DisPatches: The Changing American Dream

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

Every day, the national media is full of stories about how American families and businesses 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.

At Patch, we want to explore that conversation on a daily basis 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 dreams which a multitude of people are aspiring toward.

Looking out across nearly almost 900 Patch sites, we see businesses deciding whether to expand; high school students who can't get entry-level jobs because they've been displaced by laid-off workers; college graduates returning home because they can't find jobs; and senior citizens returning to the workforce because they can't pay their bills.

In Contra Costa County, for example, an estimated , as of the end of June, meaning the unemployment rate is 10.9 percent.

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. Just look at the thousands who turned out at last year's  at the nearby Alameda County fairgrounds.

Nationally, there's a debate about the education system, which is at the center of our dreams of a better life for our children.

In the Bay Area, we see charter school efforts, such as the one shaking up Dublin, popping up as an alternative, or the KIPP high school in San Lorenzo, which just congratulated its first graduating class.

At the purely local level, we want to know where we, as San Ramon residents, fit into the national patchwork quilt. Our stories will be included, but "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 are before us in San Ramon, and let us know what you are doing to reach your version of the American Dream.

We want to hear from you! If you want to blog about this topic, let us know. If you just want to share a comment, email us or add it to the comment box at the bottom of this story.