As the Development & Engagement Coordinator for Keep Growing Detroit, you can find Danielle Daguio behind the latest fundraising campaign, sharpening her skills in data management, beautifying outreach efforts, or helping out on harvest days at KGD Farm. She brings over a decade of experience producing multimedia for nonprofits in Detroit and NYC. She's also a proud member of the Garden Resource Program, a participant in the Sweet on Detroit Beekeeping Program and Club, and lead co-conspirator of the Detroit Black Farmer Land Fund. She maintains a humble garden and beehives on Detroit's Eastside alongside her husband and adorable pup. You could also find her around town playing in the neighborhood soccer league, or breaking pandesal with the Detroit Filipino Supper Club. Danielle graduated with her BA and MA in Public Communications from Fordham University.

Dr. Tunishai Anne Ford is an international transformational speaker, life coach, empowerment trainer, a former TV talk show host of "The Dr. Tunishai Ford Show" for two seasons (one season on MyTV20 and the second season on WADL-Detroit), educator and author of four books, "This is a Comma in Your Life, NOT a Period", "I Miss the Hugs, But NOT the Hurts", "The Spirit in You", and "Taking Control of Your Life from the Inside Out". She is also the founder and CEO of Your Own Uniqueness, Inc., a non-profit (501c3) which deals with self-improvement and overcoming barriers that hinder one from reaching their full potential and walking in their destiny. She has experience in the business arena in the area of empowerment and personal achievement workshops and seminars. She is also the Editor and Chief of an online magazine, Discovering You Magazine. Her expertise has allotted her the opportunity to do educational classes for Detroit public schools teaching employability skills and life skill classes, and motivational speeches for graduating students from vocational classes. Dr. Ford has also done workshops for the City of Detroit, and Monroe bank and Trust. Recently, she has started a new entrepreneur training program series called "STEP UP Youth" and "STEP UP Ladies". Dr. Ford has received numerous certificates and awards for her life work in the community and in business, such as the Testimony of Resolution Award from the City of Detroit, and Woman of the Year Award from the National Association of Professional Women (NAPW) - 2010/2011.

To learn more about Dr. Ford, please visit her website at www.drtford.com to find out about her workshops, seminars and other services. Also check out her past TV shows.

In March 2016, Pamela J. Moore became the President and CEO of the Detroit Public Schools Foundation (DPSF), a 501(c)(3) Michigan non-profit missioned to create and enhance educational opportunities for the young minds of Michigan's largest public-school district. The Foundation is a fundraising and grants administration agency serving Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) students, families and educators with priorities in Early Childhood Education and Literacy, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math), Career Pathways, and Experiences Beyond the Classroom. Notable administered programs include Connected Futures (provided 51,000 tablets and Internet to students and families), the W.K. Kellogg Foundation's Parent Engagement initiative (workforce training, self-sustaining resources, parent-teacher home visits, kindergarten bootcamp, and family basic needs assistance), the Detroit College Promise Scholarship, DPS/DPSCD Proud Alumni campaign, and Ford Motor Company's Resource and Engagement Center at Fisher Magnet Upper Academy which provides no-cost community-based services and programs to families. Under Ms. Moore's leadership, the Foundation is managing 79 open grants, totaling $18M in revenues.

Ms. Moore's prior roles include serving at the pleasure of Detroit's last three Mayors, most recently as founder and President and CEO of Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation, the administrative and fiscal agency responsible for Detroit's public workforce programs and services. Ms. Moore transformed the underperforming $100MM city workforce department into a high-performing, nationally recognized non-profit agency hailed by the Obama Administration.

Pamela has both a Bachelor's degree in Finance (Financial Markets and Investments) and an MBA from Wayne State University. Her areas of expertise include non-profit administration, public-private partnership and fund modeling, and organizational management. This native Detroiter and Detroit Public Schools alumna credits her success on God's blessings and incredible parents. In her leisure time, she serves her faith community, travels the world, mentors youth, owns and operates a real estate business, and is a dance instructor.

Theresa Randleman has always understood the importance of helping our youth reach their limitless potential. What began as a mother's innovative approach to providing enriching pass time alternatives for her children, soon transitioned into a desire to extend her support and encouragement to even more youth. That desire led Ms. Randleman to partner with the Lansing Housing Commission and administer grant funded programs promoting self-empowerment, education, career planning and mentorship to Lansing, Michigan youth. She also produced 'Daughters of Divine Purpose'; a conference series, for young ladies between the ages of 11 and 18, focused on increasing awareness in the areas of health and wellness, financial awareness, social etiquette, education and self-esteem.

To further her community outreach, Ms. Randleman founded the T. ROSE Foundation/W.I.N.G.S. (Women Inspiring and Nurturing Girls' Self-Esteem). The Foundation provides support to organizations with aspirations to build a strong, healthy, positive future for the youth. Through her Foundation, Ms. Randleman has established and supported a number of initiatives dedicated to the continual support of girls and young women early in their social developmental years to promote positive self-esteem and self-image.

