Kang-min Lee

As a child, Kang-min grew up believing with the people around him the validity of the American Dream. When asked about whether he considers himself to be Asian American, he answers that he is still only Korean, and that he has a long way to go before he can identify himself as an American. He lists certain qualifications needed to be a true American, which he doesn’t see himself to have as of now. Perhaps this can explain why, although he still believes that the American dream is real and alive, he doesn’t think that this dream applies to him. 

Ann Rubin

As a teacher, Ann talks about the failure of education and schools to engage with students on the topics of inequality and racial tensions. She verbally highlights the struggles of Asian-Americans, especially about how Asian-Americans are often invisible, and feel like they do not fit into the U.S racial hierarchy. She ends with a story about her student, both reflecting on the means of equity and assimilation.

Myung Hwang

Myung discusses her impressions of the U.S. as a child. In her view, the U.S. was deemed “number one” in the world—a role model that Korea sought to emulate. In contrast, Korea was in a precarious state, ridden with economic instability and political upheaval. As such, many people, including those close to her, sought to immigrate to the U.S. in search of a better life. Despite having attained her aspiration from youth by living in the U.S. today, she ruminates on the shadows of said dream. As immigrants, she and her friends often face microaggressions and other forms of discrimination that intimidate them and erode their self-confidence.