- Hello, Detroit!

I'm Satori Shakoor, and I'm so excited to bring you a special series of episodes from "Detroit Performs Live!"

We've put together some of the most incredible performances across genres, jazz, youth talent, acoustic sets, dance, multicultural showcases, and spoken word.

You won't wanna miss these unforgettable performances from some of the city's best!

It's a celebration of the amazing artists who make Detroit's creative scene so vibrant.

Tune in and experience the magic of "Detroit Performs Live."

- [Announcer] Funding for "Detroit Performs" is provided by the Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation, Gregory Haynes and Richard Sonenklar, The Kresge Foundation, the Michigan Arts and Culture Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, and by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.

(upbeat pop music) (graphic whooshing) - Welcome, Detroit!

I'm Satori Shakoor, and we're here at 234 Piquette Street, soon to be the new home of Detroit PBS.

Today's episode is all about celebrating the city's talented youth, featuring performances from the Detroit Youth Choir, Cassidy Howard, and so many more rising stars.

Let's get ready to witness the future of Detroit's creative scene!

(graphic whooshing) ♪ I'm not a stranger to the dark ♪ ♪ Hide away, they say ♪ ♪ 'Cause we don't want your broken parts ♪ - You can put your mind to do whatever you wanna do.

Just tell yourself that you capable, too.

But don't do things that ain't even cool and get rid of them no-good friends that's enablin' you.

Makin' you feel like you won't be nothin', your life crumblin', they talk, mumblin'.

You gon' be something, you are glorious.

We're no gangs, but warriors, we well-known, notorious.

They can't stop you or block you or mock you.

They mad 'cause you bad and they not you.

You fall down, but get up and skip and hop through.

Kick down doors for others to walk through.

You have a purpose, to make you say, "Did I do that?"

Urkel, now we callin' reality virtual.

This is who I am, this is me.

Don't let them words hurt you.

♪ When the sharpest words wanna cut me down ♪ ♪ I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out ♪ ♪ I am brave, I am bruised ♪ ♪ I am who I'm meant to be, this is me ♪ ♪ Look out 'cause here I come ♪ ♪ And I'm marchin' on to the beat I drum ♪ ♪ I'm not scared to be seen ♪ ♪ I make no apologies, this is me ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Another round of bullets hits my skin ♪ ♪ So fire away 'cause today ♪ ♪ I won't let the shame sink in ♪ ♪ We are burstin' through the barricades ♪ ♪ And reachin' for the sun ♪ ♪ We are warriors ♪ ♪ Yeah, that's what we've become ♪ ♪ I won't let them break me down to dust ♪ ♪ I know that there's a place for us ♪ ♪ For we are glorious ♪ ♪ When the sharpest words wanna cut me down ♪ ♪ I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown 'em out ♪ ♪ I am brave, I am bruised ♪ ♪ I am who I'm meant to be, this is me ♪ ♪ Look out 'cause here I come ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ And I'm marchin' on to the beat I drum ♪ ♪ I'm not scared to be seen ♪ ♪ I make no apologies, this is me ♪ ♪ I'm alone, I never fit the mold ♪ ♪ The world is so cold, hold it down on my own ♪ ♪ I'm just tryna reach up to the sky, see the moon ♪ ♪ I got confidence 'cause I'm the flyest in the room ♪ ♪ And I been knocked down, but I always get up ♪ ♪ I had some fake friends, had to go and switch up ♪ ♪ Yeah, no pain, no strain, I ain't chasin' all the pain ♪ ♪ 'Cause I got more to gain and I'm just tryna make a change ♪ ♪ I'm just doin' me, I'm in my own lane ♪ ♪ I fell down a few times, but I'm up again ♪ ♪ Marchin' to another drum ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ See me crawl, see me run ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ When they thought that I was done ♪ ♪ No, I'm not, here I come ♪ ♪ This is me ♪ ♪ I'm not weak, I get on my feet ♪ ♪ No apologies, yeah, this is me ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ And I know that I deserve your love ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ There's nothin' I'm not worthy of ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ When the sharpest words wanna cut me down ♪ ♪ I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown 'em out ♪ ♪ This is brave, this is bruised ♪ ♪ This is who I'm meant to be, this is me ♪ ♪ Look out 'cause here I come ♪ ♪ Look out 'cause here I come ♪ ♪ And I'm marchin' on to the beat I drum ♪ ♪ Marchin' on, yeah ♪ ♪ I'm not scared to be seen ♪ ♪ I make no apologies, this is me ♪ ♪ Whenever the words cut ♪ ♪ Whenever the words cut ♪ ♪ We're gonna send a flood ♪ ♪ Gonna drown them out ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Yeah, this is me ♪ ♪ This is me ♪ (graphic whooshing) - A poet's introduction.

