Detroit Program - Spring 2024

Jimiri Groups

Our Youth Leadership Program is designed for middle school students in the Detroit metropolitan area:

  • Each Jimiri Group has 12 students who meet once a week, on Sundays from 2:45 - 5:00 pm. The spring session runs from April 14 to May 19, 2024.
  • Students meet for 6 weeks at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.
  • To promote racial, gender, and geographic diversity within each group, students self-identify their race, gender, home ZIP code, and school.
  • Trained high school and college students serve as group facilitators, with parent/teacher supervisors on site.
  • Students are assigned a common-interest activity for their group, such as art, dance, digital photography, or theater. About 60 minutes of each weekly meetup is devoted to this activity, including group-building exercises.
  • Students and facilitators engage in meaningful discussions about race, racism, and Black history. About 60 minutes of each weekly meetup is devoted to these discussions.
  • As part of the group-building exercises and overall curriculum, students work on group projects such as murals, theatrical monologues, and photo montages they create and share with family and friends.
  • Each group participates in a community service event in Detroit.
  • Interested students can continue to participate in future sessions and are eligible to serve as facilitators as early as 10th grade.
  • Jimiri participants are encouraged to grow their friendships through middle school, high school, and beyond.
  • Click here to apply!

Benefits for Students

Inspire and develop future leaders to promote racial justice.

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Enhance college and career readiness by providing leadership opportunities and expanding social networks and access to resources.

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Build social and emotional skills necessary to succeed in a racially diverse world.

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Engage in meaningful discussions of race, racism, and Black history.

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Provide opportunities for fun, engaging, and safe extra-curricular activities and community service.

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Logistics

  • Participation is free. No costs for students or parents.
  • Jimiri Groups meet on Sundays, from 2:45 to 5:00 pm, at the Wright Museum of African American History. The Spring 2024 session runs from April 14 to May 19, 2024.
  • Families must provide their own transportation during the spring 2024 session. (We plan to bring back our free bus service in future sessions!)
  • Snacks and drinks provided.
  • All art supplies and other materials provided to students at no cost.
  • Parents receive weekly reports of activities and discussion.
  • Click here to apply!

Frequently Asked Questions

Participation is free. There’s no cost for students or parents.

Students self-identify their race, gender, home ZIP code, and school.  Based only on these demographic characteristics — and not on any personally identifying information — we assign students to groups to promote racial, gender, and geographic diversity for each group.

No. We want all students to begin the program on an equal social footing and to embrace the challenge of meeting new people and making new friends.

All meetups are located at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History (311 E. Warren Ave.)

No. Families will need to provide their own transportation each week. But we plan to bring back our free bus service in future sessions!

Jimiri groups meet on Sundays from 2:45 to 5:00 pm. (April 14 – May 19, 2024)

Facilitators are high school and college students who are trained in promoting group-building and facilitating discussions of racism in America.  Facilitators are recruited from local high schools and colleges and submit applications and short essays before selection.  Each Jimiri group is assigned three facilitators. 

Staff supervisors are parent/teacher volunteers, including licensed professionals in the areas of education, social work, and child psychology. 

Yes! Parents will receive a weekly summary of the activities and discussions from the student meetups each week.

Students are assigned a common-interest activity for their group, such as art, dance, digital photography, or theater. About 60 minutes of each meetup will be spent on these activities, including group-building exercises.

Please visit our Middle School Student page and complete the form.

Please visit our High School Facilitator webpage and fill out the form.

Please visit our College Facilitator webpage and fill out the form.

You can review all of the details on our Youth Program Curriculum webpage.  

There are a number of terrific online resources we’ve gathered for you at our Resources webpage.

Same answer as immediately above! We’ve gathered some excellent resources for you on our Resources page.

We’re glad you asked! Please visit our Contact Us page and we’ll get right back to you.

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