Through her Foundation, Ms. Randleman has successfully sponsored the Annual Girlpreneur Expo; a forum which provides female entrepreneurs ages 18 and under the opportunity to showcase their craft and attend workshops teaching the foundation of entrepreneurship and business plan development. She lends her philanthropic support to the I A.M. H.E.R. (Influencing, Achievement, and Maximizing, Hope, Excellence, and Resilience) for the young ladies of the Abeadeze Kyeakor Village in Ghana, Africa. And, she has helped to increase awareness of the educational, judicial and societal disparities faced by African-American girls through her support, panel discussions and promotional viewings of PushOut: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools.

Ms. Randleman continues to volunteer as a planner, programmer and regional director for numerous local, national and international youth oriented nonprofit organizations. She is the current President of Zeta Amicae of Detroit; an auxiliary of the Beta Omicron Zeta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. As such, Ms. Randleman upholds the principles of sisterhood, scholarship, service and finer womanhood. She is committed to her passion of empowering youth and assisting in the development of their sense of self-mastery as they build meaningful relationships with their gifts and talents, embrace their natural beauty and step into their journey as future leaders and courageous change makers.

Lisa McDowell is the team dietitian for the Detroit Red Wings and also works with Olympic, collegiate and other professional athletes. She has a passion for fresh, nutritious, micronutrient dense food, and enjoys sharing her knowledge with professional athletes to improve performance. Lisa applies the science behind sports nutrition and translates rigorous scientific research into optimizing meal planning and hydration for the sports teams and athletes she works with.

In addition to her work in sports nutrition and human performance, Lisa maintains her clinical expertise at St. Joseph Mercy Health System in Ann Arbor, Michigan where she is the Director of Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine. She is committed to healthy food access and education for all. In April 2010, she helped start a 25-acre organic farm on the hospital campus to improve the food served to patients, employees and community members. Lisa was recognized as a Health Care Hero by Crain's Detroit Business for her efforts in fighting obesity and improving access to produce especially in areas with limited access to fresh food. Lisa also was recognized as the Michigan Dietitian of the Year. Lisa is currently working with St. Joseph Mercy Health System's partnership with the Detroit Red Wings and 313 Presents to help brand healthy food choices at both stadium and concert venues to allow fans to make informed food choices that align with their health goals. Lisa is board-certified in Lifestyle Medicine. Research shows 80% of all disease is lifestyle related. Her passion is applying best practices from the sports world and Lifestyle Medicine to reduce heart disease, cancer, and diabetes in our community.

Manon Rhéaume, the first and only female to play in one of the four major North American sports league, an NHL game with the Tampa Bay lightning, in 1992. She also was the first female to sign a contract to play professional hockey and had a six year professional career in the minor leagues.

As a member of Team Canada, Manon helped lead her team to win two gold medals at the World Championship and a Silver Medal at the Olympic in the 1998 Nagano Games - the first year women's hockey was an official sport in the Olympics.

She currently works as Girls Program Coordinator for the Little Caesars AAA Hockey Club, where she continues to be an ambassador for growing the game and inspiring female athletes.

Courtney Smith, recently recognized by the Biden - Harris Administration for being a drum major for service, has been dubbed a "modern-day history maker" by Essence Magazine. She is an award-winning, social entrepreneur with over a decade of experience as a social impact leader. She is the founder & CEO of the Detroit Phoenix Center, a high-impact nonprofit organization that provides critical resources, support, and a safe, nurturing environment for street connected children & youth. Throughout her career in the nonprofit sector, she has served in numerous capacities, with a special emphasis on youth development. She is a sought after speaker who has traveled overseas to advocate for children's and women's rights. Courtney is a member of the Women's Advisory Committee for Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence of Michigan's 14th Congressional District. She is a board member for Hero Nation, and was recently appointed to the Belle Isle Conservancy Community Engagement Committee and the THAW Power Forward Council.

Courtney graduated with a bachelor's degree from the honors college at Eastern Michigan University (2014). She has since earned a graduate certificate in nonprofit management from Harvard University. Outside of being a dynamic civil servant, Courtney enjoys spending time with family, traveling, and live theatre.

Pamela Good is cofounder and CEO of Beyond Basics, a literacy nonprofit serving students in Metropolitan Detroit.

Twenty years ago Good took the Joy Road highway exit to a struggling inner-city school in Detroit, delivering coats to kids who needed them. That first coat drive turned into a revelation that the children needed much more than coats. This led to her to cofound Beyond Basics to provide academic enrichment activities, soon discovering that many of the children could not read. Beyond Basics then developed intensive one-on-one reading tutoring and literacy enrichment programs for K-12 students in Detroit. Their reading tutoring program achieves academic grade level movement in an average of six weeks. Beyond Basics' proven methods unlock the miracle and power of reading and open a whole new world and future to those who need it most. Beyond Basics achieves grade level movement in average of six weeks.

Beyond Basics has touched the lives of 90,000 children, published 75,000 student books, and delivered nearly 40,000 coats. Currently, Beyond Basics serves students attending 23 different school locations in Detroit, Taylor and Pontiac with the goal to bring the students they serve to grade level, proficient literacy.

Immediately after the school closures in March 2020, due to COVID, the Beyond Basics team pivoted to a virtual platform, pairing each student with a tutor to work online. The initial outcome results have been on par with what Beyond Basics has come to expect with its in person model.

