Dreamer of the Year

For the first time, TIME magazine, in partnership with American Family Insurance, is presenting a “Dreamer of the Year” Award. The Award recognizes an individual who works tirelessly to protect, restore and champion dreams, while inspiring others to pursue their own. BlocPower Founder and CEO, Donnel Baird, is the first Dreamer of the Year. BlocPower is a Brooklyn-based climate-­technology company that retrofits buildings in low-income neighborhoods with solar panels, electric heat pumps, and other green tech to lower energy bills and reduce planet-warming emissions. BlocPower’s goal, and Donnel’s vision, is to provide “smarter, healthier, greener buildings for everybody.” To support the “Dreamer of the Year” Award, Elite Media, the multicultural creative agency partner for American Family, worked with TIME Studios to create a digital film and television spot highlighting Donnel Baird’s contributions and vision. A long-form version will run on American Family and TIME social media channels, while a :30 will run on broadcast TV. Media was handled by Performics. The “Dreamer of the Year Award grows out of the partnership American Family forged with TIME back in 2020 when the companies combined to stage a virtual reality exhibit bringing to life Dr. Martin Luther King’s 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom – the ultimate dream.