The Illusion of A Level Playing Field

The Land of Opportunity*

* only for some, not others

We all know what America promises. We all know why it is the dream for so many to move to this country. And deep down inside, we all also know why these notions are misleading.

I know, I know: nobody said going from rags to riches would be easy, but to say that anyone can do it if they just worked themselves to the bone hard enough is a fallacy. And here's why.

The American Dream envelopes an idea that someone (usually an immigrant) can create a better life for themselves and their family by having the opportunity to "move up" the social hierarchy. The two mechanisms by which this "movement" happens are by means of education and occupation. I use the term "moving" lightly because no matter how rich or successful -both of which are subjective in nature- one becomes, it is this etherial concept that drives the illusion of equity. The very reason that it is so impressive when a disadvantaged person becomes rich, famous, and extremely successful is because of all of the institutional obstacles that exist for the very reason of preventing these achievements. 

Racism in America has always been and will continue to be a problem hindering minorities from achieving their full potential. A study conducted by researchers at Harvard, Northwestern University, and the Norwegian Institute for Social Research has found that from 1989 through 2015, discrimination against African Americans in job hiring has not changed and discrimination against Latino people has only decreased a small amount. Moreover, the institution of education was not designed for people of lesser means, many of whom fall through the cracks of the system. The best high schools in the country cost upward of of $45,000 per year. I would know, I am one of the extremely fortunate first generation American children to be able to attend such a school (through scholarship of course) and let me tell you, there were not too many others like me at this institution.

Furthermore, these factors that contribute to the American opportunistic ideal are that much more far-fetched under the Trump administration. It is needless to say that life for immigrants, especially those that are undocumented, has become much more difficult within a short amount of time. In September of 2017, President Trump announced the end of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. This program ensured the legal protection of DREAMers, who came to America illegally as children. An action that former President Obama referred to as "cruel", this act strips the rights of children who grew up in the United States, who are Americans. 

Not to mention the detainment and separation of parents and their children. That too may have a tiny impact on a person's opportunity in America.

The book Our Bodies, Ourselves (OBOS) has been one of the most influential on the topic of women's lives and bodies. A transnational phenomenon, OBOS has made its way through countless languages and cultures. This is an incredible feat that should not go unnoticed because it actually reached more than just privileged women. However, there was a strong importance placed on the fact that the women who initially wrote OBOS, despite the legacy that this book has left, were merely everyday women who formed a collective about the hardships of their lives as women. While this is true, the emphasis placed on the "normality" of these women is quite misleading. The woman who were a part of this collective were white, cisgendered, married, and college educated. Emphasizing the normality minimizes the immense privilege those involved had. As educated women a part of a two-parent household, they had the opportunity to find the time to write such a book and have their voices be heard and validated. 

An immigrant woman who perhaps could not speak English proficiently, who works two jobs to support her family, who is a single parent absolutely does not have the same resources as the women who wrote OBOS. Sure, she may be able to speak amongst her friends about her experiences as a woman, which vary drastically from the white, American-born authors, but to form a collective and write a book about it is about as far-fetched as they come. Whether we like it or not, her voice is somewhat silenced in America. And let's be honest, if her story were published and experiences vocalized, we all know the type of person that would retort "If you don't like this country, go back to your own!"

The argument here is not that disadvantaged people are helpless. Rather, it is that they do not have easy access to the same resources that those with privilege do. These resources are the rungs on the ladder to the top. To get there is no easy feat for someone who the ladder was not designed for. To say that just anyone can fight their way to the top with enough willpower is to ignore the obstacles that face only a select group of people. Ignoring this, creates the illusion of a level playing field. Immigrants are a disadvantaged population of people, without the same opportunities as those who have the privilege of race, class, time, and resources. The absence of these privileges is an omission in the promise that the American Dream makes.

This, however, means that in most cases immigrants must work much harder than the average person just to survive. How many times have you heard the story of Asian or Latino immigrants working 60 hours per week at a restaurant? Stereotypical? Yes, but there would be nothing to exemplify had these experiences not been lived by countless people who all did what they needed to in order to not only survive, but also give their children a better life than they have. 

So, with that being said, perhaps there is one advantage that immigrants have over those who were born with a head start in life. The tenacity with which this population fights is something to be reckoned with. Starting a life in a new country takes guts, especially a country like America that voted a xenophobic -not to mention misogynistic, racist, and homophobic- president. Their drive, dedication, and resilience are qualities that few have. And if anyone has the strength to push through every obstacle in the way of the American Dream, it's immigrants.