Amy Good, CEO, Alternatives For Girls (AFG). M.S.W., and B.A.: Psychology, University of Michigan. Ms. Good has served as Alternatives For Girls' CEO since 1988. She has over 38 years of experience managing and directing human services programs serving Detroit children and families. Under her leadership, AFG has grown from a volunteer-led project to a full-service agency serving homeless and high-risk girls and young women, along with their families, through street outreach, emergency shelter, transition to independent living, and prevention services. Ms. Good served as a gubernatorial appointee on the Michigan Committee on Juvenile Justice (2004 through 2017), and serves on the Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit board. She is a member of the Michigan Chapter of the International Women's Forum. Her awards include Oprah Winfrey's "Use Your Life" award (accompanied by $100,000 for AFG's capital campaign), the United Way Community Services "Executive Director of the Year" award, Leadership Detroit's "Leadership Challenge" award, and the National Council of Jewish Women Josephine S. Weiner Award for Community Service. She was awarded the University of Michigan School of Social Work Distinguished Alumni award in 2014. Alternatives For Girls was awarded Crain's "Best Managed Non-Profit" award in 2017. She is a lifelong runner, and, inspired by her son, she is a dedicated unicyclist. Ms. Good and her husband, David Finkel, raised their two children-now accomplished and contributing young adults-and continue to live, in their Detroit home.

Detroit Ice Dreams was established in 2014, by its founder Jason McCrimmon a former inner city youth hockey player who got his start playing hockey in the city of Detroit at Jack Adams Memorial Arena. He then went on to play professionally in the states and overseas. He was the first African American to be named captain to a Finnish hockey team. Once he retired, he wanted to give other youth the opportunity to enjoy the great sport of hockey and the benefits of being exposed to something that wasn't traditional or represented within his neighborhood; thus, this is where the dream of Detroit Ice Dreams began.

McCrimmon is the founder of Detroit Ice Dreams and is the first African American majority owner of a Junior Hockey Program (Motor City Hockey Club), which is dedicated to developing young players to play at the collegiate and professional level. He has recently been named the official Detroit Red Wings Youth Ambassador, which oversees youth community involvement in hockey.

Detroit Ice Dreams is dedicated to promoting and subsidizing ice related sports mainly hockey a non-traditional sport within its community. Ice Dreams provides a high-quality program that provides recreational, social and mentoring support, encourages academic excellence, and the promotion of community involvement.

Detroit Ice Dreams encourages more than just hockey we stress accomplishing great things on and off the ice. Ice Dreams supports the need to establish positive values, goals, invaluable life skills and positive involvement in the community as leaders and productive members of society. Our youth participate in several events that support the community such as volunteering at Gleaners food bank, feeding and distributing blessing bags to the homeless, our annual Turkey and Back to School Backpack Giveaway, Adopt a Child/Family for Christmas, and we are proud to add our college scholarship program which helps students get off to good start on their college tuition and supplies.

Detroit Ice Dreams is a proud member of the NHL Diversity group "Hockey Is for Everyone" and has been featured on NBC Hockey Day in America.

Robert Jamerson spent more than 20 years working in corporate business, for 18 years, Robert worked at Pfizer, serving as District Manager and Emerging Market Leader. His two worlds of athletics and business collided when he joined the non-profit sector and became CEO of the Detroit PAL (Police Athletic League) right in his own hometown.

PAL serves more than 15,000 youth in Michigan's largest city, Detroit with enriching activities in 11 different sports as well as skill-building programs in robotics, financial literacy and other areas. Robert believes that Detroit PAL is more than just sports which is why the organization strives to be the best at addressing socio-economic education as well as health and wellness challenges of the community through creative collaboration. The only way we can combat the systemic challenges in the community is by coming together.

Through his athletic, academic and business success, Robert has developed an appreciation for the power of personal networking. He has established a relationship with Quicken Loans that has allowed PAL to emerge into a period of growth. Robert was recently invited to join the Northwood University Board of Trustees and is excited to help lead his alma mater into the future. He has also worked with Northwood's Black Student Union as an alumni support leader, and credits Northwood with giving him the skills to study the mindset of leaders to think beyond the obvious, and to act as an entrepreneur within an organization. This success and dedication to his alma mater, led Robert to recently being selected as a new member of the Northwood University Board of Trustees, being a board member for the Balm in Gilead board and Detroit Sports Commision Board. Robert plan is to continue his career with Detroit PAL in "Helping Youth Find Their Greatness."

Robert and his wife, Renee, live in Farmington Hills with their son Robbie. Each year, they host a large jazz concert at their home, carrying on a family legacy of musical appreciation and creativity.

Serving the Detroit community for more than 20 years, Jacqueline Moore founded SDM2 Project Education - a 501c3 community-based nonprofit organization, committed to the growth and development of middle and high school students. The mission: "To promote, support, and build our community through building the confidence and literacy of our youth."

Jacqueline's initial spark for this mission began within her own home when her and her husband, Willie Moore, noticed that her daughter was a struggling reader during early elementary school. In response, Jacqueline's husband decided to not only buy books for their daughter to read together at home, but to books for their daughter's entire class. Inspired by her husband's initiative, they went on to create SDM2 Project Education. Today, Jacqueline provides backpacks, school supplies, and academic advice to over 300 students during her organization's Annual Back to School Bash.

