Ypsilanti celebrates 250th Independence Day: What does America mean to you?

"America means, ideally, nurturing. Ideally, somewhere where others can thrive and people look after each other. I think that's my ideal perspective on what America means to me. In more of a reality stance: I think it means a place where some people are able to thrive, some people aren't. You have just got to run with the odds."

Moe Hoeffel, 30

"Freedom for all, basically. It is not just freedom for a few, or freedom for those who are privileged. It is freedom for everyone, not just people who go over the tax bracket. That's what America means to me."

Miles Redfield, 30

For me, America is about potential. It is everything we could be as a country and everything our ancestors wanted our country to be. Its natural beauty; It is what we have to offer on a greater scale. At its core, I associate America with what we could be doing with it.

Cinder Courter, 34

"What America means to me is, as a woman living in the United States, I can own my own a small business. There are so many amazing people ... and programs and groups that want small businesses to succeed, and I don't think I could do this anywhere else. Happy 250th and thank you for a beautiful democracy that we are all so lucky to have."

Holli Andrews, 62

"America means the opportunity and chance to be who you are no matter who you are. I was always raised [to believe], as long as it isn't hurting anybody, then what's the deal? That's what America means to me."

Tyler Jones, 34

"America means to me ... foundationally, I think of prosperity and the idea of starting new. I think that especially right now, those things are being challenged, and it's kind of that's why a lot of us feel that like we have kind of lost the meaning of America. I feel that way. I think what's important, that is also a foundational value, is hope, and continually to grow hope and not give up. America to me, with these ideas of prosperity and hope and kind of faith is, celebrate love and joy and try to find that."

Abby Byrne, 23

"It should be about love and accepting others and being open to change and new experiences. I think that is what America is about in the end."

Elise Bacon, 24

"It means that it's a country given to us by God to love, and just to love it and respect the land, and praise God for what he's done for our country. Only Jesus Christ can make America great again."

Zackary Bryan, 15

America means to me, mostly freedom, and how we achieve it is through the Constitution, and freedom for all people, all races, all creeds — binary and non — the whole kit and kaboodle. Whatever that encompasses, freedom of religion, freedoms of ... everything.

Lynn Radtke, 71

"It means a lot of things. The first thing that comes to mind is allegedly 90 million indigenous people were wiped off this land. I don't know if we are going to be able to move past that. Another part of me really loves the Constitution, and I sue people because they have violated the Constitution. I believe the Constitution should encapsulate all human beings, all over the world, no matter what they look like or what their race is or what they believe or how they call themselves or whatever their sexual preferences are. The United States is supposed to mean the Constitution. That is the highest law in the land, not anybody's political party."

Jason Thomas, 42

"I think of the letter John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail on July 3, 1776: the day after the Congress adopted unanimously the Declaration ... the day before they signed it ... In which he wrote, the furnace of affliction is good for countries, as well as for people."

James Mann, 70

"I think America means the freedom to be yourself; be unapologetically you. Do what you want, and — as long as you're not hurting others, of course — I think it means that you can get anything you want out of life, if that's what you want. And I think that you make the life that you want for yourself."

Carly Spooner, 30

"I would say what America means to me is trying to survive now. It was land of the free, but I'm not sure if we are free anymore, so basically just, you know, keeping up with your family, making ends meet, and just spreading love. I think that's what America means right now."

Chanda Gooden, 39

"America means land of the free, home of the brave. It's a highlight in our world. I think better days are coming. America means so much opportunity but so much inequality."

Jimmy Duffield, 71

"It means this car, really, because without America, we wouldn't have this car, and that is why the Fourth of July is my favorite holiday because of the freedom I have to do things like this and many other things also."

Scott Peterson, 78