Detroit is a city with thousands of stories. Now, new Neighborhood Ambassadors will be tasked with telling them.
MoveDetroit, the city’s first-of-its-kind talent retention and attraction initiative, recently announced its inaugural class of Neighborhood Ambassadors – entrepreneurs, architects, authors, small business owners and community advocates who reflect the breadth and diversity of Detroit’s neighborhoods.
The inaugural cohort of 16 ambassadors were chosen from more than 300 nominations and will bring unique perspectives spanning generations, industries, and communities.
“Detroit’s momentum has always been powered by Detroiters,” said Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield. “Our inaugural Neighborhood Ambassadors reflect the diversity and determination of our neighborhoods, and they embody exactly why people choose to stay in Detroit, return to Detroit, and move to Detroit. I’m grateful to each of them for helping show the world why there’s no place like home.”
The ambassadors are entrepreneurs, architects, authors, small business owners, and community advocates. Serving as authentic voices for the city, these volunteer ambassadors will help guide marketing strategies, engage with city leadership, and spotlight neighborhood culture.
Norris Howard III, a lifelong Detroiter who was born and raised in the city’s Brightmoor neighborhood, is among the inaugural group. He is a co-host of the popular Daily Detroit podcast where he actively amplifies Detroit’s stories while helping to shape the city’s future and works with Distill Social highlighting Michigan’s politics. Howard’s advocacy is rooted in lived experience and community dedication.
“I’m truly honored that my fellow Detroiters nominated me for this special position, and I hope to share the stories of not just Brightmoor but the city as a whole,” said Howard. “I was blessed enough to be born and raised in beautiful and bountiful Detroit and I intend to wear the MoveDetroit Neighborhood Ambassador badge with pride everywhere I go.”
“Our city’s greatest asset will always be Detroiters — the true spirit of the city lives within the people who call Detroit home,” said Hilary Doe, President and CEO of MoveDetroit. “This incredible group of ambassadors embodies the passion, resilience, creativity, and pride that shapes our community. Whether they are lifelong residents or newcomers who moved here to build a brighter future, each one is deeply committed to uplifting their neighborhood and helping others experience the very best our city has to offer.”
Inaugural Neighborhood Ambassadors also include:
- Alicia Martinez, founding member of the Bagley Neighborhood Association
- Asia Williams, a born-and-raised Detroiter, architectural designer, community developer, and founder of SHE DZNS
- Bre Williamson, president of the North Corktown Neighborhood Association
- Rohani Foulkes, Australian-born Owner and Founder of Folk. Founded in 2018, Folk is a James Beard Award–nominated cafe and wine shop in Corktown.
- Darnell Adams, vice president of Detroit Community Initiatives at the Gilbert Family Foundation
- Elizabeth Hunter, community leader and strategic advocate for youth advancement, housing, and workforce mobility
- Jacqueline “Jackie” Perkins, a grassroots community leader, organizer and neighborhood advocate on Detroit’s east side. She serves as a community project planner in Great Communities Now, an organization she helped launch in 2014.
- Karen Walker, a lifelong Detroiter, Spirit of Detroit recipient, Ford retiree, outreach volunteer with St. Patrick Senior Center and volunteer with Make Food Not Waste
- Lisa Kim, a Los Angeles native who relocated to Detroit, arts and culture champion, and co-founder of Detroit Asian Collective
- Makese Taylor, a community caregiver and advocate for Detroit families
- Mariah Mitchell, a visual artist and independent art curator
- Reo Ramsey, an avid cyclist, entrepreneur, and community leader
- Risonna Perkins, a community literacy advocate, children’s author, and founder of the Detroit-based educational brand Meet the Buzzbees, and Ready To Read Rimel
- Sparkle Berry, director of the Stoudamire Wellness Hub, part of the Eastside Community Network, and community coordinator for District 4 alongside Detroit Champions for Hope
- Tam Wilson, director of marketing at Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design (PLC Detroit), Michigan’s only HBCU and the only design-focused HBCU in the nation
The MoveDetroit Ambassador program is not Detroit’s first foray into storytelling. Michigan Chronicle Editor-at-Large, Aaron Foley was the city’s first Chief Storyteller appointed in 2017. He was succeeded by Eric Thomas in 2020. Similar to this program, the role was to highlight the vibrant people, neighborhoods, and small businesses of the city, countering often-narrow mainstream narratives.
You can reach Biba at Biba.Adams@MIChronicle.com
