Editor's note: This story is part of Southwest Michigan's Second Wave's On the Ground Kalamazoo series.

KALAMAZOO, MI — When Ebony Hemphill, the executive director of Bent Not Broken, remembers the moment that called her into action, her voice sounds determined. After what she experienced, she says she knew she wanted to do something about helping youth and families when they are impacted by the juvenile justice system in Kalamazoo.

“After being directly impacted with my son, once I kind of got my bearings back together,” Hemphill says, “I wanted to do something to support other families going through the process."

February of 2024 marked the launch of Bent Not Broken, an organization Hemphill founded to support youth and families navigating precarious and potentially legal situations that arise at school and home. Hemphill herself found the process overwhelming —  the paperwork, the meetings, the court system, the emotions that come along with it all — everything. She wondered how she could help others who might be struggling.

Officially registered as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Bent Not Broken lifts up Hemphill’s vision of advocacy, community, and justice for the youth and their families.

Ebony Hemphill, Executive Director of Bent Not BrokenThe idea for Bent Not Broken was spawned during a personal incident involving Hemphill’s son, DJ. At just ten years old, DJ’s altercation with another student over a basketball escalated, leading to a school suspension. Despite the principal’s decision against extending the suspension, the parents of the other youth involved pressed charges, resulting in a letter accusing DJ of assault and battery.  “No one needed medical attention," Hemphill says. It was the "first time my son had gotten in trouble and his last.”

Faced with navigating the juvenile system, Hemphill and her husband sought legal support and advocacy, and through a lot of hard work and help from others in Kalamazoo, were able to get the charges dropped. 

Reflecting on the experience, Hemphill notes, “There were a few community people that I noticed had been doing some advocacy…that were able to help us successfully advocate for DJ. The charges ended up being dropped. While I realize that that is not always the case, and I’m grateful for it. That’s why we continue this work.

“Every youth and family are different, and they are in different places in the process,” Hemphill says. “I believe it is important for folks not to feel like they are alone, that they have no one to talk to.” 

Addressing the problem versus issuing punishment

Hemphill points out the systemic nature of challenges within the justice system, a perspective reinforced by her younger sister, who often reminds her that “their brains are mush” meaning at a young age, children’s brains are still not fully developed. Read more on the development of the adolescent brain here: National Institute of Mental Health.

Bent Not Broken serves youth as young as six years old, stepping in when schools impose disciplinary action rather than exploring the underlying issues. Hemphill recounts the case of a young boy facing expulsion due to behavioral issues, which turned out to stem from a defiance disorder. The Mayo Clinic describes ODD as follows. 

Bent Not Broken's offices are located in the Douglass Community Association.“Even the best-behaved children can be difficult and challenging at times. But oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) includes a frequent and ongoing pattern of anger, irritability, arguing, and defiance toward parents and other authority figures. ODD also includes being spiteful and seeking revenge, a behavior called vindictiveness.

“I think it is important to walk through things with folks,” Hemphill says. In one instance, a father who had never attended the Bent Not Broken meetings open to family members finally joined after a year of the organization's advocacy work with his son. Hemphill spoke with the father, who says he felt guilty for not being present during the bulk of the past work. She told him,  “It doesn’t matter that you weren’t here then, you’re here now. Let’s go.”

Bent Not Broken’s community impact is magnified by its devoted team, and Hemphill offers an explanation of those who work to help the nonprofit's vision succeed. Although Hemphill was born and raised in Detroit, she has been in Kalamazoo since 1999. When asked about the importance of having staff who were born and raised in the community, Hemphill says, “Everybody on the team is born and raised in Kalamazoo, except me.” Hemphill also notes that a future goal of the organization is to hire an attorney on retainer. 

Dontray Hemphill, Director of Youth Development & Community EngagementDontray Hemphill, Ebony’s husband and the Director of Youth Development & Community Engagement, brings a pool of local connections and a unique perspective. “He has a great lens for some of the things I don’t,” Ebony Hemphill says. “Some parents don’t have capacity to give it (love). Not in a degrading manner… They are tired.”  

Hemphill says that when a youth has the healthy influence of an adult who will just “spend time with” the child, it makes a huge difference. 

Sherah Hawkins, BNB's executive assistant, leverages her administrative expertise and personal experiences to keep the organization’s operations running smoothly. Hemphill praises Hawkins' “robust experience in admin work” and her it “takes a village” approach to advocacy.

