Twelve Young Versions of Twenty-Ten

(posted on a doorway in the Cass Corridor)

In a city that's used to some pretty rough media coverage, journalists feasted like sloppy gluttons on Detroit in '09. My friends and relatives back in Chicago read all this stuff and ask me if I'm some kind of crazy Sadist for moving to Detroit. They can't fathom why I would ever want to set foot here, let alone buy a house and plant my roots. "Aren't you supposed to drive thru red lights at night in Detroit...?"

Well, there's plenty of good reasons to spend time and get to know Detroit, and as Toby Barlow just wrote in his article for 'Under the Influence Magazine's' Detroit Issue, this place can grant you your wishes. So, as we at the Remains of the D kick off our first 'two week project' (hopefully not destined to become the "too weak project!"), we want to take a minute to let a range of the young voices that make up today's Detroit say some words about 2010. We hit up 12 people under the age of 40 with a questionnaire and asked that they keep it brief. Some of them did, others kinda didn't- but they're all worth reading. Click on each person's link to read their full responses. Enjoy.

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"In 2009 I received anywhere from 3 to 10 emails a week from some journalists somewhere asking me to help them with their stories about Detroit because they've come across my website..."

-Jim Griffioen, sweetjuniper.com (click to read more)

"I moved back to Detroit because of the possibilities here. Detroit's struggles are real, and so are the statistics. However, it's how we, as a community, react to these adversities, and learn from our difficult past... It is clear that the people of Detroit are it's greatest assets..."

-Phillip Cooley, Slows Bar B Q (click to read more)

"Young people in Detroit have the ability to act on their dreams and try out new and risky ideas in a way that is not as possible in other cities. We feel like the things we can do in Detroit are limitless and, because the cost of living is low, we can afford to be creative in how we structure our lives."

-Andy & Emily Linn, City Bird (click to read more)

"...you can either follow headlines and allow them to dictate your way of thinking, or you can aspire to make your own. When you decide to look at the city in a positive light, you become free to the many ways in which change is in fact possible."

-Daisuke Hughes, Astro Coffee (click to read more)

"My favorite thing of '09 was witnessing positive change and being a part of it, despite the negativity."

-Rachel Leggs, Rachel's Place (click to read more)

"A lot of people were excited about the elections of Dave Bing and Charles Pugh... But the specifics on their policies seemed to be missing from the conversation. I think the same can be said of the city on a broader level. The energy is here but we as a community have to get more engaged to see true change."

-Roland Leggett, ACLU (click to read more)

"Detroit is probably the one city that a group of college age fuckups can start a theatre for six grand."

-Burton Theatre (click to read more)

"I think the events of last year are going to motivate people to step up and get involved in their communities. Almost 2000 people signed on to be tutors in Detroit Public schools in the past few months and work on the gardens around town are on point. Small contributions can go a long way in this town and people are ready to give back."

-Larry Williams, assistant prosecutor (click to read more)

"Among the millions of little articles about Detroit, few are able to articulate the nuts and bolts of why people choose to live here. It's interesting to watch the majority of writers try to understand Detroit."

-Torya Blanchard, Good Girls Go to Paris (click to read more)

"Out with the “O” nine, in with the twenty dime and my laser guns be soundn’ like pew, pew, pew, pew."

-Hygienic Dress League (click to read more)

"In the fall of 2010... Zach Klein and I will be opening a charcuterie shop named Corridor Sausage Co. in the Cass Corridor."

-Will Branch, The Whitney (click to read more)

As we wait for Macho City to wake up after their latest gig, please take another look at the bold action in that photo. Feel the beat and wonder. Their responses are coming soon...

Phillip Cooley's Version

Phillip Cooley & company opened Slows Bar-B-Q just a few years ago. When he's not helping make that place a wild success, Phil does things like build parks and teach kids how to use power tools.

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Did you see correlation between your experience of Detroit and the media's depiction in 2009?

