The Talib-Oso Family at home. The Talib-Oso Family wearing Emmy Kasbit eating food from Chop N’ Blok. 

The Talib-Osos


This is the Talib-Oso family. They are from Lagos, Nigeria. They live in Houston, TX. According to the American Community Survey there are 461,695 U.S. residents that report Nigerian descent — in Houston there are approx. 150,000. In 2002 Jayeola Oso immigrated to America alone to prepare a home for his family, and after 11 years, the Talib-Osos were all reunited in Houston, TX. 
Photography by RIOT MUSE


Styling by Alexander-Julian 


Toyin Talib-Oso, 48

What is an American?
An American is any person that is born in the United States of America.

What are Nigerian values?
Helping one another and Love.

What does the American Dream mean to you?
Having My Family and Children live a great life in this country.

Who is able to thrive in the United States of America?
Whoever can work hard and is not lazy.

Who dies in the United States of America?
If you don’t work hard or hustle you will die in this country.

Are you free in the United States of America?
Yes I’m free.

Are you patriotic towards the United States of America?
Yes I’m a good citizen of America.

Are you patriotic towards your country of origin?
Yeah I’m also a good citizen of Nigeria.

Why did you emigrate from Nigeria?
I came to join my husband and children so we can live a better life. Because my country Nigeria is in “Gods Hand.”

What is your favorite thing about the United States of America?
I like that it’s a free country and a land of opportunity

What is your least favorite thing about the United States of America?
GUN! GUN! Gun Violence is a lot.

What would you like to see happen in the United States of America?
A final End to Racism in this country.

Test caption Toyin Talib-Oso wearing AMAO.

Olalekan Oso, 24



What is an American?
I would say to be American is to be born here in America.

What are Nigerian values?
Hard-work is the first thing that comes to my mind. Nigerians are pure hustlers.

What does the American Dream mean to you?
The American dream to be is being able to buy my mom a Bentley 😂🤷🏾‍♂️

What did the American Dream mean to your parents?
To my parents the American dream would be seeing their children be great in life.

Who is able to thrive in the United States of America?
Whoever knows how to hustle/grind nonstop will make it in this country.

Who dies in the United States of America?
The weak and lazy always die.

Are you free in the United States of America?
Yeah that’s the best thing about this country.

Olalekan Oso and Jayeola Oso wearing Kente Gentleman.

Are you patriotic towards the United States of America?
Yeah I would like to think so.

Are you patriotic towards Nigeria?
Yeah I love Nigeria.

Why did you emigrate from Nigeria?
The twins, Kanmi and I had to come link up with my dad over here for the better life in general.

What is your favorite thing about the United States of America?
My favourite thing about this country would be the opportunities available.

What is your least favorite thing about the United States of America?
Would be the police.

What would you like to see happen the United States of America?
A more united United States. That would be nice to see.
Toyin and Jaye Talib-Oso wearing (L-R) Onyii & Co + UKOO Studios

Jayeola Oso, 49 

What is an American?
A citizen of America.

What are Nigerian values?
Education, hard working.

What does the American Dream mean to you?
Liberty and pursuit of happiness.

Who is able to thrive in the United States of America?
Hard working and well determined people.

Who dies in the United States?
Lazy people.

Are you free in the United States of America?
Yes.

Are you patriotic towards the United States of America?
Yes.

Are you patriotic towards your country of origin?
Yes.

Why did you emigrate from Nigeria?
For greener pasture.

What is your favorite thing about the United States of America?
Business opportunities.

What is your least favorite thing about the United States of America?
Access to gun and drug.

What would you like to see happen in the United States of America?
Stricter law on gun access.

Jaye Talib-Oso and Toyin Talib-Oso holding their youngest son Tolu Talib-Oso all wearing Amao.

Hair & Makeup by Oluchi Ebere. Shot partially at Prauper Studios. Talib-Oso family clothing by AMAO, Emmy Kasbit, Kente Gentleman, Onyii & Co., and UKOO Studios. 


The Serafino-Agars


This is the Serafino-Agar family. They are from The Philippines. They live in Daly City, CA. According to the American Community Survey there are approx. 4,100,000 U.S. residents that report Filipino descent. In Daly City, Filipinos make up 32% of the total population.  
Photography by Dennis Tejero
Styling by Alexander-Julian

Jason Serafino-Agar, 51

What is an American?
I think an American is someone who's decided to stay or be here in the United States. I also think that term itself, American, it's much broader, but people in the United States have decided that we're the only ones in America, even though there's North America and South America. We've decided to take the term and think it's just about us. 

What are the values of the Philippines and Lebanon?
I was raised in the United States. At the same time, my family is from Lebanon where the values were very much around entrepreneurship, business, making opportunities happen, and also the Philippines where the values were to work hard, to be accountable, and to provide for one's family.

What does the American Dream mean to you?
The American dream, in its many shapes, is really an idea of opportunity and the idea that it's possible for one person to have greater control or agency in shaping their life, and in exercising choice in their life. For me, it means something different than it did to my parents or grandparents, but we'll get into that in other questions.

What did the American Dream mean to your parents?
I think it meant different things. For my mom, I think the American dream meant creating something for herself that was wildly different than what her parents had wanted for her, but was unique for her and felt right. I think for my dad, the American dream meant coming and having what looked like where the benefits of this country and this lifestyle and working hard and then providing those opportunities to his children, whether that was skiing, doing things that his father never had a chance to do, or it was helping us go to college, or it was having a house and having the Beamer, the BMW, and doing what a lot of the other people did. It was being here, living life, working hard, and for my dad, it was going with the flow and assimilating into what was normal and surviving. Surviving, but doing well enough to notice that.

Who is able to thrive in the United States of America?
I think that's a really good question because sometimes there can be way more opportunity than other places, other countries of origin. It often seems like there's an open playing field and, at the same time, it's not a meritocracy. There's not a clear line of ‘do the work and then reap the rewards’ because of white supremacy and patriarchy that are such deep, deep parts of culture in the United States. My initial idea, thought, as who's able to thrive in the United States, initially, I think, white, middle class, upper-class people, generally. At the same time, thriving can take many different forms. You can be thriving because you faced adversity and figured out a way to hold on to your humanity or grow it because your life has purpose. You found a purpose, and you've been willing to follow that and have the opportunity and support to do that.

