Rising Stars: Meet Brandi Day

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandi Day.

Hi Brandi, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I am the Executive Director and Founder of iD.A.Y.dream, 501c3 nonprofit organization. An entrepreneur, aspiring author, speaker and most importantly, a wife and mother of three. I am very passionate about making a positive impact in the community. As a teen growing up in the inner-city, I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life due to a lack of positive influences, mentors and resources. Fortunately, I overcame my struggles and became a First Generation College Graduate, graduating from Washington State University with a degree in Business Management and City University of Seattle with a Master’s degree in Business Administration. My three children are my inspiration and having a strong passion for kids, being a mother has opened my eyes to provide them with more than what I had as a child growing up and encouraging them to chase all of their dreams. Starting a nonprofit working with youth wasn’t a dream I would’ve ever seen in my line of sight but when your gift is upon you, there are no limits to what you can do.

I started iD.A.Ydream in July 2016 shortly after returning from maternity leave. I realized that I wasn’t operating in my passion and purpose. I worked in a corporate environment in a highly faced paced position with no work-life balance and I felt like I couldn’t turn work “off”. The brain juices began to flow and my husband has always spoken highly of my gift in working with children and often telling me that I should become a teacher. He encouraged me to write down what brought me joy, what makes me happy and what makes me smile. My eldest son and I were having many conversations about going to college and what he wanted to be when he grew up and after many sheets of paper and more signs of confirmations – iD.A.Y.dream was birthed. I recognized the strong need in my community to be more involved in the lives of youth, mainly in schools. Providing youth with resources and a community of support is what truly holds a special place in my heart. Living out this dream to inspire youth to pursue excellence is THE most rewarding.

When I launched iD.A.Y.dream back in 2016, my hope was to provide both pre-teen/teenage boys and girls of color opportunities to dream out loud, which will help to vocalize their vision and plan what actions they want to take, to achieve their goals and naturally think about what they want to be when they grow up. I’ve has worked with hundreds of students to reach their educational goals. She’s always ready to create greatness and expand the horizons of the next generation. Brandi’s passion for serving others is filtered through a community lens with an aim of leading and building programs that empower youth to lead better lives and secure sustainable futures.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Not at all. I took a leap of faith for real for real and left a great paying job to pursue my purpose. Entrepreneurship takes a lot of guts, smiles, tears and consistency. I’ve been able to overcome the challenges by remaining faithful, relying on my strong support system and cheer squad, consistently pushing forward because I know youth are counting on me. As hard as it may get, I have to often have self-talk moments that fuel me to elevate and aspire me to do more and strive for excellence. I must walk the walk and talk the talk. People are always watching. Some of my major challenges have been: 1. Funding (Sponsorships, Grants, Donations) 2. Learning and navigating the field of running a non-profit 3. Partnerships (the good, the bad and the ugly) 4. Staying on top of being an effective leader and mentor

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
The mission of iD.A.Y.dream is to help the next generation realize their dreams by providing inspiration through building character, exploration and intervention. iD.A.Y.dream provides youth outreach services that inspire youth to dream out loud by providing community service, leadership enrichment, life skills and college readiness. We strive to be the direct positive pathway to success and offer up opportunities for youth to acquire the skills and resilience they need to survive and feel empowered. iD.A.Y.dream is one of my best accomplishments aside from my children. I am grateful to have accepted this challenge and remaining consistent in serving the lives of youth and their families. I inspire youth and organizations to think big, manage change, adapt to new realities, and develop the plans needed to accomplish breakthrough performance goals.

Specifically, I am passionate about the betterment of children and teens. I want to bridge the gap between younger and older generations by pulling together leaders from both sides to create opportunities for future leaders of Los Angeles. I am committed to lead youth to turn their dreams into realities by providing them with community service opportunities, leadership development, and tools to help them achieve success in college. My vision is about empowerment through programs that benefit youth and their families. My passion for serving others is filtered through a community lens with an aim of leading and building programs that empower youth to lead better lives and secure sustainable futures. I’m most proud of being able to operate in my gift by using my past as a platform to inspire.

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
DON’T GIVE UP! When business gets slow…keep going! When you’re back is against the wall…keep going! Create your starting lineup of your team of support! Trust the process! Know your value! You’re not alone! If your failing then you’re on the right track! IT’LL ALL BE WORTH IT!

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.idaydream.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/id.a.y.dream/?igshid=h3qvvu7aohtj
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/idaydream2/?eid=ARBcca5I09Ygk7FJPJQkjAJX612Zh0Xiy_WYyod33q0uYXtXEggceqk7qo-C0lxNxm_hQrURJZY9SoP7&timeline_context_item_type=intro_card_work&timeline_context_item_source=100013052768909&fref=tag
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOgBrbtwreI3dQX09_omutQ/featured?view_as=subscriber