Detroit Studies Symposium 2026

It’s easy to talk about the challenges the city of Detroit faces. It’s much more difficult to create a pathway for tackling those issues. But that’s exactly what the University of Michigan Detroit Center intends to do.

Since December, the community outreach center and outpost of the Ann Arbor-based university has been hosting a series of community meetings focused on grassroots efforts within the city dedicated to making improvements for all – and finding solutions to support them.

The series, called “Workshop of Democracy: 21st Century Solutions from the Motor City,” will feature panel discussions on five topics throughout the winter and spring. BridgeDetroit will be the media partner, offering moderators for panels and covering the lessons learned.