New U.S. citizens to share dreams with Elgin council

As owner and sole employee of Domani Cafe in Elgin, Leo Urdaneta works six days and at least 62 hours a week.

Still, the father of two girls will take any house painting shifts on Saturdays and Sundays.

"I never say no to work, whatever it is," he said.

Urdaneta came from Venezuela in 1999 and became a citizen eight years later. Before teaching social studies at Kimball Middle School in Elgin for seven years, he cleaned houses and sold everything from cookware to English learning programs, although, he said, "I didn't speak much of the language."

Last year, he quit the teaching job and started the Highland Avenue restaurant.

"This is the last part of my dream," he said. "I've always wanted to have a job, a house and my own business."

On Wednesday, Urdaneta will share his dream with 50 other new U.S. citizens at the Elgin City Council meeting. As part of Elgin's 12th annual New Citizenship Recognition Ceremony, everyone naturalized last year will receive a certificate. Mayor Ed Schock and city council members will congratulate them personally.

"Those of us who are born here and take our citizenship for granted sometimes forget what a journey it can be for others, and what it means when they finally arrive," said Jerry Turnquist, a member of the Elgin New Citizenship Recognition Committee.

Language a barrier

When Ubences Ocampo came to America from Mexico in 1996 at the age of 17, he didn't speak any English. His early days in high school were not fun. He grew more frustrated when his parents handed him documents to translate.

"I mean, come on, I don't even know my name in English yet, and you want me to translate?" recalled Ocampo, who lives in Carpentersville.

Now that unease is gone. Three years after becoming a citizen, Ocampo manages a Speedway franchise in Carpentersville, serving hundreds of customers every day.

"I'm pretty happy with where I am," said the 11-year Speedway veteran. "You need to treat our permanent residency or citizenship like a degree in life. Treat it the best you can."

In the fiscal year ending last September, Illinois became home to the sixth largest population of newly naturalized citizens when 28,112 people residents were sworn in, according to Department of Homeland Security. A new dream

Sen. Dick Durbin is a main sponsor of the Dream Act, legislation that would offer the children of undocumented immigrants a way to become citizens if they go to college or join the military.

As a former teacher, Urdaneta likes that idea.

"The Dream Act definitely needs to be passed so that the kids that didn't even make the choice to come to this country illegally have the access to higher education," he said, his eyes falling on the sign on his restaurant. "Domani" which means "tomorrow" in Italian.

"Tomorrow is like future for me," he said. "And future is hope."