سولَاں سَالَ پَہِلَاں، اَبَدِی نورَ اِفَتِنَ کِینِیءآ دِی سَبھَ توں مَاڑِی جھُگِّی وِچَّ رَہِن٘دَا اِکَّ سومَالِی شَرَنَارَتھِی سِی جَدوں اُسَنُوں پَتَا لَگِّءآ کِ اُسَنے جِیوَنَ بھَرَ دِی لَاٹَرِی جِتَّ لَئِی ہَے۔ ۲۰۱۳ وِچَّ لَگَبھَگَ ۸۰ لَکھَّ بِنَیکَارَاں وِچّوں، اُہَ اُنھَاں کھُشَکِسَمَتَ ۵۰۰۰۰ لوکَاں وِچّوں اِکَّ سِی جِنھَاں نُوں وِبھِنَّتَا وِیزَا سَکِیمَ وَجوں جَاݨِی جَان٘دِی اِکَّ سَکِیمَ دُءآرَا یُوءاَیسَ وِیزَا دِتَّا گِءآ سِی جو یُوءاَیسَ سَرَکَارَ نے ۱۹۹۰ وِچَّ شُرُو کِیتِی سِی۔
Abdi had long dreamt of moving to America۔ اُہَ اِنَّا جَنُونَّ سِی، اُسَدے بَچَپَنَ دے دوسَتَاں نے اُسَنُوں "اَبَدِی اَمَرِیکَا" دَا اُپَنَامَ وِی دِتَّا جَدوں اُسَنے ہَالِیوُڈَّ پھِلَمَاں دیکھَ کے اَن٘گَریزِی بولَݨَا سِکھَّ لِءآ۔ اُسَنے ۲۰۱۴ وِچَّ بِیبِیسِی نُوں دَسِّءآ، "میرِی پُورِی زِن٘دَگِی مَیں اَمَرِیکَا - دُنِیءآ دَا سَبھَ توں وَدھِیءآ دیشَ، سُپَنِءآں دِی دھَرَتِی، مَوکِءآں دِی دھَرَتِی" نَالَ پِءآرَ کِیتَا ہَے۔
That year، Abdi، now ۴۱، arrived in the US، settled in a small town in Maine، got a job installing insulation and became a US citizen۔ But now، his hopes have run up against reality۔ He lost his job at a refugee resettlement agency this year، and consequently his health insurance۔
سَن٘یُکَتَ رَاجَ دے ۲۵۰ویں جَنَمَ دِنَ دِی پُورَوَ سَن٘دھِءآ 'تے، اَبَدِی، بَہُتَ سَارے اَمَرِیکِیءآں وَان٘گَ، آپَݨے دیشَ دے بھَوِکھَّ نُوں لَے کے بیچَینَ ہَے۔
"I feel like the American Dream is alive، but not well،" he told me۔
Meanwhile، Luke Mullen، a ۲۴-year-old actor from California، told me he's planning on moving to Canada because of a lack of film opportunities in Hollywood، of all places۔
"Wealth is getting consolidated in this country and as that happens، the opportunities are dwindling،" he said۔
Survey after survey taken ahead of the ۲۵۰th anniversary of America's founding shows many Americans feel the "American Dream"- the promise that anyone in the United States can create a bright future for themselves - is fading۔
A recent poll from the Associated Press-NORC found that only a third of the public believes the American Dream still exists۔ The sentiment is the same across many surveys۔ One recent study from the Pew Research Center، shows that most Americans say the country's best days are behind it۔
America's ۲۵۰th birthday also comes at a moment of deep polarisation and partisan divide۔
تَاں اِسَدَا کِی اَرَتھَ ہَے جیکَرَ ڈَرِیمَ - اِکَّ بْرَان٘ڈَ جو پھِلَمَاں، سَن٘گِیتَ اَتے پَوپَ کَلَچَرَ وِچَّ دُنِیءآ بھَرَ وِچَّ نِرَیَاتَ کِیتَا جَان٘دَا ہَے - پَہُن٘چَ توں بَاہَرَ مَہِسُوسَ کَرَدَا ہَے؟
In those early days after the Revolutionary War and well into the ۲۱st Century، what became known as the Dream enticed millions of immigrants to this shiny new nation full of hope، optimism and individualism۔ Factory workers، farmers، gold diggers، frontiersmen flocked to the US with the belief that they could create a new identity - an "American" - unshackled from the class systems of Europe۔
