Political Retreat for Visionaries

This is a Call to All Visionaries and Progressive Organizations in southeast Michigan:

MWRO invites you to a
POLITICAL RETREAT
Saturday, December 14, 2013
10am-4pm

Wayne County Community College
Northwest Campus, Detroit.
in the Student Lounge
8200 West Outer Drive
(corner of Southfield Rd, free parking)

The strategic focus we are striving for is to reach consensus with discipline, and create a space for action plans to emerge.

Bring $5 for meals. RSVP to (313) 964-0618

Residents Pack Detroit Mayoral Forum

Photo by William Archie/Detroit Free Press


By Gwendolyn Gaines and Sylvia Orduno

Nearly 300 Detroit residents packed the Northwest Community Center for the second part of the Call'em Out's mayoral forums. The event was a follow-up to the November 2008 mayoral listening forum where candidates could only listen to residents' concerns and ask clarification questions.

Ten of the 12 candidates attended--Donald Bradley, Stanley Christmas, Warren Evans, Freeman Hendrix , Joseph Holt, Nick Hood, Duane Montgomery, Coleman A. Young Jr, Sharon McPhail, Jarroll Sanders. Missing (again!) were Dave Bing and Interim Detroit Mayor Ken Cockrell, Jr. Dave Bing is a member of a business group urging the sale of the Detroit Water and Sewerage Dept.

Following the first mayoral listening forum, each candidate was asked to respond to questions and concerns by regular residents--not business leaders or other high profile, elite groups. All attendees signed in and received a score sheet so they could rate the answers from each candidate on a variety of issues such as: home foreclosures, ownership of the Detroit Water and Sewerage Dept (DWSD), bulk trash pickup, eliminating the $300 garbage fee, and more. See the Detroit Free Press coverage of the event.

The forum was moderated by Agnes Hitchcock, Chair of Call 'em Out. NHK News reporter, Takurna Yoshioka, from Japan was a special guest covering the evening's event along with other grassroots issues in Detroit. John Riehl, President of the water workers' AFSCME Local 207, spoke on the efforts to takeover the DWSD. His union local is calling for a demonstration January 7, 2009 at 4:30pm in front of the Detroit City-County Bldg.

Poverty Summit Party Crashing

Today in Detroit, there are three events of concern to us...and we were invited to two of them. Working backwards, we're attending two evening events with great community organizations: United Community Housing Coalition (UCHC), and Detroit Summer.


UCHC is holding an annual fundraising dinner for their work to help low-income homeowners fight mortgage foreclosures. The youth organization, Detroit Summer, is beginning their Breaking Bread Action Series with speakers, music, videos, and a community action. We'll be there with bells and whistles to help these stalwart groups with the amazing work they do in our communities!

Earlier in the day, we'll be attending the Poverty Summit organized by the State of Michigan...but not because we (or other poor people's advocacy groups) were invited. In fact, at the last minute, MWRO was asked by a participating union leader to join a panel after discovering welfare rights was not included in this social service soirée at Detroit's downtown convention center. The Governor will be there along with hundreds of poverty-concerned bureaucrats, academics, faith-based funding organizations, and welfare-to-work contractors. The only ones who won't be there are the victims of poverty!


Welfare rights is not new to the "we forgot to invite you" game. But when the so-called leaders on poverty solutions are in your backyard, it's an added insult to the people who suffer daily from decisions made by well-dressed people in banquet halls.

So, we'll be there today and we'll report back tomorrow on what transpired. And to our friends at UCHC and Detroit Summer, we can't wait to see you!

UCHC Annual Fundraising Dinner & Silent Auction, 5:30pm
Central United Methodist Church, 23 E. Adams St, Detroit
Suggested donation: $20, or whatever you can afford

Detroit Summer "Breaking Bread Action Series," 6pm
CCNDC, 3535 Cass (No. of MLK Bl), Detroit
Bring a potluck dish.

(Images from State of Michigan Poverty in Michigan webpages)

Tonight: Detroit Intermodal Freight Terminal (DIFT) Public Meeting

The Michigan Dept of Transportation is holding a final environmental impact public hearing tonight in Southwest Detroit. Residents can make statements about their concerns on the impact of the massive railroad and truck freight terminal, traffic, freeway reconstruction, air quality, and neighborhood changes. Make your voices heard!

The DIFT hearing will be at:
LA SED Gymnasium
7150 W. Vernor, Detroit
5:30-8:30pm
YOUR PARTICIPATION MATTERS!!

For more info contact 248-799-0140 or visit the Michigan DOT project website at Detroit Intermodal Freight Terminal - Environmental Impact Study