As we celebrate America’s 250th birthday this month, there will be no shortage of moments to reflect on our country’s rich history. We’ll gather with family, friends and neighbors to celebrate the freedoms we cherish, the opportunities we’ve been given and the generations who helped build the country we call home.

I hope we also spend some time thinking about the communities that shaped us. For me, that place is Alaska’s Kodiak Island.

I was born and raised there, and growing up in a place like Kodiak teaches you lessons that stay with you for life. You learn to respect the land and the water because they sustain everyone. You learn that your actions affect the people around you. Most importantly, you learn that the strength and security a community provides isn’t something we simply enjoy; it’s something we are each responsible for building and maintaining.

My first job was working on the back deck of my father’s commercial fishing boat. It wasn’t glamorous, but it taught me the value of hard work, consistency and being someone others could depend on. Those lessons became the foundation for everything that followed.

Today, I have the privilege of serving as president of Koniag, an Alaska Native regional corporation owned by nearly 5,000 Alutiiq shareholders whose roots trace back to the very place where I grew up. Every fall, I travel throughout our region to visit villages, reconnect with shareholders and spend time with old friends. Those visits remind me that leadership begins with listening. People want to know they are seen, heard and valued. Strong communities are built one relationship at a time.

As an Alaska Native woman, I also carry a unique perspective on what community means. Many of us are connected in multiple ways at once — as citizens of our tribes, shareholders of village and regional corporations, and customer-owners of tribal health organizations. Those aren’t just different institutions. Together, they represent a shared commitment to caring for one another across generations. They remind us that our well-being is interconnected and that every person has something to contribute.

I believe those lessons and connections extend well beyond Alaska.

It’s easy today to focus on what divides us. But our strongest communities have never been built on complete agreement. They’ve been built on shared responsibility, mutual respect and people choosing to contribute something larger than themselves.

In fact, Americans continue to agree on many of the values that have defined our country for generations. The public opinion and research firm LSG recently conducted a national survey and found that 96% of likely voters believe working hard and being self-reliant are essential to being American. Another 96% believe treating everyone equally regardless of background is important, while 97% say freedom and individual rights remain fundamental to our national identity. Those numbers are a reminder that the values holding this country together are often much stronger than the disagreements that dominate our attention.

That gives me hope as we celebrate this milestone.

I see tremendous promise in the next generation. They care deeply about their communities. They want to make a difference. They are asking important questions while finding new ways to solve old problems. If we take the time to listen to one another and stay grounded in the values that have always sustained our communities — respect, responsibility and service — I believe America’s best days are still ahead.

Shauna Hegna is president of Koniag, an Alaska Native regional corporation.