I am in Detroit because I wish to be here. I am very fortunate to have experienced life in many other cities, but I moved back to Detroit because of the possibilities here. Detroit's struggles are real, as are the statistics. However, it's how we, as a community, react to these adversities, and learn from our difficult past. This is a city like no other, and rather than strive to become the next Williamsburg or Berlin, I am hopeful that Detroit will learn from the past successes, and failures, of other great urban centers. I have never lived in an urban environment with such a strong sense of community. It is clear that the people of Detroit are it's greatest assets, something the media continually fails to comprehend. The people and Detroit's other strengths, infrastructure, industrial know-how, architectural heritage, and urban agriculture, to name a few, don't typically make headlines. I do not wish to generalize, but many in the mainstream media, especially in the United States, seem to lack the mental capacity to see our potential. I do not always blame them. When I moved here seven years ago I had an inkling of what I would find, but I am surprised and inspired by this place every day.

What'll be different about 2010- for the city? For you personally?

I am optimistic for our new government. This is the first time I've felt this way since Kwame Kilpatrick took office. Mayor Bing's appointments that I have had experience with have been incredibly progressive. I am also excited about Governor Granholm's appointment of Robert Bobb.

I hope more Detroiters see the possibilities that abound and take pride in their city. It's hard. People who have lived here for as long as sixty years in this man-made "disaster" find it hard to be optimistic. But it is growing. More and more, I see people volunteering, standing up for themselves, growing their own food, etc. Personally, I hope to continue to learn from my mistakes - and make fewer of them.

Why do you live in Detroit? How's it different from other places?

This is a city that allows us great freedom. It's up to us to use that freedom to positively affect our community. When you move to Detroit, you have a chance to be who you want to be. Here, you are who-you-say-you-are, as long as you do the work. In other cities, you are who-you-are-told-to-be (until you grow old and then become who you were twenty to thirty years ago, but with half the energy and openness). This city is a blank canvas and it's residents are the artists. Ryan Schirmang said it best, "I have friends that are musicians, baristas, architects, painters, and bankers. Anywhere else, architects only hang out with architects, musicians only hang out with musicians..." when describing the creative environment with such great collaborations from diverse perspectives.

What kind of things do you get into in Detroit? Do you have a job? What is it? Why not do it in Royal Oak? in Chicago? NYC?

I opened a restaurant with my partners in Detroit because I am an environmentalist. I believe in dense urban areas. I also feel that environmental justice is about people and community and that, by creating 61 jobs in an impoverished community and showing that success is possible in such an environment, that we are truly a triple bottom line company: Caring not only for the environmental and fiscal impact of our business, but also about the social impact. I find many reasons - fiscally, environmentally, and socially - to open a business in Detroit.

What's your favorite thing that happened here in 2009?

Burton Theatre, Mayor Bing (so far), City Council, City Bird, Leopold's, Good Girls Go To Paris expansion, Le Petit Zinc and Supino's hitting their stride; a better than expected Tigers team; ping pong at the Lager House, Shangri-la, Roast Happy Hour and bar menu, Honey Bee Expansion, Eastern Market Expansion/Improvements, Dequindre Cut, ROC United coming to town; ClandesDine, Macho City, Majestic Cafe revamp, Hugh, Re-View Gallery, and much more.

Burton Theatre's Version

The Burton Theatre set up shop in an empty school in the Cass Corridor, screening films in the second floor auditorium. They put a pool table in the boys' bathroom.

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Did you see correlation between your experience of Detroit and the media's depiction in 2009?

I think to an extent there was a sizable correlation between the media's coverage and approach to Detroit and our experiences. On a microcosmic level we were able to experience troubles and impasses with the city government and the police department. Our zoning hearing was a great example of why this city finds itself in the undesirable spot it's in, between the neighbourhood in-fighting and the perception from city officials that any thing outside of the downtown/foxtown area is unworkable and, maybe more alerting, uninhabitable. It took the zoning board of 5 people about a half an hour to acknowledge that we were not a porn theatre but in fact a credible operation moving in to an area just off the campus of one of the most densely attended colleges in the country.

