And yes, the oath was life-changing in one important way: It gave Carmen and her fellow new citizens the opportunity to vote. I did dare to ask them, both citizens, if they were going to vote in this election. I reminded myself that to understand others you have to put yourself in their shoes, but all that got me was the realization that I knew almost nothing about Juan and Carmen’s shoes. I knew about their children, and I’d met one of their grandchildren. I interpreted for Carmen at teachers’ meetings and on the phone with hustlers trying to sell her things she didn’t need.

Source: Daily Sun October 29, 2020 17:02 UTC