Spotlight: April 2010 Newsletter
Dreaming Out Loud
(Affinity Lab member)
Please tell us about Dreaming Out Loud
DOL is a nonprofit that advances a more ethical, equitable and sustainable world: one that allows underserved children, youth and communities to thrive in the global community. We do this by providing programs that improve education, shaping advocacy in the areas that effect our target audience; and mobilizing grassroots initiatives for social change. We incorporated in 2008 and began running programs in January of 2009.
We have two programs: Walking the Dream Path and Project Dream Green. During 2009 we served 80 children from Nia Community Public Charter School with the launch of Walking the Dream Path, a character development initiative that uses Adinkra symbols from Ghana as positive character traits that we instill through art-projects, gardening, journaling and more.
Currently, Walking the Dream Path is running at Cesar Chavez Public Charter School for Public Policy, engaging 9th grade students who have had some behavioral and academic challenges.
Our second program, Project Dream Green, launches in full bloom this summer as a part of the Mayor's Green Summer Jobs Corps. We will host 72 youth participants -- ages 14-21-- who will be engaged in environmental projects throughout Ward 7. As with Walking the Dream Path, we continue to use the Adinkra symbol core values to develop character and leadership skills.
Why did you jump in and start your organization?
I always knew that I wanted to make social change, so I sought out organizations doing this kind of work while at Howard University. the best outlet I found on campus for this energy, at that time, was Amnesty International. I learned how to build and maintain an organization; host forums; motivate volunteers and many other invaluable skills, but I also saw the drawbacks of being in an organization where you don’t have control over the mission and the message. Being part of a larger bureaucratic machine with interests that may not always be germane to the population you're serving way eye opening. With that experience I went about researching how to start an organization...
What is the greatest lesson you've learned while running your organization?
Rome wasn't built in a day! has been a consistent theme that I've had to remind myself of. We want to make change, but when working with young people who have had years of learned behavior at home, or in their community, it takes more than just a semester or a workshop to make dramatic life changes. Miracles do happen, but most often you have to take solace in the incremental changes in attitude, outlook and heart.
Who is your greatest inspiration?
My mom got me interested in social issues from a young age and it is something I internalized when I was really young. I used to think this interest in working with kids was from my experiences in 7th grade and in high school, but my mom reminded me of a story in 3rd grade when they fundraised to build a playground and one of the games we played happened to be tag. One day they took away recess which I thought was unjust. I organized a boycott with my other classmates to get recess back. I’ve always known I’ve wanted to make things different and make a change. I always watched the news with her and that made me very aware of social issues at a young age.
What's next for Dreaming Out Loud?
We just received our 501(c)(3) status, so development and reaching sustainability is going to be front and center. This will allow DOL to attract and retain the kind of staff that will take us to the upper echelon of organizations. Also, this summer's launch of Project Dream Green is a major milestone and challenge that is right around the corner. We will have three reporting sites in Ward 7 where participants will disburse from to engage in environmental projects in three core environmental areas: parks, energy and watershed protection. The 72 youth will be divide into teams - each team having its own structure including a media person, information officer and equipment manager. We will be able to document the summer through picture and video that the young people craft during their experience, telling their own story. We are trying to use technology this summer as much as we can. We are using a text messaging system to ensure effective communication of schedules, emergency information and also using that technology as a learning tool by texting environmental vocabulary words. They will also have access to Learning Objects, a type of social learning software that is like what you would see if Facebook and Blackboard had a baby. We are looking forward to managing all these moving parts and crafting an amazing experience for our young people.
Chris Bradshaw
Dreaming Out Loud
