Washtenaw United: Building community and a new Black History at Ypsilanti-based Mentor2Youth
WEMU has partnered with the United Way of Washtenaw County to explore the people, organizations, and institutions creating opportunity and equity in our area. And, as part of this ongoing series, you’ll also hear from the people benefiting and growing from the investments being made in the areas of our community where there are gaps in available services. It is a community voice. It is 'Washtenaw United.'
This is 89 one WEMU, and we continue our run of Black History Month editions of Washtenaw United. Throughout the month of February, we've been highlighting issues in people that not only don't understand Black history but are writing new chapters right here in our community. Today, we have another such guest. Darryl Johnson is executive director of Mentor2Youth. The Ypsilanti based organization is designed to bridge the opportunity gap in our community through youth empowerment, family involvement, and community collaboration. Its mission is to cultivate purpose through service and, as Minister Johnson is known to say in his I'm Third Ministries, "We're putting the neighbor back in the hood." Thank you for joining us today. It's good to have you back on WEMU.
UWWC STATEMENT:
UWWC is a long-time investor in the mission of Mentor2Youth. Most recently, we invested $18,000 through our Opportunity Fund to support the pilot launch of Raising Royalty, a "chess, not checkers" paradigm that teaches the foundations of choices and consequences through the game of chess to youth in Ypsilanti.
According to M2Y, the ability to view one’s entire life as a chessboard adds simplicity to a complex and multidimensional life that should be played with infinite horizons. How one deals with all of these pieces (or pillars) will define success in the game of life. We recognize that oftentimes our opponent is poverty, racism, or trauma.
All too often the programs offered in disenfranchised and historically marginalized communities are not programs of empowerment. But instead produces band-aids. Raising Royalty serves as the potential to constantly create new mentors for the youth that follow.
Previously in 2021, we invested $10,000 to support the purchase of a commercial van and vehicle insurance to enable M2Y to offer a wider scope of enrichment opportunities to the youth people with whom they work.
Since May of 2020, UWWC has invested more than $66,000 to advance the mission of M2Y in Washtenaw County.
