Erik Paul Howard is a photographer as well as co-founder of Inside Southwest Detroit, Young Nation, and The Alley Project in Southwest Detroit. Through cultural, place-based, and media projects he has been building with neighbors and youth in Southwest Detroit for over 20 years. Erik's photography documents human interest and themes of community formed around shared passions and intersecting needs. He employs photography as a visual tool in storytelling, learning, teaching, and organizing around equity, social justice, access, and engagement. He was most recently a 2019 Magnum Social Justice Fellowship finalist and a 2017 Facing Change: Documenting Detroit fellow. Erik's intersecting organizing and visual arts work has been featured in the Detroit Free Press, Lowrider Magazine, Detroit Metro Times, The Fence, the Venice Biennale, PhotoVille NYC, on NBC, NPR, and PBS as well as in galleries, cultural centers, and public spaces at home and abroad.

Julia Kowalski is a designer and project manager at the Detroit Collaborative Design Center (DCDC). She holds a Master of Architecture from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Architecture. She is continually inspired by Samuel Mockbee's decree, "proceed + be bold!" This boldness, coupled with compassion, is lived out through her work at the DCDC. Additionally, Julia was granted a Challenge Detroit Fellowship for 2016-2017. This has prompted her to dive deeper into the City of Detroit and further explore how design can be a tool that catalyzes social and individual change.

Katrina Keeby-Watkins is a former educator, therapist, social worker and long-time resident of Detroit, MI. Katrina earned her BA degree in Social Work from Siena Heights University, and earned her MA in Adult Education from Central Michigan University. Katrina has over 20 years of experience as a nonprofit professional developing community partnerships and building workforce development programs in the Metro Detroit area. Currently, Katrina is the founder/CEO of the Bailey Park Neighborhood Development Corporation (BPNDC). Dedicated to empowering her community in an impactful manner, Katrina created BPNDC to help strengthen the McDougall-Hunt neighborhood by creating programs that encourage safety, sustainability, and stewardship.

Cindy Eggleton has more than 25 years of experience helping organizations clarify and achieve their goals. A passionate advocate for people and community, Cindy understands how to bring groups together and activate them around a common goal. She is a strategic thinker who knows how to develop on-target processes in order to achieve the desired outcome. A team builder, Cindy has a proven track record for leading teams to be more productive and create better defined systems and practices. Her strength lies in her ability to understand the depth and breadth of an issue and develop a realistic plan that moves an idea from concept to implementation.

Erma Leaphart-Gouch is a Great Lakes Organizer with Sierra Club Michigan Chapter. Her work involves promoting green (nature-based) infrastructure for managing stormwater and helping reduce sewage overflows and polluted runoff into local waterways. She facilitates green infrastructure workshops, rain garden installations, and advocates for sustainable, triple bottom line policies to protect Great Lakes water quality and assure clean and accessible water for all.

Erma serves on the Governance Board and Equity Action and Advisory Committee of the Healing Our Waters Great Lakes Coalition and is co-chair of the Detroit City Council’s Green Task Force – Water Committee. Previously, Erma worked for the State of Michigan as a Human Resources Manager and Public Health Consultant.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and Communication from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Nicole Brown is a Cohort IV Detroit Revitalization Fellow serving as the Sustainable Landscapes Manager for Detroit Future City (DFC). In her role, Nicole works to equip Detroiters with the tools and resources needed to be land and water stewards. She also organizes, promotes and manages green infrastructure education forums and installation workshops, including assisting Detroit residents with efficiently transitioning to the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department’s newly-revised water rates and drainage charges.

Nicole joins DFC with nearly 10 years of leadership in marketing, communications and community engagement in metro Detroit.

Most recently, Nicole spent four years as the community relations manager of M-1 RAIL, where she developed and managed community engagement campaigns, including public safety and internship programs. Prior to serving at M-1 RAIL, Nicole worked as the communications and outreach coordinator for Midtown Detroit, Inc.’s Living Cities Integration Initiative and the Woodward Corridor Initiative. She also has worked in various capacities for organizations including Excellent Schools Detroit and the Woodward Avenue Action Association.

In 2015, Nicole was selected to participate in the White House Office of Social Innovation’s Fellowship program known as The Presidio Institute’s Cross Sector Leadership Fellowship. Nicole has a bachelor’s degree in journalism specializing in public relations from Eastern Michigan University.

