At the American Cornerstone Institute’s third annual Founders Dinner last Saturday, I was honored to present awards to two of our esteemed friends, Javaid Anwar and Bob Unanue. I can’t think of a more fitting place to make this presentation than George Washington’s estate at Mount Vernon, the home of the “indispensable man” who did so much for our nation and offered a model for generations of citizens to come. Our two recipients are men in that same vein, and that’s precisely why we chose to honor them this year.

Javaid Anwar, recipient of the first-ever My American Dream Award, was born in Pakistan and raised by a single mother who worked as a telephone operator. After high school, Anwar bought a one-way ticket to the United States and attended the University of Wyoming, where he studied petroleum engineering. Through his hard work, Anwar completed his education and landed a job in the oil and gas industry in Texas before starting his own drilling business in 1984.

But Anwar also believes that, in his own words, “if you are blessed, you share it.” As his business has grown, Anwar has emerged as one of the most prolific philanthropists in the nation, and he has been recognized with a variety of prestigious honors, including the Outstanding Businessman and Entrepreneur Award, the Philanthropist of the Year Award, and the Businessman of the Year Award.

Bob Unanue, CEO of Goya Foods (the country’s largest Hispanic-owned food producer), was our Founder’s Award recipient this year. Unanue grew up in suburban New Jersey, where his family spoke English, despite Spanish being his first-generation immigrant father’s family language, because they wanted to embrace American values and American culture.

After studying accounting at Merrimack College, Unanue took over Goya Foods in 2004, making him the third-generation Unanue to run the company. Under Bob’s leadership, Goya Foods has grown into the country’s largest Hispanic-owned food producer. But despite this success, Unanue operates with the mindset of a “servant leader” and strives to live modestly and thoughtfully, instead focusing his time and resources on improving his company and the lives of his employees. Unanue famously faced backlash for supporting President Donald Trump in July 2020, but the subsequent attempts at a “boycott” ended up turning into a “buycott,” as Goya Foods saw sales boom after Unanue’s remarks.

Both of these men were honored because they embody the very promise of America. Through faith, hard work, and determination, they have fully lived out the American dream — and benefited everyone around them along the way. They didn’t rely on the government to get where they are, and they know firsthand the power of the free market and the ingenuity that is unleashed when government steps out of the way. They also both fully embraced American life and American culture throughout their lives, rather than trying to change our country and turn it into something it’s not.

They love their country, they love its values, they love their creator, and they give back to those around them. That is what America is all about. Both of these men are an inspiration to all of us on how to live as better citizens.

Dr. Ben Carson is the founder and chairman of the  American Cornerstone Institute .