Coming to America
“Everywhere around the world, they’re coming to America…”
An off schedule post
This is an off-schedule post. That means something different or interesting is going on that warrants paying attention to. So, my friends, read on to find out more!
Happy Birthday to me!
Yes, today is my birthday, and it’s hard to believe that I’m 67 years old! I still vividly remember being a young boy of about 14 in the summer of 1972. I played baseball, was in the scouts, and spent time in the woods, by the creek, and down by the Potomac River. My father always had a very nice yard, especially the front yard, planted with Kentucky Bluegrass. I remember that because he would overseed the yard, and I remember seeing it printed on the bag of seed he bought. He used to take me to Herbert Bryant, an Alexandria, VA store that was established in 1867 by a former Confederate soldier (Note 1). Besides seed and fertilizer, we used to buy rabbit pellets (feed) from there, too, when we had rabbits. They sold feed for all kinds of animals there. I still remember the smell of fertilizer and animal feeds, even before you got to the store. The sidewalk was brick, probably laid in the 1700’s in Old Town Alexandria. and the barn doors of the store hung wide open. If you’ve ever been in an old hardware store or something like that, you know what I mean.
I remember how soft the grass was on my feet. I would wiggle my toes in it just because I loved the feel of it. Because we had a large lot, about one-half acre, he did not overseed the back, and that’s where clover, with its flowers and bees, would grow. Yes, I got stung many times. What kid wore shoes back then, anyway? My mother used to make my brother and me go through the basement, where we would sit on the washing machine and wash our feet in the laundry tub before we could come upstairs. We would enjoy watching the water turn green as the grass stains came off.
Our front lawn was the nicest in the neighborhood, or so our neighbors would tell us. Along with the stunning red azaleas that bloomed in the spring, it was gorgeous. A picture of the house I grew up in is included in my book, Achieve Your Dreams: A Complete Guide to Live Your Best Life (Note 2). I remember meeting Washington Redskins quarterbacks Sonny Jurgenson and Billy Kilmer one spring day when they visited my neighbor across the street (a bricklayer who worked on Sonny’s house). Sonny complimented the beautiful azaleas, mentioning that they reminded him of his childhood in North Carolina. What a treat for a young boy to meet these sports stars and for them to talk to me!
I remember that after I would wiggle my toes in the grass, I would lie down on the thick, comfortable grass and stare up at the clouds, daydreaming and seeing what shapes the clouds made as they slowly passed by. Yes, that was about 53 years ago, and I still cannot believe how quickly the time has passed. Which kinda, sorta, in a way leads me into what I want to write about today.
Which America do you live in, continued
Last week, in a post entitled “Which America Do You Live In?”, we explored the perceived differences between us in 2025. Those differences are often associated with what generation we are part of (Gen Z, Gen X, etc.) or our class status (income). It tears me apart to see us in the present time to focus so much on our differences rather than the fact that we are all part of the greatest country in the world. The bounties of America are more than enough for anyone and everyone who wants it badly enough and is willing to put in the work to achieve it. In fact, the bounties of America are not limited in size; the bounties can increase in size. Enough for all! Yes, it really breaks my heart…
Coming to America
Starting in 1898 and continuing until about 1930, a massive wave of immigrants came to America (Note 5), for the same reasons they came in the 2020s: to take advantage of the opportunities this great country offers. My grandfather, Primo Giustozzi, first came to America in 1924. We found his name on a ship’s manifest when visiting Ellis Island one year. In 1928, he went back for my grandmother, Ottavia, and they settled in Old Forge, Pennsylvania. He worked in the coal mines (which caused him to die young due to black lung), and she worked as a seamstress. All they wanted, like most immigrants (and all parents, really), was to work and raise their families so their children could have a better life than they did. Just coming to America meant they had a better life than their parents did. While my grandparents never learned to speak English (they did not have to, as the town they lived in had a mostly Italian community), they did want to be Americans, even changing the pronunciation of their last name to Americanize it. And they sent one of their sons off to war, never to return, dying for his new country in WWII.
Check out the picture at the bottom of this post. These are the scissors my grandmother used, literally almost 100 years ago, in the late 1920s. Note the polished tips (both sides are the same; the opposite side is not shown). The reason for this is that she held the scissors, not like you and I would think to hold them, through the finger openings, but because she had a large pair of scissors and used them for fine work, to snip threads from just-made pants. The tips of the scissors are polished because they were in constant contact with her right thumb. The sides of the scissors are polished from resting on the side of her thumb and the palm of her hand. The opposite side is polished from her right forefinger. As a child, I would watch her darn our socks we would bring to her, so I know how she used the scissors. Snip, snip, snip…Today, we would just buy an appropriately sized pair of scissors for the job, but I can only assume these were all she had. I’ve been amazed over the years to look at these scissors and think of the stories they could tell if they could speak.
I wish I knew more about my mother’s side of the family, Walter and Blanche Mitchell of Russellville, AL. I’m not sure why I never learned as much about them. I know they were hard-working family folks, raising six children on a factory worker’s salary and a homemaker’s occasional job picking cotton and working in the cotton gin. They were fine folks, too, trying to provide for their family and offer them something better. They succeeded. Their son worked on the Apollo space project as a contractor. A daughter became a registered nurse, and my mother came to Washington, DC, and married my father. Three chose the simple life of rural Alabama.
Both sets of grandparents were what we now call “working class,” which essentially means they were generally of modest means, often referred to as the working poor. Yes, they were both able to buy small homes and provide for their families. They did better than their parents, and some of their children grew up to do better than them. And some of their children did better than they did, and now I see that the next generation, my children, are able, if they desire, to do better than we did. In all cases, they lived what we call “The American Dream.” The American Dream is something we often discuss, but do we truly understand what it means?
