SPECIAL EDITION: CHASING THE DREAM

> TONIGHT ON 'METROFOCUS,' MY EVERY DAY HUSBAND WILL.

FIVE PEOPLE, FIVE WALKS OF LIFE AND ONE COMMON GOAL, TO CHASE THE AMERICAN DREAM AND TRY THEIR HARDEST TO CATCH THAT.

ALL OF THAT AND MORE AS 'METROFOCUS' STARTS RIGHT NOW.

♪♪ ♪♪

Announcer: THIS IS 'METROFOCUS' WITH RAFAEL P.

ROMAN, JACK FORD AND JENNA FLANAGAN.

FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM WAS PROVIDED BY -- ♪♪

Announcer: CORPORATE FUNDING WAS PROVIDED BY MUTUAL OF AMERICA, YOUR RETIREMENT COMPANY.

AND BY PSE&G, SERVING CUSTOMERS, STRENGTHENING THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND INVESTING IN THE FUTURE.

FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM IS ALSO PROVIDED BY THE JPP FOUNDATION AND THE FORD FOUNDATION.

GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO 'METROFOCUS.'

I'M RAFAEL P. ROMAN.

BREAKING NEWS OUT OF WASHINGTON TONIGHT.

WHITE HOUSE CHIEF STRATEGIST STEVE BANNON IS OUT.

THE WHITE HOUSE KWON FIRMED THE NEWS SAYING FRIDAY WOULD BE HIS LAST DAY.

AIDES SAID TRUMP DECIDED TO REMOVE BANNON, BUT A SOURCE CLOSE TO THE PAPER SAID THAT LEAVING WAS BANNON'S IDEA AND HE SUBMITTED HIS RESIGNATION TO THE PRESIDENT LAST WEEK.

THE MOVE WAS REPORTEDLY DELAYED BECAUSE OF THE RACIAL UNREST IN CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA AND THE GROWING CALLS FOR THE PRESIDENT TO FIRE BANNON.

WE'LL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THIS DEVELOPING STORY.

BACK TO OUR CHASING THE DREAM SPECIAL.

TONIGHT OUR CHASING THE DREAM INITIATIVE TAKES US ACROSS THE BIG APPLE TO MEET FIVE EVERY DAY NEW YORKERS WITH FIVE DIFFERENT LIVES AND ONE COMMON GOAL, TO BEAT THE EVERY DAY HUSTLE.

WE WILL MEET A DOG WALKER WHO HAS FOUND A WAY TO MAKE PLAY TIME WITH FIDO MORE LUCRATIVE THAN SELLING INSURANCE.

THEN WE HIT THE OPEN ROAD WITH AN ON-DEMAND DRIVER WHO CAME TO AMERICA FOR THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE HER OWN HOURS.

FINALLY, WE WILL MEET THE SUBWAY PERFORMER WHO COMPETES WITH TRAINS TO BE HEARD.

JOIN US AS WE EXPLORE WHAT IT MEANS TO CHASE THE DREAM IN NEW YORK CITY.

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THANK YOU.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

I CAME HERE WHEN I WAS LIKE 20 YEARS OLD.

I'M FROM EGYPT.

I GOT MANY DREAMS.

AMERICA IS THE LAND OF MY OPPORTUNITY.

I FEEL LIKE I'M FREE.

WHATEVER I WANT TO DO IT, I DO IT ANY TIME I LIKE TO DO IT.

SO WHY NOT?

I LOVE IT.

MY NAME IS WAHLID AND I'M A STREET VENDOR.

I LIKE MY NEIGHBORHOOD, I LIKE MY CUSTOMERS THERE AND THE CUSTOMER LIKES ME.

THAT'S WHY I LIKE TO BE IN 79th STREET.

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I CAN'T CLOSE MY BUSINESS FOR A PLANTER.

IF I CLOSE MY BUSINESS, HOW CAN I FEED MY KIDS.

