Detroit Evening Report: Excitement for Harris-Walz ticket grows; Michigan’s ‘Shark Tank’-style pitch competition + more
Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” podcast.
Kamala Harris buttons for sale outside the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
On this episode of the Detroit Evening Report, stories include this week’s excitement at the Democratic National Convention around the Harris-Walz presidential ticket; Michigan’s launch of a new statewide “Shark Tank”-style pitch competition and more.
Subscribe to the Detroit Evening Report on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.
Dems rally around Harris, Walz at DNC
The Harris-Walz ticket is creating a sheen of excitement at this week’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago. And some notable metro Detroiters are part of it.
That includes long-time Democratic activist Reverend Wendell Anthony. He says Harris’ status as the first women of color to head a major party presidential ticket is re-invigorating Democrat’s ability to get out the vote for the general election.
“This is Freedom Summer Two…that’s what I call it,” he said. “Freedom Summer One was 60 years ago. Black folk and white folk went south to Mississippi to help register people to vote, because they couldn’t vote. They went volunteering. Now people from all across the country are coming, volunteering, because they want to preserve freedom, democracy and the right to vote still.”
Anthony claims former President Donald Trump is laying the groundwork to challenge the election in states like Michigan if he is not declared the winner in November.
Applications open for PitchMI
Applications are officially open for PitchMI, a statewide “Shark Tank”-style pitch competition created to help solve Michigan’s transportation troubles.
The state’s Growth Office will invest $100,000 in one innovative solution that transforms the way Michiganders get from point A to point B safely, affordably and efficiently. PitchMI is meant to spur entrepreneurial problem-solving, connect innovators with capital and create a ripple effect to accelerate more innovation, according to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
The competition is scheduled to take place Thursday, Oct. 24, during the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification’s conference at Newlab in Detroit. Applicants for PitchMI must be available to participate in-person. Its open to start-up companies with 51% of their employees in the state of Michigan. Solutions should be demonstration-ready with working prototypes.
For more information and to apply, visit growingmichigan.org/opportunities. The deadline to apply is Monday, Sept. 16.
Detroit to unveil Joe Louis Neighborhood Stories
The city of Detroit will unveil its Joe Louis Greenway Neighborhood Stories signage project this week.
Ten signs will be placed along the Joe Louis Greenway telling the story of the Midwest-Tireman neighborhood. The city used residents as Story Gatherers to collect oral histories from long-time neighborhood residents. Those stories were turned into signs designed by the firm Good Done Daily.
A ribbon-cutting is scheduled to take place at 2 p.m. Thursday at 8034 West Warren Ave., Detroit, with light refreshments on offer. Parking is available on McDonald Street.
HBCU Student Invitational Film Competition and Festival
The HBCU Student Invitational Film Competition and Festival takes place at Michigan Central next week.
Black filmmakers attending HBCUs will screen their films from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m on Friday, Aug. 23, with contest winners announced on Saturday, Aug. 24. The grand prize is $10,000.
This is the first time the event will be in-person. Autumn Sun, the group organizing the festival, was founded by Detroit native Bruce Clifton. The film screenings and panel discussions are free, but the award ceremony and gala on the 24th require tickets. For more information, visit autumnsunfest.org.
Annual ‘Fun in the Park’ event returns
Residents of Detroit’s District 7 are invited to Stein Park from 3 to 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 23, for the second annual Fun in the Park event. The free, family-friendly event will feature food, games, music, activities for all ages and more.
Stein Park is located at 18899 Chicago St., Detroit. The rain date for the event will be Saturday, Aug. 24.
Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.
Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
