There’s a chill in the air, but so much warmth in our hearts as we present the newest edition of the Eastside Solutionaries Collective newsletter! With this fourth edition, the ESC newsletter has officially made it one rotation around the sun. Collectively, we have been meeting for 2 years now! Welcome to new readers and welcome back to those who have followed along throughout these past seasons. 

These past months have brought significant change as the U.S. Supreme Court made monumental decisions on reproductive rights, eviction proceedings, and climate change. In Detroit, the local government continues to advocate for spending millions on citizen surveillance and billionaire developers, thus taking away from public health and community benefits. Tenants are fighting against landlords for human rights as they persist in predatory behavior. We are forced to look within and among ourselves as we question what accountability looks like while continuing to build movements and grow our interpersonal relationships. 

In times of massive change, we turn to our communities for solace and healing. We turn to our communities to create the change we want to see. How are you finding nourishment in community? And in turn, how are you nourishing this community?

We are also ecstatic to invite you into our Eastside Solutionaries community. We are always accepting guest contributors for the newsletter or our digital blog -- just email us! We are also looking for more folks to get involved and help shape this vision with us -- tap in for that too if that sounds of interest.

This issue tells stories about communities coming together to nurture change and build hope for a brighter future. We encourage you to read deeply, find inspiration, and consider how to learn from these stories to bring change to your own neighborhood.  

“Since the world is round, 

There is no way to walk away 

From each other, for even then 

We are coming back together.”

― Amanda Gorman

Enjoy the newsletter :) Peace + Love,

Rukiya & Maya

In this issue:

• Community Highlights:
• Coffee & Stories
• Solutionaries in the Suburbs
• Featured story: The Stoudamire at Eastside Community Network
• Fall Vegetable Soup Recipe
• The Power of Communication & Connection
• People and Places to Know: Coach Kellogg and Freedom Dreams
• Critically connect with us!

Photo courtesy: Coalition for Property Tax Justice

It’s no news by now that Detroit has been facing a housing crisis where renters and homeowners are affected. Between 2011 and 2015, Detroit homeowners were overtaxed over $600 million with still no compensation for this irresponsibility. Continued property overassessment and overtaxation forces them to face homelessness or endure the struggles of the over demanding, yet underserving rental market. 

Jayla Dill, digital organizer and community advocate for the Coalition for Property Tax Justice tells us, “The mayor and the Deputy CFO/Assessor, Alvin Horhn have admitted to property over-assessment and over taxation, but they have refused to allocate the funds in order to compensate homeowners.”

So what are we supposed to do?

Dill and others within the Coalition have refused the stagnation and sense of powerlessness that the city administration encourages as they have been fighting against tax assessment injustice, and supporting those who have been affected. Their goal is to end over assessment and overtaxation of properties in Detroit but also the nation, while they also fight for compensation owed to Detroiters.

In the meantime, how has this coalition been holding community while they process the grief of losing their home? 

Coffee & Stories have been taking place at the local hybrid coffee shop, laundromat, and community meeting space, The Commons.

The event takes place with everyone in a unified circle, allowing them to share their stories and frustrations about the loss of their dignity, hope, and homes while sharing in a vulnerable way that feels comfortable to them. During the event, homeowner services are provided by Wayne Metro to assist with delinquent taxes, utilities, or other items.

“They come in and they're behind on their property taxes and their utilities –they don't know how they're going to stay in their home,” Dill said. “But they can walk into Coffee & Stories and walk out with a new restored hope emotionally, practically, and physically. They can walk out knowing that they are restored in some way.”

Coffee & Stories takes place every 1st Saturday of the month at The Commons, 7900 Mack Ave Detroit, MI 48214

As capacity allows, they also provide assistance to those who may be unable to make the event through telephone calls and virtual events.

Whether you want to join their fight against over assessments or you’re in need of a space to grieve and process frustrations regarding your housing situation. Or just wanting to learn more, you can check them out using their information below. 

illegalforeclosures.org/ 

Twitter: IllForeclosures 

Facebook: IllegalForeclosures

(313) 438-8698

[email protected]

Solutionaries in the Suburbs

Suburban Connections for Collective Liberation Community Dialogue

On a sunny September day, residents of the Detroit suburbs gathered in Ferndale to engage in a community dialogue about their neighborhoods, their shared values, and a vision for the future. The conversation was hosted by the Suburban Connections for Collective Liberation (SC4CL), a group working towards shifts in suburban wealth, culture, power, and policy. SC4CL formed in the wake of George Floyd’s murder and has since been dedicated towards reimagining a suburban community in which all human beings are treated with dignity.

