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“The American Dream is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. ...It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position.”
- James Truslow Adams, 1931 |
We are raised on the promise that our lives will be successful if we work hard. That any person, regardless of their social status can elevate themselves. Our Declaration of Independence promises us the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”.
What is the American Dream? Is it the concept of opportunity for all? Is it the house, the education, the job, the family, the white picket fence?
What is the American Dream? Is it the concept of opportunity for all? Is it the house, the education, the job, the family, the white picket fence?
"The American Dream can no more remain static than can the American nation.”
- Eleanor Roosevelt
- Eleanor Roosevelt
Despite celebrating ourselves as a nation united in differences, Americans find themselves at a seemingly more precarious crossroads politically, socially, and economically.
Does a unified American Dream still exist? Can it?
Does a unified American Dream still exist? Can it?
"And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American Dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.'"
- Martin Luther King Jr., 1963
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.'"
- Martin Luther King Jr., 1963
On October 5, 2019, join us as we ask these questions of the American Dream. Should it continue to be the standard against which all Americans measure themselves? How do we define what achievement looks like?
During a presidential address in 1941, Franklin D. Roosevelt articulated “Four Freedoms” which he believed embodied the fundamental human rights that a functioning democracy would fight to protect. These freedoms are:
Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Worship, Freedom from Want, and Freedom from Fear.
Four GameChangers will take the stage to represent each of these freedoms and provide their insight into how Roosevelt’s vision has—or hasn’t—been realized.
Is there any way to create and uphold an American Dream that includes all of us, or should we hit the snooze button for a few more minutes?
During a presidential address in 1941, Franklin D. Roosevelt articulated “Four Freedoms” which he believed embodied the fundamental human rights that a functioning democracy would fight to protect. These freedoms are:
Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Worship, Freedom from Want, and Freedom from Fear.
Four GameChangers will take the stage to represent each of these freedoms and provide their insight into how Roosevelt’s vision has—or hasn’t—been realized.
Is there any way to create and uphold an American Dream that includes all of us, or should we hit the snooze button for a few more minutes?
