Factoring Life Long Lessons in Social Justice

The adults of tomorrow continue to be shaped by past and present social justice warriors. If you’re a 2023-2024 5th grader at DP you’ve already gotten the chance to consider before the ‘24 Summer Olympics the factors that contribute to the success of professional athletes as leaders of social change. In our Expedition Module called “Athlete Leaders of Social Change” we read about a good number of professional athletes who have been leaders of social change. Students began their studies by learning about Jackie Robinson through Promises to Keep: How Jackie Robinson Changed America, written by Jackie’s daughter, Sharon. We gathered factors that led to Jackie Robinson’s success in leading social change and then developed an opinion on which factor (or factors) were most important in his success.

Students finished the Expedition by reading about other athletes who were leaders of social change, beginning with University of Michigan’s very own Jim Abbott. Our scholars researched, compared, and contrasted the factors that contributed to the success of the athletes they studied with those of Jackie Robinson. Students then worked in groups to become Experts in one athlete and created a biography page along with a portrait for their athlete, which they then turned into a book for future classes.

A key take away from this module was that our field study provided us the opportunity to grow in appreciation and admiration for Khali Sweeney who founded Downtown Boxing Gym on Vernor Hwy in Detroit.  Khali Sweeney, is a social justice warrior.  He’s someone who has a solid track record of uplifting and inspiring his after school students and local community.   As our 5th grade students studied historical athletes we also were able to see first hand how Khali’s boxing gym has become a safe, transformative place that’s meant to develop a greater good not just for the students he serves, but for their families, and our greater community here in Detroit.  

Khali would say that boxing was used as an “icebreaker” to shape his urban community. Our DP 5th graders are impressionable and came away from their field study at the gym with solid examples of how Khali Sweeny used visionary leadership to learn from his mistakes which students admired. They also were able to identify how important discipline is as a factor in the field to create change on such a scale as the Downtown Boxing Gym.  We want to keep giving shout outs to DBG and support their cause because there’s a waiting list of 2,000 students who long to be led and supported by their after school programming. Students from Detroit can’t afford to be on waiting lists. We can’t afford not to continue to support our city’s youth.

Explore like we did what social change looks, sounds, and feels like at the Downtown Boxing Gym and consider contributing if you can at @dbgdetroit.org