I fit that description.
In short, my personal, anecdotal experience says immigrants often place a greater value on education, recognize more viable options for success, are more supportive of each other and have less fear of stepping out of their comfort zone.
I saw no shortage of people hamstrung by each of those things growing up, particularly the de-valuing of education.
When I worked in East Palo Alto, which is a low-income community in the heart of Silicon Valley, I sometimes felt like it was like living and working in a bucket full of lobsters. Instead of being helped up out of the bucket, we'd get clawed down.
But slowly and surely, the work of community leaders, nonprofits and community organizers are changing this landscape and building up a new generation of kids who think differently.
Yes.. we can get at ER and school. but no stamps, disability or unemployment checks.
So we have to help each other and never rely on gov...
I also was an immigrant to the US, and it sounds like we have a similar immigration story. I wonder what it would be like to be born in a low-income community in the US where social mobility is difficult. Do you think you would be where you are now if you grew up in that kind of environment?