American Dreams Shape the World

American innovation has revolutionized the world for centuries. Inventors and innovators like Thomas Edison created the lightbulb, inspiring future generations of Americans to take it upon themselves to change the way the world works. Alexander Graham Bell, a southern American innovator, created the telephone, the metal detector and more. One great idea and one American Dream can change the trajectory of the world.

The Wright brothers created the first motor-operated plane in 1902. American innovation enabled humans to fly for the first time and changed the world forever. Can you imagine Earth today without telephones, lightbulbs or airplanes? Our planet would be a dark, flightless and incommunicable place.

American innovators like Steve Jobs steered technology into becoming a personable and creative outlet for many. Despite the world continuously telling him no, Jobs’ fierce determination drove him to innovate computers, phones, and the broader technological universe.

The American Dream is the thread that binds these narratives together, and the bedrock of that dream is freedom – specifically, the freedom of all Americans to succeed. Freedom is having access to effective tools, resources and information; freedom is having our civil rights and liberties protected when they are threatened; freedom is being allowed to choose our individual paths for ourselves. When people are free, they are better equipped to help themselves, their families, and their communities.  

Through LEAD, we’re committed to advocating for these freedoms and pushing back on the threats that prevent people from achieving their American Dream. We must fight for improved leadership, stronger economies, and better classrooms. We owe it to the next generation of Wright brothers, Thomas Edisons, and Steve Jobs to foster an environment where they can thrive.