Dispatches: The Changing American Dream

Every day, the national media are full of stories about how American families, businesses and neighbors are adjusting to these trying times. There are so many changes happening so fast that it's dizzying: national debates about unemployment, foreclosures, debt, religion, government and private enterprise all touch on fundamental ways in which we see ourselves and our communities. At Patch, we want to explore that conversation on a daily basis so we can better understand how our neighbors are adjusting to the challenges and opportunities that surround us.

We don't think there's one American Dream, but a multitude of American Dreams toward which a multitude of people are working. Looking out across nearly 900 Patch sites, we see businesses holding their breath, deciding whether to expand; college graduates returning home because they can't find jobs; and senior citizens bringing boarders into their homes to help pay their bills. We also see bold new volunteer efforts, inspiring stories of local businesses that succeed because they innovated, and locals who've taken these trying times as a signal to engage more, not less, in their government.

At the purely local level, we want to know where we, as Encino neighbors, fit along these fault lines.

Nationally, there's a debate about which government building efforts are "shovel-ready." Locally, there are plenty of building projects that have attracted the concern of residents.

Nationally, there's a debate about the education system, which is at the center of our dreams of a better life for our children. And recent stories by Encino Patch have shown the difficulty of attracting for our public school system.

Dispatches will be built upon the compelling vignettes and snapshots we unearth across all of our Patch sites.

And, of course, we want your help: Tell us what issues and what stories in Encino go to the heart of your American Dream.