What holds America together — heritage or values? Culture or policy? In this episode of Restitch America, host Alma Ohene-Opare sits down with political commentator Cler Patriot to explore one of the most defining questions of our time: does immigration work without assimilation?
Inspired by the article “Immigration Without Assimilation” on Willful Positivity, this conversation goes beyond politics and dives into what makes the American experiment possible in the first place — a shared culture, a common language, and a commitment to the ideals written into the Constitution.
Alma and Cler discuss:
Why the U.S. historically required assimilation to thrive
How identity politics and cultural fragmentation weaken unity
The difference between honoring heritage and rejecting American values
Why assimilation isn’t erasure — it’s participation
What happens when immigrant communities are encouraged to separate rather than integrate
How we can rebuild a culture of shared responsibility and civic identity
From lived experience to cultural observation, Alma and Cler explore the tension between diversity and unity — and why real patriotism means adding your story to the American story, not tearing pages out of it.
If you believe that America can be a unified nation of many backgrounds, this episode is for you.
Join the conversation — and help Restitch America, one shared value at a time.
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