I HAVE A FAMILY AND THIS IS MY BUSINESS.

I'VE BEEN VENDING FOR MANY YEARS AND EVERYBODY KNOWS ME IN THE AREA.

THESE PLANTERS NEED A PERMIT FOR IT FROM THE CITY.

THEY DON'T HAVE ANY PERMITS, THEY JUST SIT THESE PLANTERS HERE TO PREVENT US FROM WORKING.

MY CUSTOMERS, I MOVE UP THE PLANTER AND I -- THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

DISPLACED BY PLANTERS AND IT IS TYPICAL WHEN WE OR VENDORS TRY TO MOVE THEM THE POLICE WILL COME.

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I FEEL LIKE, FOR THE PEOPLE TO -- I FEEL LIKE I'M NOT ALONE.

AND I LOVE THE KITCHEN, THAT'S WHY I DECIDE THAT THE VENDOR.

THE PERFECT LIKE HOUR, HOUR AND A HALF TO SET UP ALL THE FOOD.

♪♪

I LIVE IN BROOKLYN.

I GOT MY FAMILY HERE, THREE KIDS AND WIFE.

SO I MAKE ENOUGH MONEY TO -- TO COVER MY -- LIKE MY RENT, MY BILLS.

I FEEL FREE BECAUSE I'M MY OWN BOSS, I DON'T HAVE NO BOSS ON IT.

THIS IS MY OWN AND NOBODY KNOWS WHAT I PUT ON IT.

SO YOU'RE NOT GOING TO FIND IT ANYWHERE ELSE.

I LOVE MY JOB BECAUSE I FEEL COMFORTABLE WHEN I STAY IN THE KITCHEN, AND MY DAY OFF AND I TELL MY WIFE, LISTEN, I'M GOING TO MAKE THE BREAKFAST FOR YOU GUYS.

SHE LOVE THAT, YOU KNOW.

I FEEL LIKE I WON THE GAME.

I GOT MY LIFE IN AMERICA.

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MY DAY DAY-TO-DAY IS PRETTY SIMPLE.

I, YOU KNOW, EAT, AND THEN I USUALLY DO SOMETHING PHYSICAL.

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AND THEN I COME BACK AND GET MY GEAR.

AND HEAD UNDER, KIND OF UNDERGROUND.

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IT IS PERFORMING IN PUBLIC FOR DONATIONS.

IT IS MAKING IT WORK, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

USUALLY WHEN I START, I START WITH A COVER.

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I HAD JUST MOVED TO NEW YORK, I DIDN'T KNOW ANYONE AND I WAS FORCED UNDERGROUND ALMOST TO SURVIVE.

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FOR THE FIRST TWO YEARS IT IS QUITE A LEARNING CURVE DOWN THERE, AND NO ONE GETS STOPPED FOR A SPOT.

THERE ARE UNSPOKEN RULES THAT WE ALL JUST -- YOU JUST ABSORB IN THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS ABOUT NOT SETTING UP ON PEOPLE.

IT'S HOT DOWN HERE TODAY.

[ INAUDIBLE ] ♪♪ ♪♪ GOT NOTHING LEFT TO LOSE

WHEN IT'S PEOPLE, AND THEN THEY'RE MOVED AND THEY EITHER DONATE, BUT IT IS NOT ALWAYS SUNNY.

SOMETIMES IT IS NOT.

I'M SUPER RESOURCEFUL.

I TEND TO MAKE A LOT OF THINGS MYSELF.

FOR A WHILE I WAS GROWING A LOT OF MY STUFF.

I DID A LOT OF THINGS TO MAKE IT WORK.

I SIGNED UP FOR FOCUS GROUPS, I DO THOSE SOMETIMES, AND I DO VOICE-OVERS HERE AND THERE.

IT IS TOUGH TO GO BACK UNDER AFTER A SLOW DAY.

I MEAN YOU ALWAYS SORT OF TAKE IT PERSONALLY.

