This summer, I’m working at Brilliant Detroit, a nonprofit dedicated to expanding kid success for kids aged 0-8. Brilliant does this by opening community center-style houses in various neighborhoods across Detroit, where they run various programs for children and their families. The organization only moves into neighborhoods where they have been invited by a preexisting neighborhood org or community group, and they design programs and activities with the input of the neighborhoods through an advisory board comprised of residents.
This summer, I will be working on implementing asset-based community development (ABCD) throughout the organization. ABCD is a style of community development which focuses on helping residents take an inventory of their skills, products, or “gifts” and helping them use those gifts to maximize their earning potential and invest more money into the improvement of the neighborhood.
Brilliant Detroit recently received a Kresge grant to implement ABCD at their new location in Morningside. As an intern, I will be evaluating how ABCD is already used throughout the nonprofit, working with the Morningside manager to create a plan for the grant, and creating programs featuring ABCD. I’m really excited to see all of our ideas come to fruition, even if the work is a little overwhelming at times– there are only six weeks left, but we still have so much to do.
