In January, President Obama visited Detroit, where he attended the North American International Auto Show and visited Midtown.

There has been a lot of discussion about where the president directed his time, energy, and dollars while in Detroit. A discussion that is part of the larger conversation in Detroit about investment and development in the Midtown/Corktown/Downtown areas vs. the Neighborhoods. That’s not something I’m going to delve into here.

What I do want to talk about has to do with the landscape of national politics, compared to what I see happening on the local level in Detroit.

A major motivating factor in my move to this city is that I wanted to be around people doing things with immediate impact. Detroit has just that: small businesses, startups, business incubators, creative funding sources, co-working spaces, inventive real estate development, and community engagement forums available across the city. These places and events are led by local leaders that have stake in the community.

Through my experience, I believe it is the actions of these community leaders that are most influential in the progress of Detroit. As this city evolves, I wonder if other cities will see the same local movements.