What Binds Us

When I think about what ties us together as Americans, my mind goes to the National Mall. Not the granite or the lawns but what they represent, which is our shared story and the institutions that give people like me a chance to build a life.

I didn’t grow up around power or privilege. The doors that opened for me were made possible by public school teachers who believed in me, safe neighborhoods where I could focus on learning and work, a free market that rewarded effort, and freedoms that let me try, fail, and try again. Those aren’t abstract ideas. They’re the reasons I’ve been able to provide for my family and serve in roles I never imagined as a kid.

Which is why, as Chair of the Trust for the National Mall, I’m especially proud and excited about the launch of the National Mall Gateway, announced today in celebration of Constitution Day. It’s a digital and on-site learning platform that turns the Mall into a living classroom for all, with immersive stories, 360° tours, classroom resources, and curated itineraries, whether you’re at the Lincoln Memorial or at a kitchen table hundreds of miles away.

As we approach America’s 250th birthday in 2026, knowing our history matters more than ever. Not just for nostalgia’s sake, but for the wisdom it imparts. It keeps us from repeating mistakes, shows us where we’ve made progress, and reminds us that we need one another to keep moving forward.

A book that has stuck with me over the years, Why Nations Fail, makes a crucial point we’d do well to always remember, which is that countries do well when their institutions include people, and they struggle when those institutions shut people out. Inclusive institutions protect rights, invite participation, and open doors. Extractive ones concentrate power and limit what people can become. When I think about America at its best, I see a steady move toward inclusion, with more voices at the table and more people able to dream and do.

The National Mall Gateway helps bring this to life. It gives teachers tools to make civics real in the classroom. It gives families a way to plan meaningful visits or take virtual ones. And it gives all of us a clearer view of how our institutions were built, where they’ve fallen short, and how we can make them better.

For me, this is personal. I owe so much to the systems that supported me … public education, rule of law, the chance to start fresh when I stumbled, and an economy where hard work could turn into opportunity. I’m forever grateful for what this country has provided, and I feel a responsibility to help the next generation understand the “why” behind the monuments: not just what they commemorate, but the values they’re asking us to carry forward.

If you’re an educator, I hope you’ll take a look at the Gateway’s resources and bring them into your classroom. If you’re planning a family trip, use the interactive map and stories to turn a walk on the Mall into a conversation about our shared responsibilities. And if you’re someone who believes, as I do, that inclusive institutions are what keep the American experiment going, I hope you’ll support this work and share it with others.

The Mall is often called “America’s front yard.” To me, it’s our homebase, the place we return to when we need perspective. The National Mall Gateway opens this to everyone, everywhere. As we head toward the 250th, I can’t think of a better way to honor our history and invest in our future than helping more people connect with the ideas that have carried us this far.

Thanks for reading and for all you’re doing to keep those ideas alive.

https://gateway.nationalmall.org/en