#2 A Note From Ayaan: America at 250

Restoring the West Celebrates America’s Semiquincentennial

I became an American not by birth or by right, but by choice. Like many immigrants, I came to this country from a world in which I’d had no right to speak freely; no right to choose whom I would marry, or where or how I would live; no hope for the kind of life and career with which I am blessed today. I came from a culture in which my station was assigned at birth, by virtue of my sex, and could never be appealed. Looking back today, I can hardly find words to express how grateful I am, every day, to call this country my own.

On July 4th, the United States will turn two hundred and fifty years old. It’s a birthday worth marking with more than fireworks, though I’ll enjoy the fireworks too. This week at Restoring the West, our five pillar columnists will come together to celebrate the occasion with “America at 250,” our next Deep Dive series. They’ll look at what makes America great, what this country has been, where it’s going, and what it has given us.