Our Story
It all started with frustration. Initially, Dare to Dream was meant to be a single event to close the resource gap and build a community for Black and Brown entrepreneurs attending predominantly white institutions. But it soon grew into something bigger than that. Three dreamers—Takiyah, Franco, and Jordan—came together to figure out how to combine art and entrepreneurship. It was them against the world.
The trio began spreading the word on campus and recruiting people. They grabbed food at a restaurant—now a team tradition—and then met at the Do Good Accelerator to brainstorm how Dare to Dream could grow. The team expanded as people told their friends about the initiative and wanted to join. The Dream Team hailed from every corner of campus and even the world, representing over nine countries and speaking more than 12 languages. For months, the Dreamers met at 8:30 p.m. once a week, spending hours establishing the company's foundation. They soon realized they wanted to make entrepreneurship more equitable for marginalized communities. They knew that with a youth-teaching-youth concept, their impact could be immense. They started conducting after-school workshops and eventually hosted assemblies in schools.
However, their work didn't stop at the K-12 level. The team decided to find ways to celebrate heritage and culture, bringing people together through art and entrepreneurship.
Through a multi-pronged approach, the Dream Team began growing its brand awareness and teaching young people how to start their businesses while hosting community events. Dare to Dream is scaling up, reaching more young people, and expanding its mission to make entrepreneurship accessible to all.