Brilliant Detroit’s goal is to make lasting change in neighborhoods in the city of Detroit by supporting families during the formative years of children’s lives. Many of our efforts focus on engaging children until age 8, yet as children age out of our programs, we strive to find ways of keeping them connected to our work. Many of these older children volunteer or serve as mentors for younger children and stay connected through larger events like open houses or community dinners. With this year marking the 10th anniversary of Brilliant Detroit, we are now seeing early Brilliant Detroit kids reach adulthood. One such individual is Brittney Howell, who grew up attending Brilliant Detroit’s Morningside Hub with her family.
Thinking back on her early years visiting the Morningside hub, Brittney remembers her relationship with then Hub Manager Rakisha Odom, her siblings doing martial arts, and seeing her community come together for fellowship and fun. As she got older, Brittney stayed involved with her local hub as a volunteer. Whether she was serving food or helping keep children engaged between and during programs, she was proud to be serving a community that brought her so much. As she puts it, “I am always for my community, by my community.” Brittney recently graduated high school and applied for the Community Engagement Coordinator role at the Morningside hub. It seemed like a perfect opportunity, being close to home and a way to deepen her connection to a neighborhood she knows and loves.
Her greatest motivation is to help the next generation succeed, contributing to a cycle of uplifting youth that she herself was a part of not so many years ago. Despite only serving in her new role for a little over a month, it is clear that she has found a place where she can make a difference and enjoy herself. When asked what gives her energy, she quickly responded, “the laughter of the kids, something so pure about it.” She enjoys connecting with children and helping them explore possible futures. Brittney is an artist and loves sharing her skills and helping kids figure out problems hether it be a math worksheet, how to draw their name in graffiti style, or working through how they can achieve their dreams. We are so grateful to have welcomed Brittney to our Community Engagement Team. She knows Brilliant Detroit inside and out and is proud of and committed to her home neighborhood of Morningside. She was taught that if she sees someone in need, she should do what she can to help them. With the support and resources of Brilliant Detroit, she is now better equipped to aid her community better than ever before. We encourage you to visit our Morningside Hub to meet Brittney and see her awesomeness yourself!