Category Archives: Blog
Detroit youth send $200,000 to education and mental health programs
by: The Skillman Foundation | Dec. 7th, 2023 The Skillman Foundation President’s Youth Council was given $200,000 to grant out to nonprofits serving Detroit youth. The teens decided to fund 15 organizations, focused on education and mental health. Participating in two-year terms, youth serving on the President’s Youth Council are tasked with distributing large sums […]
Read more »The power of storytelling in systems change
by: Imani Foster & Natalie Fotias | Nov. 30th, 2023 “Small shifts in mindset can trigger a cascade of changes so profound that they test the limits of what seems possible.” – Dr. Carole Dweck What power does a story hold? Stories can introduce us to people and places we’ve never encountered, allowing us to […]
Read more »Michigan must take bold steps to grow population
by: Angelique Power & Donna Lasinski | Nov. 28th, 2023 This opinion editorial was originally posted by The Detroit News and written by Angelique Power, president & CEO of The Skillman Foundation, and Donna Lasinski, vice president of Michigan Future Inc. Both are members of the Growing Michigan Together Council PK-12 Education Workgroup. A state […]
Read more »The Skillman Foundation and Parade Company announce Detroit student winner of the 32nd annual Skillman Foundation Float Design contest
by: The Skillman Foundation | Nov. 14th, 2023 “Together We Shine” Float Designed by University Prep Art & Design Elementary 4th Grader to Debut in America’s Thanksgiving Parade® presented by Gardner White DETROIT – (13 November 2023) – The Skillman Foundation and The Parade Company today announced 4th grade student Aaliyah Crowder, from University Prep […]
Read more »Meet our Racial Equity Committee
by: The Skillman Foundation | Oct. 24th, 2023 In 2022, we conducted an internal racial equity audit to pinpoint and prioritize the ways we could operationalize racial equity into our everyday. We had already started the work of tracking each of our dollars by race: from our grantmaking to our operations to our endowment, but […]
Read more »You want economic, population growth? Fix the damn schools.
by: Angelique Power & Imani Harris | Oct. 19th, 2023 This opinion editorial was written by Angelique Power, president & CEO of The Skillman Foundation, and Imani Foster, communications lead of 482Forward. It was originally posted by Crain’s Detroit Business Forum. For all the ways we could answer Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s call to grow Michigan’s population […]
Read more »Youth serve on the 17th annual ARISE Detroit Neighborhoods Day
by: Mariam Kebe | Sep. 8th, 2023 ARISE Detroit’s annual Neighborhoods Day was filled with excitement with scores of community improvement events, hosted by more than 150 churches, block clubs and community groups on Saturday, August 5, 2023. The events brought the community together to build better and safer neighborhoods for all Detroiters. Young Detroiters […]
Read more »New fund supports wellness of BIPOC-led nonprofits
by: The Skillman Foundation | Aug. 16th, 2023 DETROIT, MI, August 15, 2023 – Co.act Detroit and The Skillman Foundation announce the inaugural grantees of the WELL Fund, a grant program created to support the wellness and capacity of BIPOC-led nonprofits who serve Detroit youth (ages 5-24). The following five organizations will receive grants of […]
Read more »Celebrating International Youth Day
by: The Skillman Foundation | Aug. 12th, 2023 It’s International Youth Day – a day that highlights the essential role of youth as leaders in today’s global society. We can learn boundless lessons from youth if we pause and listen. To celebrate (and demonstrate), we are sharing some never before seen footage of our very […]
Read more »Let’s Talk with Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist
by: The Skillman Foundation | Jul. 31st, 2023 Our President’s Youth Council, alumni, and other young Detroit leaders met with Michigan Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist in a special, in-person Let’s Talk event moderated by President & CEO, Angelique Power. They discussed how youth of all ages can play an active role in shaping policies that […]
Read more »Education needs a modern take—dreamers needed
by: Natalie Fotias | Jul. 17th, 2023 The world needs innovative thinkers who can work collaboratively to take on the complexities of the modern world. This is precisely the role today’s young people want to fill. But our education system isn’t doing the job of preparing them for this destiny. We’re barely preparing our children […]
Read more »The future of education, by Detroit’s design
Detroit high school students envision what public education that centers students’ needs and prepares them for future success would look and feel like.
Read more »Racial Neutrality Does Not Exist: Why Affirmative Action Actually Benefits ALL of Us
by: The Skillman Foundation | Jul. 7th, 2023 This opinion editorial was written by Angelique Power, president & CEO of The Skillman Foundation; Ric DeVore, president of Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan; Rip Rapson, president & CEO of The Kresge Foundation; and Darren Walker, president of the Ford Foundation. It was originally posted by The […]
Read more »Statement in response to the Supreme Court’s decision in ‘Students for Fair Admissions V. University of North Carolina’ and ‘Students for Fair Admissions V. President and Fellows of Harvard College’
by: The Skillman Foundation | Jun. 30th, 2023 The following is a statement by funders and philanthropic organizations in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s rulings in ‘Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina’ and ‘Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College.’ A full list of signatories follows. The […]
Read more »Skillman Foundation Responds to Supreme Court Ruling Against Affirmative Action in College Admissions
by: Angelique Power | Jun. 29th, 2023 The Skillman Foundation today released the following statement from President and CEO Angelique Power in response to the Supreme Court’s decision to not consider race in university admissions. “Diversity in educational institutions is not merely a political or social ideal; it is a fundamental aspect of preparing students […]
Read more »2023 Skillman BMe Vanguard
by: The Skillman Foundation | Jun. 28th, 2023 Video production and graphic design by Porter Media Group, communications agency founded by Skillman BMe Vanguard alumnus Ken Porter We are honored to announce the launch of the fourth Skillman BMe Vanguard and warmly welcome ten remarkable Detroit residents in their 20s into the BMe and Skillman […]
Read more »New report shows the growing power of youth organizing in Southeast Michigan
by: Lindsey Barrett | Jun. 21st, 2023 The Power of Youth Organizing We are excited to announce the release of Power and Potential: Youth Organizing in Southeast Michigan, a landscape scan of the current state of youth organizing in Southeast Michigan and analysis of strengths and growth opportunities to build from to support a strong […]
Read more »BMe Community Amplifies Black Love and Power with $370,000 in Grants to 37 BMe Vanguard Awardees
by: BMe Community | Jun. 21st, 2023 This article was originally published in PR Newswire. See original article here. This Juneteenth week, BMe Community celebrates Black leadership by awarding $370,000 in grants to 37 BMe Vanguard Award honorees. Sponsored by the McKnight Foundation, NBA Foundation, The Skillman Foundation, and The Ballmer Group, each honoree receives a $10,000 grant, plus enrollment […]
Read more »Let’s Talk: The Power and Potential of Youth Organizing
by: Lindsey Barrett | Jun. 5th, 2023 Young Detroiters are counted among the leaders of social movements, from civil rights to the labor movement to climate justice and beyond. To learn more about youth organizing from leaders in the field, we engaged the Funders’ Collaborative on Youth Organizing (FCYO) to lead a scan of southeast Michigan youth […]
Read more »Gen Z Changes the Game at 2023 Mackinac Policy Conference
by: The Skillman Foundation | May. 31st, 2023 On Wednesday, May 31, our President & CEO Angelique Power moderated a conversation at the 2023 Mackinac Policy Conference with three panelists: Evamelo Oleita, youth organizer, co-founder of Black Lives Matter In All Capacities and Skillman Foundation President’s Youth Council Member; Imani Harris, youth education activist and communications lead of 482Forward; and Speaker […]
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