YCD Changemakers Gala 2025: Dream Loud, Stand Proud
September 13, 2025 @ 6:00PM — 9:00PM Mountain Time (US & Canada) Add to Calendar
Denver Art Museum - Martin Building: 100 W 14th Ave Pkwy Denver, CO 80204 Get Directions
Join us to DREAM LOUD and STAND PROUD with youth changemakers!
It is no secret there are powerful forces in our society actively working to shut down youth-led activism and education for social progress on numerous fronts: demands from the Department of Education for K-12 school districts to end programs that promote inclusion and cross-cultural understanding; Executive Orders targeting colleges and universities for their policies and procedures supporting equity; and threats from the Department of Justice to "investigate" foundations and nonprofits that engage in social change work. While so many institutions around our country are bowing to the pressure, our youth are standing strong in their determination for a better future. We invite you to stand with them at this critical moment!
Through our innovative, youth-led chapter model, YCD programs have served over 1,800 youth across Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, and six other states in the past year. We now have over 100 active chapters across the country, with trained youth leaders organizing their communities, building their skills, and engaging in the important dialogue and work needed to realize an inclusive and equitable future. Right at this moment, YCD chapters are finishing up youth-designed action projects -- conducting important service, advocacy or education in their communities on the inclusion and justice issues they have identified. We're excited to share more about these projects and their impact with you.
We invite you to show your support for youth changemaking, by contributing to our annual fundraising campaign The YCD Changemakers Gala: Dream Loud and Stand Proud.
Join us for this special gathering to honor community and alumni changemakers paving the way for young people today; to celebrate the remarkable work done by YCD youth over the past year; and to hear from our special keynote speaker Soledad O'Brien! Tickets purchased for this unique event include a reception, catered dinner, silent auction, and cultural performances at a beautiful venue. Sponsorship opportunities at a variety of levels are available for companies, organizations, and families to show their support of youth-led changemaking. For those unable to join us in-person, we invite you to donate to demonstrate your support of youth changemakers! Use the buttons on this page to make your pledge.
Contact YCD's Executive Director Caleb Munro with any questions at (720) 507-0746 or cmunro@ycdiversity.org.
Keynote Speaker
Soledad O’Brien is an award-winning documentarian, journalist, speaker, author, philanthropist, and founder of Soledad O’Brien Productions, a media production company dedicated to telling empowering and authentic stories on a range of social issues. She anchors and produces "Matter of Fact with Soledad O'Brien," a Hearst political magazine program seen in 95% of the country. She was inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame in May 2023. She has made a name in podcasting, co-hosting the top-rated series “Who Killed JFK” with Rob Reiner for IHeart, reporting the Luminary series “Murder on the Towpath,” and hosting “Growing up POC” on Audible, “Very Opinionated” on Quake, and “Everyday Wealth” for Edelman Financial.
Soledad has a national impact through her op-eds, social media, speeches, and books, including her critically acclaimed memoir “The Next Big Story” and 1.3 million X followers. She gave Congressional testimony on media disinformation. She has anchored shows and specials on CNN, MSNBC, Nat Geo, BET, ABC, and CBS, co-anchored NBC’s Weekend Today, and reported for PBS NewsHour and HBO Real Sports.
Her most recent project is her documentary The End of Affirmative Action which streamed on CBS, Paramount +, and YouTube. She is Executive Producer of the Peabody-Award-winning documentary, The Rebellious Life of Rosa Parks which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and streams on Peacock, and the multi-part series Black and Missing, which won the Independent Spirit and NAACP awards and streams on HBO. Soledad O’ Brien Productions has also produced documentaries for Discovery Plus, CNN, BET, PBS, and others.
O’Brien’s work has been recognized with four Emmy awards, three times with the George Foster Peabody Award, four times with the Gracie Award, which honors women in media, twice with Cine Awards for her work in documentary films, twice with Telly Awards and with an Alfred I. DuPont Award.
She runs the PowHerful foundation with her husband which has helped dozens of young women get to and through college and connects thousands of others with assistance through regional mentoring conferences.
YCD Changemaker Award Recipients
To be announced!
Sponsorship Opportunities and Benefits
Download the sponsorship packet that outlines opportunities and benefits for companies, families and individuals to demonstrate their support for youth working for inclusion and justice. Ready to make a pledge? Click the Sponsor Our Event button on this page, or contact us.
In-Kind Silent Auction Donations
Do you have an item, experience or service that would make for a great auction item for our gala?
Fill out the Silent Auction Pledge Form here to let us know!
Host Committee Co-Chairs
Jonathan Gray
Arapahoe County
Andrea Cristina Rigo
Rathod Mohamedbhai LLC
Dr. Reema Wahdan
University of Colorado - Anschutz Medical Center
Alice Bowling Wirth
Retired educator
Additional Host Committee Members
Chris Betts, DishTV
Benita Creacy, DC & Associates
Chris Lee, Cleantech Open
Anya Norris, RBC Wealth Management
UnSuk Zucker, Promise54
Are you interested in taking a leading role in fundraising to support YCD youth changemakers?
Contact us to discuss joining the Host Committee!
About Youth Celebrate Diversity
YCD is a youth-led leadership and activism training program, where students ages 11-18 can build community, develop their identity and self-confidence, learn critical skills for advocacy and changemaking, and ignite a passion for advancing inclusion and justice in our communities. Learn more at ycdiversity.org.
A big thank you to our sponsors!
Empowerment Sponsor
General Table
