Make Opportunity Accessible For All!

The Problem

The Social Science Research Council’s “Measure of America” report finds that communities of color with high adult unemployment and poverty and low educational attainment--like Detroit--have more “disconnected youth” who are at risk for lifelong negative impacts on career achievement, earning potential, and even their physical and mental health.

Race compounds these negative impacts, with African American youth having the highest rates of disconnection, followed by Latinos. The Council found that Detroit’s young people had the third highest rate of disconnection in the nation--among Black students the rate was over 25%.

We see this 
disconnect from opportunities that allow them to achieve higher levels of socioeconomic status, financial comfort, and education.


Our Solution

We connect L!FE Leaders with the opportunities they seek, and the resources they need to thrive in their lives, careers, and within their community!

L!FE Leaders advances social, educational, and racial equity for Detroit’s young people of color by ensuring they have the paid work experience, skills, personal networks, adult mentorship, and belief in themselves that is necessary to succeed in post-secondary education and employment.

L!FE believes that opportunity should be an expectation of a student's education, not a privilege.

With no GPA or academic prerequisites required, our organization develops life-long learners and leaders who have the confidence and the audacity to achieve their post-secondary goals and beyond. Our program is open to students without regard for their prior academic record so that they are not penalized for their prior lack of access to equitable educational opportunities.

Our programs bring immersive, experiential workforce and leadership development experiences to Detroit youth experiencing socioeconomic and racial inequities. Employment and workforce development experiences are integrated and aligned so that students are not subjected to the pressure of balancing both after-school activities and a job, while also attending to academic and family responsibilities.

How we do it

L!FE achieves these goals by providing Detroit youth with workforce development training that develops their interpersonal and professional skills and allows them to identify their strengths, weaknesses, fields of study they are interested in, and careers they want to pursue. Each L!FE student creates a comprehensive post-secondary plan that includes their postsecondary goals, desired post-secondary credentials, career interests, and a proposed career track. As students develop their post-secondary plans, they are encouraged to connect with the over 200 organizations, professionals, and educational institutions within L!FE’s network of individuals interested in empowering Detroit youth. These connections serve as introductions to career and academic paths our students want to pursue and the individuals interested in supporting their goals.

Through L!FE’s immersive educational curriculum, students expand their post secondary opportunities utilizing Detroit as their classroom!