Twenty-first century Detroit is a complicated place. While certain neighborhoods are experiencing unprecedented levels of investment, others are dealing with monumental challenges that greatly affect quality of life. Popular narratives in local and national media often reduce this complexity to an adversarial narrative of two Detroits: 'Old' versus 'New,' 'The Neighborhoods' versus 'Downtown,' etc.
But these loaded dichotomies don't do our dynamic communities justice.
That's why the
Skillman Foundation and
Model D are pleased to facilitate #YourDetroit, a Twitter chat happening Tuesday, March 3 from 2 to 3 p.m. We want to hear from you about where you see yourself in the narratives forming around contemporary Detroit. How can we get beyond the 'Old' versus 'New' trope and arrive at more inclusive visions for the city?
The discussion will be led by Detroiters Aaron Foley and Lauren Hood.
Aaron Foley is a writer and cultural critic whose forthcoming book, "How to Live in Detroit without Being a Jackass," will be published by
Belt Publishing later this year. Follow him on Twitter
@aaronkfoley.
Lauren Hood is a community developer and engagement specialist. She facilitates dialogues on "difficult to discuss" issues on behalf of her LLC, Deep Dive Detroit, for private groups and organizations, and produces ongoing public dialogue events. Seeking to preserve and uplift Detroit's often overlooked, cultural history, she is active on the Board of Directors for Preservation Detroit and serves as a Mayoral appointee to the city's Historic District Commission. Follow her on Twitter
@DeepDiveDetroit.
You can follow and participate in the conversation
here or by using the hashtag #YourDetroit.
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Matthew Lewis is a writer and former managing editor of Model D. He's currently the communications officer for the New Economy Initiative.