The American Dream
Rather than define the American Dream for you, I’ll ask you to ponder what it is and what it means to you. Is it what Alexis de Tocqueville, visiting America from France in the 1830s, said? That the American Dream is the idea that every United States citizen has equal opportunity to achieve success through hard work and determination? To be sure, Mr. de Tocqueville had warnings for us about this “American Experiment,” and perhaps we are seeing some of that come to fruition today. Others believe that “the system” is rigged and unfair to the vast majority of people. It is inequitable, perhaps. I could draw this out, but to what end? What do you believe?
I believe the former, as I’ve seen it work in my own family. Poor immigrants came to this country and made something for their family and their children. Who improved upon what their parents made, who improved upon what their parents made. And so on. It’s not always easy, but I firmly believe that anyone can achieve success in America. If we just think we can. If we just want to. If we just want to and are willing to work through any real or perceived injustices, overcome the past, and focus on the future, then any of us in America can live this American Dream. Don’t believe me, just look around you and see the people who have done it. You can too. I believe that with all my heart. And that’s why I wrote the course and book, to help guide you toward that end (Note 2).
There’s even a song about it
Have you ever heard the 1980 song America, by Neil Diamond? Why did Mr. Diamond write this song (Note 6)? The answer is that growing up in New York, he was surrounded by immigrants who came to America in search of a better life. His own grandparents were immigrants who wanted a better life. Is your family a family of immigrants? Unless you are Native American, the answer is yes. Most of us are. Listen to the song (Note 7). As you listen, follow the words to this song and see if they resonate with you. They might even, if you are like me, bring a little tear to your eye:
Far
We've been traveling far
Without a home
But not without a star
Free
Only want to be free
We huddle close
Hang on to a dream
On the boats and on the planes
They're coming to America
Never looking back again
They're coming to America
Home, don't it seem so far away
Oh, we're traveling light today
In the eye of the storm
In the eye of the storm
Home, to a new and a shiny place
Make our bed, and we'll say our grace
Freedom's light burning warm
Freedom's light burning warm
Everywhere around the world
They're coming to America
Every time that flag's unfurled
They're coming to America
Got a dream to take them there
They're coming to America
Got a dream they've come to share
They're coming to America
They're coming to America
They're coming to America
They're coming to America
They're coming to America
Today, today, today, today, today
My country 'tis of thee
Today
Sweet land of liberty
Today
Of thee I sing
Today
Of thee I sing
Today
The bottom line
In 2025, there is a lot that is wrong in America. But there is a lot that is right. Rags-to-riches stories are being written every day, even as I write this post. Don’t believe me? An AI (Artificial Intelligence) data scientist can make $172-$314 a year (Note 8). TikTok influencer? $131,874 (Note 9). We’ve heard stories of people making millions of dollars on TikTok, YouTube, building their own businesses from the ground up, and the like. The list goes on and on.
The formula, the same as it’s always been, is simple. Get over any previous issues or feelings that someone is holding you back or holding you down. Just get past it and forget any and all of that. Move on. Then, decide what you want to do. Figure out what experience, skills, or training you need and obtain it. Then, work hard. Work very hard. Work harder and continue working hard. Never doubt yourself, and keep on until one day it all comes together. It may take a year, it may take 40 years. Just. Keep. Doing it. And you will be successful. As I mentioned earlier in this post, 53 years go by fast, so if you want to achieve your dreams and live your best life, I recommend starting today. Don’t wait until tomorrow when you have more time, because tomorrow often never comes. Start now. Today.
Oh, and wait…I said the process is simple. I never said it was easy. As we say, it’s simple, it’s just not easy. This is why they come to America. Not because it’s easy, but because it’s possible. Snip, snip, snip…
Only in America. God bless America!
That’s all for this week!
Coming To America
What’s in it for Me
We all want to be the best we can be. Afterburner Success Partners can help get you on the path to achieving your dreams and living your best life.
Call to Action
Visit the Afterburner Success Partners website today. Purchase the very modestly priced course. View the many resources listed under the More/Books & Resources tab. Forward this email to any family members or friends who may benefit from it.
Recommended Resources
Check out my recently published book, Achieve Your Dreams: A Complete Guide to Live Your Best Life by David Giustozzi. Available on Amazon or on my website. See Note 4.
Up Next
Back to regular posting schedule.
Notes
Please note that as an Amazon Affiliate, I may earn a small commission on the sale of any of these recommended resources.
Herbert Bryant, Inc: http://southern.railfan.net/ties/1960/60-2/bry.html
Achieve Your Dreams: A Complete Guide to Live Your Best Life, by David Giustozzi: https://amzn.to/3IxEFgy
Sonny Jurgensen: https://www.profootballhof.com/players/sonny-jurgensen/
Billy Kilmer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Kilmer
Immigration to the United States 1820-1957: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1044529/total-documented-migration-to-us-1820-1957/?srsltid=AfmBOootAQuUAu19r9cK7dVCaDuts-7V_L9Uf0qVFutFX8_1mP-ejr-3
The Meaning Behind Neil Diamond’s Immigrant Anthem, America: https://americansongwriter.com/the-meaning-behind-neil-diamonds-immigrant-anthem-america/
Neil Diamond’s America: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTSLRbm8L9E
Glassdoor: https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/data-science-and-ai-salary-SRCH_KO0,19.htm
ZipRecruiter: https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Tiktok-Influencer-Salary