Donate
Donate

ABOUT US

  • Home
  • About

Our ORGANIZATION

FORCE (Faithfully Organizing Resources for Community Empowerment) Detroit is a Community Violence Intervention (CVI) organization dedicated to building a safer, freer Detroit. Founded in 2015 as a program of Faith in Action, FORCE was charged with stewarding, incubating, and providing financial support to grassroots organizations and activtists committed to alternatives to community safety that minimize criminalization. The organization became an independent nonprofit in 2023, securing significant private and public support to advocate for and support the CVI ecosystem in southeast Michigan and around the state. The core components of our approach include:

Direct Services to People Impacted by Violence

Wraparound and mental health support for individuals and families dealing with the devastating effects of gun violence.

Advocacy and Public Education

Events and actions that inform and engage the public around CVI strategies and identifying solutions to gun violence.

Training and Technical Assistance for Emerging CVI Leaders

National and local experts offer professional development, and grants help activitists and organizations grow and make change.

Our 4 Pillars

To build a safer, freer Detroit, our priorities include:

Organize

Organizing community interest to create sustainable impact.

Advocacy

Policy Change & Public Support. Public Education. Participatory Research. Narrative Building.

Social Impact

Philanthropy. Peace Ecosystem Building. Participatory Research. Cooperative Economics.

Community Violence Intervention

Programs & Intervention. Community Engagement. Workforce Development. Restorative Practices.

join us in being a force for a freer, safer detroit!

DONATE NOW

Meet Force Detroit

FORCE Detroit is composed of passionate community thought leaders dedicated to creating freer, safer neighborhoods.

DuJuan “Zoe” Kennedy

Executive Director

Read Bio

Monique Stephens

Chief of Staff

Read Bio
Ciera Renee Programs and Advocacy Director for Force Detroit

Ciera Reneé

Director of Public Health & Safety

Read Bio

Kayla Godbee

Director of Operations

Read Bio
Lynn Wiggins - Director of Advocacy and Organizing for Force Detroit

Lynn Wiggins

Director of Advocacy and Organizing

Read Bio

Amanda Duren

Development Manager

Latoye Morris

Events Coordinator

Jazmine Tate

Embedded Therapist

Monique Johnson

Care Manager (Schools)

Eyvette Hansberry

Lead Care Manager

Terry Stringfellow

CVI Reintegration Specialist

Andron Parker

CVI Reintegration Specialist

Karisha Vanzant

Care & Hospitality Admin Support Specialist

Tayla Howard-Gayles

Operations Coordinator

Xavier Aikens

Operations Coordinator II

Nikole Cotton

Community Organizer

Stanley Turner

Care Manager (Outreach)

Stanley "Skooty" Larry Jr.

Digital Violence Interrupter

Antonio "Stack" Sanders

Lead Violence Interrupter

Darreell Young

Outreach Specialist

Latina Mack

Outreach Specialist

Desiray Shipman

Program Manager

Kelly Goodwin

Communications & Social Media Manager

Donavan Harris

Youth Organizer

Bobby Spears

Digital Violence Interrupter

Alexandria Humphrey- Shelman

Outreach Specialist

Violence is Preventable Help us Prove It.

Get Involved

join us in being a force for a freer, safer detroit!

DONATE NOW

DuJuan “Zoe” Kennedy

Executive Director 

DuJuan “Zoe” Kennedy is the Deputy Executive Director of Programs at FORCE Detroit and a prominent figure in community violence intervention (CVI). His transformative journey from spending 14 years incarcerated to becoming an advocate for activism and unity since his release in May 2019 has been remarkable.

Zoe was instrumental in founding “Detroit Keepers,” a highly acclaimed CVI outreach team at FORCE Detroit, recognized both locally and nationally. He is a passionate advocate for ending gun violence, focusing specifically on community-driven solutions. His innovative leadership and commitment to empowering under-resourced communities have significantly shaped Detroit’s involvement in the White House Community Violence Intervention Initiative.

As a proud graduate of the inaugural class of The University of Chicago Community Violence Intervention Leadership Academy, DuJuan’s achievements have garnered significant attention. His graduation ceremony at the White House, featuring a keynote address by Vice President Kamala Harris and hosted by The White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, underscores his impactful contributions to the field.

