Socio-Economic Status & The 'American Dream.'

We don't often talk about socio-economic status despite the fact that it holds significant space and relevance in the discourse on diversity, inclusion, belonging, and equitable outcomes.

The term 'American Dream' was coined by James Truslow Adams while asserting that life should be better and fuller for everyone regardless of social class or circumstance of birth.  This notion of the 'American Dream' is rooted in the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, and is the foundation upon which most of our nation's systems are built and governed.  

We are conducting a brief survey to help contextualize DEIB and socio-economic status, defining the 'American Dream' as: the set of ideals (democracy, rights, liberty, opportunity, and equality) in which freedom includes the opportunity for prosperity and success, as well as upward social mobility for families, achieved through hard work in society with few barriers.

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* 1. Do you believe the 'American Dream' is attainable for everyone?

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* 2. If we define meritocracy as the holding of power and/or influence by people selected on the basis of education, proven skill, or proven ability, would you say that you wholeheartedly believe in and/or endorse meritocracy in the workplace?

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* 3. How often do you talk about socio-economic status?

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* 4. How comfortable are you talking about socio-economic status?

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* 5. Because this survey is related to the discourse on social class, we are using race categories taken from the U.S. Census. Please select how you identify.

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* 6. Social Stratification and Social Classes in the United States includes the below seven socio-economic classes. What social class would you say you belong to?

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* 7. What is your household income

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* 8. If you'd like to receive updates on our research and our free upcoming beta workshops please provide your contact information.

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