All that aside though it is definitely a more workable city than the media would have you believe. There are so many committed and pro-Detroit people within the area that would do almost anything to help you succeed. From the other small business owners in the area to the actual patrons who have donated art for our walls and even time watching our parking lot there is a much stronger sense of community than the media would have you believe.

What'll be different about 2010- for the city? For you personally?

I think the major difference in the city for us would be a stronger year where people are figuring out that we are a destination and further, we will strive to make a stronger commitment to programming for the city. It took us a little while to get an idea of what people in this town want to pay to see. With money as tight as it is for most people and the fact that, whatever you think about the city it is definitely a place where nightlife and entertainment remains competitive. What other city in the country can you get a beer for $2? So we are working to keep our place a new destination and maybe drop the idea that we are a "hidden gem." The goal for us and hopefully every other small business in the area is to just be a gem. We need to drop the idea that Detroit exists as a big city that you can hunt around and adventurously find the cool little spots. Granted, I love making a new discovery in this town but it would be nice to lose the perception of being a bright spot in a bad city. Can we instead just start to look at this place as an actual functional city? - and perhaps when we do it will encourage other places to open and take on the hidden gem moniker.

Why do you live in Detroit? How's it different from other places?

I think we live in Detroit because it is a place where you can make things happen. We have all lived in other towns and experienced life in bigger or more vibrant towns but there is a certain energy in Detroit that you can tap into and really feel like you are making a big difference. David (one of the gentlemen who runs the BURTON) summed this up best when he observed that when you move to most major cities you ask what can New York/Chicago/LA do for me, but in Detroit you are asking what can I do for Detroit. There is such a strong sense of caring and community and further a thriving art scene that makes this place almost an island. We all know the perception of this town and we can have this whole town to ourselves as everyone outside remains dismissive. Speaking specifically toward the Burton it also remains that Detroit is probably the one city that a group of college age fuckups can start a theatre for six grand.

What kind of things do you get into in Detroit? Do you have a job? What is it? Why not do it in Royal Oak? in Chicago? NYC?

The reason why not Royal Oak, New York, Chicago is the fact that there isn't this type of energy. When my car was stolen I moved to Royal Oak and to say I was unimpressed is a great understatement. The surrounding towns and larger towns in this country have lost their personality; they have become larger suburbs with taller buildings. New York specifically feels this way to me. Remove the gritty romance and the post 9/11 feelings of fellowship and actually walk through that town. I found things to be a Royal Oak hiding in the New York facade. I can only drink at so many Caribou's, eat at so many Rio Wraps and night cap at so many TGI Friday's. There is something so unimpressive about a city - no matter how big - that has traded character for a Barnes and Noble. I think that we are lucky in this town to be so removed from the corporate radar as such an undesirable destination. We are lucky that we have scared Wal-Mart away, because instead you can shop at the Bureau of Urban Living. Borders couldn't sustain so we can instead go to KING and Leopold’s. I like that about this town, dive bars everywhere and 20 stop shopping. That said, the major plus I think is a high quality of life for a low cost of living. Detroit is a very cheap town and that to me is a very appealing thing.

What's your favorite thing that happened here in 2009?

Selfishly my favourite thing in Detroit in '09 was the city's residents making Taxidermia (a bizarre Hungarian film that we showed at the Burton) the biggest surprise cult film of the year. At our tiny theatre it out grossed every other theatre in the country.

Outside of the Burton I have to say that the best part of Detroit this year was finding Open City (a great resource for small Businesses).

Will Branch's Version

Will Branch plans to open the Corridor Sausage Company in the Cass Corridor of Detroit in 2010 and loves the Spartans. (wish I could somehow poke some fun at that, but my Wolverines have been slacking lately on all fronts).

