The conservancy was started in 2003 with the leadership of U-M alums Faye Alexander Nelson, former president and CEO of the conservancy, and Matt Cullen, the current chairman of the board.

Detroiters who received the economic stimulus payments were less likely to report that they faced major economic challenges within the last year. At the end of 2021, 13% of stimulus check recipients said they were facing major economic challenges, compared to 30% of people who did not receive the checks. 

“Our ultimate goal is to ensure our students are confident and well equipped for whatever lies ahead of them.”

~ Alycia Meriweather

University of Michigan alum and Slows Bar BQ Co-Founder and Executive Chef Brian Perrone has been serving up his award-winning mac ‘n cheese, baby back ribs, brisket, pulled pork and the Yardbird — dubbed a “Best Sandwich in America” — for over 15 years.

Creativity, collaboration and education are at the forefront of Andrews’s career as an artist and teacher. He is currently developing a space in Detroit that hosts community space and art studios, as well as what he calls a “mixed reality clothing project.”

The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan provided support of the “place-based experiential learning program to encourage awareness of the Detroit River as an environmental and cultural resource.”

Detroit faces special challenges in creating a more equitable economy, Elizabeth Luther said. Following the post-World War II boom, Detroit experienced some of the most devastating business disinvestment and population loss of any city in the country.

The team originally played at the Cass Tech High School football field, where more than a thousand spectators came to the first match. By the third season, game attendance exceeded 3,000 people, creating a need for a larger set up. Team owners found it at Keyworth Stadium in 2015, and coordinated a pledge drive of 527 investors who gave $741,250 to renovate the site.

Although the curriculum is quite different from the mathematics and physics classes that Ravi Smith has previously taught, it positions him to do some of the same problem solving that his students are doing.