Why is it important to welcome new faces, ideas and entities to Detroit? How can this be done while maintaining the city's unique identity, authenticity and pragmatism?
The 2013 Van Dusen Urban Leadership Forum will pair New York Times bestselling author and comedian Baratunde Thurston with community leaders in Detroit to explore this very idea. The public lecture and panel discussion take place on Tuesday, Dec. 3 at Wayne State University.
Thurston will share his insights on the topic of welcoming, specifically discussing ways we might try new ideas while respecting local context and nostalgia. A curated panel of Detroit leaders will join the discussion following the keynote address.
Panelists will include Executive Director of D:hive, Jeff Aronoff; cultural critic and producer, Dream Hampton; and Executive Director of the Brightmoor Alliance, Kirk Mayes.
The public lecture and panel discussion begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 3, in Wayne State's Community Arts Auditorium (doors open at 5:30 p.m.). The event is free and open to the public. RSVP at http://specialevents.wayne.edu/vandusenwelcome.
Leading up to the lecture, Little Things Labs will host a half-day workshop for students and emerging Detroit leaders. This fast-paced workshop will ask participants to explore why it is important to welcome new faces, ideas and entities to Detroit, and how this can be done while maintaining a sense of identity, authenticity and pragmatism. Participants will engage in dialogue to share information and experiences and equip themselves to serve as "change agents" and leaders in their studies, professions and communities. Thurston and the evening's panelists will also participate in and guide the workshop.
Baratunde Thurston is CEO, co-founder, and hashtagger-in-chief of Cultivated Wit. He wrote the New York Times bestseller How To Be Black and served for five years as director of digital for the satirical news outlet The Onion. When he's not delivering keynote talks at gatherings such as SXSW Interactive, LeWeb and Personal Democracy Forum, he writes the monthly back page column for Fast Company and contributes to the MIT Media Lab as a director's fellow. He co-founded the black political blog Jack and Jill Politics, has advised the Obama White House. He lives in Brooklyn, NY.
The 2013 Van Dusen Urban Leadership Forum is presented by Wayne State University, with support from WDET, the Hudson-Webber Foundation, D:hive, Model D Media, DPTV and Little Things Labs.
About Richard C. Van Dusen: Richard C. Van Dusen had a lifetime concern for and commitment to urban communities, particularly metropolitan Detroit. His life was characterized by distinguished public service in national, state and local affairs. He served as undersecretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, was a member of the Michigan House of Representatives, and chaired the Detroit Regional Chamber. Van Dusen served as a governor of Wayne State University. A graduate of Harvard Law School, he spent his professional legal career at the Detroit law firm of Dickinson, Wright PLLC. Van Dusen's life reflected his belief that the private sector as much as the public sector could provide leadership and implement initiatives to enhance the quality of urban life.