Guam!

uscitizenpod: Guam!




Today we talk to Annie Marie Rivera Montes, who is a native of Guam and a teacher (retired) of the Chamorro culture. Guam is a territory of the United States in the western Pacific Ocean. It is the westernmost point (in terms of jurisdiction) and territory of the United States, along with Northern Mariana Islands. The inhabitants of Guam are called Guamanians, and they are American citizens by birth. Indigenous Guamanians are the Chamorros, who are related to other Austronesian natives to the west in the Philippines and Taiwan. (source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guam)

USCIS 100:91. Name one U.S. territory.
* Puerto Rico
* U.S. Virgin Islands
* American Samoa
* Northern Mariana Islands
* Guam

Learn more about Guam, the Mariana Islands, and the Chamorro at
Guampedia: Guam’s Online Encyclopedia
https://www.guampedia.com/

Although Guamanian serve in the military at a rate that is three times higher than the rest of the country, their vets' struggle to receive medical services
WATCH: America By the Numbers: Island of Warriors https://www.pbs.org/video/america-numbers-island-warriors

CONTACT: VA.gov or your U.S. congress members. Tell them that you support increased healthcare services for vets, especially those from Guam and the U.S. territories.

This interview was recorded in the Kaiser Vallejo Rehabilitation Center, where Annie Marie's husband and my father where recovering from their strokes. Unfortunately my father passed away the next day. PLEASE learn more about strokes at Stroke.org

My Father, Gene Gagliardi

Gene P. Gagliardi

July 11, 1935 to July 2, 2018
Trinidad, Colorado

Beloved husband of Elinor, Gene is survived by their children: Jennifer, Gene (Guadalupe), Geralie (Darin), Brian (Pam), Daryl (Cheryl), 8 grandchildren, 3 great grandchildren, his siblings John, Roseanne, and Patsy, plus many nieces and nephews, most notably James and Sandy.

Gene was a high school All American Football player and two-sport Division I athlete at University of Illinois, where this Phi Kappa Theta brother met his Kappa Delta sweetheart, Elinor. Upon graduation, they married and he served as a naval officer on the USS Hancock. After the Navy, Gene taught Biology, PE, and Driver's Ed and coached Football along with multiple sports at Riordan, Serra, Piedmont Hills, St Mary's Moraga, Santa Clara University, San Jose City College, before retiring from Independence High School where pioneered the intramural program. As a man and as a mentor, his highest value was teamwork and his greatest success came when his students, players, and family succeeded. We all were inspired by his love and fidelity, integrity and piety.
He will be deeply missed.

Friends and family
are invited to the following:

Visitation: Darling-Fischer Garden Chapel, San Jose, Sunday July 8, 4-8pm
Funeral Mass: St Victor's Church, San Jose, Monday July 9, 10 am

In lieu of flowers, please donate to St Victor's Parish School, San Jose, CA

Podcast with my Dad: Election Results 2016
Ten civics questions (one extra credit questions) slightly modified which review the results of the November 8, 2016 General Election. Special Guest Star: my father, Gene Gagliardi.
mp3: https://goo.gl/G3jbKq
pdf: https://goo.gl/hnWXMV (download only)

NOW I FEEL FREE: Yard Goats hold naturalization ceremony on Fourth of July

WTNH News8: Yard Goats hold naturalization ceremony on Fourth of July

The Hartford Yard Goats are celebrating the holiday in the most patriotic way possible. The team welcomed 50 new U.S. citizens to the park.

8 US Supreme Court cases - Loving v Virginia

VOA Learning English: 8 US Supreme Court cases - Loving v Virginia

VOANews: Mixed-Race Marriage Was Illegal in the U.S. Until 1967

Historic High in US Acceptance of Christian Refugees

VOANews: Historic High in US Acceptance of Christian Refugees

United States government records show that nearly 68 percent of all refugees arriving in the country over the past nine months are Christian. That information comes from the U.S. State Department. The acceptance rate represents a 16-year high for Christian refugees. Yet some Christian activists are unhappy about the latest numbers. They note that the number of refugees accepted is much lower than that of recent years. (read more)

Words in This Story

church – n. a Christian religious center; a building where Christians meet for religious services

mobilization – n. coming together for action

console – v. to soothe

proportion – n. the correct measure of something

persecute – v. to treat someone cruelly or unfairly especially because of race or religious or political beliefs

preference – n. wanting something more than another thing

factor – n. something that influences or produces a result

USCIS 100:99 July 4th, Slavery, and Fredrick Douglass

Happy Independence Day Week! Today we will listen to an old podcast from uscitizenpod: USCIS 100:99 July 4th, Slavery, and Fredrick Douglass

We will first read about Q99 from the USCIS M638 quick civics lesson. Then we will discuss the Declaration of Independence, the Compromise of 1850, and abolitionist Fredrick Douglass. Then we will listen to a short reading from Fredrick Douglass speech: “The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro.” Note that Negro was a common term for Black or African-Americans, but it is not often used today. Let's get started.

