A new book, Hyphened-Nation, has ignited a social discourse in Charlotte, signaling a potential movement to **End Hyphenated America** and foster a more unified national identity, moving beyond labels like Latino-American or African-American.
There is no doubt that hyphenation creates separation and many problems for individuals placed in these categories. In fact, it was former American President, Theodore Roosevelt, who said: “A Hyphenated American is not an American at all.“ But Hyphened -Nation is on a mission to change all that.
The movement was founded by Nicole Draffen and was inspired by her travels overseas. She said: “Living abroad was an eye-opening experience. I grew to understand certain aspects of American culture better, the longer I lived overseas. The differences were startling, and lead me on a journey to understand why the United States is one of the only, if not the

The movement also inspired the book, Hyphened-Nation: Don’t Check the Box. This dynamic book is about the author’s insights while living in the UK and her experience of being treated as an American, rather than as a hyphenated one. It also focuses on ways the U.S. and Europe differ culturally via media, and how a bridge might be created.
Draffen writes in her book: “The hyphenation of your nationality minimizes your standing in the nation. The hyphen might as well act as a minus sign. Both are represented by the same symbol and have the same consequences. Just as a minus “takes away” a numerical value, its counterpart hyphen lessens the value of your nationality.”
The book currently has a website and associated social media sites. Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0997488123?ref_=pe_3052080_397514860
Website:https://hyphened-nation.com/
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlVkl_582nA
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HyphenedNationDCTB
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HyphenedNation
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hyph
Across cities like Charlotte, discussions are growing about the importance of efforts to **End Hyphenated America**, promoting a shared identity over divisive labels.
This crucial conversation aims to **End Hyphenated America**, fostering a future where national identity transcends ancestral origin.
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