Detroit Excellence in Youth Arts (DEYA) is a Black-led, woman-led initiative founded in 2020 to address systemic inequities in Detroit’s youth arts ecosystem. Operating under the nonprofit Connect Detroit, DEYA serves as a catalyst for cross-sector collaboration, uniting public entities, foundations, corporations, and community organizations to expand access to arts opportunities for Detroit youth.

Co-founded by arts educators Nafeesah Symonette and Rick Sperling, DEYA focuses on building infrastructure, fostering collaboration, and advocating for policy changes to support youth arts. Their initiatives include the Launch Awards, providing microgrants to young artists, and Youth Arts by Prescription (YaRx), integrating arts into healthcare settings…