Every year tens of thousands of Mexicans illegally cross the border into the U.S. searching for a better life in 'El Norte,' where they often disappear into a black hole of anonymity, exploitation and uncertainty, their lives and contributions largely misunderstood. Marisol Rodriguez, her mother and several siblings were living and working in the municipal dump in Matamoros, Mexico in 1996, when they decided to try their luck and cross the border. This essay documents the family's struggle over an eight-year period (from August 1996 to the present), covering the obstacles and opportunities they encountered in Mexico and the U.S. , moving from Matamoros to Florida and onwards to Texas. This required coping with a new language, confusing customs, discrimination and exploitation. Over time the American Dream seemed to be slipping away. Their story repeats itself throughout the United States each day, and across the world, as similar economic realities move immigrants across borders For the older Rodriguez children, staying is school was not a viable option, due to the family's income needs. It is the younger children, like Marisol, who seem to hold the key that could help the family move out of low-skilled labor and eventually into America's middle class, if only they can stay in school or find role models. Marisol in particular, who has watched her two elder sisters drop out of school and get bogged down in a vicious cycle of pregnancy, debt and troubles with the law, is leading the charge and is focusing on what she needs to accomplish to better her situation and move ahead. Crossings: The Dream of the Rich North