As a life-long Detroiter, even at the age of 24, I feel like I’ve seen the city go from one end of the spectrum to the next. For me, the most exciting part about seeing the city come back is that it’s individuals like you and me shaping the city as we see fit. No more depending on large corporations (or as my grandmother would refer to it as “the man”) and most importantly…there’s no need for permission! The various start-ups that are popping up have so much variety and purpose, not just for the city of Detroit, but essentially everywhere.

I have always had an affinity for the city that raised me, and after Challenge Detroit I became more inclined to utilize more local businesses and attend more non-profit fundraising events. I still do work with many local businesses through D-Social, which is the company I started after my fellowship with Challenge Detroit to help local businesses hone their brands in a digital space. Sometime after Challenge Detroit and the start of D-Social I realized that I missed the hustle and bustle of working with a large agency which lead me to Carat. I joined Carat at an exciting time when it was still in the early stages of taking on the GM business and which allotted me the opportunity to join the pilot team known as “Digital Investment” (in ever so advertising fashion, this is simply a fancy term for the “media buying” team). Our team handles the digital buying/negotiations for various media outlets. I am also the Social subject matter expert, which gives me the opportunity to work with the Facebooks and Pinterests of the world. The most exciting project my team and I are working on now is an innovation project. Since the technology in our industry is vastly changing every day, we are tasked with bringing the latest to the table no matter how great or silly… anything goes! This past summer I had a chance work on my first global campaign with the Chevrolet Manchester United Shirt Reveal which was really cool because I introduced new social capabilities to the campaign.

As far as my “OG” Challenge Detroit crew, we are still fairly active in our Facebook group which is always fun to see what everyone is up to. I try to keep up with Bithiah’s blog, to see what part of the world she is currently in. I talk to my old roommate (Cerima) who is back in New York and Marlo at least twice a month. Brittany and I attempted to start a workout regimen this past summer, that all ended after one round of stairs at Joe Louis Arena! I could go on and on, but since majority of us are still in Detroit we bump into each other at events, coffee shops, restaurants, and all over the city!

My advice to the new group of fellows:

• Take advantage of all the opportunities that become available during your fellowship. The Challenge Detroit network was extensive during my inaugural year and I can only imagine what heights it has reached today, definitely take advantage.

• As a fellow I was fairly shy and always opted to do all the background work for our presentations so I didn’t have to present. Do the public speaking! What better way to get over that fright? You could always end up like me at a new position that requires some form of a presentation monthly that you can’t get out of (trust me I’ve tried).

• Last, but not least, enjoy yourself and your fellows. This year is going to fly by and for some of you, your time in Detroit will end at the close of the program. So, get outside of the program and downtown Detroit – see what else Michigan has to offer!