The American Dream: Evolving or Stagnant?

Dear Willow Lung-Amam,

In your book Trespassers? you consider the diversification of suburbs in recent years as whites move out and minorities, including large numbers of Asian Americans, move in. I wonder: as the landscape of suburbia changes, will the American dream change with it? The popularized American dream is a white-picket fence house, two children, and a car in the driveway; a version of life has long been glorified through the media and broader American culture. It is also, undeniably, a dream, a version of life, an aspiration that is deeply rooted in whiteness and white ideals. As minorities move into the suburbs, will they subscribe to this white American dream? Or will they construct their own American dream that better fits with their cultures, values, and beliefs?

Sincerely,

Annabel Chosy

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