In 2021, the program evolved again with 31 students. They partnered with 19 Detroit-based businesses that wanted insights, information and execution on real projects that could help them not only survive this historical moment but find additional customers, develop new processes and develop long-lasting revenue.

As one of the least connected major U.S. cities, the need to close the digital divide in Detroit is significant. Over a third of households in Detroit lack broadband internet access, defined federally as a 25 megabits per second download speed and 3 megabits per second upload speed. Lack of access compounds dozens of other quality-of-life issues and dramatically affects access to education, the ability to find better jobs or to gain timely information about the COVID-19 pandemic.

“To maximize our impact, each team is focusing on one specific area of need so we can address that same problem in multiple companies and develop expertise in that area. As a result, we have eight teams: four focusing on marketing problems and four focusing on operations.”
~ Michael Willard

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