This Labor Day weekend, Detroiters and metro-Detroiters may have faced power outages, but there was no shortage of exciting cultural happenings. With Knight Arts grantee The Detroit Jazz Festival, Arts, Beats & Eats and the Hamtramck Labor Day Festival keeping the streets alive, the most concerning problem was choosing which event to attend. Ominous skies loomed overhead on Sunday as I rode my bike to the jazz fest, hoping to find a little adventure and maybe some delicious tunes with a little Slows To Go (Detroit’s’ amazing barbecue) on the side. Little did I know, I was about to set myself on a collision course with some amazing Detroit youth and none other than Barack Obama (yes, the president of the United States of America).

Maneuvering around Hart Plaza, I found and followed an energetic group of young people to their performance on the kids’ stage. These performers from the Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit, another Knight Arts grantee, immediately drew me in with their exuberance off stage, and it only heightened while they were on. My smile stayed pretty much ear to ear, and I found myself dancing along as they soulfully sang a rendition of “Change the World” by Eric Clapton. At some point, a very nice member of the Youth Theatre introduced me to Mosaic’s founder Rick Sperling, whom I recognized from July’s Detroit Soup (an event I will discuss in an upcoming post). He jovially explained that Mosaic Youth Theatre kicked off its 20th season this year by performing at the Jazz Festival and Arts, Beats & Eats and, to cap it all off, on Monday, it was scheduled to perform with Aretha Franklin for President Obama. Sperling established Mosaic in 1992 to fill the gaps in arts education in metro-Detroit schools. Today, 95 percent of its program participants graduate from high school and go to collage. Mosaic encompasses programs for youth, ages 6 to 18, including Teatro Mosaico, a bilingual acting session with a focus on Latino arts and culture. I could spend a few days listing Mosaic’s many accomplishments, but then I would have missed its amazing performance on Monday.

The temperature dip did not stop the crowds (or myself) from attending Obama’s Labor Day speech down on the riverfront. There was an air of excitement and camaraderie among all the people who were gathered as the Mosaic Youth Ensemble took the stage to sing the national anthem a capella with a passion well beyond its years. Even though the President had not yet arrived (he was en-route), I am sure he could feel the mark these inspiring Detroiters left on the crowd.

The Mosaic Youth Ensemble will be holding open auditions for its 2011-2012 season on Sept. 26 through 28, 2011 from 6 to 9 p.m.. Cost is $5 per person. All auditions are held at 7441 Second Ave., Detroit, Mich. 48202. For more information on auditions, performances and the program, please visit its website.