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Did you see correlation between your experience of Detroit and the media's depiction in 2009?

I have seen enough pictures of the Corktown Train station to last a lifetime. From Time magazine to local media to every hipster with a digital camera, we are often given this husk of a building as a symbol for decades of neglect and mismanagement in the city (or as a memorial to the infamous Megatron rampage of ’07). I am sick of these pictures. When I look back at 2009 I want to remember the symbols that we cheered for, and no single cheer was louder than that of a green and white crowd at Ford Field on April 4, 2009 when the Michigan State Spartans defeated the Connecticut Huskies in the Final Four semifinals. A lot of media coverage was dedicated to how the Spartans were lifting up and saving a city. Even coach Tom Izzo admitted to playing with a burden for the city. Maybe there was some overstatement but maybe there wasn’t. Before the game, when I stood in the Ford Field atrium and looked out the windows at 30,000 plus fans dressed in green and white lining the city streets, or when the 60,000 – 70,000 Spartan fans took over what was technically a neutral site, it was impossible not to be lifted up. As Detroiters, we love our sports. We make a holiday of the Tigers opening day, spend too much time wondering who the Lions will draft, and give our hearts to the Pistons and Red Wings during their annual playoff runs. As excellently detailed in Sports Illustrated’s September 2009 cover story “The Righteous Franchise: The Tiger’s Bold Stand with Their Fans,” sports aren’t just a leisure activity in Detroit. They are a symbol and an escape. Sometimes that is what we need. Something to cheer for.

What'll be different about 2010- for the city? For you personally?

Well, the Pistons and Red Wings are off to disappointing starts and the Tigers look doomed to a year of rebuilding and cost cutting so lets not talk about sports as a metaphor for this one. In the fall of 2010, should everything go according to schedule, my business partner Zach Klein and I will be opening a charcuterie shop name Corridor Sausage Co. in the Cass Corridor. We will have fresh and smoked sausages, cured meats, and other delicious meat based products. A lot of these items are part of a dying craft in this country, but it is something we both love, and are grateful for the chance to bring some of it to Detroit. Currently, we sell to various restaurants in Detroit and Ann Arbor but are excited about expanding that, retail space, and maybe even home delivery.

Why do you live in Detroit? How's it different from other places?

I guess I should say I live here for friends and family. Honestly, where else can you get great Vietnamese, Chinese, Thai, Middle Eastern, Indian, and Lao cuisine all within a few miles?

What kind of things do you get into in Detroit? Do you have a job? What is it? Why not do it in Royal Oak? in Chicago? NYC?

Right now, I am the sous chef at The Whitney so it is pretty nice to work in a beautiful 1800’s mansion. Plus the food is pretty good.

What's your favorite thing that happened here in 2009?

Other than my afore mentioned love for the Spartans? Well, I did get married in 2009. It was a pretty beautiful day out at Stony Creek Metro Park – lots of friends and families, good slow smoked BBQ, excellent beer from Atwater Brewery, and a beautiful misty ceremony in the woods. Distinctly Michigan.

Andy & Emily Linn's Version

In the summer of '09 Andy & Emily Linn opened City Bird, offering a mix of vintage clothing and locally designed objects. They are not a couple.

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Did you see correlation between your experience of Detroit and the media's depiction in 2009?

When we read most articles about the city we feel like they are about a completely different place than the Detroit where we live. Many of the negative aspects of Detroit featured in recent media coverage are true, but there are so many opportunities here and great things happening which are often overlooked by national media. While the essence of the national focus seems to be of Detroit as the epicenter of the recession and a symbol of decline, our version of Detroit is a place of hope and possibility where young people especially are able to accomplish goals and projects that might be financially or physically impossible in other places.

What'll be different about 2010- for the city? For you personally?

