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Thinking Systemically About Revitalizing Detroit: A Possible Approach

I recently returned from a visit to Detroit and was excited to learn about efforts to revitalize the city. Given the inherent challenges and opportunities in mobilizing Detroit, I suggest some possible ways to help these efforts grow and succeed.

Context.  I was born in Detroit and grew up just outside of the city.  Many of my friends with whom I went to high school were employed by car and other manufacturing businesses.  Over the years it’s been tough to witness their lay-offs and the downward trends in education, employment, and quality of life.  I recently returned from a visit there and was happily surprised to find out that there are many efforts to mobilize Detroit and make some meaningful changes to the city.

Approach.  The IDEO Open Forum initiative offers a chance to bolster ongoing efforts and potentially fill gaps that have not been discovered or still require attention.  To identify this niche, I recommend we inventory current initiatives and then map them visually.  I would also overlay this picture with current employment, housing, demographics, education, crime, and other relevant data. This snapshot would help identify stakeholders, potential partners, potential duplication of effort, and untapped opportunities. 

To help build this picture, I would also suggest that we set up a community of interest and facilitate conversations with interested stakeholders who would assist in creating the visual representation of what’s happening on the ground.   This would positively serve Detroit in several ways.  By building a comprehensive picture together, we can aid different groups have a voice and be part of a process that can lead to collective action.  Also, a map that includes various perspectives helps build common ground and begins to show pathways for collective action.  I have also noticed in doing community mobilization work in developing countries that people with good intentions who want to make changes do not always knowing who may be working on similar efforts a few blocks or neighborhoods away. A map and a series of stakeholder forums will help identify who is working on what where, and also identify potential blind spots and overlap.

In these stressful economic times, we may find more people interested in sharing limited or stretched resources, and thus be more willing to be part of a collaborative effort.  Additionally, given the complex challenges facing Detroit, I think it’s safe to assume that no one business, foundation, university or government agency has the requisite resources, expertise, authorities, or understanding to revitalize Detroit by itself.  Creating a shared map of the current situation and facilitating conversations with a community of interested stakeholders would also be important to help identify what projects or prototypes have worked or failed in order to eventually scale up effective grassroots efforts.

Initial Steps.  I would suggest reaching out to the following groups to begin creating a map and community of interested stakeholders who are already making progress in revitalizing Detroit:

I am Young Detroit http://IAmYoungDetroit.com/

Detroit Venture Partners http://detroitventurepartners.com/

TechTown http://techtownwsu.org/

Wayne State University Fellows http://wayne.edu/detroitfellows/

Bizdom University http://www.bizdom.com/

Green Garage Detroit http://greengaragedetroit.com/index.php?title=Main_Page

Detroit Creative Cooridor http://www.detroitcreativecorridorcenter.com/

15 x 15 Initiative  http://www.hudson-webber.org/missionvision/15x15-initiative

The Skillman Foundation     http://www.skillman.org/Good-Neighborhoods

Project for Public Spaces    http://www.pps.org

Detroit Mayor Bing’s Office http://www.detroitmi.gov/DepartmentsandAgencies/MayorsOffice.aspx

For starters, I would also engage the following groups to explore the actual production of the map:

Data Driven Detroit  http://datadrivendetroit.org/data-mapping/neighborhood-indicators/city-of-detroit-report/

Digital Placemaking  http://www.pps.org/blog/blog/digital-placemaking-authentic-civic-engagement/

Hans Rosling’s efforts http://www.gapminder.org/

Potential Pilot Projects. 

Public Safety.  What I have learned in mobilizing communities that that people often want to feel a sense of safety or security before they assume risk for themselves or their families.  The perception of Detroit in some circles as an unsafe community demands attention. Creating incentives to bring more police officers and their families to live and work in Detroit could help change the trend and appearance of crime in Detroit, thus making it more attractive for investment, work, and living opportunities.

Green Space. Another perception based on tough facts is the unwelcoming appearance of empty lots, dilapidated homes and rundown buildings in downtown Detroit. An active effort to clean up neighborhoods, replace decayed areas with green spaces and incentivize people to live and work in the more vibrant neighborhoods would go a long way to optimize space in Detroit and make it more attractive to its citizens. Allan Mallach’s work (Brookings Institute) on housing, planning and community development could be very helpful here.

Resilience Training. Given the downward trends that Detroit has experienced over the years and the amount of effort needed to transform the city, I would also look for innovative ways to build up the resilience of Detroit citizens.  Exciting developments in neuroscience in recent years points to mindfulness-based stress reduction and non-violent communication as ways to create more healthy ways to deal with stress and conflict.  Change is difficult, so building Detroit citizen’s capacity to adapt and respond skillfully will help with the revitalization process.  Newark, NJ and New York City recently held conferences on related topics, which might also help spur similar initiatives in Detroit:

http://newarkpeace.org

http://www.eomega.org/omega/mindfulsociety/content=AD&source=PMag.SHSUN.land

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