Leveraging her master's degree in Organizational Management, Jacqueline began to establish empowerment programs designed for youth and their families, emphasizing self-sufficiency, self-confidence, and self-efficacy. Jacqueline believes that youth are valued assets to the community and worth every investment, and it is this belief that led her to create the Literacy and Homework Support Program, the I AM You Male Mentorship Program, and Project Young & Healthy, with each program aiming to instill tools for academic success, connecting youth with influential leaders, and facilitating conversations around physical and mental well-being.

Jacqueline also believes that empowered youth thrive within empowered communities, and it is this that drives Jacqueline's many community outreach initiatives. In 2018, Jacqueline debuted Lenore's Green (1/2) Acre, which transformed an empty community lot into a vibrant garden producing fresh fruit and vegetables for the community. The positive impact of the community garden inspired Jacqueline to expand her efforts and provide weekly produce to neighboring communities, leading to what is now known as the SDM2 Food Fair. Today, Jacqueline services over 100 households through her partnership with Food Rescue US - Detroit and delivers free and healthy food options from local grocery stores such as Wholefoods, Starbucks, and Plum Market.

One of Jacqueline's famous sayings is "If you are breathing, you should be growing." These are words that Jacqueline lives by and is evident from the work she has accomplished with SDM2 Project Education. In the spirit of this, Jacqueline hopes to continue to grow SDM2 Project Education's outreach and open a neighborhood walking trail during the summer of 2022. Through the rehabilitation of community homes and outdoor spaces expanding across 6-300ft lots, Jacqueline will provide an outlet for recreation and exercise so that her community can share in her vision and continue to grow.

Horatio is a lifelong Detroiter and is proud to continue to serve the community in which we grew up. Horatio graduated from Osborn High and went on to attend Tuskegee University where he majored in accounting. While in college, Horatio was struck by a drunk driver and due to his injuries, he was in a coma for five days. Through perseverance and the will to live, Horatio recovered and knew that God helped him survive to give back to his community and the underserved.

In 2005, Horatio founded the Horatio Williams Foundation with the goal of being a life-long vehicle for children to become leaders. Horatio never wanted a child to feel unimportant or that they were being left behind. Today, the Foundation serves more than 2,000 youth annually through its educational, athletic and enrichment programing and community outreach.

Coach Khali Sweeney is the founder and CEO of the Downtown Boxing Gym (DBG Detroit), a nonprofit organization he started in 2007 to empower Detroit students and set them on a path to success. The gym trains kids for life, providing tutoring, mentorship, enrichment programs, college and career readiness, meals, transportation and more, Monday-Friday, all year round. Currently, 150+ boys and girls, ages 8-18, from 30 different zip codes and 57 schools across Detroit and nearby suburbs, attend the free, academic and athletic program, but there's also a large waiting list of 1,300+ students to get in.

During COVID-19 with resources and opportunities extremely limited for Detroit students, DBG expanded from an after-school program to a full-day program to provide computers and internet access and give the children a safe place to attend online classes throughout the day. This also helps DBG's working parents, many of whom are essential, front-line workers. The gym is now open for in person programming from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays. Throughout the pandemic, DBG staff members have also delivered emergency food and supplies to families and other nonprofits using DBG's vans. The DBG team is working around the clock to battle learning loss while also addressing food insecurity, the digital divide, and the emotional wellbeing of its students.

Khali founded the Downtown Boxing Gym to provide a launching pad for students to achieve their dreams. The gym is proud to have a 100% high school graduation rate since its inception. Among his many honors, Khali was a CNN Hero Top 10 finalist, named 'Mentor of the Year' by Michigan's governor and received the Arthur L. Johnson Community Leadership Award from Wayne State University. His inspiring story has been featured on The Today Show, Good Morning America, Rachael Ray and many other local and national media outlets. Learn more at: dbgdetroit.org.

Kenyatta Stephens serves as Chief Executive Officer of Black Family Development, Inc. (BFDI). She has been honored to work at Black Family Development, Inc. since July of 1997. Consumer and stakeholder satisfaction are a main priority for her as families, and the community, entrust BFDI to partner with them toward achieving their goals for hope and healing. What Kenyatta enjoys most about her position is seeing youth, family, and neighborhood transformation as they achieve set goals. As a woman of faith, she believes nothing is impossible.

As an organization, Black Family Development Incorporated's mission is to build partnerships that strengthen and enhance youth, families and communities. Their services touch families in Detroit, throughout Wayne County, including the Grosse Pointes, and Washtenaw County. The primary focus of all 20 + agency programs is to integrate science-based practice and compassion to tackle environmental, social, and behavioral health barriers that try to stand in the way of youth education and youth wellness. Kenyatta, and the hard-working experts that serve at BFDI, firmly believe that by partnering with youth and families, Detroit has no limit to the greatness it will achieve.