We’re excited about changes in local politics and development: some new City Council members, the city charter being revised, council being elected by district, the further development of the Sugar Hill Arts District, the Riverwalk, and the Dequindre Cut, and strides in bringing light rail to the region. As in 2009, we hope that our neighborhood will continue to become more walkable, with new restaurants, stores, galleries and services. We live down the street from Emily’s elementary school and it has been amazing to see the positive changes that have occurred in our neighborhood since she attended that school. After standing empty for a few years, her old school itself now houses an art-house theater, which is representative of the changes taking place.

For us personally, in 2010 we will continue to expand the store that we recently opened and we will each move into our own new houses in the neighborhood. We look forward to having the opportunity to help new businesses open nearby, just as our current neighbors have helped us.

Why do you live in Detroit? How's it different from other places?

We live in Detroit because it is one of the most incredible and unique cities in the world. Detroit has resources, cultural amenities, and architecture that are vestiges of its prosperous past, while at the same time any new idea is possible. Young people in Detroit have the ability to act on their dreams and try out new and risky ideas in a way that is not as possible in other cities. We feel like the things we can do in Detroit are limitless and, because the cost of living is low, we can afford to be creative in how we structure our lives. Additionally, our family has lived in Detroit for seven generations and we feel very connected to this place. We love riding our bikes and exploring Detroit – we have lived here for most of our lives and we still find new things almost every day.


What kind of things do you get into in Detroit? Do you have a job? What is it? Why not do it in Royal Oak? in Chicago? NYC?

We recently opened a store in Midtown called City Bird. We sell work by about 50 other artists and designers as well as our own line of Detroit-themed housewares and accessories. Additionally, Emily is an artist and works in the art studio at the Detroit Institute of Arts; Andy is a consultant at Zachary and Associates, a planning and development firm.

We like working and owning our store in Detroit because we really care about Detroit, not only because it’s our home, but because we feel like we have a real stake in our community and an opportunity to make an difference in our neighborhood. Opening our store has been an amazing experience - we’re grateful that we have received such incredible support from other small business owners and our neighbors. Because rent is cheaper here than in other places, and because of the inspiring network of small business owners (organized loosely through a great organization called Open City), opening our brick and mortar store was less daunting than it would have been elsewhere.

What's your favorite thing that happened here in 2009?

2009 exemplified the cooperative spirit and unlimited potential in Detroit. Last year we were most excited about all the new places that opened! Leopold’s Books, the Burton Theater, Hugh, Rachel’s Place, the Dequindre cut, Le Petit Zinc, the Green Garage, Shangri La, Curl up and Dye, Hello Records, The Lot, and Good Girls Go to Paris were some of our favorites.

Jim Griffioen's Version

Jim and his wife Sara's blog 'Sweet Juniper' helps to explain the adventures of parenting in Detroit.

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Did you see correlation between your experience of Detroit and the media's depiction in 2009?

Yes. In 2009 I received anywhere from 3 to 10 emails a week from some journalists somewhere asking me to help them with their stories about Detroit because they've come across my website, and I'm just some white guy who moved here from California four years ago. Before the 2009 media orgy really built up steam I did show a few journalists around. I was the bookish band geek who'd caught the eye of the high school quarterback ("Time Magazine wants me to show them around!") after a couple weeks of that I became the raspy-voiced slut smoking a cigarette in the back seat of Vice Magazine's 1983 Trans Am. When Vice asked me to show them around I said 'no I'm not showing any more New Yorkers around Detroit' and then they asked me if I would help them write a story about why I didn't want to show any more New Yorkers around Detroit. That turned into a widely-read story on the Detroit national media shitstorm. I hope some of these people parachuting in to write about the city are more aware now that everyone else has been ridiculed for working from the same preconceived template.

What'll be different about 2010- for the city? For you personally?

I try not to pay too much attention to what year it is. If I do I just start feeling old, like when you see that kids born in 1992 can buy cigarettes now.

