In 2012, filmmakers Joanne Hock and Robin Grey started following a promising story with no expectation of where it would lead them. Without funding or a clear vision of what shape the story would take, they dove in. As filmmakers, their instinct told them that this story would be special, but they had no idea what a powerful tale of triumph and model for advocacy they had on their hands.

Grey and Hock believe that the arts create transformative experiences. The filmmakers have a history of volunteering and activism in their lives, but they kept feeling a void when it came to making lasting change where it counts the most – impacting youth at the beginning of their lives to unravel the cycle of poverty. Arts Empowers believes that an arts education has the power to transform youth, especially those students in at-risk communities. Finding a true story that demonstrated the influential and emotional impact of an arts program, gave the filmmakers a gift of advocacy and a vehicle for change.

The students in PURPLE DREAMS proved that the arts are an invaluable tool to engage and inspire despite demographics or socioeconomic status. As filmmakers, they were hooked and as humans, they were touched. These students had remarkable poise, talent and drive. They would walk a mile to the city bus and take two transfers to get to school if they couldn’t find a ride. They would go “home” to their family who slept in their aunt’s garage or a motel room shared with four other people. They would help care for their siblings when parents had to work multiple shifts. They would struggle with loved ones being incarcerated or murdered in drug and gang-related crimes. Despite this, they would show up to rehearsal each day, on time, ready to work.