With Trump’s re-election, radical executive orders being signed, threats to deport thousands, if not millions of Americans from their homes, and growing concerns over privacy as big tech progressively increases its hold over social media, there’s never been a more contentious time to be American. Politically, economically and socially, the country is changing at a rate unprecedented in history, leaving Americans wondering where they’ll be when the dust has settled — and for some, whether they still have a place in this country or not.
As we reach the halfway point of the decade and the country continues to shift with the tides, America’s meaning to its citizens continues to evolve as well. And for students who will soon make up the countries workforce and electorate, these changes will shape the way they view America and bring adjustments for the decades to come.
This month, Verde asked Palo Alto High School students what word they’d use to describe their country. These are the responses they gave us.
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