From Immigrant Dreams to Voting Booths
HONORING DIVERSE JOURNEYS THIS FOURTH OF JULY
Recently, a patient shared her big news with me. She had just earned her American citizenship, and during a time with so much polarization in the world, it’s beautiful to see someone so excited and proud to be here. As we celebrate Independence Day this month, I can’t help but think of what it truly means to be an American and the journey thousands of people take each year to call themselves citizens. For me, the words of newly minted Americans show us the spirit of collaboration and freedom that our country is meant to embody at its very core. My patient and her husband look forward to celebrating the Fourth of July as citizens for the first time this year. But their parting message to me was that they are most excited about the right to vote. For many foreign-born individuals working and living
in the U.S., having their voice heard in the electoral system is one of the greatest American dreams. What’s more, recent research has found that more immigrants who become naturalized are voting in U.S. elections and even running for elected offices in their communities so they can make a difference. I’ll never forget what another patient I know had to say about his thoughts on political divisions in this country. He said, “I don’t look at things as red or blue. I look at them as red, white, and blue.” The situation is often tense in today’s world regarding politics, and it’s inspiring and hopeful to hear people more excited about the prospect of America’s future than choosing a side.
the same viewpoints or beliefs. We convince ourselves that our differences are too vast to reach an agreement. The truth is, we are all more alike than we are different. Regardless of your political beliefs, financial status, or background, if you are an American citizen, it’s because your ancestors immigrated here. America is a country made of millions of immigrant stories, and this Independence Day, I hope you take a moment to think about what brings us together as humans. To see citizenship through the eyes of a naturalized American is to witness the ideals of Democracy in their purest forms.
-Dr. Jason Schermer
Too often, we let divisions separate us. We pit ourselves against those who do not share
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