Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Guardian readers

What does it mean to be American? Share your story

Home to the largest mosque in North America, Dearborn has been thrown into conflict about fear, ideology and identity politics the last year. Simultaneously a sleepy affluent suburb and the subject of rumours around Isis terror cells and sharia law, it is a place of apparent contradictions.

The documentary Dearborn, Michigan takes us into the lives of five very different citizens who have been caught in the crossfire, from Muslims to Christians, citizen militias and young university graduates. For all, their American identity is paramount. As they grapple with questions of religion, race and class, do these separate communities have more in common than they realise?

Share your experiences

We’d like to hear what you think it means to be American. What does the word mean to you? What do you think of the current state of the US and how do you think it has changed? Have you had any experiences which have made you question what it means to you or other Americans? What do you think the future of America looks like?

You can do so by filling in the form below, anonymously if you wish. Your responses are secure as the form is encrypted and only the Guardian has access to your contributions. We’ll feature some of your responses in our reporting.


Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.