While we’re taking a break, let us know what you think about the morning session.
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TELLING DETROIT'S STORY - TAKING CHARGE OF OUR STORY: WHERE THE DETROIT REGION HAS BEEN, WHERE WE ARE AND WERE WE INTEND TO GO.
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This event is presented by New Detroit in partnership with Wayne State University and Marygrove College. Support has been provided by the following sponsors:
The morning session was good for covering some of the history and for hitting the absolutely essential point about the need to overcome myths in order to better understand the real sources of our current problems, and get to real solutions not shaped by these disempowering myths.
But while Marcella Wilson briefly emphasized at end of panel the absolute need for collaboration and holding govt and foundations accountable, there was really nothing about the ways we, THE PEOPLE OF DETROIT need to organize and collaborate to do this.
My whole focus is on the fundamental need for new investment (esp from foundations) in creating structures of citizen engagement in the City, so that we can hold our city and regional “leaders,” elected and non-elected, accountable, as Wilson suggested.
So I hope there will be much more of a focus in the afternoon session on how this work of building structures of citizen engagement to hold decision-makers accountable is a PIVOTAL PART of the ongoing story of how we take back Detroit and recreate it in innovative ways that recognize the CENTRAL ROLE OF the PEOPLE OF DETROIT in recreating the City as an equitable, healthy, and sustainable urban PLACE. Generating this kind of story about Detroit will emphasize the already existing vibrancy and energy of the city that the PEOPLE of Detroit already exude. And it is this kind of Story and BUZZ that will attract a new generation of Detroiters from all over the country to make Detroit their creative Home in ways that lift up all Detroit’s residents, old and new, rather than dividing them against each other….
Also, Its good to see that you’re using the “Open Space” framework for organizing the afternoon session– I just hope you’ve “invited” enough of Detroit’s actual resident-activists so that you will be able to hear the real exciting ongoing stories from the people who are making these stories happen on the ground! I guess this will depend on how you defined and made decisions about who qualified as the “leaders” that should be invited to attend this event in person. We’ll look forward to seeing how this all develops in afternoon session….
The first session of the afternoon is focused on a brief history of mass communications. Kirk Cheyfitz, CEO of Story Wordwide, is discussing the role of social media in storytelling and how it can democratize information. What role do you think social media has in citizen engagement ?
Having the city council elected by district instead of at large will go a long way in making city government more accountable. Thats how most large cities in the US work and how Detroit worked until 1917 or so.
In answer to kbgaston, I’ve been addressing this key issue in my DetroitPolicy tweets…
The key is supporting structures of media engagement that tie social media to actual community organizing and creative community work on the ground….