Every Fourth of July, America celebrates its independence. Fireworks fill the sky. Flags wave proudly. Families gather around picnic tables, sharing laughter, food, and traditions.

For many immigrants, however, Independence Day carries another layer of meaning. It reminds us not only of the freedom this nation represented, but of the courage it took to leave behind everything familiar in pursuit of something we could only hope existed on the other side.

I was honored recently to share my story on the Hecha en América (“Made in America”) podcast with Host, Paula Chavez (watch here:  https://youtu.be/L-TBVQKzFsM?si=4-pFVGFUNrQhyebF ), a platform that celebrates the remarkable journeys of Latina women who have come to the United States and built lives of purpose, resilience, and impact. Listening to the stories of so many extraordinary women reminded me of something I have always believed:

Being “made in America” doesn’t mean forgetting where you came from. It means allowing your roots to become the foundation for new growth.

As I share throughout Enough with the Secrets, Mama, my family’s journey from Puerto Rico, to the Dominican Republic, and lastly to the United States wasn’t simply a change in geography. It was a journey marked by sacrifice, uncertainty, faith, and hope.

Like countless immigrant families, we carried more than suitcases. We carried dreams, traditions, values, and the determination to create opportunities our parents and grandparents never had. (check out book here: https://indiepubs.com/products/enough-with-the-secrets-mama-9781636982861?srsltid=AfmBOopPwvQgb1vfbF6vKRH9K8jDDR0w4E4Nw3thERfCqZP6vvbdP5u7)

What many people don’t always see is that immigration rarely means leaving one responsibility behind for another. Often, it means carrying both.

Many immigrants work tirelessly to build a life here while continuing to support loved ones back home financially, emotionally, and spiritually. We celebrate birthdays through phone calls, grieve losses from thousands of miles away, send money before buying something for ourselves, and somehow learn to belong to two places at once. That balancing act quietly produces something remarkable: resilience.

We learn a new language while fighting not  to lose our own. We embrace new customs while preserving cherished traditions around our dinner tables. We discover that our differences don’t divide us, they expand us.

America has shaped who I have become. But so has every lesson I learned before I arrived.

The Dominican values of family, perseverance, hospitality, and faith continue to guide my life every single day. They are woven into my work as an author, advocate, speaker, and public servant. They are the heartbeat behind my book and behind the healing message I now have the privilege of sharing with others.

This Independence Day, I celebrate freedom with deep gratitude.

Gratitude for the country that opened doors of opportunity.
Gratitude for the family that sacrificed so much to walk through them.
And gratitude that I never had to choose between honoring where I came from and embracing where I belong.

Perhaps that is what being “Made in America” truly means.

Not becoming someone else.

But becoming more fully yourself.

Happy Independence Day to every family whose story crossed oceans, borders, languages, and generations. Your courage became someone else’s opportunity. Your resilience became someone else’s inheritance. Your story matters, and it deserves to be told.

Because America isn’t simply a place we arrive. It’s a place where, together, we continue becoming.

As always, I hope this message has encouraged you. To live your life to the best of your ability. To shine brighter each day and be your best self.

Lin Green