As a Canadian, I have always been intrigued by the concept of the American dream, of a set of aspirations supposedly shared by and accessible to the diverse citizens of a complex and unequal country. So in 2007, in the middle of the historic presidential campaign of Barack Obama, I set out to photograph Americans to document what the idea meant to them.

Photographing portraits is already an intimate process, but I also asked people to write about their American dream, which took an even deeper level of commitment and trust on their part. As an observer, I felt that I could be impartial and unthreatening, and once they began writing, I saw that they quickly became engaged. Some told me that they found what seemed like a simple exercise to be challenging and cathartic.

Inevitably, stories of their future hopes included stories of their disappointments and misfortunes. Seemingly ordinary people had extraordinary stories, and people with extraordinary stories had simple aspirations.

I’ve photographed more than 300 people so far, and covered most states. I plan to continue going. Sometimes I meet people spontaneously, other times I seek them out. I’ve found their stories to be inspiring, defiant, infuriating and some utterly heartbreaking. Just like America.

Check out the portraits and stories below, and tell us about your American dream on Facebook.com/nytopinion »