3c49d0f598a55835ca0e88c22bd25615
Youth Join the Conversation Sparked by the Film AMERICAN CREED

An invitation to write.

Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David M. Kennedy come together from remarkably different backgrounds, life experiences, and points of view to explore the idea of a unifying American creed. Their spirited inquiry frames the stories of a range of citizen-activists striving to realize their own visions of America’s promise across deep divides. Launched in February 2018, you and your students are invited to add your stories to the conversation sparked by American Creed.

Bring the film to your classroom or learning center and support young people in responding on this website through writing, art, and media through these five invitations to respond.

Featured letters

All letters →
1519760705674 opraeditecho

American Mentor

I chose an image of Oprah to represent the American Creed because she has been a very impactful person on America. The words I used were, Freedom, Equality, Service and Diversity.

America: Our Current Problems and Future Solution

The essay that I've wriiten is about the major problem America is having with gun violence and why we as Americans need to find a way to stop this in order to live up to the expectation we have set for ourselves, that everyone in America is treated equally and respectfully.
1521746226997 skull

American Dream

It's about growing up as a Native American in a predominately Caucasian community and being told I don't belong in the country I was born in for such petty things like my skin tone. I grew up around all white people and developed their culture while having none of my own.
1551212043032 screenshot 2019 02 26 at 3.13.48 pm

Homelessness in America

This piece of work explains homelessness in America. Many people do not know women have a harder time being homeless than man.
1558527168577 abigail harrison

My American Creed

This poster represents my American creed through emotions and feelings.

What It Means to Be an American

My piece is about what it means to be an American in relation to "The Pledge of Allegiance" by George Thatcher Balch. My essay describes the loyalty, pride, and nationalism I, as an American, feel when reciting the Pledge.
1544564689542 img 0155

Land of the Free as Symbolic as Can Be

Symbols show up on our lives everyday. America has many objects and items that represent the nation and they all have their own meanings and history.
1560118516908 img 2864

My American Creed

Exploring my family history through art in order to explain my American Creed

How can your actions show the american creed

This speech can help you understand how you can show american creed through actions. Like your ever day life the american creed.

Aspiring Americans

I'll be illustrating my American creed through my dzi dzi (grandpa in Polish) along with inspiring individuals who contributed to the documentary American Creed. My creed is a diamond whose facets are education, nature, and governmental awareness.

Our Forever Number One Fans

Family and community motivate us in life unlike any other person or factor in the world and help us become the best version of ourselves we can be. My parent's immigrant past filled with hard work and perseverance has shown me who I want to be and shapes my American Creed today.
1547214915659 screenshot 2019 01 11 at 8.54.41 am

My American Creed

I think this image represents what the American Creed is for me.

Featuring 967 letters from 181 sites about tags such as...

creed 226 america 166 freedom 165 immigration 125 american 121 dream 118 family 109 education 82 opportunity 67 equality 61 diversity 60 community 59 unity 43 history 36 racism 33 identity 32 discrimination 29 culture 28 values 26 millitary 25 future 24 change 23 religion 22 success 22 equal opportunity 22
Combined Shape Created with Sketch Beta.

The process of applying to migrate to America is a long and hard one.

noor a. from Michigan

I organized questions surrounding the topic on how today’s political climate has affected the American Dream and posed it to a diverse audience.

Sophia from Michigan

You accept your own responsibility as an American to stay informed of what is happening and know what you can do to help the societal/economical problems that may arise.

Shelby W. from Montana

America is built on immigration, and these people that move here all have their own stories, that's what America is all about.

Nick B. from Michigan

My family history connects to my American Creed by lessons from home that shaped me to who I am today.

Citlalli from Arizona

Little did I know that the meaning of those words was as grand as the world, literally.

Simren S. from Oklahoma

As a kid, this line of the pledge made me think of the flag as blanket, surrounding and protecting us from harm.

Sarafina M. from Florida

Writing Our Future: American Creed is part of the National Writing Project’s family of youth publishing projects, all gathered under the Writing Our Future initiative.

Writing Our Future projects are designed by educators for educators and the young people they work with. Intended for use in schools, libraries, and other educational settings. All projects are COPPA compliant and educator-managed. NWP is committed to supporting young people’s writing and civic participation by providing a safe and supportive environment for youth writing, media creation, sharing, and publishing.