Rakeem Watkins-Barnett faced many challenges growing up as his single mother struggled with illness, requiring him to take on adult responsibilities from a young age. He found outlets in music and school activities, which helped him cope. Despite facing adversity, including his mother's hospitalizations and a forced move, he excelled in high school and college. However, a tragedy during his summer job led him to change majors and pursue a career in communications and public relations to help others. He credits his resilience for overcoming difficulties and views them as stepping stones to helping him progress.

1. Community THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE July 2 - 8, 2014 Page B-5
Struggles lead to young leader’s progress
Rakeem Watkins-Barnett knows a
few things about adversity.
Growing up in a single-parent
home, like many Detroit-area youth,
became even more challenging when
his mother was diagnosed with neu-
ropathy, a nerve-related condition
that limited her physical abilities
and put greater burdens on her son
than he had been prepared to bear.
As his mom’s main source of sup-
port Watkins helped more around
the house and missed out on a lot
of activities with his peers.
“At 13, I found myself extremely
depressed, down and overwhelmed,
wanting to be left alone, and irrita-
ble like never before,” he recalls. “My
mom was in and out of the hospital,
which left me with little support.”
The stress he endured from his
mother’s illness resulted in what were
soon diagnosed as manic episodes that
doctors said would continue affecting
the teenager if left untreated. But through
faith in God and focusing on inner strength
Watkins-Barnett says he “kept on pushing.”
Music and extracurricular activities be-
came outlets that offered Watkins a consistent,
if temporary, escape from everyday worries.
He participated in the glee club, took music
classes and even joined the drama, debate and
Spanish clubs while attending Detroit Public
Schools. Just as he was becoming a well-adjusted
young man, another setback struck home, liter-
ally, when Watkins-Barnett and his mother were
forced to move out of their house. Once again,
he re-focused and bounced back, beginning his
freshman year at Southfield High School.
“I received recognition for talent shows, was
elected student of month, and received college
scholarships from Jack & Jill and others. I began
to see that one needed to be resilient, mindful and
strong,” he recalls.
By graduation day, when he would soon leave
Michigan, bound for Ohio’s Wilberforce Univer-
sity, even Watkins-Barnett was impressed with all
that he’d overcome on the journey toward adult-
hood. But terror waited around the corner: During
a summer break from college he found a job with
the Michigan Department of Transportation’s
(MDOT) youth development program. While
working on the freeway one morning he sudden-
ly found himself in the path of an out-of-control
SUV. The vehicle just missed Watkins-Barnett, but
killed his partner.
After the tragedy an MDOT communications
staff member took Watkins under her wing and
began mentoring him, which led him to the pro-
fessional and personal path that he has chosen
today: “I transferred from Wilberforce University,
changed my major to communications and public
relations, and began my studies at Oakland Uni-
versity where I graduated with the highest awards
in community leadership, including the American
Clergy Leadership Conference Award.”
Watkins-Barnett is now considering pursuit
of a masters degree in community leadership. He
remains interested in music and plays several in-
struments including the organ for his church. He
describes his resilience as a blessing, and the diffi-
culties that forced him to bounce back as stepping
stones to helping him rise.
“Frederick Douglass once said, ‘Without strug-
gle there is no progress.’ I’m a witness that those
words are true.”
Cedric Dargin
Special to the Chronicle
What Resilience Means to Rakeem
Resilience means: ”Waking up, day after day, when you want to give up. When you’re tired
and have nothing else left in the tank to give. You keep going, not because somebody asked
you to but because you refuse to roll over and give up the dream“ -Jermere L. G. Nickerson
, participant of the Men Who Dare : A scholarship organization whose sole purpose is to
provide financial and mentoring support to at risk / disadvantage youth in the Detroit
Metropolitan area.
Shine a spotlight on
inspiring activities of
Young Detroiters
To learn more visit: artofresilience.org
Detroit kids “got” talent. That’s the message of
Starr Commonwealth’s first annual Summer
Youth Festival. Like the popular national “Amer-
ica’s Got Talent” broadcast, the festival promises
to shine a spotlight on unknown artists worthy
of recognition.
Performers from six to 18 years of age are
being invited to participate in the one day
festival which will include 30 performances on
three stages and dozens of exhibits of visual arts
projects, in addition to a Youth Arts Market
featuring original artwork for sale.
“We’ve issued a casting call to Detroit
summer youth program directors to help us
assemble an unprecedented array of young area
artists,” stated John Hollingsworth, Art of Resil-
ience campaign organizer and Communications
Director of Starr Commonwealth.
The event will take place on Sunday Aug. 2,
in and around Paradise Valley Park and the Carr
Center along E. Grand River and Centre Streets
in downtown Detroit, is part of Starr’s Art of
Resilience Project
“Based upon entries we’ve already received,
we’re confident that the event will serve as an
important platform to promote the positive
stories that demonstrate the resilience of young
people and the neighborhoods of Detroit,”
comments Hollingsworth.
Program directors are invited to submit
applications for their young artists and per-
formers by visiting the event web site at www.
artofresilience.org or calling 313-923-7353 and
proposing a performance or exhibition around
the theme of resilience.
Performances may include music, dance,
theatre, short film, visual arts and/or written
and spoken word, according to organizers, who
are reserving the Youth Arts Market for original
artwork only.
The free festival will also include fami-
ly-friendly activities including make & take art
stations and face-painting.
“This is a communitywide celebration of our
kids and we invite everyone to attend the festival
and support young people from across the city
as they express the festival’s theme of resilience
through their art,” states Hollingsworth.
Transportation to and from the event may
also be provided to groups that demonstrate the
need, according to event organizers who note
that in addition to certificates of participation,
all young artists will also receive free t-shirts and
wristbands. T
Organizers plan to connect our young artists
to representatives with representatives from arts
programs in order to foster opportunities to
continue their artistic pursuits during the school
year.
“We want the festival to be a forum for cre-
ative expression, with young people demonstrat-
ing their resilience and the community celebrat-
ing their achievements,” said Hollingsworth.
“Starr has successfully used art and creativity
in its youth development programs for decades
and we know that many other community
groups and leaders are having this great impact
in communities across the city. We want the
positive stories of children and their families
to be recognized more than their challenges,
reflecting a more genuine image for our city.”
Editor’s Note: Starr Commonwealth is a
social services agency with more than 100 years’
experience in supporting and advocating for
children. For more information about the Art of
Resilience Project and the Starr Summer Youth
Festival visit www.artofresilience.org or call
313-923-7353.
Shining a Spotlight on Youth Organizations
Art of Resilience event organizers
issue an open casting call to
young artistsSpecial to the Chronicle