I think, who's able to thrive in the United States is really the person that decides to take the time to know who they are, what's important to them in their life, what they want to get done in their life before they die, and then the person that's working to make those things happen, that leads to ultimate fulfillment. That doesn't matter if you're in the United States or elsewhere. Although I tend to think in the background, subconsciously, United States is the best country in the world, and on a conscious level, I know it's not. I know, so many other people in the world have so much more figured out. It's just arrogance. That's part of this identity or this culture that we have in the US.

Who dies in the United States of America?
I think everybody dies and, at the same time, there are people who die more often from more horrendous experiences, particularly black and brown in the United States. Then because of racism or white supremacy, and because of capitalism and patriarchy, those big, big terms, but I think there's another death as well and that's a death of soul and that's a death of purpose. I think what is needed in this day and age, if we are to survive this transition around human-initiated climate catastrophe, is for people to awaken or reincarnate there, go have a death of normalcy and really find what is significant to them and what piece they have to offer for dealing with the world that we actually live in. It's the same world that we live in now versus the future. It's just because the future is now, we don't really think about it, but anything that we can figure out for ourselves in the future is a gift to ourselves. If we can have clean air, clean water, clean soil, productive healthy soil, then we're going to really change it. The question of who dies in the United States, yes, a lot of inequality we all do, and it really brings to light what we need to do to live.

Are you free in the United States of America?
I think I'm more free than I am in other countries and less free than I am in different countries. I don't really have a perspective, aside from seeing all the deaths and killing that's happening in the Philippines right now, for people who speak up against that current president there or the current regime that's in power. I think that if I were to start saying a whole bunch of different things on social media that I could get locked up. I really do. There's limited freedom, but within certain realms, I have a lot of freedom. I think the part that's empowering is the ability to visualize where we are, where we're going, and to work with other people to create structures that can help us make that transition, in this case, from capitalism to something that's better. That includes an environmental sustainability consciousness that really is self-preservation. The term that's been used often as a just transition, so just transition away from capitalism and exploitive, extractive businesses. I think that's an area to exercise freedom because it's needed, and it's needed to thrive.

Freedom I think is different. There's freedom to survive, and then there's freedom to really thrive, and thriving is harder. Thriving takes courage, and it takes being different, and really taking a whole level of responsibility as well. Because it can't just be one person thriving. It really has to be an interconnected group of people doing it. It's just so much more satisfying if that can happen. That is hard. That is hard to do in a very individualistic culture.

Are you patriotic towards the United States of America?
No, I don't think I am patriotic toward the United States. If the United States is doing something that really is of benefit to other people, versus self-interest for businesses, multinational corporations, and a very few rich people, then that would be different. I don't see that happening very often. I think the United States has a long way to go to implement and to test its experiment in democracy. Am I patriotic toward the United States? Not particularly.

Are you patriotic towards the Philippines and Lebanon?
I have empathy for the people there, to a certain extent. I have more because I've been to the Philippines multiple times. I've not been back to Lebanon, but I also don't like seeing what's happened because I do feel a connection with people there. Am I patriotic towards my country of origin? Again, it's not so much about the country. It's about people, the connection that I feel, and the humanity that I feel with them, so empathy.

Why did your parents emigrate from the Philippines and Lebanon?
On one side, it was my great-grandparents coming from Lebanon. On the other side, it was my grandfather, and father, and grandmother, and aunt coming from the Philippines. They came here because there was more opportunity to provide for their children and their families, and they wanted to experience and make something different. My family in Lebanon left. It was Syria then when they left around 1908. That was before World War I and the Ottoman Empire was collapsing, which led to economic chaos. I just think there were better jobs or opportunities in the United States. There was this huge entrepreneurial spirit for the Christian Lebanese Arabs. Yes, they could come here to the United States and when they came here, they were ambiguous but when my grandmother was, let's see, four years old. Then it was ruled that people of Lebanese, Middle Eastern descent, their skin was white enough to be that of an American so they got the white privilege of being here. In that way, they've got opportunity in whiteness.

For my dad, my Lolo, my Lola, they came for a better life for their children and their grandchildren. Definitely the opportunity to go to college. The Philippines had been bombed immensely in World War II. Manila was mostly leveled with all the bombing that the United States did while it was occupied by Japan. I think that with people dead and the opportunity to go, which came from my grandfather being in the Philippine Scouts, and then coming and being a part of the US Army, that was just a much clearer choice because they were leaving a country that had been absolutely devastated.

What is your favorite thing about the United States of America?
My favorite thing about the United States is the courage, and the idealism, and the organizing, and the sticking around and fighting to define what the United States will be. That's happened over the years and it's continued to happen and the progress that's being made. I think this is a huge experiment in people coming together and attempting to figure out how to live. There's a spirit of possibility and confidence, I think, as part of the culture here in the United States.

What is your least favorite thing about the United States of America?
My least favorite thing about the United States is the level of trauma that we have here and the lack of awareness about it. That's also an opportunity as well because what's happening in the United States I see and many others see as really a continuation of the trauma that Europeans experienced and acted out upon each other, and then acted out upon people of African descent through slavery and forced servitude, and then justifications for treating people, some people better than others, particularly black and brown people, or the last few wars people of Asian descent. All those narratives and all those stories and all those justifications are floating around, and they're out there, and there's this soup of trauma. It's not yet been really understood and recognized. This will get into the next question of, what would you like to see happen in the US? I'll save that for the next question.

What would you like to see happen in the United States of America?
In the United States, regardless of who you are, whatever your background is, there is a bond around trauma. It looks different, but everyone, whether you're a millionaire or billionaire, whether you're a white male, whether you're trans, queer, person of color, there's trauma that you've experienced that's there or something that your ancestors have experienced. I would really like to see an awareness of how to use somatic healing, body-based mindfulness, experiencing what's happening in your body, being able to breathe, being able to feel the feelings gradually, and have an understanding about how humans heal from trauma and painful experiences, and how emotions move through our bodies, and how we can deal with these things so that we can picture what we want to see happen in our lives.

