Dream Out Loud Center, Inc.

09/19/2026

Our Executive Director Tracy Furtado Chagas and Executive Assistant Alyssa Francis had the pleasure of attending the SouthCoast Community Foundation Summer's Last Blast event!

We are so grateful for the wonderful connections and support for our youth each year. What a great time!!

09/18/2026

Congratulations to our digital art student Ke’Juan, age 14, who was recently featured in the Zeiterion Teen Ambassador video!

One of the skills necessary as a Teen Ambassador is public speaking in front of large groups of people, which Ke’Juan has mastered over the years by presenting his artwork at multiple Student Showcase events at Dream Out Loud! Ke’Juan has also been a featured artist in our youth publication “The Link” and our “Teens Against Tobacco” project.

We are so proud of Ke’Juan’s accomplishments in pursuing his creative dreams!

09/14/2026

Congratulations to our graphic design alum and former instructor Jeremiah Morgan, who illustrated the children’s book “Heidi the Hippo” currently listed on Amazon!

While a student at Dream Out Loud, Jeremiah was the Art Director for our teen magazine "The Link" and also performed as a heavy metal singer in our "Searching for a Star" Teen Showcase. As one of the first art students of Dream Out Loud, we are always extremely proud of his amazing work ethic, talent and accomplishments!

You can purchase a copy of "Heidi the Hippo” here:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1962019195

Don’t miss out! We’re sure there will be many more!!

Heidi the Hippo

09/13/2026

Congratulations to our Media Program Coordinator Megan Holden on her most recent professional accomplishment of becoming a real estate agent with Keller Williams Realty, Megan Holden - KW Realtor !

Megan’s ability to connect with people and help them reach meaningful goals, along with her extensive media knowledge will undoubtedly help her thrive in this new venture. We are fortunate to have such a talented professional guiding our youth at Dream Out Loud!

Keller Williams would like to welcome Megan Holden to the KW Family!

A Fall River native, Megan is excited to begin her real estate career with Keller Williams South Watuppa. As a local business owner, Megan and her husband own and operate a painting and carpentry company, giving her a unique appreciation for homes, renovations, and the potential within every property.

Megan also brings a background in nonprofit education, where she worked with children teaching video production. As a mom, business owner, and lifelong member of the community, she understands how important finding the right home can be for a family.

Megan is passionate about helping others and looks forward to guiding her clients through the real estate process as they work toward achieving their dream of homeownership. 🏡❤️

09/09/2026

We are currently recruiting for our FREE Fall Creative Careers Program for middle and high school youth who are interested in songwriting, digital music production, creative writing, digital art and graphic design.

Classes start on October 6, 2026 and will be held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4:00pm - 6:00pm, and 6:00pm - 8:00pm through December 3rd.

The application deadline is Thursday, October 1st by 7pm.
You can mail completed applications to Dream Out Loud, 127 West Rodney French Blvd, New Bedford MA 02744 or email to [email protected] (preferred).

We are also having an open house sign up session on Thursday, October 1st anytime from 3pm - 7pm. Dream Out Loud is located at the Kilburn Mill, 127 West Rodney French Blvd in New Bedford, Suite 2-64.

Please SHARE with any youth who may be interested!

08/26/2026

Check out this wonderful opportunity from Women’s Fund SouthCoast!

Women’s Fund SouthCoast is currently recruiting for the third cohort of their Young Women’s Advisory Council (YWAC)!

YWAC is a leadership program for young women and gender-expansive youth of color ages 14–22 with ties to New Bedford. Through the program, participants build leadership and advocacy skills, connect with community leaders and mentors, explore college and career pathways, and help advise the Women’s Fund SouthCoast on how to invest $20,000 in youth-led community solutions to issues they identify.

Members receive a $50 stipend for every session they attend, and food is provided at all meetings.

YWAC is a great opportunity for youth who are interested in developing their leadership skills, learning more about their community, and connecting with other young people who are passionate about creating change.

The application deadline is September 10, 2026.

Click here to apply!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd1VfKxBdhtfvIBrGhvk0PLsm3RnSTOujgnu4FIg4RikrxPhA/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=118144495243092470447

08/24/2026

Check out our newest video featuring our 2026 Girls Rule Program Student Project: Investigating Women and Clothing!

In this project, participants took a deep dive into the world of fashion and explored how it impacts women and gender-expansive individuals. Through engaging discussions and creative activities, they examined how the fashion industry markets to women, how societal expectations shape personal style, and the role fashion plays in everyday life.

By encouraging critical thinking and self-expression, Girls Rule empowers youth to challenge stereotypes, celebrate individuality, and better understand the connection between fashion, identity, and culture. Watch as our participants explore these important topics and share their unique perspectives!

Please enjoy and SHARE!!

In this 2026 Girls Rule Project, participants took a deep dive into...

08/23/2026

Check out this amazing performance from our Girls Rule Creative Careers Program music student Leeyah, age 14, featuring her first original song “Don’t Look My Way!”

Leeyah joined our program this summer with remarkable talent and enthusiasm to work with our music instructors in the recording studio, learning new tools and techniques to successfully record her song.

Stay tuned for the release on our upcoming album!

08/22/2026

Our Student Showcase was an amazing evening to celebrate our students' hard work this summer, filled with live performances, art portfolio presentations, and a special premier showing of Dream Out Loud's 25th Anniversary Video!

Thank you again to our major funders, The After School and Out-of-School time (ASOST) grant in partnership with the Massachusetts Afterschool Partnership (MAP), the US Dept of Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) from the City of New Bedford, SouthCoast Community Foundation and Women's Fund SouthCoast for supporting our youth!

08/21/2026

Meet our Creative Careers Program music student Spencer, age 15!

Spencer is a new student this summer who has been drumming since the age of 8 and truly loves to create music. Since joining the program, he has enjoyed the opportunity to learn technical skills in music production, including making beats using FL Studio. He created a multi-instrumental song using online looping audio that will be used for our upcoming album interlude and has assisted other students with their instrumentals. Spencer’s parents expressed that they were thrilled to find a local program for him to explore music production and that Dream Out Loud has been a wonderful outlet for him.

We are so proud of all of his hard work this summer!