Celebrating Black Creatives: Cole, MC & Curator Of Experiences
- Gina
- Feb 6
- 8 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
Note from the CEO, Joshua I. Umahi: Happy Black History Month, everyone! As a Black man, I always feel a sense of immense pride each and every February. That's the reason why each February since TRB's inception has brought forth our Celebrating Black Creatives campaign, which makes its return again here in 2026.
Once again, Gina Halstead spearheads this campaign in helping introduce you to the best, brightest and boldest Black creatives in our orbit.
Today, we introduce you to Cole, an ambitious Howard University alum who is the pioneer of the yearly Dreamers N' Doers basketball tournament held in Brooklyn, NY.
Cole joined our radio program, The Recess Bell: On Air on Wednesday to discuss the birth of the incredibly successful tournament and what's next for Dreamers N' Doers in 2026, as well as his journey as a creative and his identity and pride as a Black man.
Here, he sat down with Gina as she asked him some very impassioned questions about Cole's passion and overall direction; both in his creative craft and in his personal endeavors. Let's meet Ice Cole!
Gina: Can you tell us about your upbringing and how your cultural identity and Blackness influence who you are today?
Cole: A major part of my upbringing was having a strong family foundation. I was blessed to be raised by two parents alongside two siblings close in age, and we always had a deep sense of togetherness. Family meant supporting one another, protecting one another, and pushing each other to grow.
That foundation started with my immediate family, but it naturally expanded into a broader sense of community: my chosen family, my friends, and eventually the network of people I surround myself with. I think that’s where my desire to build community really comes from.
When it comes to my cultural identity, I’m Panamanian, but I was born in the United States, so I identify as a Black American. I proudly represent Panama, but being a Black American has shaped my awareness of the oppression I face in this country and globally. Rather than discouraging me, that reality motivates me to work harder, to chase my dreams relentlessly and to represent my family’s name with pride in every room I enter. I’m intentional about how I present myself, whether physically, through how I articulate myself, or how I carry myself overall. I want to stand out.
Being Black in America definitely influenced that drive, and being from New York sealed it. Growing up here gave me that hustler mindset — always moving, always chasing something bigger, always creating new goals. Every day, it’s about going, building, and pushing forward.
Gina: What does “dreamer” and “doer” mean to you personally, and how has that meaning carried you through your journey as being one of the founding members of the tournament?
Cole: To me, a Dreamer is someone who lives in ideation. It’s the ability to imagine something before it exists — to hold space for visions that feel too big, too bold, even unrealistic. A dream starts as nothing more than a thought, a quiet idea floating in your mind, but what makes you a dreamer is the belief that it could one day be real, even when the odds say otherwise. Dreaming is about reaching beyond what feels possible. It’s allowing yourself to envision futures that look more like fantasy than fact. Just like the dreams we have in our sleep, they can feel surreal, distant, untouchable. But being a dreamer means carrying that small, unwavering spark of hope — the kind that whispers, “maybe one day.”
A Doer is the one who answers that whisper. A doer takes imagination and gives it movement. They turn vision into action, hope into discipline, and fantasy into reality. Nothing meaningful is created without first being imagined. EVERY DOER STARTS A DREAMER. Execution is the difference. Without action, dreams stay suspended in thought, never touching the ground. We all carry ideas that fade with time, but a doer brings them into the world. That choice is what differentiates a dreamer & a doer.
Those words and the meaning behind them definitely carried my journey as a founding member of Dreamers N Doers. What people see now started as nothing more than an idea, and honestly, at the time, it felt overwhelming. I remember thinking, “this is a lot — I don’t even know if this is possible.” But instead of stopping there, I took action. I put steps behind the vision and executed.
Our first Dreamers N Doers tournament came together fast. Max, TC, and I had the idea around June, and the tournament happened in July. In about a month, we pulled together teams, referees, volunteers, and everyone involved, and still managed to create a high-level, well-executed event. As time passed and we saw the trajectory of Dreamers N Doers take shape, those original dreams began to expand. What started as a single event grew into something much bigger. The vision evolved and so did our responsibility to act on it.
Dreamers N Doers is a real-life example of turning dreaming into doing. But even before that, my relationship with dreaming started when I was a kid through basketball. Like so many others, I had hoop dreams, playing professionally in NBA on the biggest stages. Over time, life shifted those dreams. I realized that path wasn’t mine, but the passion never left.
Instead, the dream transformed. I still wanted to be in basketball spaces, to be part of that world. Dreamers N Doers became my way of honoring those younger dreams — by creating and curating basketball spaces for others. In that way, the dream didn’t disappear. It just found a new form.
Gina: Dreamers N Doers isn’t just a basketball tournament; so what’s the complete vision behind it?
Cole: This actually connects well to the last question, because Dreamers N Doers began as just a basketball tournament. But very quickly, we realized it was becoming something much bigger — a true community experience. At this point, it’s a fashion show. It’s a networking space. It’s an environment where culture, connection, and creativity all meet.
