A construction worker completes his 13-year path to U.S. citizenship, explores new business opportunities
The path to becoming a United States citizen can be a long, difficult process. Allan Hancock College (AHC) offers programs to help people navigate that process and succeed. Omar Cuenca is one of the success stories.
Before Cuenca became a U.S. citizen, he grew up Guadalajara, Mexico, with his five siblings. He was 17 years old when he moved to the U.S. in 2000. His father had died, and he left in search of better opportunities.
He got by, working in California and Washington over the years. Over time, he met his wife and they started a family. When they all settled down in Santa Maria, he decided a school like AHC could be a step in the right direction toward citizenship.
“I’m a U.S. citizen. And I love it.”
Omar Cuenca, Student, Allan Hancock College
Cuenca’s 13-year road to that goal commenced in 2012 when he started attending night classes at AHC, working by day and learning English by night.
He figured learning English was the logical first step to make it easier to navigate life in America and at school. With the help of his instructors, and his family, he learned the language. Jump ahead to 2022, and Cuenca returned to AHC to take citizen preparation classes.
It was not easy. He worked by day and attended a weekly two-and-a-half hour Monday class. His wife and his teenage kids, all of whom are citizens, helped him with both his English and citizenship studies, and he persevered.
“Every day, we studied,” he says.
In addition to his family, he credits his instructors at Allan Hancock for helping him through the process. In particular, he has high praise for Brenda Pedrazzi.
“She was a good teacher,” he says, adding that Pedrazzi always offered encouragement when he needed it the most.
She was also effective at getting all of the students up to speed on what they needed to know, he adds.
“She taught us every step,” he says.
After two years, Cuenca was finally ready for the citizenship interview,and test, and in December 2024, he passed it in Los Angeles. To commemorate the event, he and his family held a much-deserved celebration. Emotions, he says, were high.
“I was crying,” he says. “I couldn’t believe it —I’m a U.S. citizen. And I love it.”
In the future, he adds, Allan Hancock will continue to shape his family’s life: His oldest child is also planning to attend the school. In the meantime, Cuenca plans to continue attending the school himself.
In Mexico, he had worked in construction, building houses. That experience gave him a foundation for the fencing work he does today. Cuenca is currently working toward launching his own business and getting his contractor’s license. Once he does, he says he plans to enroll in AHC courses that will help him better understand and use computers.
“My wife, she is a business lady and she runs my business,” he says. “But I want to learn more myself.”
For more information on Allan Hancock College visit https://www.hancockcollege.edu
Written by Buddy Fairbanks
| Regions | Classes & Topics |
|---|---|
| South Coast California | English as a Second Language |