Shawn Wilson has served as the President and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan since November of 2018, becoming the first African-American to lead the 95-year-old organization. A visionary leader, Wilson has led efforts to "reimagine", the BGCSM mission by empowering more than 15,000 youth annually to become career, start up and homeowner ready by 18. Prior to joining the Boys & Girls Clubs, Wilson spent nearly five years leading a number of high-profile social impact projects with the Ford Motor Company Fund. This included heading the Ford Resources and Engagement Centers - a $15M place-based strategy serving 30,000 youth, families and neighborhood entrepreneurs annually. Additionally, Wilson served as community lead for Ford Motor Company's $740M Corktown Campus transformation project. Wilson currently serves on the Detroit Public Schools Foundation Board of Directors which supports 50,000 students annually and in 2020 was Elected to the Plymouth Canton Community School Board which serves 16,000 students annually.

Portia Roberson is the Chief Executive Officer of Focus: HOPE, a Detroit-based, non-profit organization whose goal is to overcome racism and poverty by providing education and training for underrepresented minorities and other members of the community.

She joined the Focus: HOPE team as Chief Executive Officer in 2018, bringing strategic and inclusive leadership with a focus on moving the organization forward.

Prior to her work with Focus: HOPE, Portia acted as Group Executive of the City of Detroit's Civil Rights, Inclusion and Opportunity Department, working to ensure that all major economic development projects adhered to hiring Detroit-headquartered or Detroit-based businesses, thus allowing Detroit workers opportunities for employment. During her tenure with the City of Detroit, Portia led the charge on how Michigan and Detroit-based businesses can work together to enhance local employment. Previously, she served as Corporation Counsel, Law Department at the White House Domestic Policy Council for Strong Cities, Strong Communities, as well as Director, Office of Intergovernmental and Public Liaison under Attorney General Eric Holder.

Portia is a graduate of Cass Technical High School. She majored in English at the University of Michigan, and holds a Juris Doctorate from Wayne State University Law School.

She has extensive volunteer experience throughout Metro Detroit, serving as a Board Member for Michigan Political History Society, Habitat for Humanity, ACLU, and Delta Manor. She is a member of the State Bar of Michigan and the Wolverine Bar Association.

Born on February 14, 1957 in Ocala, Florida, Valmore James donned his first pair of skates at the age of 12 at New York's Long Island Arena. Thanks to his father's role as the arena's operations manager, James soon learned to skate, immersed himself in the professional hockey being played there, and joined an organized youth hockey league.

Less than a decade later, the Detroit Red Wings drafted James during the 16th round, 184th overall, of the 1977 NHL Amateur Draft. The second-to-last pick that year, James later wrote "Better late than never." James joined Red Wings training camp that summer but was soon cut. After a few seasons in the Eastern Hockey League and American Hockey League, James signed with the Buffalo Sabres for the 1981-82 season. On November 1, 1981, James skated in his first NHL game, becoming the league's first American-born Black player.

"I would say that it showed many people that you didn't have to worry about who or what you were, that you could actually go out and pursue a sport…Our race really didn't have a foothold in the game when I was playing…at least now we have more individuals getting those chances to play."

- Val James

Brian Johnson was born April 1, 1960 in Montreal, Quebec. Johnson spent four seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League as a right winger. He was considered a prototypical enforcer with a reputation for consistent goals as well as penalties, frequently challenging opposing teams. After earning six goals and 250 penalty minutes in 67 games for the Adirondack Red Wings in 1982-83, Johnson was selected to the QMJHL Second All-Star Team. He soon signed with the Detroit Red Wings for the 1983-84 season, debuting alongside Steve Yzerman.

At 23 years old, Johnson was the first Black player to represent the Red Wings and the eighth in the NHL. In total, Johnson played three games for Detroit. Without tallying any points and accumulating five penalty minutes, Johnson was returned to Detroit's minor league Adirondack Red Wings prior to the 1984-85 season. He would play briefly for the IHL's Indianapolis Checkers and ACHL's Carolina Thunderbirds before retiring in 1986.

"As long as they call me names, it means I'm doing something right…It's 1983. Racial problems are going to be around in the year 2000. I try to better myself. If a person uses racial slurs, he's a small person. He has no class. I try to overcome that. If it's a player, I don't get mad, I get even. Even if it takes me all year."

- Brian Johnson

Born on February 15, 1958, Anthony Syiid McKegney was considered the first Black star of the NHL. Raised in Sarnia, Ontario, he showed powerful strategy ad talent on the ice. In the mid-70s, McKegney signed a contact with the World Hockey Association's Birmingham Bulls, which was illegally reneged due to racist temperaments. Despite this setback, McKegney was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in 1978, officially becoming the 4th Black player in NHL history.

Acquired by the Detroit Red Wings from the St. Louis Blues in 1989, McKegney played 14 games as a left wing before being traded to the Quebec Nordiques. McKegney played 912 career NHL games with seven teams, tallying 320 goals, 319 assists, and 639 points. McKegney became the first Black player to score 40 goals in a season, 20 or more goals in eight seasons, and held the record for the most goals scored by a Black player in NHL history for 16 years. Hall of Famers Jarome Iginla said, "Tony McKegney showed me it was possible for someone like me to play in the NHL…He set the example. He was a role model."

"I never thought so much about my being Black until I played professional hockey. Someday I will be known as a hockey player."

