Stefan Perez a 16 year old from Detroit began marching into downtown with 15 people. More and more joined him until he became an unwitting leader of a large crowd. Above all else, the teen vowed to keep everyone in line, and get them back home safely. He made sure their voices were heard without disrupting and antagonizing the Police.
With megaphone in hand, he kept the protesters calm, even though he said “they were scared”.
At the end of the march, after no looting or fights, he urged the protesters to comply with the city’s 8 p.m. curfew so that no one would get hurt. While being interviewed after the march he received a shocking and unexpected call, Mayor Mike Duggan. The mayor praised the young man admitting he had tears in his eyes and gave him his PERSONAL number.