What is the American Dream for San Rafael?

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

Every day, the national media is full of stories about how American families, businesses and neighbors 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 San Rafael Patch, we want to explore that conversation on a regular 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 American Dreams that a multitude of people are working toward. Looking across our nearly 900 Patch sites, we see businesses holding their breath deciding whether to expand; college graduates returning home because they can't find jobs; and senior citizens bringing boarders into their homes to help pay their bills. 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.

At the purely local level, we want to know where we, as San Rafael neighbors, fit along these fault lines. How has your life, and that of your family, changed over the past few years?

As politicians and pundits in D.C. trade barbs over the handling of the economy, we want to know how you're managing. We want to hear your stories and how your dreams and aspirations have changed, for better or worse.

There's no limit to the types of stories that interest us. Our Dispatches series is simply a window into how these turbulent economic times are affecting us right here in San Rafael, from personal tales to a look at how our local institutions are faring.

"Dispatches" will be built upon the compelling vignettes and snapshots we unearth across all of our Patch sites. But most importantly, we want to hear from you. Tell us what issues and what stories in San Rafael go to the heart of your American Dream.