Atlanta’s business, arts, nonprofit and civic communities came together Saturday for The Dream 2026, an annual celebration with a bigger purpose: helping Atlanta young people pursue their education and their futures.
Held Aug. 8 at the Woodruff Arts Center, the third annual event benefited the Mayor’s Youth Scholarship Program, bringing together more than 700 attendees for an afternoon centered on culture, connection and investing in Atlanta’s next generation.
And that investment is already reaching students.
Over the past year, the Mayor’s Youth Scholarship Program awarded 138 scholarships representing more than $520,000, including 25 scholarships through the Atlanta Technical College Grant.
Scholarship recipients are attending 50 colleges and universities, including 20 Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Atlanta Technical College and Georgia State University have the largest enrollment among participating Georgia institutions, while Spelman College has more program scholars than any other HBCU.
Investing in Atlanta’s Young People
During Saturday’s celebration, Mayor Andre Dickens challenged attendees to think about the people who helped open doors for them — whether a parent, teacher, coach, mentor, pastor or employer — and to do the same for another generation.
“You see…none of us got here on our own,” Dickens said. “Now it’s our turn to invest in somebody else. That’s what the Mayor’s Youth Scholarship Program is all about.”
The scholarship program is part of the City’s broader focus on creating opportunities for young Atlantans. Last year, nearly 6,000 young people were connected with paid jobs and internships citywide, giving participants opportunities to earn money, gain professional experience and build relationships that can help shape their careers.
For Dickens, those investments are connected to a much larger goal for Atlanta.
“Dreams become careers. Careers become businesses. Businesses create jobs. Jobs create homeowners. Homeowners build stronger neighborhoods,” he said. “And stronger neighborhoods build a stronger Atlanta.”
A Citywide Group Project
The Dream also reflects the partnerships behind Atlanta’s youth initiatives. Saturday’s gathering included professionals, business leaders, nonprofits, elected officials, artists and community partners.
Dickens thanked event co-hosts Sara Redd and Demetrius McCray, Mayor’s Youth Scholarship Program Director Kelli Ross, committee chair Danny Farr of the Emerging 100 of Atlanta, City employees, volunteers, vendors and partners who helped make the event possible.
The mayor also connected investment in young people with the City’s Neighborhood Reinvestment Initiative, which is focused on bringing housing, infrastructure, workforce development, safer streets and economic opportunity together in Atlanta neighborhoods that have experienced decades of disinvestment.
“A child’s future should never be determined by their ZIP Code,” Dickens said.
The message behind The Dream was simple: Atlanta’s future depends on what the city is willing to invest in its young people today.
“Atlanta is a group project, and it’s a successful one,” Dickens said.
For the students receiving scholarships, that group project can mean help paying for college. For Atlanta, it means preparing another generation to create, lead, build businesses, own homes and eventually open doors for those who come next.
