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Did you have a yellow secret lurking in some dark corner of your home growing up? A pile of dusty evidence stashed in the basement or attic or under the stairs?  I know my family did. The only thing that saved our pile of National Geographic’s from growing unabated was that as a military family we moved every two years.

As a whole, National Geographic has weathered the move to online media well. Its magazines are still published and highly acclaimed but a great deal of its content is now available on line too — making it much more accessible than the file by pile so many of us used to resort to because the photographs and the articles were too wonderful to throw away.

I am hoping that’s still the case.  Since the latest issue of National Geographic’s travel publication “Traveler” features a wonderful and prominent section on Detroit – the teaser copy on the cover “America’s Surprise Comeback City” is followed on page 46 with a centerfold spread “Rise and Shine Detroit, hard times aren’t over but there’s no denying the Motor City’s new spirit”.

To which I say that’s the spirit and thank you to writer Andrew Nelson and photographer Melissa Farlow for the thoughtful coverage of our flawed yet fair city.

I didn’t cringe from yet another photo gallery of Ruin Porn as I flipped through the pages. Rather I ooed and awed and nodded with approval at their selections and coverage, which even includes a great “Made in Detroit” timeline of what they call “this uniquely American city.”

“Call it a rising, a revival, a new dawn—there’s undeniable energy emanating from Detroit… An expanding Detroit RiverWalk edges downtown, where corporations like DTE Energy, Quicken Loans, and Blue Cross Blue Shield have moved in thousands of workers. A favorite 1960s-era restaurant, the London Chop House, has announced its reopening. And that badge of gentrification, Whole Foods, plans to build a store in the inner city.”

Reading the magazine’s mission statement made me smile: “National Geographic Traveler reports on destinations of distinction and character, and we support efforts to keep them that way – believing that to enhance an authentic ‘sense of place’ will benefit both travelers and the locations they visit.” Detroit is all those things. Heck, we have distinction, character and authenticity in spades.

It was fun too to attend the Detroit Metro Convention and Visitor’s Bureau reception for the National Geographic team at the Westin Book Cadillac last week to hear the back story behind the decision to feature Detroit. Turns out that the editor Keith Bellows didn’t know when he made the assignment that Nelson grew up in Detroit. Whether it was a happy coincidence or kismet that brought this issue to be, this is one Detroit story I want all of us to share and share often. So don’t let this issue of the magazine gather dust even virtually. Read and see the whole spread on line and then be sure to spread the word – about Detroit’s comeback and its promising future.

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Pep-rally time: Gather around to learn the reasons you should be hopeful for Detroit from one of the city’s Grande Dames, Grace Lee Boggs.

…Because for every sob story, there is a community garden, where Detroiters are touching the soil, watching it transform lives and bellies, giving rise to an agricultural renaissance. And it gives Detroit’s youth a sense of process instead of just pushing buttons.

…Because there is a new depth to the word “neighborhood,” where neighbors are reaching out to each other and showing how Detroiters love deeply and fully.

…Because young people are learning that they can create their own work, empowering themselves and the city toward renewal.

…Most importantly, Detroiters are showing the world the true power of the classic statement: “Making a way out of no way.”

“We are at a time when we need to grow our souls,” Boggs said Wednesday at the Detroit Historical Museum as part of the Society’s Scholar Series. “We are challenging ourselves to become creators of a new world. And that’s happening in Detroit.

“Where others see devastation, we see a city emerging, a place where things are made new,” Boggs added. “It is a transition as profound as the transition from hunters and gathers or from agriculture to industry. … This is a cultural revolution. We can make a way out of no way.”

At nearly 97 years old, Boggs is a marvel of good genes, good deeds and just plain old goodness. Born in 1915, Boggs has seen change not only over the decades, but has a sense of change over the centuries. Think about this: She was in college during the Great Depression. She has been a leader of workers’ rights, Civil Rights, Asian American and African American rights, women’s rights and all that is right since the 1950s.

She has made Detroit her home for long enough now that she is one of the major forces in our city’s history and, even more impressively, our future.

Her appearance is so very deceiving – here is this petite woman whose wheelchair seemed to only cradle her bones. But once she opens her mouth and starts to speak, the room properly hushes to hear what this legend of peaceful change has to say.

Boggs’ talk was inspired in part by her most recent book, “The Next American Revolution: Sustainable Activism for the 21st Century” (with Scott Kurashige, 2011). Within these pages, she talks about Detroit with a sense of joy and respect – feelings that shine so keenly through her features as she talks about this lovable (!) city.

“Because of technology, we don’t have to mourn the loss of the assembly line. There is another kind of production rising,” Boggs said. “People can create. They can write. They can make change. … People will come to Detroit because there is something self-reliant happening here.”

For example, she pointed to the Freedom Freedom Growers, a group with a Southside garden and the dream of growing a garden and the community around it. This organic garden is grown on four lots leased from the city, and it is about asking people to participate – in life, in planting, in harvesting, in feeding themselves and one another – instead of being passive spectators.

“There are 1,000 community gardens here. And for many people, this is the center of the urban agricultural movement for the whole country,” Boggs said.

As background, I have kept an eye on Boggs’ work since I participated in a unique program called “Push the Edges” about 12 years ago. This strange year-long seminar and collaboration united journalists with Detroit-area community leaders in hopes of finding some sort of so-called common ground. Boggs was always the rabble-rouser, letting no lame or half-thunk comment go. She always called us to a higher ground, a more thoughtful place, a dignified end. I kinda dug that.

Detroit…Boggs style. “We have the space and the place to begin anew,” she said.

Amen, Mama Boggs.

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Click photo to hear Doyle Mosher speak about Challenge Detroit

A little over two years ago I got an e-mail from a friend telling me to check out The Collaborative in Birmingham. It was a good, trusted source so I called and met with its founder Doyle Mosher. He sat at a table made of Detroit relic shadow boxes designed and built by Detroit artist Scott Hocking.