DOWNLOAD MP3

exerpt from The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro by Fredrick Douglass

What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July?

I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelly to which he is the constant victim.

To him, your celebration is a sham;
your boasted liberty, an unholy license;
your national greatness, swelling vanity;
your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless;
your denunciations of tyrants, brass fronted impudence;
your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery;
your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings,
with all your religious parade, and solemnity, are, to him, mere bombast,
fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy—a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages...




TimelessReader1: Meaning of July 4th for the Negro - Frederick Douglass Speech - Hear the Text

Listen to and read text from The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro, written by abolitionist and former slave: Frederick Douglass. Frederick Douglass presented this speech on July 5, 1852 in Rochester, NY. This speech concludes with a poem, a peace prayer, written by William Lloyd Garrison

For more info:

See zinnedproject.org: Frederick Douglass Fights for Freedom

Watch actor Danny Glover read abolitionist Frederick Douglass's "Fourth of July Speech, 1852" on October 5, 2005 in Los Angeles, California. Part of a reading from Voices of a People's History of the United States (Howard Zinn and Anthony Arnove.)

Citizenship Resources for Independence Day

uscitizenpod: Independence Day Citizenship Interview with Lien Ho (2017)



uscitizenpod: A Quick Interview Based on the N-400r plus 10qs for Independence Day
New for 2016: 24 questions based on the N-400r plus 10 civics question.

uscitizenpod: US Citizenship Podcast Independence Day Quiz (video)
Celebrate Independence Day with uscitizenpod. Here is a quiz based on USCIS 100:08, 09, 61, 62, 63, 64, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100.



SI.edu/USCIS: Preparing for the Oath: U.S. History and Civics for Citizenship

This web resource provides online videos and activities on the 100 civics questions from the naturalization test and highlights museum objects from the Smithsonian Institution. Visit the “Establishing Independence” and “Symbols and Holidays” themes for information on Independence Day.







USCIS: For Independence Day
USCIS highlights some of the resources for learners and teachers that are related to this important holiday.

NEW: Civics Questions Playlist 

USCIS helps you prepare for the civics test by posting a new paylist: one video for each civics and history question asked by different examiners.  For Independence Day, check out 100:08, 09, 61, 62, 63, 64, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100.  Good job, USCIS!

USCIS: Lesson Plans and Activities

Visit this page to find lesson plans, student handouts, and answer keys on a variety of topics, including Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence (Beginning Level), American Symbols and Celebrations (Beginning and Intermediate Levels), Establishing Independence (Intermediate Level).

USCIS: Independence Day 2015 - Declaration of Independence

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (uscis.gov) thanks everyone who participated in our video project to celebrate the nation's 239th birthday on July 4. To find naturalization ceremony photos and immigrant stories posted by some of the more than 700,000 people each year who become U.S. citizens, check #newUScitizen and #newAmericans on social media.

Follow American English at State on FaceBook

More Resources

American English at State: Celebrate Independence Day (pdf)
Americans celebrate Independence Day on July 4 because on July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence, officially breaking bonds with England and forming a new independent nation, the United States of America.

JenniferESL: Lesson 26 - Red, White & Blue Idioms - Happy Fourth of July!

Learn six idioms based on the colors red, white, and blue.  MORE PRACTICE

Rachel's English: 4th of July Traditions
Happy 4th of July! This is the day we celebrate America’s independence. Study vocabulary, pronunciation, and phrases as we study REAL English conversation and learn about 4th of July traditions in the US.

TED-ED: What you might not know about the Declaration of Independence - Kenneth C. Davis (video)
In June 1776, a little over a year after the start of the American Revolutionary War, the US Continental Congress huddled together in a hot room in Philadelphia to talk independence. Kenneth C. Davis dives into some of the lesser known facts about the process of writing the Declaration of Independence and questions one very controversial omission.

US News: 15,000 people became Americans on Independence Day 2017

Immigrants from around the world celebrated their new American citizenship in over 65 naturalization ceremonies across the United States.


