We are not your average “off-the-shelf” brand. We consult with a variety of organizations, businesses, and communities to help drive performance and competitieve advantage without sacrificing community and a sense of belonging.
We put advocacy at the heart of everything we do; we aim to lift the voices of the underrepresented and invisible.
Our approach is unique, refreshingly different, and our solutions always consider fairness and equity for all.
We are about building ALLYSHIP!
Linking Dreams, a consulting, training, program development, and advisory firm was founded in 2016, by Chris "Link" Duarte and Steve Hankins. We believed that most people in the world really want to be inclusive, kind and fair, but people just need a little help! At the time, topics like "DEI, LGBTQ+, and Unconcious Bias" were just beginning to trend. Today, much of the work around DEI topics is becoming hostile in nature and companies are unsure of who to trust.
Our mission was to bring a different approach- we create safe and welcoming spaces for everyone to learn and grow. Cultural Competency should never feel uncomfortable or exclude anyone- even if we have differences of opinion, it's more important to create a safe space that everyone can learn. People need a space where they can share, ask questions, and not feel judged. For us, it is about making a commitment to do no harm; to learn from our mistakes, and grow from them.
It's about Uniting Communities
and including all voices at the table of change!
Linking Dreams, a consulting, training, program development, and advisory firm was founded in 2016, by Chris "Link" Duarte and Steve Hankins. We believed that most people in the world really want to be inclusive, kind and fair, but people just need a little help! At the time, topics like "DEI, LGBTQ+, and Unconcious Bias" were just beginning to trend. Today, much of the work around DEI topics is becoming hostile in nature and companies are unsure of who to trust.
Our mission was to bring a different approach- we create safe and welcoming spaces for everyone to learn and grow. Cultural Competency should never feel uncomfortable or exclude anyone- even if we have differences of opinion, it's more important to create a safe space that everyone can learn. People need a space where they can share, ask questions, and not feel judged. For us, it is about making a commitment to do no harm; to learn from our mistakes, and grow from them.
It's about Uniting Communities
and including all voices at the table of change!
As Linking Dreams grows, we continue to partner with a variety consultants, trainers, and brilliant minds to help organizations around the world, be more consious about how they serve and include their customers, clients, employees, and or anyone they interact or do business with.
Some examples of our work includes:
- Helping Open Talent Platforms gain competitive advantage by including solutions that support the freelancers while also attracting business enterprise that provide good jobs
- Weve created resource lists for hundreds of organizations that help them serve their clients and staff better
- Creating a one-stop-shop resources centers for LGBTQ+ students, mental health clinics, and entrepreneurship programs that serve underrepresented small business owners
- Training, coaching, and Panel Education programs
- Advising for Corporate Affinity Groups
To learn more about our services and offerings, and for a free consultation,
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click the contact button or email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Meet the Dream Team
Chris “Link” Duarte, CEO, has been committed to making the world a safer place through his efforts as a pro-human advocate, consultant, innovator, program developer, trainer, speaker, and story-teller for over 20 years. Link, an Army Veteran of the armed forces, holds a Masters in Law and recently earned Master’s Certificate in Business Analytics (HBAP) from Harvard Business School. Since the start of his career, Link has founded and directed several programs that have raised more than $9 million to serve underrepresented people. As a transgender man, Link has shared his story through more than 1500 trainings and speaking engagements for the purpose of helping organizations serve LGBTQ+. Today, Link continues to advise and consult with countless organizations throughout the world on how they can lead global transformation in work and community more inclusively.
Steve Hankins, CFO, has more than 20 years of project management experience. Early in Steve's career, his experience centered in the construction industry and he has managed many small and large-scale projects around the United States; many with multi-million-dollar budgets and complex teams. Steve has helped start several businesses, including a large securities company. With a keen eye for detail and the motivation to learn quickly, his straight forward, honest demeanor has earned him respect among colleagues in every role he has held. Steve has proven ability to manage conflict and leverages the best in technology to ensure that all Linking Dreams programs reduce risk and complexity. Within Linking Dreams, he oversees contracts, legal, finance, and operations to ensure that things run smoothly and efficiently.