The rain was no match for the D.O.N. Weekend Block Party Saturday, at the Ford Resource and Engagement Center on Maddelein Street on Detroit’s eastside.
The hallways were flooded with students, parents and community volunteers as they celebrated Detroit’s neighborhoods and achievements.
ALL DAY, RAIN OR SHINE, WE HAVE YOU COVERED! Bring your family, neighbors and that one friend you’ve been wanting to hang with but you’re parents now so it’s tough finding family friendly things because this is totally FREE and FAMILY FRIENDLY! #Detroit #DONWeekend #DetroitsOnNOW pic.twitter.com/eFffoWuXhS
— Sean Anderson Org (@seanandersonorg) June 23, 2018
Created by artist and philanthropist, Big Sean, Detroit On Now (D.O.N.) Weekend is a tribute to Detroiters, local business owners, teachers, churches and activists who support and keep the city thriving.
The Detroit rapper sat with Men of Courage Co-Founder Shawn H. Wilson for a live Barbershop Talk where he spoke on the importance of empowering young black men.
Photo: Urban Content Studios
Big Sean then headed over to the packed gymnasium at the adjoining Fisher Upper Magnet Academy where he and his mother, Myra Anderson addressed a hometown crowd to present Neighborhood Hero Awards to three deserving residents of the 48205 zip code.
Thought it was a game? @BigSean puts on for his city. #DONWEEKEND BLOCK PARTY https://t.co/DKonGwwJmO pic.twitter.com/dbfDahfwmF
— Men of Courage (@menofcourage__) June 23, 2018
The free all-day event included, interactive games centered around STEM research and coding, fitness classes, a Microsoft Xbox tournament, career advisers, a bike build and repair station, 3 on 3 basketball tournament, food trucks and raffle prizes.
Don’t let a little rain stop you. The hallways are flooded with kids, parents, volunteers, and friends as we celebrate the #205 at the #DONWEEKEND BLOCK PARTY pic.twitter.com/brnhMBl6Om
— @FRECCity (@FRECCity) June 23, 2018
When April Farris, dropped her son off for football camp, she was surprised at all of the activities. “There is so much to do. I didn’t even realize this was a family event,” said Farris, who lives in Detroit.
Photo: Urban Content Studios
“We need this for our city and our community. I will be waiting on the next one.”
While this is the first D.O.N. Weekend, organizers hope it won’t be the last. “Our prime focus is to give back to the city we grew up in and know,” said Zeno Jones, who is Big Sean’s day-to-day manager.
“It was important to have it at the Ford Resource Center because the 48205 zip code gets a bad rep in the media and we want to show all of the positive things that are happening in this neighborhood.”
The event concludes with a movie screening of Black Panther.
@CinetopiaMI is bringing #WAKANDA to the #FREC (Eastside) with a special BLOCK PARTY #DONWEEKEND presentation of #BlackPanther ??♀️??♂️#WakandaForever https://t.co/GlDY9Ri1uC @shhwilson pic.twitter.com/1hUwAlWadL
— @FRECCity (@FRECCity) June 15, 2018
In the future, Jones predicts D.O.N. Weekend will expand to Bele Isle and become bigger each year.
Kyla Heat
Kyla’s family and friends describe her as a walking Encyclopedia when it comes to everything pop culture, beauty, fitness and fashion. Kyla knew she wanted to be a writer when she began writing short stories and poems for her family. A true Michigander at heart, Kyla graduated from Wayne State University with a degree in journalism and attended Specs Howard School of Media Arts. Along the way, she has interviewed everyone from, Idris Elba, Kerry Washington, Jack Kevorkian, Robert Kennedy Jr., Joel Osteen, Russell Simmons and Wiz Khalifa. After a stint working at a psychic shop and producing shows for an all talk radio station on iHeartRadio, Kyla landed at The Detroit News, working as an editorial assistant and reporter. She worked at PBS Detroit, as a social media manager before joining the Urban Content Studios team. When she is not writing, Kyla likes to spend time with family, shop and compete in fitness bikini competitions.