Lena Shorter, Youth & Family Engagement CoordinatorLena Shorter, Youth & Family Engagement Coordinator, is a single mother whose personal experiences with family inspired her advocacy work. While she says she may occasionally need time to recover, her dedication to the cause is unwavering. “She’s the definition of running the long haul with her son,” Hemphill says. Shorter and Hemphill met through Shorter’s son, who is involved with the advocacy work Bent Not Broken provides. Shorter is not able to advocate for her own son, but she advocates for other youth who come to BNB.

Trevon Hobson, Youth Development Coordinator, has worked with youth who are considered at risk for over 15 years at KRESA and Covenant Academy. James Ray, another BNB employee, works with youth both on and off the basketball court.

Family Justice Hubs

BNB's Family Justice Hubs provide a welcoming environment for families to share their stories and seek guidance. “This is a space where people show up to see if Bent not Broken can support,” says Hemphill, “They share what has happened or is happening.” 

The group comes together to figure out what they should do next. Hemphill says that the new attendees are spoken to first, to assess the situation, and seek out the best next steps. Then the recurring folks are met with to help continue setting goals, which the youth usually set themselves. The goals can be simple but are just as often complex. These goals could be anything from just staying away from that one kid in that one class, to arriving to court at the assigned date and time. 

Bent Not Broken also offers Youth Meetings, which include events like movie outings and literacy workshops. Hemphill continually stresses the importance of two things: that youth and families know that they are not alone and that folks just try their best- because that is all they can do. 

Bent Not Broken was credited for its work by KydNetwork.Typical disciplinary actions that BNB addresses with family include suspension or "over-suspension," says Hemphill. "I feel like … yes I understand that [as] a teacher in a jam-packed classroom of kids, it’s hard to focus on one. But I also feel like the resolution can’t always be to put that one student out,” says Hemphill. “If we do that, when are they gonna' learn?” 

“The continuous suspension does not benefit anybody. This is the design and that is unfortunate.” Hemphill.  

A recurring theme in Hemphill’s work is addressing this “design,”  the school-to-prison pipeline. ACLU defines the school-to-prison pipeline as “a disturbing national trend wherein youth are funneled out of public schools and into the juvenile and criminal legal systems. Many of these youth are Black or Brown, have disabilities, or histories of poverty, abuse, or neglect, and would benefit from additional support and resources. Instead, they are isolated, punished, and pushed out.”

Bent Not Broken participants attend many events, including KRESA's Career Connect.Hemphill advocates for personalized care in classrooms and supports students who struggle academically. “Sometimes, a lot of the times, the youth that are continuously acting up…they don’t understand what is going on in class. They may want to out themselves from class before the teacher outs them for not knowing the material.”

One of Hemphill’s favorite success stories involves a young man suspended from school last December. Through advocacy at Bent Not Broken and holistic support at Synergy, a local organization that describes its mission as “to transform lives through mental health, behavioral health, and substance abuse services with particular attention to African Americans,” he not only returned to school but also learned to advocate for himself. “The youth knows that his past decisions were not his best and that he can do better,” Hemphill says. This youth is one of the youth leaders at Bent Not Broken, a compensated position for those who have had success with the program where they can help support others working through it."

What's next? 

Bent Not Broken aims to expand its summer programming, having served 15 youth lin 2024 “The goal is to triple that number,” Hemphill shares, although she acknowledges the need for more resources to meet the demand. 

As Bent Not Broken continues to grow, Hemphill plans to deepen partnerships with organizations like the Black Wellness Network and Gryphon Place. “I think it’s important for Black and Brown folks to see people who look like them and can relate to them,” Hemphill says.

Bent Not Broken was recently acknowledged with a City of Kalamazoo proclamation.Through participatory defense and community collaboration, Bent Not Broken aims to disrupt the cycles of systemic injustice. Participatory Defense Network defines the movement as “a community organizing model for people facing charges, their families, and communities to impact the outcomes of cases and transform the landscape of power in the court system.” 

Hemphill’s leadership, rooted in personal experience and community solidarity, is a testament to the power of advocacy. “All of us are advocates,” says Hemphill, underlining the collective commitment that drives Bent Not Broken’s mission forward. "Let's keep digging deep."