Can Millennials Contribute to a “New” Detroit?
Young Detroit transplants reflect on their experiences moving into the city
This morning, Detroit Today Host Stephen Henderson speaks with three Millennials and Detroit transplants about how young workers are impacting the future of the city.
Martha Portere, Grandmont Rosedale Development Corporation’s Economic Development Program Manager, says that moving to Detroit was not the smoothest transition for her, “I got my stuff handed to me, but I appreciated that, it helped me grow.” At first, finding a job was difficult, “I couldn’t get a job in the city to save my life…I worked outside of the city for…five years [after moving into the city].”
Sarah Pavelko works for the Corporate Fax financial management program and says she shares a similar experience with Portere. After living in Detroit for over a decade, she says she’s “learned the importance of listening” and that her “neighbors have always been really welcoming and supportive of me, the more that I listen.” She offers advice to other Detroit newcomers, “It’s really important to work and support what’s happening, and bring those resources and information to support and grow what’s going on.”
Being receptive and open-minded is key to moving to Detroit, and Aaron Goodman, of the Community Development Advocates of Detroit, says new residents should “[try] to get an understanding of what has happened here.”
Henderson also spoke with caller and long-time Detroiter, Rico, who is interested in finally buying a house in the city. When choosing a neighborhood to live in, Rico says he’d “rather live on a block that has boarded up houses than burnt up houses, because you can deal with boarded up houses.”
