American Dream: Overview : SBS Insight

Overview

Is the American Dream still alive?

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Insight, in New York, brings together young Americans from Brooklyn to the Bronx to ask: is the American Dream still alive?

This group of racially and socially divided youngsters bursts into passionate argument over success and failure in America's tough economic times, despite their determination to show Australians they're 'classier than that stuff on Jerry Springer'.

Eric Brody made his first million before age 30 and is after 50 more. He is one of New York's most promising property developers, and says the current economic catastrophe facing the States doesn't faze him at all.

He is joined by Aja Monet, a 21-year-old spoken word artist from Harlem, who says the neighbourhood's African American residents will soon be priced out of their homes and replaced by wealthier white people.

Adam Shephard set out to prove the American dream; that starting from nothing he could attain a house, car and savings, and he believes he did so. But could he only take a risk because his background allowed him the safety to do so?

Shaquana Appelwhite is 18, lives in the projects and wants a mansion and 80 cars.

As the world's most powerful country faces a real threat, Insight finds out how its future custodians plan on dealing with it.

Join the conversation online after the program to chat with some of the guests featured on the show.

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Meet the Guests

Adam Shephard

After college, Adam set out to prove the American Dream was attainable. He randomly chose a city where he knew no-one, and moved there with only the clothes on his back and $25 in his pocket. He aimed to get a car, rent a furnished apartment and put aside $2500 in savings within 12 months. His book, Scratch Beginnings, details his experiment and was recently picked up by Harper Collins to be released next month.

Cesar Tejada

Twenty-three year old Cesar was born and raised in North West Bronx. Cesar says that he is unlikely to vote in this coming election because neither candidate shows an interest in his local community, which he says is rife with poverty and crime, and lacks opportunities for young people.

Aja Monet

Aja, 21, is a spoken word artist who won the 2007 Poetry Slam at Nyuorican Poets Café. The Harlem native is worried about the gentrification of her neighborhood, a process that she says is forcing out low-income African Americans who are already struggling to get by. Aja will perform a spoken word piece entitled American Dream, written especially for Insight.

Eric Brody

Eric is a Brooklyn-born property developer who was recently featured by the New York Post and New York Real Estate magazine as one of his industry’s most promising dealmakers. Having achieved his goal of becoming a millionaire before the age of thirty, Eric says his dream is to build skyscrapers in Manhattan.

Jordan Teklay

Eighteen-year-old Jordan legally divorced his parents and moved to New York City two years ago to realize his dream of becoming a radio DJ. Today, Jordan is on his way towards reaching his goal and is currently studying radio at Brooklyn College and interning at a top radio station while working at Starbucks to pay the bills.