We love to see celebrities giving back in a major way!
Detroit rapper, Big Sean, is set to host his second annual, “Detroit’s On Now (DON) Weekend,” a community focused event that seeks to bring a day of resources, knowledge and fun to children and adults alike.
Big Sean, whose real name is Sean Anderson, started his Sean Anderson Foundation in 2012, when he was first making a name for himself in the industry. The purpose of his foundation is to help with the education, health, safety and general well being for youth in underserved communities. The foundation has launched a number of initiatives including Mogul Prep, a program that connects young people with career and mentorship opportunities in the entertainment industry, #HealFlintsKids, a campaign that raised money for the “Flint Child Health and Development Fund, the Wayne State High Program, an endowment with Wayne State University that provides support for children dealing with homelessness or other dire living situations, and a partnership with Project Knapsack, which provides a global pen pal program and donates school supplies to children in Africa.
Anderson says his motivation is making sure he listens to the words of his grandmother, who told him to “make sure [he’s] a humanitarian who gives back.” The 2nd annual DON Weekend is completely free and will launch with the unveiling of a new state of the art production studio at the Dauch Boys & Girls Club in Detroit. This is the second studio Anderson has built, the first one in 2015 at his alma mater, Cass Technical High School.
“We use the music industry as a hook to get students interested and expose them to careers. Not everybody will be a rapper, singer or performer, but there are scores of different professions in the entertainment industry,” his mother Myra Anderson told the Detroit Free Press. “I’ve found out that nothing motivates kids more than music, and that’s the idea behind it — to keep kids off the streets.”
The weekend, which kicks off August 17th, will also feature a mental health and self care panel with psychiatrist Jessica Clemons, sociologist Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, and author, lecturer and TED Talk favorite, Shaka Senghor. They will be discussing racism, economic oppression, therapy, mental health in the Black community and more. There will be a free block party, hair cuts, braiding, backpack giveaway, job bus, felony expungement info, utility assistance, health screenings and a concert featuring local artists.
We see you Big Sean! For the full lineup of events visit the DON Weekend website.