“For me, America represents the freedom to achieve your own happiness to whatever extent you can. We are the only country founded on the moral principle that your life does not belong to a king, a bureaucrat, or a neighbor — that your life belongs to you. That’s what brought my parents here decades ago to this melting pot: the opportunity to achieve prosperity on their own merit regardless of their background. That’s what the American Dream means to me and what I will be celebrating this Independence Day — with a hot dog in one hand and a cold beverage in another!”
— Don Tian, Software Engineer
“I think the 4th of July, in any era, is a good time to reflect on where we stand in the world. How do we fare in economics, education, technology, and opportunity? However, to me, it’s not necessarily a celebration of where we are as a country, but a celebration of the ideals we constantly strive for as a country. Ideals written in our Declaration of Independence: “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Ideals written on the Statue of Liberty: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breath free.” Only through the constant pursuit of these ideals can we uphold our American values to be a welcoming, inclusive, and diverse land of opportunity for all people.”
— Quyen Dang, NAAAP President
“These are what I value most during Trump’s time as president: Freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. President Franklin D. Roosevelt spoke of them in his State of the Union Address in 1941. Presently, we find these four freedoms threatened by Trump’s presidency, and thus as a community, we must stand up and resist.”
—Frank Irigon, comunity leader
“Integrity and accountability, particularly in a leadership position, as your actions affect so many others. You should be willing to stand up and be transparent about why you chose a particular path and be responsible for the impact of those choices. Watching the conduct of the Trump administration over the past several months has left me distressed about the erosion of these critical leadership qualities, even more so when this is occurring in the most powerful position in the country. Add to that an inability to own up to one’s mistakes, we have someone who is not willing to take a critical look at his judgment in a cogent manner, but instead cast the blame onto someone else. I can see this taking us down the path to a dishonest, authoritarian style of governing. As an American-born citizen who has seen a fair share of discrimination and ugly behavior in this country over the years, this is the first time that I can tangibly feel why people who grew up in an authoritarian regime exhibit such a fear about speaking out.”
— Dorothy Wong, CISC executive director
“On Independence Day, we celebrate our freedoms and honor the brave men and women who fight to preserve them. This is also a time to celebrate that America’s diversity is our greatest strength, and reflect on the importance of liberty and justice for all.”
— Rep. Adam Smith
“Washington state welcomes people of all faiths, all nationalities, and all orientations. Equal opportunity and tolerance are core values protected by our state’s anti-discrimination laws and the Constitution. We all must do our part to uphold these values and freedoms by supporting our most vulnerable and speaking out against mean-spirited policies that divide us.”
— Gov. Jay Inslee
“Two values that are important to me during this time of my life are diversity and inclusion. The current administration has made some very regressive actions towards people of certain ethnicities and religions, which I find to be very un-American. Instead, we should be opening our arms to people who are different because that’s what makes this country great. I try to celebrate diversity on a daily basis by interacting with people who are different from me. When it comes time to take a stance on a larger issue, I want to be inclusive and make sure that all voices are heard.”
— Justin Laem, Office Manager
“The values that are most important to me are reflected in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights passed in 1948 that applies to all members of the human race and are the basis for freedom, justice, and peace in the world. The declaration affirms that all people have a range of rights spanning education, right to work, freedom of movement, freedom from slavery, freedom of assembly, freedom of thought, and many other rights that we have been deprived or are being threatened to lose under this administration. I hope people will commit to protecting these values as this is what true democracy is about.”
— Cindy Domingo, community leader
“I am an MBA student at Seattle University. I am from Pakistan and arrived in the USA in December 2015 to start graduate school. I was very aware of the labels that I carried — woman, colored, Muslim, and I am from Pakistan. I was very particular about blending in. I was not going to say or do anything that would make me stand out. I would not give anyone any reason to point any fingers at me. I would not do anything that would cause anyone to ask questions or I would be required to explain myself. But I found incredible warmth in the USA. My small world here consists of just school, in addition to my family. I found that I didn’t have to assimilate to integrate. I was accepted as myself. I didn’t have to be someone different to be acceptable. At Seattle University, I realized I was carrying my own set of prejudices. I categorized people as anti-Muslim and anti-Pakistani and was able to confront my own baggage. I was able to realize that though racism and prejudice are very ugly and very valid truths, becoming a victim is a choice. I can take up these moments as teaching opportunities and try and educate people about my religion, my country, and my culture, instead of being offended by their ‘ignorant’ remarks and gestures.”
— Syeda Iram Fatima Jafry, student