In Search of The American Dream
The idea of the ‘American Dream’ is one of the many reasons that people immigrate to America. While people come for many different reasons — such as to escape political or religious persecution, for a job or an education, or to join family members living in this country — the goal is the same: To build a better life.
The term ‘American Dream’ was coined by James Truslow Adams during the Great Depression, according to Odyssey Online. In his book Epic of America, Adams wrote, “But there has been also The American Dream, that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for every man, with opportunity for each according to his ability or achievement.” Based on this quote, we can assume that the basis of the American Dream is materialistic, but this is not the case for all. For some, the American Dream is safety, security, and structure. To get some personal insights on what the American Dream means today, I (virtually) sat down with business leaders who immigrated to America to share their stories for a Consciously Unbiased LinkedIn Live conversation.
We talked about the challenges and sacrifices that often come with immigrating to America and how that change affects immigrants’ lifestyle, such as needing to build a support system, the difficult process of adapting to a new life, and the value of hard work. Here are some key takeaways.
The American Dream is More Than Dreaming; It’s Hard Work
“When people say, ‘I want to achieve the American dream,’ I think they’re missing a couple of words in that sentence,” says Trishan Peiris, Global Head of Client Relations at Pontoon Solutions. “It needs to be, ‘I want to work my butt off, and then achieve the American dream.’ A lot of people forget the first component.”
What It Costs To Immigrate
“As immigrants, I believe we are coming here because we desire more and we want to do better,” says Laura Espriu, Talent and Development and DEI at Twitter. “This is who we are. However, I also think sometimes we miss how much it’s costing us in terms of our physical and mental health. There are many things we’re leaving behind.”
Assimilating Doesn’t Mean Losing Your Heritage
“Assimilation is also about finding that balance between what you want to preserve from your own heritage and traditions, but at the same time assimilating to a new culture in a new country that is embracing you and welcoming you,” says Mebs Kassam, Senior Advisory Solution Consultant at ServiceNow.
Be a Role Model
“If you have a leadership position, you can help others,” says Andreina Botto, Diversity and Inclusion Lead at the United Nations. “Also teaching them the lessons learned that you had to learn the hard way, as well as be kind, work hard, treat everybody like a human being, regardless of where they come from or their area of socioeconomic background. Walk the talk and be a role model.”
Trust Yourself
“If you are the (only) one and you’re struggling on your own, you really have to look back to your own experiences and remind yourself that you’ve come this far,” says Roo Wisidagama, Variant Scientist at Labcorp Women’s Health. “(When) you’re struggling on your own, draw the strength to persevere through your struggles by reminding yourself you’ve done it before and you can get through.”
Dream Big, One Step at a Time
“The message is, ‘Think big, act small.’ That’s what has been working for me. I have big, big dreams,” Laura says. “I believe if we have big dreams and we act small, sometimes that’s all that it takes.”
I think what the American Dream signifies is that you have to realize your potential. The infrastructure is there; there are not so many barriers to stop you from being who you are and achieving where you want to go. To me, the American Dream is stability, safety, and opportunity. As Americans, we should do our best to continue to find unity in diversity and support those who have left all they know behind to start anew here in America.