Now over two years since their establishment, SC4CL wanted to open conversation with suburban residents as a means to craft a vision for something new in the suburbs. The dialogue in Ferndale offered time for residents to get to know each other and then shifted to open discussion about issues people see in their neighborhoods. The conversation welcomed a variety of voices, from long-time suburbanites, to city newcomers, all united around shared values of Revolution and Equity.

As an outsider, I was intrigued by a piece of the conversation that developed around the concept of comfort and convenience. The suburbs are associated with comfort, and many noticed that because of this, many of their neighbors seem unwilling to be uncomfortable or inconvenienced. This culture of comfort and ease prevents many suburbanites from engaging in anti-racist work, or any other revolutionary conversations. The attendees pondered: How can we, alongside our neighbors, embrace discomfort and bring these important conversations into new spaces? This is an important question to ask, not just for those who dwell in the suburbs, but for all who seek change in their communities.

Learn more about & connect with Suburban Connections for Collective Liberation!

linktr.ee/suburban.connections.mi 

[email protected]

HomeEc Gardens is celebrating year 2 of their garden's emergence which is located on Detroit's west side. The garden hosts volunteer hours on most Sundays between 4 and 8 pm. They are also in the process of building a rain garden and are hosting work days for this project on October 15 and 16.

EGLE is holding an information session and public hearing Wednesday, Oct. 19 at 6 p.m. on a proposed enforcement action at the Stellantis Mack Assembly Plant. The facility is undergoing escalated enforcement with a proposed consent order which contains a compliance plan, monetary penalty, penalties for future similar violations and two supplemental environmental projects.

The informational session will provide details on what the proposed content order contains and what the company would have to do. The informational session will be followed by a hearing to take official comments on the record.

Volunteer at Sanctuary Farms! Sanctuary Farms uses organic, no-till methods of agriculture to work harmoniously with nature. The farm's produce is harvested with care and attention to detail. They are growing a variety of hearty greens, root vegetables, corn, and squash. You can find their produce at several farmers markets in Metro-Detroit including; Eastern Market (Keep Growing Detroit’s Grown in Detroit), Jefferson Chalmers, Birmingham, and St. Clair Shores.

Feedom Freedom Growers, in partnership with Alkebulan Village will be hosting their community safety bike ride to educate youth and others about community safety rather than police surveillance. There will be a community bike ride starting at Sister Pie and ending at the Feedom Freedom Kulture HUB for critical conversations around safety and surveillance. 

Sunday, Oct. 23 from 11am - 3pm; give a call to 313-632-0991 for more information!

We The People Detroit vs DWSD’s Lifeline Plan 

Advocates at We The People Detroit have been, and continue to fight for water justice and rights within Detroit. Recently, DWSD released the Lifeline Affordability Plan as the solution to water shutoffs. It presents low, fixed-rate payment options based upon income, but We The People Detroit says its not sufficient or This plan was constructed with little to no community input. Learn how you can do something about that using the information and talking points created by We The People Detroit.

The Public’s Case Against DTE Energy:

Extracting profits, inducing health harms, & damaging democracy

This published report comes from We The People MI, along with partners Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition (MEJC), and the Public Accountability Initiative/Little Sis and exposes DTE for their negligence imposed upon its residential customersresidents. You’ll also find detail of how the authors propose building people-powered utilities.

Riverwise - Spring/Summer issue

The latest issue of Riverwise, themed with abolition in mind, features stories, poems, and other artwork centered around fostering community through the removal of borders – however borders may appear in our lives. Managing editor, Megan Douglass provides an editorial note for us all to consider, as we include an excerpt here: 

“It is not only time to decolonize the actual physical spaces of this earth, it is time to decolonize our minds. And that is going to require that we let go of the false and detrimental notion of “the American Dream.’”

Some call it liberated zones – others: Peace zones, freedom zones, beloving community, and healing – we call it home

Written by: Rukiya Colvin & Richard Feldman

As the Seasons Change

Blog post by Maya Levy

Maya is the community organizing fellow for Eastside Solutionaries for the next few months. Maya is also a third-year undergraduate at the University of Michigan. They’re interested in studying the connections that exist between spirituality & religion, and community-led movements for social change. Check out this reading for their reflections on time spent in Detroit this summer and as they work with the Solutionaries.

This newsletter is to inform and educate our community and we welcome you to join us in doing so! Do you have a story you’d like to pitch about a solution-driven initiative happening in your area? Would you like a platform to visualize what you believe could be possible in a world rooted in solidarity & sustainability? 

We’re also looking for more folks to collaborate with on community outreach and welcome anyone willing and able to lend some time. 

Email us at [email protected], give a call/text at (313) 438-8704, or hit the links below and let's figure out how to connect!