- Tony McKegney

Born on December 31, 1981 in Scarborough, Ontario, Nate Robinson has played for various minor and professional leagues in the United States and Europe since the early 2000s. He experienced his personal best at the start of his career as a junior hockey player for the Belleville Bulls in Ontario, winning the scoring title in the 2001-02 season.

Though passed over in the NHL Entry Draft, Robinson was signed as a free agent and debuted for the Detroit Red Wings in 2003, making him the third Black player to represent the team. He played five games for the Red Wings at left wing before returning to the minor leagues. Later, he would sign with the Boston Bruins, playing two games in the 2005-06 season. Robinson played seven games total in the NHL before relocating to Europe where he went on to play for leagues in Germany, Finland, Austria, United Kingdom, Czech Republic, Belarus, and Slovakia.

Born on October 9, 1983 in Toronto, Ontario, Trevor Daley has always had a passion for hockey. Known for his consistency, Daley was drafted 43rd overall by the Dallas Stars in 2002 at age 18. He played 11 consecutive seasons with Dallas before being traded to the Chicago Blackhawks for the 2015-16 season.

Traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins after 29 games, Daley became an integral member of the team, achieving consecutive Stanley Cup wins in 2016 and 2017. In its 114 years of history, Daley is one of only nine Black players to have his name engraved on the Stanley Cup. Signed as a free agent in July 2017, Daley played three seasons with the Detroit Red Wings, celebrating his 1,000th NHL game on December 23, 2018 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Retiring as a player in 2020, Daley joined the front office staff of the Pittsburgh Penguins as a hockey operations adviser.

"The way I look at it, I have young kids who have no idea what the difference is. And I'm like, 'Why does it matter if they're black or white or orange or purple?'"

- Trevor Daley

Born on April 22, 1995 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Madison Bowey joined the Western Hockey League at the age of 15. During the 2012-13 season, he won gold medals with Team Canada at both the 2012 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament and the 2013 IIHF World U18 Championship, leading to Bowey being identified as a top draft prospect.

Drafted in the second round, 53rd overall, of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft by the Washington Capitals, Bowey made his NHL debut on October 14, 2017 against the Philadelphia Flyers. He played 51 regular season games in 2017-18, leading up to the playoffs that would culminate in a Capitals Stanley Cup championship, making Bowey the ninth Black player to have his name engraved on the Stanley Cup. Traded to the Detroit Red Wings on February 22, 2019, Bowey played two seasons with the team.

"Growing up you don't see too many Black players playing. There's starting to be a little more now. I think Jarome Iginla's obviously one of the role models and leaders for that group…He was kinda my hero growing up."

- Madison Bowey

Born on February 27, 1998 in Toronto, Ontario, Givani Smith established himself as an NHL regular in 2021-22 after splitting the previous two seasons between the Red Wings and Grand Rapids Griffins. At 6-foot-2, Smith is a power forward on the ice, able to produce offense while frequently leading the team in hits. He made his NHL debut on Oct. 25, 2019 and scored his first NHL goal on Jan. 14, 2020. Originally a second-round pick of the Red Wings in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, Smith spent four seasons in the Ontario Hockey League where he produced near a point-per-game pace in his final season of junior prior to turning professional in 2018-19. Givani and Gemel Smith are the first set of siblings to play on the Red Wings at the same time since Frank and Pete Mahovlich in 1968-69.

"You don't have to be a certain skin color or certain person to play the game of hockey. It's a game, and if you love it, it'll love you back."

- Givani Smith

Gemel Smith was acquired by the Red Wings on Jan. 19, 2022, after he was claimed off waivers by the team from the Tampa Bay Lightning. The move represented a new opportunity for Smith, who had been sidelined for the first half of the 2021-22 season while recovering from an abdominal injury suffered during training camp. It also gave him the chance to play with his younger brother, Givani, who made the Red Wings out of training camp for the first time in 2021-22. The elder Smith played 88 NHL games over five seasons between the Dallas Stars, Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning prior to joining the Red Wings. He was a member of the Lightning for their back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2020 and 2021, though he did not play in the postseason.

Anthony Benavides is a founding member of the Clark Park Coalition which was established in 1991 to re-open the Clark Park Recreation Center and Ice Rink to provide recreational programming for community youth in southwest Detroit. He has served as the Center Director since 1994. In the summer of 2021, the Clark Park Coalition served nearly 200 community youth through baseball and softball.

Mr. Benavides holds a bachelor's degree in physical education from Wayne State University and has received various awards including being a finalist in 2019 for the NHL Willie O'Ree Community Hero Award as well as receiving awards from Major League Baseball, the Detroit Pistons, and the NFL. Mr. Benavides was born and raised in Detroit and currently resides three blocks from Clark Park with his wife. He is the proud father of a daughter and twin sons who grew up playing baseball, softball, and hockey at Clark Park.

Naomi Howrani is a graduate of Divine Child High School and the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. After college, she spent 3 years working in Washington, DC in the consulting industry and later spent a year abroad teaching in Thailand.

