Melissa Dunphy

American DREAMers was commissioned by Philadelphia community choir PhilHarmonia (Mitos Andaya Hart, Director) to bring to light the stories of immigrants in the wake of anti-immigrant rhetoric during and after the 2016 election. Five texts from five young Americans who were brought to America as children were chosen—Marlene Rangel, Javier Zamora, Janine Joseph, Julia Montejo, and Claudia D. Hernández—and those texts were woven into a multi-movement work that honors their story and inspires hope, empathy, and action.

Related Works

American DREAMers: #UnitedWeDream (SATB choir)

American DREAMers: #UnitedWeDream (SAB choir)

Marlene Part 1
By Marlene Rangel

I was eight years old when I left my home.
I remember my parents waking me to leave,
but I didn’t know where we were going.
We had to walk for a long time
and cross a river.
That’s when I realized
that we were going somewhere far.

Dancing in Buses
By Javier Zamora*

Pretend a boom box
blasts over your shoulder. Raise
your hands in the air.
Twist them as if picking limes. Look
to the right as if crossing
streets. Look to the left,
slowly as if balancing orange
baskets. Bend as if picking
cotton. Do the rump. Straighten
up as if dropping firewood. Rake,
do the rake. Sweep,
do the sweep. Do the Pupusa-
Clap-finger dough clumps. Clap.
Do the Horchata-Scoop—
your hand's a ladle, scoop.
Reach and scoop. Now,
duck. They're shooting. Duck
under the seat, and
don't breathe.
Hands behind your head.
Drop down.
Look at the ground.
Roll over.
Face the mouth of the barrel.
Do the protect-face-with-hand.
Don't scream.

*"Dancing in Buses" from Unaccompanied. Copyright © 2017 by Javier Zamora. Used with the permission of The Permissions Company, Inc., on behalf of Copper Canyon Press www.coppercanyonpress.org. All rights reserved worldwide.

Marlene Part 2
By Marlene Rangel

My dad would come to school with me
for the first few weeks so I could get used to it.
It was so hard...
I had one classmate who was Hispanic.
He and I became good friends.
As the years passed, my English improved
and I adjusted to the American culture.
Everything had fallen into place
and I was comfortable.

More milk, more milk makes it better
By Janine Joseph

In 1986, when I was three and a half years old I won
 an award for sitting cute and biting into a slice
 of Kraft Cheddar Cheese. Then how my star blew up:

I was on the cover of calendars, in the Sunday section,
 stomping the runway, turning down small parts
 in movies. At seven, I promised my mom I would never

be chubby again. No way. I swirled a dress in the dressing
 room and was the daughter my brothers hated.
 Nothing could stop me, not even America with its rich

marshmallow cereals. But the milk, oh God the grade A,
 vitamin D milk. No one knew what it was doing to me.
 Little Miss Piggy drinking 8 oz. by the kidney-bean pool.

All my life it had been coconut juice, mango juice, and water. Little
 Miss Piggy mending her polka dot suit. It had been goat's milk
 and goat's milk. Little Miss Piggy clasping her knees to her chest

and winning the cannonball contest. I was small, indomitable,
 and could hide behind the couch with a stein. It was the drink
 of all the saints. It was worth all my work in the world.

Marlene Part 3
By Marlene Rangel

In my junior year of high school, reality hit me.
I found out I could not go to college because I was undocumented.
I wanted to be a nurse
my dream wasn’t going to be easy to achieve.

#UndocuJoy
By Julia Montejo

So today, remember that you are beautiful.
You are creators, you are laughers, you are lovers,
you are lights of hope and joy.
Take the time you need to feel the pain.
Know that even existing in the spaces you occupy is resistance.
Know that, as we fight this battle for our dignity,
you are souls of strength and power,
but you’re allowed to feel vulnerable at times.
Know that every moment of self-care you can find
is still part of fighting this fight.
Know that every time you paint your nails,
dance in your room, eat a treat,
laugh with your friends, run in the woods,
or do anything that gives you joy,
you are resisting a system
that thinks we’re not worthy of even smiling.
I believe in us.
Together, we will overcome.

Marlene Part 4
By Marlene Rangel

My parents have remained my motivation
to keep myself in school.
I now know that anything is possible.
I have the opportunity to be what I want and do what I want.
I have to take that opportunity and not waste it.

#UnitedWeDream
By Claudia D. Hernández

Aquí estamos.
This is where we found our home away from home.
This is where we belong.
Mother Earth, who feeds us all,
takes our roots,
their roots,
no matter how long,
how short—
she’s whispering:
this is where you belong.
R E S I S T! R E S I S T!
Pelea con diente y madre!
This is where you belong, Dreamer!

SPECIAL THANKS
Jennifer Baker
Silvana Cardell
Karen Lopez
Maria Sotomayor

Artwork by Cameryn Richards and Mike Dunn.

