People

Ron Lee

Tunde Wey Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Ronald Lee is a hip-hop producer and youth counselor, two widely varying professions he draws upon in equal turn as program coordinator of faith-based youth mentoring organization The Yuinon.

Arts & Culture, Kids, Leadership

Detroit

Kelli Kavanaugh is co-director of the 5,000-person-and-growing annual bike ride Tour de Troit (TdT), as well as co-owner of of retail bicycle shop Wheelhouse Detroit. She believes that non-motorized transportation is the future of the Motor City.

Health & Wellness, Leadership, Outdoor Recreation, Public Policy, Transportation

Detroit

Mohammed Islam

Tunde Wey Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Mohammed Islam is the owner of PLAN Engineering and Construction LLC and Halal Live Chicken, both in Hamtramck. Both businesses -- the former, a contracting company; the latter, a halal poultry slaughter facility and store -- serve the prominent Muslim and South Asian communities that call Hamtramck home.

Entrepreneurship, Food, Multiculturalism

Hamtramck

Dan Varner

Tunde Wey Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Dan Varner is the CEO of Excellent Schools Detroit, a coalition of various private and public entities committed to significantly impacting the success rate of Detroit Public Schools.

Education, Kids

Detroit

John Cummings

Tunde Wey Wednesday, September 12, 2012

John Cummings is the pastor of Southwest Detroit's GRACE IN ACTION (GRACE), a Southwest Detroit-based Christian faith community working to engage youth and organize residents around key issues.

Community Engagement, Education, Jobs, Kids, Leadership, Multiculturalism, Philanthropy, Technology

Southwest Detroit

Ben Falik

Tunde Wey Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Ben Falik is co-founder of Summer In The City (SITC), a nonprofit volunteering and service organization that mobilizes volunteers around three initiative areas: paint, plant and play.

Agriculture, Arts & Culture, Community Engagement, Education, Kids, Leadership, Outdoor Recreation, Philanthropy, Volunteerism

Soh Suzuki

Tunde Wey Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Soh Suzuki is the co-founder of The Detroit Asian Youth (DAY) Project, which educates youth about national and local Asian-American history using community projects and conversation to help them understand the connection between their heritage and the larger Detroit.

Arts & Culture, Education, Leadership, Multiculturalism

Downtown Detroit

Nakesha Woods

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Nakesha Woods and her sister Natrina Groce are the co-founders of Sisters Inspiring Sisters (SIS), which works with female high school students in the city of Detroit, offering them mentoring sessions in key life skill areas from relationships and domestic violence to college preparation and conflict resolution.

Education, Kids, Leadership, Philanthropy

Rebecca Salminen Witt

Tunde Wey Friday, August 24, 2012

Rebecca Salminen Witt is the President of The Greening of Detroit, a nonprofit whose mission is to guide and inspire others to create a greener Detroit through planting and educational programs, environmental leadership, advocacy, and community capacity-building.

Agriculture, Community Engagement, Education, Food, Health & Wellness, Human Services, Jobs, Kids, Leadership, Parks & Greenspace, Sustainability, Volunteerism

Detroit, Corktown

Mary K Bazzi

Tunde Wey Thursday, August 23, 2012

Mary K Bazzi is the artist behind the Detroit Wallpaper Company, an exploration of art beyond the canvas, realized through murals on urban surfaces in public spaces.

Arts & Culture, Placemaking

Detroit

Shayne O'Keefe

Tunde Wey Friday, August 03, 2012

Shayne O'Keefe is owner of Hot Spokes, a lunch delivery service serving greater downtown Detroit by bicycle, and shop manager at The Hub of Detroit. He is also a musician and part owner of local record label Woodbridge Records.

Entrepreneurship, Food, Jobs, Leadership, Outdoor Recreation, Sustainability, Transportation

Detroit, Midtown, Downtown Detroit, Woodbridge

Malik Yakini

UIX Team Friday, August 03, 2012

Malik Yakini is the Executive Director and founding member of D-Town Farm and the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network, a group of individuals and organizations dedicated to building food security and advocating for food justice for Detroit’s majority African-American community.

Agriculture, Community Engagement, Education, Food, Health & Wellness, Leadership, Parks & Greenspace, Sustainability

Detroit

Vanita Mistry

Tunde Wey Monday, July 16, 2012

Vanita Mistry is the founder of Detroit GreenCycle, a curbside recycling and compost pick-up service. For a nominal monthly fee, GreenCycle collects recycling from residents and businesses in the greater downtown area by bicycle, delivering recyclables to Recycle Here and compost to local gardens.

Community Engagement, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Sustainability, Transportation

Detroit, Midtown, Downtown Detroit, Woodward Corridor, Corktown, Woodbridge, New Center

Carlo Sweeney

Tunde Wey Monday, July 16, 2012

Carlo (Khali) Sweeney is the founder of Downtown Boxing Gym. The Gym's youth program is committed to enhancing the lives of young Detroit men and women through physical training, academic tutoring and counseling, and community service opportunities.

Community Engagement, Education, Health & Wellness, Kids, Leadership

Detroit, East Riverfront, Downtown Detroit

Lisa Luevanos

Tunde Wey Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Lisa Luevanos is an artist, teacher and officer of CLAVE (Community of Latino Artists, Visionaries and Educators). Founded in Southwest Detroit in 2008 to continue the work of Casa de Unidad, the organization advocates for cultural appreciation, using art to create community unity.

Arts & Culture, Community Engagement, Education, Kids, Leadership, Multiculturalism, Parks & Greenspace, Placemaking

Detroit, Southwest Detroit