Labor Day is a chance to celebrate America’s workers, and the labor unions who have fought so hard for them. But at a time when AI is threatening to disrupt or even eliminate entire categories of jobs, it’s also important to think about how we can embrace new technology without losing the purpose and dignity that comes with work.

Independence Day is a reminder that America is not the project of any one person. The single most powerful word in our democracy is the word ‘We.’ ‘We The People.’ ‘We Shall Overcome.’ ‘Yes We Can.’ America is owned by no one. It belongs to all citizens. And at this moment in history—when core democratic principles seem to be continuously under attack, when too many people around the world have become cynical and disengaged—now is precisely the time to ask ourselves tough questions about how we can build our democracies and make them work in meaningful and practical ways for ordinary people.