ABSTRACT
Educators should work hard to understand our families and how they dream about happiness. Happiness doesn't have a universal definition, and it is naive to believe that all families have the same hopes and dreams. Having a greater understanding allows us to use our resources, voices, and influence to make this a reality. Schools should fight for dreams, the dreams and vision that families have for their child's future. When students or families talk about how they want to be the first in their family to graduate college, educators need to listen. The concept of hopes and dreams can sometimes get lost in the urgent conversations of the day. Dreams are often based on a set of successful moments resulting from hard work and perseverance. Seeing what is possible means an opportunity to be introduced to individuals that mirror their story and have found genuine success and happiness by living out their dreams.
