Thank you for your interest in doing a press piece related to the “I Have a Dream” Foundation – Los Angeles (IHADLA).

We hope that the following images and links from our media kit will be of assistance. You can click on any image on this page to access a high-resolution version that you can download. If you need anything further, please contact us at (213) 572-0175.

Our spokesperson for interviews is Pamela Miller, our CEO and Executive Director. She can be reached at pamela@ihadla.org.

Donations to “I Have a Dream” Foundation – Los Angeles have a two to three times return on investment. Learn more

“I Have A Dream” Foundation – Los Angeles Overview

The “I Have A Dream” Foundation – Los Angeles is the only educational organization that works with elementary school children through high school graduation and to college enrollment and guarantees them tuition and support through their post-secondary education. We have recently launched a college and career program that helps college students stay in and finish college and find work.

IHADLA has supported over 7,200 community individuals – our students, their parents and siblings – since 1987.

IHADLA does not “cherry pick” its students: every student (“Dreamer”) in a grade/class that we sponsor, receives our full services of in-school, after-school, and year-round academic, social, and emotional support.

IHADLA strives to support the “whole child” and their families to ensure that students graduate from high school.

IHADLA is effectively breaking the cycle of inter-generational poverty, as many of our Dreamers are the first in their family to graduate from college and many come back as alumni to coordinate programs or mentor.

“I Have a Dream” Foundation Los Angeles Mission:
The I Have a Dream Foundation- Los Angeles (IHADLA) mission is to help at-risk youth and their families become empowered members of society by providing a long-term program that includes: academic support, college and career readiness, life skill development, parent engagement, and social-emotional support, plus the offer of an $8,000 scholarship for higher education to assure the best outcomes for employment and life success.

“I Have a Dream” Foundation – Los Angeles Current Programs in Watts, Boyle Heights, and Inglewood

Program 19, Boyle Heights:
We launched our newest program in Boyle Heights at Sunrise Elementary in 2015 with 65 third-grade students.

Wilmer Valderrama with Principal April Ramos of Sunrise Elementary, third grade Dreamers from Boyle Heights Program 19 and IHADLA CEO Debra Fine
Wilmer Valderrama with Principal April Ramos of Sunrise Elementary, Dreamers from Boyle Heights Program 19, and former IHADLA CEO Debra Fine at our annual Dreamer Dinner – March 2016

IHADLA Program 18, Watts:
We sponsored 70 students in 2012 at 99th Street elementary; these Dreamers are currently in 7th grade. The majority of these Dreamers are attending Green Dot Animo James B. Taylor School.
Our Watts student Dreamers enjoyed a great summer program in 2015 that included STEM, team building, career development, and fun.

Team Building exercise during the 2015 IHADLA Watts summer program
Team-building exercise during the 2015 Watts summer program

IHADLA Program 16 and Program 17, Inglewood:
120 students currently in 10th and 11th grade are in these two programs; they were originally sponsored in 2006/2007 when they were in first grade at Daniel Freeman Elementary School. We support the Inglewood Dreamers through our Saturday Academy and case management, as well as our meetings with school representatives, counselors, teachers, and Dreamers across 45 different high schools.

IHADLA Inglewood Program 16 and Program 17 student Dreamers with their "Got College" T Shirts.
Inglewood Program 16 and Program 17 Dreamers with their “Got College” t-shirts – 2013

IHADLA Program 14, Boyle Heights:
100 college Dreamers were originally sponsored in 2001 when they were in first grade at Murchison Elementary School. These Dreamers graduated high school in 2012; we now support these alumni Dreamers with scholarships, career guidance, and college support.

I Have a Dream Foundation - Los Angeles Boyle Heights Program 14 graduates with their diplomas.
IHADLA Boyle Heights Program 14 graduates with their diplomas

STEM and STEAM are Important Parts of the IHADLA After-School Programs and Enrichment

Summer STEAM program

Watts 2015 Summer Program had healthy servings of STEM.

