We Have a Dream

It was August 28, 1963, when Martin Luther King Jr. painted the picture of a future where discrimination, segregation, and exclusivity were no more. This past year has painted the picture of a present where there is a need for more kindness, community, and inclusivity. In anticipation of Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 11, as well as Random Acts of Kindness Day on February 17, we want to make sure this need is met. That’s where you come in.

Join the We Have a Dream Challenge by telling us the steps you’re going to take to foster kindness and inclusivity in 2022. Whether it’s walking your neighbor's dog, volunteering at your local community center, or donating to a worthy organization, we want to hear how you plan to shine a light in your school, workplace, community, and home. Don’t be afraid to share some photos alongside your dream to make this year a little brighter for everyone.

In addition to the $5,000 grand prize, Vocal will make a matching $5,000 donation to the I Have a Dream Foundation, a national movement to empower young people to achieve their dreams through mentoring and education. I Have a Dream empowers children (“Dreamers”) in under-resourced communities to thrive by equipping them with the skills and knowledge to succeed in postsecondary school, along with tuition support to remove financial barriers. Founded in 1981 by visionary philanthropist Eugene M. Lang, I Have a Dream has served over 20,000 young people around the country and in New Zealand, to date.

Judge

Eugena Oh is the CEO of the I Have a Dream Foundation. Prior to stepping into the CEO seat, Eugena served as the organization’s Chief Operating Officer and Chief Governance Officer. Eugena is passionate about civil rights and bringing opportunities, resources, and justice to historically marginalized communities. Prior to joining I Have a Dream, Eugena practiced commercial and products liability law, and served in development, strategy, and operations roles within several non-profit organizations, including Teach For America and Rock The Vote.

For your story to be eligible, it should be between 600 and 5,000 words and adhere to our Community Guidelines. Stories published on Vocal and entered into the contest up until February 15, 2022, at 11:59 PM EST will be entered for consideration. Official Rules for the Challenge can be found here.

The We Have a Dream Challenge is exclusive to Vocal+ members. To learn more and upgrade to Vocal+ visit https://vocal.media/vocal-plus.

To be eligible to win the grand prize, second place, or third place prizes, you must be over the age of 13 and residing in a country where Stripe is available at the time of entry. A complete list of countries where Stripe is available can be found here—winners will need to have a Stripe account created and connected in order to receive the prizes. For this reason, entrants located outside of any of these countries will not be eligible to win.