The day was August 2, 1776. A man rose from the crowd, surveying the manuscript placed on a lone table before them. John Hancock signed his name on the paper with a large flourish and watched as each member of Congress was called up to do the same. For them, it was more than a signature but a proclamation of their loyalty to infant America forever. Everyone could see the beauty and hope of this new democracy emblazoned on the determined faces around them and trusted that if they stood together, united, they would be victorious.

United! America has always valued the idea of unity in diversity. America is a mosaic of ethnicities, religions, languages, and identities. This unity comes from the pride we share in our country. Yet, open wounds threaten to infect our country’s strong bonds. Around us, we bear witness to political unrest, a pandemic, economic crisis, and a lack of respect for racial differences. Even as these conflicts rage around us, we see technological advancement and progress in psychological and mental health treatment destigmatization. This is the America of the here and now.

Where do we go from here? Perhaps, it was the deep pain of social instability that led Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to adopt this question as the title of his final book: “Where do we go from here? Chaos or Community?” I believe this question is still pertinent to us, the American people. The unrest that existed then appears today, though in a different form. The former president, Theodore Roosevelt, once said, “This country will not be a good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a good place for all of us to live in.” We can catalyze change. We can choose to embrace the tolerance and perseverance of our society to fuel acceptance. Once we begin the journey of healing the wounds inflicted by our actions, the nation can embark on a journey to become a preeminent state.

Where do we want to be as individual beings, as well as a collective nation? There’s no doubt, America has been a trailblazer in technology and a global leader for years. Our reputation is one of a nation where dreams can be actualized as it is known around the world as ” a land of opportunities.” However, to heal the wounds of inequality and despair, we have a choice; we can choose empathy and compassion instead of hate and equality in place of disparity. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said himself with hope in his final book, “America, the richest and most powerful nation in the world, can well lead the way in this revolution of values.” Each generation can make a choice. May our generation choose empathy, compassion, and equality, to fuel the change that will lead to community and not further chaos!

America’s future is a magnificent one, full of prosperity and joy, brought around by the people who call her home. These people are the soldiers who lay it down on the line in deep dark trenches to keep us free, the scientists in different disciplines who work tirelessly to lead us in innovation, the teachers who work hard to build a new generation, the emergency responders who run fearlessly into the broad, fiery jaws of danger, the medical providers who are on the frontline against infectious diseases, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and the ordinary citizens who take one day at a time, one step after another, doing their part in our steady rise to healing, peace, and the creation of a healthy community.

Where do we go from here? Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. asked, “Chaos or Community?” I want to respond this way: Let us go as unique individuals, united in our pursuit of ideals. Let us not only hold our values, but also champion and defend them. Like the revolutionaries who fought for our nation against all odds, we are strong, and we can effectuate change. We can focus and fight to mend our nation. America can revitalize her beauty and wonder. America’s future is as bright as her children, ready to take on the new day and embrace a united community despite the challenges.