Rags to Riches?

The United States has long been known as the land of equality and opportunity, but today, how much of this creed still rings accurately? Most would agree that in comparison to many of the world's countries, the United States is one of the most prominent nations in which social growth, over generations, or even in one generation, is possible.

Both of my parents endured extremely difficult childhoods in order to become the people they were today, but for how many is this true? My mother grew up in Astoria, New York, to a family of divorced parents, an abusive father and brother, and a bipolar mother. She struggled to feed herself and her younger sister, and endured many traumatic and difficult times in her childhood. Through determination and hard work, she managed to waitress herself through college, and after years of perseverance and hardship, she is now a successful doctor, living comfortably and happily with three young children.

While extremely proud of both of my parents for who they are today, despite the challenges they faced, it bothers me to think that there are so few who can tell stories like those. Every one of my mother's friends from childhood still live in poverty in Astoria, and it's that majority that conveys the difficulty of true social growth.

It has become an unfortunate truth in our world today that for a large part of the population, if born into poverty, it's difficult to be exposed to opportunities in order to climb the social ladder. Nevertheless, as my parents prove, it is while extremely difficult, possible. Did my parents work any harder than any of their friends? Who knows. What I do believe is that in upcoming discussions and political events, this is a pressing issue that needs to be addressed, in order to afford more the opportunities that my parents received.