Author Archives: Visceral Dev Admin

Season Finale episode. In this special episode, hosts Tracey Pearson and Jamie Bennet welcome Kresge Foundation President & CEO Rip Rapson back to reflect back on the stories heard throughout the series and to share an exciting announcement about the future of Kresge.

Finance for Futures. HBCU Brilliance Initiative at the Reinvestment Fund
For someone who describes himself as a “proud product” of an HBCU (his was Morehouse College), it’s no surprise that Damien Wilson is working to enable historically black colleges and universities to become anchors of their communities.

Building Educational Bridges in Detroit. University of Michigan: Dean Moje connects education, justice and innovation in Detroit, where “Schools matter for neighborhoods. And neighborhoods matter for schools.” Never working alone, Moje builds collectives that drive meaningful change, creating pathways to opportunity for Detroit’s students.

An Artist for the Ages. The Center for Cultural Power: Inspired by the Black Panther Party’s legacy in Oakland, artist-activist Favianna Rodriguez transforms social justice into powerful visual storytelling. As co-founder of The Center for Cultural Power, she’s built a movement empowering Black, Latino and Indigenous artists to drive cultural change.

From Roots to Revival. Black Bottom Archives/Detroit Reparative Roundtable: Marcia Black honors a neighborhood that was erased by urban renewal. She preserves the rich history of a vibrant Black cultural hub—where Motown talents flourished and the community thrived before highways replaced homes. Black’s mission transforms painful erasure into powerful remembrance.

Prescribing Financial Health for Families. Rx Kids: The pediatrician who exposed the Flint water crisis is now pioneering Rx Kids—cash prescriptions for new mothers. With $1,500 during pregnancy and $500 monthly after birth, Dr. Hanna’s program addresses America’s critical gap in family support when babies need it most. Because brain development can’t wait for policy to catch up.

Real Change through Authentic Connection. Live Again Fresno: Richard Burrell founded Live Again Fresno after returning to the neighborhood where he once lived. What began with a soccer game blossomed into support for families facing housing instability. Richard and his team provide meals, homework help and mentorship, creating pathways to hope where systems have failed.

A Legacy of Justice in East L.A. Community Power Collective: Quetzal Flores weaves music, art and activism to transform East Los Angeles from within. As a Grammy-winning musician and community organizer, he challenges traditional movement-building by centering cultural justice and collective creativity.

Visioning a Healthier Massachusetts. Live Well Springfield Coalition: Samantha Hamilton has united over 30 organizations in the Live Well Springfield Coalition at the Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts. Her work illustrates how collective decision-making drives community transformation—from healthy eating to access to renewable energy, with policy wins along the way.

Champion for Educational Success. University Innovation Alliance: Bridget Burns founded the University Innovation Alliance in 2014, creating a consortium where universities share rather than hoard solutions to support students and their graduation dreams. Her data-driven approach has helped produce remarkable results: 164,000 additional graduates, far exceeding initial hopes.