Longer maternity leave … being more environmentally friendly … no student debt.
In celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday, RevNJ asked those brave enough to battle the heat at their Rev, White & Blue celebration Thursday at Rutgers to write their wants on what they call a “Wishing Wall” — a spot where visitors could write their wishes for today and the next 250 years.
The responses looked nothing like anything found in the Declaration of Independence or the U.S. Constitution.
Credible minimum wage that matches the cost of living … affordable health care.
What in the name of Madison and Jefferson is going on here?
Mike Keeler, marketing communications for Revolution NJ, had an answer.
“The New Jersey Historical Commission partners came up with the Wishing Wall,” he said. “We love it because it’s some place for people to engage.
“We don’t want them to just look at historical pictures and artifacts; we want to hear what they have to say.”
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There was no way to change the date of the celebration.
And it wasn’t so much that the musical acts and vendors had been booked months in advance, as much as this: July 2 is a hugely significant day in New Jersey history.
New Jersey adopted its first constitution on July 2, 1776. Yes, doing so two days before the Declaration of Independence.
But that didn’t change the fact it was unhealthily hot.
Organizers at RevNJ and Rutgers took many necessary precautions, creating hydration outlets and cooling centers — opening buildings and air-conditioned buses for anyone who wanted to escape the 100-plus degree temperatures that felt more like 115.
The weather was a bit more bearable at night, allowing for performances by Nick Jonas and Naughty by Nature (and Giselle Bellas, who actually was the best).
But during the day, the heat greatly reduced participation, especially on the ‘boardwalk’ avenue, where food vendors struggled to attract anyone in the opening hours of an event that started at 3.
The Wishing Wall was the exception.
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Renee Volger, of Colonia, was more than happy to participate in the exercise.
She wrote: “Respect for all.”
“I think we’re living in a world right now where we need to be accepting,” she said.
Volger, whose daughter graduated from Rutgers, said the idea of collecting thoughts has merit. She’s seen it work before.
When her children attended Oak Ridge Heights, a grammar school in Colonia, the school partnered with Kind Campaign, a youth organization that ran an anti-bullying program for students.
Each year, the school kept a scroll where kids could write their thoughts about kindness — starting fresh the following year.
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The Wishing Wall is not new.
Keeler said the program dates back to 2018, though RevNJ has ramped up its presence at events over the last few years.
And it’s not something that gets produced once and then thrown away. Keeler said the group is keeping all of the written wishes — along with audio soundbites collected from visitors — as a growing archive. Perhaps a time capsule to be revealed during our country’s 300th anniversary celebration.
What will it reveal about 2026? What will the biggest wish from our era be?
Keeler summed it up in one word: Hope.
“That’s me personally talking,” he said. “Just hope that at least 50 years from now we’ll still have our Democracy. It’s something we can’t take for granted. It’s something we have to fight for.”
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To be sure, there were plenty of thoughts that would have made our founding fathers proud.
Where the rule of law is respected … term limits … being fit to serve … restoration of the Voting Rights Act … honest government for the people.
The wall offered plenty of dreams and desires for peace, too.
To be a country of love, hope and peace … peace and togetherness … love, light, peace and unity.
We’ll leave you with a thought that could have just as easily been penned in 1776:
To live up to the aspiration of being a land of freedom and opportunity for everyone.
