By Catie George, Director, Communications & Storytelling
The Dallas-Fort Worth community gathered on the evening of Thursday, April 3, at the Kessler Theater to experience the launch of the Dreams Experience Academy (DEA), a nonprofit creating new pathways into high-growth creative industries for Dallas youth.
The launch came after an 18-month period of development, seeded by the Dallas Regional Chamber’s Tomorrow Fund and unique ability to bring people and companies together.
DRC makes the connection that launched Dreams Experience Academy
The DEA is the brainchild of Grammy Award-winning rapper Tracy “The D.O.C.” Curry.
“I met The D.O.C. on a DRC visit to a company,” said Duane Dankesreiter, Senior Vice President of Research & Innovation at the DRC. “He spoke about his vision of returning to his neighborhood and building a project that brings together media, entertainment, and technology to kids in the form of an academy called the Dreams Experience. I knew right away that we needed to be involved.”
Dankesreiter and DRC Senior Vice President of Opportunity & Impact Latosha Herron Bruff met with The D.O.C. three additional times to hear about his vision for the Dreams Experience Academy.
“We realized very quickly how much this aligns with the DRC’s work and how we could use our connections to the business community to help create valuable partnerships,” said Herron Bruff. “But we also realized that we needed someone with industry experience and influence to make this work. That’s around the time when Duane met Chris, and the rest fell into place.”
Dankesreiter met Dallas-native Chris Gannett, CEO of Gannett.Partners, who has in-depth experience working in the media and entertainment industry as former Chief Marketing Officer of “American Idol” and one of the founding members of Sony Music.
The DRC introduce Gannett and The D.O.C. in December 2023. Dankesreiter says it was an instant match, with the pair bonding over wanting to make a difference in their hometown.
In Gannett, The D.O.C. found the partner who would help bring his vision to life.
DEA tackles chronic absenteeism while creating industry opportunities
While national chronic absenteeism post-COVID is at 26%, in the 75216 area code of Southern Dallas, it reaches 47%. For students to participate in the DEA, they must attend school.
“[We will address] student absenteeism by incentivizing students back into classrooms. They must be enrolled to receive our hands-on learning and cutting-edge, world-class mentorship,” said Gannett, with a nod to For Oak Cliff for its support on the concept. “Our focus is on a twofold mission: get students back in class and get them real careers. And we’re rewarding commitment with opportunity.”
The media, entertainment, and tech industries generate more than $3 trillion annually, but 92% of top studio and streaming executives are not people of color. Most consumers, 72%, say the industry doesn’t reflect them or their experiences.
“The DEA removes these barriers, giving students the skills, network, and platform they need to become the next generation of great American creative and business leaders,” said Gannett.
The DRC and Dallas Foundation teamed up to hire Gannett as President of the DEA for a year, guaranteeing the academy’s leadership during its most critical development period.
Community support galvanizes around DEA’s mission
The DRC continued to pull in partners and connections to the DEA, helping to drum up the needed support.
At the launch event, the DRC, Big Thought, For Oak Cliff, the T.D. Jakes Foundation, Game Square, and Taylor Sheridan’s Bosque Ranch Productions were all represented—a major show of support for a worthy cause.
“We know that this should happen in our city. We are a can-do city that does it big. Our students need us. This is not about charity. This is about investment. There is no time like today to let your commitment move to action,” said Herron Bruff from the stage. “The business community is critical to this work. We stand with the Dreams Experience because we know that we are building the next dream.”
For the DRC and The D.O.C., the DEA represents an important step toward realizing Dallas’ full potential.
“I’m going to do everything in my power,” said The D.O.C., “to change our city into that shining city on the hill that we know it could be. So, by the time the world shows up in 2026, they can go back to wherever they’re from and say, those folks in the DFW know how to do that thing.”
What the future holds
This summer will be the curriculum pilot of the program, launched with DEA partner For Oak Cliff and focus on gaming.
Cynt Marshall, immediate past DRC Board Chair, former CEO of the Dallas Mavericks and Founder, President, and CEO of Marshalling Resources, is underwriting the pilot budget.
“We have an opportunity here in Dallas to have our young people, our very own youth, immersed in [a $3 trillion industry]. We have an opportunity to shape their future,” shared Marshall via video message. “I am so excited about the Dreams Experience Academy. It all starts with the dream.”
To be part of the DRC’s efforts to seed the future of the Dallas Region, become a Tomorrow Fund investor. To contribute to the Dreams Experience Academy, visit their website.