Distinctly Detroit

Welcome back to the Distinctly Detroit Podcast. On today’s episode, we have James Logan. James is the CEO & Founder of Hire Level Coaching, established in 2013, the Program Manager for CHN Housing Partners, and a Managing Partner for Ora Talent. He graced us in season one of our podcast, but a lot has happened since we last saw him. The DDP welcomes back James Logan! 

Welcome back to the Distinctly Detroit Podcast. On today’s episode, we have Nancy A. Parker, the executive director of the Detroit Justice Center. She earned her B.A. in Sociology and African American Studies from the University of Michigan and her J.D. from Washington University - St. Louis School of Law. Nancy has successfully represented Black Lives Matter protesters against the City of Detroit...

Welcome back to the Distinctly Detroit Podcast. On today’s episode, we are honored to have Nafeesah Symonette. Nafeesah is the Co-Founder of Detroit Excellence in Youth Arts, and holds teaching positions at both Oakland University and her alma mater Eastern Michigan University. Nafeesah is a community partner to the University of Michigan Detroit Center and is a strong believer of the positive imp...

Welcome back to the Distinctly Detroit Podcast. On today’s episode, we are happy to have Chris Canas, Detroit’s Prince of Blues. Chris wrote and released his first album, Shades of Blue, at 15. Since then he has a total of six albums with the most recent being, She’s Breaking Me. The Chris Canas Band will also perform at the UMDC Wolverine Outdoor Stage at the Annual Concert of Colors Jul 21 - 22....

Welcome back to the Distinctly Detroit Podcast. On today’s episode, we are happy to have Brian Colding. Brian is an art teacher with Detroit Public Schools at Renaissance High School. For a large part of his career, after graduating from the University of Michigan with a BFA in Graphic Design, he decided to pursue professional wrestling. He wrestled with networks like WWF/WWE and AWWL, and after s...

Welcome back to the Distinctly Detroit Podcast. On today’s episode, we are happy to have Nazim Fakir. Nazim is a managing partner for The Fakir Group LLC, since 2019. For a large part of his career, before and after graduating from Detroit Mercy with a BS in business administration and management, he was involved in ministry as an associate and senior pastor in Michigan, Illinois, and Minnesota. H...

Welcome back to the Distinctly Detroit Podcast. On today’s episode, we have the founder of Detroit is Different. He earned his BBA in marketing and Master’s in marketing from Walsh College. In addition to leading Detroit is Different as a podcast and digital publication, he founded and is the CEO of a marketing business called Creative Differences INC. What began as a career as a performer, produc...

Welcome back to the Distinctly Detroit Podcast. On today’s episode we have the Wayne County Prosecutor, Kym Worthy. She received her A.B. in Economics and Political Science from the University of Michigan, and her J.D. from the University of Notre Dame Law School. Worthy’s career began to really take off after being appointed to be the Special Assignment Prosecutor where she worked on cases like M...

Welcome back to the Distinctly Detroit Podcast. On today’s episode, we have Dr. Trina Shanks. Professor Shanks is a distinguished researcher and academic from the University of Michigan School of Social Work. With her expertise in asset building, poverty alleviation, and community development. Professor Shanks brings valuable insights into addressing the complex challenges facing Detroit's und...

Welcome back to the Distinctly Detroit Podcast. On today’s episode, we have the vice president of development for Related Companies in Detroit. He earned his B.A. with honors in Political Science from the University of Michigan and a Masters in Public Policy from Harvard’s JFK School of Government, the Michigan of the East. He is a veteran of the U.S. Army and has been in nonprofit and city leader...

Welcome back to the Distinctly Detroit Podcast! Today our guest is Ameer Stein, better known as Mersiless Amir. Ameer’s first release was A Day Without a Rhyme in 1989 and grabbed attention from record labels like Def Jam Records, Smash Records, and Warner Brothers to name a few. He has performed across the world, in Chicago, L.A., NYC, London, and more. His discography is continuing to grow with...

Welcome back to the Distinctly Detroit Podcast! Today our guest is Professor Dara Hill. Professor Hill works at the University of Michigan Dearborn Campus in Reading and Language Arts. She recently received praise and a grant from the 2023 Engage Detroit Workshop for her current research called The Best Classroom Project. This research project aims to assist parents in Detroit make informed decisi...

