“This is the promised land all in one,” says Rashard Dobbins, who has a unique gift for seeing the talent in kids where others may not. “You don’t have to be an emcee or be a DJ or be a muralist or a dancer. I’m perfectly okay and would love to see you be a nurse who does murals or to see you be a preacher that raps.”
“Sometimes we do a disservice to our kids when we see a child and say ‘she’s mouthy,’ but, no, she’s supposed to be a lawyer,” he says. “She’s going to bring justice.”
He is all about helping young people discover what they love. And that doesn't have to be in the performing arts or the entertainment industry.
Dobbins, founder and executive director of Class Act Detroit, is the voice and the passion behind
Class Act Detroit, a nonprofit organization that offers free after-school youth programming centered around hip-hop.
Combining passions to creatively engage kids
The organization offers three main programs: media composition, art and illustration, and youth development.
Before Dobbins began the organization, he was in the entertainment industry. He worked on set and as a talent agent on popular projects like
The Walking Dead and
The Hunger Games.
Dobbins also has a background in education. He began volunteering for an after-school program where he became a co-teacher at an elementary school. He says this is where he began to develop his teaching style.
As an educator and former talent agent, Dobbins realized the young people he worked with were as talented or more than the children he cast for feature films and television shows. Ideas started brewing, and he eventually combined his two passions, music and teaching, to found Class Act Detroit in 2017.
He initially ran the organization from his 1,300-square-foot home where relatives and community members would come to his duplex and create music in the garage or use other rooms for creative purposes.
By working with parents, churches and local organizations, he was able to acquire the equipment and instructors needed to keep the organization running. The only room Dobbins had to himself was his bedroom.
Working from a large, inspiring and evolving space
Then in 2022, the organization increased its space by tenfold, purchasing a 13,000-square-foot church, formerly known as the St. Cyprian Episcopal Church on the city’s west side, and now called the House of Hip-Hop.
The church was the first Black Episcopal church on the west side of Detroit, and it came to be as a result of Black children being denied entrance to Sunday School at a white Episcopal church.
For the past two years, Class Act Detroit has been renovating the building, while using transformed spaces inside for music creation, artist expression, performing space, and more.
“We’re all super excited about the new space,” Dobbins says. “Our scholars can’t stop talking about the creative freedom they have. There's room for the entire tribe to work together now. House of Hip-Hop feels like a second home, bringing us all closer as a family. Students are diving into their interests and are more enthusiastic, much more, thanks to the space.”
“We birth leaders,” Dobbins says. “Some of our kids go onto youth councils. We have kids who get accepted into the Berklee College of Music.”
Partnering and collaborating for future generations
Dobbins is inspired by building with the community. Class Act Detroit has partnered with several organizations, including
The Greening of Detroit, after Dobbins reached out to see if their goals aligned. Last year, Class Act participants and staff planted over 100 trees around its building and neighboring streets.
“In Detroit, where trees' advantages, such as reduced energy usage, air pollutant removal, storm water filtering, and providing cooling shade, are critically needed, involvement like this is vital,” Dobbins says. “By taking initiative and investing in our neighborhoods, we can inspire positive change and create an environment where everyone thrives. It’s crucial that each of us plays a role in revitalizing Detroit, ensuring it becomes a vibrant place for future generations.”
The organization also recently collaborated with IKEA to furnish the House of Hip-Hop.
“Their [IKEA's] involvement is nothing short of a blessing and has truly helped us manifest years of surveys, private and public conversations, and community planning sessions into reality,” Dobbins says. “IKEA brings to the table not just furniture but a holistic approach to creating inspiring and functional environments. They have been incredibly supportive partners. It’s a shared vision for fostering community growth and creativity the right way that makes our collaboration truly meaningful.”
He hopes with more collaboration comes more funding and opportunities to spread the word about the organization.
Plans for other programming include more arts education, workshops and performances that provide a platform for creative expression under the guidance of industry professionals.
“Our story is still being written, and it keeps getting better,” Dobbins concludes.
This story is part of the Nonprofit Journal Project, an initiative focused on nonprofit leaders and programs across Metro Detroit. This series is made possible with the generous support of our partners, the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, Michigan Nonprofit Association and Co.act Detroit.