The Passion Project is a community service initiative to inspire and empower Detroit’s youth to become community leaders. The program is supported by The Black Initiative 313 and She So Detroit LLC.

The project engages youth in monthly discussions and community service initiatives to create meaningful neighbourhood change.

The ultimate goal is to develop a mobile thrift store that will serve as both a resource and a symbol of a broader vision to empower communities, foster mutual support, and inspire youth to dream big and take action.

The Passion Project combines in-person and virtual meetings to provide flexibility and encourage broader participation. Its core components include community conversations focused on identifying local challenges and brainstorming actionable solutions, youth-led implementation where young people take the lead in organizing and executing four community service projects with guidance from Shamere and the Michigan Warriors, and strategic partnerships that ensure resources and support are available to maximize impact. Discussions have begun with organizations such as R3BRAND 13, The Steen Foundation, Michigan Warriors, and Calvary Zion Church.

The Passion Project will primarily focus on the Warrendale community, which has been identified as the primary focus for initial efforts. This is where support for youth, community engagement, and local resources can have the most significant impact.

The Passion Project is off to an inspiring start, with youth already demonstrating enthusiasm and commitment to their communities. By combining storytelling, mentorship, and hands-on activities, the initiative is set to create lasting change and cultivate a new generation of community leaders in Detroit.

Shamere officially launched The Passion Project on November 8 by returning to her elementary school, Carver STEM Academy, to meet with 5th-grade students. This first in-person session set the stage for the initiative with the following activities:

• She led an interactive activity to spark excitement and build rapport with the students.
• She shared her journey of creating change in her community, inspiring students to see their potential to lead positive change.
• Concluded the session with a brainstorming discussion on ways they could contribute to their communities, fostering a sense of possibility and empowerment.

Shamere has identified the following key next-steps in her project:

• Recruitment and Outreach: Continue engaging youth participants through schools and community organizations to build interest amongst youth. Shamere is looking for 15-20 youth in Detroit, ages 10-18.
• Planning for Service Projects: Work with participants to design and plan the four community service projects.
• Virtual and In-Person Meetings: Maintain momentum through monthly meetings to discuss progress, challenges, and upcoming activities.
• Upcoming Event with another group of youth ages 10-13 at Ronald Brown Academy (in-person, happening in March)
• These conversations will support the collection of relevant feedback and information to help further community engagement development in preparation for project implementation.
• Building Towards the Mobile Thrift Store: Gradually build support and engagement to implement the final project of a mobile thrift store or inspire similar initiatives led by the youth.

A Year in Reflection

Over the course of the Knight Emerging City Champions fellowship, Shamere’s project evolved in powerful and unexpected ways. While it began with the Motor City Mobile Thrift Store concept—focused on creating mobile access to affordable fashion and creative programming—it became clear that for this idea to succeed, she needed to hear more directly from the community, especially young people.

I learned that true community-centered work starts with listening.

This insight prompted a significant pivot. The project shifted toward a deeper focus on listening to youth, understanding their specific needs and wants, and helping them see themselves as change agents in their own neighborhoods. This led to the creation and facilitation of two key workshops: The Butterfly Effect—centered on transformation, identity, and the power of small actions to create large-scale change—and Passion to Purpose—focused on storytelling, reflection, and turning personal passions into community impact.

Shamere hosted five workshops throughout the year, gathering meaningful data on what young people care about most in Detroit—from mental health and joy to leadership, creativity, and public safety. The youth feedback directly shaped both the direction of the original thrift store idea and the broader engagement strategy.

Successes included creating trusted spaces where youth could speak freely, building a growing body of youth-centered community data, and forging new partnerships that extended the life and reach of the work. Discussions and programming engaged over 100 young people and were supported by schools, afterschool programs, and youth-focused nonprofits.

The biggest challenge was scaling the project while maintaining intimacy in programming and balancing resource constraints with the demand for more engagement.

Through this pivot, Shamere met and expanded her project’s overall goal: to creatively connect youth with civic and cultural opportunities in Detroit. She laid a stronger foundation for the Motor City Mobile Thrift Store concept while creating a youth-informed path forward.

Youth engagement is the foundation for sustainable community change.

Looking ahead, Shamere plans to evolve the Butterfly Effect and Passion to Purpose workshops into a replicable model for youth development across Detroit. She will relaunch the Motor City Mobile Thrift Store with a community-informed lens, focusing not just on retail but also on storytelling, skill-building, and youth entrepreneurship. She also plans to explore youth-led funding simulation labs to introduce young people to grantmaking and philanthropy from a leadership position.

Ultimately, Shamere’s project laid the groundwork for a larger vision: a city where youth are not just invited to the table but are equipped and empowered to lead.

About Shamere Duncan

Shamere Duncan is a dynamic and passionate youth advocate whose journey into community leadership was profoundly shaped in 2021 at 17, following a life-altering tragedy. Inspired to act after her cousin survived a devastating drive-by shooting that claimed the lives of two 17-year-old friends, Shamere channeled her grief into purpose. She led her first community initiative at 17 years old with 12 peers from different high schools, all conducted on their merit and strong determination to serve. Shamere and her peers led this with no guidance or support, they just did it. It wasn’t just this moment that Shamere was inspired to make change; it was just the ignition being fully started.

Shamere started with a passion for community service at a very young age. At her elementary school, Carver STEM Academy, she led penny drives for Hurricane Irma and community cleanups and was heavily involved with the Go-Green team. Nonetheless, at twenty-one, she is determined to create opportunities and platforms for young people in Detroit. She has dedicated herself to fostering youth empowerment, engagement, and systemic change.

Now serving as the Youth Affairs Engagement Coordinator for the City of Detroit, Shamere has made a remarkable impact through her visionary leadership, unwavering commitment, and innovative programs that amplify youth voices and drive positive transformation in her community. Additionally, Shamere leverages her nonprofit and social enterprise business to engage youth in community service initiatives that they actively help create and develop, ensuring their voices and ideas shape the future of their neighborhoods.

Follow Shamere’s work on Instagram @shesodetroit and website shesodetroit.com. #SheSoDetroit