A Black woman who grew up on the "American Dream" explains why she is moving to Italy.

Ashley Blank was born in Trinidad and Tobago but moved to the United States when she was still an infant. Her experiences with racism and disillusionment with the American dream prompted her plans to retire abroad. Last year, Blank bought a house in Latronico, Italy, and she can't wait to move there. She is now 38 years old and is an entrepreneur. This story is based on a conversation with Ashley Blank and has been edited for brevity and clarity.

When I was little

My parents and I often went on family vacations to Barbados, and I learned about the world beyond America. In Chicago, where I grew up, there was a sense of unity in our community. But when I started working at 14, I faced local racism, like "She's a black girl, I don't know if she can do this job." I always had to fight much harder, not just as a black person, but especially as a black woman. We constantly have to work hard. Sooner or later, we get tired of the struggle, of proving pointless things to ourselves. Much of what leaders like Rosa Parks or Martin Luther King did has little left. Not everything should come down to struggle. When we resist, we become criminals. Even when we are peaceful, problems still arise here.

I realized that I don't want to grow old in America.

My turning point came when I was about 27 years old. I was working at the Social Security Administration and providing support to elderly people over the phone. They complained, saying they had no money for medications, glasses, or housing costs. "They're taking my home away from me," they would say. This affected me deeply. I started to think, do I want to be like them at their age? I realized that if this is how I would be living after all my hard work, then that's not what I want.

I knew that I wanted to retire.

I knew I wanted to retire at 45-50 years old, so I became interested in studying real estate purchases and the vast amount of construction. I also worked in the Social Security Administration and realized that I definitely do not want to retire in the USA.

I started researching overseas real estate to get a rough idea of prices. In the fall of 2021, I came across an article about cheap houses for sale in Latronico, Italy.

My impressions of visiting Italy

My impressions of visiting Italy were amazing. The people are willing to go to incredible lengths to help you. They don't see skin color; what matters to them is that you are in their country, and they will assist you.

I think there is a difference between the manifestations of racism in the US and in Europe.

I think there is a difference between the manifestations of racism in the US and in Europe, at least based on my experience. There, racism doesn't stem from having black or brown skin, but from people coming from other countries and changing the way of life in society. Here in America, it's more about the attitude of "We don't like you because you're black and beneath us." Ultimately, the history of slavery and colonialism has shown them that this kind of attitude is acceptable. I am looking forward to moving to Italy in the coming years. The more I see things here every day, the stronger my heart says "go home." And "home" for me is in Italy.

Conclusion

I think more and more people are interested in moving abroad because America is no longer the American dream. Many people are starting to realize this. There has been even more racism following changes in politics and society. Money also plays a role. The classic middle class classification has been eliminated. There used to be rich, middle class, and poor. Now there is only a division between the poor and the super-rich. People say there should be something else. America claims that it’s better here, but as a Black woman, I don’t feel free. In Italy, however, I feel free. I’m not saying there is no racism in Italy, but it’s not as harsh as it is here. We understand that we want peace and a better way of life.