North to South — We Are the Americas

We, the people who dwell upon the lands of the Americas, declare that no border can erase our common humanity, no national name can diminish the dignity of another, and no political boundary changes the truth that we share these lands, waters, skies, responsibilities, and future.

From the northern reaches of North America, through Canada, the United States, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, and throughout South America toward its southernmost lands, we are the peoples of the Americas.

We are many nations.

We are many cultures.

We speak many languages.

We inherit different histories.

And still, we belong to one human family.

WE DECLARE

Every person is born with inherent worth.

Every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, create, speak, dream, work, worship according to conscience, and become responsible for the life placed in their stewardship.

Government exists to serve people—not to erase their humanity.

Borders establish jurisdictions; they need not establish hatred.

Citizenship identifies our responsibilities within nations; it need not prevent us from recognizing our responsibilities to one another.

Independence does not require isolation.

Individual liberty does not require indifference.

National sovereignty does not require hostility between neighbors.

And unity does not require sameness.

WE DECLARE OUR INDEPENDENCE FROM “CAN’T”

We reject the belief that our differences make cooperation impossible.

We reject the assumption that another person’s language, birthplace, ancestry, nation, state, province, territory, or community makes that person less worthy of dignity.

We reject the idea that we must destroy one another to stand independently.

Instead:

WE CAN.

We can govern ourselves.

We can respect boundaries.

We can honor our neighbors.

We can protect children.

We can care for the land.

We can preserve history.

We can learn from one another.

We can disagree without becoming enemies.

We can leave something better for those who come after us.

And when something needs to be done:

WE DO.

THE LAND

These continents do not belong merely to one generation.

Mountains, deserts, forests, rivers, coastlines, farms, cities, villages and wilderness existed before us and, with responsible stewardship, will remain after us.

We therefore accept stewardship alongside liberty.

Freedom carries responsibility.

Rights carry responsibility.

Property carries responsibility.

Knowledge carries responsibility.

Power carries responsibility.

And with age, experience and opportunity comes the responsibility to teach those following behind us how to care for what has been entrusted to them.

GOD’S CHILDREN

For those of us who believe in God, we recognize these lands as God’s creation and the people upon them as God’s children.

No passport determines a person’s worth before God.

No boundary changes the value of a human soul.

Our faith should therefore call us toward greater responsibility for one another—not domination over one another.

For those who understand these principles through another faith, tradition, philosophy, or conscience, the invitation remains the same:

Protect human dignity. Honor agency. Practice stewardship. Be a good neighbor.

OUR NATIONS REMAIN OUR NATIONS

This declaration does not erase Canada.

It does not erase the United States.

It does not erase Mexico.

It does not erase any sovereign nation, Indigenous nation, territory, community, culture, language, or people throughout the Americas.

Unity does not mean erasure.

Unity means learning how to stand together while remaining ourselves.

We can love our homes without despising someone else’s.

We can honor our countries while recognizing something geographically and humanly larger than any single country:

THE AMERICAS.

FROM NORTH TO SOUTH

Let our declaration travel farther than a border.

Let it cross mountains.

Let it follow rivers.

Let it cross deserts and forests.

Let it reach cities, farms, reservations, pueblos, islands, neighborhoods and individual homes.

Let every generation hear something stronger than DON’T.

Let them hear:

CAN.

Let them learn something stronger than merely saying what ought to happen.

Let them learn:

DO.

WE CAN.

WE DO.

WE STAND.

WE SERVE.

WE BUILD.

WE CARE.