Detroit Rising: WWJ News Special Examines Transforming Detroit Neighborhoods

DETROIT (WWJ) - The people and programs seeking to transform city neighborhoods were the focus of "Detroit Rising" — a one-hour radio special on WWJ Newsradio 950 in collaboration with ARISE Detroit!

Moderated by WWJ City Beat Reporter Vickie Thomas, the show featured leaders of five community organizations working across the city: Luther Keith, executive director of ARISE Detroit!; Alice Thompson, CEO of Black Family Development; Linda Smith, president of U-SNAP-Back and a co-chair of the federal blight task force; Kirk Mayes, executive director of the Brightmoor Alliance, and Kathy Wendler, president of the Southwest Detroit Business Association.

"We have seen a combination of people from different areas come to the business community, the foundation community ... out of the White House, all these are under new leadership - hopefully all these can converge and this will be like a perfect storm of change for Detroit that we can create," said Keith.

Listen to the podcast from Monday, Dec. 30.

"We are all working together," said Smith. "This is not in silo, people are not working on their own piece of this. We've come together and we've left all of our egos at the door and we are looking out for the residents and our city of Detroit - where people will want to work, live and raise their families."

Keith and Thompson are both members of the steering committee for the Detroit Future City Initiative.

"This is a great opportunity to share the successes and challenges facing neighborhoods as we enter the New Year," Keith said. "We hope the community tunes in to listen and share their ideas as well."