For communities to thrive, strong connections are essential. They open doors to collaboration, growth, and collective impact. Sometimes, all it takes is a catalyst: a place, a moment, or a shared experience that brings people together.
For many in Southwest Detroit, that catalyst has been Grace in Action. Long before the organization moved to Lawndale, its original home at 4748 W. Vernor Highway was a hub for youth and community development. Within those walls, countless lives intersected. It was here that the paths of Idalis Longoria, Mayra Torres, and Joanna Dueweke-Perez first began to intertwine into a story of entrepreneurship, partnership, and community care.
A Chance Meeting
For ProsperUs COO Joanna Dueweke-Pérez and Mayra Torres, owner of El ArteSano Juice Bar, the spark began in a Spanish-English class hosted at Grace in Action in 2017. Joanna, then a ProsperUs program manager, was there to practice Spanish. Mayra had joined to learn English.
That simple exchange opened the door to more. Joanna shared information about ProsperUs’ Entrepreneur Training Program, which Mayra soon joined. After graduating, she hosted her cohort’s ceremony inside the beautifully transformed space that would later become El ArteSano
“It’s just an amazing privilege to have witnessed the last eight years of Mayra’s growth in her business,” said Joanna. “And last year we got to honor her as a Neighborhood Hero to underline the impact that a woman who cares about her community can make just by having a business.”
From Catalyst to Partnership
Grace in Action didn’t just spark the connection between Mayra and Joanna. It also became the bridge to a deeper partnership between ProsperUs and the organization. El ArteSano, still housed in Grace in Action’s original building, remained a community anchor even as Mayra reshaped the space.
Meanwhile, Grace in Action built its own ecosystem of support for Southwest Detroit entrepreneurs through worker co-operatives. It was only a matter of time before Idalis Longoria, Director of Co-operatives at Grace in Action, crossed paths with Joanna. That meeting led to another lasting collaboration.
“We are invested in helping the startup of worker-owned co-operatives,” said Idalis. “We knew that there was a lot that we could collaborate with ProsperUs on, helping entrepreneurs and helping people interested in starting businesses. Sometimes we had people who were interested in starting businesses that weren’t ready for the co-operative model, and sometimes ProsperUs would have people interested in the co-operative model that could learn from us.”
“Working with Idalis has been such a pleasure and privilege,” added Joanna. “Because organizations with similar missions don’t always see how they can contribute to each other. Every conversation we’ve had with Grace in Action has been about how we can collectively impact the community in a meaningful way if we pool our resources.”
Stronger Together
Grace in Action was the starting point, and the collaboration between Joanna, Mayra, and Idalis has been what turned those sparks into a flame. Through shared resources and mutual trust, ProsperUs and Grace in Action have created more opportunities for entrepreneurs and have built a stronger, interconnected community.
Their story reminds us that no one does this work alone. Real change happens when organizations see themselves not as competitors but as collaborators, united by a vision for thriving neighborhoods. These women have built bridges that allow others to walk toward opportunity, resources, and hope.
As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, their journey underscores the power of catalysts like Grace in Action and so many other spaces that spark understanding, connection, and community strength. Thriving neighborhoods are never built by just one leader, but by many hands working together, with trust as the foundation.
