E. Grand Boulevard - Identity Workshop #1 - Uncovering our Values

10:06PM Apr 29, 2021

Speakers:

Keywords:

boulevard

north

community

neighborhood

vanguard

people

create

cultural

detroit

live

speak

monica

space

building

carlos

values

branding

legacy

conversation

part

Hi Andy.

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Hey everybody on those that are currently in the waiting room, while we wait for things to begin we'll be starting at 630 So, and another, just another 20 or so minutes. And while we're here waiting. We've got some music playing So, if there any questions feel free to put them in the chat and we will address things once we once we get started. Thank you,

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Stop.

Andy you're on mute. Hi there.

What zoom call just wouldn't be right if somebody didn't accidentally mute themselves at least once every. Looks like we've got a couple of people. Looks like we've got a couple people joining so I'm just gonna wait maybe a couple more minutes, but for those of you who are just joining my name is Andy Kopietz I'm facilitating the workshop meeting today and it's really good to see some of your faces on there are many of you that I haven't met before, but we will get started shortly. And just maybe give it another year or two. Now we've got people furiously joining.

Okay.

I don't know what do you got, what do you guys think Monica should we get started,

it is 632 I think we could go ahead and get started with intros.

Sure,

or however your slides, present themselves.

Sure. Okay yeah so I'll just keep letting people in as they come. But, again, my name is Andrew Kopietz. I'm with a graphic design studio that I run called good gun daily. I'll get into a little bit more about myself in a second. And today's workshop is to think about the values as a community that we hold that will inform the kind of brand identification that we want to see up in along East Grand Boulevard. This is the, this is the very colorful holding slide right here. And we've got a lot of different participants I think that are interested in this. A lot of different participants that are interested in being here today. And I did want to make a little bit of space for some of the Vanguard members on this call, who would maybe they can just contextualize some of the work that they've been doing that is let us here for like a minute and then we'll move on to introductions. With that with either martra or Monica like to maybe just contextualize a little bit about this work and how we got here.

Sure. How jump off jump start with an introduction and then Marja and Julia can chime in. I'm Monica Edmonds vice president of community engagement with Vanguard CDC, and I am so thankful that everyone decided to join and carved out some time this evening. So this project the East Grand Boulevard transformation project actually was conceptualized about over 1011 years ago. Through many plans that have taken place in the north and community, some of which many people on this call have worked on, probably back in 2010 2009 2008. And when we had an opportunity to apply for funding, what the Knight Foundation we were looking for a project that we wouldn't have to spend additional time planning, we could implement the ideas that had already been suggested from the community and previous plans and we developed a proposal that consisted of beautification and and initiatives for streetscape improvement for a scramble of AR. And so, simultaneous to that Vanguard also submitted a main street application with the state of Michigan Michigan Economic Development Corp. And in May 2020 We also received the Main Street designation. And so, you know we have a couple of things happening on East Grand Boulevard and in the north end simultaneously and Lisa Tucker is also on the call if she can speak to that but just, you know, a little background on the Knight Foundation I see Nate Wallace was able to join us. Hi, Nate, and they provided a significant amount of funding over a three year period, to see this project come to fruition so Marja if you want to jump in and Lisa, and then, Nate, if you like to share any note. So Julia.

Well good evening everyone, I'm Martha Ferro, and I have the honor to work with Vanguard in a project management capacity for the East ramble of our transformation project. And as Monica said it goes back, it starts from about 10 years ago so I'm familiar with that, in my, in my former capacity with the CB short so been engaged in this a long time so excited to see it come to fruition and excited to be also working with Lisa provided some support for the main street so looking forward to engaging dialogue tonight.

Hello, my

name is Lisa Tucker, and I am vice president of economic development with Vanguard. My role is the Business Engagement Manager for the district. We've been working for about three years to form a coalition of businesses, to work together to put together a business association. We have about 114 businesses on our business directory. And in 2019 As Monica said we apply for a main street designation, in which case we were successful and we are the first African American business district in the state of Michigan to be awarded a designation, and the main street program just as a highlight concentrates on four areas of importance. One is economic vitality Design Promotion and organization. So we'll be working over the next three to five years with the M EDC and the National Main Street program to coalesce, our wonderful business district and this super blessing that happened in December with the Knight Foundation helps to ignite the program even more and to bring more residents together so happy to be on this call tonight.

Thank you, Lisa. Okay. Um, so what I'm going to do now is kind of get us started and where you can see me kind of page through and drags and slides long so just go with it. That's how we got to having to do it, but I'd like to introduce myself briefly and my colleague Randall brooder is also on this call, he's kind of silently in the background scribing and working to capture and record everything that is said here, so that we can reflect back on it and use it to create and translate the kinds of things that we'll end up seeing visually up along, up and down the boulevard. So I run a graphic design studio called good done daily. I've been a graphic designer working in a community context capacity for about 15 years now. Our the work that we do mostly focuses on the areas of economic and community development, we work also a lot with the we work also a lot with nonprofits and foundations and things of that nature. And, you know, it's really exciting to be here. We were contacted by Vanguard, who had seen some work that we've been involved in with the city of Detroit and they're on safer streets initiative streets for people program, and were invited to be part of this process and are very grateful to be here. And actually, before I get started on there is one more colleague, I'd like to let speak for a moment, and her name is Julia Kowalski and Julia, I see that you're in the chat, would you like to say something.

Yes, thank

you so much.

Um,

hi everyone

my name is Julia Kowalski, and like Andy said, and I work for the Detroit collaborative design center. We are a nonprofit architecture and urban design firm based in the School of Architecture at UT mercy, and our role in the East Grand Boulevard streetscape transformation is to support and facilitate community engagement and schematic design specifically about the streetscape, um, so the built environment. And we are in the midst of community engagement right now, we've been working very closely with Andy and Marsha and Monica from Vanguard and Jamie from no allegiance, nation. And just to give you all a brief sense of our community engagement strategy, we have. We've had one focus group with targeted stakeholders so far to provide vision and input on what the streetscape should be. We are also have plans to talk with safety experts and youth which we're very excited about, to continue to continue to design the streetscape. And we are also currently in the midst of disseminating a community survey and a large scale to get a wide variety of diverse voices to inform what the streetscape will be. So, if you have not already received several emails from us and you would like to, please put your email in the chat and we will get you hooked up with the project updates, we'll be continually sending out product updates over the next couple of months but very happy to be here and be listening in to the conversation today. Thank you,

thanks Mandy, Julia, thank you. Apologies, I didn't mean to breeze fast to you I wasn't sure if you're on the call and I can, but I can see that you're there, so thank you for chiming in. So anyway talked a little bit about ourselves. I just want to kind of briefly show you a few samples of our work. Like I said, we work in a very community context so a lot of the work that we do is driven by the needs of different communities we're working with, for example, new center we've worked with other nonprofits that are youth focused in the city. We've done some work with local foundations like the Ralph C Wilson Jr foundation focusing on caregiving initiatives, and also public space work with the city, as well as some artists coalition's here in the city of Detroit, and we're just very excited to be here today. I didn't want to I don't want to go over too much, I just wanted to show you a few bits of our work, but kind of focus on what I'd like to do is learn a little bit more about the people on this call. So if we can. Let's be a little bit brief but let's try to be concise but I'd like to know three things about you, what's your name. How long have you lived in the north end, if you have lived in the north end, maybe you're new resident and maybe you lived here a long time, and what's one thing people should know about your neighborhood that they don't already know, and I will go first since I'm kind of asking other people to do this so my name is Andy COVID I don't live in North Bend but our offices right around the corner in Hamtramck, and one thing I'd like people to know about that area is that it's the most densely populated municipality in Michigan for two square miles and we have just over, 10,000 residents living inside of our borders. And the other thing you should know about is that we might have weekly car accidents, because people drive really fast, there's, if you're driving over please be careful. Who would like to go next, raise your hands.

Sorry, just how about I call on somebody, how about I call on surely.

Wow, okay. Hi, I'm Shirley Davis. I've been on the north end for about 25 years. And what I like about the north end, is people, because I'm a people person. And we, we used to have different activities on the north end, but a nap, not on the Bulevar, not on East Grand Boulevard, we had things on West Grand Boulevard, we used to have tastefulness. Anybody remember that. Oh, yes, yes. Those were the good old days, we had free music up there you could go up to, you know, if we could do something like that on this end of the of the East Grand Boulevard, that'd be great.

Thank you for sharing, surely I really appreciate that I was lucky enough years and years and years ago to attend one of the case fests when I started living in the city and I actually miss being able to go to that. Alright, can I call on someone else. Next, how about Carlos.

