Showing events on September 14, 2023

September 14, 2023 - 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM ET

As the 8th most economically segregated city in the nation, with a poverty rate that is twice the national average, unsurprisingly Ann Arbor is experiencing a housing crisis. Often not discussed is the fact that economic segregation heavily mirrors racial segregation, and like every other city in the nation, Ann Arbor has a dark history of racially discriminatory housing practices. Today, our once substantial Black community has been driven down to only 5% of our population, and now some of Ann Arbor's once historically Black neighborhoods are being sold as the hottest real estate in town. How did we get here? And where did our Black community - who helped to build this town - go? What kind of housing policies, practices, and initiatives can we undertake today to address the mistakes of our past so we call back in our Black community and begin to heal? Join this virtual discussion exploring the history of discriminatory housing policies and practices, their impact on our local housing, and the urgency of now. This session will be co-facilitated by Jess Letaw, community organizer and policy advocate for housing and affordability, and a board member of Ann Arbor's Downtown Development Authority and co-host of the Ann Arbor AF podcast. Panelists include Chair of Department of Afroamerican and African Studies, Prof. Matthew Countryman, among others TBA.

September 14, 2023 - 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM ET

As part of DesignCore’s Month of Design series of events, Dr. Trina Shanks and Sonia Harb are hosting a workshop in collaboration with U-M units from four schools on campus: Business + Impact (B+I) at the Ross School of Business; the Community Enterprise Clinic at the Law School; the Detroit Neighborhood Entrepreneurs Project at the Ford School of Public Policy; and ENGAGE at the School of Social Work.

Open to all community members thinking about starting a business, nonprofit, or co-op, particularly those looking into green energy. This workshop will introduce equitable models of business and employment. Community members, business owners, scholars, students, and industry experts will discuss models that empower employees, foster community development, promote democratic decision making and participatory management, and provide an avenue for broad-based wealth distribution.

The event will begin with a hands-on design exercise to introduce the key steps to launching a business including researching customer needs, defining opportunities, brainstorming solutions, prototyping a business model, and testing its feasibility. Expert overviews of new business opportunities in Detroit will be provided that have been enabled by recent innovations in the building blocks of business and policy changes such as the Inflation Reduction Act. Resources developed at the University of Michigan will be shared, followed by a resource fair featuring no-cost providers at the University of Michigan and beyond to help with the startup process. The event will also have catered food and drink.

Register here