On the outskirts of Detroit, Michigan, lies Farmington Hills — a suburb dense with trees and a climate characterized by four distinct seasons.
The city is also steeped in a deep history that has molded its community. At the turn of the 20th century, many flocked to the state in search of promising jobs.
“Because of the industrial era, people came here at different times from around the world to support that industry,” said Farmington Hills Michigan Stake President Jeff Day.
His Italian in-laws immigrated in 1917 and stayed, personally binding President Day to Detroit’s past.
The city’s evolution has shaped a community that brings together various cultures, faiths and backgrounds.
But every community has its challenges — and Farmington Hills is not immune to deeper social divides.
President Day described his community as generally friendly, but he remains acutely aware of underlying tensions, noting some instances of violence.
“There’s been enough skepticism of different racial groups that it’s been a hotbed for many years,” said President Day.
Recognizing a “real need” for meaningful conversations at a community level, President Day’s conviction to address the hostility present in the community became increasingly urgent.
So when he was invited to join “Bridging to Belonging” — a program designed to facilitate building trust through personal relationships — President Day eagerly accepted.
In 2023, a “Bridging to Belonging” group was organized in Farmington Hills, bringing together seven key community leaders, including President Day, who were determined to mend the growing rifts.
Two years later, on Sept. 24, the group received the inaugural George Washington Unity Award at the Bridge-Building Innovation Showcase & Awards Event at Mount Vernon, near Washington, D.C. The award recognizes the group’s efforts to build trust and belonging in Farmington Hills.
Sharing stories sparked a local movement
The group’s origins trace back to when Latter-day Saint Greg Geiger, president of the Detroit Interfaith Leadership Council, attended a community interfaith group meeting in Farmington Hills. There, he learned that issues between the police and minority communities remained unresolved.
In search of a solution, Geiger drew on the community building tools offered by the council. That’s when “Bridging to Belonging” came to mind.
Identifying commonalities through experiences helped lay a foundation for the group to connect personally, President Day said. The program adopted a workshop approach, teaching group members to find shared values through storytelling.
From going to the movies to sharing meals, each member learned how to talk and connect with one another.
“One of the things that, for me, became super impactful was this idea of really showing up for each other,” President Day said.
In that process, President Day learned that a community where “everybody’s voice was heard,” depended less on talking and more on listening. That significant discovery allowed the group to support one another. President Day attended group members’ church events, and they attended his.
President Day encouraged fellow Latter-day Saints to develop skills of kindness and love, even for individuals they didn’t like or understand.
“You’ve got to love everybody,” Day said. “You can’t be selective.”
Eventually, questions of how to apply their learnings to the broader community began to crop up. Answers remained murky for a time, but the group forged lasting friendships with one another that continued to bring them together.
In 2024, discussions of celebrating Juneteenth — a holiday commemorating the end of slavery — arose, and all members seized it as an opportunity to unify the community.
From isolation to unity
Rev. Patricia Coleman-Burns, pastor of the First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Farmington Hills and member of the “Bridging to Belonging” group, had long been a leader in hosting Juneteenth celebrations for the community in Farmington Hills.
But with little help from the city and persistent misconceptions that Juneteenth was exclusive to the Black community, Rev. Coleman-Burns felt isolated in her efforts.
That’s when the “Bridging to Belonging” group took it on — together.
“The conversations were so rich that people could express their hearts,” Rev. Coleman-Burns recalled from the 2024 celebration. “They could just say what was on their mind, or if they weren’t ready, they could just listen.”
This year, the turnout was huge.
“The police were all in,” Rev. Coleman-Burns said.
They brought fire trucks and cruisers, set up sprinklers and led children through an obstacle course, and their presence served as tangible evidence of the group’s efforts to soothe the pain felt by many in the community, she said.
Rev. Coleman-Burns acknowledged that the group may not think alike or believe the same things, but a sense of integrity has been instilled because they can trust each other.
“To show up for each other, to know that we’re going to have each other’s backs is exactly what we need in these times.” she said.
President Day affirmed this sentiment, noting that group members hold clear doctrinal differences but speak the same language of love.
“We might have a little bit of a difference of opinion on how to do that,” President Day said, referring to how group members approach sharing the gospel, ”But we don’t differ in some of these other areas.”
