Welcome to Local Heroes, our new series featuring Detroiters working during the COVID-19 pandemic to take care of one another. We hope you’ll check in to meet and support these men and women who are truly making a difference and restoring our faith in humanity.
A group of Detroit students have made it their mission to lead.
L!FE Leaders, Inc. is a Detroit youth professional development organization where students learn confidence and success by developing skills to help achieve their goals. A critical component of the program is to master the art of asking questions that lead to reliable information on how to make informed decisions on issues that matter most.
During the lockdown, students at L!FE Leaders knew that if they were confused by conflicting news sources that their peers probably were too, so they set out to ask the hard questions.
“Often times older generations either do not include youth in important conversations or do not know how to reach out to a large number of youth effectively.”
To set the record straight, the L!FE Forward After School Program including Emmanuel Taylor – Age 17, Rising Senior, Advanced Tech; Charvae Jackson – Age 23, Graduate, Central; Tierra Tresvant – Age 18, 2020 Graduate, Cass Tech; Alantis Clayton – Age 18, 2020 Graduate, Osborne; Percia Clayton – Age 17, Rising Senior, Osborne; Tiara Mansfield – Age 17, Rising Senior, Cass Tech; Angelica Williams – Age 18, Graduate, Cass Tech; Alayza Hugghis – Age 18, Rising Senior, Cass Tech; Brianna McGuire – Age 17, Rising Senior, Cass Tech; Latonya Copeland, Age 17, Rising Senior, Cass Tech; Shy’asia Earth – 17, Rising Senior, Davis Aerospace; Tiera Barnett – Age 17, Rising Senior, Cass Tech; and Ayana Hanible – Age 20, Graduate, Common House met virtually to figure out a plan to get real answers directly from the source.
“We knew this was the time to virtually come together and be involved in change. We wanted to use our unique gifts to help contribute to our society and help build a better world.”
By utilizing L!FE’s IG LIVE platform @lifeleadersinc, Faith Ramos – Age 18, 2020 Graduate of Cass Tech; Wisdom Andino – Age 16, Rising Senior, Cass Tech; Elizabeth Okunawo- Age 16, Rising Senior, Cass Tech; and Cameron Braceful – Age 22, Graduate, Detroit Delta Prep; hosted a series of one-on-one conversations to connect teenagers in the community with experts in the field on everything from mental health during quarantine to racism.
“Hosting the L!FE Leader’s IG Live Series served as a first step towards connecting the youth in our city with important information and opportunity to make a difference.”
Follow @lifeleadersinc and tune in Friday, June 19 at 6 PM for the final L!VE Conversation with Student Leader and Activist, Ridgeley Hudson on ways young people can support the Black Lives Movement and make change in their own circles.
Visit fueledbylife.org to find out how to support L!FE Leaders, Inc.