What is the definition of Latinx? Marketers Share Their Thoughts

The American Dream is defined as “a happy way of living that is thought of by many Americans as something that can be achieved by anyone in the U.S. especially by working hard and becoming successful.” The dictionary version spells it out so clearly but, as we saw in last year's Hispanic and Latin American Summit, the reality is the modern-day experience has been challenged by social issues, economic challenges and an overall mixed reception of immigrants in the U.S. According to the We Are All Human Foundation, 70% of Hispanics believe their children will be better off in this country. We asked Latinx marketers in the industry—does the American Dream still exist? They shared with us their experiences and perspective on achieving the dream their parents, grandparents and ancestors before them set out to conquer. Lots of opportunities … with an extra layer of drive "It still exists, but the interpretation of it is different for every immigrant. The U.S. has lots of opportunities to accomplish your goals and aspirations. But success only comes with hustle and hard work. As Hispanics in the U.S., we have an extra layer of drive that makes us work harder, sometimes because we want to but mostly because we have to. As a father I do believe my son could be better off in this country, but it’s going to depend on me and my American wife to give him a strong foundation on the important values of both of our cultures." Nico Mejia, creative director, Amazon Different generations see different achievements "While many believe that the American Dream may be going away, I believe that is not quite the case. I clearly remember the difficulties of precarious housing and poverty prior to immigrating here. Now as an adult, the story for my own daughter is different. In less than one generation, I am a homeowner with relative career success as a result of the opportunities found in the U.S. However, in recent times social mobility has become more difficult. Because of that, we should be aware of how precious the American Dream is and that while it may still be intact, it will not stay that way if we do not defend it." Alex Montas Hernandez, vp of growth marketing, BEN 4 Trends Marketers Should Watch for in a Post-Quarantine World A seat at the table that keeps growing "Although I don't think it's equally accessible to everyone, I do believe the American Dream still exists, because I'm (beyond) privileged to say I'm a walking representation of it. I often think about the contrast between my grandparents' lives as immigrants in New York versus my life here now as a young professional, and it's incredibly humbling. Their sacrifices earned me a seat at a table where I can champion representation and influence real change in my industry—and I'll spend the rest of my career trying to pay that back by pulling up as many other chairs as I can." Alyssa Marie Billups, lead manager of influencer and sponsored content, DIRECTV A journey of survival to success "The American Dream comes with an asterisk for minorities, including Hispanics. But for some of our first-generation families, it also meant survival. Hiding, becoming invisible. We now reap the fruits of their decisions and pursue the promise of opportunity and success in different ways. Hispanics are more visible and prouder than ever. The increase of mainstream media targeted at them and their spending power reflects it. Sports, entertainment, retail: we're taking over. So, while the American Dream at times feels harder, we continue to claim our space and make our own version of it possible." Josellie Rios, senior marketing manager, LATAM, Funimation Global Group The definition varies across every individual chasing the dream "I believe in the U.S. as a land of freedom and opportunities where each one of us can define our own future and level of success. The American Dream is still possible if we as individuals work hard for it. In some cases, we come from places where the means for a safer living, formal education, transparent democracy and justice seem hard to get, and this country is certainly better in many of those aspects, even though we face inequality. Children will enjoy a better future only if we have clear life-growth goals, but otherwise that dream vanishes." William Álvarez, director of organic search, GroupM History in the making "We’re witnessing the reinvention of the American Dream. Hispanics want their families to have the best education and job opportunities to create meaningful impact and represent our cultures with dignity. But to fully achieve it, we need to acknowledge intersectionality and find empathy, inclusion and allyship in companies and governments alike. The pandemic has forced us to rethink how we have been living and now we’re being presented with remote work options, new business opportunities and access to more resources. There’s still a lot of work to be done, but a new American Dream is shaping up for the future." Annat Bravo Vargas, social media marketing manager of HBO Latin America, WarnerMedia A past of inequality, a future of justice "I struggle to believe in the stereotypical American Dream—prosperity guaranteed for all simply through hard work—as not everyone in this country receives an inherently equal chance at success like this narrative suggests. However, I believe in a different kind of American Dream, which seeks equality and justice in our society to make mobility and opportunity truly accessible to all. This country can and does provide unique, valuable opportunities for Hispanic folks to thrive, but we must continue to confront historical patterns of inequality to establish a level playing field more conducive to our achievement." Giovanna Vicini, director of marketing, Magnolia Pictures

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Success and Equality: Latinx Marketers Share the Meaning of the American Dream

Marketers from Amazon, WarnerMedia and more share the modern-day definition

Luz Corona

Julian Gamboa

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Luz Corona

Julian Gamboa