We can dare to dream something that feels really scary or feel the fear and do it anyway. We can brave having that conversation about next steps for climate change because we care about people in our lives, or we care about ourselves and we extend that care to other people. There's the saying, "We go from me to we, and from them to us." I think that can happen in the United States. If people start to peek under the hood, if we start teaching, and practicing, and sharing our own journeys of healing, and what those can look like. It can be good for each of us, it can be good, particularly for the planet, it can be good for our health, which our diet has a huge impact. Transportation diet, the huge impact on global climate change and catastrophe, and the United States is such a leader in the world. I would like to see awareness and education, and really a fluency in dealing with healing, with working with emotions and trauma in the United States, because I think the implications are global.

Linda Serafino, 75


What is an American?
They have a lot of job to work and a lot of activities to do. Compared in the Philippines. The opportunity to have a lot of jobs here than in the Philippines. That's why I left the Philippines.

What are the values of the Philippines?
They respect the old woman, like grandpa and grandma and they work hard in the Philippines because we have nothing there.

What does the American Dream mean to you?
There's a lot of opportunity here in United States. Like the family, they can go to college, like you know, to work hard too, opportunity to work more here in United States.

I did it. If I am in the Philippines, I don't know what would have happened to me there, so here I make it. I can drive, I have a new house and I can do everything, what I want.

Who is able to thrive in the United States of America?
My husband, Grandpa Freddie is successful here. Working hard here, that's why he can buy a new house, new car, everything, what we need.

Are you free in the United States of America?
Yes. I'm free here because I can go any place I want, not like in The Philippines. They're very strict there. Here you can go any place you want. Whatever what you do here. Whatever you want to go to work or not.

Are you patriotic towards the United States of America?
Yes. Yeah, I believe whatever what they want to do, the president to ask me to. I like the new president now.

Are you patriotic towards the Philippines?
Of course, yes. I'm born there in the Philippines, so I'm still, you know, Filipino.

Why did you emigrate from the Philippines?
Well, I'm fifth preference from the Philippines come over to the United States because, Auntie Mimie, my sister who bring me here, that's why they call it, the fifth preference, the first, preference is the husband or wife like that, so I'm the fifth preference coming over here in United States, sister by sister.

Helen Serafino-Agar, 49

What is an American?
An American is someone who is born in the United States of America or someone from another country who becomes a citizen of the United States of America.

What are the values of your country of origin?
I was born in the United States, and from our pledge of allegiance, is justice, liberty, and justice for all, and other things were, for opportunity, individualism, progress, freedom, equality, democracy.

What does the American Dream mean to you?
The American Dream for me is to be successful in my own way, to make my family proud. I was the first graduate, college graduate, from my family, so that my successes are my parents successes and my ancestors, so if I succeed in America, that means they succeed also. I mean, that’s the reason they came here, for the American dream.

What did the American Dream mean to your parents?
My parents immigrated from the Philippines. My dad was from Cavite, and my mom was from Pangasinan. And they immigrated here, my dad immigrated here mid 60s and my mom late 60s. And for them, and I think for their family in the Philippines—if you were an American or you go to America, you could live not like you lived in the Philippines where there is a lot of poverty and you can’t move on or be successful because their families were poor. And they felt like moving to the US was the way to get out of that. If you work hard you will be able to buy a house. You could buy a car, a new car. You could have a good job. And I think both my parents felt they did that, coming here to the US. My dad working as a merchant seaman working really hard to get what he wanted, and my mom she was a beautician with her older sister and they owned their own beauty shop and their success was keeping that business alive and also their success was through my older sister and myself going through school. I think their success was, because they weren’t college graduates, that we both graduated from college. I know from my great grandfather, that he wanted his granddaughter, which is my Auntie Mimie, to go to America and then bring everybody else who she could to come here to the United states. She married one of the townsmen who went there to find a younger wife and he picked her. So she sacrificed her life in the Philippines to come to the US to marry this old man who she called ‘this old man’. He was 33 years older than her, but when she got here, that was her way, that’s how she got her sisters here, my mom first, and then that’s how she got her mom and other sister here to the US. So it was through her sacrifice, my aunty’s sacrifice, that she became American and was successful. Where the people in the Philippines feel like this is the way, to be successful is to be an American.

Who is able to thrive in the United States of America?
I think mostly people who have generations of success or money are able to thrive more than others. Mostly white Europeans who didn't have to struggle through as much as other people of color, especially brown and Black folks. There are still ways that people of color still can't get to the status of those rich white people because things are handed down to them and they have more opportunities.

As a Filipino American born and raised here in San Francisco, I think we were successful in our ways because of the community that we have. My mom, again, she was a beautician and she worked for white people who wanted their hair done. But it was also with the community that we, I guess with their help, they got to navigate through what it is to be an immigrant from the Philippines here in San Francisco. But it was difficult. And yeah, ways that as an immigrant daughter, I hope I did my ways, or in order to make my parents successful in our ways as immigrants.

Who dies in the United States of America?
Anybody who's on the land of the United States. People who came here to colonize and take over, they took over and killed the people. Millions of people who are already here in the United States. I think that maybe the question goes, well, what, um, more deaths now are because of white supremacy. Those who die are mostly brown and Black people. But it's this sense of superiority of mostly white Americans that brown and Black people died.

Are you free in the United States of America?
Yes, I do feel free in the United States in different ways. I'm not certain if the United States protects all. There are groups of people, Black and brown people, who have to struggle more to be free when it's said that we're free.

In my community here in San Francisco, I feel free to speak what I want. But because of the protection of the people around me, I may not get hurt with the anti-Asian violence that's going on now. It is scary. I get scared for my mom, for her safety. She's 75 years old. But yeah, not all. I mean, there are these freedoms that we have, but it's not guaranteed for all.

Are you patriotic towards the United States?
I wouldn't die for this country because the country hasn't been fair to all of us. I wouldn't wear red, white, and blue. I do my ways of being patriotic by voting. But I wouldn't say that I would be the person you would see carrying a flag and say I'm proud of being American. We're not all protected. All peoples here who live in the United States aren’t protected in the same way.