That's me. Okay, my name is Carlos near Barker and I'm the owner of can attend works, which is a architecture on a metro metal base, business, and I am the owner is an artist, and I'm looking forward to beautify and really pertain to enhance your landscape, and really looking forward to meet every one of you guys to create something that is so breathtaking. That is so adding to your

value and mission that's just going to be dead on. Pointing

example at wherever. Okay. Carlos. How about David clap. Yeah,

I'm David flat and I'm executive director of pork at Avenue plant. I've been director there for two years and two months. And what's interesting about it, it was the original factory that was owned and built by the Ford Motor Company, and it's the birthplace of the Model T.

Thank you so much. How about that is that his surname. Uh,

hold on, let me get hold on.

So,

my name is a tiger. And I've been on the north end for probably,

almost half a century now.

I'm 40 ish is kind of sweating yet. And one thing that you should know about the neighborhood is when Shirley was just talking about the taste test that used to be on West Grand Boulevard. My family used to do like a taste test on East Grand Boulevard because I grew up on East crammed full of art. So my mom and my dad would, you know give out watermelon and ice cream and different things that, that the kids will like so we used to have like a taste test, almost in our front yard backyard for our neighbors.

Thank you. Thank you, that is, That is really really really cool. Thank you for sharing that. I could Danielson Could you talk a little bit about yourself, what's your name, we just set it. How long have you lived in the north end if you're there and what's one thing that people should know about your neighborhood that they don't. And you are on mute. Okay. Hello. There we go. Hey,

I'm Yuka Danielson I am the administrative assistant for Mr. Carlos, I am actually on the east side, not on the north end I didn't live there for a few months. Um, and I love being so close to the train station, but, um, but I'm on the east side, and I grew up in from the west side moved to the east side and I love being there for a while.

Thank you. Thank you for that. Um, I know your son the leak.

You don't really.

Yeah, I know you from I know you from a long time ago, but you probably don't remember. What is

your name I came on a bit late. What

is your name, Andrew Kopietz. I'm friends with circle,

yo no you.

Good to see you. Alright, well, not too sorry not to get sidetracked. How about Jamie Elizabeth carpenter. Hi,

I'm Jamie, I'm actually working as an intern virtually for Vanguard. I've been working with the Main Street project so I'm not from or have lived in the north end. But just from the community engagement I've had virtually. I just love the closeness of the community and how passionate they are about where they come from and how they want the community to be in the future.

Thank you so much for being here. How about brace Detroit.

Please. I am Bryce Detroit. Been working and living in the north band for 11 years now, And have a deep investment and interest. So I'm gonna leave it there for right now.

Thank you. Kevin Richardson.

Hello everybody,

my name is Kevin Richardson.

I do not live in the north end,

but I've been working in the North

Bay for the past several years 2017

And I'm affiliated with open Africa artists coalition so if you know Jami, has interacted with

Marcia fill pot. Please say something.

Hello. How you doing, Andy. Nice. Nice to see you.

Good to see you.

My name is Marsha Philpott I'm also known as Marsha music. I am a writer, and other cultural

worker.

I have a I do not presently reside in the north end, nor have I ever. I have been a property owner in the north end, and I have spent a good part of my childhood life around the north end having grown up in Highland Park. And then in my adult life I've tried to be supportive as I could be regarding all of the dynamic activities, and, and actions that have been engaged in by the cultural workers that are in North in now, such as Bryce and others. And I just have a deep and abiding interest in matters involving neighborhoods in Detroit particularly neighborhoods like this with which I am familiar.

Thank you for joining us for the call and for sharing the experience we appreciate you being here. caisson would you like to talk.

Sure. My name is Tyson Gersh. I have been in the north end for 10 years 10 years this October. I currently live on Horton. I can see the boulevard from my window. Specifically, the big mural on the chromo building, and I run the Michigan Urban Farming Initiative which is on, brush between Heartland Custer. This meeting is is open to everybody right, I just noticed that there's nobody that's actually on the Boulevard on the call, I've just been like texting blink to a bunch of people I don't know if anybody can join but

usually it was open to everybody, everybody that wants you, I admit into the chat. Okay, cool. Thank you for sharing a little bit about the work they do here and also the fact that you've been here for 10 years, it's a long time and I'm unfamiliar with your work, so thank you for coming. Tanya if you want to say a little bit about yourself.

Hello, good afternoon, everyone. Hey, Andy.

While

on the Vanguard team, um, my name is Tommy Stevens, I am an arts consultant and Realtor in the city. I am pretty familiar with the project well from the, from with the initial phase of this project is. I was, you know, involved in the initial conversations, sort of ideal ideation, of this project so I'm glad to see it kind of moving along, this is really exciting. Um, and what were the other questions sorry.

Yeah, um, so how long have you lived in the north end if you've lived here at all and.

Okay, I'm not a northern resident I actually live in Bridge Park but my grandmother lived there all my life, and I grew up right on Jesus Christ, Kenilworth, and so, um, you know, I have an extensive history and area, and, you know so that's sort of my connection to the north, in addition to helping sort of develop or working with the team Vanguard teen would be sort of ideation of bringing in artists and cultural workers into you know conducting, you know them with the neighborhood, or with the community. So, but yeah that's my Northen connection.

Thank you for being here, appreciate you attending the call, there's one person on the call who's nicknamed owner, and I'm not sure if you know who you are but if you do know who you are, could you speak up and talk a little bit about yourself.

Okay. All right, if not, then let's move on to the next person. Nancy target.

I believe that's Miss jello and she's on mute.

Okay I think owner on muted herself.

Oh, would you like to speak up. Looks like there might be some technical difficulties. Um, how about sorry we're almost through everybody, I'm Patricia Dockery.

Okay, I'm unmuted. Good evening everybody. My name is Patricia Dockery, and I'm a North End resident. I moved back to the neighborhood in the house that I was literally born in. I live on Belmont Street and the house has been in my family since 1942. And so I'm very very interested, I've been back in the neighborhood for, for the last six years but I'm the fourth generation to live in this home. And so I'm very interested in preserving the history the rich history of the North End neighborhood, and I am the Executive Director for a nonprofit organization Stafford house. And, and so our mission is to create a better life. We're just super excited about being a part of the resurgence of the city of Detroit and in particular this neighborhood, and I'm very very grateful to Vanguard for taking the lead and and doing this project so, you know, quick history that part of the great history Belmont Street. We had great artists that lived on our streets Smokey Robinson grew up on Belmont. Diana Ross lived on the same block. We had Aretha Franklin lived on Boston. And believe it or not the blind pig was in my basement in our house, and all of them saying in our basement. Okay.

That's awesome. Thank you for sharing that whatever an amazing memory. Yeah. All right, well, can I ask if there's anyone else that I may have mistakenly overlooked, would you

do you want me to go now cuz I backed out for owner.

That would be great please right

so I'm Nancy Dharug I'm the former director of the Ford Paquette plant, which is David currently is, and I'm the former director and founder of Mercy's National Heritage area in which we made the north end part of the heritage area, much like Patricia just pointed out because of its rich history, not only a music but in the invention of many things we take for granted and motors today so my involvement started in the 1970s I started working in the north in about 1979 through working with Detroit's historical groups to identify the historic sites in the north and and then get rid of the illegal dumping that was taking place on Paquette Avenue, and bogbean, and I am just amazed at the improvements made in Northen, but in your third question, I would like to say that you have won some of the most significant inventors and musicians. So this is a very creative area.

Thank you so much, I appreciate your sharing that rich brochures I pronounce your name.

It's pronounced Rashaan Hi everyone, I am. People call me son so you're welcome to call me that too and I'm one of the professional butterflies in the neighborhood, and a co founding member of the Oakland Avenue artists coalition currently working on the American project with DC DC Hi Julia and professional neighbor of King Street black LLC, my roots in the north end are 30 years deep. There are approximately, and this is just an estimate two dozen, maybe more, crusty arts fellows who live within a five mile radius of the north end, people from around the world continue to come to the north end. Visitors even to my home and home of my fictive siblings here include archaeologists and architects and ethnomusicologist a muralist and artisans and craftspeople and fabricators and they come from Morocco and the Netherlands and Russia and France and Zimbabwe and Ghana and lots of sun so, and Mexico and Colombia, so I am here to help to express the imaginations Afrofuturism and the community of communities that are here. So I'm glad to be here. Glad to be a part of this conversation and that's it. Peace.

