Features

Model D's Claire Nelson and Hopscotch Detroit social innovator Ajooni Sethi go north to share the power of play as a tool for civic engagement with our Canadian comrades at Yonge St. Sounds like some serious fun was had in the Queen City.

Michael Forsyth, Business Development Manager of the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, heads up the DEGC's recently-launched REVOLVE program. REVOLVE works with growing neighborhoods, aspiring entrepreneurs, and building owners in need of tenants to address Detroit's threefold issue of neighborhood needs, excessive storefront vacancies, and lack of retail density head-on via pop-up. Here he shares with UIX Detroit the short- and long-term visions for REVOLVE.

Do-it-yourself Detroit is on borrowed time. Working around the democratically elected government of the city isn’t a long term strategy. One day soon we’ll have to figure out how to address the future of this city that stretches out beyond the horizon of our lifetimes, past the excitement of this burst of energy, past the frustration and decline that has plagued Detroit for 50 years.

Thanks to the Recovery Act, a few local programs are recruiting unemployed residents, training them with sustainable construction skills and then helping them find work; all for free. Amelia Kanan reports with words and pictures.

Detroit is seeing a new wave of creative startups, and fashion is one industry on the rise. Recently, more capital has been made available to technology companies, aiming to turn Detroit into a “Silicon Valley of the Midwest." If, as they say, 90% of fashion is marketing, and social media use is at a high, shouldn’t apparel businesses be considered an investment opportunity in Detroit’s creative economy? What ways can we extend these tech startup incentives to multiple industries?

The "hive" was buzzing with ambitious doers leading everything from youth programs to community art projects to startup businesses and micro-lending programs. They came to learn about urban innovation in Detroit, and they left with some new strategies for leadership and social entrepreneurship from special guest Christopher Gergen. Check out our recap & video.

Photographer Noah Stephens goes out in search of innovation and crosses paths (more than once) with a young Detroiter on a mission to transform unused parcels into parks. Meet Kyle Bartell, who has a vision to create more public gathering spaces in places where trails are already being blazed. (Photo essay from The People of Detroit for UIX.)