by Patheresa Wells with photography by Susan Fried

On July 4, at Seattle Center’s Fisher Pavilion, 300 applicants who represented 74 different countries of origin participated in the 37th Annual Naturalization Ceremony. Families and friends crowded around the packed lawn to watch the ceremony, which included members of multiple branches of the armed forces, dressed in uniform, and families dressed in the traditional clothing of nations across the world. The event included remarks by Washington State Gov. Jay Inslee and U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell.