Year One Fellow Leigh Ann Ulrey recently shared with us what she has been up to since finishing the program and how she has seen Detroit change over the past four years. See what Leigh Ann had to say, below.
Tell us, what have you been doing since your year as a Challenge Detroit fellow?
Since Challenge Detroit I have continued to be a member of the Livernois Corridor SOUP planning committee which I got involved with via our challenge with the Detroit Collaborative Design Center. I’ve tutored at the Mercy Education Project for the last three years after getting connected with them via my job at Compuware. During the last six months I have acted as interim President of the planning committee for the Alumni of Challenge Detroit and am excited to say I was re-elected to continue in that capacity during our inaugural year. On a more personal note, I now have a Weimaraner named Kolte and I’ve recently started the house hunting search in Hamtramck and Detroit.
How has your work at Compuware evolved since your fellowship year?
Each year at Compuware has been different. During my fellowship year I worked in Community Relations. A few months after Challenge Detroit ended, I moved into University Recruiting. A year later, Compuware split into two separate companies and I became responsible for all of our Global Talent Acquisition. Recently, I’ve been given the opportunity to design how I might incorporate my interest in people and talent development beyond just the hiring process and into the entire employee lifecycle.
What are a few of your favorite ways to play in the city?
I’m always looking to do something new in Detroit, the city is so large and each neighborhood is diverse and has something different to offer. With a deep history and an evolving future, I know that it will be impossible for me to see, do and learn everything in Detroit. Food, art, museums and walking are typically the areas that I’m exploring the most.
How has Detroit changed since your year as a fellow?
The biggest change I’ve seen is an influx in private and corporate investment and development in specific areas of the city; while at the same time, many neighborhoods haven’t experienced as much, if any, change or investment in terms of safety, resources, public services and opportunity. While it can be hard for some to criticize development in a city like Detroit, this dynamic has resulted in a widening gap between the majority of Detroiters and the small group people are able to take advantage of these neighborhoods with investment.
There have definitely been positive changes as well, such as, the passing of the Municipal ID cards. The Green Light Project also seems to have the potential to be a nice piece to the larger safety and crime puzzle. Hamtramck elected the first Muslim majority City Council and Hamtramck Public School partnered with the Detroit City Football club resulting in major renovations for Keyworth Stadium. It was recently announced that an eco-village is in the works for Highland Park and that Cass Community Social Services is fundraising to build affordable tiny houses for residents with low-incomes.
Now that summer is right around the corner what are a few of your favorite places to frequent in Detroit during the summer?
Palmer Park- River Rouge Park
- Belle Isle
- The river walk
- Eastern Market and the many other farmer’s markets
- All of the festivals!
- Volunteer at one of the many urban gardens