An interdisciplinary team of 20 master’s students from SEAS, as well as the Ross School of Business, Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning and the School of Social Work, worked throughout the semester alongside Paige and others at Bailey Park to advance sustainability knowledge through various community engaged projects.

Dana Thompson, clinical professor of law and director of the Community Enterprise Clinic, said the food security network’s values, importance to Detroit, and wide range of legal needs has resulted in a long and mutually beneficial relationship.

Cadillac Urban Gardens doesn’t just grow produce. It grow leaders and environmental stewards, says U-M alumna Sarah Clark, who founded the garden. Clark started working with Dolores Perales in 2013 when she was a sophomore at Detroit Cristo Rey High School. Perales went on to earn dual master’s degrees from U-M.

“The pandemic shined a light on the fact that digital access is both a real requirement for modern living, and a cause of inequity for those who don’t have it. With so many aspects of our lives taking place remotely, that digital divide seemed to get bigger.”

~ DeAndré Calvert

Students are encouraged to be mindful of their identities when entering a space they’re not from, and to always lead with a respect for the work that is already being done. 

When it comes to small businesses, the community is more than just a customer base. They are neighbors and friends, and many of these businesses prioritize giving back to their communities in some way. And in the reverse, the community supports these businesses through difficult times.

The Detroit River Story Lab and the Green Door Initiative received a grant from the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan to help fund this summer’s river-themed educational programming.

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.”

Raised in Detroit, Xalma Palomino is a first-generation Latina undergraduate student majoring in political science and Latina/o studies. She plans to advance her career in public policy and voting rights advocacy, and will enroll in a master of public policy program.