Why Jose Rizal is Our National Hero

I visited a classroom today and spoke to a grade six student that is doing a History Day exhibit on Jose Rizal. This year's theme is "The Individual in History: Actions and Legacies." The encounter was a very inspiring one--to have a young student learn about the life of the most influential individuals in Philippine history. At that age, I was not thinking about heroes of Philippine descent. My heroes were of different cultures. There is power and understanding in knowing about a hero of the same ethnicity. It is empowering and inspiring.