Put Your Hands Up for Detroit!

Thanks to Brian and Ashley for their discussion on urban farming and solutions for Detroit today! I tend to get a little excited when it comes to talking about Detroit' future. Well, a lot excited. I know I bring up Eastern Market a lot in class, but being so involved with Detroit this summer taught me a great deal about the city's culture. Very quietly, like the tiny seedlings that begin urban farming projects, ideas are sprouting all over the city that will inevitably bring positive change. It's almost a well-kept secret that Detroit's on the rise again. It is important to acknowledge that Detroit has a lot of problems and a lot of work to do. It is likely that change will come slowly, in fits and starts, and the process will not always be a happy one. It will never be the city it once was. But, it's hard to witness the passion people have for the city and not become excited that it's headed in the right direction.

To that end, I thought it would be valuable to post some of the little things that make Detroit an intriguing place to be. Model D is a web magazine that highlights Detroit's vibrant neighborhoods, creative people, developing projects, and interesting places to go. I'd recommend checking out the sidebars on the site. They sort their information by news, subject area, development projects, and neighborhoods. Prior to working in Detroit, I never realized the number of diverse neighborhoods they have:

http://www.modeldmedia.com/

Model D also has a Youtube channel, which gathers all the videos they produce on Detroit and the surrounding areas. Each video is relatively short and covers a unique subject, such as Restaurant Week in Detroit or the singing hot dog guy (if you've been to a Tigers game, you know what I'm talking about):

http://www.youtube.com/user/modeldmedia

Finally, Model D picked 5 projects that have "changed the game" for the city of Detroit. The second project should sound familiar at this point...But each brings something unique to revitalizing the city's infrastructure. The foodies of the class will especially appreciate Honey Bee, a grocery store in Southwest Detroit that simultaneously caters to the tastes of Mexicantown residents, provides quality produce and meat, and offers locally produced specialty foods. As a side note, I thought Honey Bee sounded very familiar, and after checking it on Google Maps, I realized it was about 4 blocks from Matrix Theatre, the community theater I volunteered with last semester. I can't believe I never stopped by!

http://www.modeldmedia.com/features/5greatprojects062910.aspx

Also, in case you were wondering where the title of this post came from, or perhaps are searching for Detroit-related music that has nothing to do with Eminem, I'll leave you the link to the music video for "Put Your Hands Up for Detroit", an electronica song by Fedde Le Grand that's often used at Detroit sporting events and for promotional purposes. Actually, I'm not sure if you should watch the video; it's a little strange, and completely unrelated to Detroit. But, if you're looking for something catchy, you can play it in the background:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYs2HHYqmxw