…when this is your home, you inherit something remarkable: the protections in the First Amendment- free religion, free speech, free press, free assembly, free petition. This fundamental right belongs to everyone.
~Weijia Jiang, Emmy Award-winning television journalist
There was a standout message at the Correspondents’ Dinner that reflected America’s best. This came from Emmy Award-winning television journalist Weijia Jiang.
Jiang paid tribute to her family, immigrants who worked hard in a small town in West Virginia, and to public-school teachers! It turned out to be a very American moment, a reminder of the country we were designed throughout history to be.
President Trump’s condescending speech overshadowed it, so I want to discuss Jiang’s speech below. Before Trump took to the mic, reporters were also honored who courageously took stands, often against Trump. This is what the free press is supposed to do.
Jiang’s personal recollection of how she became a top-notch journalist, as a woman (there is that, and she spoke well to it), made points much deeper than a girl who simply made good in the profession she loved.
At a time when this presidency has turned on the people who make this country great—our immigrants and public school teachers—Jiang described how her family came to America and settled in a rural West Virginia town.
For me personally, as the granddaughter of immigrants, Jiang’s speech resonated. I know how hard those who come to this country work, and I know how much we owe them for their labor and belief in a nation that is supposed to open its doors to them.
My guess is Jiang likely had in her mind ICE, funded to the tune of an accumulated $113.5 billion in cumulative funding since mid-2025, sweeping cities and towns, keeping a quota of arrests. Many have not been fairly afforded an easy entry into this country.
Think how that money could be used to lift Americans, helping those wanting to be here realize their dreams, not condemn them! Why couldn’t leaders succeed at creating a system that, with fair, safe, and appropriate vetting, rolls out a welcome mat to new Americans?
I deeply appreciated Jiang’s hat tip to the public school teachers who encouraged her to follow her path, because that’s what good teachers do.
She spoke about the love of her immigrant family; a message so desperately needed at this time when immigrants are scorned instead of celebrated. She described growing up in a West Virginia town. We also know the struggles facing many of those in rural West Virginia. I’m wondering where this administration or others are when it comes to their needs.
As Jiang spoke about her immigrant family, believing in the American dream, and how they supported her, I considered how immigrant families today aren’t always able to help their children. What happens when they’re separated?
I am reminded and pleased that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to block this administration’s plan to dismantle an Obama administration protection of 700,000 DREAMers, children of undocumented immigrants, from deportation. The vote was 5-4, though. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the opinion.
I very much appreciated Jiang’s hat tip to that loving family process, and then she describes the public school teachers who lift students.
Too often, and unjustly, we hear that teachers fail to hold high expectations of their students. But Jiang puts that notion to rest. Her middle school teacher believed in her and encouraged her so much that Jiang had her come to the dinner! It sounded like all the teachers at her school were top notch helping her succeed.
Jiang especially praised her eighth-grade public school teacher, Mrs. Williams. She could have simply used the word “teacher,” but instead she said, “public school teacher,” essentially giving a nod to all of America’s public school teachers. When teachers are often lumped together as bad, Jiang generalized her situation to good teachers across the country. It also demonstrated how much teachers care about their students’ success.
One could not help but think about Jiang’s humble words and thank her for her shout-out to her teacher invited to the dinner, and those teachers across the country. We know that there are many teachers who go to great lengths to protect their students from ICE. Who work with second language students, children with disabilities, and more, to help them to assimilate into America, to feel welcomed, no matter who they are, and not rejected.
Jiang spoke to the immigrants in her speech and she spoke to the teachers, but mostly she spoke to all Americans and those who still dream of becoming one.
In my humble opinion, that’s the most important part of what American’s should have gotten out of the Correspondent’s Dinner. It was the best speech of the night and reflected goodness, not hate!
Thank you for this.
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