313Dlove- An event to transform Detroit for good and forever
On March 13, 2012 the hashtag #313Dlove trended worldwide at 3:21 EST. The idea on that day was simple: Get a bunch of people to share stories focused on what they love about the D. Opening the world’s eyes to what’s great about the Motor City was the easy part. Now the fun begins.
The 313Dlove campaign is more than just talking about what we love, it’s about proving that love and making a difference that we can all be proud of. The overarching vision is this: Change the energy in our city by empowering its people while removing the blight that exists within the city’s limits.
WE have the ability to wipe out two of the biggest challenges our city faces with one big movement.
Challenge one is we have many people on unemployment (or not and are “hustling” to make a living) who are capable of doing much more than collecting a check. The fact is that people who are working toward a common good and earning a wage doing so feel better about themselves and their community. It is a disservice to these individuals to not let them improve their esteem by earning their way. Additionally, the renewed sense of self comes with economic advantages the least of which is an increase in the city’s tax base.
Challenge two is we have WAY TOO MANY dilapidated houses and buildings. Not only are they an eyesore, they breed negativity. It’s bad for the housing market. It’s bad for the safety of residents. And it’s bad for the children who have to see this in their neighborhood as they walk past on their way to school. How can you focus on getting a quality education when you’re fearful to walk down your own block?
The 313Dlove campaign is about providing an opportunity for individuals to get back to work while feeling good about making a difference in our community.
Our goal is to work with the City of Detroit, the State of Michigan, the local foundations and area business leaders to create a plan to hire several “demolition crews” who can work together to remove the blight. Funds will need to be raised to cover the costs of demolition and payroll for the employees. We will also work with suburban groups, associations, churches and businesses to bring “volunteer” demolition crews to work together to remove the blight. Plans will also include ways to “rebuild” what is needed on empty lots.
We are currently enrolling leaders to help make this effort a reality. Our plan is to work closely with John George of Motor City Blightbusters as he and his teams are experts in removing blight. They can teach teams how to do this work safely and efficiently. We are also looking to partner with the Detroit area faith based community as we believe they will be best suited to share the message that enrolls Detroit citizens into action. Several other church groups and service organizations have committed to take part in this action.
A website that includes a calendar of the day’s demolitions is being developed. Groups and individuals can see what kind of work is going on and where it will happen and can RSVP to attend. We will also include other worthy projects that can be showcased and voted on to see which “areas of demand” should receive funding.
This is a monumental task and will require several volunteers and employees. The tagline for this project is “All day. Every day” because that’s the amount of effort that this will take to pull off.
A strong and united Detroit is something we all benefit from and need to support together.
Says be sure to check out uNetworked for future updates on when the campaign will officially launch.
