Racial Equity Fellowship
Application opening soon to join our Racial Equity Fellowship's DEAL 9 (2025) cohort!
Application opens on Aug. 1, 2024. You can find it here.
Our Racial Equity Fellowship is a 12-month program, convening primarily in-person and occasionally virtually. Fellows build a shared understanding of racial equity with other Detroit-area leaders, develop skills and tools needed to disrupt racism and create equitable alternatives, and co-create a space to deepen relationships within a multiracial and multigenerational network of racial equity leaders.
We welcome emerging and experienced leaders with a deep commitment to racial equity and accept applicants:
from all of Detroit's ethnic and racial groups, gender identities, sexual orientations, and backgrounds
working/volunteering for groups and organizations (or as individuals) in a wide variety of sectors and various levels of budgets and experience, from volunteer-based organizations to non-profits and beyond
who live or work in Detroit or the metropolitan area
who are 18 years or older
Learn more about our fellowship program here (our fellows, curriculum, and more) and see FAQs below (who can apply, fellowship commitments, and more).
Still have questions? Email us at DEAL@wayne.edu.
Racial Equity Fellowship: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Where can I apply?
The application for the DEAL 9 (2025) cohort will open Aug. 1, 2024. You can find it here.
Who can apply?
We welcome emerging and experienced leaders with a deep commitment to racial equity, from all of Detroit's ethnic and racial groups, gender identities, sexual orientations, and backgrounds.
We welcome applicants working/volunteering for groups and organizations (or as individuals) in a wide variety of sectors and various levels of budgets and experience, from volunteer-based organizations to non-profits and beyond.
We accept applicants who live or work in Detroit or the metropolitan area.
We accept applicants 18 years or older.
Why should I apply?
Participate in high-quality skills building with other Detroit-area racial equity leaders.
Deepen relationships and join a multiracial and multigenerational network dedicated to ending structural racism in Detroit.
Gain a better understanding of the historical context shaping Detroit's racial inequality.
Learn and experiment with new techniques to address structural racism.
Develop the skills needed to affect meaningful change, to disrupt beliefs and influence public policy on racial equity.
Engage in strategy sessions and plan joint action.
Work together to define a vision for moving Detroit toward greater racial equity.
When is the application deadline?
The application for the DEAL 9 (2025) cohort will open on Aug. 1, 2024. The deadline to apply is Sept. 30, 2024, at 11:59 p.m.
When does the fellowship begin?
DEAL 9 begins with a two-day orientation on Jan. 9 and 10, 2025.
How long is the fellowship?
It is a 12-month fellowship.
Where does the fellowship take place?
The DEAL 9 (2025) cohort is a hybrid model, convening primarily in-person and occasionally virtually. Fellows will be notified of details in advance.
When does the fellowship take place?
Monthly mandatory sessions are on the second Thursdays of the month. Optional sessions are on the fourth Thursdays of the month. Any two-day sessions (including orientation) and are held on Thursdays and Fridays. In-person sessions are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Virtual sessions are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fellows will be notified of details in advance.
Who leads the fellowship?
Our Racial Equity Fellowship is led by Fellowship Manager Rhiannon Chester-Bey. The fellowship curriculum and sessions are co-facilitated by the Design Team. You can see their bios here. Sessions also occasionally include guest presenters and facilitators.
How many fellows are in each cohort?
Approximately 30 fellows are accepted each year.
Is this a paid fellowship?
This is not a paid fellowship.
Do I have to pay to participate?
No. DEAL is a free leadership development program. We will make reasonable efforts to accommodate fellows with participation barriers like transportation, childcare, etc.
What are the fellowship's commitments?
Commit to being present at the orientation and monthly full-day sessions. Fellows will be notified of details in advance.
Willingness to engage in reflection, self-assessment, and act for change on individual, organizational, and community levels.
Commit to co-creating a culture of dialogue that supports difficult conversations about racism and accountability.
Willingness to learn and experiment with new skills and collaborate with other DEAL fellows on racial equity projects beyond the fellowship year.
Willingness to share your expertise, perspectives, and other resources to strengthen others in the network.
Be open to engage in DEAL activities in between sessions and staying connected beyond the fellowship year.
Take advantage of opportunities to build relationships with DEAL alumni.
As a leadership development program, you will share and be open to receiving feedback.
Is there coursework?
There are homework assignments after most sessions, relating to personal reflection. There is also a project that fellows complete in groups. Assignments require thought and effort; however, they are not labor intensive.
Is attendance mandatory?
Yes, attendance is mandatory for the orientation and main sessions. Optional sessions are not mandatory.
What if I am absent?
Fellows are allowed three excused absences. If four or more sessions are missed, you will be dismissed from the fellowship and encouraged to re-apply when you are able to fully participate.
What am I expected to do once the fellowship is complete?
After the fellowship is complete, fellows join the alumni network. Alumni are invited to stay engaged via invitations to professional development opportunities, social gatherings, and collaborative lab projects.
How can my organization support the fellowship?
Consider attendance at DEAL fellowship sessions as paid work time (if employed at a funded organization).
Provide opportunities to share information and resources from the fellowship with others throughout the organization.
Engage in an organizational self-assessment and transformation to experiment with and integrate lessons learned.
Offer free or discounted space for in-person fellowship sessions.