Why did your parents emigrate from their country of origin?
My dad, Alfredo Serafino, came here when he was 18. His mother was trying really hard to get him to come to the United States because of the opportunities that he could have here rather than in the Philippines. And then with my mom again, for the opportunities that she would have here in the United States compared to what she would have had if she stayed in the Philippines.

What is your favorite thing about the United States of America?
I love the diversity of people of different cultures here. Instead of the word ‘the melting pot’ that they used in some of my social studies class growing up, it’s more like a salad, everyone contributes their part for that salad, instead of melting and not noticing the differences in people or similarities of people.

What is your least favorite thing about the United States of America?
My least favorite thing about the United States is claiming that we are all free and equal and in actuality, we're not, because of the hate of people who are not being accepted. Acceptance of all the people who are here of different origins, different ethnicities, and not being open to that. This land is not even ours, we are settlers here, and this is Native American land, which was stolen. We're on stolen land. It's sad that we're supposed to be all free, and we're not.

What would you like to see happen in the United States of America?
There's so many steps that the United States needs to take in order to give justice back to what happened to many people of this land, starting with the Native Americans, starting also with African Americans who were forced to come here through slavery and the injustice of different Americans here of different ethnicities or heritage. Like, for example, for the Japanese Americans who were put in internment camps, or just injustice of all people.

And for our future generation, there needs to be fairness in our government. My hope is that there is more justice if that's what the United States stands for.

Kadean Serafino-Agar, 10

What is an American?
For me an American is someone who is born or lives in the South America or North America continents or who is born or lives in the United States of America.

What are the values of the United States of America?
Well since you’re in America, I think they’re more focused on making products –like California makes a lot of vegetables and fruits.

What does the American Dream mean to you?
Huh, that’s a hard one. I don’t think I know.‘

What did the American Dream mean to your parents?
Huh, I don’t know. I’ll ask them later.

Who is able to thrive in the United States of America?
Well I think it's more of the white people because of racism but also the Black and Brown people because they have more community and culture.

Why did your grandparents emigrate from the Philippines and Lebanon?
Well it's basic. For a better life for them and their children.

What is your favorite thing about the United States of America?
Well, for me it's all the possibilities and programs that we have here in the USA.

What is your least favorite thing about the United States of America?
High rent.

What would you like to see happen in the United States of America?
Well I would like to see lower prices for rent and healthier foods.


Hair and Make-Up by Green Dale Figueroa. On-Set Support, Chelsea Lee. Video by Patrick Aguilar.
Serafino-Agar family clothing by Carl Jan Cruz and Rhude. 


The Batistas


This is the Batista family. They are from Marianao, Cuba. They live in Hialeah, FL outside of Miami. According to the American Community Survey there are 2,381,570 U.S. residents that report Cuban descent — in Miami-Dade county there are approx. 1,500,000. Abuelos Reimundo and Olga Batista, and their family from time to time, have lived in this apartment complex in Hialeah since they immigrated in 1980.
Photography by Alexander Saladrigas
Styling by Alexander-Julian

Gabriela Trujillo, 28

What is an American?
To me an American is a person who values freedom to be yourself, freedom of the press, and freedom of expression above all else. To me an American is someone who fights for what is right and for individuals human rights, no matter what. Americans get to make their own choices and are not dictated by their government the way Cubans are by their government.

What are Cuban values?
Cubans value family and community above all else because it is all they have. They must come together to find solutions for their neighborhoods since the Cuban oppressive and does not repair any streets or buildings, the Cuban people have joined together to make whatever changes they can on their own. Whether it be to come together to fix a neighbors leaking roof or to slaughter a pig together so the neighborhood can eat, it is all done by the people.

What does the American Dream mean to you?
The American dream to me means to be whatever I choose to be. To be able to earn and save my own money and have the freedom to do with it what I please. The American dream to me, is the fact that my family came to US as political refugees with nothing to our name, all living in a one bedroom apartment, not knowing a word of English. Within a few years my mom had her own beauty salon with her own clients, making her own schedule and being FREE to do what she wanted with her life and time. That's the American dream. An unheard of luxury in many other places in the world.

What did the American Dream mean to your parents?
For my parents, it meant finally having peace of mind. They went from a tyrannical and totalitarian country that controlled everything. From the rationed food lines, to what farmers were allowed to grow and sell, what farm animals were allowed to be eaten. They had to fight tooth and nail for every little thing they had. For example, my parents tell me stories about how they often didn't know what they would be able to feed me, and my dad would have to walk over 30 miles a day to find me root vegetables, fish, goats milk, anything they could find to sustain their baby daughter. The American dream meant never having to wonder how we would eat again.

Who is able to thrive in the United States of America?
I truly believe that while the US has a lot of work to do, especially when it comes to equality, it is still the best country in the world. I think anyone with determination and discipline anyone can thrive in the US because I have seen it first hand. I've seen refugees and immigrants with no knowledge of the English language build businesses, become working professionals, and in general just carve out their own lane in this country regardless of religion, race, or political affiliation.

Are you free in the United States of America?
Yes, I am free to say whatever I want. I'm free to openly criticize my government (which I often do), I'm free print and post my opinions, I'm free to practice whatever religion I want and marry whoever I want, I'm free to own and sell property, I'm free to have children or not. I fully own the rights to my life and that is a privilege not granted to current residents of my homeland.

Are you patriotic towards the United States of America?
I do love the US and consider myself a patriot because of the freedoms this country allows its citizens. This country is not perfect by any means but I'm glad I'm here and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

Are you patriotic towards Cuba?
I love my Cuban people and our beautiful land, however I do not feel a sense of patriotism because the country has been completely hijacked by the Communist party. You are ONLY allowed to be communist and nothing else. Those who support this and align themselves with the communist party are the ones who always have food on the table and are held in high regard in society. My family, who were always secretly anti-communism, we kept to ourselves and didn't participate in the neighborhood party meetings (snitching committees) and for this we were seen as "gusanos" (worms, scum) this was what they called anyone who didn't agree with them. So no, I do not feel patriotism.

