My Vision For America

Editor's note: Amy Nelson's column this week served as her winning entry in the VFW's Voice of Democracy Audio Essay Competition.

A Glasgow High School senior and Courier Photo Intern, Nelson was awarded $100 and a Voice of Democracy Certificate of Merit from the VFW and its Ladies Auxiliary on Dec. 10. Nelson will advance to the state level of the VOD competition.

At the awards dinner, hosted at the Glasgow VFW, there were other winners as well: Dalton Kassa (Ophiem), Chloe Moore (Glasgow), and Jack Boone (Hinsdale) all participated in the Patriot's Pen youth contest and were awarded $100 and a certificate.

Nelson's essay, titled My Vision for America, delves into themes of female empowerment, inequality in the workplace, and the importance of dreams in the lives of young people and the communtiy as a whole. See Page 8A.

As author Victor Hugo once said, "There is nothing like a dream to create the future." When I think about the future, I dream of a world of equality. I believe, in order to create the future we envision for ourselves, we must dream. We must imagine a world in which our wildest dreams can come true. My vision for America is gender equality. When I dream, I envision a country where women are equal to men. I see a country where women and men are treated as equals in all aspects of life: A country where women don't have to be concerned with their gender when applying for a job or working in a male-dominated industry.

So how is it possible that we live in a society with the technology to grow human brain cells in a laboratory, yet women only make up nearly five percent of the top business professionals and CEOs in America? Are we still at the point in 2015 where many people believe that it's okay for women to be treated and accepted as inferior to men?

Maybe we could point at women's traditional roles in society as a source of inequality. Maybe we could consider society's expectations and portrayal of women as influences. Either way, it's time for us as a country to adapt to changing standards and demands for equality.

Statistics show that women increase positivity and productivity in working environments - especially those which are male dominated. This is just one of many great reasons women should be more prevalent in the labor market.

Today, I am thankful that women are given the chance to contribute to society just as men are. However, this does not mean that we don't have a long way to go. We have many obstacles and mountains to surpass on our journey for equality as a country.

My vision for America is this: I don't want young women, nor any woman for that matter, to see their gender as a disqualification for achieving their dreams. It is my belief that neither men nor women should think of their gender as a qualification or key factor for success. I want to see young girls dream of running for congress and holding political offices. My hope is that no woman ever stops herself on her journey to success because she feels inferior. I want to see us make progress and encourage the younger generations to be the best they can be without limitations.

Here is my message for you: Let us not just dream of a country of equality, let's make the dream come true. We have all the power we could ever need to change our country. After all, anything we put our minds and hearts to we can achieve.