Independence Day — Donna Hopkins

Cook’s Illustrated Inspiration, July 2025

My friend Kate was wearing a t-shirt today with the words America is an Idea printed across the front (tee designed by Aurora James). This pretty much sums up my feelings about Independence Day and our country. Some evolving mix of hope and fear, compassion and anger, frustration and determination.

It got me thinking about the privileges I live with. And I all I can think to do is to keep creating. To take inspiration from it all and make something that moves us forward, even if only in a very small way. Is this not the way that we claim our independence? When we seek agency over our own lives, over what lies just in front of us, in plain view, and do the thing we can do . . . these are the stepping stones to freedom.