Neighborhoods Rising Summit To Offers Ideas, Tools, Actions To Transform Detroit

Every Detroit neighborhood must be livable, lovable and vibrant for our city to truly transform. Its future depends on it.

Our neighborhoods are looking for ways to:

Fight blight and crime.

Set up strong block clubs.

Find volunteers.

Help youth find the right path.

Find funding.

Groom future leaders.

Train for jobs.

The 7th annual ARISE Detroit! Neighborhoods Rising Summit addresses these issues and more. It will be held Saturday, Nov. 5 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the downtown campus of Wayne County Community College District at 1001 W. Fort Street. A continental breakfast and lunch are included.

Sponsored by the Kresge Foundation, Detroit Future City and the DTE Energy Foundation, the summit is free. You can register at www.arisedetroit.org or call 313-921-1955.

“We hope the summit inspires more people to get involved in transforming our neighborhoods and making them the best they can be,” says Luther Keith, executive director of ARISE Detroit. “Our panelists are not just experts. They have all really rolled up their sleeves to make things happen in city neighborhoods and will have excellent advice and best practice strategies to share with residents.”

The summit will cover many hot topics including Proposals A and B, which residents will vote on in the upcoming election. Proposal A would require developers of projects costing $15 million or more with public subsidies of at least $300,000 to meet with community members and create a legally enforceable community benefits agreement.

Proposal B sets a different threshold. It would require those with projects worth at least $75 million that receive subsidies of $1 million or more to create community benefits agreements. If both pass, whichever proposal receives the most votes will be put into place.

The summit will offer 12 workshops. Here’s the list and the times:

10:45 a.m. – noon

• Collaborations For Change: How to secure volunteers, sponsors, support for neighborhood projects.
• Diversity In Entrepreneurship: Ensuring business opportunities for all groups.
• Home Buying in Detroit: How to use Detroit Land Bank and bank programs for home purchases.
• Organizing/Planning: How to form block clubs, develop neighborhood strategies & build coalitions.
• Positively Programing Youth: Connecting young people to programs to help them make good life choices.
• Public Safety: Crime fighting strategies, neighborhood patrols, volunteer programs, peace walk, etc.

1:45 p.m.-3 p.m.

• Alternative Funding: How to use social media for funding for community projects.
• District Manager Forum: Using District Manager services to fight blight and improve neighborhoods.
• Getting To Next Level: How to connect your group to funding and strategic planning programs.
• Hire It Done: Overcoming job barriers, connecting to training and job programs.
• Neighborhood Comebacks: Learning tools neighborhoods use to grow stronger, attract new residents.
• Next Generation Leaders: Grooming millennials and other youth to become neighborhood leaders.

Community organizations will have exhibits on hand with information and resources to help neighborhood residents.

There certainly will be great suggestions that will help make Detroit’s neighborhoods livable, loveable and vibrant. Sign up and find out how. You can register at www.arisedetroit.org or call 313-921-1955.