Being completely biased, I've been raised by someone who achieved the American Dream. My mother immigrated from El Salvador when she was 14. Once she arrived in the US she had to help the family by working and let her younger brother continue going to school. They started out working in fields as most immigrants do. She did not speak any English, but instead of waiting around for someone to translate for her, she invested in "Ingles Sin Barreras". When she wasn't working she was listening to the tapes and slowly understanding the language. Every obstacle my mother encountered she took it head on. She received her GED and began working in retail and all kinds of odd jobs. Now she works as a data processor and works seasonally as a tax specialist. For me that is living the American Dream, coming in with nothing and working every day to better themselves for more opportunities.