These are indeed difficult times. Grants and loans are being made available through a number of sources, but for many, the process of obtaining the funding is complicated and difficult to navigate. Fortunately, there’s a fund that just launched and it’s designed specifically for those businesses that reside in largely underserved neighborhoods. The TechTown Stabilization …
By: SMSBF Communications Team Voting is important. Whether you vote with your dollars by purchasing your everyday staples from a local, sustainable business, or whether you cast your ballot for a candidate that has demonstrated their commitment to justice, voting is one of the easiest, and historically important, ways to make your voice heard. In …
By: Mike Shesterkin, SMSBF Exec. Director We may be historical creatures, but oddly enough, we tend to overlook and forget what it took to get where we are. All too often, this tendency to forget has led to disastrous consequences, not the least of which is taking things for granted. As a hedge against this …
The Struggle for Justice: Detroit’s Black Labor Movement Read More »
It may feel as though life just four weeks ago is more like a childhood memory, than the recent past. To suggest this moment in history is unprecedented is not an exaggeration. To put things in context, the $3 trillion the Federal government allocated over the last several days is 18 times greater than what …
Tell Congress to Save Small Business to Save Our Economy! Dear Friend of American Business, As our elected officials in D.C. work to address the economic crisis stemming from the pandemic, we want them to focus on providing unprecedented levels of support to the business sector. Small and mid-size businesses are the most vulnerable and will …
Op-Ed By: Mike Shesterkin, SMSBF Exec. Director There are all sorts of terms to describe what’s going-on right now: unprecedented, uncharted territory, surreal are just a few. Dr. McGeorge of WDIV got it right when he said, “This isn’t about you: It’s about our community.” In a system governed by hyper-individualism and a “have it your …
“This isn’t about you: It’s about our community.” Read More »
By: SMSBF writer, Monica Plawecki In recent articles, we’ve explored the importance of a just wage, focusing specifically on how a living wage allows workers to fully participate in and deepen connections within their community. We also looked at a handful of small businesses in Detroit that have embraced Triple Bottom Line (3BL) business practices …
With the beginning of the New Year, many of us resolve to make changes for the better. We evaluate our past, consider what we ought to change, and then resolve to undertake new and positive behaviors. In an age of ever increasing distractions, seeking to increase one’s capacity for “mindfulness” – the self-regulation of attention …
As a beacon of education in Detroit, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History approaches sustainability in a participatory, not prescriptive, way. We recently had the opportunity to speak with Leslie Tom, Chief Sustainability Officer, and Edward Foxworth, Director of External Affairs at The Wright, about the path to create a greener museum …
Is a Museum the Best Place to Talk About Sustainability? The Wright Museum Believes So Read More »
New Year’s Eve is just two weeks away! Time seems to fly now, more than ever before. This may not be such a good thing, but at least there’s an explanation for it. Many of us consider being busy a status symbol, and just as many of us are simply addicted to busyness. While this …
