The American Dream — the belief that any citizen of America can achieve self-made success through hard work and determination — has long been questioned. In 1963, prominent civil rights activist Martin Luther King’s iconic speech highlighted that this ideology was not a reality for people of colour in the US. Instead, he dreamt of a world where people of all colours and creeds would be truly equal.
Sixty years later and although the American Dream continues to be contested, one shining role model of both Black and LGBTQ+ excellence is Karine Jean-Pierre, a celebrated activist and social commentator, who, from humble beginnings, climbed the governmental ladder to become a prominent figure in politics, and the public face of the White House.
Jean-Pierre grew up in Martinique, a Caribbean island off the coast of America. Born to Haitian parents, she was submerged in a diverse and multicultural community that shaped her inclusive political views. She is proud of her roots and heritage: “I am a dark-skinned Haitian American child of the working class”, she writes in her 2019 memoir .
