The Crowder Law Firm Scholarship Fall 2023 Winner

Juan Antonio Villa Suarez

Juan Antonio's essay beautifully articulates what the American Dream is to so many people. A symbol of opportunity that comes with challenges, sacrifices, and efforts made along the way to achieve it. His emphasis on education and relentless pursuit of his goals make him the American Dream. We are honored to award you the Fall 2023 Crowder Law Firm Scholarship.

Read Juan's Essay:

The American Dream is a concept that has been present throughout many aspects of U.S. culture, from teachings in school, literature, and media. This idea is a symbol of hope and opportunity that has inspired millions of immigrants to leave their families, culture, and their homeland in order to fulfill their aspirations. As a child of two Mexican immigrant parents, the American Dream has always felt more meaningful to me. Although the American Dream is a symbol of opportunity, to me it also represents the challenges, sacrifices, and endeavors undergone along the way to achieve it.

At the ripe young age of 4 years old, I moved to the country I would call home for the rest of my life. For me, the day I left Mexico felt as insignificant as any other day; but for my parents, it meant leaving their families, their way of life, and everything else they had ever known. That day marked the beginning of a journey fueled by the ambition of a better life for them, but mostly for me. Sacrificing their comfort, they set off into a foreign country with different traditions, values, and a different language in the pursuit of a future that encompasses financial stability, education, and most importantly the freedom for them and for me to pursue our dreams.

Like countless immigrants before me, the road to the American Dream came with adversity every step of the way. As I grew older, I became witness to my parents’ resilience in the face of everyday challenges including, language barriers, economic hardships, and having to ignore sneers as they spoke Spanish in a public setting. Showing fortitude throughout all their struggles, their resilience became integrated into my character allowing me to persevere in the face of all of my obstacles. There were times when, although forcing a fake smile and a positive attitude, I could tell they were beyond their physical and emotional limits. This mindset shown by my parents despite their hardships led me to realize how much they had truly given up for the sake of our family. This allowed me to graciously carry the responsibility of making the best of the opportunity given to me in order to prove that their sacrifices were not in vain.

Even though their reasons for emigrating their country were abundant, their main emphasis was always education. Their idea of success and achieving the American Dream was not based on their success but rather mine, and for me it means making my parents proud and making everything they did for me worth it. Despite all of their struggles, they made sure to do everything they could to provide for us and made it clear that there is no limit to what I could achieve. Due to this, I made sure to always try my best in school and get involved in extracurricular activities, take on leadership positions, and volunteer at church. In high school, I was a part of NHS, the leadership mentor program, took eight advanced placement classes, and was on the basketball and rugby team. I continued my education, and I am going into my junior year at Texas Tech University where I am pursuing a double major in accounting and finance and a minor in international business. At Texas Tech, I joined a fraternity where I have taken multiple leadership positions, which include being elected as the Vice President for the coming school year. I plan on graduating in 2025 and then continuing my education even further and obtaining my master’s degree. I am proud to say that I have been able to take every opportunity given to me so that I could turn my parents struggles into a successful future for me.

As a child of Mexican immigrant parents, the American Dream represents a blend of hope, ambition, sacrifice, and resilience. It embodies the values instilled by my parents and the aspirations I carry within myself. Through education, cultural adaptation, and unwavering determination, I continue to strive to fulfill the dreams that my parents nurtured and create a future that encompasses success, happiness, and a deep sense of gratitude for the opportunities that I have been granted. So, would I say that the American Dream is still achievable today? Absolutely, my parents are walking proof of the American Dream and what is possible, I am the American Dream.