Why did you emigrate from Cuba?
We were refugees trying to escape political prosecution. My family was anti-communist, therefore anti-cuban regime. The Cuban government imprisoned my mothers uncle Juanito for years because he openly said he did not agree with them. They stormed into our home and took him to prison where he was brutally beaten and kept away from his family, simply because he did not agree with the oppressive regime. Not to mention the food rationing, people being pulled and reassigned from their homes (that they had paid for) my great grand father owned a small bodega in his own hometown of Santa Clara, Cuba and the cuban government came in one day and said "you no longer own this, we do now" they kicked him out of his store that he built himself with his own two hands and turned it into a government "nationalized" store where they would control the goods being sold to the community.

We left because we knew we'd never be free from this tyranny and there seemed to be no end in sight for the Castro regime. It has now been 62 years of communism for Cubans.



What is your favorite thing about the United States of America?
I love that we are free to think for ourselves here. That we can choose pretty much everything in our lives and are not controlled by our ELECTED governments. (The open and free elections are nice too!!)

What is your least favorite thing about the United States of America?
I can criticize the US for hours. Everything from the way the US has handled international conflict, how they have created and funded militias around the world to advance their agendas. I hate the way the US treats our indigenous population and how they never properly took accountability for the heinous treatment of Black Americans. I even disagree with the Cuban sanctions enforced by the US because it has not hurt the Cuban government at all, (matter of fact Fidel Castro died with an estimated net worth $900 million) these sanctions have only further hurt the Cuban people. I very much do not agree with our current health care system and how it is ran for PROFIT above all else. I can go on forever. This country needs a lot of work but even with all that said, I still believe we are worlds ahead of other countries.

What would you like to see happen in the United States of America?
I would love for this country to heal and for all of us to come together as free people. I wish we could unite over our similarities instead of being divided by our differences. I would love to see this country put up museums and monuments for our fallen indigenous people, and do the same for our ancestors for our Black population, who lost their lives and were so badly treated. I wish for people to seek knowledge and truth outside of establishment media like CNN, FOX, and MSNBC, which I believe has already been far too corrupted by our political parties and their agendas. I wish for us to be free from the two party system all together and on our way to a more inclusive and united people.

Jeffry Batista Ojito, 33


What is an American?
An American to me is a person with privileges who has every opportunity to become whoever they want to be. An individual with rights.

What are Cuban values?
Family, culture and their people. Growing up in Cuba my neighbors were my closest family. The level of compassion for one another in situations where your next door neighbor needed a cup of sugar or salt, even a chicken thigh to cook a soup that would feed an entire family. Unlike the United States where at age 18 adolescents go their way and rent/buy their own apartments/houses, most families in Cuba due to the lack to housing and the poverty live together for their entire life. Our food, our music and our history is very rich and has even influenced others.

What does the American Dream mean to you?
To me the American dream is being able to one day reach your desired financial stability as a result of your hard work and being able to enjoy it.

What does the American Dream mean to your parents?
To my mother the American dream meant providing a better future for me. Making it possible for me to grow in a land of freedom and opportunities.

Who is able to thrive in the United States of America?
Anyone who is willing to take advantage of all the amazing opportunities they are offered with. People who study and work hard for what they desire.

Are you free in the United States of America?
Yes, very much so. I am free to live the life I want, to say what I think, to love whom i want to love. I am entitled to my own ideas and opinions. I am free to travel the world and be friends with anyone i want to be friends with. Free to vote for who I believe will be the president who will represent us the best.

Are you patriotic towards the United States of America?
Yes I am. How couldn't I be devoted and thankful to a nation that has given me the chance to have the future I’ve always dreamt of? To be the man I am today. I have achieved so much since I arrived and I’ve always felt welcomed.

Are you patriotic towards Cuba?
My country and their people are beautiful and I do feel patriotic towards that (CUBA the country). Not towards the dictatorship that oppresses it.

Why did you emigrate from Cuba?
I emigrated because except for my mother, my whole family from my mother's side was already living in the United States and I grew up in Cuba until I was 18 years old without my entire family by my side. Even worse than being apart from my family, was the poverty, the hunger, the lack of freedom, the lack of opportunities to be a professional, the endless nights without electric power because of government mandated outages.  The notion that nothing was ever going to change and if it did it was definitely going to be for the worse, led to the decision to leave the country behind.

What is your favorite thing about the United States of America?
My favorite thing about the United States is the inclusion, the acceptance, the freedom it has given me to be whoever I want to become. I love that as a natural creative who was born to entertain through singing, acting and dancing I've been able to build a career for myself doing what I love, to the point where I was able to star in a movie alongside John Leguizamo, who is an idol to me not only for how talented he is, but also for being such an advocate for Latinos and Afro Americans.

What is your least favorite thing about the United States of America?
My least favorite thing about the United States is that most of the time money is given more value than humanity itself. The fact that some people die because they just don't have the money to afford a surgery or medical treatment that could potentially save their lives is beyond me.

What would you like to see happen in the United States of America?
What I'd love to see happen in the United States is a better Health Care System that will not let any human lives go to waste simply because they don't have money or means to afford care. Health care is a human right.

Olga Ojito Batista, 81

¿Qué significa ser americano?
Aunque vivo en los Estados Unidos, no he podido obtener la ciudadanía ni hablo inglés. Yo misma no me siento Americana.

¿Cuáles son los valores de Cuba?
Valoramos el respeto, la hospitalidad, el tiempo de calidad con nuestras familias extendidas. La familia es la máxima prioridad.

¿Qué significa el sueño americano para ti?
Para mí, el sueño americano consistía en sacar a mis hijas de la isla. Una vez que triunfó la Revolución, la calidad de vida en Cuba comenzó a deteriorarse rápidamente y las relaciones se volvieron muy tensas debido a las opiniones políticas. Sabía que allí no habría futuro para mis hijas.

¿Qué significaba el sueño americano para tus padres?
Mis padres nunca soñaron con venir a Estados Unidos. Aunque no éramos ricos en Cuba antes de la revolución, éramos felices e independientes. No teníamos mucho pero éramos libres. No fue hasta que llegó el comunismo a nuestra isla que mi esposo y yo tomamos la difícil decisión de dejar atrás todo lo que sabíamos para encontrar una realidad mejor para nuestras hijas.

