Legacy in Motion: Detroit’s BLAC Gala Powers Generational Change Through Housing, Healing, and Black Excellence

April 14, 2025

The Black Legacy Advancement Coalition (BLAC) is hosting a fundraising gala on May 16, 2025, at Detroit's historic Book Tower to support their Ground Up Initiative, which focuses on affordable housing, mentorship, and programming for vulnerable young adults. Since 2020, BLAC has invested over $500,000 directly into Detroit neighborhoods through various initiatives including housing projects, gardens, and wellness programs. Founded by Dexter Sullivan after losing his friend Ishmail Ali to violence in 2010, BLAC has evolved from a mentoring initiative into a coalition with over 3,000 members dedicated to empowering Black communities and building generational wealth.

Who is affected

Young adults aged 18-35 navigating life beyond foster care, incarceration, and homelessness
Detroit neighborhood residents where BLAC has invested resources
Young Black men reached through mentorship and development programs
Community members benefiting from the Ali Legacy House Tranquility Garden and its fresh produce
The 3,000+ members of the BLAC coalition
Recipients of BLAC's housing initiatives, including residents of the Ali Legacy House and its counterpart for women
Attendees of the Health Is Wealth Detroit expo

What action is being taken

BLAC is organizing a fundraising gala at Detroit's Book Tower on May 16, 2025
The organization is currently running the Ground Up Initiative focused on affordable housing, mentorship, and programming
BLAC is operating semi-independent housing for men and women through the Ali Legacy House and its female counterpart
The coalition is maintaining the 4,500-square-foot Ali Legacy House Tranquility Garden, which contains over 150 fruit-bearing plants
BLAC is providing ongoing mentorship, personal development, mental health resources, and career readiness programs
The organization is actively campaigning to develop the Black Legacy Advancement Center cultural heritage campus

Why it matters

The work of BLAC addresses critical gaps in support for vulnerable young adults in Detroit, particularly those who have experienced foster care, incarceration, or homelessness. By investing directly in neighborhoods and providing stable housing options, BLAC creates tangible improvements in community wellbeing and access to resources like fresh food in areas where it may be limited. The organization's focus on generational planning aims to build sustained prosperity and address ongoing inequities, as Sullivan notes that "our overall well-being is still not equitably distributed among the race" despite progress. BLAC's community-centered approach emphasizes self-determination and internal investment rather than waiting for external solutions.

What's next

BLAC is actively campaigning to develop the Black Legacy Advancement Center, which will be a cultural heritage campus featuring a barber shop, health food restaurant, classrooms, green space, offices, an auditorium, and 24 housing units to serve as a permanent home for their ongoing community work.

Read full article from source: Michigan Chronicle