The vision continues to grow, but right now our focus is on bridging the gap between young adults and youth. We’re deeply committed to supporting young people, especially when it comes to education and nontraditional ambitions that don’t always fit into a standard box.
DREAMERS N DOERS BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT.
Ultimately, the goal is to create real, tangible pathways for youth to pursue the dreams they form at a young age — dreams that often fade over time as life sets in. We want to remind them that those dreams are still possible. Even when they feel distant or impossible, they’re attainable.
Bridging that gap is where the vision lives right now. And while I won’t say too much, what’s coming next will make it clear as we continue expanding and intentionally creating space for younger audiences.
Gina: Why is this event important for Black creatives and young leaders in particular?
Cole: I think this event is especially important for Black creatives and young leaders because it represents us. It reflects our culture, our connectivity, and our sense of community. Like I mentioned earlier, Dreamers N Doers is far more than a basketball tournament — it’s a space to connect with like-minded people and build real relationships.
Black leaders from all walks of life show up to this event. Whether you’re an artist, a multifaceted creative, or working in law, medicine, politics, marketing, finance, or any other field, there’s someone in the room who can help you grow — not just in your career, but in your larger dreams as well. That level of access and connection is powerful.
Beyond networking, the representation itself matters. Seeing young Black leaders come together in a safe, affirming space is incredibly impactful. One thing I love about Dreamers N Doers is that it has always been rooted in positivity. Despite the competitive nature of basketball, there’s never been violence or serious conflict. That alone challenges the negative stereotypes often attached to Black spaces.
Dreamers N Doers exists as a place where people can feel safe, be themselves, and build community. Spaces like that are essential for the Black community as a whole. And to be even more specific, they’re especially important for Black men. Because sports naturally draw us in, the event creates rare opportunities for Black men to gather, connect, and empower one another in healthy, intentional ways.
In every aspect, Dreamers N Doers is that space!
Gina: As a multifaceted creator and organizer, how do you navigate wearing multiple hats?
Cole: For me, it was essential to develop soft skills before focusing on hard skills. Soft skills gave me the ability to navigate being multifaceted, not just as a creator, but as a person overall. Skills like time management are incredibly important. I can’t overstate how much of a difference they make. Communication is another major one. No matter what path you choose, you’re always going to work with people. Even if you run your own business and consider yourself a one-person operation, you still have to communicate with suppliers, collaborators, clients, or customers.
Building strong soft skills made it possible for me to wear multiple hats without feeling overwhelmed. I’m grateful I was exposed to these skills at a young age, because they shaped how I move today. I’m very structured, very routine-driven. Part of that is knowing when and where I operate best, and intentionally building my life around that.
Having a routine helps me balance everything I’m pursuing. I know when I’m most creative, and I protect that time. I know the environments where I thrive socially, and I place myself in those spaces.
That said, it’s still a challenge. Navigating young adulthood while chasing big dreams isn’t easy. But time management starts with self-awareness — knowing yourself, knowing how you work, and knowing how to organize your time and communicate effectively with others. I truly believe developing soft skills is one of the most important things you can do early on. Hard skills can always be taught. Soft skills are much harder to learn later because they’re deeply tied to how you were raised and how you understand yourself.
Gina: How can people plug in whether as sponsors, creatives, volunteers, or athletes to support what you’re building?
Cole: I believe support shows up in many different ways, so first and foremost, I want to say thank you. Thank you to everyone who has supported what I’m building — whether you’ve engaged with it online, shown up in person, spoken about it in rooms I wasn’t in, been a participant or supported in ways big or small. None of it goes unnoticed. I appreciate it more than you probably realize.
As far as getting plugged in, the biggest thing is simply reaching out. I’m very approachable and always open to conversation. You can connect with me directly, reach out to the Dreamers N Doers Instagram page, or message my personal page @ice.coleyy.
You can also reach out to any of the team members — Max, Char, Gina, Dani, or Bólú — all of us are accessible and happy to connect. Another huge way to support is by connecting us with people who might be interested. We have a lot of opportunities opening up this year and in the years ahead from sponsors and vendors to athletes and artists. If you know someone who hoops, tap them in. Let them know there’s space for them; and yes, there’s money on the line.
I’m a big believer in word of mouth. Even as everything goes digital, genuine conversation will always matter. Talk to us directly. Talk to your friends about us. Talk to your people about us. That’s how communities grow.
And again, thank you, truly, for believing in my dreams.
Gina: What does being black mean to you?
Cole: Black means joy. Black means excellence. Black means resilience. Black means stylistic. Being black is like royalty. I wake up everyday blessed to be black.
Being black means limitless and embracing the power to push the culture forward. Black means unorthodox. Black means lonely sometimes when you’re the only like mind in the room and you have to force your value on people who may not understand. Black means body tea. Clock it.
Black means making shit happen. Black means standing out. Black means throwing folding chairs to protect our skinfolk. Black means family and community and dreaming and doing. Black means Ice Cole.
I’m a product of my Black history; and the owner of my Black future.
