Community Proposal

I live in Pilsen. It is located on the lower west side of Chicago and also known as the Heart of Chicago.
Pilsen has an approximate population of 43,150 people (22,909 males and 20,241 females). There seems to be more than 75% Hispanics living in this particular neighborhood. The remaining percentage are a combination of whites, blacks and others (with more whites than blacks and others put together). The median household income in the Lower West Side was $33,137. The median rent paid per apartment is $546. There is a percentage of 47% of people married in this area, a percentage of 32.6% of married-couples with families, and a percentage of 10.9% of single-mother households. 31.6% of the people living in Pilsen either don't speak English or don'y speak it fluently. Of the people living in Pilsen 43.2% were born in Chicago, 6.3% were born in another state, 1.4% of the people are native residents but born outside of the U.S, and 49.1% are foreign born residents. There is nearly 60% of the people living in this neighborhood that do not go further than high school for their education.
The people I am planning on interviewing are my step dad, Israel, my block's corner store owner, Karina, and the mother of one my friends (neighbor). The reason why of all the people I know in my neighborhood I chose them, was because my step-dad is supportive and he came from Mexico and might have a different perspective of the American Dream; I chose Karina because she owns her own store and seems to be happy with what she does; I chose my neighbor's mother because she works at a daycare and I think it would be interesting to see perspective of the American Dream.
Without interviewing anyone at all, I think that many parts of the American Dream exists in my neighborhood.   I know for sure that there are many types of immigrants living here and and they all believe in something different. I think that many of them have had opportunities to change their future on their own will. I walk down the street and see many smiles and I assume that they live in happiness. I think I'll also find lots of freedom because they act on what they believe and/or want. I also think I'll find hope, meaningful relationships, peace, and equality (I've lived in Pilsen since i loved to Chicago which is 5 years and i have never seen any type of racism).

The American Dream Article

There are many things that pop into my head when I hear "American Dream." I think of pride, bravery, health, family, freedom, heroes, opportunities, choice, happiness, a well preserved and successful job, a bright future, and a lot more. I recently read an article that reminded me of some of the things I think of from what I think the American Dream is. New, simpler childhood vaccine schedule was about a new vaccine schedule being set this year (2013), by the AAP, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the America Academy of Family Physicians, for children from birth to 18 year of age. The reason for this vaccine is to prevent 16 different infectious diseases that are easy for young people to catch.

This article is very much like the American Dream to me because it is involved with many of the qualities that I believe the American Dream has, like health, family, heroes, happiness, successful jobs, and a future. In order to have this vaccine we had to have people make it. The people that made the vaccine have successful jobs because they’re doctors and work hard to preserve it. Having the vaccines, they keep us children stay healthy and prevent many new born babies from death because of immunity. It keeps everyone happy. It’s like a win, win to the whole, family. If the children are happy and healthy then the parents have fewer things to worry about and are happy seeing their children in good conditions. Having all this, it can be assumed that while being healthy, with no diseases, children and can live to have a better future and we thank it all to our heroes, the doctors that make the vaccines and give them to us. (293)