People

Rabbi Yisrael Pinson is leading Detroit's first Chabad House, a center for metro Detroit's Jewish population in Midtown. 

Andrea Perkins is the Community Engagement Manager of Benevolent Detroit, a philanthropic crowd-funding website that spotlights low-income individuals by placing their stories online, listing what they need, why they need it, and how much it will cost to get it, then connecting nonprofits, their clients, and small donors who want to give to others. 

Abir Ali and Andre Sandifer are the owners and crafters behind acclaimed hand-made furniture house Ali Sandifer Studio.

Bradford Frost has been behind the transformation of the DIA's Kresge Court into the Cultural Living Room, the amateur photography exhibition Reveal Your Detroit held at the DIA, and is now director of the Detroit Corridor Initiative, an organization that aims to take the work they accomplished in the Woodward corridor as the Woodward Corridor Initiative and spread it to other parts of the city.

Linzie Venegas is chief marketing officer and business unit manager for Ideal Shield, a subsidiary company of Southwest Detroit-based, family-owned, and community-oriented Ideal Group. 

Alessandra Carreon is a co-founder of Better Block Detroit, an effort to raise awareness of complete streets, placemaking methods, and the potential for healthy, vibrant neighborhoods in the city.

Steve Tobocman is the founder of New Solutions Group LLC, a for-profit public policy consulting business.

Damien Rocchi is co-founder of Grand Circus, a new company that aims to increase the size of Detroit's technology industry by addressing a dearth of tech talent in the city through classes, workshops and networking opportunities.