New Detroit Reinvigorates its Racial Justice Mission

Craig's guests for the latest VVK Podcast are New Detroit CEO Mike Rafferty, and Rebecca Irby, New Detroit's Director of Programs and Services.  New Detroit was formed in response to civil unrest in 1967 that uncovered a host of entrenched social and community ills. At the request of then Michigan Governor George Romney and Detroit Mayor Jerome Cavanagh, business executive Joseph L. Hudson, Jr. convened a unique coalition—the nation’s first—to identify what went wrong in July 1967, what needed to change, and how to make that change happen.

Since then, New Detroit, Inc. has been a unique and valuable arena where leaders of Detroit’s business, civic, grassroots, and religious communities have come together to plan cooperative strategies and to demonstrate their commitment to the city and its environs. 

New Detroit will host "Just Lead:A New Detroit Conference to Advance Racial Equity" in October of this year.