Dreams Collector Mug is a reminder to hold onto your dreams and keep believing in what you cannot see yet. The words on this mug are inspired by Langston Hughes, an African American poet born in Joplin, Missouri, who became one of the leading voices of the Harlem Renaissance, a time in the 1920s when writers, artists, and musicians helped shape culture through their work. He wrote poems, stories, and plays that spoke to everyday people and encouraged hope, even during hard times.
One of his most well known poems is called Dreams, where he wrote, “Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.” In another well known poem, he asked the powerful question, “What happens to a dream deferred?”, encouraging readers to think about what happens when people are denied opportunity or hope. Hughes also reminded people of perseverance in his poem Mother to Son, writing, “Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair,” a line that speaks to enduring hardship while continuing forward. His life shows us that when you hold onto your dreams, you hold onto your future.
The background artwork on this mug comes from an original painting created by my son, Lamonte, whose creative expression and imagination are a constant reminder that legacy is not only something we inherit, but something we continue to build. This piece brings together history, voice, and the next generation of artists in one meaningful object meant to be used every day.
The message of this mug connects both stories. Langston Hughes believed dreams give life direction and strength, and Lamonte’s artwork reflects the freedom to imagine and create without limits. Together, they remind us that dreams begin in the mind, grow through creativity, and become real when we continue to believe in what is possible.
• Ceramic
• 11 oz mug dimensions: 3.79″ (9.6 cm) in height, 3.25″ (8.3 cm) in diameter
• 15 oz mug dimensions: 4.69″ (11.9 cm) in height, 3.35″ (8.5 cm) in diameter
• Lead and BPA free material
• Colored rim, inside, and handle
• Dishwasher and microwave safe
