On the anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, all of us at LISC are reflecting on the layered significance of the holiday, and rededicating our efforts to help build a nation where every resident can thrive.
This Fourth of July, as much as any other in the history of the United States, we are reminded of the dichotomy on which our nation was founded. We know that the legacy of slavery, and the racial wealth and health gaps that discrimination, inequity and injustice have propelled through the decades and centuries, still plague us. We are reminded of this every single day, because we live it.
This dichotomy, in fact, is why organizations like LISC exist. Because the wrongs of our American experiment can be righted. We live and work in pursuit of the righteous idea behind this experiment: that everyone deserves the same freedom and opportunities, and that every life is precious. This is the notion of liberty and justice for all that we aspire to, and that we celebrate when we celebrate the Fourth of July.
Happy Independence Day to America and to all of our community partners, funders and friends, near and far. May this year's commemoration energize and deepen our shared commitment to achieving true equity and well-being for everyone.