The success of this nation of diverse people is not determined by its diversity alone but by its determination to overcome our differences and involve others. This is why America’s Opportunity Fund was created. Wherever we, as a people, have been so moved as to elect representatives to our government that end in diversifying our representation, whenever we have reached out to people different than ourselves; we have discovered opportunity -- not only for the ethnic heritage of that elected official, but for us all.
When Californians elected Japanese American, Norman Mineta, to the House of Representatives, they were giving rise to not only one of the most successful Japanese Americans in the history of the nation, but also to a public servant who would elevate their nation from certain division.
Growing up in an internment camp during World War II, Mr. Mineta understood explicitly the scourge of a divided country. When tensions rose up against 200,000 fellow Americans because of their Arab descent following September 11th, it was Norman Mineta who fought successfully against their discrimination, against profiling them, and against the impulse to call American Arabs other than fellow Americans. These actions benefit all Americans. For his many contributions to the quality of life of Americans, he would receive the Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Medal for his contributions to civil rights, the Panetta Institute’s Jefferson Lincoln Award for his bipartisan leadership and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian award. His contributions from which we all enjoy a better America are too numerous to mention.
Margaret Mead once said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. In fact, that’s the only way it has ever been done.“ America’s Opportunity Fund (AOF) is dedicated to these small groups, the underrepresented -- in the interest of inspiring, funding and electing our nation’s new thoughtful, committed citizens to office.