YOU JUST HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, GET BACK ON THE HORSE.

HOW IT HAS CHANGED?

IT HAS CHANGED.

WHEN I WENT UNDER THE FIRST -- THERE WERE CELLPHONES BUT NOT EVERYONE HAD THEM.

NOW, WOW, IT'S CRAZY.

EVERYONE HAS CELLPHONES.

EVERYONE HAS THE WORLD IN FRONT OF THEM.

YOU MAKE LESS NOW THAN YOU DID.

EVERYONE IS JUST IN THEIR OWN LITTLE WORLD DOWN THERE, SO IT TAKES A LOT TO BUST THROUGH.

THE MAGIC THAT HAPPENS DOWN THERE, HUMANITY -- I REMEMBER I WAS ON A TRAIN ONCE AND PERFORMING AND A MAN SAID, GOOD LUCK, I HOPE, YOU KNOW, YOU MAKE IT OUT OF HERE.

I'M LIKE, I'M NOT TRYING TO GO ANYWHERE.

HE LOOKED AT ME WITH AN ODD LOOK AND I SAID, THERE'S A LOT OF FREEDOM DOWN HERE.

HE JUST STOPPED AND HE LOOKED AT HIS FEET AND HE SAID, OH, MY GOD, FREEDOM, HE SAID.

I COULD USE SOME OF THAT.

♪♪ [CHEERING] ♪♪ ♪♪

YOU WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH?

HOW I GOT STARTED?

OKAY.

I WAS IN FRONT OF SQUARE LOOKING AROUND, THINKING WHAT I'M DOING IN THIS BIG CITY THAT IS VERY FAMOUS FOR MONEY AND EVERYTHING AND I HAVE NO -- YEAH.

SO A WOMAN START DRIVING A YELLOW CAR.

AND I SAY WHAT?

IF THEY DO, I CAN DO.

I WORK FOR UBER FIVE DAYS A WEEK, AND I MAKE AROUND $700 TO $1,000 A WEEK WORKING 24 HOURS A DAY, SOMETIMES A LITTLE BIT MORE.

I STARTED TO DRIVE WHEN THE CAR CAME, NOW IT IS A HUNDRED.

MY NAME IS CECELIA RENENBERG.

NEW YORK IS HARD TO DRIVE BECAUSE IT IS A LOT OF TRAFFIC.

I WAS A SINGLE MOTHER.

WHEN I CAME HERE I WAS SCARED BECAUSE I HAVE NO FAMILY, NO FRIENDS.

I DON'T KNOW NO ONE.

BUT I FEEL STRONG ENOUGH TO DO BECAUSE I SAW A LOT OF PEOPLE DO, WHY NOT ME?

AND I DID.

NOW I'M WORKING UBER PART-TIME AND ANOTHER PART-TIME FOR LIKE A HOUSEKEEPER.

I CAME FROM PERU AND I WANT TO CHANGE AND LIVE THE KIND OF LIFE FOR MY SON.

I'M ALREADY CITIZEN AND I LIVE IN FLUSHING QUEENS.

AND I HAVE ONE BEDROOM AND I PAY $1,200 A MONTH.

♪♪

OH, YOU'RE WELCOME.

HAVE A GOOD DAY AND HAVE A LOVELY WEEKEND.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

IT IS REALLY TRUE, YOU CAN DO WHEN YOU WANT BUT HAVE TO WORK HARD TO SEE YOUR MONEY.

♪♪ ♪♪

YES, IF I'M ALONE.

I HAVE A LOT [ INAUDIBLE ]. EARLIER TODAY I HAVE TO GO FOR TRAFFIC COURT, TO FIGHT A TICKET.

NOT GOOD TO HAVE ONE.

THEY SUSPEND IF I HAVE 12 POINTS.

I ALREADY HAVE 11.

AND I WIN.

THE JUDGE DECIDE NOT GUILTY BECAUSE THERE IS NOT BIG REASON.

