Through July 4, The Post, in partnership with the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream, is highlighting Americans sharing what the American dream means to them in 2026. Among them is John Paul DeJoria, co-founder of the Paul Mitchell hair-care brand and Patrón Spirits Company.
My mother arrived in the United States by boat from Greece in search of the American dream. She was still very young when she came here, and people had told her the streets would be paved with gold. She quickly learned that was not the case.
She was married to my father, but sadly, he turned out to be a deadbeat dad. When I was about 5, my mother began dealing with health problems. As a result, my brother and I spent roughly five years in foster care in East LA. In many ways, we were fortunate: We were able to see our mother on weekends.
Other children in the foster home were not so lucky. No one came to visit them. My mother had such a generous heart that on holidays, she would invite any child who wanted to join us to come along. We had an extraordinary mom. She always told my brother and me, “No matter what, you can do it, boys.” And, by gosh, we did.
We had no money — none at all. But as kids, we didn’t really understand that. We didn’t own a television, and we didn’t have newspapers to read. Still, we felt like we had everything. My mother was the greatest. We moved back home when I was about 9 and a half years old.
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Eventually, she managed to buy a tiny house for us. One Friday, she said, “Let’s put all of our money together. I want to show you something.” Altogether, we had 27 cents. I have never forgotten that number. Then she asked us, “Boys, what does it mean to be rich? We are very rich because we are happy and healthy. We have 27 cents. In our little garden, we have vegetables growing. We have water. Our bills are paid up to date, and we have what we need. We are going to make it through this week and into next week.”
The American Dream Video Project features real-life stories that spotlight different paths to opportunity. Presented at the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream (MCAAD), the series is part of the Center’s celebration of America’s 250th anniversary. MCAAD, Washington, DC’s newest cultural institution, offers interactive exhibits and personal stories focused on the pursuit of the American Dream. For more information, visit mcaad.org.
