The American Dream

The American Dream includes a promise of prosperity and success, where citizens of every class believe that they can achieve a better, richer and happier life. Here at Morningside Ministries, we have a resident that represents this idea to the fullest.

Jose Arias was born in Monterrey, Mexico, on February 4, 1918. He immigrated to the United States at the age of 38. As a clothing tailor by trade, when an employment opportunity arose at Sugar Uniforms, a store his boss owned in U.S, Jose accepted the offer. Six months after coming here to San Antonio, he moved his family and kids from Mexico. He was chasing a dream of prosperity. The same dream immigrants arriving at the gates of Ellis Island in New York Harbor in the early 1900s had. And similarly to those early migrants, Jose arrived here with just the clothes on his back.

He was asked once by his boss about his goals in life, and Jose told him that he wanted to provide the opportunity for his children to receive a college education, he wanted to be the proud owner of his own home and he wanted to own a convertible car. His boss’ response to Jose’s humble goals was that he would never have any of those things because he was nothing but a clothing tailor. Jose did not accept the cynical fate his boss had predicted, stopping at nothing to get what he desired. He worked 80 hours a week for 11 years. After his employment at Sugar Uniforms, he opened his own shop in his home and tailored for Dillard’s for 3 years and JC Penny for 13 years.

Not only is Jose a skilled tailor, he is an talented Latin dancer. He learned to dance by watching TV. He loved to tango, swing, and bolero (a type of dancing style with slow-tempo Latin music). He became such an accomplished dancer that he went on to win two major dancing contests. He was asked to go on a tour all over South America, but said no because he didn’t want to leave his business.

Jose retired from his tailor work in 2007 at the age of 89. Although he no longer dances professionally, he occasionally likes to kick up his heels here at Kaulbach Assisted Living.

In the United States’ Declaration of Independence, our founding fathers stated that we hold certain 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. That is the dream that Americans value very much. In case any of you were wondering, Jose ended up fulfilling his goals.