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Immigrant Heritage Month – Celebrating Immigrants’ American Stories

June 5, 2015 at 3:24 PM ET by Katherine Vargas, White House Director of Hispanic Media
Summary: 
June is #ImmigrantHeritageMonth, a time to celebrate diversity and immigrants’ shared American heritage. The second annual Immigrant Heritage Month (IHM) is dedicated to those who have contributed to the United States’ communities, economy and its vibrant diversity.

June is #ImmigrantHeritageMonth, a time to celebrate diversity and immigrants’ shared American heritage. The second annual Immigrant Heritage Month (IHM) is dedicated to those who have contributed to the United States’ communities, economy and its vibrant diversity.

One of the remarkable things about America is that nearly all of our families originally came from someplace else.  Immigration is part of the DNA of this great nation.  It’s a source of our strength and something we all can take pride in.  That’s why during Immigrant Heritage Month, we are encouraging you to share your American story.

You can visit whitehouse.gov/NewAmericans and share how you or your family made it to America - whether you’re an immigrant yourself or your great-great-grandparents were.

In recognition of Immigrant Heritage Month, the White House shared a touching blog post from White staffer House Zaid Hassan sharing his personal story of becoming a U.S. citizen. The White House will be posting a blog series throughout the month of June that highlights the stories of Administration officials and everyday Americans with immigrant roots.

Pittsburgh Mayor William Peduto kicked off Immigrant Heritage Month with the first-ever naturalization ceremony in Pittsburgh City Council Chambers, in partnership with City Council President Bruce Kraus and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director León Rodríguez.

The first week of IHM included messages and social media activity from White House officials Cecilia Muñoz, Valerie Jarrett and many celebrities and thought leaders, including celebrities such as Eva Longoria, Toni Braxton, and Wu-Tang to name a few. Here is how some have been celebrating Immigrant Heritage Month so far, including really fun throwback pictures for #TBT#ImmigrantHeritageMonth.

Dania Ramirez, Devious Maid’s star, answered this question presenting a short-clip in which she shares her family’s arrival to the United States and their sacrifices to achieve the American Dream. Eva Longoria retweeted Ramirez’s mini documentary with the following message:

Other celebrities, including Russell Simmons, Elianne Ramos, Chef Jose Andres, Michael Skolnik, and George Lopez commented on their immigrant heritage and contributed to the IHM Campaign. Senator Bob Menendez shared of picture of his family, commented on their arrival to New Jersey and tweeted the following:

Facebook was also used as an outlet to spread the word on Immigrant Heritage Month, its relevance and what it means to be an immigrant in the United States. We want to hear how you or your family made it to America – whether you’re an immigrant yourself or your great-great-grandparents were.

Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (Via Facebook): “I’m proud to celebrate the beginning of Immigrant Heritage Month. Generations of immigrant families have worked hard to make our nation stronger, and if not for their contributions, the United States wouldn’t be the vibrant country it is today.”

The White House has been regramming posts on people’s immigration story on IG and will continue to celebrate people’s reflections on their American heritage.