Dannah Wilson
Through Their Choixes, We See Genius
Through Their Choixes, We See Genius is the debut youth photography exhibit of Dannah Elise Photography, rooted in Brightmoor, Detroit. The project places cameras in the hands of 12 neighborhood youth, inviting them to define and document what genius means through their own lens.
In Brightmoor, genius is not confined to institutions—it’s found in the creativity of survival, in the laughter between friends, and in the ways young people make beauty out of what they have. This exhibit honors that everyday brilliance, reflecting the larger cultural power of African Americans who have long turned struggle into art, innovation, and influence.
Each image, paired with a student’s own reflection—like “Genius in my school sounds like kids playing”—reframes what learning and achievement can look like when children are trusted to speak for themselves. Presented at Choixes Restaurant, a Black and West African–owned space that celebrates culture through food, the exhibition transforms art into gathering and storytelling.
Aligned with the belief that Genius Comes from Detroit, this project affirms that brilliance already exists in our youth. It simply asks us to see it—and to build systems that let their genius shine.
Amari Brown
Aubrey Hogan
Ausha Tye
Ava Hogan
Charles Shockley
D’Myre Pearson
Jaceion Franklin
Jakari Pritchett
Jakiah Pritchett
Madyson Banks
Paislee Leche Unique French
Zaria Merritt
About The Storyteller
Dannah Elise Wilson
Dannah Elise Wilson is a Detroit-born artist, activist, and historian whose work bridges storytelling, education, and justice. A graduate of the University of Michigan, she first gained national attention for her viral speech opposing Betsy DeVos, later contributing to Teen Vogue, and the Southern Poverty Law Center. Her journey in media began with a film internship at The Daily Show with Trevor Noah in New York City, launching a career that now includes ten film credits. Through her company, Dannah Elise Photography, she leads a global media initiative dedicated to reclaiming narratives of the Global South. Dannah made history as the first student panelist at the Mackinac Policy Conference and currently serves on the Sister Cities Next Generation Committee while holding a UNESCO MGIEP education fellow position. She now directs the Detroit Public School History Museum, where she is transforming a mobile bus into a traveling exhibition on school desegregation and community memory.