On Thursday, Oct. 1, the Multicultural Student Council joined various campus groups reflecting on America’s 250th anniversary with its event Open Book: American Dreams, American Nightmares, giving students a chance to explore the multiplicity of the American experience.

Joining the event as speakers were Washington Garcia, DMA, dean of the School of Music; Chris Griffin, MEd, director of veteran services; and Joshua Alexander, graduate assistant for marketing and communications at the Center for Community Engagement. Attendees were divided into three groups and asked to engage in a 15-minute discussion with each of the speakers. Chairs were arranged in three circles on the main floor of the library to facilitate dialogue in an intimate setting.

During the group discussions, Garcia talked about his immigration journey from Ecuador to the United States in pursuit of his dream of being a concert pianist. While immigrating to the U.S. allowed him to turn his dream into reality, he added that the loneliness of being away from his culture made his life feel like a nightmare at times. In answering student questions, he emphasized the importance of finding a mentor and seeking joy.

Griffin brought the veteran perspective to the event, as he served in the 82nd Airborne Division of the U.S. Army as a medic from 2007 to 2011. While acknowledging that he wouldn’t be where he is today if he hadn’t served in the military, which gave him access to higher education through the G.I. Bill, he also noted that achieving his “American Dream” came with a price — witnessing the deaths of his comrades-in-arms during his deployment in Iraq.

Alexander, who is studying to become a licensed mental health counselor with a focus on geriatric counseling, shared how he wound up shifting courses after pursuing what is commonly deemed an “American Dream” — finding success as a football player. When asked what makes a community feel welcoming and supportive, he said that while not everybody may look alike in such a community, members are more likely to be able to talk about their differences openly.

Over three dozen students participated in the event, engaging in meaningful conversations about each other’s American experience.

On the theme of the event, Alexandria Belk, MDiv, associate director of the Cross-Cultural Center, commented, “The meaning behind [‘American Dreams, American Nightmares’] was to encourage all of us to resist a single narrative. This country is full of both, meaning different things for different people. We are not a single story or a single reality for everyone — dreams and nightmares coexist.”

–Siyon Kim