I knew then this was going to be fun … I just didn’t know how much fun and how much The Collaborative would be contributing to Detroit’s transformation. Doyle exuberantly talked about this “little” plan he had to bring young talent to Detroit called Challenge Detroit

Now before we go any further I need to tell you The Collaborative Group is a non-profit dedicated to fostering entrepreneurship so either bringing talent to Detroit or keeping it here fits right into its agenda. The group also believes innovative, talented people both inside and outside Detroit want to be part of the city’s transformation. The question was how to either get them here or keep them here?

The answer: Challenge Detroit, which The Collaborative just launched. Deirdre Greene Groves, executive director of The Collaborative Group and Challenge Detroit, is championing the project.

Challenge Detroit will bring approximately 30 of the country’s best and brightest young people from every intellectual discipline, whether attorneys or artists, doctors or financiers, engineers or educators, either to the Detroit-area or keep them here. Here’s how it works.

Following a three-phase application process including written applications, video resumes, and in-person interviews, Challenge Detroit judges and partnering companies will determine final job placements. Each participant will work at one of 30 Challenge Detroit host companies, which include ePrize, Quicken Loans, Marketing Associates and Strategic Staffing Solutions.

“Challenge Detroit is founded on the belief that 30 of the best and brightest, passionate, hard- working and inventive leaders of tomorrow can make all the difference in the world, let alone a city,” says Groves. “We are working with top companies, non-profits and leaders from the greater Detroit area to develop this exciting social initiative that will positively impact the future of Detroit and the region.”

Those chosen will:

• Live in Detroit, supported by a $500/month housing stipend
• Receive a $30,000 salary to work at one of the top companies in the region
• Experience the city through organized social and cultural events
• Participate in monthly team challenges in partnership with area non-profits, designed to positively impact the city and region

Participants will also work with non-profits, including The Detroit Regional News Hub, Tech Town and the United Way for Southeastern Michigan on initiatives such as developing opportunities for social entrepreneurship, addressing urban issues pertaining to regional planning, transportation and education and distributing food to those in need.

During their year in Detroit, participants will gain new insights about the city and the greater Detroit region while sharing their story with the world through regular blogging, video logging and social media updates. “We believe, through their experiences with Challenge Detroit, these individuals will be intrigued to stay in Detroit, work in Detroit, bring new ideas to Detroit, even start their own business in Detroit, and by doing so, they will have a positive influence on our region today and in the future,” said Groves.

Challenge Detroit is accepting applications through March 16, 2012 and the year in Detroit will begin in August 2012. Those interested in participating, should visit www.ChallengeDetroit.org for more information and to begin the application process.

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If there’s a town does a lot with a little, it’s Detroit. Three new projects show how we’re funding a revolution with whatever coin we scrape up.

Literally. People’s lives will be improved, neighborhoods revamped, stores rescued from bankruptcy because Detroiters searched the proverbial couch cushions. We may be economically depressed, but this region knows how to squeeze a penny until it cries mercy.

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Over the past few days, three fresh, shiny initiatives got my attention in a big way. And they all have the same thing in common: Groups of individuals using whatever discretionary income they have and in whatever small amounts they can spare to make wholesale change. Here are my new favorite projects:

They are pure brilliance, Dear Reader.

–Detroit Ca$h Mob: Noted photographer Dave Lewinski asked friends, Facebook followers and pretty much anyone else who reads social and regular ol’ media to shop at Detroit-area stores in a one-day push. It’s not a new idea, but it’s new to Detroit. According to his Facebook site, which he started about three weeks ago, Lewinski and other Mobbers select retailers that have reasonable prices on their merchandise ($2-$20) so anyone can afford to buy something. Today’s Mob at The Spiral Collective is said to have topped 50 people. And nearly 400 people have joined the Facebook page in those short weeks, so this thing has legs longer than Elle or Heidi.
–Detroit4Detroit: Nationally known do-gooders at Citizen Effect have just started a year-long project that creates what it calls “Citizen Philanthropists.” The goal is to find 150 dynamic people who are willing to tap their social, business and other networks to fund 150 projects around the city. These projects will tackle heady issues such as health, education, neighborhoods and housing. And 100 percent of the funds these philanthropists raise will go toward their project. That’s crazy good.
–Housewarming Parties: The Neighborhood Service Organization (NSO) last month launched “A Place to Call Home,” a campaign to raise $10 million toward the $50 million renovation on the NSO Bell Building on Oakman Boulevard in Detroit. To that end, it is asking individuals, clubs, groups and pretty much everyone else to host what it calls “Housewarming Parties.” The idea is to ask your guests to complete a registry for an apartment inside the Bell Building – these registries carry items as small as $2 salt-and-pepper shakers to $65 microwaves. So if you’ve got enough money for a bagel and coffee, you can give a family the supplies they need to survive with basic dignity. Nice in pretty much every way.

The Housewarming Parties will continue through March 31, so there is still time to sign up, said Denise Figurski, NSO’s Special Events & Volunteer Manager, Corporate Affairs. You don’t have to have a special party just to complete a registry, Figurski said. You can incorporate the fundraising into any party or gathering. But she figures Detroiters are good for another party, so why not get together for such a good reason?

NSO makes it easy on its helpful hosts. Each registry of approximately 100 items is already set up at Target. NSO assigns each registered host a liaison to assist with the party planning process. Those who get every item on their list, which totals about $750, will have the opportunity to help set up the apartments and, later, will be honored at a NSO Bell Building tour in fall 2012. The facility will house 155 one-bedroom apartments for formerly homeless adults, supportive care services and NSO’s headquarters.

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“Think of it as shopping for a college student in an apartment. We want things to be durable but nice,” said Figurski.

So much good for so little coin.

Granted, Detroit4Detroit is asking its fund-raising friends to come up with anywhere between $1,000 to $10,000, depending on the project. So that’s not exactly chump change. But with the right person, asking for and receiving that kind of moola may be as simple as a shout-out on Twitter. Folks like me are going to have to beg, sell cookies and do a whole lot of free press releases.