Welcome back to the Distinctly Detroit Podcast! Our guest, Senghor Reid is an artist and an educator. Senghor is the Fine Arts Department Chair with Cranbrook Schools and has an upcoming solo exhibition with Michigan Contemporary Art in Detroit in May 2024. He is an alum of the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Stamps School of Art & Design, and earned his Master of...

Professor Jerry Davis earned his A.B. in Philosophy with high distinction from the University of Michigan, his M.A. in Sociology from Stanford University, and his Ph. D. in Organizational Behavior from the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University. He is the Gilbert and Ruth Whitaker Professor of Business Administration at the Ross School of Business and a Professor of Sociology at the Un...

Welcome back to the Distinctly Detroit Podcast! Our guest, Professor Angela Dillard was the Chair of the Department of History at the University of Michigan, but since the recording, Professor Dillard has been promoted as the first Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education. She is also the Richard A. Meisler Collegiate Professor of Afro-American & African Studies in the Residential College. Pro...

In this episode, we have our Faculty Director, Prof. Paul Draus. Inspired by working with tuberculosis control, he wrote his first book, Consumed in the City: Observing Tuberculosis at Century’s End. Today, he is a professor of Sociology at the University of Michigan Dearborn and the new faculty director for the University of Michigan Detroit Center. Please help us welcome Prof. Paul Draus.

In this episode, we have Lisa DuRussel. Lisa accepted her first leadership position as the senior landscape architect and project manager with Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects in New York City for three years. Today, she is still in architecture as the senior landscape architect with the Unknown Studio and as an independent consultant. Lisa is also an assistant professor at the University of M...

In this episode, we have Professor Karla Mallette. She is a professor of Italian and Mediterranean Studies at the University of Michigan and the Chair of the Department of Middle East Studies. Prof. Mallette is also the author of three books with her most recent book, Lives of the Great Languages: Arabic and Latin in the Medieval Mediterranean . Please help us welcome Karla Mallette!

On today's episode, we are joined by Dale Thomson and Michael Randall. Members of the Grandmont Rosedale Development Corporation, GRDC. The GRDC is a non-profit organization dedicated to revitalizing the Grandmont Rosedale communities of Northwest Detroit. They organize a wide range of community improvement programs designed to help their community prosper as a place to live, work, and play. P...

On today’s episode, we have Todd Sachse. He graduated from the University of Michigan with his Bachelor of Science degree in pre-med. He has started and owned three businesses to our knowledge. He is the founder and CEO of the Sachse Construction company, a Partner with Broder & Sachse real estate company, and the Principal of Zolman Restoration Company. The Sachse Construction Company in 2022...

On today’s episode, we have David Merritt, a modern renaissance man. He graduated from the University of Michigan after leading his team as captain to the NCAA championships during the 2008-2009 season. He is the co-founder and board member of the Give Merit non-profit that is over the FATE program. The goal of this non-profit is to invest in the youth to see them excel in their schools and bring...

Today's guest is Lisa Howze. The author of Candy Girl Mentality: Keys to Turning Bitter Moments into Sweet Success . Lisa has served as a Michigan elect for the House of Representatives, and Chief of Staff for the office of Mayor Duggan. She is now an author and entrepreneur. Please help us welcome Lisa Howze!

Our guest today is Ryan Myers-Johnson. Ryan has traveled extensively as a dancer, filmmaker, and producer. She is a curator of place-based performance and installation art that specializes in community engagement. Ryan is the founder and executive director of Sidewalk Detroit. A coalition of creative space strategists and artists working at the intersection of creative place-making, research, advo...

Please welcome Lamont Cole. Lamont has 20 years of experience in community organizing, project management, and educational innovation. Join us as we sit down and discuss the differences between East and West Detroit, and how to discover your multiple intelligence.

Welcome back to the Distinctly Detroit Podcast. On today’s episode, we have Isis Damil. Isis earned her B.A. in Communication and Media Studies from the University of Detroit Mercy in 2014. Stream Her latest single, Real Love , on all platforms.