BLVD Harambee Project

2022-23: Church of the Messiah Detroit is a 149 year old Episcopal church on the east side of Detroit in a neighborhood called Islandview. The church is known for its many ministries including 200 units of affordable housing, internet services, its business incubation center for the community, and its literacy programs for young people to get into college. Church of the Messiah is also known for the fact that 60% of its congregation is African American males under the age of 30, and 70% of the overall congregation is under the age of 40. The church is also mixed race with people of all backgrounds in attendance. All of this is possible because of the spiritual commitment made by the church to make a difference in the world. BLVD Harambee builds leadership through enlightenment, education, empowerment, employment, and entrepreneurship. Through this grant, young leaders will work in broadcasting, leading monthly community stakeholders meetings, working with other young church leaders throughout Detroit, and continue to build leadership skills for seminary. They will be taught radio broadcasting on Christian radio and given daily 30-minute segments to broadcast “The Good News.”

2024: The Blvd Harambee Project is a one-year project from January 2024 to December 2024. As a continuation of the existing project, this opportunity will be expanded to include a weekly podcast and a documentary team to spread the good news. This new media team will showcase the work of the church and its work in the neighborhood and the city of Detroit and capture these stories on film and in interviews. In monthly community stakeholders meetings, training will be expanded to include more young people in the running and scheduling of the meetings and increase the presence of the church’s mission in the community.