Amazing ideas. Amazing people. And it’s something everyone can rally behind, whether you eat cereal or filet mignon for dinner. More importantly, iit’s something. It’s not just sitting on your hands, waiting for Detroit to fix itself. It’s doing something that propels us forward. And I’m a big fan of Moving This Thing Forward.

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Contrary to popular opinion the internet and cell phones have not relegated libraries to “relic” status. Instead, this modern technology can give them a new lease on life … a new mission for those who choose to accept it, if you will.

“Our neighborhoods have a passion for the libraries,” she says, emphasizing that no one wanted to close the libraries and that the Detroit Public Library is doing all in its power to fill the gap.

Here’s how the program would work.

If you’re old enough to remember ordering books from the Scholastic Magazine and then waiting excitedly for a few weeks to get them her plan will ring a bell. Students will be able use the computers at their schools to borrow books from the Detroit Public Library. The library will send the books to the schools and the schools will send them back. Or, if the student has an iPad, iPhone or Kindle, the books could be downloaded. Books can be checked out for three weeks. Yes, Virginia, there will be still fines if the books are late.

“Kids want to learn,” Mondowney says. “They get excited when a new book arrives. They have a basic desire and excitement to learn.”

The Detroit Public Library has a lot to choose from. It is the 20^th largest library in the nation with just under 7.3 million volumes.

There is a catch. They have to work out how many licenses the library has for each book before the program could into effect. Mondowney is on it and is working with organizations such as Random House to find a solution. “We need to work it out like Apple did with streaming music … or like Amazon did,” she says” Amazon was an early adapter for books on line.

“We can promote reading like never before,” she says.”We cannot do things the old way. We must look at how things are packaged for this generation.”

The idea comes from a similar program called Limitless Libraries in Nashville. When the program was fully implemented in all district high schools there circulation increased by 125 percent during the 2010-2011 school year, making an extensive collection of 1.5 million items and all the resources of the Nashville Public Library available to faculty and students.

“As a child, if the library by me would have closed my life would be been diminished. I was introduced to such heroines as Anne Frank,” she says. “The library is the biggest treasure we have. It is like winning the lottery.”

As Lady Bird Johnson once said “Perhaps no place in any community is so totally democratic as the town library. The only entrance requirement is interest.”  Detroit’s neighborhoods have that interest.

Photos by Karpov the Wrecked Train

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Last year Wayne State University’s Warriors football team made the NCAA Division 2 postseason playoffs, won four playoff games against higher ranked teams, earned a spot in the NCAA Championship game and finished #2 in the country.

Can drive

That performance helped rank Wayne’s athletic program success in the top 10 percent of all Division 2 schools. Great stuff but it’s only a small part of what makes all of WSU’s student- athletes … not just the football team … special. They also are working to help transform Detroit.

Athletic Director Rob Fournier is a strong proponent for student-athletes giving back to the local community and has introduced a community service program.  His leadership has created a “win-win” for Wayne State and a wide variety of worthwhile organizations that provide help for Detroit’s needy.

The athletes embrace this personal giving program with the same pride and competitiveness they exhibit in their sports and in their classrooms.  Just for the record, 13 of the school’s 16 sports teams have cumulative grade point averages above 3.00 and their graduation rate is 26 percent higher than the general student population.  By embracing the concept of giving to others less fortunate, the Wayne State student-athletes learn how to become involved in life and lives beyond sports and schoolwork. Call it “teamwork off the field.”

These athletes are learning the importance of caring about their neighbors and, more importantly, they are taking demonstrable actions to make life better for neighbors they have never met.

In the past seven years, WSU student-athletes have committed 35,000 community service hours to area soup kitchens, food drives, homeless shelters, health-related causes and to multiple youth organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club, Toys-For-Tots, Big Brothers/Big Sisters and Think Detroit PAL.

What’s most impressive is that the WSU student-athletes live on a campus in the heart of a city on the brink of financial collapse and they are helping city-wide efforts to overcome the entrenched negativism. According to the university, 350 of its athletes volunteer a total of 8,250 hours a year.  U-M says 700 of its athletes volunteer a total of 3,000 hours and Ohio State says 700 of it athletes volunteer a total of 7,100 hours annually.

One student-athlete in particular has taken up the mantels of community organizer, entrepreneur, and Detroiter.  Charlie Cavell, a senior in the School of Social Work and a member of the cross country team, started a “Pay It Forward Initiative,” which is a non-profit staffing agency that helps find jobs for foster care youth in transition.

The program targets unemployed 18-24 year olds, who are exiting transitional housing, have not had any exposure to higher education and have never held gainful employment. This 16-week program uses leveraged funding to provide internships as well as comprehensive classes covering topics ranging from financial literacy, business and communication to entrepreneurship and business norms.  Interns work 20 hours a week at partner organizations helping fill employments gaps with the objective of being hired full time.

This program touches the lives of many, both recipients and volunteers, and is an important part of education for the student-athletes. To paraphrase Fournier … the initiative is positively impacting and developing the opinions of many young people … and not just student-athletes … who will eventually change the world.

That’s pretty heady stuff for a bunch of “jocks” and Detroit is a better place because of Wayne State’s commitment to helping its neighbors.

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There are terrific things happening at the corner of Trumbull and Grand River. Kids from the Woodbridge neighborhood and others close by are learning to become entrepreneurs … do their homework and become good global citizens.

The place is the Barnabas Youth Opportunities Center where between 25 and 35 children, ages 7-17, come after school for the Worldwide Youth Entrepreneurship Program. The first words they hear when they walk in the door are “Do you have homework? Go sit down and get it done. Do you need help?” I was a witness. These kids head right for a table and get out the books.

High school friends Ryan Wyche, 25, and Byron Parks, 24, started the program to help transform the lives of at risk children in some of Detroit’s challenged areas by showing them positive role models, teaching them to be innovative and creative thinkers and giving them a sense of purpose in themselves and in their neighborhoods.

