From the beginning, the Brightmoor Maker Space’s vision has been centered around community ownership. While U-M played an initial role as a partner, the goal has always been for the youth to manage and operate the space, shifting away from university control. Students run the day-to-day activities while oversight comes from the founder of Detroit Community Schools Bart Eddy.  

“It’s a wonderful fusion of a very rigorous academic approach and providing what residents and businesses really need. It’s the immediate application of world-class research to fix world-class challenges and drive change in neighborhoods. As far as advice, I would say get to know the different departments and units at the university so you can learn how to best leverage all the services U-M has to offer.”
~ Joshua Elling, CEO of Jefferson East Inc.

Jessica Frelinghuysen has a studio in Detroit at ​“Cave,” an artist collective. It is there where she connects with the community through her work as a performance artist. In describing her creative practice, Frelinghuysen explains that it is focused on social dynamics and how human beings operate. Her work has taken on many forms over the years, with many of her creations taking the form of wearables that make a point about the human experience. 

Two University of Michigan researchers are part of a community-based research project to get Detroit- and Dallas-area residents to doctors’ appointments, pharmacies and other health care services that often are skipped or inaccessible due to a lack of transportation.

Dean Elizabeth Moje has been recognized by Crain’s Detroit Business as a 2023 Leader in Higher Education. Moje is among 26 honorees who were nominated by their peers, companies, and community.

A new documentary features the Class of 2023, the first high school students to graduate from The School at Marygrove. Featuring Marsal School Dean Elizabeth Moje, The School at Marygrove Principal Lisa Williams, teachers, and members of the Class of 2023, Detroit Public Television recently aired The Pioneers of Marygrove. Opened in 2019 on the campus of the former Marygrove College in Northwest Detroit, the school offers a unique opportunity for students to engage in project- and placed-based learning with a focus on STEM and social justice.

Elizabeth James, now a program manager with the LSA Department of Afroamerican and African Studies, was nearly three years old when her grandmother packed a lunch for the two of them and set out to join a walk that was part of the Civil Rights Movement. It was June 23, 1963 ,and the event was officially called the Detroit Walk to Freedom.

The Office of the Vice President for Research has awarded nearly $450,000 in grants across seven research teams to investigate the effects of systemic racism and inform strategies to combat them. These include two project teams working on Detroit topics.

For Michigan Law faculty member Dana Thompson, the law isn’t just a profession. It’s a way to bring about economic change and further social justice. Thompson was born in Detroit and is a true Motowner – her father worked for Motown Records as a writer, arranger, and lyricist. She leads the Detroit-based Community Enterprise Clinic that connects law students with clients in the city.