The New American Dream Foundation turned The Amber Room Colonnade into an airport gate for “American Dream Airlines” on September 26, welcoming over 300 guests for its 11th Annual American Dream Awards Gala — with a destination of inspiration, celebration, and community.

The evening opened with a vibrant Chinese Lion Dance by Justin and Brendan Labella of the Malee School of Tai Chi and Kung Fu, performed in honor of Connecticut Attorney General William Tong. Guests were then welcomed aboard by the evening’s MCs, Emanuela Palmares, vice president and program director of the Foundation, and her son, Caio Leaf, who, along with other members of the Foundation, led the program with a playful “safety briefing” skit before guiding the audience through stories of grit and giving.

Union Savings Bank served as the presenting sponsor and helped kick off the scholarship presentations. Four students who are immigrants or children of immigrants received awards: Gardenia Carpio, an aspiring architect; Samuel Pereira, who plans to study medicine; Jonnathan Jaramillo, a first-generation college student in UConn's Honors Program for mechanical engineering; and Yasmin Dos Santos, the 2025 Americo S. Ventura Scholar sponsored by Ventura Law, who is pursuing behavior analysis to support families like her own.

The Community Hero Award was presented to Cora's Kids, a United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut initiative that connects working families with high-quality, home-based childcare. President and CEO Isabel Almeida and her team accepted the honor after a tribute video highlighted how the program helps children and caregivers thrive.

The American Dream Champion Award recognized Doug Polistena, owner and general manager of The Amber Room Colonnade. Polistena partnered with New American Dream Foundation during the pandemic to help launch the Senior Hot Meal Program, which now delivers more than 650 meals each month to older adults in Danbury and has served nearly 50,000 meals to date.

The Foundation also surprised the RobyDodd Family Charitable Foundation with a special recognition for securing a home for the New American Dream Center. This year-round hub offers navigation support, referrals, assistance with citizenship eligibility, tutoring, and emergency aid to immigrant families.

Attorney General Tong received the evening's Lifetime Achievement Award. The son of Chinese immigrants, Tong was honored for a career dedicated to justice and inclusion, encompassing efforts to combat hate crimes and protect civil rights. His story anchored the gala's theme, “Around the World in One Evening — A Celebration of All of Us.”

After asking the scholarship recipients to rise and be recognized, Tong looked out across the ballroom at the guests, who were dressed in traditional attire from their countries of origin. He then reminded the audience of what was at stake in today’s world.
“We are living in times of uncertainty, that some may say, ‘I don’t recognize our country anymore,’” Tong said. “But when I look around this room, I am crystal clear… this is who we are.” His words drew loud applause, underscoring the spirit of unity that defined the night.

The program concluded with a powerful grand finale from Drum Café USA, presented by Northwell Health and Nuvance Health. The group, which has performed for world leaders, Fortune 500 companies, and communities in more than 50 countries, was introduced as “a reminder that our greatest strength is found when we unite as one community.” Instead of the traditional drum circle format, the facilitators used rhythm, clapping, and movement to break down barriers and invite participation.

At the gala, performers and facilitators Kasa Panzu (Congo), Andy Algire (USA), Moussa Drame (Ivory Coast), and Boubacar Diabate (Ivory Coast) led the audience in waves of rhythm that turned the ballroom into a celebration of unity and joy. Guests filled the dance floor, echoing beats and movements in sync with one another, capturing the night’s spirit of shared stories and cultural pride.

“Drum Café reminded us that when we come together in rhythm, we break barriers and move as one community,” Palmares said, noting how the performance embodied the mission.

Throughout the night, the Foundation underscored its mission to celebrate, inspire, and support immigrants across Greater Danbury through education, health access, civic engagement, and community programs — including scholarships, the Senior Hot Meal Program, the New American Dream Center and emergency relief.

By the end of the evening, the event had also raised $15,000 in support of Mission Health Day, the Foundation’s annual initiative with Nuvance Health that provides hundreds of uninsured and underinsured residents with free medical, dental, and vision screenings.

 Additional support for the gala came from Ives Bank, Newtown Savings Bank, Mulvaney Mechanical, Ventura Law, and many table and in-kind partners who “kept the jet fueled,” as Caio Leaf, one of the MCs said.

By evening's end, the runway was a dance floor, the drums were still echoing, and one message was clear: in Danbury, the American Dream is a shared flight — powered by stories, service, and neighbors lifting one another.