For our first challenge of the 2024-2025 program year, we collaborated with Black Leaders Detroit (BLD), a nonprofit that provides no-interest loans and grants for Black-led businesses and organizations located in Detroit. Five teams of Fellows created recommendations and tangible work products to support the volunteer recruitment, volunteer engagement, in-person rider recruitment, “ride-your-own-way” recruitment and membership recruitment for the 2025 Ride for Equity, a five-week fundraising ride taking place late May to early July. The teams worked with the amazing BLD team – Dwan Dandridge, Sharea Ayers, Tiana London-Harris, Carrie Smith, Jarod Pratt and Larenz Studavent. Learn more about the project from the Fellow perspective! 

Volunteer Engagement Team selfie (L to R: Tatiana Hull, Claudia Flores Berumen, Reem Rizk, Ayla Hoermann)

Volunteer Engagement

A thriving family isn’t defined by blood, but by the commitment to nurture, support, and celebrate each other’s growth. That’s exactly what Black Leaders Detroit (BLD) embodies—a family that brings together people from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to work toward the common goal of equity. In this supportive atmosphere, volunteers feel valued and inspired to give their time and energy to the mission, which plays a key role in the success of initiatives like the Ride for Equity (R4E). As the Volunteer Engagement Team, we quickly learned that with the 2025 R4E expanding beyond Detroit, it was essential to extend BLD’s family-like atmosphere to volunteers across the country. 

Through conversations with stakeholders, we discovered that a clear, organized volunteer engagement process would help preserve the community BLD has built, while also making it easier for new volunteers to get involved and stay engaged. Our deliverables focused on creating strategies to organize volunteers, build community across regions, and show appreciation for their contributions, no matter where they were along the ride. Working with BLD has been an honor. Their vision, care, and commitment to their mission are inspiring, and we look forward to continuing our support as BLD’s community grows.

Get a glimpse of the project presentation where Fellows presented to our partners, their stakeholders, and host companies here.

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