Ashton: Thanks for having me, Spiffy! The NCAA passed a blanket waiver on July 1, 2021 that allows amateur athletes the opportunity to monetize their name, image, and likeness. However, student athletes that spend 50+ hours a week between scholastics and sports aren't able to efficiently accelerate their monetization opportunities while participating at a high level in their prospective sports.
Raven: Glad to be with you, Spiffy! We believe in equitable literacy access for all! More than just encompassing the ability to read and write, literacy is essential for developing critical thinking skills, educational opportunities, and building sustainable communities. Since 2017, “The Zuri Reads Initiative,” (TZRI) has provided literacy access, events, and resources for children, students, and families across Metropolitan Detroit and beyond. Seeking to do our part in addressing the widening literacy gap(s) occurring across educative communities, our goal is to take literacy to the people!
Jasmin: Glad to be with you, Spiffy! Our goal is to tackle multiple challenges, leading with increasing access to arts and culture programming for Detroit youth and low-income residents. Like others, the arts and culture sector has deeply rooted racial equity gaps. Considering that Detroit’s population is majority African American and about 33% of the city’s population lives in poverty, it is crucial that we work to increase racial equity while decreasing financial barriers for Detroiters. Also, representation matters, and it’s important that people of color, especially youth, see themselves within all facets of art—on stages, in paintings, in stories, and leading museums.
