We asked what it means to be an American. Here's what Spokane told us

As the nation marks its 250th year, ideas about what it means to be an American are varied.

The 2026 Teen Journalism Institute asked people across Spokane what it means to them to be an American. Some spoke about freedom and opportunity, others reflected on family histories stretching back generations or journeys that brought loved ones here from around the world. Their answers reveal a wide range of perspectives and hopes for the country.

Catherine Shook

To Spokane local Catherine Shook, Independence Day is about celebrating diversity and free choice.

Being an American is "to be free to make your own choices; to be able to make the choice of what I want to do for work, what I want to do for school, what I want to read, what I want to listen to," she said.

Shook appreciates "being able to have a lot of diversity and experience a lot of different cultures."

Her family has longstanding roots in the Spokane area. During this time, they have made significant contributions to the community.

"I'm Mexican-American. ... My family's been in Spokane for a while. My grandpa served in the Air Force. A lot of my family has served in the military."

Jordan Spann

As a Gonzaga law student, reflecting on America's situation this Fourth of July hits close to home for Jordan Spann.

"When I think about what it means to be an American, it's having an opportunity to ... be treated fairly by others," he said. "I think it's reverence for our laws and what we've accomplished as a nation. I think we've, in the last 80 years, turned a corner towards equality and fairness and due process of law."

Before arriving in Spokane, Spann spent four years at the Maricopa Institute of Technology as a high school history teacher in Phoenix.

Spann's ancestors on his father's side came from Louisiana. They settled in Collinsville, Illinois, and St. Louis, and have since moved across the country.

"My great-great-grandfather, Frank Spann Sr., was the children of freed men - so freed slaves," Spann said.

Carol Gales

Carol Gales' family has a long, rich history in the U.S. To Gales, the word "freedom" encapsulates the American experience.

"Freedom - from my very ends of my toes to the very tops of my hair follicles," Gales said.

With a passion for family history, Gales is well-versed in her ancestors' American legacy.

Gales has English and Irish ancestry on her mother's side, whose family has roots in the U.S. dating back to the 1700s. Her great-great-grandfather fought in the Civil War.

Her father's ancestors immigrated from Sweden in the late 1800s. They delved into various trades, including farming, gold and silver mining and logging.

Depresha Brown

Depresha Brown was at Riverfront Park Wednesday afternoon with two of her five children.

She acknowledged that America isn't perfect, "But hey, at least we're free," Brown said.

Brown is new to Spokane, but said she loves the community and the way everyone has a chance in Spokane.

"I just want to be part of Spokane and change things," Brown said.

Kevin Walker

For Kevin Walker, being an American means being proud. Walker and his wife were in Spokane on their way back to Wenatchee after visiting their daughter in Post Falls.

"I know there's a lot of stuff now about people that are saying they're ashamed to be an American, and we're not ashamed of it," Walker said.

Walker has several family members who have served in the American military, and Walker is "very proud of all of them for what they did."

His family's origins in America can be traced back to 1756, when they arrived on a ship from Ireland.

Eské Preston

For Eské Preston, being an American is about acknowledging how fortunate Americans are.

"Even if there's events that are going on that are unfortunate in the United States ... we still have more freedom than a lot of other countries," she said.

Her family came here from Germany during World War II.

"America has been a big part of my family's culture by helping my mom's side escape the Holocaust," Preston said.

Izeck Currie

Izeck Currie's lineage, much like many Americans, can be traced back to Mexico and the United States.

"My dad's side is born-and-raised American and on my mom's side, my great-great-grandma immigrated here from Mexico," Currie said.

When asked what being American meant to him, his answer was short and sweet: "Being free."

Alex Medina

Alex Medina is a second-generation American. For Medina, being an American means freedom and opportunity. His parents immigrated here, and they have been proud Americans ever since.

"America is the land of the free, right? Opportunity. A place for community, for people," Medina said. "It should be a place for all to be free and equal. To me, being an American means building a community."

Gracey Howard

Gracey Howard is a fourth-generation American. Her great-grandfather came from Italy and married in California.

"I feel like our freedom, our ability to go out and talk to people and do whatever we wish to do, that's what means the most to me," Howard said.

Karissa Griffiths

Karissa Griffiths' family came to America on the Mayflower. Griffiths said she is related to Pilgrim William Bradford, who became governor of the Plymouth Colony. She also said her lineage was recently traced to northwest Europe.

"Being an American means embracing diversity," Griffiths said. "It means we have people from all over the world coming here to pursue their dreams. It means always learning new things about our country. It means being proud."

Michelle Dahl

The World Cup has made Michelle Dahl hopeful about America.

"People come over for the World Cup and they see how cool it was to be here," she said. "The mainstream media kind of made us look worse than we are, so it kind of gave me joy that we aren't as bad as we seem to be. It has warmed my heart a little bit."

To Dahl, the best benefit of being an American citizen is freedom. She said freedom is an important component of the American identity.

Betsy Wilkerson

Spokane City Council President Betsy Wilkerson is a lover of America. That's why her relationship with American identity is complicated this year.

"I think it's hard for people to celebrate this year, because there's so much turbulence," she said. "It's just kind of fraught with so many unknowns and so much divisiveness."

Wilkerson is from Mississippi, where her family lived for several generations. Her mother moved the family to Spokane in 1963.

"It was for a better life, and she truly found it," Wilkerson said.

While Wilkerson acknowledges that the country is facing difficult times, she believes America has a bright future and is excited to celebrate.

"It's challenging right now. But would I want to live in any other country? No," she said. "I think America is still the land of opportunity."

James Black

For James Black, being an American means having access to the country's diverse landscapes.

"To be an American means that we have an awesome network of public lands and recreational opportunities," Black said. "We also have a very diverse landscape, which means, you know, you can live in the desert or on the coast or in a rainforest."

Black said his family immigrated from Slovenia in the late 1800s and settled north of Spokane.

Ryan Hicks

For Ryan Hicks, being an American means having the freedom to live authentically.

"To me, to be an American means to be able to say whatever you want, do whatever you want, love whoever you want to love, and celebrate however you want to celebrate and have the country embrace you for it," Hicks said.

Hicks said her family immigrated to the United States from Germany through Ellis Island.

Miller Coyne, Elizabeth Gallagher, Isla Hansen, Benedikt Larson and Cimarron Waldo contributed to this report.

Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.