My name is Cassidy Rose Howard.

You can call me Cass.

Most people do except for when they don't.

See, some friends call me Bubbles, Family only calls me Roses, and he calls me Sunshine.

But Cass is fine.

People always seem to think that I'm older than I am and I wonder if it's because I had to grow up so fast because I'm only 5'6 and barely 110 pounds.

I don't look like much.

Most of that is in muscle anyways.

I volunteer as much as I can because I want to make the world better.

Because I've seen the news and I hate what the world is painted as and I refuse to watch the black and white movie and I'll just try to paint it myself.

Maybe, maybe it's from dance too.

I've always tried to make people feel things, tried to make words and music an extension of myself, tried to move people, leave them with some feeling to hold on to after the curtain closes or the poetry books slam shut.

I love the feeling when the music moves you itself or the words just push themselves out and take me as if I am the tide rolling smoothly off of my tongue.

I love words.

Though I'm not always sure how to use them and I'm usually not all that good with them because vulnerability used to be the scariest thing in the world because letting people in comes with giving them the ability to leave you but I put so much trust in a pinky promise.

I put so much trust in a world that I have no proof even exists.

I've seen people claim to be in love and yet their loud voices don't leave a trace of it.

And I convinced myself that I can be better, but I'm not really sure what better looks like.

Growing up like the marigolds I'd plant with my grandpa, pushing through growing roots through cold, dark soil, a yellow flower which drops its seeds hoping to spread brightness however it can and, wow, I ramble a lot.

You should just call me Cass.

Thank you.

(graphic whooshing) (bright orchestra music) (bright orchestra music continues) (peaceful orchestra music) (peaceful orchestra music continues) (bright orchestra music) (bright orchestra music continues) (bright orchestra music continues) (bright orchestra music continues) (bright orchestra music continues) (bright orchestra music continues) (graphic whooshing) - I couldn't sleep.

Thoughts racing at the speed of light, sleep seemingly indestructible.

Closing my eyes without making a dent, I felt heavy.

A day's worth of saving my own butt weighing me down, wishing I could snap all my worries away.

Why should I worry about others when I can barely take care of myself?

That's why I was surprised when Mr. Superman so-and-so came knocking on my door.

Like, sir, don't you see I'm trying to rest.

Don't save me from nightmares when I'm hoping on dreams, I'm not those damsels in distress you always seem to gravitate towards.

So Mr. Supermarket, (chuckles) I don't need to be saved.

Mind you, I mitigate microaggressions every day.

My regenerative healing helps me when piercing bullets aim at my skin and glares is cut through my flesh, butter to knife, smooth.

So Clark Kent, (chuckles) you think that you can do what I do?

Glasses and a cheap tie can't masquerade what is known as my life.

So Mr. S on my chest, Super Mario, what can you do to save me?

'Cause these monsters I know all too well and my villains reside in my reality.

While I appreciate your work, don't none of that work 'round here.

So let me sleep and then I'll come and save the day.

I understand your urgency 'cause I ain't got no kryptonite.

But my powers go beyond D.C. because Superman, you do know I'm black, right?