Performances

• 07 Jun, 2025 - 08 Jun, 2025: Harmonium Choral Society at Morristown United Methodist Church, Morristown, NJ
• 26 Oct, 2024: University of North Florida Chamber Singers [excerpts] at First United Methodist Church of Orlando, Orlando, FL
• 19 Oct, 2024: Opus 7 Vocal Ensemble at University Congregational Church, Seattle, WA
• 18 Oct, 2024: University of North Florida Chamber Singers [excerpts] at University of North Florida Recital Hall, Jacksonville, FL
• 05 Apr, 2024: North Park University Choir at Anderson Chapel, North Park University, Chicago, IL
• 07 Mar, 2024: The Sunday Night Singers [excerpt] at First United Methodist Church, Pasadena, CA
• 03 Mar, 2024: National Lutheran Choir [excerpt] at Duke University Chapel, Durham, NC
• 03 Mar, 2024: The Sunday Night Singers [excerpt] at Transplants Brewing Company, Palmdale, CA
• 02 Mar, 2024: Philharmonia at ACDA Eastern, Providence, RI
• 02 Mar, 2024: National Lutheran Choir [excerpt] at St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, Lexington, SC
• 01 Mar, 2024: National Lutheran Choir [excerpt] at Grace Chapel, Lenoir-Rhyne University, Hickory, NC
• 24 Feb, 2024: Chorus Austin [excerpt] at Asian American Cultural Institute, Austin, TX
• 17 Feb, 2024: Blake Music – Chamber Orchestra and A Cappella Choir [excerpt] at Minneapolis Convention Center, Minneapolis, MN
• 08 Dec, 2023 - 09 Dec, 2023: Highland Park Community Chorus (excerpt) at Highland Park Reformed Church, Highland Park, NJ
• 19 Nov, 2023: Tucson Masterworks Chorale (excerpt) at Grace St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Tucson, AZ
• 22 Jul, 2023: Pro Musica International Festival Chorus at Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, Canada
• 10 Mar, 2023: Seattle University Choirs at Seattle First Baptist Church, Seattle, WA
• 03 Mar, 2023: National Lutheran Choir at Duke University Chapel, Durham, NC
• 02 Mar, 2023: National Lutheran Choir at St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, Lexington, SC
• 01 Mar, 2023: National Lutheran Choir at Grace Chapel at Lenoir-Rhyne University, Hickory, NC
• 12 Nov, 2022: Seattle Pro Musica (excerpts) at Seattle First Baptist Church, Seattle, WA
• 13 Oct, 2022: Lone Star College Concert Choir and Chamber Singers at Lone Star College, Building H Music Hall, Conroe, TX
• 28 Apr, 2022: The University of Memphis Chamber Choir (excerpt) at Gaylord Opryland Convention Center (Delta A), Nashville, TN
• 23 Apr, 2022: Fargo-Morehead Choral Artists at Trinity Lutheran Church, Moorhead, MN
• 22 Apr, 2022: Fargo-Morehead Choral Artists at Trinity Lutheran Church, Moorhead, MN
• 18 Apr, 2022: University of Memphis Chamber Choir (excerpt) at Harris Concert Hall, Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music, Memphis, TN
• 24 Oct, 2021: Northwest Mississippi Community College Chamber Choir at University of Memphis Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music, Memphis, TN
• 01 Mar, 2020: Resonance Ensemble (excerpt) at Alberta Rose Theatre, Portland, OR
• 29 Feb, 2020: Voicegivers Choir (excerpt) at Holy Family Institute, Emsworth, PA
• 12 Jan, 2020: Mid-Columbia Mastersingers at St. Joseph Parish, Sunnyside, WA
• 12 Jan, 2020: Mid-Columbia Mastersingers at St Joseph Catholic Church, Sunnyside, WA
• 11 Jan, 2020: Mid-Columbia Mastersingers at St. Joseph Parish, Kennewick, WA
• 11 Jan, 2020: Mid-Columbia Mastersingers at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Kennewick, WA
• 10 Jan, 2020: Mid-Columbia Mastersingers at St. Patrick Catholic Church, Pasco, WA
• 10 Jan, 2020: Mid-Columbia Mastersingers at St. Patrick Catholic Church, Pasco, WA
• 14 Dec, 2019: Santa Monica College Concert Chorale & Chamber Choir at The Broad Stage at SMC Performing Arts Center, Santa Monica, CA
• 13 Dec, 2019: Santa Monica College Concert Chorale & Chamber Choir at The Broad Stage at SMC Performing Arts Center, Santa Monica, CA
• 02 Nov, 2019: PhilHarmonia (excerpt) at St. Peter’s Episcopal, Port Royal, VA
• 27 Oct, 2019: PhilHarmonia (excerpt) at Free Library of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
• 20 Oct, 2019: The Singers at Annunciation Catholic, Minneapolis, MN
• 19 Oct, 2019 - 20 Oct, 2019: The Singers at House of Hope Presbyterian Church, St. Paul, MN
• 08 Jun, 2019: Choir Ex ore equi at LV21, Gravesend, Kent, UK
• 20 May, 2019: Musica Vocale at First United Methodist Church, Lawrence, KS
• 19 May, 2019: Musica Vocale at Sacred Heart – Guadalupe, Kansas City, MO
• 24 Apr, 2019: Temple University Singers at Temple Performing Arts Center, Philadelphia, PA
• 28 Mar, 2019: Singing Hoosiers at Auer Hall, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
• 15 Mar, 2019: Ecco (excerpts) at CCDA Conference, St Joseph's Basilica, San Jose, CA
• 09 Mar, 2019: Convivium at Christ Episcopal Church, Los Altos, CA
• 27 Jan, 2019: Piedmont East Bay Children's Choir (excerpt) at Covenant Presbyterian Church, Palo Alto, CA
• 21 Oct, 2018: Resonance Ensemble at Bethel AME Church, Portland, OR
• 21 Oct, 2018: Voces Novae (excerpts) at Clayshire Castle, Bowling Green, IN
• 21 Oct, 2018: Voces Novae (excerpts) at Unitarian Universalist Church, Bloomington, IN
• 20 Oct, 2018: Volti Choral Institute Choir (excerpts) at Acalanes High School, Lafayette, CA
• 14 Oct, 2018: PhilHarmonia at Free Library of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
• 02 Jun, 2018: PhilHarmonia at Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral, Philadelphia, PA