“It doesn't matter who you are, [or] where you come from. The ability to triumph begins with you. Always.”, as stated by the first female African American billionaire, Oprah Winfrey ("Oprah Winfrey."). Although Oprah Winfrey was born to a single mother and grew up below the poverty line, she has accumulated a net worth of 3 billion dollars (Elkins). Through drudgery and persistence, she was able to accomplish the American Dream. The American Dream is a social ideal that stresses the opportunities to achieve freedom, success, and happiness in the United States through hard work, determination, and initiative. Even though Oprah acquired success and the American Dream through becoming a billionaire, others have alternative meanings of success.
