D.R.E.A.M.S. Collective is Turning Opportunity into Impact
For the Black Investments in Greensboro Equity Fund, investing in Greensboro’s Black community means more than providing financial support. It means helping create the conditions for long-term opportunity, economic mobility, and generational progress. That vision comes to life through organizations like D.R.E.A.M.S. Collective, which is helping young people see themselves not simply as students learning about science and technology, but as future innovators, entrepreneurs, engineers, and problem-solvers.
D.R.E.A.M.S., which stands for Developing Real Educational Adventures in Math & Science, provides hands-on STEM education and mentorship for historically underrepresented youth. Its work is grounded in inclusion, innovation, and community, with more than 200 students mentored across five partner schools. By giving students access to hands-on learning and supportive mentors, the organization helps close the digital divide while creating pathways into fields where Black students have historically faced barriers to access and representation.
A $50,000, two-year grant from the BIG Equity Fund will support D.R.E.A.M.S. Collective’s Entrepreneurial STEM Design Challenge at James B. Dudley High School during the 2026–27 school year. Twenty students will identify a community challenge, develop a working prototype, and prepare their ideas for public presentation through tracks in Robotics & Transportation, Cosmetic Science, Applied AI, and Healthcare. Along the way, they will work with near-peer mentors from North Carolina A&T and gain exposure to labs and professional environments across Greensboro.
The program reflects BIG’s commitment to addressing the digital divide, strengthening educational pathways, and creating opportunities that support long-term economic mobility. By connecting students with technical skills, mentors, institutions, and real-world experiences, D.R.E.A.M.S. is helping young people move from curiosity to confidence and from possibility to action.
This is what BIG’s vision looks like in practice: investing in Black-led solutions that create opportunity today while building a stronger future for generations to come. Through D.R.E.A.M.S. Collective, that investment is helping Greensboro’s next generation not only imagine what is possible but begin building it.
Learn more about how D.R.E.A.M.S. Collective is helping young people build skills, confidence, and pathways into STEM. Visit thedreamscollective.org to explore their programs and ways to get involved.