DreamLink Foundation Creates
DreamLink TV
By Ozzie James
Monique Smalls’ reward for her
good works in the community has overwhelmed her. Her face
is plastered across two monitors as she wipes a tear away
for what seems like the 1,000th time in an hour. An editor’s
observation of the shot from various vantage points seems
tedious, but capturing a moment takes time when you’re
creating television programming. It would take a few more
edits to get it just right, but in the end the full emotions
comes through.
Although Smalls story could be a part
of a PBS documentary or segment on NBC’s Dateline, it
is part of a documentary/reality series being produced
by a south Florida foundation. It is DreamLink Foundation’s
innovative strategy aimed at expanding the foundation’s outreach and exposure.
“Our goal was to demonstrate our
foundation’s
mission through the telling of stories using the biggest
medium available… television,” DreamLink
founder Lamont Graves said. “We wanted to create
a television program that showed what we do and how we
help people. This is the beginning of a new way for non-profits
to fulfill their missions.”
Every Day Heroes is a
show that tells the story of people doing good things in
their community. Throughout the 30-minute programs, honorees
are given things to help them further their work. In the
end, they are presented with something to enhance their
personal lives, a thank you for their efforts.
It is Graves’ brainchild
developed in conjunction with several others. The series
takes the efforts of the DreamLink Foundation to make dreams
come true and brings them to life for millions of people
to see. It is the first of a number of what DreamLink and
its content developers hope will be programs broadcast
on network and internet television.
“We believe there are many ways
for foundations to fulfill their missions,” Jerome
James Jr., a media consultant and content developer, said. “Instead
of just talking about what DreamLink does, we felt it was
appropriate to show their mission. People use the media
to do so many things. What we see in the way of reality
television gives exposure to humans on a certain level.
Why not use television, whether it’s broadcast or
internet, as a means to show people doing positive things
for their community? This is a good time to showcase the
work Lamont and others like him are doing to make the world
better. We have to use the powerful tools at our disposal
to change the world.”
James said they will be developing
at least three more shows before the end of the year. All
of them, including an awards show for young people, will
turn what we’ve come to see as reality television
on its’ head. If they are not picked up by networks,
they will be seen on the DreamLink TV site that is being
developed.
“I started this foundation to make a difference
in people’s lives,” Graves said. “We know the bigger the audience,
the larger the exposure, the more impact. That’s not to say we can do it
alone. The other reason for getting the exposure is to have others with similar
missions partner with us. We’ve seen the impact of the civil rights movement.
We want to build a movement that can be sustained and grows into a powerful world-wide
entity that changes lives.”
DreamLink has initiated a series of events
to help make people’s dreams come true. In addition to the television series,
they do a yearly Christmas event at various places in the country, including
near its home base of Miami, FL.
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