Valenzuela appointed by Obama as citizenship ambassador
Months after becoming a U.S. citizen, Dodgers legend Fernando Valenzuela has been selected to work with the White House.
The Dodgers announced Thursday that Valenzuela has been appointed by President Obama as a presidential ambassador for citizenship and naturalization.
The 54-year-old former Dodgers left-hander, who was born in Mexico, became a U.S. citizen earlier this summer.
MLB.com writes that Valenzuela's duties as an ambassador will include working with the White House and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service in "promoting the rights, responsibilities and opportunities of citizenship among eligible lawful permanent residents, and he will help the 'Stand Stronger' campaign break down the barriers for eligible immigrants and refugees to become U.S. citizens."
Valenzuela is joined by songwriter Dave Matthews, restaurateur José Andrés and actress Diane Guerrero in the ambassador program.
"We congratulate one of the greatest Dodger icons, Fernando Valenzuela, on his White House appointment," Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten said. "Fernandomania was a special time in Los Angeles and all across Major League Baseball. He is a great American and will serve our country well as an ambassador."
Valenzuela, who became an instant sensation in Los Angeles as a September call-up in 1980 and won the NL Cy Young and Rookie of the Year awards in 1981, is a member of the Dodgers' Spanish-language broadcasting team.
(h/t MLB.com)
