The Walk Home Program
Overview
Funded by the Sojourner Truth Foundation, the Walk Home Program was designed and led by Dr. Denguhlanga Julia Kapilango Divine through H2BE. It combined the foundational elements of hip hop with tools of non-verbal and verbal communication, peace-building, and conflict resolution to engage Detroit’s youth and families in creative pathways toward empowerment.
Community Collaborations
Partnered with the oldest Black church in Michigan to root the work in faith and history.
Brought together residents of the Martin Luther King Homes Low-Income Housing community.
Engaged the City of Detroit’s Coleman A. Young Recreation Center for cultural programming.
Partnered with the Detroit Public Library, Chene Branch, introducing participants to library systems, information literacy, and lifelong learning skills.
Innovation through Hip Hop
The Walk Home Program used the full spectrum of hip hop culture:
MCing (spoken word & storytelling)
DJing (sound & rhythm)
Graffiti (visual arts & expression)
Breaking (movement & discipline)
Knowledge (rooted in history, justice, and peace)
By aligning hip hop with non-violence and literacy, H2BE created a model for both conflict resolution and cultural pride.
Curriculum Development & Publishing
The Walk Home Program was strengthened through a partnership with a Southfield public school special education teacher, who collaborated with Dr. Denguhlanga Julia Kapilango Divine to design the curriculum and training materials.
This curriculum integrated:
Hip hop foundations as teaching tools.
Non-verbal and verbal communication techniques for conflict resolution.
Peace-building strategies adapted for youth and families.
Literacy modules introducing participants to library systems and information access.
To ensure its accessibility and legacy, the curriculum was self-published on Amazon, making it available for educators, youth leaders, and community organizers across the country.
Impact
Connected cultural identity to conflict resolution.
Empowered youth through creativity and literacy.
Established collaboration between housing, church, library, and recreation center.
Strengthened Detroit’s legacy of innovation in arts, faith, and justice.