R&B star Usher celebrated in Detroit for youth mentoring program, successes in business

R&B star Usher honored at Detroit awards program

DETROIT — Usher Raymond IV has found success in the entertainment industry as an R&B recording star and in business as part owner of the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers.

He also gets excited about working with young people.

Usher was being honored Thursday in Detroit for his work as an entrepreneur and for the efforts of his youth mentoring New Look Foundation.

He told The Associated Press, “Something inside of me wanted to mentor youth, like myself. Kids who were maybe not as likely to succeed.”

The 31-year-old Usher has been named the Ford Freedom Award Scholar and was attending the 12th annual Ford Freedom Award program Thursday evening in Detroit.

Ford Motor Co. and the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History launched the awards program in 1999.