In this week’s Fellow Spotlight, we are checking in with Kristina Wilson. She fills us in on what she enjoys most about Detroit, her host company Penske Corporation / Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix, and what she’s looking forward to as a Challenge Detroit Fellow.

What do you enjoy most about living, working, playing, giving and leading in Detroit? 

I love being back home. I’ve been away from Detroit for 7 years pursuing my education and like a lot of people, I had to witness the challenges in Detroit from a distance. I refused to believe that the city I love was dying. Challenge Detroit has giving me the opportunity to come back home and give back to the city that helped me to become  who I am today. I am able to utilize my education and talents to help make Detroit better not just for me, my family and friends but for the 700,000 people that stayed in Detroit to fight to make the city great again.

What have you learned with Challenge Detroit so far? 

With Challenge Detroit, I have learned Detroit in a different way than I knew it growing up. Since being in Challenge Detroit I have been exposed to new things and been places that I have heard of but had never seen. I have also learned a lot about myself and working with other people through my placement with my host company, challenges and leadership Fridays.

 

What kind of impact do you hope to make with your host company? With the city? 

I hope to impact my host company, Penske Corporation / Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix, by helping to bring a stronger awareness of the Grand Prix to the city of Detroit and Southeast Michigan. The Grand Prix is truly a great event for both race fans and non-race fans a like. Also all of the proceeds from the race go back to the restoration of Belle Isle which is the jewel of Detroit. I hope to impact Detroit by getting further involved in community initiatives that with help to restore the neighborhoods of Detroit. I also hope to impact the youth of Detroit by mentoring and showing an example that you can do anything you set your mind to no matter where you come from.

 

What are you looking forward to most in the second half of your year as a Challenge Detroit Fellow? 

I am looking forward to getting more involved in the city of Detroit and gaining more knowledge. I am also looking forward to seeing and working my first Chevrolet Detroit Bell Isle Grand Prix.

 

Also, be sure to check out Kristina’s video to learn more about her time in Detroit, so far.