From Our Classroom to the Obama Presidential Center Stage

Yes, no need to ask, we are still in awe of what transpired to kick off the Juneteenth holiday weekend. We know you’ve seen the clips flooding your feed from the Grand Opening of the Obama Presidential Center last week, and we still can’t get enough.

Hundreds of people from all over the world came together for this historic event; from star-studded performances that lit up the stage, to presidents, celebrities and political leaders in attendance, to the Chicago community showing up in full force.

As always, our founder delivered a performance that truly hit different this time around. Let’s take a moment for the powerful collaboration between John Legend and Common on the Oscar-winning track Glory. The lyrics, the flow, the soul in the voices of the choir; it was a cultural reset and a wave of empowerment we didn’t even realize we needed. It felt like the deepest breath of fresh air in today’s world.

And we can’t forget the iconic close to the show: the legendary Stevie Wonder, the powerful voice of Jennifer Hudson, and of course, John Legend gracing us once again. Then something unexpected happened - Common grabbed the mic and delivered a freestyle that still has the internet buzzing. Effortless. Intentional. Only Common could ride those iconic Stevie tones and leave us with something that meaningful.

But for us at FREE TO DREAM™, there were other highly anticipated performances we couldn’t wait to witness.

Two of our very own students from Art In Motion performed live on stage during the Grand Opening Ceremony. Naomi and Mason rocked the stage alongside rock legend Eddie Vedder; not only performing, but co-writing the song, Better Believe, with him exclusively for this moment. Read more about the performance here.

And if that wasn’t enough, these two are rising eighth graders on our campus.

Unbelievable, right? Can you imagine being in middle school and being one of the few students selected to perform in front of a president at his center?

Actually…scratch that. These talented artists performed in front of multiple presidents, global leaders, and celebrities.

Mason and Naomi are two students from our creative arts school, Art In Motion; the only tuition-free creative arts charter school in the area.

There isn’t a day you won’t find these two pouring into their craft and their love for music. This past school year, they joined Guitar Over Guns, an exclusive program offered to AIM students that allows them to create, perform, and fully step into their passion.

The program has been a powerful and inspiring outlet, especially for young artists who want to live through the music they create. Read more here.

And for many of our followers, this isn’t your first time seeing Mason and Naomi. These two are always singing, rapping, and sharing their lyrics with their peers across our campus.

We couldn’t be more proud of these two. The courage, confidence, and self-belief to unapologetically follow their dreams and pour everything into their passions. That dedication is what led them to a stage in front of one of the most influential and respected presidents of all time.

It makes you think, what does it really mean to follow your dreams? To believe they could carry you to a moment like this?

How can we continue to create opportunities like this for our young people? To help them believe in their visions, their ideas, their passion; because we never truly know where their dreams can take them.

That’s exactly why we created our Dreamkeeper™ Resource Kit; filled with practices and tools designed to help guide young people on a path toward prosperity. And the best part? It’s a free resource.

Seeing the joy, love, and exhilaration on the faces of these two students in one of the biggest moments of their lives is one of the clearest reminders of why we do what we do.

We celebrate them, and we look forward to seeing and hearing more of their art.

Culture. Power. Legacy. Community.

That’s what comes to mind when we reflect on this moment.