Tracy D. Dace
Youth Advisory and Affinity Group (YAAG) and Youth Advisory Board (YAB) Outreach Manager
In 2015, Tracy founded the DREAAM Opportunity Center, a community impact, nonprofit organization with a critical mission to reach, teach, and empower boys and young men ages 3 to 24. DREAAM, which stands for Driven to Reach Excellence and Academic Achievement for Males, has a mission to expand the knowledge, skills, and experiences of every individual engaged in DREAAM. The vision is to change mindsets, narratives, and systems for Black boys and young men to thrive in Champaign County and beyond. Tracy is committed to creating college and career pathways for youth and young adults to become professionals, entrepreneurs, leaders in community and church, change makers, homeowners, and incredible human beings. With strong passion, he advocates in various settings for more access and support for children and their families.
Mr. Dace has received notable recognition for his leadership in the community, including the Campus Award for Excellence in Public Engagement from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the James R. Burgess, Jr. -Susan Freiburg Humanitarian Award from the MLK Champaign County-wide Committee, and a Person of the Year acknowledgment in The News-Gazette.
A native of Mississippi, Mr. Dace earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Alcorn State University and a master’s degree in higher education administration from the University of Mississippi. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and serves on the Board of Governors for the University YMCA, Executive Board of the Prairieland Council of Scouts of America, and the Board of Directors of Friends of the Education Justice Project (FEJP).
“Family is one of the greatest blessings a person can have. I value the diversity and resilience of families in my work and have dedicated my life to advocating for and learning from families.”