• $700k newly renovated building in the Oakman Boulevard community to welcome 30 staff and 800+ young boys off the waiting list for its globally acclaimed Cave of Adullam Transformational Training Academy
• The Yunion to host invitation-only Open House on Sept. 7 for youth and families it serves, friends, supporters and the media
• The series culminates with a gala on Oct. 5, marking two decades of transformative community impact
• The Yunion has reached more than 17,000 metro Detroit youth via innovative prevention programming, engaging workshops, assemblies and conferences

DETROIT – New doors, same mission. After 20 years, The Yunion, a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering and uplifting youth, has moved into a new state-of-the-art youth development center. Located at 1129 Oakman Blvd. in Detroit, the $700k newly renovated 15,000-square-foot building, a former charter school, allows The Yunion to expand its renowned initiative, The Cave of Adullam Transformational Training Academy (CATTA), and other programs and services to metro Detroit youth and families and house its dedicated staff and volunteers.

“After two years of renovations, we are proud and excited to finally open the doors to our new facility and continue our mission to positively impact the lives of even more youth in metro Detroit. The Oakman Boulevard community is the perfect location for our headquarters and will allow us to support 800 young boys on CATTA’s waitlist and make a lasting impact,” said Nicole Wilson, executive director at The Yunion. “Our new facility represents a milestone in our 20-year journey, and we would like to express our deepest gratitude to our generous supporters and donors, who have played a vital role in making this new facility a reality and for their unwavering belief in our mission and commitment to empowering youth have been instrumental in shaping the future of The Yunion.”

For two decades, The Yunion has been dedicated to uplifting and empowering youth. Its mission is to counter negative cultural influences that misdirect the lives of youth by raising awareness and strengthening families through innovative prevention programming, education, parental engagement, mentoring and counseling. Founder and CEO Jason Wilson, who is also a best-selling author, first created The Yunion record label in 2002 with the goal of producing music that countered the potentially harmful influences of hip-hop culture. Wilson soon realized that even when the music stopped the negative pressures continued for youth, which led to him establishing The Yunion as a nonprofit to expand mentoring services beyond the reach of music.

Today, The Yunion has reached more than 17,000 youth via innovative prevention programming, engaging workshops, assemblies and conferences, and has collaborated with dozens of schools, community organizations and churches in empowering youth and families. Its globally acclaimed initiative, CATTA, which specifically aims to help young boys thrive, is the subject of an ESPN Film documentary, produced by famed actor Laurence Fishburne, that premiered at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival and won Best Documentary.

Some of the other life-changing programs offered by The Yunion include Keys 2 Life, a mentoring program designed to encourage, educate and empowers youth through key principles in music; S.W.A.G. (Students with Awareness & Goals), a holistic prevention program for middle and high school students; and Trauma-Informed Parenting Workshop, Mental Health Awareness and Parental Advisory trainings.

To welcome youth and families it serves, friends, generous community partners and the media to its new facility, The Yunion will host an invitation-only Open House from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 7. On this day of inspiration, connection and celebration, attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy captivating youth performances that highlight the talents and achievements of the youth served by The Yunion. Guided and self-guided tours of the newly renovated facility also will be made available, providing attendees a closer look at the innovative programs that have made a lasting impact on countless lives.

Supporters of The Yunion’s new youth development center and headquarters include The Kresge Foundation, Ralph C Wilson Jr. Foundation, Detroit Chamber of Commerce, Carls Foundation and its generous donors.

20th Anniversary Celebration
To help support and commemorate The Yunion’s milestone 20th anniversary, the public is invited to join The Yunion’s CEO Jason Wilson and Executive Director Nicole Wilson for a 20th Anniversary Celebration taking place Thursday, Oct. 5, at One Campus Martius. The momentous occasion is presented by The Tom Gores Family Foundation and includes a four-course dinner, live performance by Emmy Award-winning violinist Damien Escobar, entertainment by Oscar winner Van Lathan and, serving as the special guest speaker, is renowned actor and writer Hill Harper. For more information and to become a sponsor, visit theyunion.org/gala.

About The Yunion
The Yunion is a nonprofit organization committed to the holistic development of youth. For two decades, The Yunion has been dedicated to empowering youth through programs that focus on character development, life skills, education, parental engagement, mentorship and creative expression. With a mission to build strong youth and strong communities, The Yunion continues to inspire positive change for generations to come. For more information visit TheYunion.org.