislator: http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov
Agency Profile: Fresno County Board of Supervisors
Website: http://www.co.fresno.ca.us/departments/board-of-supervisors
Address: 2281 Tulare Street, #301, Hall of Records, Fresno, CA 93721-2198
Telephone: (559) 600-3529
Agency Profile: Fresno County Elections Office
Website: http://www.co.fresno.ca.us/departments/county-clerk-registrar-of-voters
Address: 2221 Kern Street, Fresno, CA 93721
Telephone: (559) 600-8683
Agency Profile: Kern County Board of Supervisors
Website: https://www.kerncounty.com/bos/
Address: 2700 M Street, Suite 100, Bakersfield, CA 93301-2370
Telephone: (661) 862-8600
Agency Profile: Kern County Elections Office
Website: http://elections.co.kern.ca.us/elections/
Address: 1115 Truxtun Avenue, 1st Floor, Bakersfield, CA 93301-4639
Telephone: (661) 868-3590
Agency Profile: Kings County Board of Supervisors
Website: http://www.countyofkings.com/departments/board-of-supervisors
Address: 1400 West Lacey Blvd, Hanford, CA 93230
Telephone: (559) 852-2362
Agency Profile: Kings County Elections Office
Website: https://countyofkings.com/departments/general-services/assessor-clerk-recorder-elections/elections
Address: 1400 W Lacey Blvd, Hanford, CA 93230
Telephone: (559) 825-4401
Agency Profile: Madera County Board of Supervisors
Website: http://www.madera-county.com/supervisors
Address: 200 W 4th Street, Madera, CA 93637
Telephone: (559) 675-7703
Agency Profile: Madera County Elections Office
Website: http://www.madera-county.com/index.php/electionsdept
Address: 200 West 4th Street, Madera, CA 93637
Telephone: (559) 675-7720
Agency Profile: Merced County Board of Supervisors
Website: http://www.co.merced.ca.us/index.aspx?NID=61
Address: 2222 M St., Merced, CA 95340
Telephone: (209) 385-7366
Agency Profile: Merced County Elections Office
Website: http://www.co.merced.ca.us/index.aspx?NID=229
Address: 2222 M Street, Merced, CA 95340
Telephone: (209) 385-7434
Agency Profile: San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors
Website: http://www.sjgov.org/board/
Address: 44 North San Joaquin Street, Sixth Floor Suite 627, Stockton, CA 95202
Telephone: (209) 468-3113
Agency Profile: San Joaquin County Elections Office
Website: http://www.sjcrov.org/
Address: 44 N. San Joaquin St., Ste. 350, Stockton, CA 95202
Telephone: (209) 468-2885
Agency Profile: Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors
Website: http://www.stancounty.com/board/
Address: 1010 10th Street, Suite 6500, Modesto, CA 95354
Telephone: (209) 525-4494
Agency Profile: Stanislaus County Elections Office
Website: http://stanvote.com/
Address: 1021 I Street, Suite 101, Modesto, CA 95354
Telephone: (209) 525-5200
Agency Profile: Tulare County Board of Supervisors
Website: http://tularecounty.ca.gov/board/
Address: 2800 West Burrel Avenue, Visalia, CA 93291
Telephone: (559) 636-5000
Agency Profile: Tulare County Elections Office
Website: https://tularecoelections.org/elections/
Address: 5951 S Mooney Blvd, Visalia, CA 93277
Telephone: (559) 624-7300
Agency Profile: Bakersfield City Council
Website: http://www.bakersfieldcity.us/gov/elected_officials/city_council.htm
Address: 1600 Truxton Ave, Bakersfield, CA 93301
Telephone: (661) 326-3000
Agency Profile: Clovis City Council
Website: https://www.ci.clovis.ca.us/Government/City-Council
Address: 1033 Fifth Street, Clovis, CA 93612
Telephone: (559) 324-2010
Agency Profile: Fresno City Council
Website: https://www.fresno.gov/citycouncil/
Address: 2600 Fresno Street, Room 2097, Fresno, CA 93721
Telephone: (559) 621-8000
Agency Profile: Hanford City Council
Website: http://www.ci.hanford.ca.us/government/city_council/index.php
Address: 319 North Douty, Hanford, CA 93230
Telephone: (559) 585-2515
Agency Profile: Merced City Council
Website: https://www.cityofmerced.org/depts/city_council/
Address: 678 W. 18th Street, Merced, CA 95340
Telephone: (209) 385-6866
Agency Profile: Modesto City Council
Website: https://www.modestogov.com/659/City-Council
Address: 1010 10th Street, Modesto, CA 95354
Telephone: (209) 577-5200
Agency Profile: San Joaquin City Council
Website: http://www.fresnocog.org/city-san-joaquin
Address: 21900 W. Colorado Ave, San Joaquin, CA 93660
Telephone: (559) 693-4311
Agency Profile: Stockton City Council
Website: http://www.stocktongov.com/government/council/default.html
Address: 425 N. El Dorado St. Stockton, CA 95202
Telephone: (209) 937-8244
Agency Profile: Tulare City Council
Website: http://www.tulare.ca.gov/government/city-council
Address: 411 East Kern Ave, Tulare, CA 93274
Telephone: (559) 685-2300
Agency Profile: Turlock City Council
Website: http://www.ci.turlock.ca.us/government/turlockcitycouncil/
Address: 156 S Broadway, Turlock, CA 95380
Telephone: (209) 668-5540
Agency Profile: Visalia City Council
Website: http://ci.visalia.ca.us/government/city_council/default.asp
Address: P.O. Box 5078, 707 W. Acequia Ave, Visalia, CA 93278
Telephone: (559) 713-4300