(graphic whooshing) ♪ Flow killas, work it out ♪ ♪ Flow killas, hit it hard ♪ ♪ Flow killas, work it out ♪ ♪ Flow killas ♪ ♪ Flow killas, work it out ♪ ♪ Flow killas, hit it hard ♪ ♪ Flow killas, work it out ♪ ♪ Flow killas ♪ ♪ Flow killas, work it out ♪ ♪ Flow killas, hit it hard ♪ ♪ Flow killas, work it out ♪ ♪ Flow killas ♪ ♪ Flow killas, work it out ♪ ♪ Flow killas, hit it hard ♪ ♪ Flow killas, work it out ♪ ♪ Flow killas ♪ ♪ Flow killas, work it out ♪ ♪ Flow killas, hit it hard ♪ ♪ Flow killas, work it out ♪ ♪ Flow killas ♪ ♪ Flow killas, work it out ♪ ♪ Flow killas, hit it hard ♪ ♪ Flow killas, work it out ♪ ♪ Flow killas ♪ ♪ Flow killas, work it out ♪ ♪ Flow killas, hit it hard ♪ ♪ Flow killas, work it out ♪ ♪ Flow killas ♪ ♪ Flow killas, work it out ♪ ♪ Flow killas, hit it hard ♪ ♪ Flow killas, work it out ♪ ♪ Flow killas ♪ ♪ Flow killas, work it out ♪ ♪ Flow killas, hit it hard ♪ ♪ Flow killas, work it out ♪ ♪ Flow killas ♪ ♪ Flow killas, work it out ♪ ♪ Flow killas, hit it hard ♪ ♪ Flow killas, work it out ♪ ♪ Flow killas ♪ ♪ Flow killas, flow killas, flow killas ♪ ♪ Flow killas, flow killas, flow killas ♪ ♪ Flow killas, flow killas ♪ (bright pop music) ♪ Flow killas, work it out ♪ ♪ Flow killas, hit it hard ♪ ♪ Flow killas, work it out, flow killas ♪ ♪ Flow killas, work it out ♪ ♪ Flow killas, hit it hard ♪ ♪ Flow killas, work it out, flow killas ♪ ♪ Flow killas, work it out ♪ ♪ Flow killas, hit it hard ♪ ♪ Flow killas, work it out, flow killas ♪ ♪ Flow killas, work it out ♪ ♪ Flow killas, hit it hard ♪ ♪ Flow killas, work it out, flow killas ♪ ♪ Flow killas, work it out ♪ ♪ Flow killas, hit it hard ♪ ♪ Flow killas, work it out, flow killas ♪ ♪ Flow killas, work it out ♪ ♪ Flow killas, hit it hard ♪ ♪ Flow killas, work it out, flow killas ♪ ♪ Flow killas, work it out ♪ ♪ Flow killas, hit it hard ♪ ♪ Flow killas, work it out, flow killas ♪ ♪ Flow killas, work it out ♪ ♪ Flow killas, hit it hard ♪ ♪ Flow killas, work it out, flow killas ♪ ♪ Flow killas, work it out ♪ ♪ Flow killas, hit it hard ♪ ♪ Flow killas, work it out ♪ (graphic whooshing) - That young man is my brother, that lady's my sister, and we're beautiful made in God's image.

Yeah, and we could do anything if our heart's in it.

And if we believe, I look around the school like we're the ones that bought this dream to be.

Along with Dr. King's, Maya's, Harriet's, and Medgar Evers' dream works.

They sit above the clouds, but you can check the credits.

Written in stone, immortalized in our thoughts, which I've come to know is conveying what's inside of our hearts.

But you be careful with your dreams, some'll use it as leverage.

It's all business, everyday people are viewed as investments.

I'm always thinking 'bout what I can let go from the checklist, I'm just trying to raise the bar, standing 10 toes like a deadlift.

Your dream could be someone's nightmare.

You going for the pressure, some rooms you walk in looking for help and won't get accepted.

We in the country constantly throwing a tax on our people and throwing a tax on our people like they snatch up our people.

Provide the minimum and say they're giving back to our people, it's simple.

Look at the country before and after our people.

Not perfect, but this is real, I'm fine if it's my last poem.

Whether your dream is brand new or it's one that's been passed on, leaders from the past can vouch, most change takes mad long.

