Donna A. Lawrence, President and CEO of the “I Have a Dream” Foundation proudly joined President Obama at a reception at The White House as he announced 150 Commitments to Action with a collective investment of nearly $340 million which will build on, and accelerate federal, state, and local support for high-quality education for the nation’s Latino community.

Last October the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics launched a Year of Action, and with it a national call for Commitments to Action in honor of its 25th anniversary. In the spirit of what President Obama calls a “shared responsibility,” the Initiative challenged the public and private sectors to make meaningful and quantifiable contributions to expand and support the educational outcomes and opportunities for the Latino community. The “I Have a Dream” Foundation answered the call with its “Dream Big” Campaign—with a special focus on expanding educational opportunities and outcomes for the country’s Latino students.” With this campaign, IHDF plans to double its network of IHDF affiliates around the country, enabling the organization to serve more Latino students living in under-resourced communities. IHDF estimates that it will increase the percentage of Latino students it serves from 48 percent to 58 percent over the next five years.

Through IHDF, Dreamers (our IHDF students) have access to long-term programming designed to promote personal empowerment, high school graduation, and postsecondary completion.  IHDF students who graduate from high school will receive guaranteed tuition assistance to pursue postsecondary education. “We are thrilled to partner with the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics to increase the percentage of Latino students we serve by expanding in cities/regions where there is a growing Latino student population” said Ms. Lawrence.  “The White House is to be commended for its leadership in ensuring that all students have the opportunity to reach their fullest potential.”

To learn more about the Initiative and to view the full list of Commitments to Action visit www.ed.gov/HispanicInitiative