اِتِہَاسَکَارَ تُہَانُوں دَسَّݨَگے کِ سُپَنے وِچَّ کَدے وِی ہَرَ کوئِی شَامَلَ نَہِیں سِی - یَکِینَنَ مُولَ اَمَرِیکَنَ، گُلَامَ، جَاں اِتھّوں تَکَّ کِ اَورَتَاں وِی نَہِیں۔ Nevertheless، the idea of the American Dream persisted۔
The concept of the American Dream dates back to the founding of the US، but the phrase wasn't popularised until later، in The Epic of America، a book published in ۱۹۳۱ during the Great Depression۔
In it، the historian James Truslow Adams wrote: "It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely، but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable۔"
Over the years، the slogan has evolved۔ These days it's often associated with entrepreneurialism، social mobility and، above all، economic opportunity۔
"It has always been about doing better in life than before،" says Cyril Ghosh، author of The Politics of the American Dream: Democratic Inclusion in Contemporary American Political Culture۔ "کُجھَ لوکَاں لَئِی، جِیوَنَ وِچَّ بِہَتَرَ اِہَ ہَے کِ چَرَچَ آفَ اِن٘گَلَین٘ڈَ دُءآرَا سَتَائِا نَا جَاوے۔
"It's not only about materialism۔ اِہَ سُرَکھِّءآ بَارے ہَے۔ It's about doing better than a previous station۔ That's what it's always been about۔"
Abdi had grown up in Somalia، hiding in dugouts to avoid getting shot by the militant group al-Shabab۔
"Freedom was a huge priority۔ Living the next day، breathing next day، was a big، big issue، and I really wanted that،" he said، explaining why he had wanted to move to the US۔
Researchers say first-generation immigrants، like Abdi، are often more upbeat about the potential of America۔
"Many are coming from less wealthy nations۔ And so they really are going to end up doing better than if they had not emigrated،" says Elizabeth Suhay، author of Debating the American Dream: How Explanations for Inequality Polarize Politics۔ پِؤُ رِسَرَچَ سَین٘ٹَرَ دے نَسَلَ اَتے نَسَلِی کھوجَ دے نِرَدیشَکَ مَارَکَ ہِؤُگو لوپیزَ نے کِہَا، "آوَاسِی، زِءآدَاتَرَ ہِسّے لَئِی، اِہَ کَہِݨَ دِی زِءآدَا سَن٘بھَاوَنَا رَکھَّدے ہَنَ کِ اُہَ سُپَنَا پْرَاپَتَ کَرَ رَہے ہَنَ، جَاں اُنھَاں نے اِسَ نُوں پْرَاپَتَ کَرَ لِءآ ہَے،" مَارَکَ ہِؤُگو لوپیزَ نے کِہَا، جِسَ نے وِشیشَ تَورَ 'تے لَاتِینِی پْرَوَاسِیءآں دے رَوَੱاِیئے نُوں ڈُون٘گھَائِی نَالَ دیکھِءآ ہَے۔ اُہَ وِی ہُن٘دے ہَنَ، لوپیزَ نے کِہَا، آپَݨے بَچِّءآں دِیءآں سَن٘بھَاوَنَاوَاں بَارے وَدھیرے آشَاوَادِی۔
اَمَرِیکَنَ ڈْرِیمَ ہَمیشَا پْرَوَاسِیءآں لَئِی ویچَݨَ وَالَا رِہَا ہَے۔ However، fewer of them are coming these days۔
اِتِہَاسَ وِچَّ سَبھَ توں وَڈّے سَمُوہِکَ دیشَ نِکَالے پْروگَرَامَ نُوں پُورَا کَرَنَ دے وَاءاَدے 'تے پْرَچَارَ کَرَنَ توں بَاءاَدَ، رَاشَٹَرَپَتِی ٹَرَن٘پَ نے اِمِیگْریشَنَ نُوں روکَݨَ نُوں آپَݨے رَاشَٹَرَپَتِی دے کَارَجَکَالَ دَا اِکَّ اَدھَارَ بَݨَائِا ہَے۔
