Building the American Dream

Building the American Dream was embraced by the audience at its World Premiere at Austin's SXSW Film Festival. This is a beautiful film that shows how the cruel and the unscrupulous are willing to exploit undocumented workers. It shows the ugly tactic of wage theft in which companies refuse to pay workers and the cruel conditions that some workers face in unsafe workplaces in Texas. The film shares the heart-wrenching personal stories of some of the victims; it also shows the heroic work of the Workers Defense Project which provides legal and political support for the workers. It shows their victorious campaign to win support for a Dallas ordinance that forced construction companies to provide workers with 10-minute break every 4 hours. The film presents the irony that many times these desperately poor workers are building the luxury high-rises for the wealthiest of Texans. It positions the events within the larger political climate in Texas where politicians often oppose common-sense safety regulations as part of the "Texas Miracle" of economic development. But Building the American Dream asks us to consider what is the cost of that American Dream which for many workers is really a nightmare. The documentary is an excellent educational tool which can be used to teach both adults and students about the horrifying dangers faced by undocumented workers in Texas.