Thank you, son. I appreciate you sharing that. Okay, well, we got your introductions. It was really amazing to learn about a lot of you. I feel very humbled to be allowed into the community to work with so many passionate and brilliant people. I just want to acknowledge that on previous calls it's been made very clear that there are geniuses that within this community and they're the experts and so as a designer, I never think of myself as anything more than a translator. We're not here to project visions on top of things we're here to translate what we hear and what we see into something that is acceptable and beloved by the community and if it isn't, then it doesn't move forward. So, um, the way that I like to start these workshops is I like to ask you know who is on this call that who is not on this call that should be, and this is a free kind of response space so you know, I know that there are a lot of people that live in this community. I know there are a lot of people that aren't able to be here tonight, and I'd love to know who should be in the next workshop and how can I reach out to them so tastes and you raised your hand, would you like to start. Yet

I, first and foremost just literally anybody that lives or runs a business or owns property on the Boulevard. Right. I mean those are like the most direct stakeholders and all of this and there's not a single one of them here, which is crazy to me.

Can you can you pick off on some that come that kind of stand out in your mind as people that we should definitely reach out to because.

Sure. So there's Simeon hair of the jam handy there is Johnny Hunter, who's been running a business on the Boulevard, for a very long time. There is Yahya have have with campus auto repair Cornelius and Mike banks with the submerge the techno place. There is by all these names and their contact info written down because you're just doing a petition and literally went door to door and getting everything, but there's a flower shop on the Boulevard that opened up. I think it was about a year ago. Um, there is a, there's an accountant in Miss hunters commercial space. There's our off Irani of her Ronnie studios. Although he's really busy parenting and said he like just doesn't have time to participate. I was just texting with them. There is pizza slash, which is a gas station on the Boulevard that is sort of in constant communication with neighbors around improving the aesthetic. It's owned by a guy that does a doctor, I can give you his contact info if you need it. And then there is what there's the, what is it the Booker T Washington building. There's the prince Museum, I don't know all the details about what happens in either of those buildings but they exist Emily Stephen with the gathering, which is a coffee shop that opened up about a year well in the last year on the Boulevard, there's a stroke, got crashy I don't remember his business name he's actually one of the contractors that redid the house that I'm living in but his business is headquartered on the Boulevard in that lime green building. There is, what's his name, David Dershowitz, I'm pretty sure Him and I are related at some point because that was my last name before it was shortened. He owns a marketing firm on the Boulevard in that really cool building with the like wraparound glass block thing somebody from the platform with the chroma building which is being redone currently, but like just off the top of my head right that there's like a lot of people and these people are all really engaged in like the day to day sort of North End existence. And I think they would want to be a part of something like this.

I agree. Thank you for,

oh Allen. Allen, another Jewish guy, he runs he has like an Airbnb and like has a big woodworking shop in the Russell industrial center but he has, he has a workshop over here as well, on the Boulevard. Jan De Jakers, who is redoing the old veterinary building on John R and Eastern Boulevard on the north east corner. While the platform has the Lakeshore building now. But there's a bank that's been operating that thing for forever. I've talked with them a few times I mean, those are like long term business owners that definitely have a perspective that would be valuable.

That's, this is awesome, thank you. This is exactly what I was looking for, just to be

nice and what about their church on

a scramble for greater Philips, yeah,

Cheryl

Bundy, who lives on Kenilworth is a singer at that church and is close with the leadership, she would be a good person to talk to. I don't know the actual pastor, but she would.

What's the name of the church again.

It's greater Philips right. Well there's two right there's triumph which is like at 75. And then there's

the other one is called cycle and it's a Lutheran church that it is the one.

So I didn't hear that sorry what

it's got St Philip's

Lutheran Church okay

yeah, it's Sunday yep

and the trail is down about Oakland and

what did I just call it, where did I get that other name from. I have no idea.

I think you said greater Philip St Philip's Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, this is Tyson, this is really a great listen I just want to be clear, we made a lot of extensive been spent a lot of extensive time reaching out to the community but as is always the case, there are always people that you miss and so I want to be very intentional as we move into future meetings about getting those people on the call, or at the very least, reaching out to them personally with phone calls to see, like, oh, Amy, sorry, Amy Carol,

who started Detroit soup also lives on the Boulevard. Okay, there's a guy I have his contact info I forget his name, he drives like a white escalating pickup truck, which I used the only one I've ever seen driving one but, Oh, Steve Rubenstein with new North LLC there's a real estate firm on the Boulevard to, and then there's the guy that owns the. It's like an empty storefront right now but he wants to do things with it. I'm

sorry.

I'm like, as I'm thinking of them I'm just blurting them out. Sorry.

Well, how about we, we pass here pronounced taste and if there's anything else that you'd like. Just put your answers in the chat and we'll make sure that we add them to this slide and then we'll follow up with all those people after this workshop,

and add one quick thing, Cornelius Harris just joined the PA.

Okay. See No.

Hello. Hi, Cornelius.

Yeah, no, you know, unfortunately, I had no awareness of this meeting. And so I'm kind of was was shocked to. I got messages from from different people who are here, notifying me of it. I think that there are definitely some, some communication issues, to get worked out. But because we're prominent on the Boulevard and for us not to be aware of this is kind of wild to me. So yeah, just wanted to put that out there, and definitely want to be included in future conversations. I think it's critical. So, absolutely.

Thank you for thank you for sharing that perspective. We want to make sure that you're included on that. To be clear, we've sent out three different emails we've done robo calls we've done test text message blasts and we've done personal phone calls as well as meetings in the park with people. So we're going to continue to do that and we want to just continue to widen that funnel so that we reach as many people as possible, so we apologize if we overlooked you or for some reason you weren't a part of those communications but we'll fix that today.

Yeah, cuz I think everyone along the boulevard should be made aware of stuff like this.

Thank you very much.

All right, I have a quick mention too, and this is an onus on me. The Vanguard emails do go to my spam or to the, I have a Gmail and they go directly to my social media inbox, automatically, so I'm just making a blanket statement that for everybody to check that portion of their email.

Thank you, son. That is, that is a really good point. The way that you know works and sometimes divides and hides messages or categorizes them differently. So I know that's been an issue with me in the past too. But I appreciate everybody sharing but resources and we're going to do our very best to reach out to and make extend personal invitations to these people and I'll continue to follow up with each of you, to the extent that we want to get even more people involved, and we want everybody to get involved. So what I'd like to do now is kind of pivot to the next slide. So, I know it's taking us a bit of time to get here, but what's your goal for this workshop for this workshop we're going to try to identify or reaffirm a set of values that are important to the north end community, which as you know borders these grand boulevard. And so, the dialogue that we're going to try to engage in uncovers language that highlights who we are as a community, and how what we value unites us. We're going to try to frame a shared vision of the boulevards future what future do we want to create for it through our actions and what does that look like, and what this will help us to do and workshop to is inspire a visual language that will ground the design of things like graphics for the boulevard banners that you see as you drive up and down in a logo or an identifying symbol that you will see to represent the boulevard. And just I think everybody's pretty well versed in zoom at this point but it kind of bears mentioning that maybe your video mute your video if you're not talking and then you know in this discussion on try to share the mic with people because everybody's perspective and points of view are valuable, and we want to hear from everybody on the call. And so, you know, we really appreciate everybody just trying to respect each other's boundaries and do the best that we can to have a really good and positive call so thank you for that. And I just want to kind of pause for a second ask if anybody has any questions before we get started, feel free to raise your hand on Zoom. Okay, surely, how about you go.

Hi, yeah. Oh, you plan. The plan on having any retail on the Bulevar.

So your question was,

yeah retails any retail on Bulevar. That's something that's in the planning stage or has it been discussed at all.

We can answer a couple of these questions, because I think they're important, but I'd like to direct maybe the response for that question, maybe it's Monica or Marcia, to take over for a second.

Lisa, would you just speak to Miss Davis's question from a main street perspective and. Oh,

absolutely. Um, Miss Davis, we are going to have a meeting on May 11, in which we have just received the market study analysis and data that was collected through our stakeholder meetings that we held in March. And so, there has been a document produced that talks about the demands and the needs and wants, from which were garnered through this extensive market study analysis that was done through the mvdc and national Main Street, as well as the input from our community and we will be presenting that in the May 11 meeting. So we'll be addressing that subject matter.

Thank you for sharing that. Are there any other questions related to the activities or the kinds of things that we'll be doing in this workshop that we can speak to, before we move on.