VOANews: Ahead of Independence Day Holiday, Children Take Oath to Become US Citizens
One of the themes of this year's Smithsonian Folk Life Festival is immigration. As part of the festival events, a group of 25 children were sworn in as U.S. Citizens, just ahead of America's Independence Day holiday. VOA's Elizabeth Cherneff reports.Originally published at - https://www.voanews.com/a/independence-day-holiday-children-take-oath-become-us-citizens/3923713.html

VOANews: Americans Reflect on Meaning of Independence Day
Savoring freedoms and hoping others worldwide will soon be able to do the same

VOA Learning English: America's Birthplace: Independence National Historical Park (mp3 and article)
This week, our U.S. National Parks journey takes us to the eastern city of Philadelphia, an important place in American history.

People rally against the separation of immigrant families in the US

People rally against the separation of immigrant families in the US

Plugged in With Greta Van Susteren - Immigration & its impact on American politics

VOANews: Plugged in With Greta Van Susteren - Immigration and its impact on American politics

This week VOA National Correspondent Jim Malone sits in for Greta Van Susteren.

Food Truck Serves up Tacos to Unite Latinos And Muslims #TacoTrucksAtEveryMosque

uscitizenpod: Food Truck Serves up Tacos to Unite Latinos And Muslims #TacoTrucksAtEveryMosque

Nothing brings people together more naturally and more easily than food. This was the idea behind a project called #TacoTrucksAtEveryMosque. But the food truck owners who initiated the project don’t want to only serve delicious food – their goal is to unite Latinos and Muslims -- and fight the stereotypes and offensive rhetoric that often surround them. Genia Dulot has the story from Los Angeles.
Originally published at - https://www.voanews.com/a/4442756.html

#TacoTrucksAtEveryMosque

What Options Does the U.S. Have on Immigration? | NYT News

NYTImes: What Options Does the U.S. Have on Immigration?
Our White House correspondent Michael D. Shear examines the polarizing political debate over immigration policies in the United States.

8 US Supreme Court cases - Miranda v Arizona

VOA Learning English: 8 US Supreme Court cases - Miranda v Arizona

If you have ever watched an American crime show, you know about this Supreme Court case. Listen to what the police officer says.

“You do have the right to remain silent. You also have the right to be represented by an attorney…”

Those rights – the rights not to speak and to have a lawyer – are known as Miranda rights.

Read more at: https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/arrested-us-miranda-v-arizona/4443758.html

See more important Supreme Court cases at https://learningenglish.voanews.com/z/979

PRIDE

In honor of LGBT Pride Month, a single question about the Flag: Long May She Wave!

Take the full quiz:

LOVE AND PRIDE: A Citizenship Quiz in Honor of LGBT Pride Month (10 questions)

• pdf: http://traffic.libsyn.com/uscitizenpod/lgbt-citizenship-quiz.pdf
• mp3: http://traffic.libsyn.com/uscitizenpod/lgbt-citizenship-quiz.mp3
• video: https://youtu.be/FXpkJYtG8Vg

Text: uscitizenpod
Video: Lori Saltis

An 'American at Heart' Becomes a Citizen

VOANews: An 'American at Heart' Becomes a Citizen


When Brazilian native Kelly Oliveira, signed up for the U.S. Army through a program that offered her citizenship for her service, she thought she had it made. But it took two years for the army to work through added background checks. During that time she struggled to remain legal. VOA's Aline Barros reports that Oliveira finally made it through the process and was sworn in as a citizen last week.

Originally published at - https://www.voanews.com/a/american-at-heart-becomes-a-citizen-/4445085.html

CASASSI18 Tech Up You Citizenship Class

Teacher Jennifer's comment: Due to a family emergency, I must skip CASASS18. Here is the presentation. Please contact me at jgagliar@musd.org for any further questions. Thank you.

CASASSI18 Tech Up You Citizenship Class

• google slides
• pptx
• notes pdf

CASASSI18 CASAS Assessments for Citizenship Preparation

Teacher Jennifer's comment: Due to a family emergency, I must skip CASASS18. Here is the presentation. Please contact me at jgagliar@musd.org for any further questions. Thank you.

CASASSI18 CASAS Assessments for Citizenship Preparation

• google slides
• pptx

U.S. Border Patrol video shows holding facility in McAllen, Texas

VOANews: U.S. Border Patrol video shows holding facility in McAllen, Texas



In recent weeks, news stories of children in detention centers have circulated more widely, and the numbers of detained children have grown.



Department of Homeland Security officials told reporters Friday that between April 19 and May 31 of this year, nearly 2,000 (1,995) children were separated from their parents or other adults with whom they were traveling.



A video released Monday by Customs and Border Protection shows what appears to be humane conditions at a shelter site for children, but this is the only video that has been released from within one of the detention centers.



