John,

The 4th of July is a day to ask, what is America, and what will it be? 

In just two short years, we will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. But with our divided politics, that celebration is poised to be a depressing battle between two limited, half stories of America. But it doesn’t have to be:

We can answer the questions, “What is America, and what could it still be?” by actually tackling problems. We can do so in a way that brings us closer together instead of dividing us. In the process, we can use the 250th anniversary to make America more free in the future than we are today…

It is only by admitting the full reality of America that we can love it truly. Only by holding the American dream and American shortcomings in tension can we joyfully look to the future. If you deny that America has never been flawed you will never learn; if you see only failures, you will never hope for better. Only by looking at how we have overcome our own failings can we face the future inspired to do so again.

Read more…

After months of reading and reflection, I’ve put together thoughts on how we can restore democracy and become new founders of an America we all believe in. I’d love for you to read the whole thing and join me in this conversation.

Read My Full Thoughts

That is especially true if you have mixed feelings about the 4th of July – if you are one of those people who, echoing Langston Hughes, say "America never was America for me. I get it. As I wrote in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution this week:

I love July Fourth, but I didn’t always. The date always meant something different to my father, a conservative immigrant wholeheartedly embracing all things America, than it did his first-generation daughter, with her brown skin and youthful leftist politics. Though our views now overlap more than they once did, we might never quite think of the United States’ founding the same way… I think that is for the best. In fact, I believe talking about what July Fourth means to each of us can spark conversations and build bridges in a divided country.

This 4th of July, join me in reimagining what America could be. Together, we can build a future where love and unity outpace hate and division.

Nisha Anand, CEO
— Dream.Org