DREAM is a national online organization that connects and supports students to become leaders and agents of change on their campuses through programs such as DREAM Chapters and Affiliates, Mentor Monday webinars, and Disabled & Proud student conferences. DREAM members strongly advocate for disability culture, community, and pride as well as the interests of college students with disabilities and strive to develop into an online disability cultural center for students who want to connect with other students and the disability community.

DREAM is led by an advisory board of outstanding college students from across the U.S. and a part-time coordinator and has over 40 chapters and affiliates. Our sponsoring organization--the National Center for College Students with Disabilities (NCCSD)—is stretching a 3-year U.S. Department of Education grant to cover 5 years and has no funds to develop new DREAM programs. Except for the conference, which is offered at low or no cost, all our programs are open to students for free.

Our last Disabled & Proud conference was held online in October 2018 for nearly 500 students and featured over 50 presenters, mentors, exhibitors, and sponsors (https://www.disabledandproud.org). Based on feedback emerging from conference activities, the DREAM Board would like to provide students with more support to build and sustain their organizations as well as more events promoting disability culture and pride.

Keri Gray with the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) has proposed a fantastic pair of workshops on how to sustain student organizations and their leaders over time. In addition, we’d like to have a disability film screening and student-led Twitter chat as an online social activity. Finally, we'd like to further support our 2019 Mentor Monday guest mentors who are authors, like Naomi Ortiz and Keah Brown, by buying copies of their work for promotional giveaways to students (guest mentors receive a small honorarium from NCCSD).

What our grantee is saying: "We at DREAM are so grateful to receive this grant from Awesome Disability! The grant will kickstart new programs to develop college student leadership and disability pride, bringing together Deaf and disabled students from across the U.S. to network and support each other."