As I have expressed to many people who are close to me, I am running across the United States in 2018. And the question always comes up: why would I do this?
Truthfully, I’m worried about our future as Americans. And I know many people are as well. I want to go talk to them.
Throughout the past decade, I have gotten into a relatively good groove at my current company. Many people ask why I would consider stepping away from my joyous life. It’s a good question, one I can only answer with the foreboding notion that I am consciously worried about us. I’m concerned about our identity as Americans and relationships with each other. I worry about our ability to have civil discourse, the one principle that got us to where we are. I’m really worried about how we treat each other.
This is more than just a run across the country. This is a movement… one molded by research, listening, caring, understanding, and pride.
Every good movement needs a symbol. I needed something to express the movement whenever words fail me, something that represents America’s differences of opinion yet conveys the unifying thread that is found throughout those differences. I wanted it to express our inherent freedom and liberty, our pursuit of truth and industry, and our uncanny ability to rise above the worst of who we can be. I needed the symbol to express the notion that our civil discourse can help us come together, and burn bright towards our northern star. With the help of our design team at No Filter, we have been able to find the essence of the movement, distilled into one simple icon.
Above is the movement’s symbol. You will hear more details about it as time progresses this year. I will carry this across America as I chat with folks about the Great American Experiment called Democracy. It will me reminders that I must seek to understand every side of a debate, hope that I can find the common thread that will grant us a united purpose, and comfort that I am doing the right thing.