An Update from Detroit – Ford Foundation

The University of Detroit Mercy has been a key partner in our equitable development grantmaking. Here we are at your School of Architecture with a broad cross-section of our beneficiaries, including community development leaders and representatives of financial institutions.

“No matter how long you’ve been away from Detroit, Detroit should always be a part of you and you should always find ways to support its people.” Kevin Ryan, one of the Ford Foundation’s senior program officers, knows the Motor City well: He has led Ford’s grantmaking there since 2017, focusing on housing and community development, civic engagement and opportunities for youth.

A big part of Kevin’s job is figuring out how Detroit can recover from bankruptcy equitably, including all of its residents. This means supporting the many tireless community organizers, cultural leaders, and other changemakers across the city, as well as bringing them together to collaborate in new ways.

Here, Kevin shares recent photos of some of Ford’s local beneficiary partners and explains the impact they’re making across the city.

This was a team lunch with Henry Ford III, our Detroit-based board member. We were having a great conversation about our recent visits to the site. You can really see our camaraderie.

At the Skillman Foundation office, discussing the importance of youth organizing in Detroit with them and the Kresge Foundation.

Alia Harvey Quinn is the Executive Director of FORCE Detroit; co-sponsored this meeting with the Hudson-Webber Foundation to discuss the community violence intervention work we have been supporting in Detroit. Alia is, to me, one of the best leaders in Detroit. She has been able to form a coalition of citizen advocates, grassroots groups, and neighborhood organizations.

Sarida Scott is a professor at the University of Detroit Mercy. She used to be one of our beneficiaries when she ran Community Development Advocates of Detroit, a citywide development advocacy group. Here we are at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Architecture and Community Development.

Sonya Mays is the president of Develop Detroit, a citywide development organization. They build affordable housing in neighborhoods that have experienced decades of disinvestment.

Dream of Detroit is a Muslim-focused community organizing group that does many different jobs: organizing, equitable development, and advocating for property tax justice. This is Dawud Clark, Property Manager for Dream of Detroit. He joined Dream of Detroit and put his blood, sweat, and tears into rehabbing the halfway house you see here, and now he owns a home in the neighborhood! Today, he works with other returning citizens to help them achieve the same dream of being able to return and have a beautiful home to live in.

Ammara Ansari is a member of the development team at Detroit Action, a group working for economic and social justice with Detroit residents. Here she shares a story about engaging with the community.

Here are some of Dream of Detroit’s leaders, including CEO Mark Crain.

The Church of the Messiah hosted this conversation on equitable digital access. Speaking here is Katie Hearn from the Detroit Community Technology Project; They developed the Fair Internet Initiative, which we have been supporting for several years.

This was our meeting at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History about the state of arts and culture in Detroit. Five of our beneficiary partners joined. Also represented was the Detroit Arts, Culture and Entertainment department, which we support.

In Detroit, people feel positive about what we can accomplish. Even though we have all these huge structural challenges, we’re not just working every day. There is room for joy.

We had dinner at the Muslim Center with Dream of Detroit and their partners. They were very, very generous to us.

Here’s a photo of the history of Black resilience exhibit at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, a long-time and deeply valued partner to the people of Detroit.

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