Like many other Detroiters, Congressman John Conyers had never heard of Our Life in the D (OLiD), Michigan’s Children’s innovative journalism project that is helping to increase civic engagement and lift up the voices of young people in the city.

But after Conyers stopped by the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History recently to meet the OLiD teens, he was suitably impressed with the work of the dozen young journalists this past summer, promised to go to their website (www.ourlifeinthed.com), and invited them to come to his office soon to continue talking to him about ways public policies can be improved to help struggling families and children.

“It is great that you are involved and that you are using writing to help your community,” Conyers told the teens, all of them young people of color and nearly all of them Detroiters. The dinner was set to celebrate the accomplishments of the 12 young journalists involved in OLiD’s summer session. As a part of the celebration, each of the youths received a Spirit of Detroit award signed by all nine members of City Council. Some of the youths’ video projects were shown as Conyers, State Senator Coleman A. Young, Jr., parents and other guests looked on.

The teens said the experience opened their eyes to issues that impact their communities, neighborhoods and families.  “I saw an entire side of Detroit that a lot of people don’t see,” said 16-year-old Caleb Browner, of the Casa Richard Academy on Detroit’s southwest side. “It’s been so veiled, you usually see only the bad things.”

Brittany Moore, 16, who attends Dearborn’s Henry Ford Academy, said she learned “you can’t be afraid to ask questions; you’ve got to get out and talk to people on your own.  The more stories you do, you learn more and it gets easier.”

Lettie-Ann Miller, a 15-year-old sophomore at Osborn Math Science Tech, said she learned about social justice. “I had no idea what that was,” she said. “I found out that there were a lot of people working on social justice in Detroit that I didn’t know about.”

And George Copeland, Jr., 18, graduated in May from the Bradford Academy in Southfield, said the experience will help him as he starts his college career at Saginaw Valley State University. “My favorite was meeting the Young Democrats and John Conyers,” Copeland said. “I never knew you could just talk to a Congressman like just a normal person. It opened my eyes. …It’s great because we know that kids do have a voice. You have a voice and you can be heard.”

OLiD offers young people the chance to learn skills to become citizen journalists producing high-quality content for local websites, TV and radio while boosting involvement in community and civic life.

Michigan’s Children educates OLiD youths on public policy issues, helps connect OLiD youths with local and state officials, and encourages the youths to ask probing questions about what can be done to help vulnerable children and families.  What the young people are saying and reporting on also helps to guide Michigan’s Children’s work – helping to set policy priorities, and identifying potential partnerships.

The goals of OLiD are to help youths become engaged in civic affairs; to help build their awareness of issues impacting children, families and communities; and to give young people a voice in the conversation about how to improve their city, state and nation.

You’ll be hearing more about Our Life in the D in the coming months as the new school year begins. This Michigan’s Children project is made possible by generous grants from the Skillman Foundation, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the McGregor Fund.  You can also check OLiD out on Facebook (and “like” the project there).