Introducing 'Dispatches: The Changing American Dream'

We're excited to inaugurate a new series for our Patch Readers: "Dispatches: The Changing American Dream."

Every day, the national media is 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.

And it all affects the definition of the "American Dream."

At Kent Patch, we want to explore that conversation on the local level — and as frequently as possible — 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 that a multitude of people are working toward. 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 Kent neighbors, fit along these fault lines.

Nationally, there's a debate about which government building efforts are "shovel-ready." Locally, we seem them under construction every day, from the new to the .

"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 Kent speak to the heart of your American Dream.

Email your story to Kent Patch Local Editor at Matt.Fredmonsky@patch.com.