Surely, you know what you were gonna say you were just speaking ready. Alright, I don't see any hands raised. So what I'm going to do is kind of go on to the next thing. And just to kind of start a little bit. We know that in this particular situation, there's a lot of planning fatigue, I'm just going to be honest, I don't live in this community. I've spent a little bit of time, actually a lot of time reading surveys and 10 years with the planning documents and engagement activities and studies in qualitative and quantitative analysis is of the area, it's a lot it's a lot to take in and I'm sure a lot of people on this call and many people who aren't on this call, were a part of these processes and I can understand how after doing it for months, years, it builds upon itself and you think, when is this ever going to get implemented, well that's the point of this particular initiative is that we are focused on implementation. So, a sampling here of all of the different strategies and things that you see that have kind of emerged over the years that take a look at economic development, community development safety along the boulevard Beautification and architectural transformational initiatives along the boulevard, looking at how we can kind of come together as a community and show up. And, you know, kind of create the kind of future that we want to see together. I don't necessarily consider myself a part of that process but again I'm very humbled to be a part of it. And I just wanted to show you that we are actively thinking about this stuff. We're looking back into it to understand what was said and then kind of leveraging that information and bringing it into the present so that we can use it and build on it as we try to go about this beautification of her. Um, and then I'd like to talk about values for a second so what we value can have a really tangible impact and how we show up in the world. Our values are what unites, or what helped ground us and the type of future that we want to preserve. And I think what's important to just reflect on for a second is that this is a community this is a beautiful community of people. And what's interesting about values is that often they're, they're, they're, they're present but there's somewhat invisible and they can be messy sometimes. And the way that our communities, brand if you want to call it that or identity words is that it all, it all is descended from those values and those are the things that we as a group of people who live in a space. Those are the things that we share that help to create the brand, we're feeling our perception of a place. And so the North End is full of those things. It's full of architecture, it's full of beautifully unique people. It's full of, you know, people, it's full of just all kind of a microcosm of people that come together to make and shape perception of what the North End is and what the boulevard can be. And so this is a, an illustration that kind of takes a look at a lot of the beloved assets that are along Oakland Avenue, as well as the Boulevard, and the places that are a part of the legacy in the history of the Northland, and people's place within that and it's a reminder to ourselves to remember that everybody belongs in this space, but that we're trying to create a place that has, has its own unique legacy that can kind of draw more people in so that they can continue to feel comfortable here, or want to, you know, maybe even be a part of the community as its future starts to evolve. And. And so again, this is all about kind of this workshop is a little bit about crafting or CO, creating values that are important, and we're just here to try to help get them out of you and then translate that.

And so when I talk about values, this is a little off the beaten path, but one of the things that I've wanted to try to share was that like values are a little bit nebulous when we think of values, what does that mean like we all know that we have our own personal values, but in the context of how people share them and then put them out into the world. An example I wanted to bring to bring to your attention is Teach for America. Some of us might not know teach primerica, we're a community we're not a nonprofit, we're not a corporation, so this doesn't necessarily have a whole lot of connection in that sense, but what they are really good at is, as an education focused nonprofit espousing what their values are and so these are four paraphrased examples of what values are to them. In this case it's pursue equity so they want to work to change practices structures and policies to help realize educational equity for children. Their strengthening community as something that's very important to them so they're trying to create or build collective strength by developing relationships and building diverse and inclusive coalition's of people, they want to achieve impact by pursuing ambitious meaningful outcomes that lead to access and opportunity for children, and they're choosing courage, you know, when people can ignore their value systems, they're choosing to kind of lean into them, and double down on them as a sign of who they want to be in the world. And so when we're thinking about values, as a community and as individuals. I know all of our values are different but some of you live in this place together you walk the same sidewalks, you share in the same public spaces. And I think I want to ask you, you know, what are those values that start to shape who we are as a community and as a place and brace actually, I'm so sorry I'm kind of moving at a bit of a pace but I see that your hand is up did you, would you like to say something.

Yes, especially as it speaks to this conversation of values. Let me ask this. First though, is this the moment that you are going to bring other voices into the conversation. Yes. Okay. So, that being the case, one of the values, and this is rooted in my work, which will expound on a little bit more. During this moment right now. So an aspect of my work, my entertainment justice practice. It has to do with uplifting the cultural legacies, and the cultural identities of the majority populations of the North End and doing so, primarily for the reason of reconnecting people who a population of people who in a very real way, have suffered particular types of economic violence, which are translated into cultural displacement, as well as economic displacement in that violence, there has been a physical eraser of memory in the form of physical spaces in the form of homes in the form of businesses, as it pertains to the rich legacy, and the north end of black cultural economy. in particular music and arts, then my work. The economic justice aspect of my work has to do with from a point of groundedness, in this legacy activating and developing spaces for particular types of cultural, economic activity that promotes positive points of identity, and lifestyle. For the majority, passport, African population in the Northland. Having said that, a primary value that myself as a founding member of Oakland Avenue artists Coalition, a core value that we have is, starting with the identity of the people versus the conventional or traditional approach, which comes from the world of white architecture, where you start with the place and you artifact artifacts you realize that the things in that place. Another thing that will discuss that. But another thing to do want to speak to is the, the notion of designing cultural markers for a primary purpose, and I'm only saying primary because of the way your sentences were structured, you spoke to designing things or doing things in a way that invite makes people feel comfortable, visiting the community, and maybe what made them want to bring come more or something like that. So that just directionally speaking is like an external thing. It's satisfying, potentially doing something for the purpose of satisfying a population of people who are not the residents. So just wanting to ensure that as we move forward in this conversation, that that value is very present, the value of uplifting doing designing things that connect the majority population to the north end, the people who are in a very real way still disconnected from the richness and power of the place that they exist in designing things that help reconnect people with that legacy, as well as designing things that help. Help us to see ourselves forward. In theory, rooted in culture, which is a very real thing to say. And a very real thing to affirm in a majority black city. So yes, that is a particular political value that in the majority black city, we still are doing this quote unquote work of asserting beneath and necessity of leading with the identity of the people here. Done.

Rice, thank you. That was, that was a really powerful reminder to make sure that I center the needs of the people who are on this call about the needs of design that maybe draws in people who aren't from the community but that we're prioritizing spatial planning artifacts visuals and information in the landscape that prioritizes the needs of the people. And I think the thing that I loved about what you just said was, there was an element of. You said it really well, I'll come back to but it was really, there's something really beautiful embedded in what you said that I'm going to think about tonight, so thank you for taking the time to share that with us, taste and I see that your hand is out would you like to share.

Yeah I mean sort of piggybacking off what Bryce just said, I think, direct participation is probably the most important value, I think that, for logistics we try and do this sort of like, Here is a small group that's supposed to represent the majority, but I think anybody that's ever done anything in the north end. I like I think one thing we would really all agree on is that nobody in this neighborhood likes other people speaking on behalf of them. And so, not structuring things in such a way where we're that's part of the design. There's a lot of people here, people with a lot of opinions, who are very comfortable speaking for themselves. And so, if you're going to try and capture the sentiments of the people here do it directly talk to them directly, don't have other people speaking on their behalf. And again, like I think like we only have one person right now from the actual Boulevard talking about branding the Boulevard right out like right like that's just like structurally a problem in my mind but I'll leave it that.

Yeah. I also, you know, I think it's I think it's interesting what you're saying, Tyson because I actually have a fundamental disagreement about this actually don't think that you can brand places, I try to use the I try to use the word identity because branding implies a whole corporatization, and commodification of something that really can't be commodified. And so when I like instead to use the term identity because I think it speaks to the unique qualities of the place not just the physical qualities but the emotional qualities of the people, the way that their behaviors and their attitudes and their actions create a space that invites other people in, but it's a, it's a very clear reminder, listening to what you're saying that we need to be very intentional about how we reach out to people, and often one on one dialogues are better than this kind of group format that we're in right now, because we can really get more personal points of view. I there was one person that just had their hand up, I think it went down. Brace your hands still raise did you have something else to add.

No, that's me being a illiterate with the zoom, let me take it.

Okay, Nancy, I see your hand is up now would you like to speak.

And Nancy you're muted

here.

Sorry,

I'm, I'm,

I'm,

I'm very intrigued with the statement of Bryce about cultural markers, but I don't know what that looks like. I've always had a concern about these murals that get commissioned on the via dogs, they look pretty, but they don't tell a story about the area, and I have a sense, I don't. Bryce that we have an opportunity here to tell the story about the people of North End. But I don't know what you meant by cultural marker.

