Dujuan Zoe Kennedy to Take the Lead as New Executive Director of FORCE Detroit

Dujuan Zoe Kennedy will step into the role of Executive Director of FORCE Detroit on Jan. 1, 2025. FORCE Detroit has become a national model for Community Violence Intervention (CVI), with its programs leading to a remarkable reductions in gun violence and serving as a catalyst to broader crime reductions across several Detroit neighborhoods.

Kennedy, who currently serves as FORCE Detroit’s Executive Deputy Director, brings a deep understanding of both the business side of nonprofit work and the lived experience of those impacted by violence. He was recognized by The White House earlier this year for his leadership in Community Violence Intervention, and has been a community leader, pushing the state’s move toward more intervention programming.

“Because of Alia’s laser-focused leadership and vision, FORCE Detroit has exemplified local, state and national leadership, showing how one organization can be the example of successful leadership in a Community Violence Intervention system for a city, while also uplifting partner organizations by securing funding to fully staff and grow programs citywide,” FORCE Detroit Board President Racheal Allen said.

“FORCE Detroit’s evidence-based CVI programs resulted in a reduction in gun violence by 72% in the Warrendale Cody Rouge neighborhood. Alia’s leadership proves CVI is the solution to building safer communities. Neighborhoods in the city of Detroit are stronger because of this work and organizations nationwide can look to FORCE Detroit as a guide to build city-wide infrastructure and capacity.”

Kennedy, a Detroit native raised on the city’s west side, has a personal connection to the mission of violence prevention. Having been incarcerated for 14 years, Kennedy turned his life around through mentorship and activism. His path to leadership in the movement was shaped by the guidance of Quinn, whom he met shortly after his release.

“Alia’s vision has always been about empowering communities to lead the charge in creating safer neighborhoods, and I am committed to building on that foundation,” Kennedy said. “The FORCE Detroit model proves that investing in those most affected by violence creates lasting change. Under my leadership, we will continue to show the nation what’s possible when we trust communities to solve their own challenges.”

Since its founding in 2015, FORCE Detroit has grown from a small team of three to nearly 30 full-time staff members, many of whom are Detroit residents who have been directly impacted by community violence. The organization’s approach has made it a key player in the city’s effort to address the root causes of violence, including lack of opportunity, mental health resources, and stable housing.

Harvey Quinn’s innovative leadership helped secure more than $25 million in funding for CVI programs in Detroit, which has been redistributed to over 45 grassroots organizations across the city and Michigan. She has long been an advocate for the idea that the solutions to violence must come from within the communities most affected.

“I am proud of the work we’ve done at FORCE Detroit, and I leave knowing the organization is in very capable hands,” said Harvey Quinn. “I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to lead an organization that has changed lives, and I look forward to spending more time with my family as I pass the torch to the next generation of leaders.”

One of the lasting legacies of Harvey Quinn’s leadership is her ability to secure substantial public and private funding, including grants from President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan and nearly $2 million from the Office of Justice Programs. This funding has been instrumental in sustaining and expanding the work of FORCE Detroit, which remains a national model for CVI efforts.

Detroit Interim Police Chief Todd Bettison praised both Harvey Quinn and Kennedy for their contributions to the city’s safety efforts.

“Before Community Violence Intervention became a household word, because of Alia Harvey Quinn’s determination, we worked together years ago in search of nonpunitive, hopeful solutions to create a better future for underserved youth, individuals and families,” Bettison said.

“Alia approached me with a vision and commitment to build systemic, lasting change and opportunity for Detroit neighborhoods. Her tireless work built a system of Community Violence Intervention that major cities across the nation are looking to. Alia has built a legacy system and the city is stronger because of it. Also, congratulations are in order for Dujuan Zoe Kennedy, who will now serve in the role as the new Executive Director.  I have the utmost respect for Zoe (Kennedy); I view him as a true professional and a person of high integrity.  He will continue to build upon Alia’s legacy and elevate the platform of CVI in the city, state and county.”

A lifelong activist and community builder, Harvey-Quinn is a poet, activist, artist, and daughter of Black Panthers. From her earlier days emboldening youth who were dealing with issues of criminalization and violence to focus on their creative skills in poetry slams and painting, Quinn is responsible for 15 community murals in the city. Force Detroit evolved from her maternal instincts, which she said, are ever-powerful and can change the world.

“At our poetry workshops I encouraged young men to write beyond tropes. One young man wrote about his fears stating, ‘I am afraid of who I become when I have to rob people to help my mom pay the rent,” Harvey-Quinn said. “There were multiple moments like this, in which my maternal instincts kicked in and I began searching for nonpunitive, transformative solutions.”

With funding from state, local, and federal sources, as well as recognition from leaders across the nation, FORCE Detroit continues to be at the forefront of the CVI movement. With a reduction of gun violence by more than 72% in the Cody Rouge neighborhood and a strong national presence, the organization is proving that investments in CVI are not just necessary, but effective.

“I will always advocate that CVI is a necessary component of any urban safety ecosystem, and that full funding is crucial for CVI programs citywide. The social determinants of health and other sociological research suggests that community members are suffering from trauma due to divestment. Freer, safer Detroit neighborhoods will require a significant investment, but our Detroit residents are worth it,” Harvey-Quinn said. “We are steps away from learning this month whether Michigan will fund community violence intervention in perpetuity so FORCE can celebrate and partner with leaders from across the state to create not only a safer, freer Detroit but a completely transformed and peaceful Michigan.”

As FORCE Detroit moves forward under Kennedy’s leadership, it will continue to embody the principles of empowerment, community, and transformation that Harvey Quinn championed. Her work remains a guiding force in the ongoing fight to end gun violence and build stronger, safer communities.