We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Shannon Rochon. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Shannon below.
Shannon, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about how you identified some of your key partners/vendors and how you made those relationships work?
As the founder of BlackCount, one of the most transformative partnerships we secured, and one that reshaped the trajectory of our civic engagement work, was with the Aretha Franklin Amphitheater in Detroit. That relationship did not happen by accident. It grew from paying attention to where our people gather, where culture moves, and where community energy is at its highest. I have always believed that civic power grows where cultural power lives.
How I Found the Partnership
I knew the Aretha had one of the strongest summer concert series in the region. Thousands of Detroiters, families, young people, and working-class residents came through those gates every week. That is exactly who BlackCount is built to reach. Instead of waiting for the perfect moment, I showed up consistently. I met staff, volunteers, vendors, and promoters. I listened before I asked. And I made it clear that BlackCount was not coming to take up space. We were coming to add value to the mission of the venue and the community it serves.
How the Deal Came Together
Once leadership saw our consistency, professionalism, and the way we framed civic engagement through culture and not politics, they opened the door for a conversation. The process was straightforward but rooted in trust.
1. We showed them the demand: people want simple and accessible ways to register to vote and receive nonpartisan information.
2. We brought a plan: a clean tabling setup, trained volunteers, branded materials, and messaging aligned with the tone of the venue.
3. We demonstrated impact: our data, our partnerships, and our history of community-based engagement.
After a few meetings, we secured a summer-long partnership for voter registration and civic education at concerts and major events. That was the spark.
Why I Chose Them
The Aretha Franklin Amphitheater is a Detroit institution. It represents culture, family, community, and legacy. These are the same principles that guide BlackCount. We were not just setting up a table. We were embedding civic power in cultural spaces. That is the heartbeat of our mission.
Why They Said Yes
They agreed to the partnership because we offered:
• Professionalism with purpose
• Consistency without ego
• A mission that aligned with the audience they serve
• A cultural approach to civic engagement instead of a political one
We were not asking the Aretha to change what they do. We were helping to elevate it.
How the Partnership Grew
From that one location, opportunities began opening everywhere.
• Artists performing at the Aretha invited us to table at their shows in other cities.
• Promoters and event managers connected us with new venues and festivals.
• Community organizations who saw us in action reached out for collaborative projects.
Today, BlackCount is building a national footprint because that first partnership proved what we have always believed. When you meet people where they are, you can move communities forward.
What I Would Do Differently
Looking back, I would have built a touring infrastructure sooner. Travel teams, logistics plans, and mobile registration setups would have helped us keep up with the momentum that came quickly. Opportunities grew faster than expected, and we learned in real time how to expand our capacity. Now we are building systems that match the size of our vision.
The Lesson
The biggest lesson is simple.
Civic engagement grows when you honor culture first.
People respond when you serve with authenticity. Partnerships grow when you lead with consistency and genuine community commitment.
BlackCount was born in Detroit, and the Aretha Franklin Amphitheater helped us take that message across the country
Shannon, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am Shannon Rochon, founder and president of BlackCount, a national civic engagement organization rooted in culture, community, and the belief that everyday people have the power to shape their future. My work began long before the name BlackCount existed. I grew up surrounded by community, faith, music, and public service, and those early experiences taught me that leadership is not a title. It is a responsibility. Everything I do as an organizer, entrepreneur, educator, and creative is grounded in one purpose. My purpose is to inspire people to use their talents to build a community that loves and supports one another.
How I Got Into This Work
I did not enter civic engagement through a traditional political route. I came through culture. I came through schools. I came through the neighborhoods that shaped me. I saw firsthand how many people cared deeply about their community yet felt disconnected from the systems that make decisions about their lives. I realized that voter engagement has to feel human. It has to feel cultural. It has to feel like us.
BlackCount was born out of that realization. I wanted to create a space where civic power could be built through creativity and belonging, not fear or pressure. I wanted to redefine what civic engagement looks like for Black communities. Instead of expecting people to come to political spaces, I decided to bring civic education and voter access into cultural spaces where people already feel seen and safe.
What We Provide
BlackCount is a civic engagement and community activation organization that uses culture as the entry point to build long-term civic power. We provide:
• Voter registration and education services at concerts, festivals, sports arenas, churches, and community events
• Creative civic engagement campaigns and event activations for partners
• Leadership development and mentoring for Black professionals through the Black Professional Brotherhood
• Community-centered programs such as Brothers in the Box, where youth receive mentorship from Black professionals in luxury suite experiences at Detroit sporting events
• National collaborations with artists, venues, and promoters to bring civic engagement on tour
• Scholarship fundraising for Black men in education through our annual Laced in Legacy Sneaker Ball
BlackCount builds bridges. We turn culture into civic access and help communities see their voice as their power.