What do all of those leaders have in common?

They held on.

(graphic whooshing) (upbeat pop music) ♪ Struggle music ♪ ♪ Struggle sounds ♪ ♪ Struggle people ♪ ♪ Get down ♪ ♪ Struggle now ♪ ♪ I'm telling you get down ♪ ♪ Struggle music ♪ ♪ Get down ♪ ♪ Struggle sounds ♪ ♪ Get down ♪ ♪ Struggle people ♪ ♪ Get down ♪ ♪ Struggle now ♪ ♪ I'm telling you get down ♪ ♪ Struggle music, struggle sounds ♪ ♪ Struggle people, struggle now ♪ ♪ Struggle music, struggle sounds ♪ ♪ Struggle people, struggle now ♪ (upbeat pop music continues) (upbeat pop music continues) ♪ Struggle music, struggle sounds ♪ ♪ Struggle people, struggle now ♪ ♪ Struggle music, struggle sounds ♪ ♪ Struggle people, struggle now ♪ ♪ Get down, get down with the movement ♪ ♪ Get down, get down with the movement ♪ ♪ This the soundtrack for all my struggle people ♪ ♪ Rebel music is struggle sound ♪ ♪ Shake it like there was an act of revolution ♪ ♪ Shake it like there was an act of revolution ♪ ♪ I'm telling you get down as an act of revolution ♪ ♪ Telling you get down as an act of revolution ♪ ♪ And them say struggle people, we be haters ♪ ♪ 'Cause we no worship them papers ♪ ♪ We no believe the hype from the media ♪ ♪ Na, the struggle way ♪ ♪ No materialistic thinking ♪ ♪ I no see my blessings in man-made things ♪ ♪ The true essence of a human being, that's why ♪ ♪ Na, the struggle way ♪ ♪ I make that struggle music as the voice of the people ♪ ♪ Struggle sound, na the weapon of the future ♪ ♪ 'Cause the bigger picture need more color ♪ ♪ Na, the struggle way ♪ ♪ Struggle music, struggle sounds ♪ ♪ Struggle people, struggle now ♪ ♪ Struggle music, struggle sounds ♪ ♪ Struggle people, struggle now ♪ ♪ Struggle now for some justice ♪ ♪ Iron people, Iron nation ♪ ♪ Struggle now to heal the pain in the human family ♪ ♪ Iron people, iron nation ♪ ♪ I say, struggle now for some justice ♪ ♪ Iron people, iron nation ♪ ♪ Struggle now to heal the pain in the human family ♪ ♪ Iron people, iron nation ♪ ♪ Struggle now to exist, struggle now for survival ♪ ♪ Iron people, iron nation ♪ ♪ Struggle now 'till we fix it, the struggle never final ♪ ♪ Iron people, iron nation ♪ ♪ Let the iron people build iron nation ♪ ♪ Iron people, iron nation ♪ ♪ Na, the iron nation go fight oppression ♪ ♪ Iron people, iron nation ♪ (singer vocalizing) ♪ Struggle life no easy ♪ ♪ Only iron fit sharpen iron ♪ ♪ Struggle life no easy ♪ ♪ When you no run the rate race and you no look face ♪ ♪ Struggle life no easy ♪ ♪ But only iron fit sharpen iron ♪ ♪ Struggle life no easy ♪ ♪ When you no run the rate race and you no look face ♪ ♪ I no hear no struggle sound on the radio ♪ ♪ I no see no struggle music on the T.V.

♪ ♪ I no hear no struggle sound on the radio ♪ ♪ I no see no struggle music on the T.V.

♪ (graphic whooshing) - (sighs) What an inspiring showcase of talent.

These young artists are the future of Detroit's creative community and they've left it all on the stage.

Thank you for joining us on this journey and be sure to keep an eye on these incredible young stars, they're just getting started.

- [Announcer] Funding for "Detroit Performs" is provided by the Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation, Gregory Haynes and Richard Sonenklar, The Kresge Foundation, the Michigan Arts and Culture Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, and by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you, thank you.

(lively jazz music) (graphic chiming)