Miller Fellowship

Alia Harvey-Quinn
Founder & Executive Director
FORCE Detroit

“My journey to becoming a foremost female voice on community violence intervention in a male-dominated field has required significant effort. While I am deeply proud of our impressive achievements that are delivering impact to families, activists, and communities, I recognize the emotional toll this work has taken on me. A sabbatical at this time will allow me to spend time with family and prepare for FORCE’s growth through deep thinking, reflection, and learning.”

Camille Proctor 
Founder & Executive Director
The Color of Autism Foundation

“It’s crucial to recognize that no one is impervious to the toll that constant strength and perseverance can take. Stepping back and taking a sabbatical is not an admission of weakness but a recognition of the need for self-care and rejuvenation. It is an acknowledgment that, just like everyone else, I am human and susceptible to the toll of constant pressure to be strong.”

Dwan Dandridge
Founder & CEO
Black Leaders Detroit

“Though I remain deeply committed to the mission of Black Leaders Detroit and to the cause of addressing racial disparities in our community, I have come to recognize the need for balance and self-care to continue this important work effectively. Taking a sabbatical is an opportunity to step back, reflect, and recharge, and would not only benefit me but will also contribute to the long-term sustainability and effectiveness of our organization.”

Jeanine Hatcher 
Executive Director
GenesisHOPE

“I’m tired. I’m tired of helping others strive for good health. I’m tired of watching people die prematurely for a lack of access and knowledge of the secrets to good health and long life. But, mostly I’m tired from my own struggles to lay hold of good health. The McGregor Miller Fellowship can help me rest and find good health…for me and those whom GenesisHOPE serves.”

Kiesha Jackson
Founder & CEO
Caleb’s Kids

“While I have such pride and honor in serving my community, I have often done so at the expense of my own well-being and goals. I pour so much into others and recognize that I do little for myself. Personal restoration and focus will allow me to gain a renewed and refreshed visioning in leading Caleb’s Kids, and will kickstart a renewed and much needed focus on balance and wellness.”

Maha Freij
President & CEO
ACCESS

“This sabbatical will give me the ability to step away from daily responsibilities to deepen my own thinking about our work and my role as a leader.  As CEO, I rarely have time to pause in the midst of all the work before me to read, learn and reflect on how ACCESS shows up as a leader in the community. This reflection and thinking takes uninterrupted time.” 

Rose Khalifa
President & CEO
Metro Solutions

“Service has become the familiar and welcomed rhythm of my life…and yet, I know that my mind, body, and soul – if they are to serve me in my service to others for years to come – must rest.  I have never taken intentional, self-focused, dedicated time for rest. I have never even considered it until now. My time away from our daily operations will also afford Metro the opportunity to build trust and capacity with aspiring leadership.”

Shamyle Dobbs
CEO
Michigan Community Resources

“The Miller Fellowship is a tangible investment in self, rest, joy and imagination. This sabbatical will be a long play in refining how I resist grind culture.  I will find and reprioritize myself. This fellowship is freedom.” 

Allandra Bulger
Executive Director
Co.act Detroit

“I have always believed that people are the most important assets of our organizations, and how we care for ourselves and each other has a direct connection to our ability to effect meaningful change…How a leader prioritizes their well-being sets the tone for the entire organization. Being a nonprofit leader during the double pandemic of COVID-19 and heightened racial injustice meant leading without a roadmap and often beyond the point of exhaustion. I love the work that I do, and I believe this sabbatical offers the opportunity for deeply needed reflection and renewal.”

Angela Reyes
Executive Director
Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation

“Having an extended length of time for myself is something I have never had in my lifetime…this will allow me to explore what self-care actually feels like and help me begin a path towards healing. My extended absence will allow our strong team of young, rising leaders to further grow into their positions and identify where we need additional learning and support.”

Ashley Atkinson
Co-Director
Keep Growing Detroit

“This fellowship is an incredibly important and timely opportunity to help KGD move toward our vision of becoming a multi-racial, majority BIPOC-led organization where all of our employees feel like they are valued and have creative control over the programs that they’re responsible for. Toward these ends, the primary goal of this fellowship is to build the capacity of our BIPOC staff members and to give my co-directors the opportunity to lead all aspects of KGD’s operations in my absence.”

Christine Bell
Executive Director
Urban Neighborhood Initiatives

“The last two and a half years have been emotionally and physically exhausting professionally and personally. As an executive director, wife, mother of three small children, and daughter of aging parents, I have found it difficult to center my own health and wellness, find balance, maintain friendships and engage in activities that I am passionate about outside of work. My sabbatical will provide me the opportunity to grow as a leader while providing opportunities for staff to grow their leadership skills, making our organization stronger and more resilient.”

Courtney Smith
President & CEO
Detroit Phoenix Center

“To respond to the immediate needs of Detroit youth and families who were the most vulnerable during the pandemic, my team and I pivoted into the streets, distributing essential goods and services during one of the worst public health crises to affect the black and brown community…However, underneath this aggressive heart work is also chronic exhaustion, sadness, and grief that I’ve never had the time or space to process, which has been compounded due to the pandemic. This sabbatical will allow me to center healing to lead DPC into our next growth and development phase.”

Derek Aguirre
President and CEO
Racquet Up Detroit

“I am so grateful for the opportunities for reflection and growth offered through the Eugene A. Miller Fellowship. I am confident that it will have a very positive impact on Racquet Up Detroit while also enabling me to “zoom out” for a moment and think about what is next for the organization.”

Kimberly Johnson
President and CEO
Developing K.I.D.S.

“I am elated to learn how I can become the change that I want to see in the organization…becoming more confident and effective in my communication and other skills to effectively lead in a world where each person’s life has been forever changed due to no fault of their own. I am honored, nervous, and ready to REST, pour into myself and create a space for Developing KIDS’ team members to operate and lead successfully in my absence. Evolving their roles and responsibilities at a pivotal time in our organization will demonstrate trust in their leadership to carry on, increasing a sense of security to everyone.”

Suma Karaman Rosen
Executive Director
InsideOut Literary Arts

“I love the students we serve who remind me what it means to be brave, and who exemplify the power of using one’s authentic voice. I love how the arts transform lives, and I have a deep respect for the organization I serve. I truly feel fortunate to do what I do. But I am tired…though my dedication to the field is not. I know that my commitment is still there. I believe this sabbatical is the best way to renew that feeling of possibility – for both me, and for my organization.”

Yodit Mesfin Johnson
President and CEO
Nonprofit Enterprise at Work (NEW)

“I feel burnout creeping up everyday. I want to use the sabbatical as a way to model, mitigate and disrupt this pattern that pervades our sector and takes out some of our best leaders. I need some time to rest and commune with myself and nature. Societal norms valorize busyness, hyper-productivity, individualism and urgency. I want to resist the lure of these values by slowing down, getting recentered, processing trauma and allowing my body and nervous system to settle for a bit in the company of other Black women.”