“We all serve a purpose. I am very spiritual and I believe God gave me these gifts not just for myself but to share.”
Drew Sidora
Photo Credit: Bravo
Drew Sidora is currently on one of Bravo’s most popular reality t.v. franchises-The Real Housewives of Atlanta. But long before she graced us with her presence on reality television, Sidora has always been a star and inspiration to others. As early as three years old she began playing the piano, and by 1995 she landed her first acting role. Since then, she’s appeared in That’s So Raven, Step Up, The Game, Crazy, Sexy, Cool:The TLC Story and the list continues. However, behind the camera her inner light shines through her desire and drive to help others in disenfranchised communities. Sidora, a wife and mother, still finds time to pay it forward through her charity organization DREAMAKERS. To her, it’s not about having the time, but having the heart to mold the next generation of leaders, entertainers and trailblazers.
“We all serve a purpose. I am very spiritual and I believe God gave me these gifts not just for myself but to share. I love to entertain, and I love to inspire,” expressed Sidora, adding that she wanted to first mentor young people in Chicago, giving them a sense of hope as they deal with gun violence.
Sidora even worked with Illinois Congresswoman Robin Kelly, an advocate for community wellness, public safety and initiatives to end gun violence. It was that connection that motivated Sidora to launch DREAMAKERS in 2013. She also partnered with Epic Arts and Entertainment, a premier dance and acting studio in Chicago.
“When you think about the Harlem Renaissance and the Civil Rights Movement, that was the beginning of us learning the power of our voices, the power of our creativity and being able to move our culture forward by using spoken word, music and more,” said Drew who quickly discovered she could combine her philanthropy work with the arts, addressing community needs.
So she created DREAMAKERS to encourage girls to express themselves creatively. She started in Roseland, a community hit hard with gun violence. The program included workshops such as acting, dancing, healthy eating, hygiene, and on-site counseling. It became a family affair with people close to Drew getting involved, including her mother.
Although Sidora is in Atlanta now- her community outreach will continue. The pandemic has posed some challenges, but the goal is to at least work on hosting something virtually.
“I am building a solid foundation of people who are going to help me push it forward and make sure we meet the needs of the people in Atlanta,” Sidora said. “I am definitely going back home when it is safe to continue the work in Chicago, because I have a great team there, already.”
In the meantime, while Sidora works on expanding DREAMAKERS, she has been committed to her children, making dreams come true from inside of the home.
“During the pandemic when my children weren’t in school, I was able to teach them life skills they wouldn’t get in a traditional school setting. So my kids have learned how to cook, clean, do laundry, and put things together. My husband and I are also teaching them how to go after their dreams,” said Drew, who added that her five year old is writing a book and her 9 year old, a big fan of Roblox, is researching how to create a game.
In the video below, Sidora delivers sound advice for young people who are looking to turn their dreams into a reality. Hear what she has to say and find out what you can do to help and support DREAMAKERS.