Born in France to Iranian parents, Homa Naficy is a librarian and immigrant advocate whose work has welcomed and aided hundreds of immigrants every year. A new Carnegie-commissioned comic series highlights Naficy’s story and the stories of other naturalized citizens who enrich American society and strengthen our democracy.
Born in France to Iranian parents, Homa Naficy has been recognized with the American Library Association’s I Love My Librarian Award and as a Champion of Change by the Obama White House for her work as a librarian and immigrant advocate.
After receiving a bachelor’s degree from the American University of Paris, she immigrated to the United States at the age of 24 to earn a master of library science from Rutgers University. She started the American Place at the Hartford Public Library in 2000, the same year she became an American citizen. “I could hardly promote citizenship,” Naficy says, “unless I recognized the importance of it myself.”
The American Place has become a magnet for new arrivals seeking immigration information, resources for learning English, and help with preparation for applying for U.S. citizenship. “The immigrant journey is not an easy one,” Naficy says. “But for many of them the library can offer a glimmer of hope and a community connected to their needs as they embrace our shared civic values while never losing their identities.”
Every Fourth of July, Carnegie Corporation of New York celebrates the exemplary contributions of immigrants to American life, as part of its focus on reducing political polarization and strengthening democracy. To highlight their stories, the foundation has commissioned a new comic series that illustrates how naturalized citizens enrich American society.
Download Homa Naficy’s full comic here.
* In 2022, 35 percent of all 40.8 million immigrant adults ages 25 and older had a bachelor’s degree or higher, a rate similar to that of U.S.-born adults. (Source: Frequently Requested Statistics on Immigrants and Immigration in the United States, Migration Policy Institute, March 2024)
Eline Jongsma and Kel O’Neill lead Jongsma + O’Neill, a nonfiction storytelling studio. They are Sundance fellows, Emmy nominees, and the creators of the immersive exhibition Loot. 10 Stories, which won the 2024 XR-History Award.
Chuan Ming Ong is a Dutch illustrator whose illustrations have appeared in publications including the New Yorker, the Los Angeles Times, and Nikkei Asia.
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Carnegie Reporter Summer 2024PolarizationCitizenship