Generation of Promise-- Lawyer founds program to broaden the concept of community

By Kathryne Gilbride Legal News Over the past 15 years, attorney Dan Malone has traveled to the world's largest continent more than 55 times. As director of Asian Client Initiatives at Dykema, that may not be unexpected. His professional interest in Asia, however, pales in comparison to the deep personal affinity he holds for a specific region of the landmass: the predominantly mountainous terrain of South Korea. It was there his two adopted daughters were born. "I have a personal interest in Korea and feel a great debt because the country brought into my life my two daughters and they are two of my greatest joys, along with our son and, of course, my wife," says Malone. His positive experiences from exposure to diverse cultures abroad and his adopted children, whom he refers to as his "miracles in progress," inspired him to found Generation of Promise, a one-year program aimed at broadening a sense of community through experimental learning for high school juniors in the metropolitan Detroit area. Throughout a 10-month curriculum the GOP engages students in experiential learning sessions to promote growth in leadership skills, greater awareness of racial, ethnic and religious diversity within the community, understanding of the historical and social context of the city and suburban interdependency, increased awareness of community needs and participation in community service and empowerment to promote understanding of and respect for diversity within the student participants' communities. More than 1,300 students from 18 different high schools have completed the program since its inception. The twentieth annual Generation of Promise launches next month. "I believe if you are given the gift of education you should budget a part of your time to giving back," says Malone, who started the program in 1987. "Other than raising my kids it is one of the most important things I have done for free. It has been unbelievably rewarding." The program gives promising students an opportunity to interact with students of diverse backgrounds from other high schools. It helps them recognize that leadership, talent and promise come in all genders, races, religions, and socioeconomic backgrounds. "It's aimed at building bridges and broadening the concept of community," says Malone. "Community is sort of the next social unit to family, and even though families bicker and what not, they hang together. Communities have a tendency to do the same thing, but the problem is that once you get outside the community, the tendency is just the opposite; we tend to be more critical, less tolerant, and less forgiving. So in a metropolitan area where many people for a variety of reasons tend to define community very narrowly, that's a problem." Grosse Pointe South graduate Carey Farley participated in the program in 2008. "Generation of Promise was a great way to get out of the classroom and into the world while meeting new people and experiencing things you would never see in your life," says Farley, "I learned to not just accept diversity but understand it and incorporate it in my life. My favorite part was making friends with people all across metro Detroit and learning about them." The program title Generation of Promise is derived from the two distinct definitions of the word promise. "The schools nominate or invite students with promise, potential, to apply," says Malone, "So the first definition is this is a generation with great potential, and I believe that. The second definition of promise is commitment. I promise to help. And so we take that potential, give them the gift of experiential learning for a full year, and then have all the participating students sign a contract to remind them they promised." Generation of Promise aims to instill the acceptance of diversity among students for a long-term impact. Amy Liang, a recent University of Michigan graduate and now Style Pro at Seventeen Magazine in New York City, participated in the program in 2005. The program's principles stick with her today. "One fellow 'GOP-er' mentioned that she always kept a box of crackers for the homeless when she visited metropolitan areas," says Liang, "Her simple idea stuck with me and led me to make dinner several times for some of the homeless men that frequented my block in Ann Arbor. Even as I've moved to New York City, I still give away food when I see someone that needs it more than me. Although this may seem like a small gesture, Generation of Promise taught me to strive to create some kind of change, regardless of its scale." According to Malone an estimated 85 percent of students in metropolitan Detroit are being educated and raised in a homogeneous environment. "It is easy for any of us to write off an entire group of people of different backgrounds, but my belief is when you get a chance to meet people from that group, your attitudes begin to change," says Malone, "So this is, in a sense, an attempt to reclaim a broader sense of community in Detroit by making it personal." For Malone, this concept has professional application as well. For example, he is involved with on-going efforts by the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland to "harmonize" the various automotive safety and environmental regulations