(Photo: Flickr/ Elvert Barnes)
The American Dream has gone global.
For today’s immigrants achieving success in the U.S. is no longer the ultimate goal. People still come to America seeking a better life for themselves and their families. The difference is that, unlike some earlier immigrants, they often use their achievements in America to build even more fulfilling lives in their native country.
In this debut issue of the Feet in 2 Worlds online magazine we explore new ideas about what it means to achieve the American Dream.
You’ll meet immigrants from Colombia who are saving for retirement in their native country because, after a lifetime of work in the U.S., they can’t afford to retire here. We’ll introduce you to young, undocumented immigrants who are rethinking the goals of the DREAMer movement. These young people say they are not interested in becoming U.S. citizens if their undocumented parents and grandparents aren’t also given a path to legal status.
You’ll learn about Indian-Americans who have gone back to India to work on political campaigns rather than focus on the U.S. midterm elections where at least 10 candidates of Indian origin are running. And you’ll meet a Latino musician in New York who has already achieved his American dream and now dreams about going home.
Check out our Table of Contents for a full list of all our stories and features.
Some immigrants have been forced by political and economic circumstances to redefine their American Dream. For others it’s largely a matter of choice made possible by easier connections to their home country, from email and social media to improved airline service. Whatever the reason, it’s clear the American Dream is being redefined every day.
What is your American Dream? We welcome your comments and ideas. Send us a tweet @Fi2W and #DreamingAmerica, visit us on Facebook and Tumblr or leave a comment on our website. Take our online poll, and tell us about your American Dream.
- Immigrants Give Up the Dream of Homeownership in the U.S.
- Infographic: Owning a Home is a Dream for Many Immigrants, but Rates of Success Vary
- The DREAM Movement’s New Agenda: Five Young Immigrants Tell Us Why They’ve Moved Beyond Seeking a Pathway to Citizenship
- Video: Here, I Am the Real Me
- Podcast: The Road Not Taken – Millions of Immigrants Could Apply for Citizenship, But Haven’t
- Commentary: Immigrants Reflect on the American Dream
- Why Are Some of Silicon Valley’s Best and Brightest Spending Time on a Foreign Election?
- Dreaming America: Immigrant Business Owners Tell Their Stories
- Homesick: Dominican Poet Francis Mateo on Washington Heights, Nostalgia, and Identity
- Podcast: DREAMers No More, What is Happening to Young, Undocumented Immigrant Activists?
Fi2W is supported by the David and Katherine Moore Family Foundation and the Ralph E. Odgen Foundation. The Fi2W Magazine was made possible in part by The Media Consortium and the Voqal Fund.
