Category Archives: Youth Voices
How One Teen is Changing the Youth Justice System From the Inside
by: Tyler Parlor | Feb. 9th, 2024 Photo of Cayden Brown courtesy of Kim Brown Photography. Videos and family photo taken by Tyler Parlor. Youth today have complicated, demanding schedules. With so many things for them to juggle, it’s hard to imagine how 17-year-old Cayden Brown also manages his obligations as a Juvenile Defense Attorney […]
Read more »Gen Z Design Sessions: A Year Later
by: The Skillman Foundation | Jan. 31st, 2024 With time comes change. Organizations, institutions and public systems must be continually recreated to meet the prospects and possibilities of the future. Doing this successfully takes understanding and involving the future generations–our young people. The current generation of youth, Gen Z, is intentional about the future they […]
Read more »President’s Youth Council reacts to State of The State Address
by: Tyler Parlor | Jan. 29th, 2024 We support Detroit youth in understanding and exercising their power to create change in education systems and policies. On the approach of Michigan’s State of the State (SOTS) address just last week we invited our President’s Youth Council to get in on the conversation. We asked them to […]
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 »Detroit youth have a podcast and its awesome.
by: Natalie Fotias | Aug. 1st, 2022 Here at The Skillman Foundation, we are big fans of Authentically Detroit, a podcast hosted by Donna Givens Davidson and Orlando Bailey that takes a comprehensive look at contemporary issues—such as housing, spatial racism, economic development, neighborhood planning, self-care, and community trauma—and how they impact Detroit. With a […]
Read more »The Skillman Foundation Launches President’s Youth Council
by: The Skillman Foundation | Mar. 2nd, 2021 This post was originally published by the Council of Michigan Foundations. Read the original post. To further engage youth voice in its grantmaking and change-making strategies, The Skillman Foundation launched its first-ever President’s Youth Council. Council members work with the foundation leadership to discuss issues that are important to them and […]
Read more »I am a student Black Lives Matter activist. The Capitol insurrection didn’t surprise me.
by: Ama Russell | Jan. 14th, 2021 This piece originally appeared in Chalkbeat Detroit. Read the story. Your disbelief is not enough. If “shocked,” “surprised,” or “blown away” are words that describe your reaction to white domestic terrorists not being held accountable, then this much is clear: Your privilege is showing. I don’t share this […]
Read more »Students, we want to know your challenges, fears, ideas
by: The Skillman Foundation | Apr. 2nd, 2020 Today, Governor Whitmer announced that Michigan schools will remain closed for the rest of the academic year. Students and recent grads: What are your thoughts, questions, and concerns? What do you think the future of education should look like? We’re asking students and young adults to share […]
Read more »Why Funding Matters
by: Wallyaldeen Alhomaidi | Nov. 7th, 2019 This post originally appeared on Our Kids Detroit Students’ Blog. Read the original post here. Check out the first vlog by Wally Aldeen Alhomaidi from the 482Youth group of 482Forward, “Why Funding Matters” about school funding. 482Forward is a citywide education organizing network in Detroit. “We are neighborhood organizations, parents, and youth committed to ensuring […]
Read more »Successful Despite…
by: Imani Harris | Oct. 30th, 2019 This post originally appeared on Our Kids Detroit Students’ Blog, supported by The Skillman Foundation. Read the original post here. My first year of college was…a rough ride. I had just graduated from my city’s number one school, and all of a sudden I was attending a top ten university. My […]
Read more »Engaging Youth in Dialogue and Decision Making
by: Natalie Fotias | Mar. 29th, 2019 How Adults Can Help Young People Amplify Their Voice Adults should spend more time listening to kids. Too often decisions are made that impact the lives and futures of youth on a grand scale without taking the time to listen to their perspectives and insights. Young people are […]
Read more »Why I Organize
by: Naja Nile | Mar. 11th, 2019 This blog was originally posted by Our Kids. View the original publication here. If you’ve ever attended a public school, I doubt you’d call it perfect. I’m Naja and I’m a product of Detroit’s public school system. I know firsthand what it’s like to be in a class of […]
Read more »Three Life Lessons I’ve Learned from Basketball
by: | Mar. 7th, 2019 Basketball has always been a huge part of my life. I started playing six years ago and as I got older, I began to put a lot of time and effort in working out and practicing so that I could improve my game. All of this hard work became even […]
Read more »Keep Moving Forward: What I Learned from Detroit Youth Rising
by: Tyler Patterson | Feb. 4th, 2019 I recently had one of the most motivating and empowering experiences of my life. I was invited to attend the Detroit Youth Rising event in downtown Detroit. The evening featured a fireside chat between Quicken Loans founder Dan Gilbert and Vista Equities founder Robert Smith, reportedly the richest African-American. […]
Read more »Introduction to College Campus Life Builds High Schoolers’ Confidence and Capability
by: William Sexton | Aug. 8th, 2018 Making the jump from high school to college can be tricky for many students. Life on campus feels like a different world and learning to navigate through the new classes, people and environment takes time. But, like so many other aspects of life, preparation can be a key […]
Read more »Detroit Celebrates Summer Learning Day 2018
by: William Sexton | Jul. 19th, 2018 On July 12th, cities across the country, including Detroit, celebrated National Summer Learning Day, a nation-wide effort to spread the importance of keeping kids safe, healthy and learning during the summer months. While summer is traditionally thought of as a time for outdoor fun, vacations and the absence […]
Read more »The Parade Company Brings Winning Student Design To Life During 26th Annual Skillman Foundation Float Design Contest
by: | Nov. 15th, 2017 New Float, “The Snowing Mountain,” Inspired by Detroit 7th Grader to Debut in America’s Thanksgiving Parade® Presented by Art Van […]
Read more »Experiencing Detroit Through The Eyes of Its Youth
by: William Sexton | Sep. 25th, 2017 The best way to experience Detroit is to see it through the eyes of its youth. That is the central focus of Our Town, a youth led tour program powered by Atlantic Impact. Founded in 2016, the organization provides young Detroiters with an opportunity to share their city with […]
Read more »How Sharing Experiences Are Helping to Ease Shared Sentences
by: William Sexton | Sep. 25th, 2017 For many kids, Saturday mornings are for sleeping in, cartoons, or early morning sports practice. But for a small group of young men gathered at Detroit’s Northwest Activity Center, Saturdays mornings mean much more. “It makes me feel sad and mad sometimes. I just feel frustrated that he’s […]
Read more »Coding a Future for Detroit Youth
by: William Sexton | Sep. 25th, 2017 Today’s tech industry is booming, and Detroit is at the forefront of job growth in the field. But amid all the excitement, many are questioning how accessible these career opportunities are for city residents, especially youth. Enter JOURNi, a non-profit organization dedicated to equipping young people with the tools […]
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