Tom O’Brien, father of five naturalized citizens, offers words of encouragement
As she stepped outside the doors of the JFK Library’s Stephen Smith Center on Tuesday afternoon, Punya Seth Randlett ran into her husband Ross’s embrace. With her right arm wrapped around his body and her left hand holding a mini American flag and a stack of paperwork, the 27-year-old native of India broke into tears.
Nearby, Oluwayinka Akinyinka-Ojelabi, wearing an all white pantsuit, hugged her husband and two-year-old daughter. The trio then posed for a photo, also waving a miniature Old Glory.
Moments before, the two women and 190 other people from 54 different countries declared their loyalty to the United States while reciting an oath of allegiance as part of a naturalization ceremony held on Nov. 18.
“I came to the United States in 2017 for college with a little dream that I wanted to move here,” said Randlett. “I went about my life, never really thought about anything, and then my third year of college in 2019, in October, I met my now-husband Ross. We hit it off, and I didn’t really think of anything. Just living my life as a college student.”
The couple rode-out the COVID lockdown together, fell in love, and married in 2022. What followed was a series of paperwork, applications, interviews, and tests, all of which led them to the naturalization ceremony overlooking Dorchester Bay.
Punya Seth Randlett shares an emotional hug with her husband Ross after officially becoming a US citizen. Cassidy McNeeley photo
Her husband Ross, 30, added that he was confident they would make it to this point, but finally doing so brought forward a lot of emotion.
“We don’t have to worry about whether or not we have the future anymore,” said Ross.
Akinyinka-Ojelabi, originally from Nigeria and now a skilled medical doctor living in Fall River, was emotional too. She told the Reporter the day represented “more opportunities,” not just for herself but for her family, too.
The ceremony was presided over by the Honorable Allison Burroughs, Judge for the US District Court, District of Massachusetts.
“Welcome to you and your families. It gives me great pleasure to be among the first to welcome you as our newest fellow citizens, and on behalf of the United States District Court, I congratulate each one of you and your families,” said Burroughs. “You should all be very proud. By your hard work, patience, and commitment to this long process, you have all earned the right to be citizens of the United States of America.”
The judge shared that naturalization ceremonies are one of the most important and joyful parts of her job.
“You, our newest citizens, really do represent a true melting pot or mosaic of the world and its politics,” Burroughs said. “Countries that are at war, at peace, neighbors to us, neighbors to each other. As examples, today, we naturalize people from Pakistan and India, Russia and Ukraine, Kenya and Uganda, Cambodia and Vietnam, Israel and Syria, Switzerland and France, and the list goes on.”
She added, “Amazingly, no matter the geography or the politics, ultimately, we all come here together as Americans. Although we may all differ from each other in many ways, from religion, what we like to eat, where we come from, what we believe, and what we hope for. Today is about what we all share. Most importantly, we are now all citizens of the United States of America.”
Thomas N. O’Brien, principal of the Boston-based HYM Investment Group, offered special address to the assembly.
“I know a little bit about that feeling of this being a momentous day in the life of a family,” said O’Brien. “For my wife, Trisha, and I, our path to building a family has been through the amazing gift of adoption.”
In 1995, the now father of five traveled with his wife to Bogota, Colombia, where they adopted their son Lucas. In the years that followed, they built their family with stops in Guatemala and Ecuador, where they adopted Nina, Tomas, and Marisol.
“In 2003, we received devastating news that our Marisol, who had been up until then a healthy, funny, active little girl, was afflicted with a neurological disorder called leukodystrophy, for which there is no cure,” shared O’Brien. “She was an amazing and brave child who died in 2008, but she’s still very much present in our lives.”
In 2013, the O’Briens decided to adopt a fifth child, Dureti, whom they brought to the US from Ethiopia.
“Each of our kids is a naturalized citizen of the United States of America,” said O’Brien. “Every one of our kids is Colombian, Guatemalan, Ecuadorian, or Ethiopian. But they are all also Americans. There is no other nation on earth in which we can all uniquely say that.”
O’Brien added, “Our nation is uniquely founded on the principle that all are equal. Every one of us, no matter where we were born, or the language we speak, or the religion we practice, every one of us has a contribution to make to the story of this great nation. I ask that you rise above all of the noise and anger that might surround the issue of immigration in our nation today. You enjoy every right and obligation of every American.”
O’Brien and Judge Burroughs encouraged the new citizens to embrace the rights and privileges of citizenship, just as Tom’s children have done. This includes voting in elections, serving on juries— and the full freedoms of speech, press, and religion.
“Be a good citizen by being a good neighbor,” said Burroughs. “Recognize that we are responsible for what this country is and what it becomes. Cherish our freedoms, our history of tolerance, and help us to remember how lucky we are to be citizens of this country.”
She added: “To me, responsible citizenship means that we should also be kind to one another. Work to keep each other safe and try to help those in need. Take what our great country has to offer, but give back an equal measure.”
In addition to reciting the oath of allegiance, the group recited the Pledge of Allegiance and proudly waved American flags in the air.
“In closing, I hope that you and your children and your grandchildren, even your great-grandchildren, will always enjoy and appreciate the commitment you made here today, you will always remember this moment proudly, that you will find and hold on to the sense of optimism and opportunity that is so much a part of the promise of citizenship,” said Burroughs. “I hope that you help our nation achieve the promise of our Pledge of Allegiance, that is, liberty and justice for all.”
