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DREAM DARE TO REVITALIZE EDUCATION THRU ARTS & MEDIATION INC
BRONX, NY · EIN 455473512 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE A30 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Small ($100K-$1M) · dreambx.org
revenue
$888K
expenses
$676K
net assets
$256K
employees
15
program ratio
69%
mission · from form 990

TO DISMANTLE THE SCHOOL-TO-PRISON PIPELINE BY HELPING STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS ACQUIRE THE CONFIDENCE AND PRACTICAL SKILLS THEY NEED TO RESOLVE CONFLICTS CREATIVELY AND PRODUCTIVELY, INCREASING STUDENTS' ENGAGEMENT WITH LEARNING AND SUPPORTING ACADEMIC SUCCESS.

profile · synthesized from sources

Dare to Revitalize Education through Arts and Mediation (DREAM!) is a Bronx-based nonprofit dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline by equipping students, educators, and families with restorative practices and conflict resolution skills through arts-integrated programming. The organization delivers direct services in New York City schools, including peer mediation training, student advocacy case management, and professional development for educators. DREAM! emphasizes youth leadership, creative expression, and community engagement to foster positive school cultures and support academic and personal success.

named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

Conflict Resolution Through the Arts
Workshop series training educators to teach conflict resolution skills using visual arts, role-playing, and discussions to create safe and supportive learning environments.
Making Action Plans for Success (MAPS)
Advocacy case management program providing individualized support, goal setting, and consistent advocacy for students at risk of disengagement to promote academic and personal success.
Peer Mediation Program
Arts-integrated training program certifying students and school staff as mediators through 18-20 hours of experiential learning in conflict resolution, followed by ongoing skill development in the "Talk It Out" Campaign Club.
Restorative Practices
Experiential, arts-enriched training in multi-tiered restorative practices including relationship-building circles, problem-solving, and re-entry processes for schools and educators.
Youth Empowerment Board (YEB)
Youth-led initiative bringing together peer mediators and artists to lead workshops, facilitate trainings, and organize community projects such as block parties, clothing drives, and art exhibitions.
activities · 6 groups

What they do

  • Restorative Justice and Peer Mediation Programs 5 activities
    • Arts-integrated peer mediation training for youth and school staff
      Provides an 18–20 hour arts-integrated training program for up to 18 youth and two school staff per cohort, certifying participants as mediators according to national standards set by the Association for Conflict Resolution. This program is implemented in New York City schools to build student-led conflict resolution capacity.
    • Professional development in restorative practices for educators
      Provides professional development and training in restorative practices for educators and school staff across New York City, building institutional capacity to sustain conflict resolution and restorative justice programs within schools.
    • School-based restorative practices implementation
      Implements restorative practices such as Circle Keeping and Peer Mediation in New York City schools through arts-integrated programming, contributing to measurable reductions in school violence, suspensions, arrests, and classroom removals—particularly in high-challenge schools.
    • Weekly Peer Mediation and "Talk It Out" Campaign Clubs
      Operates weekly 2-hour Peer Mediation and "Talk It Out" Campaign Clubs in New York City schools where certified peer mediators continue skill development and lead outreach efforts through public service announcements, music videos, posters, murals, t-shirt designs, and other creative projects to promote peaceful conflict resolution.
    • Youth-led creative projects promoting restorative practices
      Supports youth cohorts in creating original artistic and community engagement projects such as murals, poetry books (e.g., “I Am”), peer mediation demonstration videos, and community park events that raise awareness about peaceful conflict resolution and restorative justice.
  • Holiday and Seasonal Essentials Distribution 1 activity
    • Annual Clothing Drive for individuals in need
      Organizes an Annual Clothing Drive that collects, sorts, and distributes over 100 articles of clothing to individuals and families in need, providing direct material support to underserved communities.
  • School and School-Community Events 1 activity
    • Community events and outreach initiatives
      Hosts community gatherings such as block parties and multi-school peer mediator summits to celebrate achievements, strengthen skills, engage families, and honor founding members—such as the 10th-anniversary event in the Gates Place community in the Bronx that engaged over 100 neighbors and families.
  • Parenting Education and Support Programs 1 activity
    • Parent workshops on restorative practices
      Conducts workshops for parents and families to promote the use of Restorative Practices and mediation skills within家庭 (family) settings, extending conflict resolution strategies beyond schools into home environments.
  • Student Support and Academic Services 1 activity
    • Youth Advocacy Case Management program
      Provides individualized advocacy support to students through weekly one-on-one coaching sessions, life skills group workshops, and the development of individualized Action Plans and progress notes. Staff participate in case conferences to coordinate student support strategies, initially launched at the Evander Child’s Complex in the Bronx.
  • Youth Leadership Development Programs 1 activity
    • Youth Empowerment Board development
      Launched the Youth Empowerment Board in 2024 to bring together peer mediators and youth artists to co-develop organizational systems and a mission statement, fostering youth leadership and participatory governance within the organization.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$888K
Contributions & grants$709K80%
Program service revenue$154K17%
Investment income$250%
Other revenue$25K
expenses
Total expenses$676K
Program expenses69%
Admin / overhead25%
Fundraising5%
Salaries & benefits$352K
Grants paid out$21K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$271K
Cash$116K
Investments$0
Liabilities$15K
Net assets$256K
Liquid reserves2.0 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +47.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
AISHA NORRIS CO-EXEC DIRE 45 $100K
board members · 3
  • LAURA VURAL — CHAIR
  • RAY LASZCZYCH — TREASURER
  • SHERRERD STEWART — SECRETARY
relationships · 17

