Jeannine Gant

Michigan Nightlight: What does being a leader mean to you?
Playworks Detroit Executive Director Jeannine Gant: I’ve been in nonprofits for 23 years in Detroit, and I’ve always been a development officer. I’ve never had the opportunity to lead before. But I think a couple of my strengths as a leader are my ability to be flexible and my lack of a need for accolades. I’m more of a background person who’s happy to put someone else up front. I think it’s the responsibility of a good leader to build up the people on the ground, not vice-versa.
 
What is your dream for kids?
My dream is that kids know that there are adults who care for them, that they are safe, and that they have the opportunity to play safely at school. I also hope for longevity and consistency regarding the program. Detroit is a city with a lot of movement

A lot of the initial resistance from teachers, parents or administrators is that they've seen so many programs come in for a semester or a year and then disappear; I want us to be a lasting fixture in the community.

and uprooting of family units, and I wish that as kids moved from school to school, they could know that Playworks would always be there for them. A lot of the initial resistance from teachers, parents or administrators is that they’ve seen so many programs come in for a semester or a year and then disappear; I want us to be a lasting fixture in the community.
 
What is one concrete thing that could be done to improve the environment for social sector work in Michigan?
From my perspective, as people in the social sector, we’re somewhat ahead of the curve in terms of new ideas. There are research and data we’re privy to that haven’t yet trickled down into the national dialogue. Oftentimes, it takes a long time for change to be implemented, especially when we’re talking about large organizations like foundations or the federal government that tend to move more slowly. Change is a direct result of dollars spent; if there are no dollars behind us, no one hears us, and we’ve got kids that aren’t able to benefit from the latest research. This is especially challenging in a place like Detroit.
 
How do you know you’re making progress?
I know we’re making progress because the data tells us, in terms of program effectiveness. I know we’re making progress

People...seem to understand that play is just as innate and fundamental to children as food or shelter, and play can become especially important to a child in poverty who is forced to grow up so quickly.

when I get a call from a reporter who’s heard about our program through the grapevine of parents and educators. I know when I walk down the street and see a parent wearing a Playworks t-shirt, I’m wearing my t-shirt, and we greet each other in recognition. I know we’re getting in people’s brains and becoming a familiar name.
 
What are you most proud of?
In terms of the program, we’re in year three and we’re still here and we’re not going anywhere! I’m proud of our tenacity and “stick-to-it-iveness.” I’m proud of our relationships with corporations, foundations and individuals. This means that people out there get it, and we will continue to grow.
 
In these challenging economic times, have you encountered difficulties gaining support for a program that might be viewed as less of a necessity compared to programs that address pressing needs such as food and shelter?
Sometimes when speaking to potential donors, people don’t want to hear the word “play” because it does not sound serious; they’d rather talk about things in terms of education and learning. But the short answer is, surprisingly, no. People have their long-standing charities that they give to that address poverty and cover those core needs, but they also seem to understand that play is just as innate and fundamental to children as food or shelter, and play can become especially important to a child in poverty who is forced to grow up so quickly. Playworks is really about education and social skills, and everything is circular. People are hungry because they can’t get good jobs; they can’t get good jobs because of lack of education. The skills they learn in Playworks, like leadership and team-building, feed directly into this cycle.