Boom, so thank you for asking, can give two examples what three, but two are more visible. So from 2014, and a half to 2017 2018 was a co founder of this project called The One mile project. And that project essentially coming out of Oakland Avenue artist coalition. It was me, partnering with architects from Ann Arbor, designers from Ann Arbor, to design an object that would remind, for me, in particular, designing an object that would remind folks of the music cultural legacy of the neighborhood. And the music cultural economy of the neighborhood, as well as an object that can help folks that can give people new imagination. Give black people, new imagination, for real. So we designed this thing called the mothership. And on one point it was yes this reminder that George Clinton created Parliament Funkadelic three quarters of a mile down from this garage that we do in music and right now at the Phelps lounge, as well as this reminder that yo African people, we create technology that transports our consciousnesses radiates angst obelisks. So, with this one object before yours was able to do that type of cultural organizing, and, and in such actually have an architectural object that serves as this is marking this neighborhood as a place where this type of genius springs from this type of cultural consciousness and connectedness, it springs from this place that's a part of the DNA of this place. So, for those who need reminding boom. So that's a medium story about the mothership would also, we also design. This scenography coffee Detroit African, where the stage for my Detroit African Parkchester, and we took that around the neighborhood and across the world, and we're able to tell the stories, and that was me bringing people across the, across the planet, to tell stories about the cultural identity, and the people who live in Detroit. Those things lived in the north end. There's an object right now in the garage 7615 Oakland Avenue, called the teleportal, which is another. In my practice of music, times architectural design, like creating objects that we can tell stories with. And then, also, in doing programming in a certain way. We are bringing people, we're beginning to associate our neighborhood with a place that has this type of culture, expressing itself in this kind of way. So, that is marking ourselves making ourselves, the destination on our own terms, like we design the things rooted in our identity, that allow that become platforms for us to tell our story, and the stories that people are coming because they're attracted to our platform, the physical design object of it, then boom, we're telling our stories, serving as diplomats, letting them know who we are what we are, the way that we relate to our built environment. And then from bear opportunities come forth, cultural opportunities, economic opportunities these things come forth, yet they're all on our terms and rooted in our identity so no one's confused. No one's confused on who they're interacting with, and what are the values that you all are rooted in, because not only am I hearing it in your stories, via your programming, it's evident in your architecture, and in your built environment. Done.

Nancy did you want to follow up on anything that you just heard.

I have a sense of a thank you, Bryce.

Thank you, Bryce. I think what I mean what I'm hearing is that it's hard, like it's, it's very difficult to solidify something into a, into a neat almost somewhat trite statement or word because you, because how can you, and especially it's a lot of people on this call have said a lot of the people that would need to be part of this conversation right here. And so maybe I can turn it around a little bit and ask people here. You know this is a place it's very important to you. What is the type of legacy that you want to leave behind, imagine that you've been here for a long time and that maybe someday you might not be here. How do you want people to remember the legacy of this community, when you're not here when you're gone, and what are the kinds of things that you want them to sense emotionally or intellectually when they enter into this space, and I wonder if there's anybody on this call that can talk about that.

Can y'all hear me. Yeah. Awesome, I want to push back on what Tyson said, he says about not being representative of the LVAD and people not speaking directly. A couple of folks on this call for an Oakland Avenue artist coalition all of them speak for me, first of all. Second of all, we cannot say what, who's attached but is to what on the Boulevard, has a whole bunch of significance to a whole bunch of people. For me legacy looks like a lot of things. There was a whole bunch of artists that were kicked out of a building on the Boulevard. And that resonated deeply because some of them had to leave the neighborhood to do their art, some of them had to move in to areas differently in a neighborhood to do their art and some came over to Oakland to do art with us with the artists coalition so one I think we have to preserve, not only the stories of the new folks that are here, creating history but we need to preserve the history of those that no longer here that are in the spaces. I believe in ancestral energy, there's a lot of wonderful energy alone the Bulevar that just resonates when I walked out because I know what what what was. And I, I lived it. So shout out to corn on this call, and all the other beautiful energy that resumes from submerge and underground resistance. I think it's really important to lift up, like just the history of churches supporting the Bulevar Gordo. So what I'm saying is, the people in the history of the people and putting names to folks, I think is really powerful to say names and entities and things that existed alone the boulevard. I don't know what a no some people started to talk about a market, Representative symbology. I think we need something that really can speak to the history in a way that is accessible on the Boulevard, and brother us he's Newkirk had this idea of digital hieroglyphs, if you will like you tap into the system where if you click on a QR code or some AR layer technology it takes you to the history of that place, or that thing, or something of that nature. I think it's really important to uplift things through signage to digital print or physical signage, but we have to really start telling the history of these places for for folks who don't know the history of these places, and the new history that's coming that's bulldozing over the past history. So legacy really speaks to, yo, the folks that were here and here that remember, for me,

is that Jamie. Thank you. Yes, thank you for thank you for sharing that journey I appreciate. Thank you. Is there anyone else on the call who hasn't spoke yet that has some thoughts related to the idea of legacy that would like to speak.

I have a quick question. This is Tonya, I wanted to know if there has been a cultural asset map done for the north end.

Thank you for the question. I can't specifically speak to that, but maybe Montessori.

And where

one, one of

the old ones lives at Vanguard because they did one about, we have

one,

about 12 years ago, but there's updated one with the artist coalition. But yeah, there are some that exists in, in a neighborhood.

Can you guys hear me. Yeah. Okay, my question was, I heard someone said that it has been done but my question was, my follow up question was where is it accessible where's it located is it online or. Is there someplace that we can actually access that.

I can send it to you tonight if you want,

we can actually upload what we have to our website, it's not current but we can, we can definitely upload what we have.

Okay, so like, it includes all of those historical properties that have been mentioned and in addition to sort of all of the newer, you know, cultural attractions in the area. Yes.

Okay, cool.

Great. Well,

I want to double check on that because you know I'm hearing what Jimmy is saying where he's saying that there's stuff like, you know, Oakland Avenue coalition was not on there. And then, with Monica just mentioned that she said was 12 years ago. So I want to make sure that you know that what we get is the current stuff, so that we're not necessarily looking at the 12 year old stuff that we're looking at, you know, currently what saw there is that accessible for us,

corn, I was saying, I would get with Monica what she got, and send updated version that I get so you have that older version and that new version.

Okay. All right, I think, yeah, that would be significant. I just, I just want to you know add, add to this, that. But yeah I think definitely any conversation about, you know, branding or identity or whatever, you absolutely have to acknowledge folks who are doing this stuff and again the folks over in Oakland, have been just you know doing some amazing cultural work that, absolutely, you know, needs to be there. I think that there's some, you know, elements that aren't even conversations, you know, it's like, look, this is this is stuff this established this stuff is going on. I think is important to to uplift the work that's that's currently being done, that has been done, we've been going on over the past you know however many years, because there's a lot of great things that are here. And so, again, I think that, you know some of this stuff is answered by simply promoting the work that's already being done. And we don't necessarily have to invent anything new or anything, we just need to support the people that have been doing the work. So, that's, that's my take on it, I think, you know, I think that if there was something that was, you know, that interesting was mentioned about North and having a website. And I think yeah there's some kind of portal or something to highlight the work that again is already being done. I think that would really go far, because again there's just so much this already here that just needs to be talked about more that needs to have a higher level of awareness maybe outside of the north end. And we've got people coming into the north end through the events that the Oasis has been doing. We've got people coming through from triumph church that's bringing people in, you know people are coming definitely through submerge the the changing gallery, we've got all these people coming into the neighborhood, already. So I think that, you know, yes, we got to. We got to get behind that. So, that's it.

Thank you. I want to I kind of want to reaffirm what you said there I think that's really important. A lot of times when we're working in this capacity. I would even prefer to reach into the wealth of knowledge and wisdom that's already there and, and kind of lift that kind of work up. I don't really see what we do is being that unique in the context of what designers do designers give form to things, but usually there are people that are embedded within communities that are already there that are already doing the work. I think you said that really well. I want to kind of go over to Marsha, because I see that her hand is up, Marshall, would you like to talk.

Yes, if I may, as an current outsider, of the north and I don't want to be presumptions. As far as my involvement. I think as far as legacy goes, I think it is essential that the history of this community be highlighted, and that is the history of it being the first community. One of the first communities where African Americans moved outside of black bottom, where were affluent, African Americans, created a community of really true affluence and historical significance in the northeast, as well as the Jewish community that preceded them, and the African Americans who lived there for long many long years as we still do. I think it's very important to remember those roots. It is very important to acknowledge Oakland Avenue, as a certain cultural extension of Hastings Street, particularly after Hastings Street was destroyed for i 75 creation and Oakland Avenue, sort of became the the next nearest adjacent avenue that recreated some of the dynamism and cultural activity that had been on old Hastings Street, and the various night life. The Apex bar Phelps lounge. These are historic. These are nationally significant areas of cultural importance that exist in the north in. And, as well as someone already spoke to the Motown greats that lived and grew up in the north and these are very significant soul, the North in as a Center for African American achievement and growth and community is essential. It is essential that that legacy is highlighted and understood, and is a part of any development on the north end honor in the North End and in the boulevard. Someone earlier mentioned the taste fests, which I thought was important because the taste fest, on the other side of the Boulevard was such a significant cultural events, one of the greatest largest community festivals activities that has ever existed in the city. And, and I think that much attention should be paid to a possible resurrection in some form or another, have a taste fest type of social activity. Thank you.

