Michael-Christopher Suman on Building Detailing for MCAS: Turning Small Acts Into Global Impact
When people talk about leadership, they often imagine large organizations, formal titles, and long-established institutions. But for Michael-Christopher Suman , leadership began much closer to home — in a driveway, with a bucket, a sponge, and a desire to help others feel seen. I spoke with Michael-Christopher Suman during a community event in Chicago, where volunteers were detailing cars as part of Detailin g for MCAS , a youth-led nonprofit he founded to raise awareness and funding for Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) , a rare and often misunderstood immune disorder. What follows is a conversation about empathy, youth leadership, and why starting small can lead to real change. Growing Up With an Invisible Illness Michael-Christopher Suman grew up in a household where compassion was not optional. His mother lives with MCAS, a condition that affects multiple systems in the body and is frequently misdiagnosed or dismissed. Watching her navigate daily challenges shap...