A new student organization originating at the Schar School aims to enable—or at least give a platform to—individuals’ passions and ideas. D.R.E.A.M. is Defending, Restoring, Educating, and Advocating Movement in the community.
The fledgling organization is hosting two events in March, starting with a happy hour meeting on Friday, March 6 at Clarendon’s Bar Bao, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. On Wednesday, March 25, at 5:30 p.m., the group will mark Women’s History Month with documentary screenings in the multipurpose room of Arlington’s Van Metre Hall. The discussion will touch on how women are impacted by mass incarceration and the violence faced by First Nations women in British Columbia.
Brady Maiden, Master’s in Public Policy student and co-founder of D.R.E.A.M., is an analyst for the Research and Development Departments at SourceAmerica, a nonprofit creating employment opportunities for people with disabilities. The attributes of that role carry over to her volunteer one with D.R.E.A.M.
“I want to create an opportunity for different groups to be heard,” she said. “I want us to work together as one.”
Maiden, along with co-founder Najma Mohamud, another Master’s in Public Policy student at the Schar School, saw a need for an organization on Mason’s Arlington Campus to bring together the ideas and interests of students wanting to create change.
“We saw that there was a lack of social justice events happening on campus,” said Maiden. “We have all of these students with passions and ideas—I want to see a safe space where people are able to discuss issues that matter to them and have a group of people united with them to act upon it.”
Many students are looking for opportunities to donate or volunteer more. D.R.E.A.M. is the place where students can create their own opportunities to make a difference.
The organization is open to undergraduate and graduate students, staff, and faculty.
“We all have different areas we are passionate about,” said Maiden. “We want to make an impact as a unit and a community. Everyone can come together and learn about one another.”
Maiden and Mohamud hope to see D.R.E.A.M. grow and create opportunities for students, staff, and faculty to make meaningful results.