a 501(c)(3) public charity
Today, dream audaciously.
The Todaydream Foundation supports the mission of connecting underserved students with diverse inspiring professionals — trained to share their stories, expand what students believe is possible, and build the social connections that change life trajectories.
Todaydream Foundation
We train accomplished professionals from underrepresented fields and match them with schools where their presence can shift what students imagine is possible.
We call these matched role models DreAmbassadors® — adults who look like, sound like, and have walked paths similar to the students they inspire.
Why Now?
Original research reveals hidden causes of unequal opportunity—and what to do about it
Our founder's published economics research shows that students from underrepresented backgrounds receive fewer economic and social opportunities all else being equal—driven by social network structure. Todaydream is a solution to this social network discrimination: deliberately building connections for students that would not otherwise exist.
Spotlight: Chicago Public Schools · Cross‑class connection
34 of the 47 CPS high schools with published data rank in the bottom quarter of U.S. high schools for cross-class friendship among graduates from about 2008 to 2018.
- 27rank in the bottom 10% nationally
- 36,000+students attend these schools today
The map measures who students know. Todaydream adds people they would not otherwise meet: professionals who have walked the path.
Sponsor a School- West Side7 of 9
- Northwest Side5 of 5
- Southwest Side5 of 5
- Far Southeast Side5 of 6
- South Side4 of 5
- Far North Side4 of 8
- Far Southwest Side3 of 4
- North Side1 of 3
- Central0 of 2
View as a table
| Side | Bottom quarter | With data |
|---|---|---|
| West Side | 7 | 9 |
| Northwest Side | 5 | 5 |
| Southwest Side | 5 | 5 |
| Far Southeast Side | 5 | 6 |
| South Side | 4 | 5 |
| Far North Side | 4 | 8 |
| Far Southwest Side | 3 | 4 |
| North Side | 1 | 3 |
| Central | 0 | 2 |
The role-model gap
84% of young adults from families with more than enough money to live comfortably had someone with a successful career to look up to, versus 28% of those whose families often struggled to pay the bills.
Young adults whose career role model shared their life experiences were far more likely to say that person helped them believe in themselves: 82% versus 56% of those whose role model did not.
Source: Gallup–Amazon, Role Models Matter: How Role Models Influence Career Awareness and Attainment (2023), ages 18–40.
See Us In Action
Watch how we connect students with inspiring professionals.
What we do for students
What we do for professionals
Our Impact
We measure how students see their futures before and after they meet DreAmbassadors.
22%
Increase in Students' Belief in Social Mobility
p = 0.001, measured with Stanford University's Measuring Mobility Toolkit
250+
Students Impacted
Across schools and communities nationwide
40+
DreAmbassadors
Diverse inspiring professionals sharing their stories
Schools We've Served
Competitive Honors & Supporters
Todaydream is honored to have been recognized by and received support from these organizations.
Student Voices
Real stories from students who met our DreAmbassadors
"I feel like this gave me motivation to find my purpose in this world and what I'm meant to do. It made me want to work toward all of my goals, not just my biggest one."
Karma S.
Grade 11
"It was amazing to listen to you."
Autumn S.
Grade 8
"This session impacted me by showing me you can come from anywhere doing anything and still can be the best possible version of yourself. Anything is possible no matter what."
Madyson W.
Grade 8
"It was amazing to listen to you."
Autumn S.
Grade 8
"This session impacted me by showing me you can come from anywhere doing anything and still can be the best possible version of yourself. Anything is possible no matter what."
Madyson W.
Grade 8
"It was a great experience. I would recommend it to a lot of my friends."
Ayden T.
Grade 8
How We Partner With You
We believe real change happens when purpose and partnership come together.
Connect
We collaborate with companies, institutions, schools, and nonprofits committed to investing in the next generation through social impact and CSR initiatives.
Inspire
We bring diverse professionals into classrooms—through keynotes and DreAmbassador sessions—connecting students from under-resourced communities with relatable role models in law, business, STEM, the arts, and more.
Support
Your support fills a critical gap at a time when many schools face funding cuts, high staff turnover, and competing priorities. We manage all logistics, training, and impact reporting.
Impact
Together, we ensure every student has access to the tools, role models, and encouragement they need to dream big and succeed. You're not just writing a check—you're helping students believe in what's possible.
Interested in exploring a partnership?
Dream Alliance
Sponsor a School
A sponsorship funds a partnership with one school: professionals in classrooms every month, sessions prepared with the school's teachers, and a report you can share with your team. Choose a school near your office or community, or we will match you with a school ready to partner.
One Semester
"A strong start"
The school receives:
- A launch event for students.
- Monthly DreAmbassador Session Days, each built around a hands-on challenge
- Teacher preparation before every session
- Student surveys before and after the program
You receive:
- A semester report on your partnership
- Recognition on the Todaydream Foundation website
One School Year
"The full partnership"
The school receives:
- Everything in One Semester, across the full school year
You receive:
- A year-end report on your partnership
- Recognition on the Todaydream Foundation website
- The opportunity for employees to serve as DreAmbassadors, through our standard training and screening
A Cohort of Schools
"Impact across a community"
The schools receive:
- Everything in One School Year, for three to five schools in one neighborhood or network
- A shared launch for the cohort
You receive:
- A combined report across schools
- Recognition on the Todaydream Foundation website
- The opportunity for employees to serve as DreAmbassadors, through our standard training and screening
Join us in the Dream Alliance and empower students to cultivate their passions, unlock their potential, and achieve their dreams.
Some of our DreAmbassadors
Meet some of the inspiring professionals who are making a difference in students' lives.
Tiffany Lemon
HIV Epidemiologist with Mentorship and College Insight
Juan Carlos Intriago Velez
Partner & Managing Director at Consulting Firm | Former Engineer
Elam Jones
JD/PhD Candidate at Harvard University | U.S. Navy Officer
DreAmbassador Affiliations
Our DreAmbassadors come from some of the world's most respected institutions and organizations.
Meet the Founder
Chika Okafor
Founder & CEO, Todaydream
- PhD & MA, Economics — Harvard
- JD — Yale Law School
- BA — Stanford University
- McKinsey & Company
- Northwestern Law Professor
"Too many students still don't see enough examples of people who look like them in professions they want to have."
My name is Chika Okafor, and I'm the Founder and CEO of Todaydream. I'm a proud alum of the Chicago Public Schools for elementary, middle, and high school. After working a stint at McKinsey & Company, I returned to serve that same school system twice—working on violence prevention and college persistence in some of the most underresourced schools in the district. My We Bend It philosophy shapes Todaydream's approach to empowering students through representation and meaningful connection.
Todaydream—an organization that connects students with diverse inspiring professionals who share their stories, lessons, and wisdom—responds not only to the difficulties I encountered through my work with CPS, but also to those I discovered through my research on social network discrimination.
My academic research—published in the Journal of Law & Economics—reveals a hidden driver of inequality: students from underrepresented backgrounds receive fewer opportunities even with an otherwise level playing field—simply because their social and professional networks are smaller.
I hold a PhD and MA in Economics from Harvard, a JD from Yale Law School, and a BA from Stanford. Today I teach at Northwestern University, where I continue researching how law, economics, and public policy can advance true equality of opportunity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Get answers to common questions about our mission, programs, and how to get involved.