As a government employee, Taylor Mitchell faces obstacles in her sustainability work, including funding availability, political impacts and a lack of resources, but she does have a platform to implement the visionary creativity and passion she developed as a SEAS student and Detroit resident.
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July 23, 2026
SEAS master’s project focuses on community composting in Detroit
Their capstone, the Detroit Community Compost Collective Program, was funded by a community grant to test composting initiatives across Detroit at three levels: backyard, community and urban farm. During Fall 2025, the program worked with 76 backyard compost systems, 32 community compost locations and six urban farms in Detroit.
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May 29, 2026
Giving where it’s needed
The Siefert and Dutta scholarships support students who are residents of the Detroit area — with a preference for those working with Black and Latinx populations — as well as international students.
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July 17, 2026
When “stay indoors” isn’t enough: wildfire smoke, housing, and environmental justice in Detroit
Public health agencies consistently recommend staying indoors during these events. The problem is that this advice assumes your home can actually keep polluted air out. For many Detroit residents, the situation is even more complicated during the summer. Wildfire smoke events often coincide with extreme heat, yet many households do not have air conditioning.
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July 1, 2026
U-M’s Detroit Neighborhood Entrepreneurs Project leans into AI to support small businesses
In the last 10 years, the program has expanded significantly. In addition to consulting projects, DNEP now offers accounting assistance, community technology support, AI workshops and specialized programming office on helping business owners strengthen their financial and digital skills.
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May 27, 2026
Detroit’s high property taxes are driving a housing affordability crisis – how can city leaders bring down costs?
The City of Detroit will likely take in approximately US$164 million from property taxes in the 2026 fiscal year, less than a tax collected from the city’s casinos. Property taxes fund public safety, libraries, sanitation and other city services. Amanda Nothaft, the director of data and analysis at Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan, explains the extent of Detroit’s property tax burden and avenues for reform.
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May 19, 2026
Arts Initiative awards grants to six faculty-led projects
The Arts Research: Incubation & Acceleration program has awarded grants to six projects ranging from a sculpture garden examining the history of rock music in Detroit to an effort making artistic performances more sustainable.
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May 12, 2026
Q&A: Lauren Hood’s think tank on Black thriving
When Lauren Hood wanted to know how to improve the quality of life for Black Detroiters, she looked to people who were already thriving. Hood, assistant professor of practice at the University of Michigan Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, is the founder of the Institute for AfroUrbanism.
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May 11, 2026
Jalen Rose: “The love I have for Michigan stands the test of time”
On May 2, Rose, a member of U-M’s Fab Five from the early ’90s, received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree at U-M’s spring commencement. The milestone helped him deliver on a promise he once made to his late mother.
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In The News
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July 22, 2026
Bridge Detroit
How a 105-foot schooner is teaching teens the Detroit River’s story
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July 22, 2026
Michigan Public
Detroit exhibit portrays incarceration from a different perspective
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July 22, 2026
Bridge Detroit
How Detroit ceded a historically Black neighborhood to a billionaire-owned concrete facility
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July 22, 2026
The Washington Post
See where millions lack air conditioning as U.S. heat dome peaks
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July 22, 2026
Bridge Detroit
Op-Ed: Poverty elimination is a growth strategy. Now Detroit needs a wealth-building strategy.
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July 22, 2026
Bridge Detroit