آپَݨے دُوجے کَارَجَکَالَ دَورَانَ، ٹَرَن٘پَ نے نَا سِرَپھَ دَکھَّݨِی سَرَہَدَّ رَاہِیں گَیرَ-کَانُونِّی تَورَ 'تے دَاکھَلَ ہوݨَ وَالے پْرَوَاسِیءآں دِی گِݨَتِی 'تے روکَ لَگَائِی ہَے، اُسَنے اَمَرِیکَا آؤُݨَ دے کُجھَ کَانُونِّی رَسَتے نُوں روکَ دِتَّا ہَے، جِسَ وِچَّ اَبَدِی دُءآرَا وَرَتے گَئے وِبھِنَّتَا وِیزَا پْروگَرَامَ وِی شَامَلَ ہَنَ۔
But today it's not just that the US is welcoming fewer immigrants، it also appears a record number of people may be leaving۔
اِکَّ سُجھَاءاَ اِہَ ہَے کِ بَہُتَ سَارے اَمَرِیکَنَ جو اَمَرِیکَا وِچَّ وَڈّے ہوئے ہَنَ، اِہَ نَہِیں سوچَدے کِ دیشَ نے سَودیبَازِی دے آپَݨے اَن٘تَ نُوں روکَ لِءآ ہَے - کِ جے تُسِیں سَخَتَ مِہَنَتَ کَرَدے ہو اَتے نِیَمَاں اَنُسَارَ کھیڈَدے ہو، تَاں تُہَانُوں اِکَّ وَدھِیءآ، آرَامَدَائِکَ جِیوَنَ بَتِیتَ کَرَنَا چَاہِیدَا ہَے۔
Last year، in a historic reversal، the number of Americans moving to Ireland was higher than the number of Irish moving into the US۔ اَمَرِیکِی سَرَکَارَ سَوَے-اِچھَّا نَالَ دیشَ چھَڈَّݨَ وَالے اَمَرِیکِیءآں دِی گِݨَتِی دَا پَتَا نَہِیں لَگَاؤُن٘دِی، اِسَ لَئِی اِتھّے اَدھِکَارَتَ اَن٘کَڑے نَہِیں ہَنَ، پَرَ رِپورَٹِن٘گَ سُجھَاءاَ دِن٘دِی ہَے کِ اِہَ سِرَپھَ آئِرَلَین٘ڈَ نَہِیں ہَے۔
A record number of Americans are applying for UK citizenship، and The Wall Street Journal reported that the number of Americans arriving to live and work in nearly all of the EU's ۲۷ member states is rising۔
لوکَ کِؤُں چھَڈَّ رَہے ہَنَ؟ Some point to current US politics، others to healthcare costs and the overall standard of living۔ In most cases it is likely to be for a variety of reasons، some of them personal۔
For Luke Mullen، it's about job prospects۔
The actor، who starred in the Disney show Andi Mack as a teen and has now become more involved with writing and production، says he has more opportunities for film projects these days in Vancouver، Canada than he does in southern California۔ Vancouver is covered by new government tax credits to try to help it compete with Hollywood and become a major movie hub۔
The American Dream has been sold around the world، in part، through American cinema and in many ways، Hollywood epitomises the idea of making it in America۔ ہَالَان٘کِ، لُوکَ لَئِی اِہَ وَدھیرے گُن٘جھَلَدَارَ ہَے - اُہَ کَہِن٘دَا ہَے کِ اَجِہَا لَگَدَا ہَے کِ اَتِیتَ وِچَّ ہورَ مَوکے سَنَ۔ In the last few years، spending from big studios on Hollywood films and TV has stagnated or dropped۔
اُسَنے کِہَا: "مَیں ۹۰ دے دَہَاکے وِچَّ وَڈّے ہوݨَ اَتے ٹِیوِی اَتے رومَ کَومَسَ اَتے اُہَ سَارے پْروجَیکَٹَاں دِی بُومَ دِی کَلَپَنَا وِی نَہِیں کَرَ سَکَدَا ہَاں، پَرَ کھَاسَ تَورَ 'تے اِسَ سَمیں اَسِیں پْروجَیکَٹَاں نُوں بَݨَاؤُݨَا، گھَٹَّ اَتے گھَٹَّ جوکھَمَاں نُوں لَیݨَا اَتے گھَٹَّ لوکَاں نُوں نَوکَرِی 'تے رَکھَّݨَا مُشَکَلَ اَتے مُشَکَلَ بَݨَاؤُݨَ لَئِی کُلَّ لَاگَتَ وِچَّ کَٹَوتِی دِی کوشِشَ کَرَ رَہے ہَاں۔"
He recently became a Canadian citizen thanks to a change in Canadian law last December۔
