For many people, the Fourth of July is a time to go to the lake, eat potato salad and blow stuff up. Living in a free country means that lots of people celebrate the significance of the day without even knowing it. Mayra Ortiz is not among them. This year, the full meaning of Independence Day is not lost on her.
Ortiz recently made local and national headlines with her fight to remain in the country legally. In April, the 19-year-old student from Loganville was denied her request for legal residency, based on the fact that she was born outside the U.S. Several important facts were overlooked by officials making this decision. Chief among them was the fact that she was the daughter of an American born U.S. citizen. In May, her story was first chronicled in The Loganville-Grayson Patch, then picked up by regional and national media. Shortly after gaining attention, the judge initially issuing the denial reversed himself, admitting he had overlooked key elements of her case. She got her green card. Ortiz was home to stay.
She has made good use of her time in the interim. Last month, Ortiz traveled to Joplin, Mo. to assist with the devestation left in the wake of an EF-5 tornado. She is attending school over the summer. She is very active in her church, a smiling, cheerful presence who encourages others to be happy.
As much as anyone, perhaps more than many, she knows what the American flag represents. At one point during the 16-hour drive to Missouri, her group passed a very large flag, posted at a car dealership along the highway. She led the group in the van in a recital of The Pledge of Allegiance.
"Having struggling through the immigration process, I realize that freedom is more precious than gold" she said. "Now when I stand in front of a flag, it's not just a piece of cloth with 50 stars and 13 stripes. It's a tribute to the men and women who are the backbone of this great country. It's a symbol of the sacrifice they gave to create an everlasting legacy for the United States."
Her story hasn't been completely written yet, but at least an arduous chapter of it has been closed and she can move forward. She is free to pursue the American dream.On this Independence Day, what more can one Аск for?
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