IT IS SILLY TICKET.

♪♪

I LOVE ALL MY FAMILY.

IT IS NOT LIKE BEFORE, I MAY FOR DINNER, NOT ANYMORE.

MORE THAN A YEAR.

TO BE A WOMAN DRIVING, SOMETIMES I DON'T FEEL SAFE, BUT IT IS A LOT OF CRAZY PEOPLE ON WEEKEND NIGHT.

I HAVE A LOT OF BAD EXPERIENCE.

BUT I REALLY NEED TO WORK BECAUSE THE RENT IS NOT CHEAP.

IT IS HARD FOR ME TO PAY.

♪♪

NEW YORK MAKE ME MORE STRONG THAN BEFORE.

OH, WHEN I CAME HERE I WAS WAITRESS, HOUSEKEEPER, NANNY, ALL THE JOBS THAT WOMAN CAN DO WHEN THEY IMMIGRANT BUT I REALLY WANT TO START AND GO TO SCHOOL.

I'M ON MY WAY.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪

MY FAVORITE PART OF DOG WALKING IS DOG HUGS.

WHEN YOU OPEN THE DOOR AND DOGS JUST JUMP UP IN YOUR LAP, WHAT'S UP, BUDDY?

HOW YOU DOING?

IT IS THE BEST THING.

I MAKE FILMS, MUSIC, ALL THAT CREATIVE STUFF.

WITH DOG WALKING I WILL COME HOME VERY PHYSICALLY EXHAUSTED, MY LEGS DON'T WORK HALF THE TIME.

BUT BECAUSE THE WORK HOURS ARE REALLY FOUR HOURS A DAY, MAYBE FIVE, I CAN BE WAY MORE CREATIVE WITH THE LESS HOURS I HAVE IN MY DAY TO DO WHAT I WANT.

MY DEFINITION OF MAKING IT IN LIFE IS DOING WHAT YOU LOVE FOR THE RIGHT REASONS AND STILL SUPPORTING YOURSELF AND THE PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE THAT NEED TO BE SUPPORTED.

IT IS AS SIMPLE AS THAT.

MY NAME IS NODDER AND I'M A DOG WALKER.

♪♪

TODAY WE WALKED TERESA IN THE AM.

IN THE PM WE WALKED CARL, TEDDY, RUBY, ARCHIE AND TUCKER.

BEAUTIFUL.

YOU'RE SO BEAUTIFUL.

LOOK AT YOU, LIKE A MILLION BUCKS.

WHEN I WAS YOUNGER I WAS TERRIBLY AFRAID OF DOGS.

I COULDN'T STAND 'EM, AND BASICALLY MY BEST FRIEND HAD LIKE FIVE OF THEM.

SO KIND OF GETTING TO KNOW HIM AND BEING AT HIS HOUSE I CAME TO GET OVER MY FEAR AND STARTED TO LIKE DOGS, AND NOW I LOVE, LOVE DOGS.

IT IS A DREAM COME TRUE.

TO BE OUTSIDE PLAYING WITH ANIMALS, YOU KNOW, FIVE DAYS OUT OF THE WEEK.

I MOVED TO NEW YORK IN AUGUST OF 2016, AND THE REASON THAT I MOVED HERE WAS BECAUSE I GOT A COUPLE OF JOB OFFICE IN THE FILM INDUSTRY AND THAT'S WHAT I HAVE MY DEGREE IN.

SO I FIGURED IT WAS TIME TO MOVE.

I LIVE IN FLAT BUSH, BROOKLYN RIGHT NOW.

I HAVE TWO ROOMMATES.

I LIVE IN A THREE BEDROOM APARTMENT.

MY RENT IS $700 PER MONTH.

WHEN I WAS WORKING IN THE CORPORATE SIDE OF INSURANCE COMPANY IN PHILADELPHIA, I WAS MAKING ABOUT $50,000 A YEAR.