"My process in becoming a Canadian citizen is very much tied to the fact that I can't get these things made here that I've been working on for years and [I'm] passionate about،" he told me۔
And so he's intending to move to Canada۔ Though، he wants to be clear، not forever۔
"I'm never gonna abandon America۔ This is my home and I think it's worth fighting for still۔ There's so much that we need to do to make it better in this country،" he said۔
These days، the consensus among sociologists and political scientists is that financial success has increasingly become a central tenet of the Dream – the belief that my children or grandchildren will have a better life than me۔
"Roughly speaking، the American Dream is the idea that if you work hard، you ought to achieve a comfortable life، what we might call a middle-class lifestyle - a house، healthcare، the ability to take care of your kids، a car، college،" said Suhay۔
Statistics also suggest that over the last ۵۰ years، the idea that every generation will do better than the one before has been eroded۔
Research by the Harvard University economist Raj Chetty found that among children born in ۱۹۴۰، ۹۰% of them grew up to earn more than their parents۔ Today، only half of children born in the ۱۹۸۰s are on track to do better than their parents economically۔ This perception of economic abundance spread in the ۱۹۵۰s with the post-WWII boom، perhaps best symbolised through the growth of single-family homes adorned with white picket fences۔ The Dream became particularly popular in political rhetoric، Ghosh says، in the mid-۶۰s with the civil rights movement and more expansive immigration policies۔
"It is a core part of America،" said Suhay۔ "Almost everybody agrees that this is an important ideal۔ But… we have huge debates about whether or not the United States actually delivers the American Dream۔"
So when did the Dream start to fade؟
The Dream started to decline some ۵۰ years ago، beginning in the ۱۹۷۰s، with globalisation and wage stagnation، according to Mark Rank، co-author of Chasing the American Dream: Understanding What Shapes Our Fortunes۔
"It's become much harder to attain the American Dream - this idea of an economic bargain that if you work hard and you play by the rules، you should have a decent، comfortable economic life،" he said۔ "That idea of each generation doing economically better than the past generation is a key component of the American Dream۔ And that had been the case up until about the ۱۹۷۰s،" he says۔
And experts say that in the subsequent years، the Dream began to experience a prolonged decline as socioeconomic inequality increased۔
Then، some experts say، there was another tipping point: the financial crisis of ۲۰۰۸ and the aftershocks that meant home ownership and job stability were increasingly out of reach۔
