U.S. Dream Academy Raises Over $1.6 Million

Trice Edney Wire – Across the U. S., approximately “2.7 million children have a parent serving time in prison or jail on any given day, and over 5.2 million have had an incarcerated parent at some point during their lives,” according to the Sentencing Project.

Statistics on children of incarcerated parents also reveal deep racial disparities. Thirteen percent of Black children have experienced parental incarceration while nearly half of that – 6 percent of white children – have experienced parental incarceration at some point in their lives, the Sentencing Project also reports.

The growing number of children of incarcerated parents across the U. S. is the reason that a recent announcement by the U. S. Dream Academy, which invests in the lives of children of incarcerated parents, has so impacted the prospects for Giving Tuesday, Dec. 3. The organization has announced that billionaire media mogul and philanthropist Oprah Winfrey has made a major donation to the organization.

“Maya Angelou once told me that your legacy is not one thing, your legacy resides in every life you touch,” said Oprah during remarks at the U.S. Dream Academy’s Power of a Dream Celebration. “Together, we have the opportunity to support an organization that is making positive changes in the community and lives of each of the young people they serve.”
The Academy announced that during the 23rd annual celebration, it raised over $1.67 million dollars for its youth development programs, due in large part to a surprise matching donation from Oprah.

The event, hosted by NBC4 News anchor Shawn Yancy, was held at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, and the evening’s message focused on the importance of investing in America’s children as the most powerful way to build stronger communities and foster the next generation of values-driven leaders.

Oprah Winfrey announced her matching donation in her remarks as one of the honorees. She accepted the Legacy Award for her lifelong commitment to protecting and nurturing children, and her decades-long support of the U.S. Dream Academy. The Academy also honored Demond Martin, CEO & Co-Founder of WellWithAll, with the Martin Luther King, Jr. Service Award for his groundbreaking work in advancing health equity. An investor and philanthropist, Demond Martin is the co-founder and CEO of Wellwithall, an innovative health and wellness company that pours a significant portion of its profits into health equity for Black, Brown and underserved communities.

The announcement of the major gift from Oprah comes just in time for Giving Tuesday, Dec. 3rd. That is a day on which thousands of public service organizations such as the Dream Academy and others depend for a large portion of their annual budgets.

“The U.S. Dream Academy, founded in 1998 by GRAMMY nominated gospel artist Wintley Phipps, is a national after-school program that aims to break the cycle of intergenerational incarceration and help our nation’s children reach for their dreams,” states its website.
According to the National Institute of Justice, “the impacts of parental incarceration on children include psychological stress, antisocial behavior, academic suspension or expulsion, economic hardship, and criminal activity. The growth and decline of the number of children with imprisoned parents mirrors the changing incarceration rates of the past few decades. Between 1972 and 2009, the U.S. prison population increased nearly” 700 percent due to policy changes, including long mandatory sentences, the declining use of parole, and more punitive responses to substance use disorders.

Phipps, president of the Academy, responded in a release, “We are deeply grateful to Oprah for her incredible generosity and support. Her commitment to matching this donation will not only provide critical resources to our mentoring and dream-building programs but also inspire hope in the lives of children with incarcerated parents. This contribution ensures that these young people have the opportunity to pursue their dreams, break the cycle of incarceration, and build brighter futures. Oprah’s belief in our mission is a powerful reminder of the impact we can make when we come together to invest in the potential of every child”.