42 | ADIRONDACK PEEKS The American Dream Hike Ray O'Conor, #6909 My grandparents left Ireland and stepped off a boat at Ellis Island on April 23, 1923. They and their eight children struggled through the Great Depression, living in the miseries of New York’s Hell’s Kitchen. My grandfather worked as a janitor, doorman, and laborer before he was confined to a state institution for the mentally ill. Four of his sons joined the Army and served during World War II. The younger children found odd jobs, picking up deposit bottles off the street and selling shopping bags on Fifth Avenue to support the family. They survived the hard times, and as the economy improved and the war ended, they became moms and dads and succeeded in the fields of education, business, and other endeavors. The dreamers of the past have given way to a new generation. Whether native born or from a far-off land, millions of people, young and young at heart, want to share in the American Dream. Author Studs Terkel chronicled the stories of such dreamers in his bestselling book, American Dreams Lost and Found. I first read it when it was published in 1980 and thumbed through it again recently. I wondered, forty years after first opening its pages, what, if anything, has changed since he first recounted the stories of struggle and success of those who were blessed to have been born here and those who arrived from afar. I invited four intrepid adventurers, Joe, Deanna, Rob, and Tinashe, to set off with me to the Adirondack High Peaks on what I dubbed “The American Dream Hike.” The roots of their journeys are dramatically different. They or their parents, grandparents, or great grandparents departed from four different continents (Europe, Asia, South America, and Africa). Their common destination was as much an ideal as a place: The American Dream. More than four decades in age separated the youngest from the oldest on this adventure. Some of them met for the first time as they donned their hiking packs at the trailhead before setting off into the Adirondack High Peaks. Despite their disparate backgrounds, they share a common bond. Joe’s ancestors arrived in America first. His greatgreat grandfather on his mother’s side of the family traveled from Germany to the shores of the United States in 1882. He and a partner founded the New York Piano-forte Key Company, manufacturing keyboards and upright pianos. At its peak, the company employed fifty workers. Joe’s great grandfather on his father’s side left Ireland for America about 1900. He worked in an automobile factory to save enough money to bring his wife, Mary, from County Cork to join him. Says Joe about his perception of the American Dream, As a third-generation (father’s side) and fourth- generation (mother’s side) American, and being of European descent, my perspective of the American Dream is different than those who have arrived more recently. For those less fortunate than me, it may be an escape from persecution, oppression, poverty, or fear, with the hope of safety and a chance to grow and flourish. The American Dream is different for every person, and everyone’s vision of success is unique based on their goals and dreams. Joe has ascended more than three hundred mountains, but this hike was like no other. “The American Dream Hike brought me together with people of different nationalities and cultures. I’m very grateful to have shared the trails and learned more about others who came to the United States more recently and to hear their stories.” Deanna is a first-generation American. Her parents came to the United States from Peru in 1985. As is the case with so many immigrants, they struggled, but were determined to create a better life for themselves and their son and daughter. It wasn’t until she was in her twenties that Deanna fully understood the depth of the sacrifices that her parents made and how those sacrifices contributed to the prospects of a brighter future for her and her brother: My parents had an opportunity to come to this country in their mid-twenties. They started from scratch, doing whatever they had to do to take care of my brother and me. My mom and dad wanted to go to college to fulfill their own goals and dreams, but their limited knowledge of English and financial hardships made that impossible. Being a first-generation American, Deanna wanted to pursue her dream and, in a way, fulfill her parent’s dreams as well by going to college. She owed it to her parents and herself to build on the foundation they created for her. She was grateful for the priceless gift of unlimited opportunity made possible by the courage of her parents and their decision to come to the ultimate land of opportunity. Says Deanna, “I will always cherish my mom and dad. They instilled in me a strong work ethic and a chance to fulfill my aspirations. Some day when I have children, I’ll share my parents’ story with them. I want them to know the modest roots of our family and that they, too, can be anything they want to be.” Deanna is the first member of her family to graduate from college and is now a gifted interior designer. Rob was born in Seoul, South Korea, and was adopted by his parents when he was very young. He has a sister who was also adopted from South Korea. “I have to give a lot of credit to my parents for the way they raised my sister and me. They worked hard and provided us with a stable, middle-class life. We were raised with a strong work ethic and to have empathy and respect for all people.” Growing up Asian American with Caucasian parents had its challenges, which for some adoptees include an identity crisis of sorts when their physical appearance doesn’t match the culture of their adopted family. “One’s experiences in the world and their character should de-
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTk3MQ==