Carly Fiorina, National Honorary Chair of the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission, shares why the Commonwealth’s story—and its citizens—are central to understanding who we are as a nation and who we aspire to be.
Q&A with Carly Fiorina, National Honorary Chair – Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission (VA250)
By Megan Williams / Photo courtesy of ColonialWilliamsburg.org
As the nation approaches its 250th anniversary in 2026, Virginia is preparing to take center stage. The Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission—known as VA250—is leading the Commonwealth’s commemoration of the Semiquincentennial, a nationwide reflection on America’s founding, growth, and ongoing story. Through statewide programs, local events, and educational initiatives, VA250 invites Virginians to explore how “America was made in Virginia”—and what that means today.
VA250’s theme is “America was made in Virginia.” What does that phrase mean to you personally, and why do you think it’s an important message for Virginians today?
To me, “America was made in Virginia” is a reminder that this Commonwealth was the testing ground for so many of the ideas that still define us as a nation. The promise and the problems of America showed up here first. Early experiments in representative government, but also the grave injustices of slavery and displacement. Saying “America was made in Virginia” isn’t a slogan, it’s a responsibility. It means Virginians have a special opportunity—and obligation—to understand our history honestly, take pride in our progress, learn from our failures, and carry those lessons forward. If we do that well, we help the entire country remember who we are and what we’re capable of.
Virginia played a defining role in our nation’s founding—from early democracy in Jamestown to leadership in independence. How do you see those stories continuing to shape America’s identity?
Our national identity has always been rooted in ideas, not bloodlines or borders. Many of those ideas were debated, refined, and fought over here in Virginia. The notion that government derives its just powers from the consent of the governed, that people have inherent rights, that power must be restrained—those aren’t abstract concepts. They emerged from real people, on real soil, making real choices. When we remember that, we stop treating our system as something automatic or guaranteed. We see it instead as an inheritance that must be renewed. Virginia’s founding stories remind us that America is a work in progress, shaped by character and courage, one generation at a time.
As National Honorary Chair, what aspects of Virginia’s history do you most hope people rediscover through VA250 events?
I hope people rediscover the full story. Not just the familiar names and dates, but the countless men and women—well-known and unknown—whose grit, faith, ingenuity, and sacrifice moved history forward. I want Virginians to see how enslaved people, Native communities, women, immigrants, soldiers, and citizens all played essential roles. I also want us to reconnect with the idea that ordinary people, close to the problems, have always been essential to the solutions. When people see themselves in the story—not just as spectators of history, but as heirs to it—they’re more likely to engage, to serve, and to lead in their own communities.
The Semiquincentennial is both a celebration and a reflection. What do you hope Americans take away from this milestone?
I hope Americans come away with a renewed sense of gratitude and responsibility. Gratitude that we live in the only nation in history founded on ideas about human dignity and self-government—and responsibility to live up to those ideas. A 250th anniversary is not about nostalgia; it’s about perspective. We see how far we’ve come, how much we’ve overcome, and also where we’ve fallen short. Holding pride and pain together is hard work, but it’s what mature nations do. If we can do that together, we’ll emerge from 2026 with a stronger sense of who we are and what we owe to one another as citizens.
As a former Fortune 50 CEO and Virginia resident, how do you see leadership—past and present—playing a role in our state’s story?
Leadership is always about more than titles. In Virginia’s story and in my own experience, the most important leaders are often the ones closest to the problem who choose to act with courage and integrity. Our history is filled with famous leaders, but it’s also filled with teachers, pastors, entrepreneurs, parents, and community organizers who saw a need and stepped forward. Good leadership always holds freedom and responsibility together, rights and duties together. When leaders—whether in business, government, or the community—remember that their job is to serve, to listen, and to leave things better than they found them, they carry on the best of Virginia’s legacy.
If you could choose one takeaway for every Virginian to remember about our nation’s 250th anniversary, what would it be?
I would want every Virginian to remember that our history is not just something to admire or critique from a distance—it is something we inherit and continue. We are the stewards of a remarkable experiment in self-government, born in large part here in Virginia. That experiment has endured through wars, crises, injustices, and profound change because generation after generation chose to work toward a more perfect union. The question for each of us is simple: knowing this history, what will I do—right where I am—to strengthen my community, serve my neighbors, and live up to the ideals that made America possible in the first place?
Author: VisitVirginia