MY CHECKS RANGE FROM ABOUT, OKAY, THE LOW END WOULD BE $600 AND THE HIGH END WOULD BE LIKE $825, MAKING $400 MORE A WEEK ACTUALLY WALKING DOGS.

CARL WAS A TRIPOD, A THREE-LEGGED DOG, AND HAS TEN TIMES AS MUCH ENERGY AS HALF THE FOUR-LEGGED DOGS WE WALK.

DO YOUR THINK, CARL.

YOU DOESN'T HAVE TO LIFT A LEG BECAUSE THERE'S NO LEG TO LIFT.

EVERYONE KNOWS RUBY.

EVERYONE HAS SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT RUBY.

IT IS GREAT AND ADORABLE BUT IT CAN BE A PAIN SOMETIMES.

THE BIGGEST HURDLE FOR ME AS A DOG WALKER IS THE FACT THAT WE ARE IN BROOKLYN, THE CITY OF BROOKLYN HEIGHTS IS ALMOST ENTIRELY TOURISTS.

I KNOW THAT PEOPLE'S REACTION IS TO LIKE MAKE KISSY FACES AND THAT STUFF TO DOGS.

THE PROBLEM IS THAT BY DEFINITION YOU'RE DISTRACTING HIM.

IF I HAVE FIVE DOGS IN MY HAND AND TWO ARE LOOKING AT YOU, THEY'RE PULLING AWAY FROM THE PACK.

THEY'RE ALL SUPER NICE.

THE OTHER MAIN HURDLE WOULD BE DOGS THAT LIKE TRASH OR BIRDS, THAT KIND OF STUFF.

WE WALK A DOG CALLED KATIE WHO MAY AS WELL HAVE PULLED ME OUT OF MY SOCKS BECAUSE SHE DOVE AT A SQUIRREL AND A BIRD AND IT WAS LIKE YANK, YANK.

DIDN'T FEEL GOOD.

♪♪

PAUL IS A FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESS, THREE BROTHERS, A MOM AND DAD ARE INVOLVED.

IT IS TIGHT-KNIT COMMUNITY THAT I REALLY ENJOY BEING A PART OF.

IT IS A LITTLE WEIRD BECAUSE WE'RE INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS SO I'M NOT GOING TO GET A TAX RETURN.

I GET 1099 INSTEAD OF W-2.

MY SALARY RIGHT NOW IS COVERING ALL OF MY EXPENSES.

I AM SAVING -- A LOT OF MY FRIENDS JOKE AROUND WITH ME, OH, MAN, IF YOU MEET A GIRL AND OUT AND SHE SAYS WHAT DO YOU DO, DO YOU SAY LIKE A FREELANCE FILM MAKER OR ANYTHING?

I KNOW, I ENJOY WHAT I DO.

CARL AND TUCKER WERE NEXT TO EACH OTHER.

I WISH I HAD GOTTEN TUCKER FIRST INSTEAD OF CARL JUST LOGISTICALLY.

TEDDY BIT ON HIS LEASH I BELIEVE FOR THE THIRD TIME.

HE LIKES TO EAT HIS LEASHES.

I AM EXTREMELY PROUD TO BE A DOG WALKER, NOT BECAUSE OF THE KIND OF JOB IT IS OR IS NOT BUT BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT I WAS RAISED AND THE WAY THAT I BELIEVE THE WORLD WORKS.

IF YOU ARE PAYING YOUR BILLS, YOU COULD BE ANYTHING.

♪♪

ME AS A PERSON, I LIKE TO BE ACTIVE.

I HATE BEING, YOU KNOW, IN ONE PLACE, NOT MOVING AROUND.

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IT IS BASICALLY THE THIRD PARTY SERVICE OR BASICALLY YOU ORDER FOOD AND THEN GET THE FOOD AS FAST AS WE CAN.

MY NAME IS DANNY RODRIGUEZ AND I'M A COURIER.

I'VE BEEN IN A COURIER FOR TEN MONTHS.

