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This Fourth of July is special for Suheir Tabanja and her family. While she's lived in the U.S. for a few years, this year she is officially a U.S. citizen.
She said she found a job in East Tennessee that paid her well and had a respectful work environment. She is Palestinian and said things are different in the West Bank, where she comes from.
She said now, as a U.S. citizen, "freedom" has a special meaning.
"I feel so happy and excited after that because I was looking to be an American citizen," Tabanja said. "To give me some freedom of movement and freedom of speech, also some freedom to travel overseas, to have a better job, to look for a better future for me, such as a good degree or a better job."
She and her family spent Thursday morning preparing to celebrate in downtown Knoxville, planning to enjoy a celebration at World's Fair Park. She said in the West Bank, she faced travel restrictions and other kinds of challenges, but now enjoys the freedom to go to different cities and explore and thrive.
"We're not allowed to travel, we're not allowed to move freely," Tabanja said. "Sometimes there is a curfew, which means you stay in the house. You can't go outside the house, so you can't go to school. Sometimes it's not safe for you — they might decide to shoot someone, or might decide to not allow you to pass through this checkpoint."
Independence Day for her and her family is precious, she said. Every year they choose to do something new and special. She said the Fourth of July serves as a reminder that all those constraints are now left behind.
In her plans to honor this day, she is heading out to the Blue Ridge Mountains.
"I can speak freely without fear of anything, or of someone that could hurt me because of my talk or my opinion or viewpoints," Tabanja said. "We're gonna hold some decorations and some stuff, headbands, some T-shirts. We will go to see the band and the Sunsphere also."