244 years ago, our founding fathers declared independence from the British Empire. In doing so, they began the process of building one of the most open political systems for free speech, dissent, and democracy that the world has ever seen.

Surrounding that beginning was a set of fundamental values – life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Every person who holds those values in their heart is a patriot of the United States.

Looking back on those ideals through our modern context is hard. It is clear that even as those words were written, too many people lived without access to them. To this day, we struggle in the pursuit of ensuring that every one of our neighbors can live up to that American dream.

It is our obligation as leaders today to do everything in our power to fulfill that promise tomorrow, because everyone is just as deserving of the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as they were 244 years ago.

We live in a tumultuous era for our democracy. Many folks with power have used our differences to drive wedges between us and our neighbors. But as Abraham Lincoln said in his 1858 July 4th speech, there is but one quality that one must fulfill to be a “real” American: If you believe in equality and liberty, you are flesh of the flesh and blood of the blood of the American founders.

That is our unifying mission. So this July 4th, we’re wishing you as much happiness and success as you can find in these uncertain times. If you’d like to mark it with democratic action, please update your voter registration, and pass along that call to your friends and family.

Thank you for everything,

Ro Khanna