Tell us about some of your favorite ways to experience Detroit outside of work and Challenge Detroit.

All time favorite ways to experience the city in no particular order:

-Taking family and friends on driving/walking tours to show them the areas that CD has had an impact, and to show them the good/bad parts of the city. Teaching people about what we have accomplished as a cohort is the best way to create advocates of people that aren’t from the area or haven’t had the chance to experience it.

-Finding local art and music events at bars/restaurants/communal gathering places. (Ideally at Lincoln Street Art Park). It’s a great way to connect with other Detroiters and enjoy the local art/music scene.

What have you learned from Challenge Detroit during your fellowship year?

Design Thinking is the most significant thing I learned about during the fellowship year. While I was highly skeptical at the beginning, I have come to appreciate the methods of iterative problem solving on a short-term basis that has fundamentally changed how I think about problems/solutions for different communities.

Tell us about your host company and your role in the organization.

My host company in PwC, and my role is Risk Assurance Associate. The function that the overall all Risk Assurance team has is to address IT Internal Controls at different organizations. May sound bland, but it’s a great way to learn about the operations and organization of different companies.

What kind of impact do you hope to have with your host company and within the city?

I hope to have an impact on the perception of the non-profit space within my host company. When it comes to public accounting, a large portion of the work we do is very abstract, and it’s hard to see the direct impact that what we are doing has on the people in the places we operate. Being able to participate in Challenge Detroit has afforded me the opportunity to have a direct and measurable impact on 6 different non-profit organizations, which I am able to share with co-workers and other business service professionals in order to show what is really going on in the city.

What are you most looking forward to this summer in Detroit?

Haute to Death Swim Club. Amazing inclusive pool parties in New Center. Highly recommended. Also, spending time on Belle Isle in the beautiful weather is an amazing experience.

What do you envision for Detroit 10 years from now?

During one of our Challenges, a stakeholder said “Detroit is resource rich and connection poor”. What I envision for Detroit 10 years from now is connections to form gradually between the beautiful and resource-rich neighborhoods, causing an upward shift in the quality of life for residents, and the comfortability of visitors to freely enjoy the city.

So learn more about Alex’s time in Detroit check out his spotlight video.