Why do you live in Detroit? How's it different from other places?

I moved here intentionally from San Francisco. The people who can't understand why we love Detroit often cite silly reasons like a lack of "shopping" or "ethnic dining" when pressed about why they wouldn't want to live here. In San Francisco or New York or Chicago, I always find myself retreating into the mentality of a "consumer." What can I buy? What is the trendiest place to eat? I had to consume in order to justify how hard I was working at a job that paid well but did nothing for my spirit. Unfortunately, neither did buying "stuff." In Detroit, the landscape is different. With so little commercial activity, the feeling of being just another consumer is flipped to where almost by necessity your creative instincts take over. I like to think that the landscape of other cities trains you to be a consumer; in Detroit, you have to be creative just to survive.

But even as a consumer in Detroit, you have the chance to support endeavors started by other creative people you might have a personal relationship with, or businesses that have stuck around for years because the national chains never bothered coming here. It's been said before in a variety of ways, but I really love that the city seems to nourish a creative spirit in just about anyone who comes here (though, without tempering some expectations it is easy to be overzealous and ultimately disappointed).

What kind of things do you get into in Detroit? Do you have a job? What is it? Why not do it in Royal Oak? in Chicago? NYC?

As a parent, I don't get out much in the evening. I enjoy exploring the city with my kids, especially in the warmer months on our modified 1962 Schwinn 3-seater racer. We love looking for pheasants. We like all the nature and overgrown stuff. I grew up in the country and parts of Detroit feel a lot more like the places I explored as a kid than anything out in the suburbs or even the now-developed area where I grew up (outside Kalamazoo). I also like meeting people I'd never encounter in a suburb or some big city full of other boring yuppies just like me.

As far as a job, I was a lawyer in San Francisco but haven't had a real job here other than taking care of my kids and maintaining a blog that reaches a few thousand people every day and actually pays the bills.

What's your favorite thing that happened here in 2009?

The grand opening of the Dequindre Cut. There were marching bands, free food, hundreds of bikes and pedestrians and dogwalkers, and an appearance from Mayor Bing. It was a beautiful day and everyone out there had a really good time.

Rachel Leggs' Version

Rachel Leggs has packed a tiny, century-old row house in Corktown with a great collection of vintage apparel for men and women, making it very easy to find good clothing for her photoshoot.

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Did you see correlation between your experience of Detroit and the media's depiction in 2009?

I did see a correlation in the local media. The local media really worked hard to highlight positive businesses in Detroit and good things happening around our city.

What'll be different about 2010- for the city? For you personally?

I think the city as a whole will become even more positive than it was in 2009. I want to make more of an effort to bring positive change to the city by volunteering.

Why do you live in Detroit? How's it different from other places?

I live here because I love it! It's that simple. Corktown is the only place I've ever really felt at home.

What kind of things do you get into in Detroit? Do you have a job? What is it? Why not do it in Royal Oak? in Chicago? NYC?

Art, food, music and fashion. I own a vintage shop. None of the other places are my city. DETROIT.

What's your favorite thing that happened here in 2009?

My favorite thing of '09 was witnessing positive change and being a part of it, despite the negativity.

Torya Blanchard's Version

Torya Blanchard owns and operates Good Girls Go to Paris, a creperie with two locations in the city of Detroit. She was featured in the New York Times just yesterday.

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Did you see correlation between your experience of Detroit and the media's depiction in 2009?

No. Among the millions of little articles about Detroit, few are able to articulate the nuts and bolts of why people choose to live here. It's interesting to watch the majority of writers try to understand Detroit.

What'll be different about 2010- for the city? For you personally?

New city council. And for me personally, hopefully I'll be getting a new house to renovate in Brush Park and a GGGTP location in Grosse Pointe Park.

Why do you live in Detroit? How's it different from other places?