Later Monday, the news outlet ProPublica released an audio recording that appears to capture the disturbing sound of Spanish-speaking children crying out for their parents at a U.S. immigration facility.


Read more https://www.voanews.com/a/looking-for-truth-behind-separating-families-at-border/4444230.html

Citizenship Resources for Juneteenth

uscitzenpod: USCIS 100:76 Emancipation Proclamation and Juneteenth

Today we continue our exploration of the USCIS History and Government questions and African American History. Today we will talk about USCIS 100:76. What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?

We will first read about Q76 from the USCIS M638 quick civics lesson. Then we will listen to an interview with Robin Braxton who helps organizes our local Juneteenth festival. Robin will talk about Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day. Juneteenth celebrates the day when slaves in Texas heard about the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth is also a holiday that celebrates African American history and culture. Let's get started!

VOANews: Annual Juneteenth Festival Celebrated Around the World

The news that US President Abraham Lincoln had emancipated slaves in the rebellious southern states in September, 1862, did not reach slaves in Texas until June 19, 1865, a few months after the end of the US Civil war. With the arrival of federal troops that day, and the end of slavery, the newly freed African Americans held a big celebration, which they called Juneteenth. As VOA's Greg Flakus reports from Houston, Juneteenth has been celebrated annually ever since... and not just in Texas.

NEW FOR 2017!!!



A Juneteenth Citizenship Quiz: 19 Civics Questions that Celebrate Freedom
podcast: https://goo.gl/BX6hej
quiz pdf https://goo.gl/HcJVQT

More Juneteenth ESL/Citizenship Resources:

• AJ+ Why Is Juneteenth Such An Important Holiday?
• American English at State: Juneteenth
• EL Civics: The Emancipation Proclamation and Juneteenth
• ESL-Test.com: Juneteenth Grammar Quiz
• ESL Video Quiz: The Emancipation Proclamation
• ListenAndReadAlong: Emancipation Proclamation Exhibit - VOA Mosaic in Special English
• National Geographic: The Emancipation Strategy
• National Geographic: Lincoln's Strategy
• PragerU: Was the Civil War About Slavery?
• Valentina Preciado Bello: ESL The Emancipation Proclamation Project
• VOANews: Annual Juneteenth Festival Celebrated Around the World
• VOANews: Houston Draws Diverse Crowds for Juneteenth Celebrations
• VOANews: June 19th Marks a Joyous, Yet Solemn, Occasion
• VOANews: Juneteenth Observance Marks 142nd Anniversary of the Formal End of US Slavery
• VOANews: Buffalo Soldiers Celebrate 150th Anniversary (2016) (video)
• VOANews: Obama Marks Juneteenth as 'Time of Reflection, Appreciation'
• VOAVideo: Anniversary: Document First Step for African-American Slaves on the Road to Equality
• VOAVideo: Order to Free Slaves 'Beginning of America Really Becoming America'
• VOA Learning English: Looking at a Piece of U.S. History: the Amendment That Banned Slavery
• uscitizenpod: Juneteenth 2013

VOA News Literacy Lesson 6: News and Social Media

VOA News Literacy Lesson 6: News and Social Media

Read the story and watch the video that were originally published at https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/news-litearcy-lesson-6-news-social-media/4396418.html.

This lesson is based on the News Literacy course at the Center for News Literacy at Stony Brook University. For more information on how to become a news literate citizen, go to http://www.centerfornewsliteracy.org/getting-started/

Words in this story:

tyrant – n. a ruler who has complete power over a country and who is cruel and unfair

cruelty – n. a desire to cause others to suffer : the quality or state of being cruel

legitimate – adj. allowed according to rules or laws

erroneous – adj. not correct

manipulate – v. to deal with or control (someone or something) in a clever and usually unfair or selfish way

reputation – n. the common opinion that people have about someone or something

distress – n. suffering that affects the mind or body

lure – v. to cause or persuade (a person or an animal) to go somewhere or to do something by offering some pleasure or gain

gossip – n. information about the behavior and personal lives of other people

obligation – n. something that you must do because of a law, rule, promise, etc.

discrepancy – n. a difference especially between things that should be the same

Happy Father's Day from US Citizenship Podcast

uscitizenpod: Happy Father's Day from US Citizenship Podcast

In 1966, Lyndon B. Johnson issued the first presidential proclamation honoring fathers, designating the third Sunday in June as Father's Day.

Six years later, the day was made a permanent national holiday when Richard Nixon signed it into law in 1972.

Who signs bills to become laws?

a) the President
a) the President Pro Tempore
b) the Speaker of the House
c) the Vice-President

Happy Father's Day!

#FamiliesBelongTogether