¿Quién prospera en los Estados Unidos?
Por lo que he visto, los que no le tienen miedo al fracaso y riesgos son los que han triunfado en este país.

¿Eres libre en los Estados Unidos?
Sí, soy libre de pensar por mí mismo y tengo libertad de expresión.

¿Eres patriota hacia los Estados Unidos?
Estoy feliz de estar aquí y me siento agradecido de poder vivir aquí, pero no tengo una conexión tan profunda con este país.

¿Eres patriota hacia Cuba?
Extraño mucho la tierra. Extraño las playas y las calles, la gente y los sonidos, los olores. Pero ya no es la Cuba que recuerdo y no siento patriotismo por el gobierno que oprimió a mi familia. Mi sueño era volver algún día a una Cuba libre de la que pueda estar orgullosa y sentir patriotismo, pero ese día no ha llegado.

¿Por qué emigraste de Cuba?
Aunque mi familia apoyó a la revolucion al principio, rápidamente comenzamos a ver cuán opresivo se volvió el nuevo gobierno. Arrestaron a mi hermano y lo mantuvieron en prisión durante años porque protestaba contra la brutalidad. Se confiscaron negocios, se revocaron los hogares de las personas, y se envió a la gente a campamentos donde se les obligó a adoptar ideologías comunistas. Mi familia tuvo que empezar a ocultar nuestra religión católica porque se despreciaba practicar todas y cada una de las religiones. Era un constante adoctrinamiento comunista y no quería criar a mis hijas allí. Quería que fueran libres de decir lo que pensaban y desarrollar sus propios pensamientos. No había oportunidad de trabajo a menos que estuvieras con el "partido"

Llegué aquí cuando tenía 50 años y nunca seguí una carrera, mi esposo encontró trabajo en una fábrica mientras yo cuidaba a los niños del vecindario en Hialeah, FL. Aunque nunca nos hicimos ricos, pudimos cuidar a nuestros nietos mientras sus madres trabajaban y debido a nuestro sacrificio, todos mis nietos son felices y tienen carreras que aman.

¿Qué es lo más te gusta de Estados Unidos?
La libertad y las cantidad de oportunidades

¿Qué es lo que menos te gusta de Estados Unidos?
Lo que menos me gusta de Estados Unidos es la cantidad de gente que trabaja. En Cuba se priorizaba el tiempo y el ocio en familia más que trabajar y ganar dinero.

¿Qué te gustaría ver ocurrir en los Estados Unidos?
Mi deseo para Estados Unidos es que siempre sea una tierra libre para que TODAS las personas encuentren asilo y la oportunidad de una mejor calidad de vida.

Batista Family clothing by Johanna Ortiz and Shop A.AU.


The Moises


This is the Moise family. They are from Haiti. They live in Miami, FL. According to the American Community Survey there are approx. 1,084,055 U.S. residents that report Haitian descent. In Miami, there are approx 308,605 Haitians today. Melanie Moise, 87, is the eldest of 4 generations of Moise women who all live in Miami, FL and has been living in Miami’s Little Haiti for 37 years.
Photography by Travis Matthews
Styling by Alexander-Julian


Natalie Thames, 40

What is an American?
America is numerous entities and regions defined by politics, and individuals culture. A huge melting pot.

What are Haitian values?
To be respectful, well mannered, finish school, make a path for my children to know they can do and be great in ANYTHING that they do.

What does the American Dream mean to you?
It’s overall freedom, which we still struggle to have. To be able to succeed and be equal among those of other races. To break the chain of a systematic image that we can not do as other races can do. To make sure my children and generations after me, become independent in a positive light. To show a black-owned business can strive and is as talented as others.

What did the American Dream mean to your parents?
They wanted to come to America to have a better stepping stone for their children.



Who is able to thrive in the United States of America?
We all can thrive in the United States if we are provided the correct knowledge and education to do it.

Who dies in the United States of America?
Blacks.

Are you free in the United States of America?
Depends on the day and what is going on in the world.

Are you patriotic towards the United States of America?
What is patriotic? If it is building relationships with different races under the US, then yes.

Are you patriotic towards Haiti?
Yes, to a certain degree. Our mainland has a lot of growing to do itself.

Why did you parents emigrate from their country of origin?
Parents are separated & never advised why they moved to the US.

What is your favorite thing about the United States of America?
The different cultures. It is a giant melting pot.

What is your least favorite thing about the United States of America?
The killing & kidnapping of blacks. It doesn't matter what country you are from, if you are my shade, it's an automatic defense mechanism that occurs of not trusting our worth.

What would you like to see happen in the United States of America?
Growth and this new generation is definitely showing us it can be done.




Deja Thames, 16

What is an American?
An American is a person who was either born in America or has two America parents and is born from them.

What does the American Dream mean to you?
To me the American dream is simply just a dream. The American dream wasn’t created for everyone to reach.

What did the American Dream mean to your parents?
I don’t think the American Dream had a big effect on my parents. They set their own goals for life and strive to reach those goals.

Who is able to thrive in the United States of America?
Mostly rich white men because it seems that the United States was built to protect how much power they truly have.

Who dies in the United States of America?
Any person of color but mainly those in the lower class who’s a person of color.

Are you free in the United States of America?
Overall yes compared to some people in other countries I have much more freedom than they.

Are you patriotic towards the United States of America?
I’m just a little patriotic depending on the situation.

Are you patriotic towards Haiti?
Overall yes because sometimes people would say very ignorant things which aren't true.

Why did your parents emigrate from their country of origin?
My grandparents came to this country because they saw that they would have more opportunities here.

What is your favorite thing about the United States of America?
My favorite thing about the United States is how diverse the country can be.

What is your least favorite thing about the United States of America?
How anti-Black people can be at times.

What would you like to see happen in the United States of America?
I would like the United States to teach true history to kids and just white washed history.




Melanie Moise, 87

What is an American?
To be free.

