When the last sparkler fizzles out, the charcoal grill goes cold, and the star-spangled merchandise sneaks off store shelves, what remains of patriotism? It’s a question the DEI committee asked ourselves after the July 4th break. Displays of courage and bravery always come to mind, but we found a different answer to that question by looking at each other: Patriotism can be defined in many ways.
To take pride in one’s country is to care about its impact: to notice those it has historically left behind, to assess your power to help, and to turn what might feel like ever-dimming hope for better days into action—at whatever scale you most effectively can.
It’s a devotion that has existed since the dawn of America—even in the face of suppression—to enact change that follows through on foundational promises of liberty and justice for all. We are reminded of the words of acclaimed American poet Langston Hughes.
