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What We Learned Partnering with Urban Alliance Detroit<\/b><\/p>\n
When our team first came together for the first challenge in our fellowship, we approached our partner project with curiosity, humility, and excitement for lifting youth in our city. What we didn\u2019t know yet was how much pride and passion we would find woven into every conversation with Urban Alliance (UA) Detroit, within its staff and board members, and across the many community partners who help bring its mission to life.<\/span><\/p>\n Our design prompt was:<\/span><\/p>\n How might we engage and recognize UA Detroit\u2019s existing partners to increase local awareness about UA\u2019s impact?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n This question eventually became the lens through which we listened, learned, and created.<\/span><\/p>\n Insights That Moved Us<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n We began by interviewing board members, organizational partners, mentors, and volunteers. During the first few weeks of orientation, we heard about the power of stakeholder interviews. Still, there\u2019s something different about experiencing it firsthand.<\/span><\/p>\n One board member shared a line that became an anchor for our project:<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI would love to see how much of an impact we have on students.\u201d<\/b><\/em><\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t said casually. It carries a weight and an emotional investment in the youth who pass through UA\u2019s program and the staff who guide them.<\/span><\/p>\n Another stakeholder emphasized how meaningful even small gestures of recognition can be:<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cEven something as simple as a printed certificate\u2026 You feel acknowledged for your hours of service. You feel like your contribution matters.\u201d<\/b><\/em><\/p>\n Our team interviewing UA Detroit Advisory Board Member Janelle Thomas (far right).<\/p><\/div>\n As fellows, we were struck by how consistently these interviews revealed pride. The pride was not performative or positional. It was pride rooted in purpose. The board members were serving and deeply connected to the work. Staff were fulfilling roles, but they were also shaping opportunities. Board members, staff, and employer partners were proud of their role. They were talking about impact, and they were living it.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n Turning Insights Into Action<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n After the interview insights, our team moved into ideation and prototyping. Our “How might we” questions that led to the creation of our deliverables:<\/span><\/p>\n Why This Work Mattered to Us<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Each team member in our group carried something personal into this project: a desire to understand community more deeply, a commitment to youth, a belief in collective impact. Partnering with UA Detroit gave us a front-row seat to what it looks like when an organization\u2019s team truly believes in its mission.<\/span><\/p>\n Presentation Day!<\/p><\/div>\n Thank You to Our Partners<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n We extend our deepest gratitude to:<\/span><\/p>\n Sharing the final deliverables with our partner liaisons Victor Robinson and Jasmine Banks.<\/p><\/div>\n Why This Blog Matters<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n This blog captures: what we learned about partnership, how we designed with\u2014not for\u2014our community partner, and how empathy and collaboration can fuel meaningful change.<\/span><\/p>\n As Challenge Detroit Fellows stepping into our next roles as leaders, advocates, designers, or community members, this project serves as a reminder of how powerful it is to listen carefully and collaborate.<\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.challengedetroit.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_4579-2-scaled-e1766077161125-1024x364.jpeg\")
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