Our dreams are emotional experiences. They can come to us in our sleep and represent our hopes and ambitions. They may change over time and with experience, but they remain one of our most genuine expressions. Some of our most notable cultural moments revolve around them. "I have a dream." Words echoed into history with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Artists from Fleetwood Mac to Nelly have penned records around dreams. And every night, parents wish their children the sweetest of them. Just the word itself carries an optimism and lightness. For World Dream Day, we tapped a few inspiring individuals to speak about their dreams, no matter big or small, because every dream is powerful.
Lydia Okello is a Vancouverite and a face I've seen online and on billboards. A model and writer, they have been a digital creator in fashion since 2008, championing personal style, plus-size fashion, and sustainability. I first came across Lydia in an article by Teen Vogue about the state of size-inclusive sustainable fashion and have since followed their work, most recently in Vogue, on finding confidence on the beach. A ray of sunshine on your feed, Lydia's bright outfits and smile are a daily dose of endorphins. On their dreams, Lydia says:
Of late, I'm dreaming of peacefulness, of leisure and love, and being in a place to take things slowly. I want the world to feel held—I think we all need that comfort these days, and it's hard to cultivate and find.
Based in Los Angeles, Red Gaskell operates behind the camera as a film director. With Tribeca X nominations and Webby awards under his belt for his documentary Our Chinatown and Dear Dad for Square, we’re watching his growth as a creative and tracing his burgeoning career. Most admired about Red is his determination and openness about his goals, often sharing them publicly on social media. Red says:
If I think about it, I kinda already am living the dream. I work with my best friends and my brother. I get to spend quality time with the people I love. What more could I really want? I do still have dreams of working on more ambitious projects, but that feels more like a matter of when and not if anymore.
Niran Vinod knows brands. Author of How To Build It, published by Penguin Books, he is a consultant and creative director. An advocate for diversity in tech and creative spaces, he's worked with companies like Instagram and Spotify to support women and minorities for better representation. Together in London with his wife Christine, they have a beautiful family of four. Niran says:
While I have dreams of making sure my life's legacy here leaves the world a better place, I also dream of a future where my family—especially my little girls, continue to know that they're loved as they grow up, go to school and embrace the world out there.
There was something so healing about speaking with Indigo Skye about their dreams. A recent cosmetology graduate at the Paul Mitchell Schools, Indigo is a consumer advocate at Youth To The People. Indigo says:
I always wanted to go and get my cosmetology license as a stepping stone to own and operate my own business. It's taking all my hopes, aspirations, and desires and turning them into something tangible. That's what I think of when I think of dreaming. It's not just a state of rest. It's a state of inner consciousness that allows your truest form to take control and let yourself have creative freedom on whatever your future is.
As for myself, my dream is simply to exist. We operate in a system that constantly grinds us down, where rest is punished, and time is our most valuable asset. My dream is to show up for myself exactly as I am in any and every state of being through rest and expansion. It is my dream for everyone. Funny enough, my dream was perfectly expressed by Indigo in our conversation. They said:
Dreams don't have to be attainable by scaling and going over the moon and the mountain. They can be small little impacts day-to-day.
Written by Sheila Lam for Youth To The People