“Woodbridge is one of the hurting communities,” says Ryan. “Lots of families are barely making it. We want to help teach these young people to succeed in the world and learn the value of the global marketplace.”

Homework comes first

The stats are overwhelming. In the area they targeted there are about 3,300 children between the ages of 0-19, according to zipskinny.com. Furthermore, 10 percent of the adults are unemployed, 30 percent live at or near the poverty level and 1,954 households are single parent homes. These kids need a boost up. Ryan and Byron wanted to give it to them but needed a place to house their program.

Enter Stanley Edwards, co-founder and executive director of the Barnabas Center, who opened that building to them. Their vision fit perfectly with the Center’s … “encourage and promote development of youth … create positive, meaningful work, learning and recreational opportunities … provide a positive image and service, which leads to the development of strong social and individual responsibility as a deterrent and alternative to crime, substance abuse and destructive behavior.”

Their focus on education and homework is already paying off. In one case their mentoring helped a student jump from second grade reading to fifth grade reading capability since last September. Besides increasing their learning skills these children are part of the Worldwide Youth Entrepreneurship Program. It’s like a mini-Junior Achievement or 4-H program. In the back shop they build make wooden book cases, work benches, signs and typewriter desks with an optional computer cabinet, which may be ordered. All are for sale. Their work is outstanding.

Ryan and Byron are driven by a passion for volunteering. Ryan told me in his case it was instilled as a child. At seven his mom took him with her to work at the Capuchin Soup Kitchen … he’s never stopped volunteering. He went to Eastern Michigan University to study to be an entertainment lawyer … a career that offers big bucks … but as he worked toward that goal he realized his calling was to be in the community, giving back.

“I am changing 40 kids’ lives every day,” he says. “I want to make sure each and everyone goes on to college.”

Dominic Lane, a well-spoken 15-year-old, says he’s been coming to the Center “all my life.” His mom is a friend of Stanley’s and he was one of the first students. He wants to pursue a career in culinary arts. Lakia Torbert, 11, comes to the Center with her brother and two sisters. She wants to be a chef or a writer but first she’d like to learn to dance. Her dream is to have a dance studio at the Center.

There’s a place for that. The building has a wonderful upstairs. It just needs a little renovation. Stanley, Ryan and Byron have been working on it with other volunteers.

Ryan is keen on making sure the students he is mentoring have the same commitment.  This past Christmas they launched their first annual Christmas Wishes for Kids fundraising event to help fulfill the wishes of children whose parents cannot make those wishes come true. They wrapped 250 donated gifts for 57 families.

“Kids need to see what it means to give back,” Ryan says. “I want to plant that seed just like my mom did.”

They do all this all on a shoestring … without federal dollars. Everything is done through fundraisers or donations from computers to food to games and so on. The games and computers are getting old. They also need a van. About 15 kids want to be part of the program but they don’t have transportation. If you have something you’d like to donate please reach out to Ryan at 313-831-4488. You can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter@WorldwideYouth.

Pictures by Karpov the Wrecked Train

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Some people gain wisdom from a long life; Megan Gebhart got hers from drinking 52 cups of coffee with complete strangers.

You may remember meeting Gebhart on this blog a few months back. She was about half way through her “52 Cups of Coffee” experiment. You know – the one where she shares a cup of java, green tea or what have you with someone she interviews. Pretty impressive idea out of a 22-year-old Michigan State University senior, huh?

Well, it’s a year later. She’s graduated. She experienced the glory of being all hyped up on caffeine. And she’s learned a ton along the past year. Gebhart wrapped up “52 Cups” with her last swigs in December, so I thought it was a good time to catch up and get a sense of what she learned. Her project combines great writing, strong interviewing skills and an online look into her psyche – everything I want from a blog and more.

To be blunt, Gebhart said all of those conversations led her to one great lesson: Life is uncertain, so just relax and enjoy the ride. Her many adventures taught her, through the experiences of others, that there isn’t much people can throw at you that you cannot handle. And if there is something that threatens to weigh you down, then your family and friends will support you in every way.

“I talked to so many people, and the story was always the same. ‘I was doing this, and then something unexpected happened. And I made it through,’” Gebhart said. “For some people, the industry they worked in crumbled and they lost their jobs. For some, it was the death of a loved one. For others, it was an unexpected pregnancy or sexual abuse. … They all got hit with these things, but they found a way through it.

“I heard that repeatedly: ‘You can get through it.’ Life won’t throw you anything that you cannot fix,” Gebhart continued. “That wasn’t something I realized overnight, and it’s still developing.”

In other words, every time something ends, something else begins? Yup.

“A giant part of ‘52 Cups’ was my transformation from start to finish. When I started the project I was trying to hide it from myself – I was nervous about what the future held, the uncertainty. I wanted to do everything right to ensure that future was OK. I was very concerned with making the right choice – that there was ONE right choice.

“By the 52nd interview, I realized that there isn’t that right answer; especially because life can be unpredictable. It’s about making the best of every experience. The thing that I’m the most grateful for now is that I have no idea what the future will bring. That paralyzed me before. Now I have this relaxed confidence that if you really figure what you want to do and you have the courage to pursue it and you do the best that you can the opportunities will align themselves. That I should dive in, and the future will be all right.”

Whether you are 14 or 45 or 95, I’m guessing that pretty much sums it up.

As an aside, I just finished reading Jeffrey Eugenides’ “The Marriage Plot,” and I mentioned it to Gebhart as a potential read for her as well. To pitifully summarize the plot, the book is about that awkward time between college graduation and your first job. You may be ending relationships that sustained you for (hopefully) four years. You feel like you’re making decisions that will affect you for the rest of your life. You feel like mistakes, no matter how small, are monumental and will mark you for life.

But you’re not. And they won’t. And it’s just one more day in (hopefully again) a very, very, very long life.