And many Americans never recovered that economic optimism۔ اِسَ دے بَاوَجُودَ، یُوکے اَتے یُورَپَ دے بَہُتَ سَارے دیشَاں وِچَّ اَمَرِیکِی تَنَکھَاہَاں نَالوں بَہُتَ زِءآدَا ہَنَ۔
Irrespective، wide partisan divides persist over whether the Dream is achievable۔ Surveys show more Republicans still appear to hold the faith، as do older Americans۔ Young adults seem particularly cynical۔ اِکَّ پولَ وِچَّ ۱۸-۲۹ سَالَ دِی اُمَرَ دے بَالَگَاں وِچّوں سِرَفَ پَن٘جَوَاں ہِسَّا پَائِا گِءآ، لُوکَ وَرَگے لوکَ سوچَدے ہَنَ کِ سُپَنَا اِکَّ سَن٘بھَاوَنَا ہَے۔
اِہَ کِہَا جَا رِہَا ہَے، سُپَنَا کَدے وِی وِتِّی سَپھَلَتَا بَارے پُورِی تَرھَاں نَہِیں رِہَا ہَے۔ For many، it's a dream of freedom and individual rights that trace back to America's founding documents، such as the Bill of Rights۔
And in that vein، it's worth noting that many black Americans have long thought the Dream was a myth built upon lofty rhetoric from the Founding Fathers that didn't mesh with the reality of American slavery and segregation۔
Martin Luther King Jr described America as manifesting a "schizophrenic personality" long before the nationwide disillusionment with the Dream began۔
"In a real sense America is essentially a dream - a dream yet unfulfilled،" he said in a ۱۹۶۰ address in North Carolina۔ "Slavery and segregation have been strange paradoxes in a nation founded on the principle that all men are created equal۔"
Reniqua Allen-Lamphere، a writer who's researched black attitudes toward the Dream، described the concept as one of America's "most enduring myths"۔
"Black folks have their own experiences with the American Dream partially because so much of their experience has been fighting for literal freedom،" she told me۔ And، yet she added "the American Dream is a part of me - that hope for a better day، even though I find it hard۔ I find it really hard۔"
One nugget that stood out to me as I dug through all the various polls of the last several months was a survey conducted by The Times that suggested، despite the overall pessimism about the Dream in this moment، "۶۱% of poll respondents said they believed in the concept"۔
Brandon Patty، a ۴۴-year-old clerk and comptroller in St John's County، Florida and a Navy Reserve commander، is one such American who believes passionately that the Dream is alive and working۔ "I'm just honoured to kind of be a part of it،" he told me۔ "Even just by God's grace، being born here، and being a part of American experiment"۔
"When I hear the phrase 'American Dream'، it means to me that the opportunities are limitless - that in America، you can go from nothing and find your way… it's something that is intrinsic as an American in many ways۔"
Brandon was the first in his family to graduate from college، the first in his generation to graduate from high school۔
"I'm ۴۴ now، and، candidly، I'm living it،" he said، he said of the Dream۔
