Once upon a time in a land not far away, a young man they called Tony dreamed of changing the world for the better.
He ventured out into a world he knew nothing about and found that his charm opened doors to a life far beyond what he had ever known before. The rich and powerful, the smart and sophisticated adored him and taught him about the good life of fine wines and food, and fancy clothes and put money in his pockets so he could afford them himself.
He saw how little difference there was between him and them except for the advantages they had growing up and soon was on his way to power himself so he could help uplift the poor and the unprivileged so they too could enjoy the life he had come to love.
Soon, throngs of people cheered him wherever he went, pinning their hopes on him, and he traveled the world, honored by kings and billionaires, applauding his vision.
“Dream with me,” he told them all.
“Dream with me of a Los Angeles where our kids can walk to school in
safety and where they receive an education that gives them a genuine
opportunity to pursue their own dreams….
“Dream with me of a Los Angeles where it doesn’t matter whether you’re
African American, Latino, Caucasian, or Asian. Whether you’re Jewish or
Muslim, Protestant or Catholic. Whether you’re from Watts or Westwood.
Where every Angeleno is an equal stakeholder in our city’s future.”
Everyone dreamed that dream with him. Everyone loved him even the people who hated him.
Dreams can come true but more often than not they fall apart at the seams and that’s what happened to the man they once called Tony.
He hardly noticed how it happened because he was so busy going to extremes with impossible schemes that only brought him more praise and fame. He had gone from being a penniless nobody to living like a king himself.
He still could talk the talk but he had forgotten where he came from and soon friends and lovers accused him of betrayal as he left a long string of broken promises behind him.
Soon, the cheers turned to jeers and ordinary folks who once loved him sneered at the mere mention of his name. He couldn’t even throw a party for the stars of the Hollywood galaxy he traveled in without humble workers shouting in protest outside his mansion.
It all seemed a terrible dream so he went on his merry way ignoring their cries of discontent as if nothing was wrong.
But fairy tales can come true and that’s the funny thing about this story about the man who inspired his city to dream with him.
Those who wanted kids to walk the streets safely and those who wanted the kids to get good educations and those who wanted everyone to have genuine opportunity started to come together.
It didn’t matter whether they were African American, Latino, Caucasian, or Asian, whether they were Jewish or
Muslim, Protestant or Catholic, whether they were from Watts or Westwood, they all saw themselves as equal stakeholders in their city’s future.
Times were tough but they shared a dream and knew that someday, together, it would come true and they all would live happily ever after.
And the young man who came from a land not far away? That’s another story but it’s not a fairy tale because fairy tales have happy endings.