Marcia, thank you, Carl, would you like to speak, I see your hand is up. Okay.

Say you have. You have to install, of course several, several more than two key installations that the community of course has to agree on how would you look. But in addition, you can create exhibit platforms that are could be used by to feature the local artists that you have into the community that are exchangeable and gives lots of others, front stage platform, you know, and, and I think that all together. the area I'm in the Eastern Market right next door, and whatever is coming on you, is coming to us and be faced with the eastern market expansion and all kinds of stuff but I say, creative industry as you look what is fundable, where's the money, where's the sustainability. We are together in the creative industry if you do performance art or if you producing something. And, and, and to create economic opportunities for the people that are live here and found sustainability in that creativity and and being so viable, the idea, you know, it's that capital that makes those developments happen is, pushes the creative people out of the arena. And, and, and that that capital cannot freely develop without, without transcending to to those creative people they have so much to offer. And actually, are the the poster poster child of this area right there, all of that creativity that comes out of there that that has that has that can be measured in economic viability, that has to be equally shared. And I just want to bring it right down to the point where, where there got to be a clear economic footprint for the people of color that are in there as well as you got to be visible, what is the economic footprint of the people that are just moving here. And so just to have a social rest and peace in the community there got to be inclusion on that level. So that's all I have to say, you know,

is there anyone here in the call that wants to respond to what Carlos just spoke about and maybe add on to that.

Amen. that's what I want to say amen Carlos,

thank you, thank you. This is, uh, this is really good. I appreciate I appreciate people for bringing up these things, um, you know, there's another maybe there's another way to think about. I think values might be a little bit too myopic so for thinking about it, you know, let's think about the things and let's try to think about the things in this community that the people who are your neighbors or business owners, the things that they have done that you feel really proud of. When you think back on where we are now, and maybe where we'll be in the future. You think about the people who helped us help to get the community to a new place in its existence. What is something that you're going to look back on and be really proud of that you can look back on and say you know what, there was a person who did this thing that really elevated something special in the north end or along the boulevard, that matter to a lot of people, are there some memories or some, some kind of inferences or things that people want to speak to around that topic.

If I could, if I could just jump in, I have a perfect example, I think, can you hear me. Yeah, okay, this that Dockery. A perfect example is a company that was called right Mutual Insurance Company that occupied the building that became the Booker T Washington Business Association, but before they were there the right Mutual Insurance Company. They were a financial institution that was a staple for the city of Detroit. So what happened because of redlining, a lot of black people were not able to get mortgages, and any kind of financial backing for things that they wanted to do so right Mutual Insurance Company was a pioneer and back in 1983 I got my very first mortgage through right Mutual Insurance Company, because other companies were not providing mortgages, and any kind of lending, and so they were Trailblazers for years and years and so I'd like to see something like a marker, you know, because they are an integral part of that company, and there's nothing on the Boulevard that has their name on it anymore Booker T Washington went in there because of that legacy from a REIT mutual insurance company but I'd like to see a marker, if you have something on the Boulevard, that is a historic designation for some people who did great things for the neighborhood.

That's amazing. I want to ask you, um, the thing that you just spoke about, which is being able to achieve this thing for yourself, and the fact that there was this company that could help you. There's something about that that speaks to inclusion that speaks to capital that speaks to access. If you had to take that idea and try to extract, like your granules, what, like in a few words, what would that really meant to you, how would you how would you sum that up. Well,

I don't know that that's a tough question, I couldn't answer it quickly, but I know that one of the reasons that led to economic disadvantage in the city was the fact that businesses and residents could not get lending access to capital. And so, you know, I just think that that was a very historic point. And so, that's the only way I know how to put it, but yeah I personally experienced that when, When other lenders weren't given anything to black residents, which, you know, the cause the problem and people being able to grow economically in the community, various generations.

Thank you, thank you for thank you for sharing that. I appreciate you just reconsidering even for a moment so thank you. Tyson, I see that your hands up, hands

up. Yeah, so I'm obviously Miss Dolores Bennett there shouldn't be any conversation about North industry if her name isn't a part of that. But a more modern example campus to auto repair, who is my next door neighbor, that's run by yeah yeah have had, he, you know it's not what you might consider a traditional sort of place of inclusion or place that sort of like brings opportunity to people, but Yahya is such a talented, sort of, diplomat slash businessman. He has most of the major repair contracts for, like, the city the police department, big companies that are all bringing their fleets of vehicles to his space, and as a result. You've also got, you know people in the neighborhood, like myself who drives a hoopty who is constantly there. And as a result, it becomes this really important sort of melting pot of backgrounds. It's sort of a networking space, you don't know it and you would never think that the mechanic shop is the place for things like this to happen but I've built a lot of very important relationships while waiting for my car to get work done. And I think that the reason that that is able to happen is because Yahya is just so damn good at his job. You know everybody loves him and he's really good at maintaining that just being liked by everybody. And so, you know, when we're talking about sort of access to opportunity and sort of what like what that actually looks like on the ground, I mean I think it's spaces like that. It's also like an entrance to the north end, it's right on brush Street. And for those of you who don't know yeah yeah just had a big fire in his building. He's currently rebuilding it. For what it's worth, he's been trying to expand his building for forever and give it a major facelift, so if there are any resources, anybody can help him. Help bring to the table for him. I think that would be a really good thing. But it, that kind of that sort of spirit of creating opportunity for everybody, just through doing your job, I feel like that's something worth capturing.

Thank you Jason That's a really, that's really beautifully said I appreciate you sharing that I admit I've driven by that place a lot, and I've never been there, and I didn't know a single story about it until just now so I really appreciate you bringing that to the fore. Um, you know, there's a here's another question that I like to ask, and this is somewhat related to a lot of the other ones that I've put out there but, you know, people come in and out of the neighborhood, sometimes they're driving into it, sometimes they're here for a very specific reason they're seeing family and friends. Maybe they won't want to locate co locate themselves here and move into the neighborhood. But I think my question is, you know, what do you aspire to get someone to feel about the boulevard or the north end when they get here especially if they've never had an experience here before. What's that emotion or what's that experience that you think is just critical for them to have when they, when they get here, and I'd love to hear anyone talk about that if they'd like to share.

I'll just piggyback off of Tyson. Shout out to yeah guy, and I would say just the friendly atmosphere, like you know, there was a little, little grocery store, Caribbean grocery store at the top of the boulevard, there was a there was a couple of, you know, there was an old DNA I was there for a minute. That just bought just John even though it hadn't been an operation just, just the fact that it was there, but going down the boulevard. There was just a wealth of different folks in businesses that you will run into that will just welcome you include in a uniform place there. So there's, there's a lot a lot of spots that folks would just felt like, okay, it's a, it's a spot to say hi, but say hello is connected to, you know to what would miss, you know, was connected to the people that connected to, you know, even, even now like I don't know if anybody else had the opportunity to be submerge when like 50 Kids and Piper Carter descended upon the space to bless it with a little library, and, you know, just being there that day and people around coming by waving and honking and just like excited to see that, you know small little library but made a big impact even little things like that, you know.

Thank you, Jamie. Go ahead,

I want to add something that I just thought about you know the NAACP used to be on Bulevar. If anyone remembers that. Um, I don't know how long they were there but they were there what they were here when I get. And I used to go up there because they would do, you know their freedom fun dinner and everything you go, it's your membership and but NAACP bills there was that gentleman Bulevar

Yes,

on the corner street

rush right in my backyard.

Yeah, they were there.

Also, a couple of other very significant cultural spaces which will be the Latin Quarter, which was on the sound of the Bulevar I remember the Latin Quarter. And yes, oh I just had it in my head.

