WEBVTT

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(sweeping instrumental music)

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- My name is Rebekah Dickerson.

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I was born and raised
in Oakland, New Zealand.

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And I was raised in Australia.

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(instrumental music)

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One of the great things that
I admire about our country

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is how culturally diverse it is.

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It's a melting pot of different cultures.

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And when I think about that

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I think about coming from back home,

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from Australia and New Zealand.

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There were so many different cultures.

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So even though I have
immigrated to America,

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it still feels like home.

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And America's been so good to me.

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Very very good to me.

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From the people, to the
experiences that I've had til then.

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In regards to help encompassing
the choice that I made.

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I said why not?

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Why not represent a country
at this stage in my life,

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that took care of me.

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That opened new doors.

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Opened new venues.

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Opened new opportunities,

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of helping me sculpt to be the
person that I am right now.

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Joining the U.S. military has
been an amazing experience.

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The military has definitely
welcomed me with open arms.

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I want to be a part of a country

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that really stood for something.

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Coming from another
country, that is the goal.

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That is the goal to be
able to live a lifestyle,

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that is open to opportunities of freedom.

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Freedom of speech, freedom of
religion, freedom of choice.

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To be a part of the land

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of the free and the home of the brave.

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Those words are strong. Strong words!

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(instrumental music)

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One of the great things
about being American

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and joining the U.S. military,

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is that we have that
opportunity to meet people

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from all over the world.

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That's how I've learned
of what America is.

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It's from, gathering everybody's,

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different people's perspective.

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Cause we're all so different.

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We're all so different.

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So even though I'm American,
yes I have an accent,

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from Australia and New Zealand.

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Yes, that's where I started from.

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But now to this day,

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no I am, I'm an American.

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And I'm proud to be an American.

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From Australia "G'day".

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From New Zealand "Kia ora".

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Happy Immigration Day! Thanks America.