I am a legal immigrant whose parents went from Russia to China to

Hear the powerful words of Mike Medavoy: “I am a legal immigrant whose parents went from Russia to China to Chile to finally reach the United States and thereby give me a chance to have a better life. I served six years in the U.S. Army Reserve, went to college, have a successful career and have dedicated my life to being a good citizen.” In these lines we hear not only a man’s personal history, but the echo of countless journeys across the ages—journeys of sacrifice, struggle, and hope carried from one land to another, all for the dream of freedom and dignity.

The meaning of his words lies first in the strength of parents, who crossed continents—Russia, China, Chile, and finally America—not for themselves, but for the chance to offer their child a horizon brighter than their own. This is the ancient story of migration, repeated in every generation: the father and mother who endure hardship and exile so that their children may live unshackled. To acknowledge such a journey is to honor the lineage of sacrifice that underpins the lives of so many who today call themselves citizens.

Medavoy declares himself a legal immigrant, and in this statement lies a deep affirmation of belonging. For immigrants, the law is not merely a system of rules, but the gate that opens into a new identity. To walk through it with dignity is to claim both rights and responsibilities: to enjoy freedom while pledging loyalty, to find opportunity while vowing service. His choice to serve in the U.S. Army Reserve for six years testifies that he did not seek only the gift of the land but also its burdens, taking up arms in its defense. This act transforms him not merely into a receiver of opportunity but into a guardian of the nation that welcomed him.

History offers many such examples. Recall the story of Alexander Hamilton, born in the Caribbean, who came as an immigrant to the young United States. Through service in war and dedication in peace, he rose to become one of the architects of the nation’s financial system. Like Medavoy, Hamilton’s life reveals that newcomers, though born elsewhere, often carry within them the fire of gratitude and determination that shapes nations anew. Such stories remind us that immigration is not weakness, but strength—that the journeys of the few enrich the destiny of the many.

Medavoy also speaks of college, of a career, of dedicating his life to being a good citizen. These are not hollow achievements but living proofs of what can emerge when perseverance meets opportunity. To study, to labor, to rise, and to give back—this is the ancient pattern of civic virtue. The Greeks called it areté, excellence not only in skill but in character. The Romans called it virtus, the strength of service to the republic. In his words, we see this timeless spirit, reborn in the life of one who chose to give more than he received.

The lesson here is profound: the measure of a person is not where they begin, but what they do with the path before them. Immigrants, like seeds carried on the wind, may be planted far from their origin. Yet with care, they take root, bear fruit, and enrich the soil around them. The journeys of families across borders remind us that identity is not confined to one place but can be shaped anew by courage, labor, and service.

For us, the practical action is to honor such stories. Welcome the stranger who comes with honest hands. Learn from their perseverance, their gratitude, their will to serve. Strive in your own life, whether native-born or foreign-born, to be a good citizen: to give back, to contribute, to live with integrity. And never forget that your own freedom rests upon the sacrifices of those who came before you, often across seas and deserts, through trials and hardships you will never fully know.

Thus, let Medavoy’s words be carried as a torch: the story of a legal immigrant who, through the faith of his parents and the work of his own hands, found a better life and gave his strength to his new homeland. It is a story not of one man only, but of humanity itself—a tale of exile and belonging, of sacrifice and reward, of the eternal quest to serve, to flourish, and to leave the world better than we found it.