JANUARY 11 • 2024 | 25
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my Nederlander 
grew up in Michigan, 
spending lots of time 
at Detroit’s Fisher Theatre, 
then owned by her family, and 
she returns to the stage Jan. 15 
in a program that recognizes, 
in part, her bringing theater 
elements to a young people’s 
organization. 
Rainbow PUSH, in the free 
program “Let Freedom Ring” 
held in Detroit’s Fox Theatre, 
will present her with the Social 
Service Award for her founding 
and years of work with the 
nonprofit LIFE Leaders. 
Also getting awards in the 
spirit of the Martin Luther King 
Jr. holiday being celebrated 
on the day of the event, will 
be Judge Greg Mathis and 
Big Sean with the Keep Hope 
Alive Award, COGIC Presiding 
Bishop John Drew Sheard with 
the Theological Leadership 
Award and ACCESS President 
and CEO Maha Freij, also with 
the Social Service Award. 
“I am beyond honored,
” said 
Nederlander, who lives in New 
York and has worked locally on 
LIFE Leaders since 2016, now 
serving as a board member and 
group secretary. “I never did 
this work considering any kind 
of accolades. It’s the joy from 
the work that we do with youth 
and the city of Detroit.
“It’s an organization that I set 
up after a vision that I had in 
junior high. It receives funding 
from various foundations in 
Detroit and state funding, 
so it’s got a deep stake in the 
community.
”
Since the organization does 
not have its own space, workers 
take part remotely as meetings 

and events are scheduled at area 
centers. Nederlander basically 
serves in a volunteer capacity.
Nederlander, 62, who 
worked in economics and 
behind the scenes in theater 
after earning degrees from the 
University of Michigan and 
Columbia University, founded 
the organization with Michaela 
Murphy, a professional educator 
at various levels including 
executive coaching and 
speechwriting. 
“What we call games are 
really theater training exercises 
that bring around a real sense 
of comfort and community,
” 
Nederlander said. “Participants 
start talking about what their 
dreams are and what was in 
their way.
” 
The organization aims to 
reach those ages 14-24. The 
programs are to help them 
articulate what they care about 
in order to establish goals and 
the paths to achieve those 
goals. These interpersonal 
professional skills are built as 
there is learning about their city. 
 
They go on bus tours, have 
meetings, experience field 
trips, participate in round table 
discussions and hear prominent 
speakers. A special annual event 
is the Detroit Youth Summit, 

a policy conference in its sixth 
year. There are also opportunity 
summits, described as job fairs 
with additional subjects.
Nederlander, also involved 
with the group Spill the Honey 
that has programs for Jewish 
and Black participants, is proud 
of many LIFE Leader member 
ventures and tells about a 
rapper-poet whose work was 
presented in a film about the 
Shoah as developed by Keith 
Famie, who has worked in 
Michigan. 
At the awards program, 
two are going to be presented 
posthumously. One goes to 
singer-actor Harry Belafonte, 
and another is for Rev. Dr. 
Charles G. Adams, who was 
president of the Detroit Branch 
NAACP
. Both will receive 
Humanitarian Awards. 
“My experience in the 
Detroit community and our 
organization is based on 
collaboration,
” Nederlander 
said. “These intergenerational 
partnerships and investments 
in the youth are imperative 
and a priority in Detroit, and 
the work they’re doing overall 
is trailblazing. Our goal is for 
people to get where they want 
to go.
” 

Amy Nederlander to be honored by Rainbow PUSH in the 
“Let Freedom Ring” program.
Social Service Award

SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Details
Free tickets for the 
Rainbow PUSH “Let 
Freedom Ring” — 
program at 5 p.m. 
Monday, Jan. 15, at the 
Fox Theatre in Detroit 
— can be obtained at 
313Presents.com and 
ticketmaster.com.

Women to Work 
Program

Gesher Human Services will be 
holding its popular Women to 
Work program for Metro Detroit 
women in January. The free pro-
gram offers women vital skills 
to gain immediate employment 
and begins with an information-
al meeting on Jan. 18 from 9-11 
a.m. at the nonprofit organiza-
tion’s headquarters in Southfield 
(29699 Southfield Road) before 
officially starting the four-week 
program. 
Classes are held every Tuesday 
and Thursday beginning Jan. 23 
from 9 a.m. to noon, with the 
opportunity for participants to 
stay on for the afternoon to take 
a basic computer class, enhanc-
ing the prospect of job opportu-
nities. 
“The start of the year is well 
known to be a great time to 
look for a job, but many women, 
especially those who have been 
out of the workforce for some 
time, might not have the appro-
priate resume, job search or 
computer skills to get their job 
application in front of a hiring 
manager,” said Women to Work 
coordinator Judy Richmond. 
“Our free program allows 
women to take that big step into 
the workforce with confidence 
and knowledge and to be able to 
provide for themselves and their 
families.”
Due to the popularity of the 
program and limited space in 
the classes, Gesher will hold 
additional classes on Mondays 
and Wednesdays if demand is 
high this year. These classes will 
follow the same class outline 
and will also be followed by 
free basic computer classes if 
required.
For more information, go to 
geshermi.org/events; to register 
contact Judy Richmond at (248) 
233- 4232 or email her at jrich-
mond@geshermi.org. 

Amy 
Nederlander