It has taken my entire life to cultivate and tame the city. I can only quote Milton by saying "The mind is its own place, and in itself, can make heaven of hell and a hell of heaven." Detroit's not so different from other places. We just have a lot of space.

Why not open GGGTP in Royal Oak? in Chicago? in NYC?

Royal Oak has a lot of restaurants in it's downtown already. But I would love for someone to open up a GGGTP in Chicago. Ditto for New York.

What's your favorite thing that happened here in 2009?

I rediscovered my new favorite store in Detroit, the "Big" Book Store on Cass near Wayne State. Bill, the shopkeeper, has been working there since ever I was in high school. That place makes me deliriously happy.

Hygienic Dress League's Version

The Hygienic Dress League ties up a lot of the ad space on abandoned buildings in Detroit.

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A message about Detroit from HDL:

“…No, never ever, come back and try again man 
If you come back, I'll be the first to shake your hand 
Competitions good, it brings out the vital parts 
The Abstract Poetic, majors in recital arts 
Do it for the kids, the elders and the rap peers 
When the job is done, then we hear a lot of cheers 
Gotta feel the vibes, come from my creation 
If the hands clap are filled with elation 
Here I am ghetto, full with a lot of steam 
Think I gotta, I think I gotta, I think I gotta scream 
'cause that's how good it feels child 
Let your hair down, so we can get buckwild 
Do your ill dance, don't think about the next man 
We must have unity and think of the bigger plan 
The vision, we fall, we must stick together…”

Tribe Called Quest

Roland Leggett's Version

Roland Leggett is the field organizer for the Michigan chapter of the ACLU. He got that sweet jacket at Value World.

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Did you see correlation between your experience of Detroit and the media's depiction in 2009?

I did see a correlation in the sense that there was an obvious degree of change in the air here. I think the media did an adequate job of capturing some of that energy. However, I think the specifics were lost on a lot of people. A lot of people were excited about the elections of Dave Bing and Charles Pugh, for example. But the specifics on their policies seemed to be missing from the conversation. I think the same can be said of the city on a broader level. The energy is here but we as a community have to get more engaged to see true change.

What'll be different about 2010- for the city? For you personally?

Well, the gubernatorial election has a lot of potential impact. The US Social Forum this June will be a great event too. I’m also excited to see community nutrition and alternative energy increasingly becoming a part of the local conversation. I know I plan on logging a lot more time on my bike when the weather changes.

Why do you live in Detroit? How's it different from other places?

Life for me wouldn’t work anywhere else in Michigan. The energy, creativity and resolve that people have here is incredible and inspiring. Most of the things we’d like to see happen here in the city, we have to work together to accomplish. So we exchange ideas with our neighbors and have conversations about what we can do as individuals to effect change here in the city. That’s one thing I never experienced growing up in the suburbs.

What kind of things do you get into in Detroit? Do you have a job? What is it? Why not do it in Royal Oak? in Chicago? NYC?

I love music and I love to eat and there’s an abundance of great restaurants and great music here. I also have a passion for social justice and politics. I’m the field organizer for the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan. While we’re a national organization, the issues and the challenges we have here in Michigan are particularly unique. Additionally, I feel a particular connection to our office and Michigan in general because I’m from here.

What's your favorite thing that happened here in 2009?

It’s a self serving answer but my favorite things that have happened here were getting a job that I love in the city and finding a great apartment. They’ve enabled me to get the more engaged in the community that I’ve ever been. As much as I love the city it isn’t lost on me how fortunate I am to live here while not having the struggles so many of my neighbors face.

Daisuke Hughes' Version

Daisuke Hughes plans to open Astro Coffee in Detroit's Corktown neighborhood in 2010. It will be in the storefront with the star painted on it, right over his shoulder in the photo to be exact.

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Did you see correlation between your experience of Detroit and the media's depiction in 2009?