What are Haitian values?
Hospitality, be obedient of elders, your parents. Respect for your family. Embrace the Haitian culture.

What does the American Dream mean to you?
For my kids to be free and great. I left at a young age and went to NY because that was where dreams were made of. I wanted all my children to be great.

Who is able to thrive in the United States of America?
White people.

Who dies in the United States of America?
Black people.

Are you free in the United States of America?
Today a little bit.

Are you patriotic towards the United States of America?
No.

Are you patriotic towards Haiti?
Yes.

Why did you emigrate from your country of origin?
So children can be better and do better.

What is your favorite thing about the United States of America?
My church.

What is your least favorite thing about the United States of America?
They kill everybody.

What would you like to see happen in the United States of America?
Everybody love everybody.




Moise Family clothing by Fanm Mon, Pyer Moss, and Shop A.Au.


The Bernals


This is the Bernal family. They are from Mexico. They live in Laredo, TX. According to the American Community Survey there are approx. 37,147,000 U.S. residents that report Mexican descent. In Laredo, 86.9% of the population is of Mexican descent. Laredo, TX sits right on the US/Mexico border with a sister city in Mexico called Nuevo Laredo where Jesus Bernal met his now wife, Mary Bernal, nearly 50 years ago.
Photography by Ada Navarro

Set Design by Orly Anan
Styling by Alexander-Julian


Victoria Camarillo, 18

What is an American?
What comes to mind when I think of being an American is being fortunate enough to have the opportunity to grow as an individual. Our family has grown up in a country where we have the freedom, security, and education to see our future generations succeed. The Mexican culture that I once knew taught me to grow and see the values and opportunities that we have at our disposal, but also to work for them.

What are Mexican values?
I was taught to succeed in life once I entered the doors of education. Working hard and maintaining good grades raises your level of achievement and puts you on the right track in life. My family taught me to set high standards for myself and to work hard to achieve my dreams. This was never a concern for Mexicans, but now that the first generation born in the United States has seen this level of success, they want their children to live a better life.

What does the American Dream mean to you?
The American dream, as defined by me, is to do well for myself and to do well in life in order to take advantage of the opportunities that come my way. To demonstrate to future generations of my family that we are capable of accomplishing anything if we have the right mindset.

What did the American Dream mean to your parents?
To my parents, the American dream is having stability, providing the best for their family, seeing their children mature and grow up living a good life, and saving for retirement so that they do not rely on the government.

Who is able to thrive in the United States of America?
In my opinion, individuals who are willing to commit and work hard to advance in life are those who can thrive in the United States.

Who dies in the United States of America?
Those who die in the United States are those who have secured and made a living for themselves, and who are willing to continue in there family's footsteps.

Are you free in the United States of America?
Yes, I feel free in the United States of America, I feel liberated. This country has given my family and me the freedom to do whatever we want and live the lives we desire.

Are you patriotic towards the United States of America?
Yes, I believe I am. I take pride in and respect the pledge of allegiance flag. A place that I love and where I first called home because of all the privileges that I enjoy that are not available in other parts of the world; it is a significant benefit.

Are you patriotic towards Mexico?
Yes, I believe I am. I take pride in and respect the pledge of allegiance flag. A place that I love and where I first called home because of all the privileges that I enjoy that are not available in other parts of the world; it is a significant benefit.

Why did your parents emigrate from their country of origin?
My grandfather came from a low-income family in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas. He was raised in a household with a single mother, in order to obtain a roof over their head, they had to sell homemade tortillas asking around the neighborhood, making their funds out of this business. In their eyes there was no time for embarrassment in this situation. Not only that, but his mother had also recommended housing chores for a little bit more help to manage and maintain their finances. He had no clue where his siblings were or who they were. But his whole life, he provided for his family the best possible way he could. Until one day he met my grandmother and decided to get married at an early age. They made a decision of coming to Laredo, Tx to provide a better life for their family to be. As arriving, he immediately went towards the selling business area and had his six daughters showing them and providing them with the right morals in life or each of life lessons. As each of his daughters got older, he brought them to the business later, evolving into a restaurant, which is known as the El Meson Of San Agustin. Which all began in humble beginnings with the love my grandparents had for each other and is shown and poured out in this restaurant. This served a lesson for me that even though we go through hardships in life that is what makes us who we are today. Even helping us to encourage in changing the pattern to something even better. This man grew to be an independent, loyal, wise, and loving individual showing me that even in the darkest moments, there is a light in the end. If he can do it, so will I!

What is your favorite thing about the United States of America?
My favorite thing about the United States is that we have the freedom to change our way of life and help ourselves succeed. Ultimately, it is the land of opportunity!

What is your least favorite thing about the United States of America?
Politics is my least favorite aspect of the United States because most people abuse power, which is one of the reasons why the rest of the world is tearing apart.

What would you like to see happen in the United States of America?
For every citizen to receive financial assistance.

Jesus Bernal, 68

¿Qué significa ser americano?
Pues, un honor, un gusto, like you say in English, "I am very proud to be citizen of this beautiful country." Sorry, I'm Mexican. I can express sometimes in English, like Tex-Mex.

¿Cuáles son los valores de tu país de origen?
It's a lot. Son muchos. Tenemos muchos valores. Amor a la familia, amor a la tierra, amor a crecer, a ser alguien, ser alguien importante. Mejorar la vida de nosotros y de las de nuestras familias que vienen detrás.

¿Qué significa el sueño americano para ti?
El sueño americano para mí es este, eso, lograr crecer, lograr hacer algo y ser alguien y ver que nuestras familias también sean mejores personas, mejores—Que tengan mejor calidad de vida. La calidad de vida es una de las cosas que venimos persiguiendo al venir acá. Que tengamos una mejor vida. En todos los aspectos.

¿Qué significaba el sueño americano para tus padres?
Ellos no lo vivieron. Yo llegué solo. Ellos no tengo idea este, qué pudieron haber pensado acerca de esto, pero supongo que igual que yo porque-- Por as-es una historia muy larga. Pero sí supongo que ellos también les hubiera gustado. Soy de una familia del centro de México, de Zacatecas. Vienen ellos eh, viajando, avanzando hacia el norte y yo nazco en Nuevo Laredo, que es al cruzar la frontera, ah, cross the border. Eh, ah, we're Sister Cities, Laredo, Texas. Nuevo Laredo. I born in Nuevo Laredo. Ah, en el caso de mi familia. Yo supongo que ellos venían buscando el norte. El norte era— Es la tierra de la oportunidad para todos, porque pues allá no había—O no hay mucho. Esa es la historia contada rápido.

