Metadata
Chris Gannett DOC Cares Conversation Summary
Date: May 14, 2025 Participants: Gary Sheng, Chris Gannett (President of DOC Cares and Dreams Experience Academy)
Overview
This conversation explored Chris Gannett's work with DOC Cares and Dreams Experience Academy, educational initiatives focused on creating pathways for underserved youth into the media, entertainment, and technology industries. The discussion revealed significant alignment between Chris's work and Gary's vision for innovative education models, including potential for future collaboration on specialized academies and educational events.
Key Discussion Points
DOC Cares and Dreams Experience Academy
Chris Gannett shared extensive details about his role as president of DOC Cares (connected to Dr. Dre/Andre Young) and Dreams Experience Academy. He explained their mission to create new pathways for students in grades 7-12 from underserved communities into the combined $3 trillion media, entertainment, and technology industries.
"We see an opportunity to create real futures and new pathways for motivated but under-champion kids grades 7 through 12 into the combined three trillion dollar media entertainment and technology industries."
Chris highlighted how their model addresses representation issues in these industries:
"70% of consumers... don't see themselves represented in the product, which puts 300 and almost 350 billion dollars of non-white consumer spend at risk... 92% specifically based on a variety [of studies] of CEOs and chair people of Hollywood studios and streaming leaders are not people of color."
Educational Approach and Curriculum
Dreams Experience Academy is modeled after Ghetto Film School but extends beyond film to encompass broader media, entertainment, and technology education. Their curriculum focuses on four key areas:
- Gaming
- Music
- Creator economy
- Software development (with focus on AI and other high-growth areas)
Chris explained their partnership with Big Thought Institute to develop a comprehensive curriculum that includes:
- Digital badges that stack as students demonstrate skills
- Social-emotional development components
- Experiential learning opportunities
- Real-world industry exposure
"We have created and we're piloting this summer a platform that is going to train basically build the most cutting-edge curriculum focused on four areas of growth in media entertainment and tech starting with gaming then going to music, then going to creator economy and then opening up software development."
Summer Pilot Program
The first curriculum focusing on game design will launch June 2, 2025, in Southern Dallas. The program includes:
- 20 hours of instruction
- Three field trips to industry locations:
- Taylor Sheridan's film set (Landman)
- Dallas Mavericks organization
- GameSquare (to meet with professional gamer Ninja)
- Partnership with local YMCA and community organizations
- Focus on zip code 75216, which has 46% chronic absenteeism rate
Notable Partnerships
Chris detailed numerous high-profile partnerships they've established:
- Dallas Foundation (seed funding)
- Dallas Regional Chamber
- Taylor Sheridan's Bosque Ranch companies
- TD Jakes Foundation
- Dallas Mavericks
- GameSquare (NASDAQ-traded gaming company partly owned by Jerry Jones)
- Brag House (eSports community)
- Matt Finnick (former CFO of Roblox and Marvel) joining their board
- Draper's social impact fund ($300,000 potential funding dependent on summer pilot results)
Music Industry Connections
Chris revealed significant connections to major hip-hop artists through DOC Cares:
- Dr. Dre/Andre Young (DOC) - Primary partner
- Snoop Dogg
- Eminem
- Q-Tip
- Erykah Badu (Erica Wright)
- Kendrick Lamar
He mentioned an upcoming AI project that will be "the first AI-embraced album," recreating Easy-E's voice:
"We're collaborating with Erica and Kendrick and it's gonna be historic and unprecedented setting for the recorded music industry. It's the first AI-embraced album."
Philosophical Approach
Chris emphasized their practical, results-oriented approach to nonprofit work:
"We're building this like a high-growth tech startup. [Being a nonprofit] is a legal classification, and we are only interested in the outcomes and we are interested in the straightest path to that outcome."
"We're choosing to do the work and talk about it versus beat our chests and describe what we're going to do."
He also stressed the importance of addressing school attendance through engaging programs:
"In order to qualify for this program, you must be enrolled in school and show proof of regular attendance and that is for us addressing one of the two big kind of impact areas, which is chronic absenteeism."
Potential Collaborations
DOC School Concept
Gary proposed developing a "DOC School" that would essentially make Chris's program the foundation of a full school:
"I think we should do a pilot ASAP of a DOC school... ASAP in Dallas."
Chris indicated openness to this concept while sharing that they're already working to integrate elements of their curriculum into components of the school day in partnership with local school districts.
Austin Education Event
Gary invited Chris to attend an education event in Austin around June 14, 2025 (between Flag Day and Father's Day):
"I'm in the early stages of formulating an event in Austin for families that want to think about education differently... I'd love for you to be there in Austin on June 14th... meet a bunch of people that I'm working with on the future of education."
Chris agreed to attend, and Gary suggested sharing travel details to coordinate.
Youth Genius Reality Show
Gary briefly floated the idea of collaborating on a television show that celebrates young genius:
"America needs a talent show that celebrates like young geniuses... in a way that's not like weird and elitist but like just like finds geniuses in all demographics and socioeconomic statuses."
Next Steps
- Chris to send Gary information about Dreams Experience Academy (deck/materials)
- Gary to share details about the June 14th Austin education event
- Gary to share hotel booking information for coordination
- Continued conversation about potential collaboration models
- Possible in-person meeting when Gary is in the Dallas area
Notable Quotes
"For DOC, it's a time machine where he gets to go back in his neighborhood and give 15-year-old DOC alternative futures." - Chris Gannett
"Nationally, let alone locally, nationally only 25% of current traditional curricula prepare students for any kind of career." - Chris Gannett
"I think there's a million ways over the next 10 years that we'll collaborate." - Gary Sheng
"Having young black geniuses on TV everywhere, where there's no question that genius is everywhere, I think that does way more than... the typical DEI stuff." - Gary Sheng
Cultural Context
The conversation revealed significant alignment between Chris's work with DOC Cares/Dreams Experience Academy and Gary's vision for specialized academies. Both are focused on reimagining education to be more relevant, engaging, and connected to real-world opportunities, particularly for underserved communities.
Chris's deep connections in the entertainment industry, especially hip-hop, parallel Gary's mentioned discussions with figures like Kendrick Lamar about creating specialized academies. This suggests potential for meaningful collaboration that leverages entertainment industry relationships to create compelling educational models.