By Latosha Herron Bruff, Senior Vice President, Opportunity & Impact
Average reading time: 4 minutes
2025 marked a turning point for the Dallas Regional Chamber’s Quality of Life work. What began as strategic expansion evolved into tangible action, real investment and measurable impact across our region. From Southern Dallas classrooms to the Texas Capitol, we’ve focused on one clear goal: creating pathways to opportunity for every resident in our region.
Dreams taking flight 
One of the most exciting developments in 2025 was our investment in the Dreams Experience Academy (DEA), a bold initiative that’s rewriting what’s possible for young people in Southern Dallas. With seed funding from the DRC’s Tomorrow Fund Investors, DEA is opening doors into the $3 trillion media and tech economy for students who have too often been overlooked.
This isn’t just another after-school program. Rooted in Southern Dallas but with a vision that extends far beyond our region, DEA connects students in grades 7-12 directly to industry leaders, creative skills and high-growth careers. In a community where absenteeism reaches 47%, the program’s requirement is simple but powerful: participation requires school attendance. It’s a model that links commitment with opportunity through world-class mentorship and hands-on experiences in media, entertainment and technology.
The 2025 summer pilot results speak volumes. All 25 students earned digital credentials. Every single previously disengaged student reengaged with school. And 89% said they would recommend the program to their peers. By blending education, mentorship and creative industries, DEA offers a model for narrowing opportunity gaps while fueling tomorrow’s economy.
Reshaping perceptions, driving investment
Opportunity starts with awareness. And Southern Dallas County is rich with opportunity. Our inaugural Opportunity Summit, presented by Ernst & Young LLP (EY) and Regions Bank and held at The Shops at Redbird, highlighted Southern Dallas County’s strategic investment potential to over 300 business leaders and community advocates. Featuring five innovative panelists, a dynamic keynote speaker and 25 businesses and organizations featured at the Developers Expo, this groundbreaking event reshaped perceptions of the under-championed area while presenting opportunities for individuals and companies to grow alongside one of the region’s most promising markets.
In addition, we launched a targeted, refreshed Say Yes to Dallas campaign in 2025, designed to get people out to experience and fall in love with Southern Dallas County. From buzzing businesses to cultural gems, we’re working to reshape how the region is experienced.
The campaign featured 33 businesses and destinations across 14 zip codes, showcasing the strategic advantages that make Southern Dallas County a smart choice for investment and growth. By changing how people experience Southern Dallas County today, we’re fueling the momentum for new jobs, investment and a thriving future. When business leaders see firsthand the assets, talent and potential in these communities, perceptions shift and opportunities multiply.
Building the builders
Since 2022, the DRC has partnered with the Community Developers Roundtable to back emerging developers who are bringing new life and investment to under-championed communities. We’re helping turn big ideas into real projects.
In 2025, we showcased five developers through Vision Tours, totaling 24 engagements that connected emerging talent with the resources, networks and insights they need to succeed. These aren’t just development projects — they’re neighborhood transformations led by people who understand their communities deeply and are committed to sustainable, inclusive growth.
Advancing quality of life for all
Quality of life means creating environments where everyone can contribute and thrive. Building on the success of our award-winning Disability Inclusion Toolkit, presented by EY, that launched in 2024, we made updates the following year that refreshed the data and improved the digital user experience.
These updates continue to demonstrate our dedication to illustrate that disability inclusion isn’t just the right thing to do — it’s a business asset. By helping companies tap into the talents of people with disabilities, we’re expanding the workforce and strengthening our regional competitiveness.
Similarly, at our 2025 Women’s Business Conference, presented by JPMorganChase and Baylor Scott & White Health, women leaders charted a bold path forward, reinforcing that representative and dynamic leadership drives innovation and growth. To showcase that innovation and entrepreneurial spirit, our team wanted to increase the number of women-led businesses featured in our Frost Marketplace.
After targeted marketing efforts, we received over 150 applications and selected 30 businesses to feature in our Frost Marketplace, resulting in over $20,000 of vendor revenue — providing a boost in more ways than one. Hundreds of attendees also gained actionable insights and tools through meaningful conversations at our AI Office Hours, powered by Improving, and Table Talks, powered by CMP. These conversations and tools are changing how our region’s businesses approach talent, culture and opportunity.
Advocating where it counts
Quality of Life improvements require both private investment and smart public policy. During the 89th Texas Legislature, we worked to advance key priorities that protect businesses while elevating quality of life across our region. From legislative wins that support business growth to advocacy on issues ranging from childcare to housing, we’ve worked to ensure our region’s needs are heard in Austin.
We’ve also deepened our Community Connections work, recognizing that solving food insecurity extends beyond simply increasing availability. True solutions require understanding root causes, building trust and creating systems that address dignity alongside need.
Looking ahead
As we move into 2026, I’m energized by what we’ve accomplished and even more excited about what’s ahead. The Dreams Experience Academy is scaling. Our Say Yes to Dallas campaign is changing perceptions and driving investment. Emerging developers are bringing fresh vision to underserved communities. And our advocacy continues to shape policy that elevates quality of life for everyone.
This work reflects a fundamental truth about regional competitiveness: economic growth and quality of life aren’t competing priorities — they’re inseparable. When we invest in pathways to opportunity, when we champion under-championed communities, when we ensure everyone can contribute their talents, we don’t just improve lives — we strengthen our entire regional economy.
The future of work, as we’ve explored in conversations about human-centered AI, lies in collaboration — between humans and technology, between established institutions and emerging leaders and between investment and community. That’s exactly the approach we’re taking.
Thank you to our Tomorrow Fund Investors, our community partners, our member businesses and everyone who has joined us in this work. Together, we’re not just imagining a more opportunity-rich region. We’re building it.
Here’s to turning more vision into reality in the year ahead.
To stay up to date about the latest news, upcoming events and specific initiatives, subscribe to the Quality of Life newsletter here.