The discomfort that many adults feel toward vaccinating the children in their household is also evident in their willingness to obtain a COVID-19 vaccine for themselves. Adults living in Detroit households with children are about half as likely (38%) as adults living in Detroit households without children (70%) to report that they have been vaccinated against COVID-19. 

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.

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

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. 

Construction on the Early Childhood Education Center has finished and the new facility will welcome students in fall 2021. The School of Education is involved in curriculum and professional development for the center, as well as coordinating cross-campus holistic support services for children and families.

As a new pastor Charles Williams III made sure to connect Historic King Solomon Baptist Church to its social service roots. He established a food pantry at the church, clothing giveaways, Thanksgiving meals and youth mentoring services. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit Michigan in March 2020, Williams was ready to do more.

O’Keefe recognizes that addressing racial inequity is a big and complex problem and says that the planning field as a whole “still has a lot to grapple with when it comes to equity.”

Researchers at the University of Michigan joined forces with community members and the Southwest Detroit Community Benefits Coalition to evaluate the noise impact of the trucks on the neighborhood, many being rerouted as part of the new Gordie Howe International Bridge under construction.