Community Engagement : Videos

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…

"A bookstore? That's the most radical sh*t you can do in the 21st century, open a bookstore in certain areas." If so, then Yusef Bunchy Shakur, owner of the Urban Network, is pretty radical -- and innovative. Check out his conversation with DETROIT LIVES! about his work to build a stronger community in Detroit's Zone 8 neighborhood. read on…

Jessica Brooke Williams leads Young Adults/Artists/Activists of Heidelberg (YAH), a branch of the Heidelberg Project that engages young adults to become leaders in the community and gain professional development in Detroit's arts industry. Video profile by DETROIT LIVES! read on…

How do you help the vulnerably-housed move toward financial security and independence? For Delphia Simmons of Thrive Detroit, the answer is micro-entrepreneurial opportunity. Video by DETROIT LIVES! read on…

How do you get kids excited about learning? Give them a sword. Bobby Smith of En Garde! Detroit explains how fencing fosters concentration and focus, skills needed for academic success. Video by DETROIT LIVES! read on…

For the residents of Southwest Detroit, Cafe Con Leche is more than a coffee shop. Owner Jordi Carbonell shares how his neighborhood business plays a vital role in bringing people together. Video by DETROIT LIVES! read on…