When the Continental Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence 250 years ago, establishing the United States of America as an independent nation, Sacramento did not exist. The land that we now call the Capital Region was inhabited by Nisenan, Miwok Maidu, Washoe and other nations who had made their living from its rich natural resources for millennia.

The Spanish began building missions up and down the coast of California in the late 18th century, and they founded San Francisco just five days before the U.S. declared independence in 1776. The Sacramento Valley, however, remained relatively outside of the sphere of European influence until John Sutter established Sutter’s Fort in 1839.

That may be part of why California, and the Capital Region in particular, has been relatively slow to participate in celebrations for America’s semiquincentennial. For the bicentennial in 1976, local celebrations often harkened back to 19th century events like the Gold Rush (1848-1855) and the short-lived Pony Express (1860-1861), despite those moments taking place decades after the date at hand. This year’s anniversary seems to require a different approach. 

For our own commemoration of the United States’ 250th birthday, we wanted to highlight a more modern understanding of what it means to be American in the Capital Region — once the Western frontier, now the heart of the nation’s most populous state.

To this end, we reached out to local leaders to share what America’s 250th means to them. Their responses, presented below, offer reflections on freedom, resilience, community and the enduring idea that each generation has a role in shaping the country’s next chapter.

– Jennifer Fergesen, digital editor

Happy 250th birthday to America!

– Anh Phoong, owner, Phoong Law

Milestones like this give us a chance to celebrate our achievements while honestly reflecting on our shortcomings and the work that remains ahead. The enduring significance of the American experiment is that the conversation about what our country should be is never settled. As we mark this anniversary, we have an opportunity to consider how we preserve the freedoms and dynamism that create opportunity while expanding access to those opportunities for future generations.

– Jordan Blair, CEO, Sacramento Regional Builders’ Exchange

Across the Capital Region, I see that spirit every day in the entrepreneurs building businesses, the students preparing for the future, and the non-profit leaders and volunteers serving their neighbors. Their resilience, optimism and commitment remind us that the American promise is sustained by people who choose to collaborate and lead with purpose.

As we celebrate this milestone year, I am deeply grateful for the freedoms we inherit and mindful of our shared obligation to protect them. As we look back on our nation’s history, we also look to the future with a renewed promise to strengthen our communities and create opportunity for generations to come.

– James Beckwith, President and CEO, Five Star Bank

And yet our work is far from done. Today, just 38 percent of working-age adults with disabilities are employed, compared to 75 percent of those without disabilities — a gap that represents both a challenge and an extraordinary opportunity. America has always been defined by its belief in possibility, and I firmly believe we are still the land of opportunity — especially when we commit to ensuring that opportunity is accessible to all.

– Craig Levra, CEO and President, PRIDE Industries

America doesn’t clear the road for you. It just makes sure the road exists. What you do with it is entirely yours. I came from foster care, from homes where survival was the only curriculum. No roadmap. No safety net. Just a country that kept the road open long enough for me to find it. I became a security police officer in the Air Force at a time when women weren’t exactly expected in that role. Then I built a security integration company to over $20 million in a male-dominated industry, raised four children and started an entirely new company from the ground up.

I am not the exception to the American dream. I am proof that it still breathes. Not because this country is perfect, but because it still makes room for someone with nothing to become something extraordinary. That is America. The mother who keeps going, the veteran who comes home and builds, the neighbor who shows up without being asked. 250 years in, that road is still open. And wherever you’re starting from, whatever you’re carrying, it’s still yours to take.

– Yvonne Pire, CEO, Trofholz Technologies, and Founder, The Rising Zone

– Laura Heintz, Psy.D., Chief Executive Officer, Stanford Sierra Youth & Families

I am continually amazed at the foresight of our founders when forming America. Though it may not always benefit everyone all the time, our country’s foundation is based on freedoms which no other country possesses. These freedoms are our rights and, thus, our existence to express without persecution.

America is our home, which I am grateful to call. And yes, it has its scars, and we have our divides; however, we always have our freedoms to express our thoughts and our beliefs, of which I am most proud.

Happy 250th birthday, America! Thank you for all you give!

– Ron Brown, President and CEO, Brown Construction

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