Society never fails to single out the minorities, it harvests them one by one until their roots are detached from the ground. “The American Dream,” how lovely it is, it opens up doors and new opportunities. But this doesn’t apply to us minorities, we don’t have dreams, we don’t have goals. We are left wondering who we are. We left our countries to be confronted with the reality of the American Dream.
The American Dream turns out to be the American Nightmare. Our ancestors fought so hard for us to be here, yet they don’t realize we are the underdogs in America. But don’t you DARE complain, because you’re living the American Dream. What more can you wish for? Your parents already did the heavy lifting. Who are YOU to complain? We are born handicapped, we are the product of a white man’s game. A game that we can never win.
“You’re not good enough.” Those words keep repeating in my head until I truly believe them, because that’s what society has always taught me. As an Asian American female, I always had to live up to my parents’ expectations. “You need to study more.” “You need to get your grades up.” “You need to be a role model to your younger siblings.” I work so hard to satisfy my parents’ expectations, but it’s never enough because society keeps raising the bar. So high, it’s far out of my reach.
I watched as my dreams moved farther and farther away from me like diving into an ocean of life. The further down you go – the harder it is to breathe. From women getting paid less than men to racism, inequality, and oppression. We are born as sheep, following a crowd. When will this everlasting war of people versus people end?
– Sarah, age 17, grew up in a Vietnamese household. Dad is a Vietnam war refugee. Very focused on school, a hard worker. Loves working with kids, wants to become a pediatrician.