Fourth of July. Fireworks. Hot dogs. Red, white, and blue. Two hundred and fifty years of the American Experiment, filled with many, MANY, trials and tribulations, but also moments of love, joy, success, and prosperity. That is what makes this day so special.

One of the questions I get asked as a young Black man is, "How are you so patriotic in a nation that has not always been faithful to you and your people?" (This is not shocking as patriotism is at an all time low) But the answer is simple. Celebrating my country is not celebrating one singular administration or whichever party happens to control the government. Rather, what this nation can become.

We began as a nation filled with turmoil, pain, and anger. Some fought against taxation imposed by a Parliament and King an ocean away. Others endured enslavement, dehumanization, and exploitation. Yet we are a nation of resilient and tenacious people who strive, fight, and, when necessary, even die for the promise of a better tomorrow. Time and again, we have overcome adversity and moved closer to that promise.

That perseverance led to the abolition of slavery, expanded voting rights for America's sons and daughters, the enactment of constitutional freedoms and liberties, and the continued pursuit of a nation that provides all people with a level playing field where the American Dream can be realized.

Today, however, hard work does not always guarantee opportunity or advancement. The federal minimum wage remains at $7.25 an hour, the same rate it was in 2009, when the median home price was around $173,000. Today, that figure has risen to roughly $419,000, while the cost of groceries, child care, and health care has climbed dramatically as well. Many Americans feel stuck or are struggling despite working tirelessly every day. But it does not have to remain that way if we make this moment in our history work for us. We can once again be the shining city upon a hill. We can hit the game-winning home run in the bottom of the ninth. We can, and we will, because we are Americans.

Even though we may rank behind other nations in areas such as education, health care, life expectancy, and overall happiness, we remain second to none in our ability to rise to the occasion. When we put our minds to a challenge, when we unite around a common purpose, there is very little we cannot accomplish.

America has endured a Revolution, a Civil War, two World Wars, the Great Depression, and countless other hardships. We have also confronted painful chapters of our own making, from the injustices of Manifest Destiny, to the internment camps, to the long struggle for equal civil rights, inhumane ICE activities, etc. But through each generation, Americans have challenged injustice and pushed this nation to become better than it was before. We have and will continue to overcome moments like this as well.

One of the things I dislike most about our current political climate is the polarization of every symbol that represents this nation. For example, the American flag does not belong to one political party, one ideology, or one race. Similar to how God is not beholden to any one political movement or any one person. No party can claim ownership of our flag because it seeks to preserve a particular vision of America's past. That flag belongs to all of us. When we see it, we should be reminded not of perfection, but of the Constitution's promise to form "a more perfect Union."

You cannot love this nation only when your preferred political faction controls the levers of government. You must love this nation for what it can become. For many Americans, this is a broken moment in our history, a moment marked by division, anger, hatred, pain, and uncertainty. Yet broken moments often create the greatest opportunities for reform and renewal.

Our history may be troubled, but our future is still unwritten. For 250 years we have witnessed extraordinary triumphs and heartbreaking failures. Ahead of us lies an unlimited future in which this nation, and the people who call it home, can do more than simply survive. We can thrive. We can disagree without becoming enemies. We can acknowledge our flaws without becoming defined by them. And we can do the hard work necessary to build a nation that comes ever closer to fulfilling its promise.

So, instead of letting others write this nation’s history for us, we should write our own history. Chart a path where we can progress instead of regress. You might have to roll up your sleeves,get to work, have uncomfortable conversations and listen to another point of view, then find that common ground that is in the benefit of the common good. Seems like it's a tough task now but as Americans but we were meant to do the tough stuff.

Happy Independence Day, America. Here's to the next 250 years of striving toward a more perfect Union.

Kemani A. Scott is the youngest democratic municipal chair in the state at 24-years old. He has served in various capacities, including senior roles in campaigning and in local, state, and federal government.