Ricky Ackerman started at Eastside Community Network in February 2018 and currently serves as the Director of Climate Equity. While at ECN, Ricky has worked to engage residents around green stormwater infrastructure, air quality issues, resilience hubs, and other climate change-related topics. Prior to starting at ECN, he received his masters in Environmental Policy from the University of Michigan's School of Natural Resources and Environment. For his master's capstone, he researched community resilience in six coastal, natural resource dependent Oregon communities through stakeholder interviews. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Government and Philosophy from Centre College in Kentucky. He began his career as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ecuador where he spent three years working on a range of sustainability projects, including waste management outreach for the local government, environmental clubs in high schools, a reforestation initiative, and business development with local reserve owners.

Babar Qadri cultivated an interest in medicine when he worked as a Athletic/Personal Training & Health Director. He graduated from Mercy College in Bronx, NY, where he received a Masters of Science in Physician Assistant Studies. After PA school he practiced home health care, ortho primary care, urgent care, along with surgery per diem. All of these training and exposures in different facets of the medical discipline has not only allowed him to understand patient care but also patient environment and condition, which plays a larger role than most providers realize. Through these various positions, he could understand various connections that attribute to the success, or decline, of a patient's overall health condition. This training has allowed Babar Qadri to teach students and patients how to be well rounded in understanding and suggestions/treating a patient's obstacles or medical strategies.

Raquel joined Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision in 2019 as Executive Director to build out SDEV’s community outreach program, to cultivate resident civic engagement, expand the voting base, and grow membership. SDEV’s outreach connects residents to local environmental policies that impact their health and the health of their Southwest Detroit neighborhoods. Previously, she was the Director of Housing and Special Projects for Global Detroit where she cultivated support for immigrant integration economic development initiatives like affordable homeownership, landbank engagement, financial literacy, language access and worked to grow community awareness about the City of Detroit’s revitalization initiatives. Previously, Raquel was an immigrant rights organizer, electoral campaign organizer, and spent 15 years in higher education in Detroit. She serves on the Detroit City Council Immigration Task Force, Is a Co-Chair of the Immigrant Support Services Committee, serves on Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation’s board and DTE’s Community Advisory Board. Raquel is passionate about leadership development of Latino youth, her new board development work, connecting and empowering residents and neighbors by meeting people where they are, meeting them face to face at their door.

My name is Tammy Black, the creator of this Treehouse project. I am a 54 year old mother of 6 kids. Yes! My house is the house where all the kids love to be, to eat, play, and just to talk to me about issues or just daily life. I have been living in this neighborhood of Jefferson/Chalmers for 5 years. I love this neighborhood because everyone is committed to making it a good place to live for everyone. It is something about being close to nature that I feel helps us all to release some of our anxiety. What better place for kids and young adults to develop their creativity and gain a positive peace of mind. I have been an advocate for kids all my whole life. I always loved to help the kids that no one felt would succeed. I felt the children needed to be heard and understood. The Treehouse will be a place without judgement and allowing individuals to be themselves with a focus on what their interests are and how they can develop them. My hope is that they will gain life long friendships. This Treehouse is not just for the kids on the block of Manistique, but it is for all children, adults, veterans, and families in the metro area.

Deborah Drennan, has been with Freedom House Detroit for 15 years serving as executive director since 2010. Deb has a long history of working for social justice. With more than 45 years in non-profit experience, Deb has helped thousands of people rekindle their spirits and renew their purpose.

Prior to joining Freedom House i n 2006, Deb worked at Women ARISE, a reentry program in Detroit, for women involved in the criminal justice system. Meeting women in correctional facilities, their houses, or at the Women ARISE site, Deb worked with women, their families

Working as the transitional housing program director and community relations/intake coordinator at the Coalition on Temporary Shelter (COTS), in Detroit, the organization was able to house hundreds of individuals and families Deb managed and directed into their programs and services, navigating them towards self-sufficiency and long-term housing.

Deb feels she has found her true calling at Freedom House. Freedom House was founded in 1983 as a temporary shelter for those seeking legal asylum i n the U.S. from political persecution in other countries. At any given time, at least 15 countries are represented in Freedom House i n Detroit. Residents come from all backgrounds and faiths. Freedom House is a micro-global community supporting each other’s journey through loss and tremendous personal challenge and, ultimately toward hope and joy.