IHADLA Watts Summer STEM Field Trip Students experimenting with different types of sand
Students experimenting with different types of sand during the Watts STEM summer field trip

Annual Dream Big Event with STEM and STEAM workshops November 2015

IHADLA Dreamers from Program 18 Watts Dream Big 2015 STEAM / STEM activities
Dreamers from Program 18 in Watts learning about virtual reality programming during our Dream Big event – November 21, 2015
Watts IHADLA student STEAM 3D Modeling workshop
Third-grade Dreamer from Watts program with volunteer at annual IHADLA Dream Big STEAM 3D modeling workshop – November 21, 2015

IHADLA Dream Big 2013 STEM event

IHADLA Dream BIg STEM workshop at Cal State Long Beach with electronics
Dreamers examining electronics at IHADLA Dream Big STEM workshop at Cal State Long Beach

“I Have a Dream” Foundation – Los Angeles Logo in High Resolution

The following image is a link to the high-resolution version of our logo. Click on the image, a larger image will appear. Right click and choose “save image as” to download.

IHADLA logo 700 wide

High School Graduation Rate Effectiveness of the “I Have a Dream” Foundation – Los Angeles Program

Click on the image for a 1200 pixel wide jpg, or click on the following for a high resolution PDF version of LAUSD vs IHADLA Graduation Rates.

Graph LAUSD Graduation Rates Compared to IHADLA Graduation Rates
Only 66% of children in Los Angeles graduate from high school, with rates even lower for ethnic minority students, those economically disadvantaged, and English language learners (65% of Latino students and 64% of African-American students graduate from high school)
High School Graduation photo for IHADLA Boyle Heights High School graduates program 14, graduating in 2013
2013 high school graduation photo for Boyle Heights Dreamers from Program 14

IHADLA After-School, Saturday and Summer Programs Help Keep Dreamer Students Out of Gangs and Other Dangers of Their Communities

How IHADLA Reduces Los Angeles Gang Participation.

Lupe Camberos IHADLA Watts Program 18 Program Coordinator helping student Dreamer with homework after school
Lupe Camberos, program coordinator for Program 18 in Watts, helping Dreamer with homework after school

“I Have a Dream” Foundation – Los Angeles Videos

IHADLA Quick Statement Videos

Other Key Links for “I Have a Dream” Foundation – Los Angeles

IHADLA Mission Statement
IHADLA Executive Office Staff
Our 2015 Year in Review

“I Have a Dream” Foundation – Los Angeles Brief Statement

“I Have a Dream” Foundation – Los Angeles (IHADLA) works to break the cycle of poverty by sponsoring entire classes of 3rd graders in low-income academically at risk schools, working with students for 10 consecutive years through high school graduation and into college. Upon the completion of high school, each student is guaranteed an $8,000 scholarship to be used for college or career training. IHADLA helps inner-city youth who are at risk for school failure to reach their full potential. The sponsored students, who we call “Dreamers”, are not the only ones who benefit from the program; siblings, parents, other students in the school, and local community members also feel the positive impact of IHADLA’s educational and enrichment offerings.

Los Angeles Education Nonprofit IHADLA Overview Snapshots in November 2014

Please note these are for November 2014. Our Boyle Heights Program 14 has graduated and Boyle Heights Program 19 launched in 2015 with a third grade class.

You can download the PDFs here:
IHADLA Dreamer Snapshot
IHADLA Second Dreamer Snapshot

IHADLA Dreamer Snapshot page 1

IHADLA Dreamer Snapshot page 2 700

IHADLA Second Dreamer Snapshot page 1 700

IHADLA Second Dreamer Snapshot page 2 700

The WISIP Program – Summer Internships for our High School Dreamers

The Work Is Success Internship Program (WISIP) mission is to prepare gifted and talented Dreamers and place them in a 6-10 week summer internship.

The main goals of this internships for high school students program are to provide students with an opportunity to:

    • gain firsthand experience in the workplace
    • create and expand professional and social networks
    • expand their industry knowledge

Photography by Kevin Tidmore Los Angeles IHADLA WISIP Interns