sweet land of liberty

My favorite American invention is the airplane.

Growing up on the outskirts of Chicago, the constant rumbles of jet engines overhead became the soundtrack of my childhood. Every three minutes—like clockwork—these metal birds would soar above my home, entering or exiting Chicago’s busiest airport. To me, the airplane isn't just a marvel of engineering; it's an embodiment of the American spirit and a symbol of my own American journey.

Like the planes I would look up to cutting through the sky, my story begins with a leap of faith. I am the product of immigrants: a poor orphan boy from Mexico and a woman with Irish and Polish roots whose family escaped European tyranny. My father's dangerous journey from Mexico 25 years ago and my mother's ancestors fleeing pre-World War II Europe are testaments to the magnetic pull of America's promise.

Though my parents never married and I lived with my mother growing up, both sides of my heritage have shaped me profoundly. Although he wasn’t around much, I still feel deeply connected to the Gulf Coast indigenous culture my father is from. I remember visiting his apartment and smelling the aroma of tamales steaming in banana leaves—a technique he insisted holds more flavor than corn husks. I remember hearing about his dangerous journey across the Mexican desert to America, and his subsequent hard work in being a part-time butcher to fund his sister’s journey to this country and trying to build his own food company. He embodies the American Dream. He took a great risk coming to a new land with a new language, and I admire him greatly for that.

On the other side, my mother’s family was more traditionally “American,” although very old-school Polish and Irish. Growing up poor—or "lower middle class" as I was taught to say—in an affluent Chicago suburb wasn't easy. The Great Recession hit my mother hard. After losing her job, she decided to start an online business back when such ventures were far from common like today. Working alongside her from a young age and helping her with all the “confusing computer thingies” taught me perseverance, grit, and reinvention. I also appreciate her ability to take a huge risk doing this as an unemployed single mother. However, the ability to do this at all reinforces the greatness of this country. I am also eternally grateful to her for making my childhood fun and worthwhile despite our material conditions.

My grandparents on my mother’s side introduced me to the breathtaking beauty of America’s national parks. Our road trips, camping under vast starry skies, made me fall in love with this land’s natural wonders. I remember making mac and cheese and cooking Vienna Beef hot dogs over a campfire in Yosemite and Yellowstone and Zion and Sequoia and the Badlands. I felt like a pioneer who first encountered these lands in the 1800s.

As I grew older and entered high school, I sequestered myself in intense focus. I pushed myself to overcome all challenges I encountered. However, one of the strangest challenges I faced was racism. Racism is the harsh reality that America’s promise of equality is still a work in progress. However, it’s very confusing to me. Like, why do you care that I’m different from you? When I’m eating my lunch and you come up to me and say: “Hey beaner, what are you eating for lunch? Some rice and beans?” and I say “yes,” and you pause, what were you expecting me to say? Racism is irrational lmao.

But it wasn't all work while I was in high school—wandering south side Chicago's winter streets with my cousin, making rap beats, and DJ-ing house parties, I dreamed big American dreams. Even when the pandemic and a battle with hyperacusis derailed my music aspirations (I wanted to put off going to MIT to become a rapper/producer), I found new paths forward. This ability to adapt and reinvent oneself is, I believe, a cornerstone of the American experience.

Now, as I pursue math and computers at MIT, I reflect on the stark contrast between my background and my current situation. How does the poor son of a Mexican orphan and a self-employed single mother end up at one of the top schools in the world? The answer lies in the unique mix of opportunity, hard work, and the American dream—the same elements that lifted the Wright brothers' invention off the ground at Kitty Hawk.

America, like any nation, has its flaws—a history marked by injustice and ongoing struggles with inequality. Yet it's also a land of unparalleled wealth and opportunity, where the pursuit of science and technology embodies our pioneer spirit. From the Wright brothers to Silicon Valley, we've been at the forefront of innovation, constantly pushing boundaries and redefining what's possible. What makes America truly great are its people and ideals. Our unwavering belief in freedom, our capacity for self-reflection and improvement, and our endless pursuit of a "more perfect union" set us apart. Our natural wonders inspire awe and the pioneer spirit. Our entrepreneurs, whether startup founders, tamale salesmen, or life coaches, drive progress not just for our nation, but for the world.

As I look to the future, ready to serve this country in industry and technology, I carry with me the lessons learned from those planes soaring over my childhood home. They taught me to aim high, to weather turbulence with grace, and to take leaps of faith. To me, America is more than just a country—it's an idea, a dream that takes flight with each generation. It's a place where the child of immigrants can look up at passing planes and dare to dream of soaring among them. Despite its imperfections, America remains a beacon of hope—a place where dreams can and do take to the skies.

In the face of challenges, both personal and national, I'm reminded of the resilience that defines our pioneer spirit. We are a nation continually striving to live up to our highest ideals, to create a society that truly offers liberty and justice for all. It's this ongoing journey, this commitment to growth and betterment, that fills me with profound gratitude and pride. My country tis of thee.

My sweet land of liberty.