Twenty-five years ago, I watched 9/11 unfold from a movie theater in Hyderabad, not realizing how profoundly it would shape the world I was about to enter. An immigrant’s reflection on terrorism, belonging and polarization—and what living through the 25 years since has taught me about the difficult conversations diverse societies can no longer afford to avoid.

As America turns 250, an immigrant reflects on gratitude, change and the country's enduring capacity for renewal.