This multicultural environment fosters residents’ ability to set aside their differences, appreciate their diversity, and celebrate together when their common goal of freedom is achieved. The meaning that Deb has found at Freedom House inspires her to continue advocacy for systemic change that more fully recognizes the rights of all people.

Raquel joined Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision in 2019 as Executive Director to build out SDEV’s community outreach program, to cultivate resident civic engagement, expand the voting base, and grow membership. SDEV’s outreach connects residents to local environmental policies that impact their health and the health of their Southwest Detroit neighborhoods. Previously, she was the Director of Housing and Special Projects for Global Detroit where she cultivated support for immigrant integration economic development initiatives like affordable homeownership, landbank engagement, financial literacy, language access and worked to grow community awareness about the City of Detroit’s revitalization initiatives. Previously, Raquel was an immigrant rights organizer, electoral campaign organizer, and spent 15 years in higher education in Detroit. She serves on the Detroit City Council Immigration Task Force, Is a Co-Chair of the Immigrant Support Services Committee, serves on Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation’s board and DTE’s Community Advisory Board. Raquel is passionate about leadership development of Latino youth, her new board development work, connecting and empowering residents and neighbors by meeting people where they are, meeting them face to face at their door.

My name is Tammy Black, the creator of this Treehouse project. I am a 54 year old mother of 6 kids. Yes! My house is the house where all the kids love to be, to eat, play, and just to talk to me about issues or just daily life. I have been living in this neighborhood of Jefferson/Chalmers for 5 years. I love this neighborhood because everyone is committed to making it a good place to live for everyone. It is something about being close to nature that I feel helps us all to release some of our anxiety. What better place for kids and young adults to develop their creativity and gain a positive peace of mind. I have been an advocate for kids all my whole life. I always loved to help the kids that no one felt would succeed. I felt the children needed to be heard and understood. The Treehouse will be a place without judgement and allowing individuals to be themselves with a focus on what their interests are and how they can develop them. My hope is that they will gain life long friendships. This Treehouse is not just for the kids on the block of Manistique, but it is for all children, adults, veterans, and families in the metro area.

Mélissa Baril is an ideater and problem solver. Her common thread: publishing. Her approach: transmission. The big idea: to connect people through cultural diversity. Moving to Detroit, she found out a new playground to promote French youth literature and culture in a community surrounded by francophone roots. As a parent, she was struggling to find books and resources to nurture the language with her children. She figured out she was not the only one and created the Caribou à lunettes: a French youth library with creative workshops and activities with authors and illustrators, for native speakers and learners. She recently launched an online bookstore to support parents and teachers in the United States in their search for books in French, offering quality, diverse and inclusive stories. Because understanding and sharing cultures is the key for just movements.

Mélissa Lefebvre holds a bachelor's degree in drama arts education from the École supérieure de théâtre de l'UQAM. She has written and directed numerous plays for various groups of students, always placing them at the heart of her creation. Her keen interest in the young immigrant students classes has led her to carry out many projects, including the theatrical play Bagages, winner of the "Essor" and "Forces Avenir" 2015-16 awards, as well as the documentary of the same title, released in 2017, in connection with the play.

Filmmaker specialized in animation and documentary films, Paul Tom is also a professional editor, a museum exhibition video designer, and a cultural mediation trainer for projects in various communities. Born to Cambodian parents in a refugee camp in Thailand, his favourite themes are: identity building, family relationships and everything related to the intimate side of human beings. His short films have been selected in some forty festivals around the world. His 2017 feature documentary Baggage (Bagages in French) collected many awards and nominations and has been shown in France, Australia and the US.

Janet Attarian has over 25 years of experience in creating beautiful, livable cities with a focus on inclusive neighborhood development, urban mobility, and ecological infrastructure. In her leadership role as Senior Mobility Strategist she helps craft SmithGroup’s vision for multi-modal mobility that is focused on people and planet, and has a gift for synthesizing the multiple disciplines it takes to create vibrant streets and innovative mobility policy and programs. She brings her technical expertise and innovative thinking together with a commitment to inclusive, equitable development, and meaningful, public engagement; with years of experience working to build trust and support in disadvantaged and disinvested communities. Before joining SmithGroup, Janet was Deputy Director of the City of Detroit’s Planning and Development Department, and Complete Streets Director for the City of Chicago’s Department of Transportation.