Gonzalo Schwarz، president and CEO of The Archbridge Institute، a public policy think tank، agrees that it's important to focus on the positives of living in America۔ The Archbridge Institute's own polling found that majorities across various demographic groups agree that the American Dream is alive and well۔ سَن٘گَٹھَنَ دَا کَہِݨَا ہَے کِ اِہَ اِسَ لَئِی ہَے کِؤُن٘کِ اِسَدِی اِکَّ وَکھَّرِی کَارَجَپْرَݨَالِی ہَے اَتے اِہَ زِءآدَاتَرَ ہورَ پولَاں نَالوں وَدھیرے سِدھّے سَوَالَ پُچھَّدِی ہَے، جو اِہَ کَہِن٘دِی ہَے کِ کُدَرَتَ وِچَّ وَدھیرے سَن٘کَلَپَ ہَے۔
"جے اَسِیں سِرَپھَ نَکَارَاتَمَکَ پَہِلُوءآں 'تے دھِءآنَ کین٘دَرِتَ کَرَدے ہَاں اَتے اُنھَاں لوکَاں دے ہِسّے' تے دھِءآنَ دِن٘دے ہَاں جو وِشَوَاسَ کَرَدے ہَنَ کِ سُپَنَا پَہُن٘چَ توں بَاہَرَ ہَے، تَاں اَسِیں اَمَرِیکِی سُپَنے دے اَن٘تَ نُوں اِکَّ سَوَے-پُورِی بھَوِکھَّبَاݨِی بَݨَاؤُݨَ دَا جوکھَمَ لَین٘دے ہَاں،" شَوَارَزَ کَہِن٘دَا ہَے۔ "سَانُوں پِچھّے ہَٹَݨَا چَاہِیدَا ہَے، اِکَّ لَن٘بے سَمیں دَا دْرِشَٹِیکوݨَ لَیݨَا چَاہِیدَا ہَے، اَتے اَمَرِیکَا دے اَگَلے ۲۵۰ سَالَاں لَئِی اُمِیدَ دِی اِکَّ کِرَنَ وَجوں اَمَرِیکِی سُپَنے نُوں مُڑَ جَگَاؤُݨَ لَئِی پْریرِتَ ہوݨَا چَاہِیدَا ہَے۔"
For Mark Rank، the sociologist who's written about this، the Dream، even if more conditional than before، is still alive۔
"جے تُسِیں کَہِن٘دے ہو کِ اِہَ ہُݨَ زِن٘دَا نَہِیں ہَے۔۔۔ تُسِیں اَمَرِیکَا دِی پَچھَاݨَ دے اِکَّ مُکھَّ ہِسّے نُوں توڑَ دِتَّا ہَے،" اُہَ کَہِن٘دَا ہَے۔ "مَینُوں لَگَدَا ہَے کِ اِسَ بَارے سَوَالَ ہَنَ، اَتے اِسَ بَارے اَنِشَچِتَتَا ہَے۔" پَرَ جِسَ تَرِیکے نَالَ اُہَ اِسَنُوں دیکھَدَا ہَے - اَمَرِیکِی آشَاوَادَ دِی بھَاوَنَا وِچَّ، اِہَ سَوَالَ اِسَ گَلَّ 'تے مُڑَ وِچَارَ کَرَنَ دَا اِکَّ مَوکَا ہَنَ کِ اَمَرِیکَا اِہَ سُنِشَچِتَ کِویں کَرَ سَکَدَا ہَے کِ سُپَنَا اَگَلے ۲۵۰ سَالَاں تَکَّ ہَرَ کِسے لَئِی پَہُن٘چَیوگَ رَہے۔
مینَ وِچَّ وَاپَسَ، اَبَدِی نے کِہَا کِ اُسَدے بھَرَا ہَسَنَ، جو وِیزَا پَابَن٘دِیءآں کَارَنَ اَمَرِیکَا وِچَّ پَرَوَاسَ نَہِیں کَرَ سَکِءآ، اِسَ دِی بَجَائے ہَالَ ہِی وِچَّ کَینیڈَا دَا نَاگَرِکَ بَݨَ گِءآ ہَے۔ "میرَا بھَرَا کَہِن٘دَا ہَے کِ اُہَنَاں کولَ بِہَتَرَ سِہَتَ سَن٘بھَالَ ہَے،" اُہَ ہَسَّدے ہوئے مَینُوں کَہِن٘دَا ہَے۔
جھَٹَکِءآں دے بَاوَجُودَ، اَبَدِی دَا کَہِݨَا ہَے کِ جے اُسَنُوں اِہَ سَبھَ کُجھَ کَرَنَا پِءآ، تَاں اُہَ پھِرَ وِی اَمَرِیکَا نُوں چُݨیگَا۔ "مَینُوں لَگَدَا ہَے کِ اِہَ میرَا پَہِلَا پِءآرَ ہَے۔"
اَمَرِیکَا دِی ۲۵۰وِیں وَرھیگَن٘ڈھَ 'تے گَلوبَلَ سَٹورِی پوڈَکَاسَٹَ سِیرِیزَ دے بَاکِی ہِسّے نُوں اِتھّے سُݨو
BBC InDepth سَبھَ توں وَدھِیءآ وِشَلیشَݨَ لَئِی وَیبَّسَائِیٹَ اَتے اَیپَ 'تے گھَرَ ہَے، نَویں دْرِشَٹِیکوݨَاں دے نَالَ جو کَلَپَنَاوَاں نُوں چُݨَوتِی دِن٘دے ہَنَ اَتے دِنَ دے سَبھَ توں وَڈّے مُدِّءآں 'تے ڈُون٘گھِی رِپورَٹِن٘گَ کَرَدے ہَنَ۔ اَیمَا بَارَنیٹَ اَتے جَونَ سِمَپَسَنَ ہَرَ شَنِیوَارَ نُوں، سَبھَ توں وَدھَّ سوچَݨَ وَالے ڈُون٘گھے پَڑھَݨَ اَتے وِشَلیشَݨَ دِی آپَݨِی چوݨَ لِءآؤُن٘دے ہَنَ۔ اِتھّے نِؤُزَلَیٹَرَ لَئِی سَائِینَ اَپَّ کَرو