Upon her return to Detroit, Mrs. Howrani enrolled in the ELMAC program at the University of Michigan to receive an MA and teaching certificate. "I think that you should leave the world better than you found it and I knew that the way I could make the most impact on peoples' lives was through education." Prior to joining Detroit Cristo Rey High School in July 2014, Mrs. Howrani taught 3rd grade at UPA Mark Murray Elementary

Mary Carmen Muñoz has proudly been an active part of the Hispanic community in Detroit her entire life and has witnessed the boundless positive impact Latinos have had here and throughout Michigan. Faith, family, and community service were at the core of her life growing up in the Muñoz family.

Today Mary Carmen is Executive Director of Latin Americans for Social & Economic Development (LA SED), the oldest Hispanic non-profit advocacy agency in Southeastern Michigan. Through the many programs offered at LA SED she leads a dedicated, hardworking team that strives to improve the lives of our diverse communities by offering programs and services that help achieve the American Dream for themselves and their families.

Angela G. Reyes, MPH, is the founder and Executive Director of the Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation. Ms. Reyes was born in Southwest Detroit, where she continues to reside, and is the mother of 4, grandmother of 8, and great-grandmother of 6 children.

She has been committed to working in and serving the Latino community for over 40 years, and founded DHDC in 1997 from her living room, "because I was tired of burying children". She has developed and managed several successful programs for youth, young adults and families.

Jan Little has over 35 years' experience working in the social service sector. She has led teams, departments and organizations through growth and change. In 2011, Jan was hired as the CEO of Michigan Ability Partners. Her depth of experience in housing development and supports, and employment service programs has greatly benefited Michigan Ability Partners. With passion and drive, Jan's belief that each individual has the ability to improve their own life with the right tools and empowerment, is evident in every interaction with participants. Her conviction is that every decision should be made with the best interests of the people we serve at heart.

Michigan Ability Partners, a private non-profit organization, founded in 1985 serves over 1,300 individuals annually. Veterans and other individuals with disabilities benefit from housing supports, job placement and financial services; often transforming their lives from homeless and jobless to housed and employed. MAP developed, owns and operates 44 units of affordable housing in Washtenaw County.

Mike Palmer is the founder of the Motor City Veterans Hockey Association and a dedicated member of the USA Hockey Warrior community for nearly seven years.

In 2017, Mike spearheaded the establishment of the Motor City Veterans Hockey Association, making a primary mission of the organization to introduce the sport of hockey to Veterans. His philosophy of "development first" has led to the introduction of a team within the program whose primary goal is to give new players more ice time and better opportunities to play in a structured environment and multi-tiered skill levels of development to meet the needs of various abilities of players.

Since 2018, Mike has served as a Captain of the Motor City Veterans travel team, which has competed in seven national tournaments with two championships and two additional finals appearances. More importantly however, his efforts with the MCVHA has resulted in more than 75 Veterans and family members participating in over 225 games and 25 special events in less than five years' of competition.

In 2018, Mike also teamed up with a local charity, New Day Foundation for Families, and established the Rochester Guns & Hoses charity hockey game that competes annually between his fire department and the local police department. In this annual event, they have raised more than $30,000 for New Day, helping provide support for eight families enduring financial hardship following a cancer diagnosis. Mike serves as a Board Member and coach for the Troy Youth Hockey Association. As a level 4 coach, he leads the 2011 Troy Sting Tier II team and actively works to grow and develop young successful hockey players.

Recently, Mike was appointed to serve as Michigan Amateur Hockey's Director of Disabled Hockey. As part of his role, Mike will focus on building awareness of Disabled Hockey in Michigan to achieve growth in existing organizations as well as develop new teams. This will include community outreach efforts supporting growth initiatives for the Disabled disciplines. In addition, Mike represents Michigan to the USA Hockey Disabled Section.

As current President and Director of Operations of the Motor City Veterans Hockey Association, he provides oversight to all organizational activities, cultivates relationships with key stakeholders, and delivers external communications about the program mission and its activities. In 2020, Palmer was Recipient of the Yontz Valor Salute, recognized by the Hendrickson Foundation and Minnesota Warrior Hockey for contributions to disabled veteran hockey across the nation.

In 1994, Rabbi Levi Shemtov and his wife Bassie Shemtov became aware of an under-served population in the metro Detroit community. Although provided with access to specialty medical care and therapy, the special needs community had few options when it came to creating lasting and meaningful relationships with the community outside of their family.

The pair set out to change the mentality of everyday people by encouraging the community to open their lives to these individuals. This was accomplished through the founding of an organization that creates friendship and social inclusion for individuals with special needs- the Friendship Circle, now a global phenomenon.

In 1994, Friendship Circle launched a program that coordinated the visits of local teenagers to the homes of children with special needs for one hour every week. Along with creating a real, lasting friendship, it provided respite for the parents; education about disabilities and social leadership for the teens and interaction-based therapy for the individuals with special needs. Friendship Circle has developed a number of best-practice programs aimed at improving the lives of its demographic base. Dance, sports, camps, art, and other therapeutic and respite programs run daily onsite providing services to over 3,000 individuals and their families. Since 2015, Friendship Circle now serves adults with special needs in the community with its Soul Studio and Soul Cafe Training Program, providing personal fulfillment and career opportunities. Friendship Circle recently purchased West Bloomfield's own Dakota Bread Company, well-loved throughout the community for its famous challah. Friendship Circle has since opened a bakery training program for adults with special needs at Dakota Bread Company.