IT'S BEEN A BLESSING.

I LIKE IT.

THE POSITION THAT I AM RIGHT NOW, I'M ACTUALLY THE SHIFT COACH, SO I USUALLY GET PAID $11 AN HOUR, WHICH IS GOOD.

IT IS RESPONSIBILITY TO MOTIVATE THE RIDER.

MAKE SURE YOU GUYS HAVE GREAT DAY OUT THERE.

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THE BACK IS THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT COULD GET HURT.

♪♪

I DO GET SCARED, GO OUT THERE WITH A POSITIVE ENERGY AND WAKE UP GOOD.

I KNOW THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO DO AND WORK HARD FOR IT.

YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME INCIDENTS BUT THEY'RE SMALL.

♪♪

YOU GET PAID EVERY WEEK.

THE GOOD THING ABOUT THIS COMPANY IS THAT YOU GET PAID BY THE HOUR AND BY TIPS.

LET'S SEE.

I WORK FOUR DAYS A WEEK, AND FOR FOUR DAYS A WEEK I GET PAID -- YOU KNOW, I MAKE $200 IN TIPS, MY CHECK WILL COME UP TO AFTER TAXES LIKE FOUR AND CHANGE OR THREE AND CHANGE.

THE GOOD THING ABOUT IT IS THAT IF YOU DON'T MAKE NO TIPS DURING THAT WEEK, SAY YOU'RE PRETTY SLOW, THE COMPANY WILL GIVE YOU LIKE A GAP PAY.

EVERY DAY IS DIFFERENT.

YOU KNOW, TODAY, I MADE $9 IN TIPS.

TOMORROW I COULD DO 50, 100.

♪♪ ♪♪

I AM A SOPHOMORE IN COLLEGE.

MY MAJOR THAT I'M GOING FOR IS CRIMINAL JUSTICE, AND THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING FOR, TO BECOME A POLICE OFFICER.

HERE IS ACTUAL MY POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT I HAVE.

I JOINED THIS PROGRAM CALLED AUXILIARY POLICE OFFICER WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND IT'S BEEN LIKE A BLESSING.

I FEEL LIKE I'VE BEEN ON THE RIGHT PATH.

TYPICALLY I'M WAITING FOR THEM TO CALL ME.

BUT I LIVE RIGHT NEXT TO -- I LIVE WITH MY FAMILY, MY MOM, MY LITTLE BROTHER AND MY TWIN SISTER.

HOME WISE, NEVER HAD ANY -- NOW DAYS -- THANK GOD BEEN LIVING HERE 21 YEARS, BUT NEW YORK ITSELF IS EXPENSIVE.

SO I GIVE MY MOM, YOU KNOW, HALF OF MY CHECKS.

I GET PAID $400, I GIVE HER $200.

WHATEVER I'M ABLE TO GIVE, YOU WILL GIVE TO HER BECAUSE IT IS MY MOM AND I FEEL LIKE SHE'S BEEN THERE FOR ME MY WHOLE LIFE.

YOU KNOW, SHE WOULD TAKE FOOD STAMPS, SHE WOULD TAKE A LOT OF THINGS JUST TO PROVIDE TO US.

YOU KNOW, EVEN IF SHE HAD $2, YOU KNOW, IT IS FOR MY KIDS AND SHE WOULD GIVE IT TO US.

BEING A COURIER IS A JOB I WANT TO KEEP UNTIL I BECOME A POLICE OFFICER AND, YOU KNOW, WITH THE FUTURE I CAN HELP MY MOM AND GIVE HER THAT DREAM CAR SHE ALWAYS WANTED.

I'M GOING TO GIVE IT TO HER.

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THANK YOU FOR WATCHING THIS SPECIAL EDITION OF 'METROFOCUS.'

REMEMBER, YOU CAN GET EVEN MORE GREAT CONTENT AT METROFOCUS.org AND PBS.org.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM WAS PROVIDED BY --