Leadership : Videos

For the last 3 years, UIX has been documenting the growing movement of artists, makers, entrepreneurs and innovators leading creative neighborhood transformation in Detroit. In this look back, photographer Doug Coombe shares some of the people, projects & places he has captured along the way. Want the full experience? Join us at #UIXDET Sept 24-26, 2014 in Detroit. Music: "Baptism" by Passalacqua, off their new album CHURCH. read on…

Michael Forsyth, Retail Business Development Manager of the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC) and leader of the DEGC's collaborative neighborhood renewal program REVOLVE Detroit, discusses how Detroit can be a world leader in how communities approach redevelopment. read on…

Writer, teacher and MIT Media Fellow Shaka Senghor recently gave the last talk of Session 10 on "Passion" at TED2014, receiving a standing ovation from the national audience. While we wait for the footage, here's a video from Senghor's earlier talk at TEDxMidwest, which starts with a literal bang: When he was 19, he shot and killed another man. At the time, he was a young drug dealer “with a quick temper and a semi-automatic pistol.” Senghor says that the “23 years since have been a story of apology, acknowledgement and atonement.” read on…

Recycle Here! was formed in 2005 to address the need for recycling options in the City of Detroit. What began as a grassroots neighborhood recycling event has evolved into a city-wide, fully-funded, neighborhood recycling program. As founder Matthew Naimi says here in the video, "It's one of the most Detroit things you're ever gonna see." Video by DETROIT LIVES! read on…

For our last issue of 2013, we're taking a look back at one of our favorite videos from the first two years of UIX. In case you missed it the first time, here is Amy Kaherl from Detroit SOUP talking about their monthly fundraising dinner to support local projects. Video by DETROIT LIVES!  read on…

Khalil Ligon is the project manager of the Lower Eastside Action Plan (LEAP), a grassroots community organization that seeks to address land use issues and development planning on Detroit's lower-east side. Video by DETROIT LIVES!read on…

Erik Howard is the co-founder of Young Nation, a non-profit organization that promotes holistic development of youth in urban settings through building relationships, community education, and passion-driven projects. See him and several other UIX innovators on Friday, April 12 starting at 5:30 p.m. at MoCAD as UIX celebrates our one-year anniversary with a special UIX+ArtXDetroit discussion on placemaking. Video by DETROIT LIVES! for Detroit Creative Corridor Center. read on…

Kimo Frederiksen owns True Body Fitness in Corktown, an intimate fitness center that offers one-on-one personal training in a private atmosphere as well as group classes. He has also partnered with the Ruth Ellis Center in Highland Park to mentor one of their youths. In everything he does, Frederiksen is helping to change lives one little bit at a time. Video by DETROIT LIVES!read on…

Kiva Detroit co-founder Rishi Jaitly talks about his work with Kiva Detroit and the Knight Foundation at the Revitalization & Business Initiative's Detroit Shift conference, held at the University of Michigan's School of Business is association with Model D's IdeaLab. Video by RB Conference.read on…

John George, founder of Motor City Blight Busters, says enough with all the talking: "Get off your ass and do something." Which is exactly how Blight Busters came to be. Tired of a house in his neighborhood being used as a crack house, he took it upon himself to board it up. Since then the nonprofit has boarded up, secured, demolished, rebuilt, repainted or otherwise positively impacted some 1,500 houses in the city with 120,000 volunteers logging almost 700,000 hours. You want change? Do it yourself. Video by DETROIT LIVES!read on…

How do you promote a greater understanding of Detroit's shared history and empower the next generation of changemakers? Soh Suzuki of Detroit Asian Youth (DAY) Project shares his work to engage young people through community projects. Video by DETROIT LIVES! read on…

Have a big idea? Take baby steps, says Steve Nawara of Beehive Recording Company. In this video, Steve shares how Beehive is holding a magnifying glass to Detroit's local music culture by offering free recording and downloads for emerging artists. Video by DETROIT LIVES! read on…

The InsideOut Literary Arts Project helps young Detroiters find their voices as writers, which in turn teaches them to think critically and creatively. Since she founded the program in 1995, Terry Blackhawk has grown the program from a few classrooms to more than 30 schools and 4,300 students - no small feat. Video by DETROIT LIVES! read on…

As a student at Wayne State University, Charlie Cavell discovered a problem he wanted to help solve. "There are a lot of people without jobs in this city. How do we fix that?" Thus was born the Pay it Forward Initiative. In this video, Charlie sits down with DETROIT LIVES! to share how his small startup project is making a big difference. read on…

In a city with a lot of vacant space, whose responsibility is it to clean it up? Halima Cassells of Detroit Mural Factory is one of many Detroiters stepping up to transform empty lots into public art and gardens. "When people come together to make things, it's fun." Video by DETROIT LIVES! read on…