“The end was just the beginning,” Gebhart explained. “I accomplished something by setting out to do this project and then finishing it. Now I have to put into practice what I learned and figure out what the next step is.”

So what’s next for Gebhart? Despite her fears, she has done very well. She did travel and got to see some of the world. Then, she landed a job with Michigan State’s Alumni Association. She now travels around the nation, meeting young alumni. She’ll be back in Michigan for a month or so starting today, so if you see her, say howdy.

Thanks to Megan and her 52 Cups. It was a voyage worth savoring.

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I’ll be so bold as to say…2011 was not a banner year for Detroit. So what resolution could make this New Year any different?

That was the question I posed to some of the city’s biggest boosters – and they responded with some ah-may-zing answers. These are the kind of deep thoughts that have me making some resolutions of my own. (I’m stealing my friend Cathy’s idea and having one resolution every month; 12 resolutions to do more, be more, think more.)

Oh, and I also asked these fine folks to do me one more favor. They had to tell me the ONE thing they would keep the same in 2012…in other words, was there anything working for Detroit? Funny thing was, nearly everyone had something good to say. (What a bunch of optimists I run with – nice, huh?)

Here’s a look at what some of the city’s movers and shakers say they would change about Detroit in the year ahead.

Dominic Arellano, founder and executive director of Forward Arts: Education. It will take years for Detroit K-12 schools to get back on track. It truly needs to happen for our city’s long-term future. This is an opportunity.

Phil Bator, local editor of Thrillist: I’d like to put a nail in the coffin of the city v. suburbs debate. There’s good & bad aspects of every neighborhood. Some are right for you & some are right for others. Be happy while staying open to everything.

Terry Bean, Founder at Motorcityconnect: I would create a massive campaign that is shared through every available medium that communicates one message: From Monroe to Flint and from Ann Arbor to Windsor we are all Detroit. The more we work together the less work each of us will have to do.

Terry Blackhawk, Founder and CEO at InsideOut Literary Arts Project: I would keep Brother Nature and all the other vendors at WSU’s farmers market. I’d make sure the streetlights were on in the neighborhoods.

Jason Brown, Principal, PublicCity PR and co-founder of the Great Lakes Showcase: To do something about no parking/standing zones in the City. I don’t work in the city, but it seems like they are everywhere when people should be allowed to park on the  streets, if they prefer. I can’t tell you how many tickets I’ve received while going downtown, want to park on the street and then there’s a no standing sign 30-50 feet down the road that you didn’t know was there. Parking needs to be looked at.

Sandy M. Hermanoff, creator of the “Believe in Detroit” campaign: The one thing I would change about Detroit in 2012 is the financial crisis. I would make it go away, just like it never happened. I know that is totally unrealistic, but I can dream.

Monica Marie Jones, author of “Monday Morning Motivations” and speaker: The mindset of the people. I often hear residents talking so negatively about the city. I know that there is a lot going on that we can complain about, but why not take that energy and put it into something positive.  I feel that if we collectively change our perception of the city, then we can make positive change. If we begin with changing how we think and how we speak, then take action instead of just talking…we can make a HUGE difference. We are all made very aware of what’s wrong with the city every day…so I would love to hear people talk about what’s right with the city for a change.

Menachem Kniespeck, President & CEO, Michigan Friends of Education-Operation: Kid Equip: My dream is that all metro Detroit’s kids will have books and school supplies to be successful in their education. To do that, in 2012, we are going to start reaching out to students and teachers in the Detroit Public Schools.

Amy Kuras, freelance writer and awesome Detroit mom: The one thing I would change about Detroit is for the leadership to be people-focused instead of trying to protect their own little island of power (i.e., city council should cut their budget, unions should concede, etc. to work for the greater good of the city).

John F. Martin, photographer and owner of John F Martin Photography Inc.: I’d change a lot, but first up would be its marketing. The city has a lot to offer, but no one knows about it and most of the citizens aren’t the best ambassadors, sadly. The old adage is true – you gotta spend money to make money. Spend some on advertising everything the town has to offer.

Gail Perry-Mason, investment expert, author and creator of Money Matters for Youth: The one thing I would change about Detroit in 2012 would be to bring more retail to our downtown (near wear Cass Tech building was), also more groceries stores in our city and have churches adopt schools, and parks. We need more good news everyday and have a Detroiter of the week highlighted on the radio, newspapers and local TV stations.

Tom Nardone, owner of PriveCo. and leader of the Mower Gang: I would remove all of the self doubt and self pity from the people of this area. I’ve lived elsewhere and traveled to all 50 states and I can tell you that there is no area in this country that is better at making stuff. My hope in 2012 is that we can stop doubting ourselves and start rubbing it in other peoples’ faces. America needs a reminder that Wall Street doesn’t make anything; they are a bunch of dorks in suits. In our town, we make real stuff.

Mascha Poppenk, filmmaker and creator of “Grown in Detroit”: Politics (more power to the people) and hands up for the DIY mentality in Detroit!

Erin Rose, Founder, CEO at Pick MI Date and Positive Detroit: To see the divide between the suburbs and the city continue to diminish, ending the finger-pointing, and become more of a unified region.