Monique Stephens

Chief of Staff

Monique Stephens serves as Chief of Staff at FORCE Detroit, where she supports executive leadership, strengthens organizational systems, and helps ensure alignment across departments. Working closely with Executive Director DuJuan “Zoe” Kennedy and the leadership team, she plays a key role in advancing strategic priorities, improving internal operations, and fostering organizational accountability.

With a strong background in executive support, administration, and organizational coordination, Monique is known for her ability to bring structure, clarity, and efficiency to complex environments.

Her expertise includes project management, executive communications, meeting and event coordination, and process improvement.

Driven by a passion for service and collaboration, Monique is committed to helping leaders and teams operate at their highest potential. She believes that strong systems and strong relationships are essential to building organizations that create lasting impact in the communities they serve.

Ciera Renee Programs and Advocacy Director for Force Detroit

Ciera Reneé

Director of Programs

Ciera Renee is the Program Director at FORCE Detroit, overseeing the daily operations and contract compliance of the Community Violence Intervention Program. She manages staff, coordinates activities, and builds relationships with stakeholders to help reduce community violence.

Ciera holds a Master’s in Counseling and Psychology from Moody Theological Seminary and is passionate about improving mental and spiritual well-being. She is also the owner and Life Coach at Elevated Counseling and Coaching, offering mental wellness coaching and consultation, especially for aspiring therapists.

Prior to joining FORCE, Ciera worked as a Facility Coordinator and Re-entry Specialist with the Michigan Department of Correction, providing services to those in need. Known as “The Friend-i-pist,” she combines warmth and professional guidance to help others grow and thrive.

Her mission is to reduce the stigma around mental health in the Christian African American community, encouraging people to embrace their full potential. Ciera believes in the power of connection and is dedicated to helping others become their best and most authentic selves.

Kayla Godbee

Director of Operations

Kayla Godbee is a native Detroiter, Director of Operations at FORCE Detroit, and proud mother of three children. Since joining FORCE Detroit in 2023, she has led efforts to strengthen organizational systems, streamline operations, and support strategic growth that advances the organization’s mission.

Kayla earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a concentration in Community Governance and Advocacy from Michigan State University. With more than a decade of experience in nonprofit operations, communications, community engagement, and project management, she has built a career focused on creating efficient systems, empowering teams, and driving community impact.

Her leadership combines operational excellence with a deep commitment to service, helping organizations grow sustainably while creating meaningful change in the communities they serve.

Lynn Wiggins - Director of Advocacy and Organizing for Force Detroit

Lynn Wiggins

Director of Advocacy and Organizing

Lynn Roosevelt Wiggins is a Detroit-based community organizer, political strategist, and economic development professional with nearly two decades of national experience in civic engagement, advocacy, workforce development, and community organizing. A graduate of the University of Michigan–Ann Arbor, he currently serves as Director of Advocacy & Campaigns for FORCE Detroit and Managing Principal of Solomon Consulting, LLC & Black Sol Renewable Energy, LLC. 

Wiggins also serves as President of the Church of the Messiah Housing Corporation, Design Committee Chair for the North End–Milwaukee Junction Advisory Committee, and Community Engagement Manager for the Historic St. Matthew’s & St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church. His work focuses on strengthening Detroit communities through violence prevention, civic participation, affordable housing, clean energy, economic opportunity, historic preservation, and equitable neighborhood development.

Heather Johnson

Director of Workforce Development

Heather is the Director of Workforce Development at FORCE Detroit, where she leads the design and implementation of economic mobility pathways for communities impacted by gun violence and trauma. In this role, she develops strategic partnerships, workforce curricula, and departmental systems that support sustainable employment, social mobility, and long-term stability. Heather brings a trauma-informed, community-centered approach to workforce development and collaborates across FORCE departments to strengthen integrated service delivery. She also oversees budgeting, staff supervision, compliance, and strategic planning to ensure programs are aligned with organizational goals and funder requirements.

