Community Wealth
Speaking as a member, servant, and leader of this community, I strongly favor the ideas and recommendations put forth by the Neighborhood Advisory Council (NAC), creating a way forward to building Community Prosperity and long-term sustainability in the impacted area and beyond.
Community Wealth, for the stability and long-term sustainability of this area, is wholly attainable through the commitment and visionary action of those who reside in and benefit from this worthy community. Through a Community Fund, comprised of contributions from Fiat/Chrysler and additional funds currently put in place by the city of Detroit, some of the goals of the NAC can be enacted and realized over an agreed upon period. I suggest one representative from the city, one from Fiat/Chrysler, one from UAW and five residents from the impacted area to direct a specifically created Community Fund.
Goals aligned with the NAC Proposal:
The enactment of a 2 yr. moratorium on water shut offs and tax foreclosure, due to the drastically increased water and sewerage rates on citizens who have an income but are hardest hit. This will help to stabilize homeowners due to years of divestment in impact area and beyond, lack of jobs that pay a living wage, rising cost of services, and people relocating out of the impacted neighborhood.
Allow space to develop a connection to those working in the plant and those with urban farms and gardens to develop a mobile/market site with regular days of business. This will support local growers with their commitment to urban agriculture, healthy eating, environmental respect and Detroit. These types of development create a continuation of the greening and vitality of the neighborhoods. Urban agriculture has been a leading component in reclaiming vacant lots and taking them out of the city’s hands as a tax burden to becoming vibrant hubs in Detroit.
The many ways urban gardening and farming have boosted the stabilization of the city are safety, positive agro-ecology impact, and is one of the few ways youth and elders work together. Some urban agricultural spaces include solar powered energy, wind powered energy and water retention or rain gardens. Many have connections to youth enrichment and education. A healthy Detroit is the goal.
A community restorative justice center. This is important to the development of a healthy Detroit. There are models of this practice and facts of the benefits that demonstrate the need in this critical time of city growth. When the practice & principles are put in place, taught and respected peaceful conflict and resolutions skills create alternatives to reduce the excessive police interactions, jails, and prison. All that is needed is a space for this to happen and a buy in from those with the funds to be placed in the hands of trained professional facilitators doing this work. There are locally trained professionals residing on the east side and throughout Detroit. Detroit does have Detroit Area Restorative Justice Center to look to for guidance. Restorative Justice is a way to change the narrative in our community of how hard it is to get young people with a clean record or even an attitude of positive outlook. Everyone in the community benefits from a holistic approach of restorative practices. This could give so many a chance to remain active citizens as oppose to becoming, once jailed, returning citizens.
A focus on developing local business that are prepared to teach, train and create using green energy and manufacturing technology. We know everyone will not make it into F/C plants, but everyone deserves and needs a skill and opportunity to learn new technology. Right here in the city there are qualified folks and experts in our community ready to teach and train in solar panel installation and as well as the design, creation, manufacturing and training in wind powered energy. Some east side folks are already manufacturing shoes and other textiles. They are using “waste” from the auto suppliers and tooling at the Fab Lab in Detroit. These local endeavors need support to grow wealth inside the city.
Create programming at the new recreation center so that young people can work at Maker Spaces and learn to install and steward a free internet MESH system which is also currently implemented on the east side of Detroit. The community fund would provide for program funding at the library or recreation center or local after school locations.
The environment is fragile as we all know and allowing a factory that has environmental risks pros and cons into our neighborhood is a serious matter. The impact of our air and water quality should not be taken for granted, we demand every action to be taken to insure the community that these won’t go ignored as we requests outside monitoring for our safety and regular monthly/quarterly reports and open discussions. The fund could provide the local funds necessary to do mailing, social media or written newsletters.
In conclusion, these proposals support the long-term sustainability of our neighborhood and allows Chrysler to really be partners and respect our voice, our dignity and most of all the future for our children.