What Problems We Solve
We solve the problem of disconnection. Many people feel unseen and unheard in political spaces. Many do not believe their vote matters because no one has ever met them where they are. BlackCount solves that by making civic access simple, human, and culturally affirming.
We increase voter participation, improve civic literacy, strengthen community trust, and empower people who have historically been left out of decision making. We bring the information to the people rather than expecting them to come find it. That is our difference.
What Sets Us Apart
What sets BlackCount apart is our cultural lens. We do not lead with politics. We lead with people. We create experiences, not pamphlets. We engage hearts before we ask for ballots. We honor the creativity, excellence, and dignity of Black communities and use that energy to inspire civic action.
Anyone can set up a voter registration table. BlackCount builds a movement around identity, culture, legacy, and community power. That is what makes us different.
What I Am Most Proud Of
I am most proud of the fact that BlackCount started with a simple idea and quickly became a national model. One of our earliest and strongest partnerships began at the Aretha Franklin Amphitheater in Detroit. From there, BlackCount expanded into partnerships with artists, venues, community organizations, and promoters who saw the value in the way we connect civic engagement to culture. That single relationship opened doors to dozens of others and has grown into multiple statewide and national collaborations.
I am also proud of the young people we have reached, the Black men we have mentored, the families we have supported, and the communities that now see their voice as their power. Those are the results that matter.
What I Want People to Know About My Work
I want people to know that BlackCount is not about politics. It is about people. It is about building a community that loves, supports, and holds each other up. It is about making sure that every person understands their influence and their ability to shape the world they live in.
I want people to know that our work is rooted in service, creativity, authenticity, and cultural pride. BlackCount is where culture meets civic power. We are building something generational and inclusive. We are creating a movement where everyone can take ownership of their voice and their future.
At the end of the day, everything I build is connected to my purpose. My purpose is to inspire people to use their talents to build a community that loves and supports one another. BlackCount is the platform that allows me to live that every day.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
Yes. The mission driving my creative journey with BlackCount is to build a community where culture and civic power work together to transform people’s lives. I believe creativity is one of the most effective tools we have for awakening purpose, inspiring action, and strengthening community identity. My goal is to take the things that already move our people, such as music, art, storytelling, fashion, and shared cultural experiences, and use them to open new doors for civic engagement and leadership.
BlackCount exists to show that voting, community building, and civic education can feel alive, joyful, and culturally rooted. My mission is to inspire people to use their gifts, their voices, and their talents to participate in shaping their future. I want to remove the barriers that make civic life feel distant and replace them with experiences that feel personal, authentic, and empowering.
At the heart of everything I create is my purpose. My purpose is to inspire people to use their talents to build a community that loves and supports one another. BlackCount is the creative pathway that allows me to live out that mission every day.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
I built BlackCount’s social media presence by treating our platforms as a community space, not a marketing space. From the beginning, I wanted people to feel like they were stepping into a movement that belonged to them, not just following another organization online. Our growth came from showing real people, real culture, and real community work happening in real time.
How BlackCount Grew Its Audience
The foundation of our social media growth came from visibility at cultural events. Once we partnered with the Aretha Franklin Amphitheater for voter registration and education tabling, people began to see BlackCount in the places they already loved to be. We showed our work at concerts, festivals, sporting events, community gatherings, and neighborhoods across Detroit. Every time we activated at an event, we captured the energy, the conversations, and the impact and shared it online.
Instead of posting graphics with statistics, we posted stories. We posted moments. We posted culture. People saw BlackCount as a movement that reflected their identity and honored their voice. That authenticity created organic growth. As we expanded into partnerships with artists, venues, and other community organizations, our online audience followed us from location to location, city to city, concert to concert.
Our social media presence strengthened because we did not just share content. We shared purpose. We shared community wins, youth engagement, our Brothers in the Box mentoring program, our Sneaker Ball scholarship fundraiser, and the everyday work of connecting people to civic power. People connected to the mission because they could see it in action.
Advice for Those Starting To Build Their Online Presence
1. Lead with your mission.
People follow clarity. Say who you are, say what you stand for, and show it every time you post.
2. Share the work in real time.
Do not wait for the polished final photo. Post the process, the setup, the community interaction, and the impact.
3. Highlight people, not just programs.
Faces, stories, and lived experiences resonate more than flyers and announcements.
4. Be rooted in culture.
Meet people where they are. When your content reflects your community’s culture, your audience feels seen.
5. Stay consistent and show up.
Your audience grows when people know they can rely on you to show up with purpose and authenticity.
6. Make people feel included.
Your digital presence should feel like a community, not a commercial.
What Matters Most
BlackCount’s audience grew because we made the mission visible. Everything we post reflects the same goal. We use culture to build civic power and inspire people to use their talents to uplift their community. When people can see themselves in your work, they support it, share it, and become part of it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.BlackCount.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackcountorg?igsh=MTEzcmtleXVoanF1Ng%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/19QpKcDS2r/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Image Credits
None