I Have A Dream Foundation LA’s 3rd Annual Dreamer Dinner

Dreamers and disruptors were honored over the weekend at the “I Have a Dream” Foundation‘s third annual “Dreamer Dinner.” 

This year’s honoree’s included Terence Carter (Executive Vice President Development & Programming at Fox), Wilmer Valderrama, and SHARE Inc.

Photo Credit: Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic

The event, which took place at the Skirball Center, raised more than $350,000 to benefit ongoing educational support for local at-risk youth.

Melissa Peterman emceed the event, which was attended by Jussie Smollett, LL Cool J, Effie Brown, Morris Chestnut, Jason Collins, Lee Daniels,  Rosario Dawson, Barrett Foa, Rick Fox, Aimee Garcia, Demi Lovato and John Salley.  

Some of the highlights from the evening included remarks from Valderrama on the importance of investing in Latino youths; Dawson offering to become a mentor with IHADLA; Chestnut stood up during the silent auction to offer up a lunch with his companionship that raised $5,000; and the NBA offered up a package to meet Kobe Bryant. 

Photo Credit: Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic

This year’s dinner benefitted the organization’s program in Watts, Boyle Heights and Inglewood: IHADLA chooses entire classes of students (known as “dreamers”) and helps them from early elementary school all the way through college – with financial support, after school tutoring, college preparation, field trips, and mental and social encouragement. Since 1987, IHADLA has worked directly with more than 1,000 students through 19 class sponsorships benefitting over 7,000 others including families, communities, and schools.

IHADLA was established in 1987 by Whittier Family Foundations—year years after the organization was first founded by Eugene Lang—to break the cycle of poverty, illiteracy and unemployment by producing high school graduates who are poised for secondary education, employment and life success as independent community minded leaders. IHDF operates in 16 cities and has nearly 17,000 alumni.

Photo Credit: Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic