The American Dream Project
“For me, the American Dream is the opportunity that we have to grow and achieve goals that we have for ourselves and those who will come after us. For my parents that meant leaving a village in Mexico to be able to find work and raise a family together and give us opportunities, they didn’t,” said Brissa Bravo.
By: Jazmin Navarrete, Belen Hernandez, and Jorge Hernandez
She had just turned 11-years-old, and five months later in April 1991, her parents brought her to the United States. Fani Gonzalez knew that being the youngest of her siblings she would have more opportunities to achieve the American Dream her family came looking for.
The American dream is the idea in which equal opportunity is available to any American, which allows the highest aspirations and goals to be achieved. For decades people from all over the world have come to the United States searching for that dream, although now it also inspires hope for stability and prosperity.
Gonzalez had the opportunity to get an early start to American education. She worked hard to learn English which granted her the ability to attend college. Even though she only attended college for one year it was still an opportunity, which is one that many don’t get.
Her goal has always been to help her parents and give her children a better future. It’s the same goal she has implemented onto her children as they are first-generation Americans.
“The American Dream to me is becoming financially independent, buying my first home, becoming my own boss, and sending all my kids to college,” said Gonzalez.
Like Gonzalez, Fiorella agrees that being first-generation American is important in an immigrant household because it means they have better opportunities in being successful in life. The ability to be successful allows them to give back to people in their lives that have helped them achieve their goals.
“Being part of the first generation in my family, I have to work harder than others just in order to accomplish my goals. The American Dream means being financially stable. Enough where I can take care of my parents. My parents have sacrificed so much for me to even think of those goals to be achievable in my lifetime,” Fiorella said.
Brissa Bravo believes that the American Dream establishes success that can be passed down from generation to generation. Bravo, like Fiorella, understands the sacrifices their parents made in order to give her family a better life.
¨For me, the American Dream is the opportunity that we have to grow and achieve goals (dreams)that we have for ourselves and those who will come after us. For my parents that meant leaving a village in Mexico to be able to find work and raise a family together and give us opportunities, they didn’t,¨ Bravo said.
One common goal many immigrants share, like Gonzalez, is the ability to provide a better life for their children and establishing the idea that they need to work hard in order to achieve their goals.
Although this idea can be implemented to children from a young age, Genesis Fabiola believes that The American Dream can alter as a person grows.
“I think the end goal is the same. The focus is usually to achieve it for your family. The focus may change from an individual wanting to achieve for their parents or themselves to wanting to achieve it for their own children. So like the past and future generation,” Fabiola said.
Many people come to the United States to create their own version of the American Dream, in search of a better life for themselves and their families, but for many, that journey is difficult because it leads to sacrifices and compromises. One of those sacrifices is leaving their countries and families behind for many years. In many cases, they can’t go back to visit their families due to their status.
It presents the question of whether chasing the American dream is worth it or not.
“It depends on the situation of the person. Some people die trying and some can proudly say ‘Yes I accomplished it,¨ Isabel Leon said.
Bianca Sachez believes that the American Dream is worth the risk when their goals are not only on materialistic success.
“The American Dream today can be worth it depending on how you view it. Like many, individuals are losing sight of what really matters in life and focus on rather unimportant stuff. Such as a big house and flashy car, but really we should focus on the emotional and spiritual side of things and the American Dream which is becoming successful,” Sachez said.
As people come to America to start a better life, they face many hardships. At times this changes who they are, for better or for worse. For many immigrants and their children, the American Dream alters from generation to generation. But the idea of being successful and providing for their families stays the same.
This was the case for Ricky Argumendo, a barber at The Art of Shaving.
“I definitely think the American Dream changes as you grow. Right out of High School I thought I wanted to be a doctor. But as the years passed, that changed because I had kids. My perspective in life changed and I went from thinking of myself to think of how I could make their lives better. I think dealing with the difficulties of being a parent and raising kids, morphed into being a good dad, and providing for them to leave something behind for them once I’m gone,” Ricky Argumedo.
For some people, like Toni Galeano, a good accomplishment is not always materialistic success rather it is knowing that their hard work paid off.
“I’ve accomplished my dream. I got an education, graduated from high school, I started my career in banking right after high school and I’ve been in the banking industry since then, but I believe there’s more opportunity now then there was back then, because before college wasn’t available to everyone. Now, most of the colleges are open to so many people,” Galeano said.
Sandra Sisneros believes that anyone can accomplish their American Dream by setting goals for themselves.
“Yes, I do think the American Dream is attainable to everyone if you set yourself up for some type of goal in life. Because if you’re not working towards anything then you’re not exactly planning for your future,” Sisneros said.
The American Dream allows people of different backgrounds to work for their own version of success. Everyone’s journey is uniquely theirs but it’s about working hard towards something better in order to be happy.
“The American Dream means to me to achieve success by working hard, taking every opportunity, and making the best out of it. Ultimately just to be successful. Even when you are successful you need to keep working hard,” said Jerome Viray.
