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AMERICA 250: AMERICA'S VOICES
To commemorate America's 250th anniversary, MinneapoliMedia invited Minnesotans from across the state to answer two simple questions: What does this milestone mean to you personally? And what are your hopes for America's next 250 years? The reflections that follow are published in the contributors' own voices, with light editing for grammar, spelling, and clarity.
America's 250th anniversary is both a celebration and a challenge.
Personally, it reminds me that the promise of America has always been powerful, but never automatic. As an African American man, a husband, a father, the grandchild of those who witnessed lynchings, and the first Black mayor of Brooklyn Park, I know that my story was made possible by generations of people who believed in this country enough to fight for it, even when this country did not always fight for them.
So this milestone means gratitude, but it also means responsibility. Gratitude for the sacrifices that brought us this far. Responsibility to keep expanding the promise of liberty, opportunity, and justice to every family, every neighborhood, and every child.
When I think about America's next 250 years, my hope is that we become a nation mature enough to tell the truth about our past, united enough to build a shared future, and courageous enough to make democracy real in people's everyday lives.
I hope we build communities where public safety and justice go hand in hand. Where a child's future is not limited by their ZIP code, race, income, or family background. Where working families can afford to live, seniors can age with dignity, young people can see a path forward, and leadership is measured not by who can divide people the loudest, but by who can bring people together to solve hard problems.
The next 250 years should be about finishing the work of America, not abandoning its ideals, but living up to them more fully.
MAYOR HOLLIES WINSTON | Mayor of Brooklyn Park
MinneapoliMedia | Community. Culture. Civic Life.
