I have lived in NY since the mid 90s and have had the absolute pleasure of working with, employing and living around new immigrants from around the world. My co-worker and I would admire how much immigrants appreciated being in the US. Immigrants from Pakistan, west Africa, 1) https://twitter.com/EclecticHonesty/status/1152773647280541701

Central and South America, Philippines, and the Caribbean. Everywhere. We would watch them start businesses of their own, work hard, support their families and introduce us to them, and consume everything American. They LOVED American sports and would wear all the jerseys. 2)

My co-worker (a native NYer from Carrol Gardens Brooklyn) would tell me, “They’re more American than I will ever be.” And he was right. They embraced every aspect and never took ANY of it for granted. They have a voracious appetite for the culture and how they can contribute 3)

to this beautiful melting pot.

THOSE are the people I want to live and work with bc I have seen how much better they make us and how much more excited and proud it makes me to be an American. 4)

There isn’t a moment that passes that I don’t think of that phrase when someone mentions immigrants.

“They’re more American than I’ll ever be.” 5)

Being around immigrants is like a shot of adrenaline to this American and it’s addicting. I wish others would see and experience that. End)