PBS
Why we need to stop sharing American Dream success stories
Why would author Casey Gerald want people to stop highlighting success stories like his own? Gerald says he grew up on "the wrong side of the tracks" and went on to Harvard Business school. But he says celebrations of the American Dream...
PBS
Laila Lalami’s “The Other Americans” Explores The Experience Of Being An Outsider
Jeffrey Brown caught up with the National Book Award fiction finalist Laila Lalami at the Miami Book Festival. Her latest work of fiction, "The Other Americans," explores issues of immigration and identity, part of our ongoing arts and...
PBS
Nicodemus Kansas
The wave of migration across the U.S. in the mid-1800's included people looking to live in open spaces, with land to grow crops and the opportunity to have a better life. After the Civil War, that included freed slaves and their...
PBS
The factory that combines school and work to give El Salvador a brighter future
At a garment factory that makes T-shirts bearing the logos of American universities, about a fifth of the workers at high-school dropouts. But if they want to keep their jobs, they'll need to do something about it. Special correspondent...
PBS
Why we need to stop sharing American Dream success stories
Why would author Casey Gerald want people to stop highlighting success stories like his own? Gerald says he grew up on "the wrong side of the tracks" and went on to Harvard Business school. But he says celebrations of the American Dream...
TED Talks
TED: My 105 days in Taliban prison -- and a call to aid Afghanistan | Safi Rauf
Sharing his experience of being held captive in a Taliban prison for 105 days, humanitarian Safi Rauf talks about his life's mission to get food, medicine and other critical supplies to Afghans in need -- and urges the world to bolster...
TED Talks
TED: America's forgotten working class | J.D. Vance
J.D. Vance grew up in a small, poor city in the Rust Belt of southern Ohio, where he had a front-row seat to many of the social ills plaguing America: a heroin epidemic, failing schools, families torn apart by divorce and sometimes...
TED Talks
TED: Political common ground in a polarized united States | Gretchen Carlson, David Brooks
How can we bridge the gap between left and right to have a wiser, more connected political conversation? Journalist Gretchen Carlson and op-ed columnist David Brooks share insights on the tensions at the heart of American politics today...
TED Talks
TED: Does money make you mean? | Paul Piff
It's amazing what a rigged game of Monopoly can reveal. In this entertaining but sobering talk, social psychologist Paul Piff shares his research into how people behave when they feel wealthy. (Hint: badly.) But while the problem of...
TED Talks
Dan Phillips: Creative houses from reclaimed stuff
In this funny and inspiring talk, Dan Phillips tours us through a dozen homes he's built in Texas using recycled and reclaimed materials in wildly creative ways. Brilliant, low-tech design details will refresh your own drive to make more...
TED Talks
Reniqua Allen: The story we tell about millennials -- and who we leave out
Millennials are now the largest, most diverse adult population in the US -- but far too often, they're reduced to the worn-out stereotype of lazy, entitled avocado toast lovers, says author Reniqua Allen. In this revealing talk, she...
Crash Course
Like Pale Gold - The Great Gatsby Part I: Crash Course English Literature
In which John Green explores F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel of the Jazz Age, The Great Gatsby. John introduces you to Nick Carraway, Jay Gatsby, Daisy and Tom Buchanan, and the other characters in the novel, and tries to look beyond the...
TED Talks
TED: How labor unions shape society | Margaret Levi
The weekend. Social Security. Health insurance. What do these things have in common? They all exist thanks to the advocacy of labor unions. Political economist Margaret Levi explains how these organizations forge equality and protect...
TED Talks
TED: You don't have to leave your neighborhood to live in a better one | Majora Carter
Low-status neighborhoods in the US are often stuck between stagnating assistance from the government and gentrification at the hands of real estate developers. The result is that the brightest minds are convinced that "success" means...
Curated Video
Our Kids - Narrowing the Opportunity Gap - Robert Putnam speaking about "Our Kids - The American Dream in Crisis"
New ReviewTwo generations ago, when people used the expression “our kids,” they meant our community’s or our nation’s children, but now the term refers to only our biological children. America never thrived with such a narrow vision of the public...
Curated Video
Can coronavirus be defeated without addressing homelessness? | The Stream
The Stream: Can coronavirus be defeated without addressing homelessness?
Curated Video
Rising Inflation Sparks Side Hustle Surge Among Americans
Inflation strains many financially, jeopardizing the American Dream. Can side hustles offer relief?
Curated Video
Exploring the importance of books and stories
Pupil outcome: I can consider why stories and their central themes might be important for society. Key learning points: - Stories have existed throughout human history. - Potentially, we might tell stories as a way of creating social...
Curated Video
'The Great Gatsby': Developing a personal response
Pupil outcome: I can develop a personal response to an extract from ‘The Great Gatsby’. Key learning points: - An opinion is a view or judgement formed on something, not based on fact. - In order to add credibility to our opinions, we...
Kult America
World's First Shopping Mall? Istanbul Grand Bazaar
Even though America is the undisputed center of consumerism, it is here, in Istanbul, where the original shopping mall was created. On today's episode of Kult America, I'm discovering the secrets of the Grand Bazaar - an enormous...
Wonderscape
Challenges of the American Dream for Black Men in the U.S.
Examine the disparities faced by Black men in America in pursuit of the American Dream. Learn about the impact of public policies, particularly within the criminal justice system, and how these have contributed to inequalities. Explore...
Great Big Story
From Auschwitz to the White House, Martin Greenfield's Craft
Martin Greenfield, a Holocaust survivor, creates perfect suits for U.S. Presidents with unparalleled craftsmanship.
Great Big Story
This Is the Only School for Refugees in the U.S.
Explore the inspiring journey of the Fugees Academies, the only school system for refugees in the United States. Founded by Coach Luma, an immigrant from Jordan, these academies provide education and hope to students who have experienced...
Curated Video
Materialism and the American Dream in The Great Gatsby
The green light and the looming eyes of Dr. TJ Eckleberg are two of the most iconic images in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, "The Great Gatsby." The green light is a multifaceted symbol representing Gatsby's love for Daisy, the elusive...