To say Steve Peck is a baseball fan is an understatement. As a father, Steve coached his son Ryan through his Little League career where he realized his passion for helping children. On a trip to Georgia, he discovered and toured the first field of its kind that provided an adaptive baseball program for children with special needs. In 2003, he brought the idea to Michigan where he built the second field in the nation, The Miracle League of Michigan, Michigan's first adaptive baseball field. Ten years later, he partnered with Easterseals Michigan to secure the long-term future the program. As the founder and director he now oversees two fields, the flagship Miracle Field in Southfield and a new field in Orion Township providing a Major League experience for over 400 families of children and adults with special needs.

Danielle Woods is a Detroit native and twenty year veteran with the Detroit Police Department. She is currently assigned to the Chief's Neighborhood Liaison unit where she coordinates and oversees the operations of the Citizen Radio Patrol and Volunteer Angels detail along with Citywide Events that contribute to the building and continued relationship of Detroit Police and community. Corporal Woods was appointed as the first LGBT Liaison Officer for the police department in 2013. She formulated the first LGBT Advisory Board Committee under the appointment of Chief James E. Craig and is a driving force in the LGBT community in her efforts of "Bridging the Gap" between law enforcement and the LGBT community. Corporal Woods has not limited her career to only patrol calls. She became a "Field Training Officer" while working at the 9th Precinct, offering her knowledge and experience to new officers as they join the ranks; conducted undercover operations at the Vice and Narcotic units; performed administrative duties, and never ceasing to obtain training to enhance her role as liaison. In 2014, Corporal Woods composed and submitted training in regard to LGBT Sensitivity, Awareness, and Competency which resulted in approval and certification by M.C.O.L.E.S. (Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards), where she trains new recruits, sworn and civilian personnel of the department, along with other law enforcement agencies throughout Michigan and beyond. She has a great rapport with the community as a whole and does very well in organizing community programs and projects. In 2020, Corporal Woods in partnership with a community activist created the LGBTQ Community Council which she is the Chairs. The Council is made up of both law enforcement and community stakeholders that have united to promote the well-being of LGBTQ+ community members by advising, petitioning, and advocating causes and cases of concern and to improve community relations, devise plans, develop solutions to past, present, and future issues of the LGBTQ community.

Corporal Woods is a recent graduate of Cleary University where she obtained her Bachelor's Degree in Business Management and has been happily married to her wife of 15 years.

Roz Gould Keith is the founder and Executive Director of Stand with Trans, a nonprofit that provides life-saving programs and resources to transgender/nonbinary youth and families. The goal is to erase the stigma surrounding trans identities. Roz's own journey began when her youngest child came out as trans at age 13. Roz began blogging to share her experiences with others (Call Him Hunter), is the creator of Ally Parents and is a passionate, outspoken advocate for trans youth everywhere. She has presented about parenting trans children at numerous conferences nationwide, is the recipient of the Diversity Champion Honor Roll award and is a member of the Michigan LGBTQ+ coalition and participates in the Michigan Public Policy group for LGBTQ+ organizations.

Roz lives in Farmington, MI with her husband, son and amazing dog, Primrose. She is a novice gardener (every year is a new beginning) and follows a plant based diet for healthy living.

Kevin Terrell Heard was born in Detroit, Michigan to hard-working parents who have instilled in him to keep his head held high and his eye on the prize. Heard is a 2010 graduate of Clark Atlanta University (CAU), where he majored in Mass Media Arts with a concentration in Public Relations. In 2018, Heard received his MBA from Walsh College in Troy, MI. Currently, Heard works for Gannett | USA Today Network as the Diversity & Engagement Program Manager where he oversees Gannett's Inclusion, Diversity and Equity initiatives as it pertains to their Employee Resource Groups and social campaigns.

In 2013, Heard founded the Detroit Regional LGBT Chamber of Commerce. The Detroit Regional LGBT Chamber of Commerce mission is to promote and empower our Metropolitan Detroit LGBT, allied business members, non-profit members, corporate partners, and their employees through leadership, advocacy and education. Leading through professional development. Advocating for Inclusive business practices. Educating small to large businesses on LGBT-Certification & business growth. As President, he secured a $10,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan, Hope Fund and a $2,500 from Wells Fargo Rainbow Supplier Program. That increased membership and engagement with over 50 companies. Currently, the chamber has grown to have 16 corporate partners and over 100 members.

In May 2017, Kevin was honored as Crain's Detroit Twenty in their 20's for his work with the Detroit Regional LGBT Chamber of Commerce and lead of Pride Forward USA Today Network's LGBTQ Employee Resource Group.

Most recently, Heard, planned the largest LGBT Business and Diversity conference in Michigan in May 2021: COLOURS Conference and Pride Awards, which featured President of the Human Rights Campaign, Alphonso David, and Michigan's Attorney General Dana Nessel.

Heard lives by the quote "You are greatest when everything before you is obsolete and everything after bares your mark." His strong work ethic and spirituality keep him moving because he says, "success is not standing still." These experiences prove that he is a hard worker and a loyal person that is full of humility, determination, and integrity.