Special Performances by Detroit Area Youth
- All-new Jan. 18 “Driven by Service Day” to celebrate Dr. King’s legacy of service
- Initiative kicks off with clothing drive to benefit Detroit K-12 students
- Special day of programming featuring prominent Detroiters and local students
- The Detroit Auto Show runs from Jan. 10 through Jan. 20, Martin Luther King Jr. Day
The Detroit Auto Show announced this week an inaugural Driven by Service Day on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025, that kicks off a week earlier with a clothing drive to benefit students across Detroit Public Schools Community District. From Jan. 10-18 show-goers are invited to bring new, warm clothing items to the Concourse area of Detroit’s Huntington Place where bins will be staged to collect the donations.
The clothing drive, together with the all-new Driven by Service Day, a day of special programming featuring prominent Detroiters and area students, is a community celebration honoring Dr. King’s legacy of service. The Huntington Place venue is particularly fitting for this special day of service as the former Cobo Center was site of the first occasion where Dr. King made his historic “I Have a Dream” remarks in 1963.
“The Detroit Auto Show’s Driven by Service Day is a powerful example of how community partnerships can address urgent needs for our students,” President and CEO of Detroit Public Schools Community District Foundation Kerrie Mitchell said. “For many families in Detroit, access to warm clothing during the winter isn’t guaranteed, and this initiative helps remove a critical barrier to attendance and learning. We are proud to collaborate on this effort to ensure students across the District can focus on their education, no matter the challenges they face.”
New clothing items being sought for K-12 students include:
- Coats (preferably full length, past the knee)
- Waterproof gloves/mittens
- Winter hats and scarves (preferably matching sets)
“We’re pleased to partner with Detroit Public Schools Community District to make sure our local youth have access to essential clothing during the winter months,” Detroit Auto Show Co-Executive Director Sam Klemet said. “This effort and the show’s Driven by Service Day provide a tremendous opportunity to put into action Dr. King’s dream of servitude as we near the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.”
In addition to onsite collection bins, monetary contributions and item donations can be made via the Detroit Public School Community District Foundation at www.dpscdfoundation.org. QR codes will also be prominently displayed on the onsite collection bins at the Detroit Auto Show for those wishing to initiate their donations there.
Community volunteers, including students and alumni from Detroit-area Divine Nine fraternities and sororities and members of the Detroit Morehouse College Alumni Association (Dr. King was an alumnus of Morehouse College), will lend a helping hand to sort donated items during the Driven by Service Day.
Participating fraternities and sororities include: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.; Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.; Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc.; Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc.; Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc.; and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc.
Driven by Service Day will feature programming from 1-3:30 p.m. on the Huntington Place Atrium stage. A ticket is not required to attend featured programming on the stage.
The lineup includes:
- Comments from John Graves, Chairman, Rainbow PUSH Automotive Project; Mary Sheffield, Detroit City Council President; and Joe Tate, Michigan State Representative 10th District
- Panel Discussion – “Roadmaps to Resilience: Building Stronger Communities Through Collaboration,” featuring:
- Host: Jeremy Allen, Executive Editor, Michigan Chronicle
- Julius Curry, Team Owner, Curry Motorsports
- Chris Harris, President, African American Automotive Association
- Sharnese Harris, CEO, The Konnection
- Dawn Patterson, Founder and Owner, I Am My City
- Dexter Sullivan, President and CEO, Black Legacy Advancement Coalition
- Performances by students from: Bethune Academy, Cass Technical High School, Denby High School Majorettes, Detroit School of Arts, John R. King Academic and Performing Arts Academy, and a Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan youth showcase, with its Technology Industry Club and Mobility Industry Club Academy.
To learn more about the Detroit Auto Show’s Driven by Service Day and ways to volunteer or give, visit detroitautoshow.com/mlk/. Additional questions can be directed to Sommer Woods at equity@woodswattseffect.com.
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