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
Our mission is to empower the next generation by providing the largest community of diverse inspiring professionals ever assembled who we train to share their stories and lessons with youth.
We call these professionals DreAmbassadors®—and they share backgrounds with the students they reach.
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.
Independent Research Confirms It
A Gallup study of nearly 3,800 working Americans shows how deeply career role models shape opportunity—and who goes without them.
Of young adults from financially comfortable households, 84% had a career role model growing up — versus just 28% of those whose families struggled to pay the bills
Of adults raised in families that often struggled financially received little or no career education in middle and high school
Those who had a successful career role model say their current career is fulfilling—compared with barely half of those who had none
When a role model shared similar life experiences, young adults say that person helped them believe in themselves—shared background matters
Source: Gallup–Amazon, Role Models Matter: How Role Models Influence Career Awareness and Attainment (2023)
See Us In Action
Watch how we connect students with inspiring professionals.
What we do for students
What we do for professionals
Proven Impact
Our results speak for themselves — measurable change in how students see their futures.
22%
Increase in Students' Belief in Social Mobility
p = 0.001, validated by 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 Programs
Whether you're just getting started or ready to go all in, we have a program that fits.
Explorer
"The Introduction"
Sponsored school(s) to receive:
- Compelling keynote presentation (in-person or virtual) that empowers students to dream audaciously and learn pathways to get there—reaching a whole school or an entire grade level at once
Sponsoring institution to receive:
- Recognition on Todaydream Foundation website
Believer
"The Experience"
Sponsored school(s) to receive:
- Everything in Explorer, plus:
- 2 DreAmbassador Sessions (virtual or in-person) — diverse professionals share their stories with your students from across the country
- 2 student coaching sessions — small-group sessions where students work through their own goals and next steps with a trained facilitator
Sponsoring institution to receive:
- Recognition on Todaydream Foundation website
Visionary
"The Transformation"
Sponsored school(s) to receive:
- Everything in Believer, plus:
- 4 additional DreAmbassador Sessions (6 total)
- 4 additional coaching sessions (6 total)
- Dream Stories Portal — year-round access for teachers, so any educator can bring a DreAmbassador story into a class period
Sponsoring institution to receive:
- Recognition on Todaydream Foundation website
- Opportunity for select employees to contribute as DreAmbassadors
Build Your Own
"Tailored to your needs"
- Every school is different
- We'll design a program that fits your students, your schedule, and your goals
- Contact us to design your custom program
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.