Chapter 16: Reconceptualizing the American Dream for Racial/Ethnic Minorities During COVID-19: The Intersection of Health and Mental Health Disparities

Suppose one were to ask about the meaning of the national anthem of the United States. In that case, you might get different responses depending on the lived experiences and historical background of each person’s descendants. Although it is sung in English, Spanish, and Native American languages such as Lakota and Apache, the national anthem does not capture the essence of the native, enslaved, and immigrated peoples that compose the American population. While the “Star-Spangled Banner” proudly professes the land of the free and the home of the brave, the “Lift Every Voice and Sing” version recounts the historical sacrifices, the intentional marches for freedom, and the continuous pursuit of victory not only for African Americans but also for other racial and ethnic minorities. Below you will find the beginning verses of “America” (My Country, ‘Tis of Thee), where freedom is assumed to be an inherent right of Americans, yet this freedom is reserved for those who did not inherit the land of pilgrims’ ancestry and who are of Eurocentric lineage.