New Detroit nonprofit aims to empower young creatives to pursue careers in the arts
(CBS DETROIT) - A new Detroit nonprofit wants to empower young creatives to pursue careers in design, marketing, and the arts.
Culture Academy was founded by Akil Alvin, a Detroit native and one of Forbes Magazine's 30 Under 30 Top Advertising Executives in North America. This past weekend, the nonprofit celebrated its launch.
"To be in Forbes Magazine at only 28 years old, it shows me that my dream is confirmed, and I'm going to confirm the dreams of so many others," Alvin said.
That confirmation of dreams starts right now with Culture Academy's launch.
"Culture Academy is a nonprofit organization that inspires young people to follow their dreams as they grow up, not when," Alvin said.
Culture Academy is exposing students to industries in the arts like automotive design, entertainment marketing, A&R, and so much more.
"I want [students] to feel validated," Alvin said.
Alvin is the organization's founder and a self-proclaimed millennial media visionary who launched his global ad agency, Digital Detroit Media (DDM), 10 years ago at 18. Culture Academy is an extension of that agency.
"We just want to make sure young people are good," Alvin said. "And they know they can be a boss today as they grow up."
To celebrate the organization's launch, Alvin enlisted the help of the iconic duo AJ Calloway and Free Marie, former hosts of BET's 106 & Park, and recording artist and famed vocal coach Stevie Mackey.
"Anything that is about moving the culture forward and exposing kids to entertainment and different types of industries, we're there for it. And so, we're happy to be here," Free Marie said.
Just last year, Alvin and his team worked with over 1,000 young people across five cities on two continents, creating opportunities he didn't see growing up.
"I grew up in the King Home Projects," Alvin said. "I have friends who were murdered, I have friends who went to jail, all of this, and we were kids."
Today his work continues as he celebrates a chance to enhance the lives of so many more.