Category Archives: Blog
La voz de la juventud (the voice of youth)
by: Esther Guerrero | Apr. 19th, 2022 Meeting with young Hispanic and Latino/a/x leaders all connected to southwest Detroit was an enlightening experience. In a group of varying age groups and levels of experience, we all still found common ground when it came to discussing our passion and dedication that all stems back to building […]
Read more »Uplifting views of caring adults
by: Ashlee Schmidt | Apr. 13th, 2022 At The Skillman Foundation, we think and talk about young people constantly. What opportunities do young people want and need? What is working in our youth-serving systems that supports young people to achieve their greatest aspirations and what may be getting in the way? How are young people […]
Read more »Let’s Talk: Engaging Emerging Nonprofit Practitioners
by: Mark Navarro | Mar. 31st, 2022 Detroit’s nonprofit sector is growing, and local leaders are thinking strategically about how to expand the reach and longevity of their organizations. One thing on their minds is bringing in new talent with fresh ideas and a strong passion for the mission into the sector. Many practitioners still […]
Read more »Dr. Vitti & me: a conversation
by: Angelique Power | Mar. 30th, 2022 Dr. Vitti and I had a chance to catch up at the onset of a massive snowstorm, two years into a pandemic, after being on a panel together and having found a seemingly easy rapport. We had a previous meeting scheduled before I started at The Skillman Foundation […]
Read more »The vision of youth will build the future
by: Mohammad Muntakim | Mar. 17th, 2022 Photo by Robert Guzman Sitting in the study lounge at Wayne State University with the skyline of Downtown Detroit in my background, I double-clicked the Zoom icon on my laptop to join our virtual listening session. Similarly, a diverse group of high schoolers took the time to join […]
Read more »What’s new in State of the Detroit Child?
by: Data Driven Detroit | Mar. 15th, 2022 This piece was originally published on Data Driven Detroit’s website. Read the original post. The Skillman Foundation is proud to support Data Driven Detroit (D3), creators State of the Detroit Child (SDC), which provides information necessary to advance the Opportunity Agenda and support the Foundation and systems […]
Read more »Teach For America alums learn with youth by co-creating enrichment programs
by: Teach For America Detroit | Mar. 11th, 2022 The Skillman Foundation is honored to support Teach For America Detroit. Over the years, it has served as an important racially diverse educator pipeline and leadership development engine for the education ecosystem in Detroit. TFA’s network remains a strongly positioned force to achieve the system-level change […]
Read more »Resolved to continue and continuing while unresolved
by: Angelique Power | Mar. 10th, 2022 Recently with news of a winter storm on the horizon, a group of community leaders from late teens to mid-seventies gathered for dinner and discussion in Detroit. The group was called together by the creator of The Skillman Foundation’s Good Neighborhood Initiative (GNI), former President & CEO Carol […]
Read more »Detroit kids celebrate Reading Month 2022
by: The Skillman Foundation | Mar. 1st, 2022 March is Reading Month, and to celebrate, we asked Detroit kids to share their favorite books with the world. Watch below as young Detroiters read stories of hope, power, and magic. Noah Harris, 10, reads I Am All Good Things by Derrick Barnes Myloria Crump-Stewart reads The […]
Read more »How to support kids on nights, weekends, and all summer long
by: Natalie Fotias | Feb. 10th, 2022 The pandemic’s impact on kids—namely their education and their well-being—is a top concern in every community. It’s heightened the need and the will to rethink how our society supports children and prepares them to lead us all into a vibrant future. As we repair and build anew, it’s […]
Read more »20 Black Detroiters Making History 2022
by: The Skillman Foundation | Feb. 1st, 2022 Detroit’s Black History is astounding. Black Detroiters have been on the forefront of the movements, art, culture, and ingenuity that we and the nation at-large celebrate in February and all year round. We want to show the future of Detroit’s Black History. In 2021, The Skillman Foundation […]
Read more »Catalyzing Change by Embedding Youth Voice in Philanthropy
by: Jeremiah Steen | Jan. 31st, 2022 This blog was first published by the Council of Michigan Foundations. Read the original post. Youth voice in philanthropy is a necessity. Without it, we limit community sustainability and impact. Many foundations and individual philanthropists provide resources to key funding areas such as education, health care, arts and culture, […]
Read more »Let’s Talk: Youth Mental Health & COVID
by: Terry Whitfield | Jan. 27th, 2022 COVID has had a tremendous effect on the world, and that impact is felt deeply by young people. From transitioning to online school to losing loved ones to a lack of socialization, COVID has severely disrupted youth’s lives and has taken a toll on their mental health and […]
Read more »We surveyed teens about their mental health. Here’s how they’re coping.
by: Tykesha Boyer | Jan. 27th, 2022 This blog is part of a series published by Detour Detroit in partnership with Local Circles, a Detroit-based nonprofit organization that offers employment opportunities in youth-led research to increase college and work readiness for Detroit teens. Read the original post and view the entire series. In this essay, […]
Read more »A teacher shortage is an appreciation shortage
by: Angelique Power | Jan. 26th, 2022 The following was adapted from remarks I gave during the November Shift Series event, Leading The Class, presented by Greenlight Fund Detroit and Strategic Community Partners. Scroll down to watch the full event. I am the proud daughter of a public-school teacher. What that meant growing up is […]
Read more »On purpose. In power.
by: Angelique Power | Jan. 21st, 2022 I met with Detroit’s five Black charter network leaders. The grouping was purposeful. For those unfamiliar with Detroit’s unique education landscape, public charter schools serve nearly half of the city’s school population. More than 8,700 students are educated in schools led by these Black charter network leaders. I’ve […]
Read more »2022, we’re ready for you
by: Punita Dani Thurman | Jan. 13th, 2022 Over the past few years, we have been building our internal practice and muscle to be a highly developed learning organization. When we launched the Opportunity Agenda for Detroit Children, that commitment took center stage; knowing that systems change work required an effortful dynamic approach to soliciting […]
Read more »Walking the mission
by: Angelique Power | Jan. 13th, 2022 As I enter my fifth month as president & CEO of The Skillman Foundation, I am reflecting on how we build on the Foundation’s past important work and use the current context and our values to determine our future. Conversations with current and former Foundation leadership, staff, cross-sector […]
Read more »Let’s Talk: Youth Safety & Juvenile Justice
by: Matthew Hoerauf | Jan. 13th, 2022 All adults who care for kids have one top priority: keeping them safe. Definitions of what safety means vary widely. Families, educators, mentors, and others all work hard to creating loving, caring, and secure environments for kids to learn and thrive. This not only means caring for their […]
Read more »Detroit philanthropy leaders: Expanding access to the Child Tax Credit requires a place-based, cross-sectoral approach
by: The Kresge Foundation | Jan. 6th, 2022 This piece was first published by The Kresge Foundation. Read the original post. Earlier this year, the Kresge, W.K. Kellogg, and Skillman foundations joined with Ballmer Group to support the launch of Detroit’s Child Tax Credit campaign. Our four organizations share a long history and commitment to […]
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