What does life feel like on the country's 250th birthday?

“I would say it (America) is in turmoil. We are the richest third world country out there.”
Eric Rose, 55, Tenderloin resident.

A man wearing glasses, a black cap, a blue vest, and a brown hoodie sits outside on a sidewalk with his hands clasped. A blue door and blurred background are visible. — Eric Rose, 55, Tenderloin resident. Photo by Leslie Rabine

“250 … it’s more of a symbolic milestone. The America of 50 years ago is very different from the America of today.”

Kian Khazaei

Person with face painted in red, white, and blue stands outdoors holding a large American flag, wearing a Mustang sweatshirt; a crowd is visible in the background. — Kian Khazaei. Photo by Genesia Ting

“We’re slowly losing a lot of freedom over the last 250 years. It’s been embarrassing. If everyone were more present for a greater sense of community–less social media–that would be very helpful.”
Jonah Erickson, 21,

A person with blond hair and a beard poses in front of a wooden slat wall, flexing their arms and wearing a black t-shirt. — Jonah Erickson, 21, a barista at Hologram. Photo by Jay A. Martin

“Realistically, it’s more about the fireworks . I know the meaning behind the 4th of July but we also have to acknowledge that this is stolen land. It’s another year in a country where nothing is going to change.”
Favi Nogales

Person with long dark hair, glasses, and star earrings stands in front of a textured gray wall, wearing a light gray top and a sweater draped over their shoulders. — Favi Nogales, who was waiting for the 49 bus to head to a July 4th house party by Golden Gate Park. Photo by Aaliyah Español-Rivas

“Its a special day for the United States and for Latinos that live here because its given us so much that our home countries can’t give us.”
Lorena, who works at La Mejor Bakery

A woman stands behind the counter of a bakery, surrounded by pastries, a cash register, and various certificates and signs; a Mexican flag hangs in the background. — After closing the bakery early, Lorena plans on going to the park with her family and hosting a barbecue. Photo by Aaliyah Español-Rivas

“It’s very hard to speak on these subjects nowadays. This is a place where people can experience and grow.”
Daphne Hamilton, 27at a Tenderloin Park with her two young daughters

A woman wearing a black cap and green top stands outdoors in a sunny urban setting, with buildings, greenery, and mural art in the background. — Daphne Hamilton, 27. Photo by Leslie Rabine

“250 years to me means a great track record for a constitution made in the 18th century.”
Kenny Yanagisawa

Two people sit closely together on a blanket outdoors in a grassy area, smiling at the camera, with a crowd of people in the background. — Michael Silva (L), Kenny Yanagisawa (R) Photo by Genesia Ting

America is “a country with a lot of potential, but we have had better days. We need to continue to build on our strengths, not be brought down by our partisan politics.”
Michael Mehr, 72

A musician in a red shirt and blue pants plays a sousaphone with a "San Francisco Pride Band" sign while standing on a beachside path. — Michael Mehr, 72, a software engineer, originally from Greenville, PA. Photo by Jay A. Martin

“It’s where I was born and raised. I have a lot of pride in it.”
Vera Preece, 50, registered nurse

A woman with long brown hair stands on a beach path, wearing a dark jacket and a sweater with an American flag design. Homes and greenery are visible in the background. — Vera Preece, 50, a registered nurse. Photo by Jay A. Martin

“Politically, I can’t stand what is going on with the president.” The city, however has “done a great job here” in the Tenderloin. “It is much better.”
Michael Edwards, 63, clean and sober for 20 years.

An older man wearing a baseball cap, blue jacket, and lanyard sits outdoors in front of a metal fence and greenery. — Michael Edwards, a 63-year-old Tenderloin resident. Photo by Leslie Rabine

“We need more leaders like that (Zohran Mamdani, mayor of New York) who are getting things done. ” There are a lot of things “that aren’t so great that we can’t seem to really fix.”
Michaela Royer, a lifeguard and a communications studies graduate from SF State.

Two young women stand on a city sidewalk wearing untucked shirts, ties, and shorts; one holds a phone, and both smile slightly at the camera. — Tristen Reeder (L), Michaela Royer (R). Photo by Jay A. Martin

“Continual colonization.” Paige
“It means a lot of work still to be done.” Megana
Paige and Megana

Two women stand together smiling in a grassy field at dusk, with a crowd in the background and a lit-up bridge in the distance. One woman holds a drink. — Paige Cook (L) Megana Sekar (R) Photo by Genesia Ting

“It is a strong country and the culture is very, very good.”
Lisa Xu

Two older women stand outdoors, smiling at the camera. One wears a red coat and scarf, and the other wears a beige jacket and black hat. People and houses are visible in the background. — Amy Cai (L) Lisa Hu (R) Photo by Jay A. Martin

“As long as you have a little bit of luck, drive, and interest, a lot of things are open to you.”
Kristen Frick, grid innovator

A woman wearing a cap and jacket sits on a wooden bench near a beach, with buildings and a mural visible in the background. — Kristen Frick. Photo by Jay A. Martin

I am grateful for the privileges I have here, but it’s not much of a free country.”
Niyah Dahl, after school teacher

Two women with tattoos, one with curly blue hair, stand on a beach path, hugging and smiling at the camera with the ocean and sand in the background. — Niyah Dahl, after school teacher (L) Miley Nelsenador, restaurant server (R). Photo by Jay A. Martin

“I came out of Chile when there was a military dictatorship, and now we are going through almost the same thing in this country. We’re all hoping, hoping for the best, I love California with all my heart.”
Ivan Rojas, 66

A middle-aged man stands on a city street crosswalk with buildings, cars, and overcast sky in the background. — Ivan Rojas, 66. Photo by Jay A. Martin

“The fourth means celebrating America, with friends and family and really good food.”
Antonio Candelario

A man and a child stand on a sidewalk near a small grill in a park, with colorful houses and parked cars in the background. — Antonio Candelario and his 4-year-old daughter Sade. Photo by Aaliyah Español-Rivas

“We just appreciate where we’re at and just hope things get better and then don’t get worse.
Elliot Johnson,

Man sits on a stool in front of a pickup truck loaded with watermelons; a colorful sign on the truck reads "WATERMELONS FOR SALE. — Elliot Johnson, vendor. Photo by Hamza Fahmy

“I feel proud. I’m so happy that I am an American, I’m part of the tradition. A lot of people could focus on the negative portion of America, but my mindset is that we’re still a shining example, and I’m gonna do every portion in my body to just keep it shining.”
Michael Yannacone, a Mission native.

A person standing on a city sidewalk, smiling and draped in an American flag, with storefronts and trees visible in the background. — Michael Yannacone, a Mission native. Photo by Aaliyah Español-Rivas

“It’s nice to see people getting out in their community and talking to each other…That’s what I want to see from America despite everything that’s happening and what our government is doing.
Maddy Sage

Two women standing close together outdoors, smiling at the camera. One wears a red top, the other a white top and carries a large maroon bag. Bushes and concrete building in the background. — and Aapthi Magesh (L) and Maddy Sage (R) at Dolores Park. Photo by Aaliyah Español-Rivas

I‘m just hoping for peace today. I’ve been waiting to hear what our president is going to say. I hope it’s not something that people don’t want to remember...let everyone enjoy this day.
Gloria Wardell- Hampton