The Real American Dream

The American dream is the defining principle of our nation and the muse of our founding fathers as they built our nation. The inspiration is not only for the American citizen, but for citizens of other countries who come to fulfill their own destiny and the freedoms they long for.



The American dream has led to the pursuit of higher education, unprecedented achievements in innovation and technology that, for starters, sent man to the moon, and successes in research and medicine known the world over. There is more to speak of.

We are America, and our story is legend.

America had humble but noble beginnings. We were molded by a simple group of people who defied oppression in search of a dream - the dream of freedom, justice, liberty and life in a new world. On this notion, our country grew both in greatness and in size, battling the odds it encountered along the way. The Americans then, as now, were a proud people and were willing to defend their country at all costs. Though under the yoke of a colonizer, the people fought for their freedom and the liberty to form their own nation.

Today, we stand together, the beneficiaries of their courageous struggle. Over the years, generations of Americans have continued our forefathers' legacy of sacrifice and selflessness. To the Americans today and for those to follow, we offer a country where the hopeless find hope and those who pursue their dreams fulfill them.

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Twenty-six years ago, my parents came to America to follow their own dreams. Much like the first settlers of the New World, they were hardworking, determined and full of promise. Both moved from the Philippines and were fresh out of college, looking to attend graduate school. My father, with a degree in economics, was the first in his family to move to America and receive a Western education. My mother, with a degree in political science, wished to pursue a new life and help support her aging mother back home.

Once my parents graduated, they traveled the country and grabbed opportunities where they could in hope to eventually settle down. Work eventually brought them to Cincinnati, where they raised our family.

My mother and father have gained much knowledge and wisdom from their experiences in America and have passed on these lessons to my brother and me. They remind us to work hard in school and grasp every opportunity to do better and never take anything for granted. To us, their offspring, these lessons remain the true spirit of America.

My story may differ from that of America's founding fathers, but it conveys a similar message: In America, we can choose our own destiny. One can make it here with determination and hard work and belief in one's self.