Neither Myth Nor Fact: The American Dream from the Eyes of Students

The spirit of the American Dream has been at the core of America since the country’s inception. Walking the streets of New York, it’s impossible to miss: mom-and-pop shops serving a rich mix of cuisines line the sidewalk, while stalls, flags, and murals celebrating diverse cultural traditions plaster buildings. They hold within them the legacies of love, hard work, and relentless sacrifice that immigrants have left on American soil. Such diversity represents how, in the 249 years since America’s founding, the millions of immigrants who have arrived on its shores have fundamentally transformed the country into what it is today. The reason the American Dream has endured for so long is simple: the dream is not rigid, but instead always adapting.

The American Dream has been defined many times and takes on different meanings for different generations. In a survey of students at Stuyvesant and other high schools across the city, students described what the American Dream meant to them as first and second-generation immigrants. Senior Risa Aarlev described, “[The American Dream is] social mobility and the idea that […] you’ll be able to pull yourself up by your bootstraps and become successful by working hard enough.” Aarlev’s emphasis on the importance of hard work as the driving factor for success can be traced throughout American history. From the immigrants who toiled endlessly to build America’s railroads and infrastructure, to those who pioneered new industries across the 19th and 20th centuries, America would not be the same without the tireless efforts of these communities.

Though the common sentiment is that the American Dream is a belief in success through hard work, the picture of “success” varies based on the individual. When asked what he understood the American Dream to be, junior Nafis Mahim had a simple answer: “millions of dollars.” For many immigrants, the United States offers unique social mobility and chances for economic advancement. Others, though, had a more detailed vision. Senior Tracy Par answered, “[The American Dream is] the classic 9-5 stable job with a permanent home [and] an all-American family living in it.” For some, a realized American Dream is about what wealth can offer; to sophomore Benjamin Xie, it’s about “work[ing] hard to earn enough to have kids and live a happy life.” These answers represent a spectrum, from Mahim’s more conventional “rags to riches” narrative, to Par’s response rooted in familial stability, to Xie’s focus on spiritual and emotional fullness. This wide spectrum reflects the diverse values and beliefs passed down from generation to generation that define the rich composition of American society. There is no single correct interpretation of the American Dream, only separate priorities for different individuals, whether they be material or emotional. Still, a common thread in these definitions is pursuing an improved quality of life.

While the American Dream still touches every aspect of diverse American life, faith in the American Dream has slipped. A survey from Axios, conducted just two months ago in July, found that a combined 70 percent of American adults believe the American Dream is out of reach, with nearly half arguing it no longer exists, while the other fifth argues it never did. It is not hard to understand why this pattern occurs. The violent immigrant policies of the Trump administration have torn immigrant families apart and left communities in a state of perpetual danger. On top of that, the growing wealth gap has created a perceived ceiling to mobility that disproportionately affects minority communities, as the top 10 percent of the population control two-thirds of the nation’s wealth while the bottom 50 percent only hold 2.5 percent of wealth. While the survey numbers aren’t comprehensive, they exhibit a clear reason for growing pessimism as the achievability of the American Dream is directly correlated with the shifting national attitudes and policies. 

As a result, it isn’t surprising that some students echo that pessimism wholeheartedly, seeing the American Dream as an unrealistic ideal. When asked to rate how much she believed in the American Dream on a scale of one to 10, sophomore Olivia Liu selected one, showing she believed that the American Dream is a myth. Liu explained, “[There are] so many systemic and institutional things that prevent it from starting.” For example, current crackdowns on immigration pose barriers to finding jobs and building a life in America. Upholding this idea, William Napoli, a senior at Regis High School who selected a four, expressed, “For many citizens living in poverty or suffering through health struggles, the American Dream is surely out of reach, which is in part due to soaring house prices and wage stagnation.” Liu and Napoli’s explanations show that when the odds are stacked against immigrants and other vulnerable communities, it seems wrong and even deceptive to continue pushing a utopian version of success built solely on one’s own effort. 

Despite these more extreme viewpoints, for most respondents, belief in the achievability of the American Dream fell somewhere in the middle. Of the 22 responses, the median response was a six, and the mode was a seven. When explaining why she picked a seven, senior Arelia Marceleno commented, “I believe it is possible to achieve your dreams in America, but many who do not have white privilege have to be faced with the harsh realities of the challenges in America as a minority.” For those who share Arelia’s perspective, systemic barriers do not make achieving the American Dream impossible but rather act as a reality that immigrants and other vulnerable communities must accept. The American Dream is treated with moderate skepticism but still lingers as a “what-if” in the back of people’s minds for hope during hard times. 

The nuanced power of the American Dream becomes clear when listening to the stories of people whose lives have been defined by it. Some students included their family’s journeys with the American Dream when explaining how they rated their belief in it. Senior Sophia Gomez shared, “My mother speaks of [the American Dream] at times. She couldn’t afford college since her family was poor, and [...] the Mexican government in the mid-1990s [...] didn’t care about access to education. Due to these factors, she decided to come to the U.S. to work and would end up meeting my dad soon after. Now, she’s a U.S. citizen.” The story highlights the American Dream as a push that drives individuals to take the chance to break out of a cycle of poverty, even if it means leaving behind everything. To many, education is a driving force and a pathway to social mobility, something that is common across many immigrant cultures. Ultimately, the story of Gomez’s mother is one of courage, highlighting the constant sacrifice immigrants make to survive. They build homes in a country they’ve never seen, learn languages they’ve never spoken, all to honor their families while making a better life for themselves and their children. 

Gomaz’s story serves as a lesson in how the American Dream is neither dead nor alive because it is constantly evolving. The American Dream endures in the communities that color our cities and towns, alongside the lived stories passed down through generations of immigrants. Its greatest strength lies in its adaptability, driving forward the sacrifice and love that powers the continued determination of immigrant families to make a better life for themselves. Perhaps most importantly, it is a constant reminder that America’s greatest strength lies in understanding difference and embracing the subtleties of its perspectives. In this time of deepening national divides, it is a lesson we must never forget.