Detroit, Far from Down and Out

Detroit may be down, but it's far from out.  There's a surge of creative energy here that is stoking innovation, independence and interdependence.  The source of this vitality may be rooted in a sense of isolation from the mainstream.  After all, in this economy when you're located on a peninsula, surrounded by water and essentially divorced from the coast-to-coast traffic flow, you're likely to feel pretty much on your own.  If you don't make it happen, it ain't likely to happen at all.

The irony is that the more culturally isolated we become, the more attractive we are to those who think outside the box.  Detroit has become a mecca for creative people, writers, artists, musicians, and ultimately entrepreneurs.  Of course a lower cost of living helps also to enhance our allure.

At any rate, every day brings new ideas and compelling ways to survive, and perhaps to prosper, and with little support from the mainstream.  These Detroiters who are exploring, experimenting and creating new ventures are on the way to launching a new mainstream apart from the existing one.

One of these Detroiter originals attends the College of Creative Studies in Detroit.  As Veronika Scott puts it, she is "diving in head first into social entrepreneurship." 

"Social entrepreneurship."

Here's how she describes it on her site for The Empowerment Plan:

Meet the re-designed coat, Element S. It is self heated, waterproof, and transforms into a sleeping bag at night. Made by a group of homeless women who will be paid to create these coats for those living on the streets. The focus is on the system to create jobs for those that desire them and coats for those that need them at no cost. The goal is to empower, employ, educate, and instill pride. The importance is not with the product but with the people.

Great Scott!  I believe she's got it! 

When I was a kid growing up here, the intricate global communications and transportation network we have now didn't exist.  Yet we had many outstanding places, products and events that were uniquely ours.  We had Bob-lo, Vernors, Sanders, the Lone Ranger and the Shadow, and many others. These belonged to us.  The rest of country came here to enjoy them.

Then somehow those wonderful things that made Detroit unique were sold out to national interests.  They surrendered their Detroit identities, and we Detroiters became the losers.  Even our diverse radio stations that featured outstanding local talent who identified with Detroiters were sold out to national companies.  Now much of the programming is done by out-of-town programmers, many of whom have never seen Detroit.

At present it looks like we're pretty much on our own again.  But judging by The Empowerment Plan, it also appears Detroiters are rising to the task.  To survive and prosper, we need to rebuild our own social and physical infrastructure ourselves.  Then we'll see more and more folks dropping out of the mainstream to enjoy Detroit's unique brand of hospitality and lifestyle.