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9TH Annual ARISE DETROIT! “Neighborhoods Rising Summit” Takes Place Nov 3
The 9th annual ARISE Detroit! Neighborhoods Rising Summit will take place on Saturday, November 3. This year’s theme is “Creating an Inclusive and Equitable Detroit.” The event focuses on removing barriers to economic opportunities and expanding efforts to include neighborhoods as part of Detroit’s revival efforts. Skillman Foundation President & CEO Tonya Allen will be the keynote speaker.
The summit is free and open to the public. It takes place from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the downtown Detroit campus of Wayne County Community College District, 1001 W. Fort Street, 48226. A continental breakfast and lunch will be served. Residents can register for the summit at: www.arisedetroit.org.
The Neighborhoods Rising Summit is designed to equip residents with strategies to improve their neighborhoods. The event features discussions on steering development to improve neighborhoods, as well as promoting inclusive and diverse opportunities for job training and neighborhood entrepreneurship.
The morning keynote address will be delivered at 9:30 a.m. by Allen, who has championed inclusiveness and diversity as part of the Skillman Foundation’s Detroit revival work. The Skillman Foundation was also the first funder of ARISE Detroit!, which was established in 2006.
A lunchtime panel discussion titled, “Inclusion: Moving from Talk to Action,” will include a cross section of non-profit, civic, business and foundation leaders. Panelists include Sarida Scott of Community Development Advocates of Detroit; Anika Goss-Foster, executive director of Detroit Future City; Kevin Ryan, Detroit program director for the Ford Foundation; architect Rainy Hamilton of Hamilton Anderson Associates; Dave Alade of Century Partners and Detroit City Council President Pro Tem Mary Sheffield.
“Detroit won’t have a real revival until everyone has an opportunity to be part of the city’s progress,” said Luther Keith, ARISE Detroit! executive director. “This year, we are adding some new workshops and topics that address critical issues to improve the quality of life in our neighborhoods.”
Sponsored by The Kresge Foundation and Detroit Future City, the summit includes 12 workshops and more than 50 community leaders offering expertise in neighborhood transformation, including:
- Connecting neighborhood entrepreneurs to funding sources and promoting neighborhood entrepreneurship;
- Home buying through the Detroit Land Bank and other programs;
- Utilizing programs that promote early childhood development;
- Neighborhood revitalization strategies;
- Finding jobs and overcoming barriers to employment;
- Finding funding and strategic planning support for neighborhood projects;
- Organizing the fight against blight and forming block clubs;
- Addressing storm drainage fee issues, foreclosure and water shutoff prevention;
- And creating Just Cities by removing economic and legal barriers for those touched by the criminal justice system.
Workshops will be held from 10:45 a.m. to noon and from 1:45 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. The summit will also feature community organization exhibitors with information and resources to help neighborhood residents.
