From the moment Samara entered the doors of Brilliant Detroit’s Brightmoor Hub she felt welcomed. That first visit fell on a special day, the community was creating a mosaic together which would hang in the hub. Samara’s kids and niece enjoyed adding tiles to the mosaic and exploring the hub while Samara connected with the staff and other parents. At that time, Rakisha Odom was the hub manager and quickly she became like a sister to Samara.
Samara and her family participated in a variety of programs including art therapy, Building Early Emotional Skills (BEES), and Arts and Scraps, just to name a few. Ms. Rakisha, as they called her, created an environment that was so welcoming and supportive that Samara’s family came as often as they could. Even on days where there wasn’t anything special going on, Samara would bring her children by to have a snack, read a book, take a nap on the comfy couch in the den, or just have a change of scenery. It was clear that the Brilliant Detroit staff truly cared about the neighborhood and its residents.
One day, while chatting with Rakisha, Samara revealed that her son had recently published a book. Rakisha was so excited to support him, that she purchased several copies to keep at the hub and give to participants. The support did not stop there, Rakisha recommended that Samara’s son Gabe read his story at the recently opened Fitzgerald hub, which was having a special event showcasing community authors. At that event, he met Cindy, the co-founder and CEO of Brilliant Detroit, who was so impressed with him that she recommended him for a news interview to share his story.
The manager role at the Brightmoor house turned over to Rachelle, but to Samara the atmosphere stayed the same. Seeing Samara’s dedication to the hub, Rachelle asked her to join the advisory team. Samara was quick to take initiative and came up with a Kwanzaa celebration with fellow advisory team member Mr. Lionel. They planned a special dinner where families made crafts and received Kwanzaa kits with candles and a special book, while she and Mr. Lionel shared about the principals and the traditions of Kwanzaa.
When the Community Engagement Manager role at the Brightmoor Hub became available, it was a natural fit for Samara. In February 2021, she joined the Brilliant Detroit team. She knew she had big shoes to fill, admiring the examples of Rakisha and Rachelle. She was eager to continue their excellence, building relationships with families, hearing what is needed, and acting as an advocate to deliver the programs and services the community wants. Now a veteran staff member, Samara sees her greatest success as being able to help connect people and strengthen communities. People in her neighborhood no longer feel isolated. Families are making plans with each other outside of Brilliant Detroit and dreaming of the next event they can make a reality with the hub’s support. Relationships made at Brilliant Detroit are just the beginning. As Samara puts it, “It’s not I’ll see you next time at Brilliant, it’s a let’s connect outside of the hub and really become a village thing.”
Samara is proud to give back to an organization that means so much to her and her family. When you give to Brilliant Detroit, you’re providing the tools, spaces, and connections that make stories like Samara’s possible — where one person’s gift keeps on giving to hundreds more. Check out our Giving Tuesday page and “give the gift of giving” today!