Can You Pursue the American Dream If You Never Feel Like You Can Be American?

Can you pursue the American Dream if you never feel like you can be American?

When we talk about the American Dream, we usually focus on achievement: higher education, great job, home ownership.

But there's a part of the dream we don't talk about enough: belonging.

Because what good is checking every box if you still feel unseen or unwelcome?

As my guest Sourav Bhowmick said on a recent episode of Unmuted Moments: "It's not truly the American Dream until you feel like you can be American."

That line really resonated deeply with me. Even as a naturalized citizen, there are moments when I still wonder if I fully belong.

To be clear, I am deeply grateful to be an American, even a naturalized one, and to raise my family here and build a life I once only dreamed about.

But my hope is that my kids will grow up and never have to question if they belong. I want them to grow up in an America that feels less about scarcity and fighting for a piece, and more about abundance and community.

Because the American Dream isn't just about what you achieve. It's about knowing you have the right to dream it in the first place.