***

And here are some of my favorite ideas of what should stick around in ’12:

The weather. I can’t remember a better year for weather. If this is global warming, I say, screw you, Florida. Bring it on! – Tom Nardone

That’s easy. Lions and Tigers in the playoffs. – Jason Brown

One word that I have always used to describe Detroit is “resilient”.  No matter what blows we endure, the city continues to press on, produce phenomenal talent and have hidden gems that shine through dark times like no other. These hidden gems include the night life, the sports teams, the restaurants, the cultural and literary arts, and some amazing community organizations.  Despite the odds, there is a pulse that this city has that never dies. – Monica Marie Jones

The spirit of all the people who believe in Detroit. We have to keep that alive and never give up hope that indeed Detroit is going to be a great city again. – Sandy M. Hermanoff

Detroit culture. Our arts play a major part in our city’s culture and we have a great arts scene that has been getting stronger. And I love how we have an East Coast vibe at a Midwest pace sort of feel. — Dominic Arellano

I wouldn’t change a thing about the creativity, passion & enthusiasm of the people & local businesses bringing great things into the area. 2012 is shaping up to be a continuation of this spirit & I can’t wait to see it all unfold. – Philip Bator

To keep meeting interesting people from all over the world who come here to experience firsthand what Detroit is really all about. There is an excitement in the air that is intoxicating, that many visiting Detroit wish they could bottle and take home with them. Instead, quite a few travelers are now residents who packed up their belongs and have moved to Detroit. No wonder travel website TravelClick estimates that Detroit will lead the nation in travel growth over the next 12 months. – Erin Rose

What I would not change (except to hope it gets even better) is the amazing groundswell of enthusiasm and entrepreneurship that’s changing the culture here. I’ve been here a long time and never seen such a surge of people who want to move here, start businesses, and do something good. – Amy Kuras

Oh, man. What not to mention? The mentality in Detroit. Its people. Its people. Its people. – Mascha Poppenk

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In keeping with the holiday spirit of philanthropy, Operation: Kid Equip teamed up with the Kresge Eye Institute to help five local families receive free eye exams and glasses.

Operation: Kid Equip addresses the needs of students disadvantaged or living in poverty. The participating teachers this holiday could nominate any family they felt was deserving. The Jensens were one such family.

“I can’t tell you what this means to our family,” says mother Cindy Jensen.

Daughter Tedi was hit in the head with a soccer ball several weeks ago, shattering her glasses. That could have added to the family’s already high costs. Tedi’s three younger siblings, Madison, Annabella and Charlie, are autistic and their therapies are expensive.  The teachers at Mt. Clemens Half Day School realized the Jensens were the perfect family to nominate.

They are a special family. Between working and caring for their children’s special needs both parents still find time to give back to the community. You’ll often find them volunteering at their kids’ schools, making meals and helping out at field days. “This family is kind, giving, and will drop everything to help others,” says the nominating teacher. “They give so much of themselves to others, it would be nice to help them.”

Cindy is very appreciative. “It’s not always the easiest because of the kids’ autism,” she says, tearing up. “There are struggles on a daily basis and to be given this opportunity is just amazing to us. It’s overwhelming that people can be so kind. Just for teachers to think of us and to nominate us is amazing.”

The challenges were very apparent while she waited with her three younger children while Tedi had her exam. Since Charlie, Madison and Annabella are non-verbal, the two older girls used an iPad app to communicate with their mother. They recently had a break though when the kids were able to order their own food at a restaurant, scrolling through the choices and pointing at what they wanted. Cindy was immensely proud.

You can keep up with Operation: Kid Equip’s new projects and learn more about volunteering here. For more information on the Kresge Eye Institute, one of the nation’s foremost medical centers for sight research and treatment, visit http://www.kresgeeye.org/

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As you might guess Hybrid Moments in Ferndale has a little bit of everything. Part record store, part consignment shop and part live music venue to boot … it might seem puzzling until you realize the whole thing is an umbrella to support Detroit’s community of artists, musicians and crafters.

“We’re pretty much open to be a local space … enough so anyone can utilize us,” owner Johnny Weeks says. The shop hosts live music every weekend. CD release parties and art openings come around, too.

The whole point was to get as many local artists involved as possible. “We wanted to grow through the community instead of a top down corporate structure,” says Weeks. Knowing it’s hard for an artist to get his or her stuff out there, he felt compelled to make a space for that to happen. The shop is totally community-based and sustained and has a wonderfully eclectic mix of records, CDs, vintage clothing, posters, art and more.

“The funny thing is I never thought about the consignment idea until I moved to Detroit,” admits Weeks, who came back here after living in California for seven years. “But so many people around here are so involved in the handmade movement and screen printing and everything.”

On top of being blown away by the handmade movement and music scene around Detroit, part of what inspired the opening of Hybrid Moments was … surprisingly … Michigan’s economic climate. “I was super motivated to start this back in Michigan because the economy gives us small guys a chance,” Weeks explains. “Ten years ago, this place was four times the rent I pay now … The economy gives you opportunities.”

He has some advice for other young people looking to open businesses. “Do it and don’t think twice,” he says. “There needs to be a lot more businesses owned by younger people. It’s important in growing our communities. I see businesses throwing money to the city, but that’s not enough. Most youthful business owners are going toward it now knowing that in order to grow you need to give back and involve people.”

“Learn as you go along. Go and find out how much it might cost to rent a place per month. You never know,” he says. “If anything, I’d be stoked on the idea of this spawning copy cats. Anyone can do it. You just have to do it.”

He and his vendors are certainly stoked about Hybrid Moments. There has been a core group of vendors making up the shop’s contents since the beginning. Those behind Millie Bea’s, who call themselves “second-hand radicals,” sell vintage clothing, accessories, natural body products, and handmade jewelry. Wolf Pack Clothing, and Badnews Boards added skateboards and skate wear to the mix.

Weeks met a lot of his current vendors when they walked in the shop. Shawn Knight, a screen printing artist, was one such peddler. His psychedelic posters line the south wall of the shop. “The big reason we’re such a supporter of him is because he’s a local Ferndale resident and he’s made such a big name for himself,” Weeks says. Alongside posters for local bands, like Child Bite and Zoos of Berlin, he’s gone on to design for national acts like the Black Keys and Girl Talk.

There’s been no problem in finding the wealth of trappings that now make up Hybrid Moments. Alongside the veterans, Weeks also keeps a rotating door open for other artists, crafters, and musicians to sell their work.

“That was the coolest thing. As soon as we opened the doors we were getting more and more consignment stuff in. We actually had to expand the store to make room for everything,” Weeks says as he motions to a garage door that used to separate the back half of the store. It’s filled with fabulous 70s menswear, used books and pretty vintage dresses.

