September 2023
Detroit Chamber and Business Leaders for Michigan co-author new study on Michiganders under 30
In an effort to gain a deeper understanding of the priorities and aspirations of Michigan’s younger generation, the Detroit Regional Chamber and Business Leaders for Michigan have unveiled the results of a recent survey focused on residents aged 18 to 29. This comprehensive poll, conducted by The Glengariff Group, Inc., provides valuable insights into the factors influencing young Michiganders’ decisions about their future in the state. With Michigan grappling with a declining population and businesses struggling to fill job vacancies, the survey sheds light on the perspectives of those who are poised to shape the state’s social and economic landscape. The survey reveals that only 64% of respondents within this age group envision themselves residing in Michigan a decade from now, with college-educated individuals showing a stronger inclination to consider relocating. Among the key findings, it is apparent that the state’s infrastructure needs improvement, a sentiment shared by the majority of those surveyed. Furthermore, the availability of affordable housing emerges as a top concern when deciding whether to build a life in Michigan or seek opportunities elsewhere. Continuing the conversation on the Future of Work and what it will take to grow Michigan’s population, One Detroit contributor and Detroit News Editorial Page Editor Nolan Finley caught up with Detroit Regional Chamber CEO Sandy Baruah to talk about the survey’s findings. Stay Connected: Subscribe to One Detroit’s YouTube Channel and don’t miss One Detroit on Mondays and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. on Detroit Public TV, WTVS-Channel 56. Catch the daily conversations on our website, Facebook, Twitter @DPTVOneDetroit, and Instagram @One.Detroit View Past Episodes > Watch One Detroit Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. ET on Detroit Public TV on Detroit Public TV, WTVS-Channel 56.
New Black-owned grocery store aims to tackle the food desert on Detroit’s eastside
In a promising development for Detroit’s Jefferson-Chalmers neighborhood on the city’s eastside, African American entrepreneur Raphael Wright is set to open the doors of Neighborhood Grocery LLC. This establishment is poised to make history as the first Black-owned grocery store in Detroit in nearly a decade. Entrepreneur Raphael Wright (right) gives BridgeDetroit’s Orlando Bailey (left) a tour through Neighborhood Grocery LLC, a new Black-owned grocery store in Detroit’s Jefferson-Chalmers neighborhood. The grocery store is a full-service market that promises to provide much-needed access to fresh, healthy foods in an area that has long struggled with limited grocery options. Detroit, like many urban areas, has grappled with food deserts where residents often have limited access to affordable, nutritious food. Wright’s venture not only aims to fill this critical gap but also demonstrates the power of grassroots efforts to create sustainable change. RELATED: Worker-owned Pingree Detroit creates equity, shares success with employees Another key feature of Neighborhood Grocery is its business model and innovative approach to funding. The store is partially funded through a crowdfunding and profit-sharing model that allows Michiganders to invest in the project for as little as $50. BridgeDetroit’s Orlando Bailey spoke with Wright about his vision for Neighborhood Grocery, its innovative profit-sharing model, and its pivotal role in addressing food desert challenges while fostering a stronger sense of community. Stay Connected: Subscribe to Detroit Public Television’s YouTube Channel & Don’t miss American Black Journal on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m and Sunday at 9:30 a.m. on Detroit Public TV, WTVS-Channel 56. Catch the daily conversations on our website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @amblackjournal. View Past Episodes > Watch American Black Journal on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 9:30 a.m. on Detroit Public TV, WTVS-Channel 56.
New CRC report shows Michigan’s infrastructure struggles under climate change pressure
Michigan’s infrastructure is crumbling — literally. Michigan has witnessed a troubling decline in the condition of its aging infrastructure, including its roads, water, and energy systems, and the tangible effects of climate change through increased flooding, heatwaves, and severe storms have placed additional stress on these already fragile systems. Addressing the interplay between deteriorating infrastructure and the impact of climate change has become a pressing issue for residents and policymakers alike. These challenges raise urgent questions about how to modernize and fortify critical infrastructure in the face of an evolving climate landscape. The Citizens Research Council of Michigan believes it has the answers. The council has released its latest findings in the fourth of a series of five reports, in partnership with the nonprofit Altarum, titled “Michigan’s Path to a Prosperous Future: Challenges and Opportunities.” The reports are helping to inform Michigan’s new Growing Michigan Together Council, announced by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer at the 2023 Mackinac Policy Conference. The council’s latest report explores the multiple challenges, several of which are amplified by climate change, involved with rebuilding and maintaining the state’s infrastructure, as well as remediating and protecting the environment. RELATED: In Southeast Michigan specifically, the effects of climate change on Michigan’s weather, with warmer winters and springs and heavier rains causing more destructive storms, have overwhelmed the region’s water systems. With the impacts of climate change at the forefront, what it will take to address the stress on the state’s current water infrastructure in the face of increasingly extreme weather events in the future? Chuck Hersey, Senior Policy Advisor for OHM Advisors, a company that works with the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) on addressing regional challenges, including those connected with water infrastructure talks with “One Detroit” producer and Future of Work host Will Glover. They talk about the process of water getting to our homes, coordination between organizations that handle different sectors of infrastructure, the need to invest in infrastructure repair, and the increased funding it will likely take to replace Southeast Michigan’s water infrastructure. Stay Connected: Subscribe to One Detroit’s YouTube Channel and don’t miss One Detroit on Mondays and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. on Detroit Public TV, WTVS-Channel 56. Catch the daily conversations on our website, Facebook, Twitter @DPTVOneDetroit, and Instagram @One.Detroit View Past Episodes > Watch One Detroit Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. ET on Detroit Public TV on Detroit Public TV, WTVS-Channel 56.
