Dear Dreamer,

My name is Tanisha Salmon.  I am the proud Founder and President of Begin To Dream Again, a 501c3 nonprofit in Boston.  Getting to this dream was far from a Disney fairytale. I grew up poor on the Island of Jamaica and have more memories of rocky shores than white sand.   As a young girl I was a victim of sexual abuse and vowed to myself that I would one day create a platform to help women overcome the shame in their lives.

I fled Jamaica and came to Boston at age 15 looking for a fresh start. Shortly after graduating from East Boston High, I found out I was pregnant and my dreams of advancing on to college seemed further and further away.   I never gave up on my dreams of higher education, it was my only way out. I enrolled at Gibbs College, graduated with my associate’s degree in business management.  I began to further my learning by participating in various business programs and seeking professional opportunities to build a better life for my daughter and just when my life began to shine brighter, I was thrown a devastating blow- my fiancé decided to call off our wedding two weeks before our wedding day.

Left with a broken heart and empty pockets, my dream seemed more like a nightmare.   But then I thought back to everything I had been through and overcame and found my silver lining.  I turned my pain into purpose and decided to use the paid venue for my wedding to host a fundraiser to benefit homeless women who deserved to dream again.   While planning the event, I began to gain insight into the overwhelming number of women living in poverty and are struggling to overcome homelessness. The event was a great success but, I could not stop at this event, and that’s when I began to dream again!

Begin To Dream Again has received generous support from the Boston Foundation and the Walmart Foundation.   The continued success of Begin To Dream Again will require strong governance and as the Founder and President I decided to further my education by applying for the Harvard Business School Executive Program.   I am excited and humbled to share that I was accepted; however, the financial commitment is far beyond what I can afford.

While not a degree, this certificate program delves into the challenges that confront new business ventures. I will be amongst a cohort of talented, visionary leaders like myself who are seeking to develop their governance, managerial and leadership skills to help advance their endeavors.
I would like you to invite you to be a dream builder by investing in my leadership development so that Begin To Dream Again can create the impact I know it can make with strong leadership.  

My ‌ goal is to raise $15,000 by February 25th in time to register for this amazing opportunity.   My board of directors and I have made personal contributions to ensure that the women we serve can see that dreams really do come true.  Your personal contribution in any amount would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart.

Please share and use the hashtag #theharvarddream

Sincerely
Tanisha


About Us:
Begin To Dream Again is a 501c3 nonprofit that provides personal care items to women living in shelters and transitional homes in Boston and surrounding communities.  Since our founding two years ago, we have impacted the lives of 600 women through our work in and around the Boston Community.   An immediate goal for Begin to Dream is to acquire a three-family dwelling that will serve as a transitional safe haven for homeless women with the greatest unmet needs–single adults.
 www.begintodreamagain.org ‌