Dreaming takes courage.

It takes courage because dreams don’t always feel tangible, and when our environment and those around us tell us our dreams are impossible, it’s easy to believe them. Sometimes all we need is someone to give life to our dreams — for someone to decide we’re worth it.

We want to know we’re worth their time, their support, and their words that speak truth into our lives. This truth is strength — strength to run after what we know we were created to do.

At IHADLA, we have these truth-tellers. We call them mentors. A mentor is someone who will catch and cultivate the vision of just one Dreamer and support them as they work to make their dream come true. This looks different every time.

For Kacen, it means golfing every other Saturday. Kacen, a 7th grade Dreamer in Inglewood, wants to be a professional golfer when he grows up, so he and his mentor, Dan, go golfing every other Saturday. And with every trip, his dream becomes just a little bit more tangible.

Jazmyn’s mentor, Aminat, impacted her in a different way. When Jazmyn’s grandmother passed away, it was hard on her. However, she knew that Aminat was always there for her.

“I used to like cry a lot, and then I used to just call her on the phone and she’d just talk to me,” says Jazmyn.

There’s no one way to be a mentor. Being a mentor can mean talking sports, going to the theater, or just hanging out over dinner. The main thing is that you are there – present, believing in, and giving life to the dreams of our amazing Dreamers, because we want them to know… they are worth it.

Watch the video below to hear from two of our Dreamers about their mentors. Jazmyn and Dy’Mond talk about what they do with their mentors – from going go-karting, to hanging out at dinners, to just chilling at home.