Heather brings more than two decades of leadership experience across social services, public health, housing stability, youth development, and policy. She has held senior roles at organizations including Neighborhood Service Organization, Corktown Health, the CDC Foundation, Matrix Human Services, Wayne RESA Pathways Academy, and Vista Maria, where she managed complex, grant-funded programs and multidisciplinary teams. Heather holds a Master of Social Work with a macro concentration from Wayne State University and a minor in psychology, and she has been admitted to the University of Michigan’s Master of Public Health program beginning Fall 2024. She currently serves on the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Social Determinants of Health Hubs Advisory Council, bringing a systems-level lens to advancing equity, access, and opportunity statewide

Jasmin Barnett - Director of Development

Jasmin Barnett

Director of Development

Jasmin Barnett is a nonprofit executive and strategist with over 15 years of experience advancing social justice, racial equity, and community development in Detroit. As FORCE Detroit’s Director of Development & Communications, she leads fundraising, sponsorship, and storytelling efforts that strengthen investment in community violence intervention and youth leadership. A former Director of Constituent Services for the City of Detroit and Founder of Ladies in Training, Jasmin is a W.K. Kellogg Fellow, Millennial ChangeMaker, and proud Howard and Marygrove alumna. She serves on the Board of the Charles H. Wright Museum and is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Dr. Oresha - Deputy Executive Director

Dr. Oresha Greenidge Foster (Dr. RESHA)

Deputy Executive Director

Dr. Oresha Greenidge Foster(Dr. Resha) serves as the Deputy Director for FORCE Detroit where she is responsible for overseeing and optimizing the organization’s operations. She plays a pivotal role in setting strategic goals, ensuring compliance, and fostering a culture of equity, inclusion, and efficiency for the organization.

Dr. Resha is a multifaceted professional, leader, coach, and mentor. With over twenty years of experience in the nonprofit and healthcare sector, Dr. Resha has honed her expertise in operations management, training and development, human resource management, employee coaching, performance management, and policy generation and oversight.

Driven by a passion for accountability and organizational change. Her commitment extends beyond the conventional realms of leadership, as she fervently champions innovative strategies in cultural awareness, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Prior to joining FORCE Dr. Resha  served as Director of Operations and Human Resource for The Children’s Foundation. She is the Founder of Knowledge Stream, LLC,  helping leaders to foster inclusive, innovative and thriving organizational cultures. She also serves as Board Chair for Fearless Transformation Girls Leadership Program. In the realm of academia, Dr. Resha is an adjunct professor for undergraduate and graduate studies in leadership and business management at Cleary University.

Dr. Resha possesses a rich educational background. She holds a BBA in Information Technology, an MBA in Strategic Management, and a Doctorate in Applied Management and Decision Sciences.

Bridgett Lomax

Development Director

Bridgett Lomax, serves a Development Director at FORCE Detroit,  where she collaborates with staff and leadership to secure public and private funding. With over three decades of nonprofit experience, her work has spanned a diverse range of issues, including arts and culture, food security, economic justice, and workforce development.

Before joining FORCE, Lomax served as Senior Director of External Relations at Gleaners Community Food Bank, where she successfully raised funds to enhance the organization’s programs and infrastructure. She also played a pivotal role as Vice President of Arts and Culture at the YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit, where she raised funds and contributed to the design and programming for the Boll Family YMCA, a major capital project. 

Earlier in her career, Lomax was a Program Officer at the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, co-leading an initiative aimed at helping arts organizations expand their audiences. In 2017, she founded WordSource, a consulting firm providing proposal writing, prospect research, and grant readiness services to nonprofits.

Lomax holds a BS from Drexel University and a MA from Carnegie Mellon University.

Alia Harvey Quinn

Founder & Executive Director

Alia Harvey Quinn is a dedicated leader committed to empowering emerging grassroots leaders and creating a freer, safer Detroit. As the daughter of Black Panthers, Alia’s activism and community-building roots run deep, and her work with youth facing criminalization and violence has strengthened her resolve. She is the founder and Executive Director of FORCE Detroit, an organization widely recognized for its focus on Community Violence Intervention (CVI) and innovative approaches to gun violence prevention.

Under Alia’s leadership, FORCE Detroit has been instrumental in shaping Detroit’s strategy within the White House Community Violence Intervention Initiative and influencing philanthropic investments, redistributing over a million dollars to more than 45 grassroots organizations. Her efforts have elevated under-resourced and justice-impacted peacemakers, making a significant impact locally and nationally.

 

Before founding FORCE Detroit, Alia was the Detroit Director of Michigan Faith in Action, where she brought together justice-impacted leaders, safety advocates, clergy, and Muslim women to tackle issues of safety and justice. Her leadership also extended to the Detroit Future Youth Network, which redistributed over $300K and supported 13 grassroots, youth-led organizations. 

With 20 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, Alia specializes in program design, community organizing, and resource redistribution around justice, safety, and positive youth development.

Caravan of Love Flyer