Commemorating the 25th Anniversary of Usher’s New Look, Usher Has Been Named
Honorary Chair of ‘Lights on Afterschool’
DETROIT (September 10, 2024) – The Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan (BGCSM) is excited to host Usher’s Club Takeover. The two-day event, taking place on Sept. 12 – 13, will highlight a critical issue affecting youth nationwide: the lack of access to quality afterschool programming. The Club Takeover is a part of a larger, national partnership between Usher’s New Look, Afterschool Alliance, Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan and the Michigan Afterschool Partnership to drive awareness of the need to expand after school programs. During a dozen tour stops during the Past, Present, Future Tour, Usher hopes to showcase the transformational impact of after school programming and raise awareness for the need to expand access. Currently, 25 million youth do not have access to high quality after-school programs, 750,000 youth in Michigan alone.
Usher’s Club Takeover will feature career booths, a health fair, a skating rink, and career exploration activities in the entertainment, music, technology, and healthcare industries. Usher’s nonprofit organization, Usher’s New Look will provide students with hands-on opportunities to explore their spark and personal brand development.
Usher will be present at the event to engage with youth, share his personal story of how afterschool programs shaped his life. Usher’s New Look will collaborate with BGCSM and various industry partners to offer teens interactive learning opportunities, including the 3C Sports Zone, an Industry Clubs showcase, and the Corewell Health Wellness Hub, all designed to help them discover their passions and explore potential career paths. During the event, Usher will also announce his role as the honorary chair of ‘Lights on Afterschool,’ a national initiative promoting the importance of afterschool programs.
“As the founding CEO of Usher’s New Look, and I am excited to work with Usher again in my capacity with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan to amplify the need to expand afterschool programs. It’s a true full-circle moment,” said Shawn H. Wilson, president and CEO of BGCSM. “For 25 years, Usher has shown a commitment to impacting the lives of youth after school, and I can’t think of anyone else who has the credibility and demonstrated dedication in this space.”
“We are absolutely thrilled that Usher is lending his voice to the call for more afterschool opportunities and serving as honorary chair of ‘Lights On Afterschool’ this year,” said Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant. “His powerful, personal, heartfelt support will help shine a light on all the ways afterschool programs support and inspire youth to reach their full potential – and the unfortunate fact that 25 million children are missing out. We need to change that. With Usher’s help, we will send the message that every child deserves access to a quality afterschool program.”
Usher, who credits the Boys & Girls Clubs for his first introduction to music during after-school programming, has long been a champion and through his nonprofit organization, Usher’s New Look, he has positively impacted the lives of over 60,000 teens over the past 25 years.
“My after-school experience at the Boys & Girls Clubs in Chattanooga, Tennessee, is where I found my spark for music —a passion that became my career. That experience is where I found my purpose which motivated me to start Usher’s New Look, an after-school program that has been empowering youth for the past 25 years. Every child should have a place which sparks their interests and helps them find their passions and purpose,” said Usher. “Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan is a powerful example of the innovation and transformational impact occurring every day at after
school organizations across the country. As this year’s Honorary Chair of ‘Lights On Afterschool,’ I hope my voice can help amplify the need to close the gap for the 25 million youth who still need after school services.”
As part of the Past, Present, Future Tour, Usher’s Club Takeover is traveling to cities across the country to raise awareness about the need for afterschool programs.
The tour has already made stops in Washington, D.C.; Philadelphia; Boston; and Brooklyn. Upcoming stops include Atlanta; Inglewood, California; Denver; Oakland, California; Dallas; Miami; St. Louis; Minneapolis; Seattle; Las Vegas; Phoenix; Houston; and Baltimore.
To learn more visit www.bgcsm.org.
###
About Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan
Founded in 1926, Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan (BGCSM) serves 21,000 youth, families, and entrepreneurs annually in neighborhoods throughout Southeastern Michigan. BGCSM has reimagined the future of after-school programming by focusing on the root cause of issues facing our community, which is poverty. BGCSM’s mission is to ensure youth leave our Clubs career, start up and homeowner ready.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of America
For more than 160 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA.org) has provided a safe place for kids and teens to learn and grow. Clubs offer caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Boys & Girls Clubs programming promotes academic success, good character and leadership, and healthy lifestyles. Over 5,400 Clubs serve more than 3 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. The national headquarters is located in Atlanta. Learn more about Boys & Girls Clubs of America on Facebook and X.
About Usher’s New Look
Usher’s New Look® (UNL), a non-profit organization focused on career and leadership development, has transformed the lives of 60,000 teens globally since 1999. UNL helps youth identify their spark and passion which puts them on a meaningful career pathway and successful life.
About Afterschool Alliance
The Afterschool Alliance is a nonprofit public awareness and advocacy organization working to ensure that all children and youth have access to quality afterschool programs. More information is available at www.afterschoolalliance.org.
About the Michigan Afterschool Partnership
The Michigan Afterschool Partnership champions statewide access to quality and equitable Out-of-School Time programs to ensure that all children and youth succeed. Learn more at www.miafterschool.org.