Kenneth Kokroko is a landscape architect with unique experience leading a community-based planning and design process for park, open space, and neighborhood projects. His research background in anthropology, environmental science and community development brings a fresh, holistic perspective to his design approach. Through his work in community-based projects, Kenneth became passionate about meaningfully connecting people with the built environment to improve social and ecological outcomes. His multidisciplinary training and experience collaborating with community partners from diverse backgrounds have also informed his approach to implementing equitable and inclusive engagement, planning and design strategies for public open space development. As an emerging leader and advocate for racial justice in design, Kenneth’s approach embodies a critique of historic practices and a vital redefinition of what design success means in a community context.

Justin Snowden is a Senior Advisor and Project Manager in the City of Detroit’s Office of Mobility Innovation. In these roles, Justin works to identify business case models for testing and deploying new technology, with the goal of bringing advanced mobility options to Detroit. He is also working on a number of initiatives to more effectively leverage data from City-owned intelligent assets for advanced analytics and improved service design.

Justin is a resident of De`troit’s North End neighborhood. He has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the Milwaukee School of Engineering and a Juris Doctor from the University of Wisconsin Law School.

Lisa Nuszkowski is the founder and executive director of MoGo, Detroit’s nonprofit bike share system, serving the city of Detroit and five suburban communities with 620 bikes and 75 stations. Lisa has also served as the project lead for Open Streets Detroit, an annual program that temporarily closes major roads to vehicles and opens streets up for people to walk, run, bike, play and engage with the community.

Lisa holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Central Michigan University and a Master of Public Policy from the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan. She was recognized as one of Crain’s Detroit 40 Under 40 in 2016.

Caitlin Murphy serves as the Civic Commons Coordinator on behalf of Live6. “Reimagining the Civic Commons” is a national which invests locally in the Fitzgerald community supporting park creation stewardship and advocacy, resident driven programming and commercial corridor development. Caitlin also manages Neighborhood HomeBase, a community storefront that opened in April of 2019. She holds degrees from the University of Michigan and the University of Detroit Mercy.

Christina Heximer is the Associate Director of the Detroit Collaborative Design Center at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Architecture. Christina received a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from Miami University. She also received a Master of Architecture, and a Master of Social Work with a focus in community organizing and social systems from the University of Michigan. She has worked at the Detroit Collaborative Design Center since 2002.

While at the DCDC she has worked on a number of projects, including a participatory design process and master plan for the Claytown community in southwest Detroit; and program space for the Mercy Education Project - a program providing after-school tutoring, summer enrichment, GED preparation, and life skills support to women and girls in Detroit. While at the DCDC, she has also helped develop the organization's participatory community design process.

Christina has served on the Design Committee of the Southwest Detroit Business Association, and she is currently a board member for Young Nation in Southwest Detroit. She is an adjunct faculty in the University of Detroit Mercy’s Architecture and Master of Community Development programs. Her research focus is in community development, participatory community design methods, and social justice as it relates to the physical environment.

Nick Tobier has worked in Brightmoor and Detroit Community Schools since 2009 and is a co-founder of the Brightmoor Maker Space. He is an artist and designer with grants from the NEA and the Harpo Foundation among others and previous experience as a youth community leader and landscape architect for the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation / Bronx Division, and Detroit public schools including Butzell, Bennett and Greenfield Union. He is a Professor at the University of Michigan Stamps School of Art and Design, a life long builder.

Bart Eddy is the Community Outreach Director and founder of Detroit Community Schools and the co-founder of the Brightmoor Maker Space. Bart has worked with young people in Detroit for the past thirty years. He has co-founded the Barnabas Youth Opportunities Center in 1983, Detroit Community High School in 1997 and the Sunbridge International Collaborative in 2013. During this span of years, he has taken a class from grades 1-8 at the Detroit Waldorf School and taught woodworking (Psychology of Work) at Detroit Community High School. He is currently involved as a community engagement activist through the introduction of the “Entrepreneurship in Action” programs that operate out of Detroit Community High School. With his colleagues, it is his intention to expand these ideas and activities throughout Detroit and the international community under the auspices of experiential learning as offered by the Sunbridge International Collaborative.