of more than 70 participating nations. "Each country tends to have its own set of regulations that can be very costly, time consuming and wasteful for companies that are subject to those regulations to comply with," says Malone, "What I've tried to do in a tiny way is help that movement open lines of communication and get people talking to one another so that people have the best practices of other nations to consider when deciding what their regulations should be. You have to make it personal first. You have to get people together and raise trust by sitting down and communicating and interacting in a structured environment." Busy with traveling, Malone finds balance in juggling his family, profession and community. He consistently strives for his three goals of balance, remaining open to growth, and making it personal. "Everybody has certain pillars in their life, and whether they realize it or not they build around that," says Malone, "We all have a sort of faith system that is important. But in the temporal world for me it's my family, it's the profession, and it's the community." The Malone family shares a predominant football gene. Malone, the oldest of six, was captain of the Cornell football team. His brother Terry is assistant coach of Super Bowl Champions, the New Orleans Saints. "We were very proud of him," says Malone of his brother winning the Super Bowl, "and yet there were several seasons where his team didn't win the Super Bowl and we were equally proud of him. That philosophy of thick and thin, remaining committed to one another, is one that is really quite family-wide." According to Malone, he is equally proud of his entire family. In raising his own children Malone uses a football analogy. "You have to take the playbook for one and sort of throw it out and apply the same love and investment of time but maybe a different tactic with each kid, which has really been a growth experience for my wife and me." Malone's entire professional career has been centered in Detroit. His profession began working as a law clerk for U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Ralph B. Guy Jr. who he considers the most influential person of his career as both a mentor and friend. During his time at Butzel Long, prior to Dykema, Malone launched and led the global automotive practice for four years before relinquishing it to become the director of Korean client relations. He handled countless litigation matters and served as a national coordinating counsel in the infamous Ford Explorer and Firestone Wilderness AT controversy. Obvious through the success of Generation of Promise Malone stays focused on his third priority of community despite busyness in the global automotive industry. He aspires not to correct societal issues, but to encourage people to make a difference. "The Generation of Promise program is not aimed at trying to identify a social issue," says Malone. "It's not like 'take care of the elderly' or 'take care of the poor.' It's to look around your community, look around our world and decide what it is or how it is you can get involved and make a difference." Malone is also active in the legal community. He served as a Federal Bar president in Detroit, was an adjunct professor at two local law schools, is a frequent lecturer at numerous legal conferences in Korea, Japan, Germany, China and the U.S, and is co-author of two books and numerous articles. Although he loves to travel, the attorney holds a place in his heart for Detroit. Malone attended U of D Jesuit High School and the University of Detroit School of Law "People ask me all the time when I travel, 'Why do you stay in Detroit?' I respond, 'It's my hometown and I love it,'" says Malone "I see it with eyes open. It's not perfect, and it may not be at the top of the list of places to visit but it's a great place to raise a family and to call home." The accomplished attorney has received much recognition throughout his career but one award in particular stands out among others. Malone is a recipient of the 2006 State Bar of Michigan Champion of Justice Award, an award that recognizes integrity and adherence to highest principles and traditions of the legal profession, superior professional competence, and extraordinary accomplishments that benefit the nation, state, and local community. "I am humbled to have been recognized but I think it is largely because of these three pillars that I have tried to build my adult life on and I am blessed with many treasured friends here at Dykema and many other firms," says Malone of receiving the award, "I think the profession and each of us grows and benefits if we treat people the way we want to be treated. This is with civility, respect and professionalism, and that is really what I've tried to do." According to Malone, Generation of Promise could not have succeeded without the contributions of the entire team. "I continue to be overwhelmed by the incredible commitment of our board and many volunteers, even in this current, difficult economy when donations are limited and budget dollars stretched more than ever. Promise stands as a tribute to the power of volunteerism." For more information on the Generation of Promise program, visit www.generationofpromise.org. Published: Tue, Aug 24, 2010

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