My Dad was born in 1950, as a black man he was raised in a country where he couldn’t vote in every state, a protection that didn’t get put into place until he was a freshman in high school. A few years latter he was given the choice of prison or Vietnam at the age of 18.

This was at a time when he was still too young to legally vote as the voting age wouldn’t become 18 until he was already in Vietnam. He was 21 in 1971 when he legally was able to vote. It is easy to think of voting rights and civil rights as a long ago history. But it isn’t.

We have a lot of work to do as a country to continue on our path of iterating on the dream that our forefathers put to paper. It is on every person and generation to fight for a future that is equitable to all, where all Americans have the opportunity to succeed.

My fathers generation cemented the right to vote for my generation. This is foundational in any democratic system. But also foundational to this American system is business and entrepreneurship, both of which drive economic freedom and independence.

It is my generations mandate to continue to push this country forward on civil rights. To ensure black and brown communities have economic opportunities to thrive and succeed in a modern economy. To ensure we have equal access to capital to invest in community.

To invest not just in education and stem, but in business in the community. Back black and brown entrepreneurs in these communities and supporting them with capital and mentorship.

I was born in 1991, and I want my son one day to write a tweet that talks about how his fathers generation helped create economic empowerment for his community. Helped bring down rampant generational wealth inequality by helping bring business into the hands of the community.

We must build on the previous generations effort. Electoral empowerment was won, though must still be protected; and now we are on a journey to achieve and gain economic equality. This means doing what’s right. This means not being okay with just not being racist.

It means being anti-racist. It means looking at every structure in business and asking ourselves how it may not be providing equitable access to all people-no matter your gender, race or ethnicity. It means asking hard questions and being okay with being uncomfortable.

This is the America we all deserve to have. The capitalist system we all deserve and the democracy we all must protect.