Have you heard of the Detroit Youth Empowerment Awards?
The YEA, as they’re sometimes called, were created by CLASS Agency in partnership with the city of Detroit’s Behavioral Health Department, 313 HOPE Detroit.
The Youth Empowerment Awards were designed not only celebrate the city’s young people, but to give the world an opportunity to see the talent, tenacity, creativity, resiliency, innovation and kindness that lives within Detroit’s youth.
Without further ado, we thought we’d introduce you to the 2022 winners:
Community Fellowship Award: Tenia Squires
Since she was a junior in high school, the 21-year-old Squires has facilitated movement-based sessions for ages 3 to 17 that provide trauma education and improve emotional development. A graduate from Cass Tech High School, she is currently excelling in her fourth year at the HBCU Central State University in Ohio. She is a business major with a focus in entrepreneurship and minor in Public Relations. She still leads movement in the community and works with the Just Speak program with the purpose of improving emotional health and sharing dance as a culture across platforms.
Sustainable Program Award: Dolores Perales
The 24-year-old Dolores grew up in Southwest Detroit. She recently graduated with dual masters in Environment & Sustainability and Urban Planning at University of Michigan Ann Arbor. She began volunteering at Cadillac Urban Gardens in Southwest Detroit at the age of 15 and continued to work for Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision for many years. Perales is passionate about everything related to food systems and the environment, whether it is coaching youth as food and farming, her coursework in Environmental Justice and Urban Planning at U-M or mentoring underrepresented undergraduates at U-M through the student org that she founded. In all these roles, she is a fierce advocate for advancing policies and narratives for self-determination in Detroit’s food system.
Perseverance Award: Kevin Clay II
At the age 6 Kevin was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Being an insulin dependent child growing up and constantly being bullied discouraged him from wanting to get involved in a lot of social activities. As a result of fierce bullying, health issues, profound personal losses and depression, Clay lost his will to live and nearly died as a result of his health issues. Clay was given a grim prognosis and was told he had a slim chance of making a full recovery. He found strength and turned his challenges into motivation. The 24-year-old Clay is now a Martial Arts instructor, a personal trainer, a holistic nutritional coach and an avid volunteer throughout many elements of his community.
Excellence in Education Award: Kenedi Cain
Cain has always placed the highest value on experience and education so when school (and life) was turned upside down for her and her four younger brothers, she acted. She created lesson plans, structure, and continuity to their school days throughout the entire time of virtual learning. The 18-year-old Cain has been tutoring and mentoring youth in her community since was 15 years old. She graduated from Cass Tech High School last year and is currently focused on building her creative portfolio in music, video and fashion design work. When not working or at home helping with her brothers you can find her at DBG helping kids with homework and math.
Community Impact Award: Khyiana Tate
It was discovered that Tate was deaf at the age of two. Tate never let the fact that she was deaf stop her from doing anything or dreaming big. A published author at the age of 17, she created a book called “Signing with Khy,” an instructional ABC book teaching American Sign Language (ASL) with her black and brown family and friends, some of whom are also deaf. The 18-year-old is involved in numerous activities and programs. Tate gave her commencement speech at her graduation ceremony from Detroit School of Arts this year. She is heading to Madonna University as a freshman and is planning the opening for her restaurant serving the deaf community.
Entrepreneurial Spirit Award: Ja’Nye Hampton
After working several jobs at a time — at one point she had five jobs all at the same time — Hampton opened Detroit Flower Company in 2021 and has never looked back. Her employees describe her as the hardest working person they know and a fierce businesswoman with a kind heart. The 23-year-old broke into the floral market with the unique idea of making every arrangement a one-of-a-kind experience. Their work has gotten the attention of some huge celebrities but what’s most important to Hampton is taking care of her family, friends, and community. If the team at Detroit Flower Company knows someone is having a bad day or needs to be lifted, they’ll send them flowers.
Know a young person in Detroit doing big things? Let Detroit YEA know.
The team behind Detroit YEA is always looking for incredible and courageous actions of young people in the city. If you know someone under the age of 25 between the ages of 13 and 24 that is making a big difference in Detroit, please drop the group note.
The Detroit Youth Empowerment Awards were created by CLASS Agency in 2020 to celebrate the incredible acts of kindness and powerful movements that young people in Detroit have accomplished in one of the city’s most challenging times.
Detroit YEA winners have overcome adversity and powered through the most challenging time in our country’s history while still giving back to the community: accomplishing the unthinkable, doing the un-doable and inspiring change.
CLASS Agency is a local nonprofit organization that provides prevention, intervention and support to young people and adults with substance-use disorder throughout Detroit. Learn more about CLASS Agency by clicking or tapping here.