Yes and No. Yes in the sense that I had lost my job in February and joined the legions of unemployed in the city, where headlines of doom and gloom didn't exactly soften the blow. And no in the sense that you can either follow headlines and allow them to dictate your way of thinking, or you can aspire to make your own. When you decide to look at the city in a positive light, you become free to the many ways in which change is in fact possible. By meeting and surrounding myself with people who share this way of thinking, I've been able to avoid the relentless negativity, and enjoyed a very positive 2009 given the circumstances.

What'll be different about 2010- for the city? For you personally?

I think 2010 will be different simply because it is not 2009. As unkind to the city as this past year was, the general sense around town is one of optimism for 2010 and good riddance to 2009. However dismal the outlook, we are still in the midst of a revival. There are those that acknowledge this and those that don't, but keeping this positive momentum going is certainly a focus for myself and sounds to be that of others as well. There are a lot of important projects that could break ground in 2010, both of large and small proportion that could really define where the city is going.

Why do you live in Detroit? How's it different from other places?

Well, I have one of those typical stories of having grown up in the region and having quickly exported myself anywhere but here. Over the course of seven years I chose to live in New York, London, Sydney, and Tokyo before finally booking a ticket to return to Detroit. Moving back to the states was a big deal and I was deciding between a move back to Brooklyn, or a new and uncharted territory only 40 minutes from my hometown of Ann Arbor. Clearly it was Detroit in the end, and so far no regrets. The biggest factor for me was understanding that Detroit needs people like us, desperately. It is wide open to those creative and resilient enough to see its potential and to work towards it. The reward in that is much greater than I could accomplish becoming another statistic in Brooklyn's constantly growing creative class.

What kind of things do you get into in Detroit? Do you have a job? What is it? Why not do it in Royal Oak? in Chicago? NYC?

Well, I'm currently working on opening a specialty coffee shop in Corktown called Astro Coffee, a few doors down from Slow's Bar BQ. Its been an intense process that has seen nearly every new small business owner in the city lending their knowledge and support for my venture as I've done for theirs. Its a beautiful thing. What other major city could you open an 800 sq. ft. shop and expect anybody to care or take notice like they do here? With the help of a strong word of mouth community and online publications such as Model D, we've got a lot of exposure and support at the moment. People want a cool city and we're starting to see visable signs of that.

What's your favorite thing that happened here in 2009?

The best aspects of 2009 for me was seeing the comeback of the small independent retailer. With the likes of CityBird, Leopold's, Hugh, Good Girls Go To Paris, Shangri La, Supino's, and the Burton Theatre; we saw tremendous strides towards becoming the city we all dream of. People are taking it upon themselves to fill gaps in our offerings and are helping to make the city more attractive to residents and visitors alike.

Larry Williams' Version

Aside from putting criminals in the slammer, assistant prosecutor Larry William plays bass guitar for the band Tyvek.

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Did you see correlation between your experience of Detroit and the media's depiction in 2009?

I think most Detroiters are not paying much attention to media's depiction of the city. This is old hat for anyone that's been around here for some time.

What'll be different about 2010- for the city? For you personally?

2010 is going to be better for the city. I think the events of last year are going to motivate people to step up and get involved in their communities. Almost 2000 people signed on to be tutors in Detroit Public schools in the past few months and work on the gardens around town are on point. Small contributions can go a long way in this town and people are ready to give back.

Why do you live in Detroit? How's it different from other places?

Family and friends are the main reason that I'm in Detroit.

What kind of things do you get into in Detroit? Do you have a job? What is it? Why not do it in Royal Oak? in Chicago? NYC?

I work as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney for Wayne County, outside of work I play bass guitar in a couple of bands and spin records every other week at Jumbo's. Living in Detroit, I'm five minutes from the Courts downtown and close to most of places that I hang out at.

What's your favorite thing that happened here in 2009?

My favorite event was the opening show at The Lot, "Cooking with Power Tools". Shouts out to Mary Beth Carolan and host Kathy Leisen for putting on a wonderful show.