You can find work from local visual artists ranging from paintings to screen prints to mixed media.  The shop supports crafters, too. You’ll find hand-knit hats, journals and pins from vendors such as Comfortably Lovely. “Basically anything in the constraints of handmade and local,” Weeks says.

Hybrid also carries new and used records. “It’s an eclectic mix of everything but definitely all underground music. Nothing corporate labeled.  We’re heavier on rock stuff, but we do include everything and we mix the local stuff in … Why segregate the locals?” he asks. “It’s weird.”

If all goes well, Weeks has some super fun plans for the future. “I’d love to get a vending machine and have it full of local foods,” he says “and I’d love to put on a Hybrid Moments festival to really showcase the community involved.”

If you want to see a show, stop by Friday or Saturday nights from 9:00 pm to midnight. Cover rates are between $3 and $5.

“We support the Detroit music scene, which makes our stuff garage, punk, and indie,” Weeks says. “But we definitely include everything. We’ve had folk and hip hop shows here, too.”

Hybrid Moments is open Tuesday through Saturday, noon to 8:00 pm and Sunday noon to 5:00 pm. For more information and for upcoming show dates, check out their blog and add them on Facebook.

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Boris

Carey Neesley loved her brother Peter beyond measure and wanted to find a way to grant one of his wishes. An Army sergeant serving in Iraq, he died in Bagdad on Christmas 2007. During his time there he’d rescued a stray dog and her pup and wanted to bring them back to Detroit when his tour ended in July 2008.

Today Mama and Boris, who’s named after Peter’s fallen comrade, live with Carey. She was able to cut through the red tape with the help of another Detroiter, Rich Crooks. Then living in Utah, Rich heard the family’s story and decided to help.  Working for an animal rescue organization and having been a firefighter, he had a unique and extensive background in animal recovery.  Two of Rick’s more notable rescue missions were during the war-torn Beirut conflict and in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Carey and Rich

Rich contacted Carey offering his “trouble-shooting” expertise to help bring Peter’s dogs back to the family.  Working together they spent months finding ways to remove roadblocks and ultimately brought the dogs home to live with Carey.

“We are so fortunate to have them, and so grateful to everyone who played a part down to the soldiers who were caring for them making sure they were safe and fed until we could get them,” Carey told National Public Radio. “Part of what we have learned from all of this is there are so many good, kind people in the world – there really are.”

Today Rich has moved back to New Hudson in the Detroit area and he and Carey are a “hometown” two-person SWAT team when it comes to helping soldiers and their families bring home battlefield pets and VIPs (Very Important Pooches). Their trouble-shooting efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan have significantly contributed to an unofficial roadmap that is being continuously improved upon and used by other volunteers and animal rescue organizations helping American soldiers desperate to bring home their battlefront pets.

Mama

Animal rescue efforts for U.S. soldiers are extremely difficult primarily because U.S. military policy does not condone pets. They are not permitted on base and there is no infrastructure for taking care of animals in war.  Fortunately, strays don’t follow military policy. They follow their instincts and have a clear sense of a soldier’s love and companionship.  All these strays are hoping for is a little food and water and occasional pat on the head or belly-rub.  In return they give soldiers comfort and a periodic sense of normalcy in an extremely intense environment.

Although their successful rescue for Peter’s cause was almost four years ago, Carey and Rick still respond to requests from individuals and organizations looking for advice and assistance to help them bring home a soldier’s special friend.  Most recently, they helped solders in Afghanistan recover a dozen homeless Sage Koochee dogs – the breed of Central Asian nomads.  Not only did they share information and contacts to replicate their Iraq experience, they also served as the U.S.-based eyes and ears for this Afghan animal rescue mission.  Carey even contributed money from her brother’s life insurance to help offset costs for travel, vets, crates and food.  She also traveled to Dubai to escort one of the pups back to the States and ended up adopting one of the dogs, now named Razia, who is living happily with Mama and Boris.

I recently had the good fortune to visit with Carey, Rich and the dogs at Carey’s home in Grosse Pointe Farms. The dogs looked great. They had lots of energy, are extremely friendly and very healthy. Despite being slight in build and size … about 35 pounds … five-year-old Mama is clearly the head of Carey’s pack.  Four-year-old Boris tips the scales at 95 pounds, is really laid back and covets Carey’s couch.  Afghan-born and two-year old Razia weighs 45 pounds and she is closer to Mama in physical characteristics and energy.

Carey and Rich say they would be happy to help (as best they can) any of the Hub’s readers who might have friends or relatives in the armed forces who want bring home a pet that became a special part of their life.

Carey makes occasional public appearances, along with Razia, at local fundraising events for the Puppy Rescue Mission, which is dedicated to “bringing furry friends home from war.” She is planning to write a book and is looking for an author to help her write about her experience.  If there are any authors out there who might be interested, please let us know. We’d love to bring you guys together to create a best seller.

Rick runs Grass Roots Emergency Animal Rescue, a nonprofit organization focused on minimizing animal suffering and to promote interaction with humans.  Rich consults with the Michigan Humane Society and Detroit Animal Control and hopes to develop a humane and caring city-wide animal control program.

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(The following note arrived in my in box last evening.  I greatly appreciated receiving it and thought it only right to share after my post last week.)

Dear Maura,

I wanted to be sure to follow up with you after our conversation on Tuesday.

First, please allow me to again share how truly sorry I am for the recent experience you had at our Lake Trust Detroit branch.  As a cooperative, we exist solely to serve the needs of our membership. And momentarily, we lost sight of that.  With certainty, I want you to know your feedback has been heard, and I’d like to share with you what we’re doing to address it.

But before I do, I’d like you to know that I feel very grateful for our conversation. I learned a lot about your experience as an independent consultant and have already begun to talk with my colleagues about how we can serve you and other members of the 1099 community better.  And, I want you to know, they have all made commitments to do so.

