Living the American Dream on TikTok: Stories of Migrant Success
Doña Elvira, a forty-nine-year-old mother of eight and grandmother of five, wakes up before dawn in the Colta Valley, Ecuador, to check her phone. Her daughter, María, who lives in New York City, posted a video on TikTok featuring Ecuadorian- and American-flag emojis, which Elvira watches repeatedly. Despite her limited Spanish and Kichwa-speaking abilities, she remains connected to her daughters through social media.
Preparing oatmeal-and-potato soup for her family, Elvira lives with her husband, children, and grandchildren in a two-room adobe house near the Colta Lagoon. As she tends to the cows and harvests potatoes on borrowed land, she reflects on her daughters’ migration journey to America and their growing popularity on TikTok.
Subheading: The American Dream on Display
María and Mercedes, Elvira’s daughters, share their experiences in New York through TikTok videos, showcasing traditional Andean clothing, American landmarks, and their pursuit of the American Dream. Despite tens of thousands of views on their videos, the reality of their lives in the U.S. is far from glamorous.
Subheading: Struggles in the City
María navigates long commutes, low wages, and mounting debts as she balances work at a cookie factory with caring for her daughter. The pressure to appear successful on social media contrasts with the financial strain she faces daily. Mercedes sells coffee on the street to make ends meet, risking fines and struggling to support her family.
Subheading: The Harsh Realities of Migration
Behind the facade of success on TikTok lies a community of migrant workers facing precarious employment, financial insecurity, and the looming threat of deportation under the Trump administration. Despite the challenges, migrants like María and Mercedes continue to chase the American Dream, driven by family obligations and economic hardships back home.
As the story unfolds, the harsh realities of migration and the complexities of pursuing the American Dream come to light. Through the lens of Doña Elvira, María, and Mercedes, readers gain insight into the personal struggles, sacrifices, and hopes of migrants from the Ecuadorian highlands as they navigate life in the United States. The juxtaposition of social media portrayals with the daily challenges faced by these individuals offers a poignant reflection on the complexities of migration and the pursuit of a better future.
