Written by Murphy Austin “We have worked out a system to deal with the system.” These words, spoken by Detroit People’s Platform member Jocelyn Harris at our annual meeting, stand as a testament to the growing enthusiasm behind our method for social change in Detroit. Since its very first meeting on June 1st, 2013, the People’s Platform has […]
Written by Sean Thomas-Breitfeld Many commentators have taken to calling Detroit the canary in the coal mine, as a warning to other cities facing de-industrialization, unemployment and other “urban” woes. But in this era of the city’s bankruptcy “crisis” and supposed comeback, what we see from Detroit is a warning about the cost of transferring governing power to […]
Written by Aaron Handelsman What does it mean when even after a last-minute venue change over 100 overworked community activists across seven city council districts turn out to an event committed to bringing about social change? I think it means a movement is building. Tuesday, June 12th marked the second annual meeting of the Detroit People’s Platform (PP). The […]
Written by Caitlin Endyke What happens when a conservative state reforms an entire social service program, with the goal of making it more cost-effective? Usually, you’d probably end up with a program that did little to better the lives of the people it served – or you’d have a group of nonprofit service agencies who’d […]
Written by Frances Kunreuther Last week, Linda Campbell wrote about her experiences in Detroit. In These Times has a terrific article, Detroit’s Downfall: Beyond the Myth of Black Misleadership, by Marilyn Katz that gives a different narrative on Detroit’s current woes. Though not as pointed, I read two other pieces about Detroit during the week that confirm Katz’s analysis. […]
Written by guest Patrick Geans is a reporter for the Michigan Citizen, a weekly local publication that focuses on economic and social development throughout Michigan’s urban communities. This piece was written following the successful People’s Platform and Convention event, held on June 1st. Over 200 Detroit residents, community leaders and activists gathered for the Detroit Peoples Platform […]
Written by Sean Thomas-Breitfeld By Sean Thomas-Breitfeld, Co-Director Last month, the Building Movement staff and project team discussed two articles on the connections between neoliberalism, marketization and the current realities of the nonprofit sector. Both articles reflected many of the frustrations expressed by colleagues and organizations on the ground about how budget cuts, competition for funding, and the focus on metrics can get in […]
The City of Detroit has been in the news a lot recently, as Michigan Governor Rick Snyder decided to pass a controversial Emergency Manager law (a similar law was defeated by popular vote in November). The Emergency Manager law gives Michigan state officials the ability to appoint one person to take over almost all of city operations, […]
Written by Sean Thomas-Breitfeld In my first few weeks at the Building Movement Project, I’ve been doing a lot of travel to get up to speed on the work that BMP’s nonprofit partners are doing around the country. Just last week, I was in Washington and spoke with many of our sector’s advocates about the […]
In July, 2012 William Copeland and Rayven Roberts represented EMEAC at the Accountable Community Governance Convening held by the South by Southwest Experiment in Jackson, Mississippi. This event, to be held at The Commons on Thursday, August 30th from 6-8pm, will serve as a community report back. But furthermore will be a discussion about what […]