C2 THE DAVIS ENTERPRISE
Voices of America
FRIDAY, JULY 2, 2021
Davis lives the American dream By Heidy Kellison Special Editor-at-Large
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ho are we? Our nation’s character resides in its questions, but the struggle for insight remains our biggest test. All voices clamor to be heard yet those with the capacity to listen might be lost in a weak supply chain of the openhearted. Who among us defines what makes us Americans, much less Davisites? It’s simplest to look at luminaries in our midst — titled, awarded systems and individuals that lead by market share in public discourse. But should they be considered our fullest representation? That’s for you to decide. In preparation for this Fourth of July weekend, we bring you Voices of America: a compact
collection of your neighbors’ stories — people who also selected Davis as their home. They were chosen as much for their relative anonymity as they were for their luster. Not everyone will be a mayor, chancellor or newspaper publisher. Our goal? To inspire a dialogue about who we are — what it means to be an American from Davis — without affecting an answer. As you sit with each feature, we hope you’ll think about how these individuals contribute to our community identity. Do you relate to them or do you feel disconnected? If you were the editor, who would you choose to fill these pages? Could your story fit just as easily? For the record, that last question was a trick; we know it would. To some degree, Voices of
America is a surface scratcher — richness is a daily discovery in Davis. After all, talent, experience, depth and expertise are all inherent in a university town located just twenty miles from the State Capital. Even so, we believe you’re in for some truly extraordinary accounts. We respect and thank each participant for opening their lives to us. And to you. s you reflect on these pages, we invite you to comment with your own star-spangled suggestions. We know lack of space neglected many stories and resulted in an incomplete publication. For as relevant as it is to ask who we are, it’s equally important to question, are we you? May you realize the grace and opportunity stated in the founding of our country, and may your value be considered equal to those who generate top results on a Google search. In other words, light a sparkler for us!
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As you sit with each feature, we hope you’ll think about how these individuals contribute to our community identity. Do you relate to them or do you feel disconnected? If you were the editor, who would you choose to fill these pages? Could your story fit just as easily?
