The University of Michigan Detroit Center (UMDC) is launching a new discussion series, Block x Block, designed to engage community members in conversations about some of the city's significant challenges. The series aims to center Detroiters’ lived experiences and foster collaborations between the university and the community to find solutions.
Beginning Thursday, September 17, the monthly public engagement series will bring together local leaders, University of Michigan faculty and students, and Detroit residents. Discussions will cover topics such as systemic poverty, affordable housing, immigration justice, and LGBTQ+ concerns, among others. Each session will take place from 10 a.m. to noon at the UMDC, located at 3663 Woodward Ave., #150, Detroit. The events are free to attend.
Paul Draus, a sociology professor and faculty director of the UMDC, stated the series is designed to foster a conversation culture that begins with listening. He noted that "the stories of Detroiters are so rich" that much comes from creating opportunities for people to share, leading to both informational and emotional learning through storytelling.
Miguel Rodriguez, executive director of the Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation, and Shahad Atiya, an immigration lawyer and adjunct faculty at UM-Dearborn, will facilitate the inaugural session on September 17. This first discussion will focus on immigration in Detroit, including the impact of federal policy, ICE raids, voting activity, and the right to work. The specific direction of the conversation, like all sessions, will ultimately be shaped by the attendees.
The series schedule continues with various topics into the next year: * October 16: LGBTQ+ Visibility and Vulnerability * December 17: Incarceration: Decarceration and Post-incarceration * January 21, 2027: Youth Empowerment & Mentorship * March 18, 2027: Senior Well-Being and Inclusion * April 15, 2027: Digital Access and Technology Inclusion * May 20, 2027: Addiction, Recovery, and Behavioral Health
Each event will feature two speakers: a community leader actively working on the issue and a University of Michigan faculty or staff member with relevant expertise. After brief initial remarks sharing their work, speakers will open the floor to discussion among attendees. Draus emphasized that while sessions begin with central speakers, they evolve to be more about people learning from each other, stating, "Everyone’s a teacher, and everyone’s a student."
This new series builds on lessons learned from the UMDC’s previous "Workshop of Democracy" series, which reflected on challenges Detroiters faced between 2005 and 2025, including food sovereignty and environmental justice. For the Block x Block series, organizers decided to reduce the number of panelists to two and shorten their speaking time to allow more opportunity for face-to-face community conversation. This approach, according to Draus, better reflects the Detroit Center's focus on dialogue.
The UMDC serves as a central point for service, education, research, and cultural exchange between the University of Michigan and the city, regularly hosting educational events and workshops. The center is currently seeking speakers for future sessions. Community leaders with expertise in any of the planned topics are encouraged to contact Paul Draus at [email protected].