Who they work with

  • AG Consulting Services Partner — Andrea Gibbs, board member, is CEO of AG Consulting Services, a firm specializing in group work and restorative justice.
  • Association for Conflict Resolution Partner — DREAM! certifies its peer mediators according to nationally recognized standards set by the Association for Conflict Resolution.
  • Broadway Housing Communities Partner — Roman V. Jackson, Treasurer of DREAM's board, serves as Chief Advancement Officer at Broadway Housing Communities.
  • CTM Logo Partner — Partner organization as indicated by logo placement
  • CUSTOM 100 Logo Partner — Partner organization as indicated by logo placement
  • Evander Child’s Complex Partner — Collaborates with the Evander Child’s Complex, a group of 5 high schools in the Bronx, to implement the Advocacy Case Management project.
  • High School of Contemporary Arts Partner — Collaborates with DREAM! to engage peer mediators in the Youth Empowerment Board.
  • Instagram Partner — Platform used for outreach and engagement
  • Linkedin Partner — Platform used for outreach and engagement
  • Listening and Visioning, LLC Partner — Laura N. Vural, Chair of DREAM's board, is Founder and President of Listening and Visioning, LLC, which supports community-based organizations and schools in designing and sustaining high-impact practices.
  • New Settlement Houses Partner — Collaborates with DREAM! on community-based programs for youth.
  • New York City Government — Implements restorative practice programs in schools across New York City.
  • New York City Department of Education Government — Reports data used to evaluate the impact of DREAM!'s programs in NYC schools from 2015 to 2019.
  • New York City Department of Education Government — Source of data reporting on the impact of DREAM!'s programming in NYC schools.
  • Oak Point Capital Partner — Kenneth Thompson, Secretary of DREAM's board, is Managing Director at Oak Point Capital, an affordable housing-focused impact investment platform.
  • Sugar Hill Children’s Museum of Art & Storytelling Partner — Roman V. Jackson, Treasurer of DREAM's board, is Chief Advancement Officer at Sugar Hill Children’s Museum of Art & Storytelling.
  • Youtube Partner — Platform used for outreach and engagement
strategies · 4

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Arts-Integrated Restorative Practices
    methodology: arts_integrated_restorative_practices
    By combining restorative practices with arts-based methods, the organization strengthens youth engagement and school culture because creative expression fosters deeper emotional processing, builds trust, and supports reintegration after conflict. This multi-tiered approach includes relationship-building circles, problem-solving, and re-entry protocols facilitated through experiential, arts-enriched learning.
  • School-to-Prison Pipeline Interruption via Creative Confidence
    methodology: stp_pipeline_interruption
    By teaching conflict resolution through arts-based mediation and building creative confidence in youth, the organization disrupts the school-to-prison pipeline because non-punitive, expressive strategies reduce disciplinary escalation and increase student engagement with learning.
  • Strengths-Based Re-Engagement Model
    methodology: strengths_based_reengagement
    By using individualized planning, goal setting, and advocacy grounded in students’ strengths rather than punitive measures, the organization increases school re-engagement because it fosters agency, self-efficacy, and sustained motivation among at-risk youth.
  • Youth-Led Leadership and Peer Facilitation
    methodology: peer_led_facilitation
    By training youth in peer-led facilitation and leadership roles, the organization empowers them to de-escalate conflicts and shape inclusive environments because peer-to-peer influence enhances psychological safety and ownership of school culture.