Big Sean has never been shy about his struggles, so he's continuing to help others in need.
There are no words to describe all the love this Detroit artist holds for his hometown and our family at Mix 92.3. Sean's made it his mission to bring as much positivity as possible to the less fortunate regardless of negative factors that may surround his personal life: mental health being one of them.
As a community activist, honoring the words of his grandmother, the 31-year-old rapper wants to be known as "a humanitarian who gives back." His self-named organization, the Sean Anderson Foundation, has served as a platform to get his community service fix. Through initiatives to help in a number of dimensions from a health and development fund for children of Flint, Michigan to creating an endowment with Wayne State University to counter homelessness, Big Sean has made quite the reputation as a hip-hop Robin Hood. That's why this year's second annual Detroit's On Now (DON) Weekend is expected to be a pinnacle event for mental health awareness.
DON Weekend will begin Saturday, August 17th with a mental health and self-care panel featuring psychiatrist Jessica Clemons, sociologist Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, and TED Talk host, Shaka Senghor. It's designed to conquer the serious nature of oppression in the African-American community and the importance of therapy. Meanwhile, the rest of the event will be a free celebration equipped with food, hair cuts, a backpack giveaway, health screenings, felony assistance, and much more!
A cherry on top is the debut of the second state-of-the-art production studio Sean has built in Detroit. Dauch Boys & Girls Club will be its home after the first one built at his alma mater, Cass Technical High School. Myra Anderson, The Don's mother, told Detroit Free Press:
"We use the music industry as a hook to get students interested and expose them to careers. Not everybody will be a rapper, singer or performer, but there are scores of different professions in the entertainment industry. I've found out that nothing motivates kids more than music, and that's the idea behind it — to keep kids off the streets."
Photo: Getty