Muhammad Ali: My First Professor on Race.
“Muhammad Ali owned something called power, his own. I had never seen a man, or a woman own their strength the way he did. He taught me such was not only possible, but just.”
Meijer Poised to Potentially Reap Millions If HB 5232 Approved
HB 5232, as written, removes this power from the City of Detroit, allowing unobstructed demolitions as needed by any potential developer in the city. Thus, in certain scenarios, a corporation such as Meijer stands to make millions, literally, should HB 5232 be voted into law by the Republican-led Michigan Legislature.
An Open Letter to the Michigan Legislature
HB 5232 and SB 720 are, at their essence, a selfish slap in the face to generations of Michigan citizens, both past and future, bills that are threatening to deprive each and every one of us of an economically stable future. These bills, unlike PA 169 at it’s birth, emerge in response to no crisis at all, NONE.
HB 5232: A Detroit Demolition, or Not?
If enacted, HB 5232 eliminates our greatest tool in halting impending demolition in the 11th hour. Here is the kicker, and why I believe Afendoulis is jamming this legislation through: relevant to the proposed Cass Park District which threatens Ilitch’s right to demo the aforementioned three buildings, under HB 5232, creating the new Cass Park Historic District would require not only enactment by the City Council but a majority approval by vote in the next public election, a delay that would afford the Ilitch demolition team plenty of time.
Detroit Horse Power: Urban Horsemanship Provides A Proven Tool For Changing Lives
There are models across the country where horses are brought into urban environments to enhance the lives of those within. They exist legally via ordinance or special use permits, some … Continue reading
Our Architecture, Ourselves: Building the Future in Detroit
“In the environment of today, where the majority of Americans live in a reality concocted by media, technology and stealth marketing to the point where our very breath seems an illusion, Detroit is an oasis of truth, a reprieve from the constant denial of our own humanity. We know we are alive here, feet on the ground, shoulders to the struggle.”
Goats and Governance in Detroit: Mark Spitznagel Meets a Trend He Can’t Trade
Authors Note: An edited version of this piece now appears on the Huffington Post at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nancy-kotting/goats-gatsbys-and-governa_b_5479737.html N.K Financier Mark Spitznagel thought he had a good idea. A hedge fund administrator … Continue reading
Fernando Palazuelo and the Packard Plant: Can He Do It?
Authors Note: An edited version of this essay currently appears on the HuffingtonPost at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nancy-kotting/fernando-palazuelo-and-th_b_4598580.html In the mid-1990’s, myself and a hand full of Detroit-based preservationist put on the largest … Continue reading
Watapama 