Kornacki: Darboh Relives Journey to U.S. Citizenship
9/25/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 25, 2015
By Steve Kornacki
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Citizen Darboh had just completed his first Michigan football practice as a U.S. citizen on Thursday night (Sept. 24) and was all smiles.
Amara Darboh, a senior starting wide receiver on the University of Michigan football team from Sierra Leone, was asked about the best part of citizenship.
"It's starting my legacy here," he said. "If I have kids, they are going to be first-generation Americans and don't have to worry about anything. And it's the final step for me being an American because I've been here since I was young."
Darboh, 21, said he came to the U.S. shortly after his seventh birthday. His parents, father Solimon and mother Kadita, died in a Civil War in his Western Africa homeland when Amara was a two-year-old. He lived with an aunt and other relatives in the capital city of Freetown amid the violence, eventually seeking refuge in Gambia and then Senegal before coming to America.
Fourteen years later, Darboh is a U.S. citizen.
"Being a citizen and being part of a great country is hard to put into words," said Darboh. "I guess I'm very fortunate. I know where I am from and I'll never forget my past. But to be a citizen is awesome; it means a lot to me."
He took the U.S. Oath of Allegiance on Thursday morning at the U.S. District Court in Detroit with approximately 100 others. Since the first naturalization law in 1790, foreign-born applicants for naturalization have taken an oath to support the nation's Constitution and defend the U.S. if required by law.
What were his thoughts when, while wearing a black suit and tie with a red shirt, he raised his right hand and recited the oath with the others while led by magistrate Elizabeth Satterfield?
"I had a good feeling," said Darboh. "It was like a butterfly flew in and just kind of latched on. Now this is something I'm done with. It's official, and I don't have to worry about it anymore."
Amara said he believes his older sister, Lovetta, has applied for U.S. citizenship and is working on the process involved. He said his 24-year-old brother, Alhassan, "helped me through all along" as did Dan Schaefer, whose family nurtured Amara. Max Schaefer and Amara have been "brothers" ever since first meeting in Des Moines, Iowa, in 2001, when a Christian group sponsored his family's immigration.
"The Schaefers are like my second family," said Darboh, who began playing football because Max did. "Dan comes to all my games. Max was just here. He's like my brother and we became real close friends in third grade.
"I grew up here. I consider myself part American, too. So, for me, this establishes that and completes my final step in me becoming an American."
His coaches, teammates and family members weren't able to attend, but rejoiced in their communications with Darboh.
"They were very supportive," he said. "The coaches were very supportive. And from family, I got a lot of text messages and calls. I talked to them before and after, and they helped me through the whole process. I'm very lucky to have the people I have in my life, and so it was a great day."
Wolverine head coach Jim Harbaugh wrote from his Twitter account, @CoachJim4UM: "Congratulations to Amara Darboh on officially becoming a U.S. Citizen this morning at the Federal Courthouse in DET."
Congratulations to Amara Darboh on officially becoming a U.S. Citizen this morning at the Federal Courthouse in DET. pic.twitter.com/Ka6mywRL3o
— Coach Harbaugh (@CoachJim4UM) September 24, 2015
The courthouse oath scene was visual proof that the melting pot still stirs in the U.S.
"There were people from all over the world," said Darboh, while shaking his head and smiling widely. "It was cool sitting there and listening for my name and then hearing my name followed by Sierra Leone. They were from Iraq, Canada and everywhere. It was pretty neat."
He's looking forward to voting in his first government election.
"In the past, when I was asked to vote, I couldn't do it," said Darboh, "and it was kind of hard to explain and deal with. And now I can take my time, and learn more about the voting process."
He recently completed the necessary paperwork and passed the required test for citizenship.
"I was studying for a while," Darboh said. "It's 10 questions and you have to go six-for-10 to pass. I was nervous and had to think about it, and make sure I answered a question with the right answer."
Thursday's ceremony culminated a life-long desire to officially become an American.
"They gave me a little flag," said Darboh, "but I guess I'm going to have to go get some more red, white and blue."
