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Coffee with a Purpose

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By way of taking action, “Coffee with a Purpose” was created; virtual conversations exploring a range of youth education and employment related topics with guest speakers who share our passion for Michigan’s young people. By giving youth this platform and encouraging them to use their voice for good, these productive conversations will enable us to listen, understand, and take appropriate actions to ensure an equal and great future for all of Michigan’s youth.

College Friends
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It’s essential to encourage youth to use their voice for good. It’s equally essential to have productive conversations where we listen, understand, and take appropriate actions to ensure an equal and great future for all of Michigan’s youth.

- From the Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates equality statement

Cup of Coffee

As Part 1 of this 3-Part Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and YOUth series around the state, Julie Earle, Bridge Academy of Southwest Michigan Student Success Manager for Kinexus Group, and Terri Albers, Population Health Specialist at Corewell Health (formerly Spectrum Health), co-moderated this discussion with a panel of Jobs for Michigan's Graduates (JMG) youth from the Bridge Academy.  

This 3-Part series focused on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI); how it affects our youth today and how it is shaping their hopes for the future. We would like to introduce the Bridge Academy's JMG panel who participated in this informative and collaborative discussion:

  • Za'Indya Street, 15:  She wants to be a nurse so she is able do what she loves: helping people! She is excited about starting a school peer-to-peer counseling program.

  • Ian Watson, 16:  He enjoys botany and the study of everything plants and nature. He loves the outdoors and enjoys music.

  • Jasmine Harris-Branscumb, 16:  She wants to be a gynecologist, specializing in helping women of color by creating the narrative that gynecology and women's health should be talked about openly.

  •  Owen Hamlett, 16:  He is passionate about history and one day wants to be a historian.  He is very interested in the lessons that can be learned from the past.

  • Zakari (Zack) Morris, 16:  He works hard to be the best version of himself and positively influence everyone around him to be their best selves.  He is also into fashion, videography, and photography.

  • Jaylen Banister, 18:  He has a dream to start his own homeless shelter and is passionate about helping those in the homeless community.  He also loves all animals, especially his dog Zeus!

  • Brooke Triplett, 16:  She plans to be an anesthesiologist one day and loves helping people.

Information on part two and three will be available soon!

Making Coffee

Recordings of Our Past Events

YOUth and the Future of Careers in Energy

October 20, 2022

Youth Discuss Mental Health and the Impact of Social Emotional Learning

May 12, 2022

Change Makers: Empowering YOUth through Civic Engagement

February 16, 2022

Unique Opportunities in Nontraditional Careers:

A Youth Discussion

October 6, 2021

Mental Health Awareness:

A Youth Perspective

May 27, 2021

The Pandemic's Effect on Youth Disengagement from Education and Employment

March 23, 2021

Youth Leadership Development and Civic Engagement

February 8, 2021

Striving for Racial Equity: Youth Call to Action

Part 3 of a 3-Part Webinar Series

November 10, 2020

Striving for Racial Equity: Youth Voice on Education and Employment

Part 2 of a 3-Part Webinar Series

September 30, 2020

Striving for Racial Equity: Youth Perspectives, Concerns, and Calls to Action

Part 1 of a 3-Part Webinar Series

August 13, 2020

COVID-19: The Pandemic's Impact on Michigan Youth

June 24, 2020

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