“Detroit in particular has been hard-hit by the pandemic, with a COVID-19 death rate more than three times Michigan’s overall rate.”

~ Mary Janevic, associate research scientist, School of Public Health

The Detroit River is saturated with stories. Designated as a Heritage River by both the U.S. and Canadian governments, the river and its wetlands were once vital habitat for fish and wildlife hunted by the People of the Three Fires and immortalized by their legends. 

“I will tell you this: When I published articles about this topic, no one was like, ‘I want to read it! How can I read it? With the film, I had so many people who couldn’t make it to the festival writing me, saying, ‘I want to see it! How can I see it?’”

~ Dara Hill, associate professor of reading and language arts in the College of Education, Health, and Human Services at UM-Dearborn

John Thorne said systemic and institutional racism can permeate the hallowed halls of the church, and it is up to congregations and pastors to ensure their place of worship is inviting.

These friendships and real experiences are what finally taught Kimelman his most important life lesson to date: that his views on what Detroit needed were not necessarily what the people who lived there every day needed — from him or the organization he built.

If undercounts of a similar magnitude occurred in a majority of the city’s more than 600 block groups, the potential undercount could be in the tens of thousands.

“The past three and a half years of running the Detroit Justice Center have really driven home the importance of putting questions of incarceration front and center when we’re thinking about the future of the city.”

~ Amanda Alexander

When opened, the DCI will provide Michigan businesses and communities a pipeline of talent and offer opportunities for current workers to further their skills in a world of fast-paced technological change.

The building sits adjacent to many city landmarks, including the Detroit Institute of Arts, Wayne State University and the Detroit Public Library, making it an ideal launching pad for educational and cultural experiences for the city and U-M community.