• As you know, about 20 months ago Lake Trust was formed as the result of two organizations coming together. Shortly thereafter, we established a set of core values for our combined credit union.  We wanted to create a culture by design, as opposed to a culture by default.  Those core values – Trust, Teamwork, Adaptability, Learning, and Making a Difference – are the foundation of who we are and what we believe. We know the desired results will not just happen because we’ve written some words on paper, but rather by living up to them, through each and every experience we create, both internally with each other and externally with our membership.I’m very proud of our efforts so far, but knowing that we didn’t uphold these values during your recent interaction, coupled with the possible loss of respect that you had for our organization, is truly saddening and obviously regretful.
• We’ll be further educating our teams about the needs of independent consultants and the impact of their work on their finances.  As you and I discussed, our members own the credit union, so above all else they should get superior service. Additionally, because we’re a cooperative and our members entrust their money to us, we have to be sure we’re protecting it.  For this reason, we’ve created some guidelines to help manage that risk. But we should listen to each experience and weigh it on its own merit. We are taking this opportunity to revisit those exceptions at many levels.
• We want to get more involved.  Our Detroit team, our Marketing Outreach representative Amanda Stark, and our Business Services Officer Steve Wizgird have made eager commitments to make a difference. This winter, they’ve collected mittens for those in need and hired several Co-op students for enrichment purposes. For years, we’ve served Detroit Edison employees, whom we’ve come to know very well. Outside our building though, we have some work to do. We feel very strongly about our relationship with the Detroit community and our roots there. I’d like to assure you we’re involved across the state and care greatly about the communities that our members, and we ourselves, live and work in. I’m proud to share that we’ve invested $68 million in local business loans. We’ve also donated hundreds of hours of volunteer time and over $100,000 to community organizations this year.

Your experience has created a new level of awareness for us. And, again, I’d like to thank you for your feedback.  I think it’s only right to apologize again and thank you for your patience and for taking the time to help us to understand your needs and also the needs of others in our community.

I look forward to working with you in the future. Please don’t hesitate to contact me, if you’d like to talk more.

Thank you so much,

Danielle Brehmer

Danielle Brehmer | Vice President | Marketing

Lake Trust Credit Union | 7927 Nemco Way, Suite #100 | Brighton, MI 48116

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Last Friday morning I received an email that went…

Dear Valued Member,

You’ve been selected to participate in a member satisfaction survey for Lake Trust Credit Union.  As a member owned financial services institution, it’s extremely important to us to obtain feedback from you on your recent interaction. Your input will help us identify where we excel and where we can make improvements.

Image from EMSI

Oh the irony. Because as my friends, family and coworkers have by now heard on Thursday I had a very bad experience with my credit union.

The bottom line is that I left feeling anything but valued and I found myself feeling discriminated against. Because I am a member of the 1099 economy I am technically not on anyone’s payroll and thus do not receive a traditional paycheck.  I am also deeply disappointed that a lovely nearly 20 year relationship had soured so badly.

I used to be a raving fan of my credit union. Now I am just raving mad.

I had 30 minutes before my acupuncture appointment so I decided to stop by to make a deposit – thank you Nora at Detroit Community Acupuncture for being so understanding and for listening to my tale of woe upon my very tardy arrival!

My daughter was buying her very first new car, a Chevy Cruze, and I needed to deposit my paycheck (the check I receive every two weeks for work I do albeit on contract) so that I could transfer some money right away to help her out a bit with some of the extra fees.

After parking my car, holding the door for a very pleasant fellow Lake Trust member, I smiled at the others in line and waited patiently for my turn.  A couple other times this branch had held this check because it was not a “payroll” check. After the last go round that ended pleasantly enough, I did not think it would be an issue again. Same issuing bank account deposited by the same person more than 20 times this year to the same account I have had for nearly 20 years.

A very courteous teller took my ID and check. The snag occurred when she said that the money would be available to me in two days.  I asked her very nicely to please check with a manager and note that this is a check that I deposit at pretty regular two week intervals, that in fact it is my version of a paycheck and two days would cause a hardship.

She went away. Came back and said that because this check was deposited the last two times at the Credit Union Family Service Center instead of this branch, they had to hold the check.

I said that answer did not make sense to me since it should matter who issues the check and whether the check cleared, not where it was deposited that determined the hold. I asked her to please look to see how many times I have deposited a similar check and see how it has cleared each time. She went away again. Came back and said they had to hold the check because they had never heard of the Downtown Detroit Partnership, to which I said that too shouldn’t matter and then added that we must not being doing our job very well if she had not heard of it since this branch is right in downtown Detroit. I then politely asked to speak to a manager.

I waited for more than 15 minutes – feeling guilty as the line grew and one less teller was available as this young lady went looking high and low for a manager.

Finally nearly 20 minutes later I was led into an office by a manager. His attitude while controlled and soft spoken was supercilious. Usually I can find some common ground, some point of humor to help make my point and my complaint.

The bottom line?

He told me he had the power to hold any check he wanted to and that he had no clue what the Downtown Detroit Partnership was nor cared to and that he did not know me — so much for being a valued member.

I asked him why the reason for holding my check kept changing. He said it was their policy and that I should get direct deposit or checks that say payroll (maybe I should have run the check through my printer to put that on it?).  To which I asked doesn’t this seem like an out of date policy in an increasingly 1099 economy? And furthermore, since this is a member owned institution and I am nearly a 20 year member, that I was going to not only blog about my experience, I was going to work very hard to get this policy changed.

What I really wanted was an apology for the inconvenience and assurance that two weeks from now when a similar check gets deposited I won’t go through this same exercise again.

The final rub?  After making a scrawl on the check and stopping me from actually exiting the building in my by now flustered state, he mentioned to a teller that there should be no hold and then showed me to the back of the line where I waited again to deposit my check.

What do you think?  Have you had similar experiences? Do you feel discriminated against because you file a 1099 rather than a W2?

Thank you for letting me rant Detroit Unspun friends. Now that my blog is written and survey filled out, my next step is to contact the board and find out how to change the policy at this credit union that values me so highly not.

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