¿Quién prospera en los Estados Unidos?
Todo mundo. Todos, el que quiera trabajar. El que no espere que le den. Nos hace mucho daño que nos den, el gobierno que dé. Lo dado no se valora, lo que se gana, lo que se trabaja, lo que cuesta, eso, ah, para nosotros eso es prosperar, eso es mejorar. El que trabaja y quiere, lo puede lograr.

¿Quién muere en los Estados Unidos?
Igual, todo mundo. Espero que, todos somos casos diferentes. Cada uno tenía que-que platicarse en qué forma, cuál-- La pregunta es muy, muy amplia para platicarlo. Todos nos vamos a morir, ¿de qué manera? Depende en qué—Cómo andemos, qué hacemos, de qué manera llegamos, de qué manera andamos, de qué manera vivimos.

Eso, más que nada. Este, si nos portamos bien vamos a ser viejitos y nos vamos a morir tarde.

¿Eres libre en los Estados Unidos?
Totalmente, sí.

¿Eres patriota hacia los Estados Unidos?
Claro. Cómo no. Soy—Aunque no fui a ninguna guerra, pero sí me enlisté cuando cumplí los 18 años, porque estaba seguro que quería ir, pero no me llamaron.

¿Eres patriota hacia Mexico?
Por supuesto que sí. Y muy orgulloso, también. Los dos los llevas en el corazón, como en el caso de nosotros, o mío, en el corazón caben las dos banderas. I have plenty of room in my heart, to all both.

¿Por qué emigraste de tu país de origen?
Fue una elección de trabajo, de así se me dio la oportunidad.

¿Qué es lo más te gusta de Estados Unidos?
Ay, me gusta todo, me gusta cómo vivo, cómo vivimos, cómo hemos crecido, y de que, además, estamos en una posición de que podemos ayudar a otros, podemos viajar, podemos tener libertad, eso.

¿Qué es lo que menos te gusta de Estados Unidos?
El racismo. Ah, yes, and some politics. I can tell the name, Trump. No, people like that don't understand what, eh, means human beings, don't respect, no feelings, but no, I don't understand what happen with that kind of people.

¿Qué te gustaría ver ocurrir en los Estados Unidos?
Que haya paz, que haya paz, que no haya drogas, que no haya racismo, no solo en Estados Unidos, en todo el mundo, que haya paz, eso me gustaría. Tenemos todo, tenemos todo para vivir felices, para vivir en paz, para crecer, para triunfar, pero si no hay paz, si no hay tranquilidad, no se puede disfrutar todo lo hermoso que tenemos.



Sandra Bernal, 41

What is an American?
An American is somebody that lives in the continent of The Americas.

What are Mexican values?
Hard work, love of family and food.

What does the American Dream mean to you?
Having our business succeed so our children can have the freedom to pursuit any career they love.

What did the American Dream mean to your parents?
Financial freedom.

Who is able to thrive in the United States of America?
Those who learn and the ways to work smarter not harder.

Who dies in the United States of America?
The people who can’t afford decent healthcare services.

Are you free in the United States of America?
Yes but like everything it is not perfect.

Are you patriotic towards the United States of America?
Yes but I don’t always agree with the system.

Are you patriotic towards Mexico?
Yes but never lived there.

Why did your parents emigrate from their country of origin?
My parents emigrated to the U.S. for the American Dream.

What is your favorite thing about the United States of America?
I love the diversity.

What is your least favorite thing about the United States of America?
The politics.

What would you like to see happen in the United States of America?
Health care for all and better schools.

Sophia Garcia, 16

What is an American?
An American is someone who fights for what they believe in.

What are Mexican values?
Family is everything.

What does the American Dream mean to you?
The American Dream is making something of yourself when people doubted you.

What did the American Dream mean to your parents?
To make a better life for their children.

Who is able to thrive in the United States of America?
Anyone who puts their mind to it.

Who dies in the United States of America?
The people born.

Are you free in the United States of America?
To a certain extent.

Are you patriotic towards the United States of America?
Somewhat.



Are you patriotic towards Mexico?
Yes.

Why did your parents emigrate from their country of origin?
They wanted a better life for themselves and their family.

What is your favorite thing about the United States of America?
Being able to have my family here.

What is your least favorite thing about the United States of America?
“Freedom.”

What would you like to see happen in the United States of America?
For people’s negative attitude towards immigration [to change].


Leann Bernal, 21

What is an American?
I see Americans as people who were born in the United States of America, even though technically, anyone born in the region of north or South America can be American. The reason being is because we’re conditioned into thinking that Americans only come from one place. The United States of America, any other region identifies differently.

What are Mexican values?
The value hard work and determination. “Ponte las pillas” as they would say. Which is another way of saying get to it.

What does the American Dream mean to you?
The American dream to me means setting up a foundation of success for the families following mine. Creating milestones and breaking Generational curses and traumas.

What did the American Dream mean to your parents?
It meant finding stability and financial freedom. While giving their children the best opportunities for success.

Who is able to thrive in the United States of America?
The white man.

Who dies in the United States of America?
People of color.

Are you free in the United States of America?
In a sense we are free to dream and work. But laws prohibit us to be truly free. Example, reproductive rights.

Are you patriotic towards the United States of America?
No.

Are you patriotic towards Mexico?
Yes.

Why did your grandparents emigrate from their country of origin?
My grandparents emigrated to the US because they were kids themselves and wanted a better life.

What is your favorite thing about the United States of America?
Sense of community with other minorities.

What is your least favorite thing about the United States of America?
The system set up to build white people up.

What would you like to see happen in the United States of America?
I would like to see human rights upheld by its government.




Bernal Family clothing by Carla Fernandez, Tanamachi, and The Pack.