Usher hopes to inspire creativity and skill-building with the launch of two new initiatives for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta.
Usher is making a difference where it matters most — by giving back to the community that helped shape him. This week, the superstar brought his mission home to Atlanta and unveiled the Usher Raymond IV Spark Lab and Entertainment Industry Club at the Joseph B. Whitehead Boys & Girls Club.
The club is in honor of the culmination of his 100-day Social Impact Tour, which inspired over 4,800 youth across 11 cities across the country through creative exploration and workforce development.
“Returning to the Boys & Girls Clubs, where I discovered my passion, and launching this program in Atlanta is a full-circle moment for me,” Usher said in a press release. “The Spark Lab and Entertainment Industry Club is about providing our youth with the tools, confidence, and opportunities they need to turn their dreams into reality.”
Partnering with the star’s non-profit organization, Usher’s New Look, the Boys and Girls Club’s new Spark Lab is a state-of-the-art facility equipped for music production, filmmaking, photography, and other creative pursuits designed to give teens hands-on experiences that many may never have thought were within their reach. For David Jernigan, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, it’s a perfect alignment with the organization’s mission.
“Usher’s Spark Lab will not only be a resource to our Club members, but also a space where they can gain hands-on experiences,” said Jernigan. “This initiative perfectly aligns with our mission to ignite the unlimited potential of kids and teens by creating safe, inclusive, and engaging environments, empowering them to find their spark and pursue their passions.”
But Usher isn’t stopping there. The Entertainment Industry Club, set to launch in 2025, offers a unique workforce development and entrepreneurship program for youth ages 14 to 24. Participants will earn $15 an hour while completing 120 hours of curriculum and training led by industry professionals. First piloted by Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan in 2020, the program has already proven to be a game-changer, providing real-world opportunities and a pathway to success.
“I’m happy that the work that I’ve put in has led me to become an inspiration to so many people,” the star told the Atlanta Voice. “The most important part of all of this starts with a spark. An idea. A concept that says, ‘I can have a definition and an idea of what I found passion in.’ And that’s really what New Look started. But the catch is it had to start somewhere before it became a spark. And what was that? The Boys & Girls Club.”
The ribbon-cutting ceremony also celebrated the star’s non-profit’s 25th anniversary and ongoing commitment to supporting underserved youth through comprehensive, passion-driven leadership programs in hopes of creating brighter futures for young people nationwide.
“It’s an honor to help inspire the next generation of leaders and innovators through After School programs,” Usher concluded.
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