The Delta Project

The Delta Project How do I become something I don't see?

The Delta Project exists to break the generational cycle of incarceration by reconnecting youth of color and their families to community relationships through mentorship, coaching and storytelling.

06/03/2026

Most people who are incarcerated will come home. So, the question becomes: What kind of community are they coming home to?

In Grand Rapids, the need for reentry support is clear. Some of the places that once existed to help people transition back are now empty. The resources are harder to find, and the gap remains.

If 85% of individuals in jail return to our communities, then reentry is not a side issue; it is a community issue.

This conversation asks us to look honestly at what support exists, what is missing, and what it would take to make sure people are not left behind when they come home.

*** Comment “listen” for a link to the full interview

Youth diversion isn’t soft on crime.It’s smarter than incarceration, cheaper than courts, and it actually works.The Delt...
06/02/2026

Youth diversion isn’t soft on crime.

It’s smarter than incarceration, cheaper than courts, and it actually works.

The Delta Project exists, because young people deserve real alternatives — not deeper involvement in systems that weren’t built for them.

The IGNITING FUTURES Grant from Public Welfare Foundation is proof that this work matters.

We’re just getting started.


06/01/2026

The incarceration system didn’t appear out of nowhere.

It is tied to a history of slavery, Jim Crow laws, radicalized punishment, poverty, and lack of access. Those realities still shape who ends up inside the system today.

Before we judge people for where they are, we have to be willing to ask what they were given.

Access matters. Resources matter. Opportunity matters. Poverty matters.

If we want different outcomes, we have to build systems that do more than punish. We have to build systems that prepare people to survive, return, and succeed.

This conversation challenges us to look at the history, the data, and the humanity behind incarceration.

05/29/2026

Resilience can look different when you’ve had to learn it early.

For Dee Dee, it looked like visiting her father in jail as a child, happy to see him, even when the circumstances were painful.

It looked like a mother choosing connection instead of separation. A mother making sure her daughter understood both the humanity of her father and the weight of his choices.

“My mom didn’t have to do that.”

This conversation is a reminder that incarceration impacts entire families, and that love, accountability, and stability can shape what happens next.

The Delta Project, alongside Michigan Center for Youth Justice and Wayne State University’s Center for Behavioral Health...
05/27/2026

The Delta Project, alongside Michigan Center for Youth Justice and Wayne State University’s Center for Behavioral Health and Justice, is part of a “Statewide Youth Justice Coalition” selected to receive the $1,000,000 IGNITING FUTURES grant from Public Welfare Foundation.

This investment will support work across Michigan to expand diversion options, strengthen community-based support, and address service gaps for young people and families navigating the juvenile justice system.

For us, this work has always been about more than programs. It’s about building a future where young people have access to support, accountability, opportunity, and care before deeper system involvement becomes the only option.

As Cole Williams shared:

“This grant is not a destination. It is the foundation.”

We are just getting started and can’t wait to help bend the system towards humanity and justice.

Larry was presented with an Outstanding Leadership Award and letter of appreciation from Southeast Career Pathways for h...
05/27/2026

Larry was presented with an Outstanding Leadership Award and letter of appreciation from Southeast Career Pathways for his work facilitating Boys to MENtors this semester.

Through mentorship, consistency, and real connection, Larry has helped create space for young men to be seen, supported, and challenged in ways that matter.

We’re grateful for the work, the partnership, and the impact being made one conversation at a time.

05/26/2026

Recidivism doesn’t happen in a vacuum.

When people come home without access, resources, stability, or a real system of support, the cycle becomes harder to break.

But when reentry is met with preparation, accountability, and community, the outcome can look different.

This conversation gets into what it actually takes to build systems that help people succeed, not just return home, but move forward.

*** Comment “listen” for a link to the full interview

05/22/2026

When one person is impacted by the system, their whole family feels it.

The emotional weight.
The financial strain.
The sudden shift in support.

Families are forced to adjust overnight while carrying more than most people see.

This is why context matters.

**Comment “listen” for a link to the full interview!

Last week, we attended the Court Administrators Conference at the Courtyard Marriott Downtown to share more about the wo...
05/21/2026

Last week, we attended the Court Administrators Conference at the Courtyard Marriott Downtown to share more about the work happening at The Delta Project.

We had the opportunity to speak with people helping shape decisions around diversion programs, funding, and how young people experience the justice system. These conversations matter because policy and practice should be informed by the communities most impacted by them.

This night meant so much.What began as one student’s idea became a space filled with joy, confidence, laughter, and the ...
05/13/2026

This night meant so much.

What began as one student’s idea became a space filled with joy, confidence, laughter, and the kind of memories every young person deserves to experience.

For the youth we serve, creating spaces where they feel seen, celebrated, and valued matters deeply.

This was more than prom. It was belonging.

We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who helped make this night possible.

If you see yourself in these photos, tag yourself so we can celebrate you.

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Grand Rapids, MI
49501, 49502, 49503, 49504, 49505, 49506, 49507, 49508, 49510, 49514, 49515, 495

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