Lansing neighbors came together Sunday at Durant Park to celebrate 517 Day with the first annual community cookout, offering resources and support to the community.
- Lansing neighbors gathered at Durant Park on Sunday for the first annual 517 Day community cookout.
- The event was hosted by A Brighter Way and Hood 2 Hood, two organizations supporting formerly incarcerated individuals.
- Both organizations' leaders are formerly incarcerated and say community connection drives their work.
WATCH: Lansing neighbors unite at Durant Park for 517 Day cookout
The event was hosted by two local organizations: A Brighter Way, which provides services and support to formerly incarcerated individuals, and Hood 2 Hood, an organization aimed at reducing gun violence by fostering community.
Adam Grant, CEO of A Brighter Way, said the area code captures the spirit of the day.
"517 Day says it all," Grant said.
Grant described the cookout as a chance for neighbors to connect.
"It's a barbecue. You come up, you grab yourself a plate, you chop it up, you have some conversation," Grant said.
Michael Taylor of Hood 2 Hood said his own past with gun violence drives his work today.
"The reason why I was so able to use gun violence against others is because I didn't have a sense of community. You didn't really mean anything to me. This, I think, grounds us in community again," Taylor said.
Both Taylor and Grant are formerly incarcerated, inspiring them to help others in the greater Lansing area.
"We need to take care of each other. We need to take care of our community," Grant said.
For Grant, the celebration carried an added bonus.
"517 day… it beats 313 day because it's definitely warmer. Look at this weather! I mean, it's amazing," Grant said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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