As investors in Step Up BIG Detroit! our corporate allies are showing the community their support of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion [JEDI]. Beyond well-crafted corporate JEDI statements and internal conversations, stakeholders are looking for a tangible translation of resources in our community. We are grateful to our Step Up Big Detroit! corporate partners for making it their business to get involved. A BIG thank you to the following companies who have committed t

On January 20, 2021, a few weeks after a violent mob took over the Capitol, and mere months after the murder of George Floyd captured the world’s attention, a petite young woman stepped up to a mic in Washington, D.C. and reminded us that “...quiet isn’t always peace, and the norms and notions of what just is isn’t always just-ice”. Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman defined our moment in history to Step Up BIG and do something to end racial and social injustice. She also embodied t

Self Over Stigmas In early August, our program team, in collaboration with the Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network, hosted a "Self Over Stigmas" event at the Durfee Innovation Center, which is the new home for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Detroit. Our partner gave a wonderful presentation about stigmas and mental health. They also led an activity where participants were asked to create a vision board about what a stigma free world would look like. Youth United

We are excited to share that Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Detroit’s President and CEO Jeannine Gant has been selected by Governor Gretchen Whitmer to join the Task Force on Juvenile Justice Reform. The Task Force on Juvenile Justice Reform will focus on analyzing our juvenile justice system, while recommending proven practices and strategies for reform grounded in data, research, and fundamental constitutional principles. Chaired by Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilc

We are thrilled to announce our 2021 Dorothy Pugh Memorial Scholarship winners: Reynard and Jeremiah. Jeremiah and his Big Brother Mike have been matched since June 2017. They were paired based on mutual interests and the fact that they lived relatively near to one another. Jeremiah’s mother enrolled him in the program to provide him with additional support as she was dealing with some personal health challenges. Over their years together, Mike has watched Jeremiah persevere

Dear Friends, A mentor can help change the trajectory of a young person. Earlier this summer I joined a Juvenile Advisory Council in Wayne County run by a team of amazing young people who were a part of the juvenile justice system at some point in their lives and now, they want to find a way to make the system better. They are the experts. During a recent meeting, a young man with an active case in the Third Judicial Circuit Court shared his testimony. It was heart wrenching.