“The American Dream is absolutely alive; my own experience is testament to this! The freedom of entrepreneurship and competitiveness of people in our country leads to more creative business ideas. With constantly evolving protection given to intellectual properties and the decrease of government interference, the growing market demand for our services can thrive!”
— Ben Zhang
CEO & Founder of Greater China Industries, Inc.
“I am proud to be an American because the opportunities and freedoms we enjoy here are not afforded to everyone in many other nations around the world. In the United States of America, we embrace diversity, stand for equality, and fight for justice and fairness.”
— Shari Song
Candidate for King County Council District Nine
“I think many people interpret the ‘American Dream’ as a rags-to-riches story. Though there are more examples of such stories in America than in other parts of the world, they are still rare. But I prefer to define the ‘American Dream’ differently. It’s about liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and the opportunity to succeed in any endeavor. The ‘American Dream’ is the freedom to do what you choose to do. Does this still exist? Absolutely!”
— Tay Yoshitani
Chief Executive Officer, Port of Seattle
“America is a country that helps us build dreams and make them come true. Living in America for the past 40 years has inspired me to believe in our passion, the importance of building friendships and having a purpose, and developing confidence and communication skills. These are things I had never felt before I emigrated from Thailand.”
— Rick Moore
Owner, Simply Thai Restaurant & Simply Thai Soccer Team
“The American Dream is still alive. Not long ago, we were able to elect the nation’s first colored President. Having the first woman president elected does not seem to be very far either. With people of color on their path to becoming a major force in the next few decades, there will be enough changes all around to make our dreams as colorful as we wish.”
— Debadutta Dash
Co-chair, WASITRAC
President, ACRS Board of Directors
“I believe that the American Dream is very much alive. In this country we are all provided with an equal opportunity to achieve success. With hard work, determination, and passion combined with dynamic creativity, we can ultimately accomplish our goals.”
— Susan K. Lee
Board Chair, Korean American Chamber of Commerce WA State
“America gives us freedom and diversity. It provides all kinds of opportunities to all kinds of people. It teaches us to rely on ourselves to make use of the best of what we have, instead of relying on others.”
— Warren Chang
Founder, Seattle Chinese Orchestra
“Freedom and equality is something earned and acquired, often with great cost; they need to be remembered through our daily lives and actions, not just on the 4th of July.”
— Will Chen, CPA
General Manager & Owner
“The gift I received from America is a great public education. In Korea, education focused on memorization. That’s not my strength. The American education system encourages students to follow a different method of thinking. American teachers inspired me to be a critical thinker. When I first came to this country, I was 12 years old. I didn’t speak English. But the teachers helped me understand difficult subjects, tutored me, and taught me English. They made me think critically. They were curious about how I thought because I think in Korean when dealing with emotions like love and hate but in English about math and business. They tried to understand who I was and engaged me in different ways.”
— State Rep. Cindy Ryu
B.S. and MBA from the University of Washington
“America offers peace, democracy, and freedom. We are living in the best of the best in the world. We might as well appreciate what we’ve got and enjoy it. You don’t need a lot of money to be happy.”
— Shiao-Yen Wu
President, WPI Real Estate Service Inc.
“If you play by the rules and don’t commit crimes, you will be successful. This country is very fair. It has a fair market competition. The only thing I can complain about is Americans should practice filial piety and be more grateful to their parents. This practice wouldn’t be bad for Americans to learn.”
— Tan Tho Tien
Owner, House of Hong and Sun Food Trading Company
“America is an ethnically diverse society where everything is possible if one dares to dream and work hard. At the same time, there is no free lunch in America. One must work hard to make the dreams into reality. It is up to each one of us to control our own destiny.”
— Yi Ping (Y.P.) Chan
Principal, Chanden Inc.
“Freedom, education, and gender equality are on top of my list of gifts from America. Freedom has allowed me to explore what is desirable and possible, education has fueled my imagination with possibilities for me and others, and gender equality has empowered me to shape my own life.”
— Someireh Amirfaiz
Executive Director, Refugee Women’s Alliance
“By living in America, I have learned many things. I not only enjoy democracy, but I have also gained confidence and many opportunities. One of those opportunities was being my own boss. Having a small business is not just about making money; it is also about providing community service and helping others.”
— Teresa Fang
National President, Taiwan Benevolent Association of America