“You only fail when you give up.” – Gloria Lewis
While a million success stories talk about reaching out for the American Dream, Gloria Lewis brings to us something much rarer: a frank and heartrending account of what that dream might actually cost. She was born and raised on the island of Barbados where her childhood became alive in a simple world that meant community to her.
No one needed iPhones or social media to distract children from the real world. Kids would play outside, families looked after one another, and respect for elderly people was basically a given. Those were the days of Gloria’s childhood, her fondest memories entwined with the life of her father. He was a man with no formal education yet worked with dignity for 26 years in the sanitation department. He embodied respect, loyalty, gratitude, and compassion-these very same values became enshrined in Gloria’s heart.
These values shine through in every page of her memoir, Culture Shock: The American Dream of an Island Native (available on Amazon). What sets the memoir apart is its steadfastness and sharing of truth, all the while balancing between critique and hope, frustration and faith, and between pain and purpose.
The Spark That Became the Journey to America
America meant promise to the young Gloria. While watching American television shows depicting glittering streets occupied by prosperous residents, she dreamt of a land where mobility and prosperity dwelled. When a young American male entered her life, the dream came alive, giving her an opportunity to walk into that window of possibility.
“I thought if I went to the USA, I would help my family back home,” she recalls. Like so many hopefuls, she believed her sacrifice would ripple outward to uplift her loved ones.
But soon, reality set in, and the price was steep. “I thought the lifestyle would be like Barbados-family and community mattered most. Once I got here, I saw how little unity there was, how much isolation people lived with, how everybody somehow ignored one another.” The first of many cultural shocks had hit.
The memoir does not spare any criticism for that emotional survival cost in a new land, where warmth was frequently substituted with distance; it was a trial more than a promised land.
The Reality-Bitten Romance
Her memoir is a roller-coaster ride, and her life was one. What she imagined would be a fairy tale quickly taught her hard truths about relationships, economics, class, and race. She was not a damsel in distress rescued by a knight in shining armor. She was a young woman forced to grow up quickly and take onboard the harsh lessons of life.
There was domestic abuse, societal rejection, loneliness, and relentless overwork. She bore it all but would never surrender. “I always felt lost, disillusioned,” she admits. “But I saw a way to work hard, to help my mom, to support my son. I put my family above how I felt.”
Her resilience: an anchor thrown into turbulent waters rather like her father’s resolve.
Faith, Family, and Will to Speak
At her lowest moments, Gloria sourced strength from her most cherished legacy from Barbados: faith and family. “Faith and family were the only things that kept me going. I couldn’t survive without both,” she recalls.
But this survival gave birth to an unexpected occurrence: telling stories. Never had she aspired for it to bring her fame or riches; she desired only to speak the truth and instill hope.
“I wrote Culture Shock to educate people, to inspire them, and to open hearts,” she shares. “People need to see the whole picture of the American Dream; the sacrifices, the racism, the isolation, and the heartbreak, but also the hope, the determination, and the lessons that could lead them.”
Eye-Opener
Gloria Lewis’s memoir is more than a book of memories; it is a testimony. Seeing the world through the eyes of a woman thrown into adulthood almost overnight, her story lays bare all the realities of love, economics, class, and race in America.
From domestic abuse to workplace discrimination, from loneliness to grueling hours of labor, she endured struggles that could have broken her. But instead of breaking, she chose to fight. “I always felt lost and disillusioned,” she writes. “But I saw an opportunity to work harder, to help my mom, and to provide for my son. I put my family above how I felt.”
Her resilience, much like her father’s perseverance, became her lifeline.
“Faith and family are the only things that kept me going. I could not survive without both,” she recalls.
What Awaits Next
Today, Gloria’s story is not just about survival-it’s about life after survival. She hopes Culture Shock will not just inspire change but will also be a facilitator. “I would love to be a motivational speaker,” she says. “My dream is that my book creates that opportunity.”
It is easy to picture her on stage, speaking to immigrant mothers, struggling fathers, single parents, and young dreamers. Her raw, real testimony is exactly what someone needs to hear before giving up.
When asked what she hopes readers take away, her tone softens: “I hope they understand the life of most immigrants. I hope my journey gives them perspective. I hope it tugs at their hearts so they will want to help the homeless, single moms, foster kids, women in abusive relationships, and workers enduring hostile environments.”
A New Definition of the Dream
For one who lived it, lost it, and defended it upon her own terms, what would be the key to American Dream?
“It is still possible,” she says, “but it comes with a lot of sacrifices. You can realize your dream if you are ready for them.”
Her gratitude is unwavering. “I am truly grateful that America is a beacon of hope for millions. I don’t believe there is another country that has done what America has done for people.”
That gratitude has taken form in action. Gloria founded Care In Action USA, a nonprofit organization in Florida working directly on the streets with those who need it most. From cooking meals for the homeless to providing services for single mothers, foster children, women escaping domestic abuse, and employees enduring abusive workplaces, the mission is simple but profound: keep hope alive.
Her work has been recognized at the highest levels. In 2015, she received the Mother Teresa Humanitarian Award from the Caring Institute of Washington, D.C. The award has been presented to the likes of President Jimmy Carter, Muhammad Ali, and Cal Ripken Jr. “That award reminded me that this mission is not about me,” she says. “It is about carrying the weight for others and making sure no one feels forgotten.”
An Amplifying Voice to the Global Conversation
To Gloria, faith remains the root of everything. “I didn’t want to do this,” she says. “When people kept asking about the book, I told them to leave me alone. But I am a Christian first. I always said in God’s time, He would bring the right person to bring this book forward. And now I know the time is now.”
She believes it is a timely tale. “God prompted me to share it. This isn’t about money-it’s about people. If even one person finds hope through my story, then it was worth it.”
Her prayer is that those who encounter her memoir, or her nonprofit will put God first and then people. “If we do that, blessings will pour,” she says.
Gloria Lewis is not just an author. She is a truth-teller, an advocate, and a servant of hope. Through her book, her nonprofit, and her faith, she carries millions of stories on her shoulders-not to be recognized, but to remind us what true resilience, gratitude, and compassion must mean.
“Life is a journey with twists and turns,” she says, her voice steady with conviction. “You only fail when you give up. And I will never give up-on God, on people, or on hope.”
Inspiration
Purchase the book on Amazon: Culture Shock: The American Dream of an Island Native
Care In Action USA: www.CareInActionUSA.org
Official author website: Coming Soon.
GLORIA, has told an inspirational story for all of us 2nd generation immigrants to read. MY first generation father had the love & support of his family here. What about those who today come alone? Gloria tells their story!