How Can Boxing Help Detroit Youth?
Mentoring, academics, and boxing come together to teach Detroit kids good citizenship.
Stephen Henderson talks with Khali Sweeny, founder and program director of Downtown Boxing Gym and Dorian Hogan, youth boxer, about what the gym does for Detroit kids.
- More than boxing: Sweeny says that the gym provides many services outside of boxing, including tutoring, mentorship, and classical music lessons. Dorian says he goes to the gym most days after school, and likes the tutoring and mentoring as well as boxing.
- Community is coming together: Sweeny says that there has been a whirlwind of people coming together, and that the community has stepped in to make the gym and its programs successful. He says many local celebrities have supported the gym as well.
- New improvements: The gym recently moved into a larger facility. Sweeny says that this will help them get some kids off of the waiting list and have a permanent home for their community services. Dorian says that the new facility is better because it is less cluttered, and there is an indoor track so he can run inside in the winter.
- Eminem raffle: The guests say that people can get involved in supporting the gym by entering their raffle to win a hand-written letter or signed boxing glove from Eminem.
Click the audio link above to hear the full conversation.