Pardon around

on the leg quarter to 20 grand, no, no, not to Tony

10 German was around the corner to

yeah and that's been more recently, yes. Yeah, but But anyway, I can't think of the space of I was just kind of me. But if you just took the Latin Quarter, for example, these are places that established Detroit's musical history. They are very, they were very important places to north in was a place that was teeming with musicality and and social activity, and sort of the dynamism of Detroit life was existed in the north and while at the same time if you in the north and now it's almost like it's country because of the first of all because of the open space, but mostly because the people are friendly and neighborly in a way that a small town is us you know like a small town, and, and I know that we're not on the house there, how helpful so many of the people were just just neighborly. So I think that's very significant to recall some of the spaces the dynamism of that area, it's history it's a very, very important area of Detroit, and Detroit's African American history in particular.

My add on. Just adding on to that and reference my own comments and Carlos is really uplifting, that there is a living culture in the north end. That is something that is. It has been a very important thing for us to have to uplift in our narrative strategy work, and our cultural design work that replaces this neighborhood, just like so many others in Detroit, that have been labeled as abandoned as desolate, as post apocalyptic. No, in fact, they are very alive, and the culture is still active. In fact, the culture, the indigenous ancestral Lee rooted culture. That's what's keeping people sustaining themselves, and economic warfare. That's another conversation. So just really uplifting that the culture is alive. As much as we're honoring the legacy. It's the legacy that Marsha was talking about when she just spoke to, it feels like a country very neighborly. Well that triggers for me. Yeah, we brought that culture from the migration, we brought that that's ancestral African, that's just like diasporic African culture to be village and to be familial, and the fact that it's still alive today. That is a very strong evidence that that the culture is active, and it's alive, and it's important that we speak about it in that way, not resurrecting something, not a resurgence, it's not, we can say resurgence maybe we just being careful about all that shit and just really being really clear, it's active. It's always been active. It's always been active.

No, I'd like to say, Sure, it's very easy to worship at the altar of the past and to talk about those things of the past, and completely ignore the living history that's being made right now. And I think that's very important. Well what Bryce just said, you know there's a living, musical cultural history that's being made right there in the north end. One of the things that I think it's very important about the North in regarding the ancestral thing he was speaking of is the fact that so many households in that neighborhood are family households that have had the same family's in there for generations. That does not necessarily exist in quite the same way in all Detroit neighborhoods. I think that this makes this neighborhood very special in that you know you can have a blast of people in which that same block of families have been together living there for four generations. And, and that's one of the reasons for the certain kind of cohesiveness. And I also think that is the reason why. One of the reasons why you had not attracted a certain amount of development before, because these are not people, that's gonna be easily bulldozed over with gentrification. These are some solid family families up in here, even, you know, if they're the grandchildren and all of that, you know they've been there and they're not going anywhere. And so, you know these are factors that I think are also very important. And I think it's very significant that the Knight Foundation, made a decision to do the type of investment that they're going to do because they obviously must know these things, and are willing to contend with the fact that you got a population there that is not just going to lay down. You know, they're they're going to insist upon being recognized.

Marsha Thank you. I want to call on two people who've had their hand raise first Carl and then son. So Carl, would you like to speak.

Yeah, our, our word just take right word Marshall was saying, We're reasonably participate in the ID tribe project, and through a scientific study, we find out that genetically we are coming from the same area in Africa. So there is a kinship between older people of color they are walking around right here. I also want to mention that, um, what happened randos places of cultural significance are falling in private ownership. Well they have some kind of responsibility from the paper that ever to develop this building area or block, or whatever. Will there be some, some, some, something built in, that is community benefits. That is so strong pieces. You know that really do something. And then the last thing I want to see if within the development are there are co op opere opportunities so that are strong individuals within their within their community could come together and be, and, and, and be elevated also to A, and, and, and, and, and jointly, own a development project that it's so strong, that gives them all a strong placement, economic, and real estate placement within that, on that strip. That's all I had there on this point.

Thank you Carl son would you like to speak. Yes,

I just want to read

mind us all that we have a responsibility to and this is a value, we have a responsibility to the Now Generation, which are referred to as generations y and z and the millennials, being from Generation X I feel more of an affinity to the younger generation, there is. With all of the conversations that we have had, as adults. There is not a voice of those generations

that are

our descendants. So when I say that I'm a professional butterfly is because I'm representing as much as I can, representing that voice. There is imagination. There are traits, people. There are youth, young adults who are ready to design and to create their own community, they have never seen Detroit. The way that I have, and the generations before me have they've only seen it in the condition that it has been blighted dilapidated. Um, when I think of Carl, Carlos Milberg I think of the world he gets I think of the whimsical wonderful, magical things that they need to see in order to have have ownership empowerment, and, and faith, and the community that they have still yes we do have multiple generations who are existing in the north end, and the elders and the young ones the babies they need to see something different and they need to be a part of it, they need to lead it. They need to be at the tables with it, but they need to be at the tables with it, and we need to be at their tables, We need to get on the ground level. And something as interesting as blowing bubbles walking down the street, captures their attention, and then they're ready to engage and talk and laugh and share their stories to someone else's in the chat, like, there are still living legends here. There are a lot of them still are not at this table, and it's up to us to not bicker and say well we don't know. You know, we've not they've not been told, well it's up to us to share with them, and to create

additional inroads.

So, valuing the younger voices as well, is definitely needed,

son. Thank you. I, I was, I just worked on a project where it reminded me that the people who are often most at risk from the decisions that we make usually have the least say and often that's you. And so I really appreciate you bringing that up. And I just want to add something before Cornelius speaks. I wanted to wrap us up at 815 Out of respect for everybody on the call because I know that there's a lot to say but I feel like I'm processing a lot and I feel like everyone here is processing a lot and I don't want to disrespect anyone's time so, Cornelius if you'd like to go I'd love to hear what you have to share. And then I will lead us into the final bit where I'll kind of wrap this up, and then we'll accept the call together. So go ahead.

Okay. I just want to first before I start I just want to clarify, this is the this this whole conversation is dealing specifically with the boulevard, am I correct as far as what you guys are talking about are you talking about the, the North end as a whole or whatever, is it just the one street.

I just want to just be clear. Yeah, it's, it's Boulevard focus but we recognize that there's a community that's attached to it and so both of them kind of connect and live with each other in some respect but yeah it's Boulevard focus.

I just wanted to get some clarity on that. partly because you know again and I was thinking about some of what was being said about martial arts, in the grand quarter, and some of these other iconic spots that have been demolished and replaced with barbed wire fence, you know, part of the thing is that there there's a vibrant community in the neighborhoods and whatnot. But what happens is for somebody going along the boulevard, what they see, look like. It looks like prison, you got barbed wire fences, meant for supposedly parking lots that are predominately empty. So that's what someone's going to see coming up and down the boulevard, they're going to see barbed wire fences, they're going to see a desolation and stuff that folks have worked really hard to, to not bring into the neighborhood. We've got property owners who are bringing that into the neighborhood, not the people in the neighborhood but other folks coming in and bringing that in. So I think that in terms of talking about the boulevard and what happens with the boulevard in terms of the look and the vibe and, and the branding of it in terms of being welcoming, You know we have to address the barbed wire fence issue, because that's that's not welcoming. It's very off putting. And I think that, for, for again for anybody who's unfamiliar who comes in. With that being one of the things is very prominent. I think that that, unfortunately, is what a lot of people, you know, walk away with. And again, because that's how these property owners have decided to design their space to have the space be kind of run down and put barbed wire fence into these empty lots. What kind of plans are there to address that to actually have property owners on the Boulevard be accountable for not running down the neighborhood and the community before it you know if you're going to tear down the grand quarter. What do you want to put in a space. This wouldn't be culturally relevant, so that we're not left with just the emptiness. I think that that's that's going to be critical because again, although the good work that's that's been done, and there's been some fantastic work that's been done. It gets diminished by these other folks who come in and do this kind of abusive type of work. So I think that that's something that we're going to have to address at some point, because we're doing this work moving forward. And we've got these other forces that are pushing things back. And I think that has to be very clear that that stuff is not conducive to what we want here. So,

just just on this one curb appeal issue alone. Those barbed wires and chain link fences are temporary property barriers, that's the most thorough legal prescription for it. And as the word say is temporary, and every barbed wire and every chain link fence that is longer than a half a year there or one year, or there's no stipulation it's a legal subject to find and all types of stuff. And so there's strict enforcement of the laws that we already have in the book by demanding historic or property barriers put back up by people that are, are working in those traits that are special traits that was prominent in neighborhoods, was making those beautiful Iron Works that are doing on those birthdays around. That's what we are we not a city of bankers we are city of creators, and all around there are people doing those businesses filed for bankruptcy, I don't think you're gonna find anyone around anymore, that employed people out of the neighborhood, beautifying the neighborhood, giving a vested interest by including into the economy. The craziest stuff that's going on with those barbed wires to order fences and the barbed wire as they are out there is the same there's under Christians, the same as in our schools and our educational, educate, and there is an underlying message towards this problem and that really is, it's so hard to address in your community as well as in my community, but I'm glad. Cornelius raised the issue. Thank you.

