The concept of The American Dream originated in the tenets found in the Declaration of Independence, which states: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” The term itself was coined by writer and historian James Truslow Adams in his 1931 book Epic of America. He described it as "that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement." It is the ideal that every citizen and new immigrant to the United States should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative.

Over time, a culture of of victimhood began pushing up against these heretofore universally cherished ideals. It convinced millions of Americans that society is hopelessly stacked against them, effort is futile, and dependence is freedom, thus erasing promised opportunity. This social shift initiated my American dream project. I photographed nostalgic symbols of traditional America that existed in the decade after the Great Depression when the American economy was recovering, and the ideals of The American Dream were being realized. They access the emotional pull of these quintessential ideals. I Inverted the images to create their negative versions, changing the original colors to their opposites, reflecting the divergent perceptions of The American Dream to new generations.