Much of Akoaki’s other current work is centered on Detroit’s historic North End, a once-thriving entertainment district that today retains few physical markers of that legacy.

Roshanak Mehdipanah, assistant professor of health behavior and health education, School of Public Health, was one of four faculty members who will receive Henry Russel Awards, the university’s highest honor for faculty members at the early to mid-career stages. She joined U-M in 2015 and has forged deep partnerships with Detroit community-based organizations and leaders.

The policy brief shows that existing programs, while they provide improvements, fail to meet the amount of Detroit households in need of aid to make substantial repairs.

Importantly, the survey results demonstrate that vaccine hesitancy is surmountable. More than 1 in 3 residents (34%) who reported being unlikely to get vaccinated between January and March 2021 have since received at least one dose of the vaccine. 

“This brings together this alley activation work with the green energy work in a way that’s very locally applied. The project is really led and driven by the community partners.”
~ Paul Draus, UM-Dearborn sociology professor

“I grew up in what I like to call the ‘front porch neighborhood,’ where people sat on their front porches and, as a result of that, not only did we have people who were looking out for us, we had people who are interested in our success.”
~ Michael Cheatham

Stamps alumni Ian Klipa (BFA ​‘15) and Jacob Saphier (BFA and B.S.E.Mech ​‘16), founders of the Detroit design stu­dio Donut Shop, have earned a spot among the final six teams in the 2021 City of Design Chal­lenge in…

“Environmental factors tend to be left out of the planning process, as well as the needs and wants of community — especially frontline communities and communities of color like mine — so I am going into this field to make sustainable, equitable change.” ~ Dorothy Perales

Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan is offering stipends of $7,500 to $10,000 to support projects led by Detroit organizations working to promote economic mobility.