When about two hundred immigrants were sworn in as new U.S. citizens at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston on May 22, Newton North High School student Michael Barbalat was the featured guest speaker at the ceremony.
A first-generation American citizen, Barbalat has created The American Mosaic Project, focusing on the stories of immigrants from across the world. The project began as a way for Barbalat to tell the story of his own family’s immigration journey to the United States. Having fled the former Soviet Union, where being Jewish meant persecution, Barbalat found that his identity as a first-generation American citizen had shaped the way he saw this country every day.
Barbalat, who is now finishing his junior year at Newton North, told Fig City News: “Living as a first-generation American means you never forget what this country offers. I’ve always felt a responsibility to take that seriously, to work hard, contribute, and appreciate the fact that I live in a place where that kind of upward mobility is even possible.”
Another impetus for his project was a conversation he had with his family about the American Dream. In the 8th grade, he gave a speech arguing that the American Dream is ‘dead,’ and this sparked a family conversation.
“That conversation made me realize I had deeply absorbed the anti-American narrative without even noticing it. While I didn’t start The American Mosaic until 10th grade, the seed for it was planted right then, at that moment. I began to understand that the American Dream isn’t some outdated myth. It’s real. People have made it in this country and still do. The problem today isn’t that the Dream is gone, it’s that too many people have stopped believing in it.”
Barbalat was fortunate to get advice and guidance on the American Mosaic Project from Alan Price, Director of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library, whom Barbalat had met through his father. Looking for someone with experience in public history and civic storytelling, Barbalat reached out to Price at the outset of the project for guidance and feedback, sending him the early proposal of his project. “Alan was kind enough to meet with me, and from there, I would occasionally check in with him by email as the project evolved. He’s been a thoughtful and encouraging voice throughout this journey.” From that initial connection, the collaboration took off. “Alan helped me think about how to frame the stories I was collecting and pointed me toward resources that helped the project grow in scope and focus.” Through that collaboration, the project branched out to tell over 100 stories of immigrants, each with a different background.
“The project explores American identity, showing how this country offers a path forward based not on where you come from, but where you are willing to go,” Barbalat says, “In America, your potential is not limited by your past. It is propelled by your future.”
Barbalat was aware that the JFK Presidential Library partners with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to hold naturalization ceremonies several times each year. Given his research, he wanted to find a way to participate. “It felt especially fitting given President Kennedy’s book, A Nation of Immigrants, which has been a guiding inspiration for me throughout the project.”
Committed to spreading his stories of immigrants and celebrating what the country stands for, Barbalat hoped to speak at a naturalization ceremony to inspire those at the event. He asked Alan Price if that would be possible. “This ceremony felt like the perfect opportunity to bring that work to life. It ties directly into everything I care about: showing America is still a place people choose for a reason, and that becoming a citizen is worth honoring.”
The May 22 ceremony was a court proceeding presided over by Judge Nathaniel M. Gordon of the United States District Court of Massachusetts.
Price arranged for Barbalat to speak, and after the opening of the court and official procedures, Michael Barbalat gave this speech welcoming his fellow Americans. In addressing the audience of new citizens, he said, “…Looking out at your faces today, I see America’s future. I see determination, hope, and possibility. I see my parents’ journey continued through yours. And I feel a deep gratitude that you have chosen to make this country your home…”
In an era of anti-immigration policies and deportations, this naturalization ceremony served as a stark contrast, bringing hope and inspiring immigrants to achieve their version of the American Dream. Through his speech, Barbalat continued his work, spreading optimism in a time of hardship.
Chloe Yu is a Fig City News student reporter.