Photo credit: Courtney Smith
Courtney Smith, founder and CEO of the Detroit Phoenix Center, has been named one of JCI USA’s 2026 Ten Outstanding Young Americans. The national recognition honors her leadership and work supporting young people experiencing housing instability.
Smith launched the Detroit Phoenix Center in a church basement in January 2017. Since then, the organization has grown into a nonprofit providing housing assistance, basic needs support, education, workforce development and mental health services.
The center supported more than 5,000 young people in 2025, according to the organization. Smith’s recognition highlights her efforts to expand resources for young people while giving them a voice in decisions that affect their futures.
Courtney Smith Builds Support for Detroit Youth
Smith founded the Detroit Phoenix Center after recognizing the need for services shaped by young people’s experiences. The organization works with youth and young adults, helping them access resources and build greater stability.
Its programs include emergency support, educational opportunities, workforce development and youth leadership initiatives. The center also advocates for changes that address the challenges young people face when accessing housing and other essential services.
Smith says her approach to service comes from recognizing a need and choosing to respond. She recalled a service trip to Haiti when a young person gave her their shoes after hers broke. The experience reinforced her belief in the importance of helping others.
For Smith, that lesson continues to guide her work with young people. She says their resilience motivates her to help ensure they have the support and opportunities to shape their own futures.
Youth Leadership Remains Central to the Mission
The Detroit Phoenix Center’s Youth Action Board gives young people with lived experience an opportunity to influence programs and policies. Members identify barriers, share their perspectives and advocate for better access to housing, education, employment and mental health services.
The group has also traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with lawmakers about issues affecting young people and their peers.
In 2025, the organization expanded its outreach with the launch of the YouthUp Mobile Unit. The 40-foot mobile crisis and resource center brings essential services directly to young people in their communities.
The unit offers food, hygiene supplies, internet access and private spaces for homework and therapy. Since its launch, YouthUp has reached more than 4,000 young people, according to the organization.
These initiatives reflect Smith’s focus on making support more accessible while allowing young people to help shape the services they receive.
National Recognition Adds to Smith’s Honors
JCI USA’s Ten Outstanding Young Americans program recognizes individuals ages 18 to 40 for leadership, service and professional achievement. Established in 1938, the program has honored people across fields including business, science, the arts, military service and philanthropy.
Past honorees include President John F. Kennedy, Elvis Presley, former President Bill Clinton and former Vice President Dick Cheney.
Smith has also received recognition from the Detroit NAACP, HOUR Detroit and Crain’s Detroit Business. Her honors include the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award and a place on Crain’s Detroit Business’ 40 Under 40 list.
Beyond her work at the Detroit Phoenix Center, Smith serves on several boards and advisory groups, including the National Network for Youth Policy Advisory Committee. She is an alumna of Eastern Michigan University’s Honors College, holds a master’s degree in industrial-organizational psychology from Harvard University Extension School and is pursuing a master’s degree in social work at the University of Michigan.
The JCI USA recognition brings further attention to Smith’s work addressing youth housing instability and expanding opportunities for young people in Detroit and beyond.
Source: Detroit Phoenix Center press release, Catalyst Media Factory
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