Every Independence day I can't help but to think about the time my family took me to New York City to watch the 4th of July fireworks exploding in the harbor above the Statue of Liberty. What a spectacular scene. Today marks an especially historic day for Lady Liberty, as her glorious crown reopens to tourists after being closed since September 11, 2001. CNN pays tribute to this historic event here.

Every time I think of the Statue of Liberty, I think about how the ultimate symbol of America is also the symbol of how our nation has always welcomed immigrants. The famous Emma Lazarus quote that is permanently inscribed at the statue reminds us of this:

"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door."

In the spirit of this quote, I wanted to take this opportunity to share a new release from the Immigration Policy Center. The IPC has compiled a new fact sheet on immigrant contributions to our economy and society, and a collection of  resources that tell the compelling story of America's immigrants. From the IPC:

Independence Day is a good time to take stock of the demographic diversity that has long been a principal strength of the U.S. economy and civil society. Immigrants, Latinos, and Asians play critical economic roles as workers, entrepreneurs, and consumers. As a result, they will be crucial players in the nation’s efforts to recover from the current recession. Moreover, the immigrant, Latino, and Asian communities are key voting blocs that successful politicians cannot afford to ignore, particularly in close elections.

Download the complete PDF fact sheet here.

On a final note, I really enjoyed this inspiring video about an immigrant family celebrating their first 4th of July as citizens. Seeing their joy and gratitude reminds me never to take my own citizenship and rights for granted.