Many people know Detroit as the Motor City and for Motown Records, long passed away into the halls of history. Economic collapse hit our city and suburbs years before the rest of the country and world felt a middle class eroding. Labor moved to non-union shops in far-away places beginning in the 1980s. Since then, we’ve experienced a slow drip of people and investment, wage stagnation and decline as well as property values plummeting, starting in 2006. Before the global economic crisis hit the news, Michigan experienced 14% unemployment rates as residents clamored to leave the state for a job. The official unemployment rate is now at 11.2% and ranking 49 out of 51 states and the District of Columbia. Auto makers now hire union employees at $14 an hour rather than $28 and employers often pay commission only or hire entry-level people. The pool of candidates declined for job offered citing “overqualified” as the reason swells. We’ve been in national news for corruption in government and take-over of public offices by unelected appointments who are not accountable to the public. One in every 417 households is in foreclosure, ranked 7th highest in the country.
So you’d think we are a city of doom and gloom – but you would be wrong. Perhaps because of the dismal state of employment, many people are finding their passion and investing in creating their own career. Many intelligent, educated and experience people are reevaluating their lives and following their dream. We are a Phoenix Rising, reclaiming the innovation, creativity and entrepreneurial endeavors that put us on the map of world attention. We are changing our line of thinking and taking action to achieve our goals.
Yesterday I was on a live radio interview with Darian Counts at the University of Detroit’s radio station, UDetroit. We met at UDetroit Cafe, a Media Cafe in the heart of Downtown Detroit's Entertainment District where he discusses politics, religion, all the sex you want to talk about and local talent. Darian owns Detroit Live Magazine and Detroit Live Radio – and is hiring. Show producer John LeBang is multi-talented, also producing an uplifting rock opera called “Soul Struck Lightning” that he wrote, directs and plays lead role. Thank you to Darian for having me as a guest and John for inviting me. You can watch the video taped interview HERE.
It is true that we have been hit a major blow to our once-thriving economy here in Metro-Detroit, but we haven’t lost our spirit. Like the vacant lots we turn into organic farms, Metro-Detroit residents are turning economic collapse into a new way to prosperity. We’ve removed the debris of our fallen lives and are intentionally creating our own vision of the future.
So you’d think we are a city of doom and gloom – but you would be wrong. Perhaps because of the dismal state of employment, many people are finding their passion and investing in creating their own career. Many intelligent, educated and experience people are reevaluating their lives and following their dream. We are a Phoenix Rising, reclaiming the innovation, creativity and entrepreneurial endeavors that put us on the map of world attention. We are changing our line of thinking and taking action to achieve our goals.
Yesterday I was on a live radio interview with Darian Counts at the University of Detroit’s radio station, UDetroit. We met at UDetroit Cafe, a Media Cafe in the heart of Downtown Detroit's Entertainment District where he discusses politics, religion, all the sex you want to talk about and local talent. Darian owns Detroit Live Magazine and Detroit Live Radio – and is hiring. Show producer John LeBang is multi-talented, also producing an uplifting rock opera called “Soul Struck Lightning” that he wrote, directs and plays lead role. Thank you to Darian for having me as a guest and John for inviting me. You can watch the video taped interview HERE.
It is true that we have been hit a major blow to our once-thriving economy here in Metro-Detroit, but we haven’t lost our spirit. Like the vacant lots we turn into organic farms, Metro-Detroit residents are turning economic collapse into a new way to prosperity. We’ve removed the debris of our fallen lives and are intentionally creating our own vision of the future.
