Student-founded nonprofit paves the way for Dallas community involvement

For SMU students Reagan McGinnis, Sam Westfall and RaSun Kazadi, there is an urgent and fundamental need to give back and encourage the engagement of their fellow students. It was precisely for this reason that they founded the non-profit organization The Detente Collective in January 2021. With a common sense and a desire to serve those in need, students strive to bridge the general gap between the SMU campus and the greater Dallas community. through service.

As an umbrella organization, The Detente Collective supports a wide range of initiatives, including the health and wellbeing of women and children, helping victims of domestic violence, food insecurity, homelessness and educational disparities. It is also working to implement assistance in these areas while remaining true to its mission: “To give communities what they need to promote positive social, educational, economic and personal growth”.

The inspiration to focus on these need areas came from “just listening to the community,” says Kazadi. “We saw these problems and wanted to fix them.”

The three students started The Detente Collective in early 2021, triggered by the exacerbated social and economic problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. “When we realized we were just talking about the problems rather than making changes, we decided to do something about it,” says Westfall. One of the most fulfilling parts of the job they do as a company is “seeing smiles on their faces,” he says. “It feels good to have a positive influence.”

Since they are students themselves, education is one of the main focuses of the organization. “I think education is very important. I was very privileged in this way and I am very grateful for my education. So I think it’s important for us to create a level playing field, ”says Westfall.

School supplies campaigns are an important means of supporting schools in the region. In March, they shipped $ 1,300 worth of masks and other personal protective equipment to Adele Turner Elementary School. And recently they organized a school backpack campaign in which they financed backpacks full of school supplies and distributed them to DISD primary schools.

Co-founder Reagan McGinnis (far right) has generated support for The Detente Collective through the SMU's Greek life and various prominent connections in the Dallas area.Co-founder Reagan McGinnis (far right) has generated support for The Detente Collective through the SMU’s Greek life and various prominent connections in the Dallas area.(Courtesy of the relaxation collective)

In addition to educational initiatives, the Detente Collective provides the Dallas community with food every two months and donates to local homeless shelters and women’s shelters. In addition, the group has been actively facilitating clothing campaigns in partnership with several animal shelters in the Dallas area such as Hope’s Door New Beginning Center.

The Detente Collective team is also a big part of campus life at SMU. Two founders – Kazadi and Westfall – are full-time students and athletes on the soccer team, and they have used their connections to bridge the gap between student involvement and community service.

“We see a lot of commitment and support from people who are interested in football or SMU in general,” says Kazadi.

Similarly, co-founder Reagan McGinnis has generated support from the SMU’s Greek life and various prominent connections in the Dallas area. In addition to supporting the SMU soccer team, numerous other organizations on campus have also joined the effort, such as the SMU’s Black Student Athlete Council.

Looking ahead, the group has even more ambitious goals in mind, including tackling affordable housing and a plan to possibly sponsor hunt group calls for inmates. “I think we can only set high goals in order to grow,” says Westfall.

It is also important to strengthen social engagement. “In the future, we want to get even more involved from the SMU community and the Dallas communities. We hope to grow into a permanent organization as big as possible, ”says Kazadi.

To support the work of The Detente Collective, you can buy or donate its collection of goods at thedetentecollective.org. To keep up to date with the work of TDC, you can visit the social media pages on Instagram (@thedetentecollective) and Twitter (@DetenteCo).

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