Dawn Wilson-Clark a co-founder of BEAT (Brightmoor Education Action Team) was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. Upon graduation from Detroit’s Redford High School, she served in the United States Army during Desert Storm. Professionally, Dawn is also known as “Kuddles The Clown” and has spent the last 2 decades bringing love, laughter and life lessons to children of all ages performing at thousands of birthday parties, hundreds of schools, churches and community events. Dawn is committed to positive change and innovation in her community. She donates her time, energy, enthusiasm and talents to several boards throughout the city, to her neighbors and friends and to her children’s schools.

The Rev. Larry L. Simmons, Sr. has lived a life of advocacy, beginning as a student radical pushing for change in the 1960s, as a staff member at the Detroit Urban League, as political director in the administration of Mayor Coleman A. Young, as an ordained pastor and, more recently, adding the duties of Executive Director of the Brightmoor Alliance. As pastor of Baber Memorial A.M.E. Church, he’s deeply ingrained in the fabric of the community. Simmons has been devoted to empowering families from diverse backgrounds with the resources needed to thrive.

Olga Stella (moderator) has almost 20 years of experience in economic development, public policy and coalition-building in Detroit. Her career has spanned working alongside residents in Detroit neighborhoods to helping to facilitate over $200 million in investment in the city. Olga lives with her family in Detroit and is active in the community, serving on the boards of several nonprofit organizations. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan Ford School of Public Policy.

Dessa Cosma grew up in the Deep South, splitting her time between New Orleans, LA and Augusta, GA. She has been a social justice advocate for as long as she can remember, starting her environmental, LGBT, and reproductive justice efforts in high school. In 2018, Dessa started Detroit Disability Power to grow the organizing power of the disability community and to continue bridging the gap between the disability community and larger social justice movements. She has a particular interest in disability focused political work that is grounded in anti-racism and economic justice. She is currently the Twink Frey Visiting Social Activist at the Center for the Education of Women at University of Michigan.

Jeanette Lee (she/her) is the co-executive director of Allied Media Projects (AMP), where she has worked in various leadership roles since 2006. Over this period she has led the growth and evolution of the organization through facilitative leadership, innovative program design, resource mobilization, and network cultivation. She received her education in visionary organizing from her involvement with the youth leadership organization, Detroit Summer (founded by the late James and Grace Lee Boggs), and the national feminist collective INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence. She studied comparative literature at the University of Michigan. She is a mom, a dancer, and a motorcycle rider.

Saundra Little, FAIA, LEED AP, NOMA is an accomplished architect and dedicated advocate for the revitalization of the urban realm. With expertise in building assessments and creative yet practical design strategies, she helps clients transform buildings, increase property values, and bring new life to aging communities. Saundra’s portfolio reflects the diversity of the neighborhoods she champions, with successful cultural, institutional, educational, and commercial projects of all sizes. Her work in design, revitalization, and adaptive use projects consistently demonstrates a respect and sensitivity to the unique architectural heritage of local neighborhoods. Through her devotion to this challenging work, she has helped renew, uplift, and sustain vulnerable communities.

Noah Urban is a Co-Executive Director of Data Driven Detroit (D3). Prior to joining the D3 team in 2013, he worked as a Graduate Research Assistant and Research Technician at Wayne State University. At D3, Noah collaborates on setting organizational strategy and policies, manages the organization’s portfolio of projects, coordinates the analytical team, and works with prospective partners to develop new collaborations. He has led work with a diverse range of organizations, including Microsoft Corporation, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, The Kresge Foundation, Forgotten Harvest, and Capital Impact Partners. Noah sat on the Executive Committee for the National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership from 2017 through 2020. He has a master’s degree in Urban Planning from Wayne State University and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from James Madison College at Michigan State University.

Ben Dueweke; In my role as Director of Community Development at Walker-Miller Energy Services, (WMES) I am responsible both for engaging diverse communities around issues of energy and sustainability, as well as developing and managing practical solutions that address these issues.

In my tenure with WMES I have managed programs throughout Detroit aimed at curtailing energy burdens, increasing health and safety in homes, and providing training and workforce development - specifically withinin low-income communities of color. These programs require myself and my team to first demonstrate a willingness to be present and hear the needs of a community, and then to develop strong relationships, educate people on various opportunities, and advocate on their behalf to develop solutions that are right for them. Building and maintaining trust within these communities has proven to be one of the most important aspects of my work, and this ability will be an integral aspect to identifying opportunity and implementing solutions throughout the state.