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Commission REI, MiBSP Uplift Black Students through Innovation, Literacy, and Community Power

August 11, 2025

The MI Black Student Project's Pipeline 2 Prosperity Initiative (MiBSP) is a comprehensive effort launched by educators, parents, students, and advocates to eliminate barriers to Black student success in Michigan. This initiative encompasses multiple programs including Commission REI, which teaches financial literacy and real estate education, and LIT Summer under Hip Hop 4 Change, both designed to empower Black students academically and economically. MiBSP combines educational interventions with academic research led by scholars like Dr. Erica Edwards and Dr. Rema Vassar from Wayne State University, while also supporting youth-led work through programs such as Students Leading Well.

Who is affected

  • Black students across Michigan
  • Parents of participating students
  • Communities where these students live
  • Michigan's future workforce
  • Students in Detroit and Southfield participating in the LIT Summer program
  • Middle and high school students in Detroit involved with Students Leading Well

What action is being taken

  • MiBSP is implementing a comprehensive approach connecting data, policy, lived experience, and interventions
  • Commission REI is providing real estate and financial education as vehicles for literacy and numeracy growth
  • LIT Summer program under Hip Hop 4 Change is working with students in Detroit and Southfield
  • Dr. Aaron Johnson of Archetype Consulting is conducting statewide data analysis on literacy proficiency among Black students across 120 Michigan districts
  • Students Leading Well is equipping middle and high school students with tools to explore justice, equity, and wellness
  • Dr. Erica Edwards is leading a MiBSP-funded initiative focused on community-responsive education justice

Why it matters

  • Public education systems are falling short in meeting Black students' needs from early literacy to avoiding the school-to-prison pipeline
  • The initiative aims to address economic justice and social healing, not just improve test scores
  • Students are gaining confidence, entrepreneurial skills, and educational enrichment
  • The program provides opportunities for students who have limited financial resources for summer activities
  • Research conducted through the initiative challenges assumptions about factors affecting Black student achievement
  • The work contributes to building foundations for a more equitable, economically thriving Michigan

What's next

  • No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: Michigan Chronicle