The We Got Mojo authors are having a get together next May to celebrate the world by doing good. We have singled out six charities that some of us lead and many support to help make these charities better able to serve their constituents. The charities range from a group helping those engulfed by sex slavery to addiction prevention and recovery and include helping African women learn to read and write, helping disabled veterans, and helping and mentoring kids of service personnel killed in action.

Guess what, you can do the same. We don’t need to wait for help from governments, we can provide help to the needy ourselves. You will be happier when you help someone reach a new milestone. Remember, the happiest people don’t have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything they have! Get your mojo going and help someone.

American economic and social policies can rebuild our country much the same way Silicon Valley continues to rebuild itself as a magnet for innovation, and economic growth. America’s freedom attracts the best of the best in the entire world. Yes, I am an immigrant. I have lived here for over 56 years and I have lived and continue to live the American dream (read my book We Got Mojo!).

While I agree with creating an economic and regulatory climate that fosters growth and innovation, new manufacturing, and great prosperity, there are two absolutely necessary anchors to our future success. First, our schools need to graduate out of high schools, tech schools and colleges highly relevant, excellent quality graduates to fill the jobs of today and the future. Mediocrity cannot be tolerated. I urge educators to re-examine the purpose of education in a growing economic environment. Our graduates should not be mired in dead-end careers with huge educational loans to repay to boot. Our high schools and colleges need to become more relevant and do so quickly. This is a challenge that will be easier said than done but it is indeed crucial. Parents, teachers, their unions, government and alternative schools need to work together rather than fight. My message to parents is to fight for the best education for your kids as ultimately this is the most important contribution you can make to them . Second best is not good enough today. Teachers unions, my message to you is let’s be part of the solution in a new world and with new ideas. Past approaches will not likely work now or in the future.

Second, we need an intelligent merit based immigration policy. We need to bring the best of the best in the world to fill the positions that American businesses cannot fill with American labor alone. Let’s turn America again into a true magnet of talent by developing an intelligent and efficient immigration policy that attracts the best in the world especially when such talent is not readily available within our own shores. Let’s verify that our immigrants have good intentions but let’s not take forever to process them.

Finally, let’s settle the pathway for those immigrants who are here and came in illegally but their only sin was wanting a better life for their families. Let’s create a dignified solution for those immigrants who have worked diligently and committed no crimes in their life in America. I am not suggesting immediate citizenship but instead a clear merit-based process that may take several years but if they follow it they can be assured that they can become permanent residents.

Efficient intelligent immigration policies, educational realignments in our schools to produce better, more relevant graduates and economically supportive business policies coupled with better border security and a pathway for immigrants living here without any crime albeit not having legal entry papers will bring dignity and growth to America again. We can all get behind that as it represents the true American spirit.