Detroit youth gain access to global entertainment industry through Usher internship program

Eight Detroit young adults landed internship positions on R&B star Usher's national tour, working hands-on in production, creative design, and communications while traveling with the show. Four additional participants shadowed awards-show operations. The program, created through Usher's New Look nonprofit and Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Detroit, partnered with Michigan Central to train interns in industry-standard practices before placing them in real-world roles on one of the year's biggest tours.

The interns described the experience as intense but transformative—involving long hours of load-in and load-out work, camera operations, wardrobe coordination, and behind-the-scenes logistics that revealed both the demanding nature of touring and the collaborative teamwork required. Program leaders emphasized that participants, all 18 and older, were selected based on prior training and mental/physical readiness for the pace.

Boys & Girls Clubs officials say the program is already expanding, with other artists expressing interest in replicating it. For the interns, the opportunity represented a rare entry point into professional creative industries and a chance to represent Detroit on a global stage, with Usher performing at Ford Field in July.