Have you set any goals this year?

This Challenge year seems to be flying by from my perspective.  One of my goals for this year was to find an opportunity to partner with people in Detroit who are making a tangible social impact.  I’ve started to develop a network here in Detroit and one of the brightest additions to my circle has been partnering up with the Durfee Innovation Society which officially opened its doors this past Friday, April 27th!

The DurfeeIS is located at a former elementary school that has been re-purposed, by Life Remodeled, as a community innovation center where non-profit organizations and for-profit businesses can co-locate.  The former school building is 143,000 square feet and will be home to many tenants providing opportunities in education, entrepreneurship, employment and community development.   I have partnered with DurfeeIS Director Denise Lyles and Director of Youth Engagement Dominique Campbell to create a series of videos highlighting some of the many great people and organizations that call this space home.

To name a few…

  • Rise Up Higher – A non-profit that uses music, specifically hip-hop, to empower youth to think critically and participate in their community.
  • Pretty Professionals – An organization that connects young women to opportunities in entrepreneurship and education.  Pretty Professionals hosts classes every Saturday that cover a broad range of  subjects related to personal empowerment.
  • Orion’s Quest – An educational program for elementary, middle, and high school students that creates educational material based on the most current NASA research.  There is a planetarium at the DurfeeIS…How cool is that!

These are just a few of the many.  You can learn more about the other tenants at www.durfeeIS.org/new-page.

I’m excited to see what lies ahead for the Durfee Innovation Society and am grateful to Challenge Detroit for putting me in a spot to partner with this community. To learn more or get involved with Life Remodeled or the Durfee Innovation Society, please visit liferemodeled.com and www.durfeeIS.org.  Feel free to reach out to me as well if you’d like to get involved.

 

Check out this Opening Day Recap

 

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