Brilliant Detroit:  Warm, Welcoming, and Data-Driven

Often, when I hear that a social sector organization is data-driven, I form a quick picture in my head about the culture.  I think: fast paced… top-down… efficient…  intense.  My visit with Brilliant Detroit proved that data-driven doesn’t have to mean “business-like”.  You can be warm, community-centric, and data-driven all at the same time.

Last month I had the privilege of visiting the Springwells hub of Brilliant Detroit, one of many homes that have been restored to serve as “hubs” of kid-success neighborhoods. Families within a 20-min walk of the hub advise on what they would value around education, health, and family support – and Brilliant collaborates with neighbors to make it happen.

Warmth: everything about the space says “all are welcome here.” Flowers out front, the smell of Lupita’s home cooking, hugs from the staff as soon as I walked in, flags from all over the world, and fabulous decor for Hispanic Latino Heritage month. The families all know each other and staff know the kids by name.

Commitment: This is everywhere but I’ll give two examples: 1) Brilliant Detroit is committed to hiring from the neighborhood and sure enough they do! Two of the staff members, when describing the LENA literacy program that was taking place, joyfully shared that they were *participants* in the program when their children were younger. 2) The moms have committed to 10 focused weeks of supporting their childrens’ language development. There are devices… [build out further]

Data: Brilliant is a standout organization that measures the impact and alignment of everything they do. Behind the scenes I’ve seen their spreadsheets and databases and was curious how they actually get this data. Two examples: easy-to-scan QR codes on the wall by the kitchen, and programs that inherently use data as a motivator. LENA, for example, comes with a “pedometer” (for speech!) that counts total words spoken, unique vocabulary words, and parent-child conversations. It becomes a game for families to improve their own scores and to collectively score more than families at other hubs. With this program and so many others, kids are growing multiple reading levels each year.

A HUGE thank you to Emma Laut for arranging the visit (and for your operations leadership to make the home what it is today) Lupita for the amazing cooking, Tamara for inviting me to participate in programming, Esmeralda and Eva for serving as such gracious hosts, and of course Cindy Eggleton for your remarkable vision and leadership. I am excited to follow the growth journey in Detroit and beyond!