Okay, thank you, Carl, for talking passionately about that. I'm, I'm really curious about how we make spaces feel not hostile to people specifically black and brown bodies who occupy them most often. And I think the messages that we send when we make those architectural choices and how we fence off our perimeters or adorn architecture is itself, creating a brand for the Boulevard, and that I think you said it very eloquently and I appreciate everybody on this call, Cornelius Carl for bringing up those issues. Because rightfully so. So we're at the end of our time. And while this didn't quite go the way I had imagined it would go I think it went even better than that. I think it brought brought to the floor. A lot of things that just through my own ignorance of not being or living in the neighborhood, I'm now kind of understanding, and I would never know those things that people weren't willing to be vulnerable and passionate about them so thank you for helping me to understand them and thinking, thank you for helping Vanguard to, to understand them and to elevate these matters. What I'd like to do now is, uh, is just kind of talk briefly about next steps. Um, so everything that we've kind of just transcribed here and everything that's been recorded in terms of audio and video is going to be accessible tomorrow on the website. We're going to make sure that it's updated if you go to East Grand Boulevard Blvd. COMM. It'll auto direct you to a page on Vanguards site and all of this information the notes the tax the dog, it will all be transcribed so it's documented, and it's something that we're going to be kind of recognizing and reflecting on in a very meaningful way. And then the next workshop that I had scheduled is May 29. This was a workshop that is supposed to be centered around the visuals and things that really set the stage for banners and other kinds of visual fodder that you see in the environment. But based on what I'm hearing, I have a lot of homework to do. I have a lot of people that I need to reach out to I have their artists coalition's that I need to talk to and there are people that I need to have real conversations with about how do we leverage the knowledge and the wisdom and the creativity that's within the community, to make these, these pieces, whatever they end up being meaningful and relevant to where we want them to be. And I think those people and the people on this call are all a very relevant part of that conversation so I'm going to do a lot of thinking around that. Um, if you have any follow up questions or insights that you'd like to share regarding what we talked about today or the identity, or what that could be, we're running a survey so if you go to East Grand Blvd. COMM slash brand survey, anything that is what's interactively discussed today is still available in question and answer form through this survey, even to the extent that if you want to upload images, audio, video, you can do that. Because those things are really important and they help to craft the kind of experience and understanding of the place that we want to create together. And I just want to kind of end with, you know, another q&a Is there anybody on the call that would like to kind of ask a few final questions before we hop off with each other. I, I'd be happy to take those,

uh, I guess I have a quick question. So, there was a Vanguard did like a bunch of branding work, maybe eight years ago that was also funded by the Knight Foundation that led to the creation of some signs like they're like physical art, science, I don't know how to describe them, I never actually saw them but I saw like a photo of one, and there was like a bunch of logos made i i was too like new to the neighborhood to be thinking critically about process back then, but I feel like there was some good stuff made from it. Does anybody know what happened to those and if there are a like. Again, I don't know what the process was back then but maybe some of it could at least be recycled. Like it had like a little compass or something that was part of the logo.

I don't know. Yeah, thank you for adding the test and yeah, I look going through the 10 years of planning documents and surveys and studies that we have. I actually came across that and I've been searching for more context I have a little bit of it, and I understand how that can be in, and some of how it manifested. And that's something that I'm having conversations with people at Vanguard about and something that I'm going to bring up and kind of challenge and address so I appreciate you bringing that up because you're right, some of that work was done about eight years ago, and none of it was implemented in any fashion that I've seen.

Hi, this is Monica I've seen photos of a North End sign. It was around and it was colorful, and I've heard that there are pieces in the north in at the red door. I have not seen them, I have inquired about them. But that's the extent of the knowledge I have. We went through the back. Dungeon area of anger, where a lot of things were stored in there, there was nothing in terms of our work in the dungeon area.

I cannot move images to the last part again, I was like,

What about a dungeon,

I'm sorry. Well,

that's what we call the back of the Vanguard office space, it's like a warehouse space where a lot of things were stored, and we went through that area. We spent days going through that area and there's, there's no artwork.

There's the logo is on the screen right now.

Sorry. Yep.

There were hard things at some point, I don't know yeah I don't know, it sounds like Ulysses knows where they are.

Ulysses if anybody on this call wants to and knows more about this process and can help to trigger our memory, please email me, I'll put my name in the chat, and I'd be happy to look at those documents or any documentation or knowledge that you have. I would really appreciate it. And my name, my email is in the chat right now.

And can I just add one thing before we end, there is a beautiful Eagle behind you, Carlos.

Could you

just tell us, like in a quick 130 seconds synopsis what what what is that. Can you describe that and the significance of it.

Yeah. Yes, it's so I am. I am. I'm working with metal, and as I do restoration work and the first thing that I restored was the Michigan belt building, and out of the scraps that was put to the land through back at that time was not even scrap those replacement grain doors and so on. I made this eager. And that's, that was the really the precursor of what now it's upcycling, which is taking materials. They have Pacific surplus and turn them into new and useful things versus recycling which creates another carbon footprint. That's why I'm so thankful to Monica that she invited me to be part of the process and I hope I can contribute to a meaningful installation there, either in great installation or in in this wind energy, that, that, that I say, you have to grant us opportunity with this Boulevard alone, to, to really jump entire industries. So creative opportunity to display a well rounded neighborhood that's kind of rubbed you see behind there, for myself, is what I want to do for you

is the Michigan bell but the same one that's in the north end.

Yeah, this is a nice one. Telephone Company downtown. And if you if you look at it used to pay the bills, you know, all the old older people used to know you used to go down there, pay your bill, and go through two main entrances in the main building above those main entrances, there are figurines, as well for around the windows. I designed them, I created them I installed them all with the people that work for me out of the neighborhood and I got the scrap metal, so to say, and I created up for decades. And, yeah, just like Pedra duty for Albert Kahn, read, you know, that's why I'm telling you there is so much talent within the city that you're not even know about, that worked on those iconic pieces that make up their Parasoft the Midwest and just your evolution. That's that can be part of a, you know, a motor needs to end loss and sorry, it was on, you know, at the official building everything was, was planned up and with Arbor con and so on. And the prototypes and all of that stuff was made in companies that are up and down the boulevard. Yeah. So,

just, just to clarify that eagle didn't come out of the north and it was for the Michigan Michigan Bill Payment Center downtown.

Correct.

Okay okay okay cool. All right,

you think about at&t Bill,

Bill, the at&t building now it was Michigan bell before Right. Correct. Yeah, I didn't know that there was multiple

cents. The fact here is that they're made out of scrap and that repurposing of one was really great here, and the ability to do that, to show that much creativity, That results in of craftsmanship, out of, out of the ability that lays dormant and the people who can find no jobs right here. Really, it is. It's visible, you know that that ability, it's, it's nobody even really know what it is but it looks cool. And, but that's what that is the craftsmanship, the execution of it the physical work, combined with artistry that lay dormant around here. You know, and you got to tap in that, you know, I know this is a way from financing and then white collar and blue collar but there's something in between there. To make the whole thing go well.

Thank you Carlos, thank you for sharing that.

We have

come to the end of a two hour meeting we really really really appreciate your time and input. Andy Julia Lisa Marja if there's anything you want to share

upon closing,

just thank you for, I'm really humbled to be allowed into these conversations and it's a responsibility that I don't take lightly so thank you for letting me.

I just want to say that as the community working together into some awesome things. All right everyone,

um, the next meeting, we will work together to make sure we have everyone's contact information correct, but I'll ask that everyone please check their spam,

because

about 500 messages, three times out to people so if you know folks didn't get them, they may be spam messages but we will work and coordinate our, our contact list with race, race Shawn and Tyson, hopefully, and make sure that the everyone is contacted for the next meeting.

You may want to look at the the branding of the branding meeting, because obviously if you send out that many emails of 500. There's something in that messaging, that is not engaging people.

Thank you for that feedback,

we're going to look at that and I'd like to say thank you Andy for your very peaceable sharing of this meeting, it's very refreshing.

Thank you.

Thank you, Marsha, appreciate you being here. Thank you. Thank you. All right, everybody have a great rest of your evening I look forward to seeing your faces against him.

Good night. Good night.

Good night everybody.