This is a guest post by Kyle Stuef, a new media consultant for The Whole Brain Group in Ann Arbor, MI
One of the things I love most about working in social media and Web development is the sense of community within the profession. People are quick to share war stories, tips and tricks. If I have a project that is especially frustrating, I can take solace in the fact that someone else has been there and they are more than willing to let me vent over coffee. This is also one of the most appealing qualities of working in this industry in southeast Michigan.
On our trip down to Austin for SXSW, this seemed to be the trait of the “New Detroit” that was being trumpeted the loudest. Anyone who cared to listen got an earful about what it’s like to live and work in our area. We all care about the well being of our state. We all care about the well being of our friends and neighbors. We’re all in this together.
On the surface this is all true, but as someone who is constantly bridging the gap between Ann Arbor and metro Detroit, I can tell you firsthand, the divide between these two tech hubs is very real. It’s the dirty little secret of our community.
The Great Divide
When I started working in social media and becoming involved in the new tech community, we were scattered all over the place. New channels were taking hold, and companies were just starting to see a value in building a strong online presence. Not surprisingly, people were starting to get “real jobs” doing just that. I saw the people I was getting to know start to condense and consolidate. Perhaps it was more noticeable to me, because it seemed as if everyone was leaving the Ann Arbor area to move east to Royal Oak, Troy, Southfield and Ferndale. The community was growing larger, but it was growing more segregated.
Have you ever tried to get someone from Detroit to come to an LA2M meeting in Ann Arbor?
Have you ever tried to get someone from Ann Arbor to come to Tweetea in Royal Oak?
If you answered yes to either one of these, you know that a divide has appeared somewhere near Metro Airport.
The Great Distance
43.6 miles.
If I wanted to drive from Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor to Comerica Park in Detroit, it would only take me 43.6 miles.
Normally a drive that takes just 45 minutes, I have made this trek countless times. My parents still live in Hazel Park, the town where I grew up, so between college trips to do laundry and now opportunities for them to spend time with my daughter, my odometer can vouch that not only is this an easy drive, but it’s one I can do in my sleep.
Why then, can I not make it to a networking event in Southfield? I know there are people there who I need to get to know. I know there are talented people there who I would like to work with. I tell myself that it is too far and ask them to let me know when they’re out this way.
Is this the way I should be working if I want to help bring together a divided region? If I truly want to help be part of the recovery and rebirth of our state, should I let a little rush hour traffic get in my way?
The Great Opportunity
Our area is talented. Our community is knowledgeable. Instilled in each person is a drive and internal work ethic that is born and bred in the Midwest. We are from Michigan, and we roll up our sleeves to get things done.
Living in Ypsilanti and working in Ann Arbor, I get to see firsthand the type of talent we are producing. The amount of young, bright and motivated people who come in and live in these two towns is impressive. They are driven, ready to take on the world and have not yet had the opportunity to become jaded. The most amazing part about it is that this young talent pool is a resource that is constantly replenishing itself. Every fall, like clockwork, a new batch of students eager to learn and ready for anything show up with their bags packed and their eyes open. This happens every fall in Detroit, as well. Wayne State, Oakland University and countless other schools in our area welcome new talent into our state and into our area each and every year.
What goes wrong? We miss the mark. When students graduate, they don’t seem to think that Michigan has anything to offer them. They look around, don’t feel much of a connection and leave for what appears to be greener pastures.
It’s time to strengthen the Michigan community. No longer can we settle for being comfortable. There is opportunity, there is need and there is real talent that should be working together a lot more than we are. We have the opportunity to build a bond that stretches and brings communities separated by distance together. It can and should be something to be envied. We can draw in the talent, and we can build the network to support and grow them once they get here.
Take the extra 20 minutes to go to an event you’ve been invited to numerous times. Suck it up and have lunch with the person you’ve told yourself “lives so far away.” Meet halfway. Make sacrifices. To make a difference, you have to push out of your comfort zone from time to time.
What are you doing to help build our community? Not the Detroit community or the Ann Arbor community – the Michigan community.
I’m starting in May. Along with Tiffany Risner, I will be launching Tweetea Ann Arbor. With the help of the other Tweetea locations, I’ll be doing my part to make a connection between the people I’ve come to love and the resources I know should be working together.
What have you done or are currently doing to bridge the gap between communities in your region?
Kyle Stuef is a new media consultant for The Whole Brain Group, an Ann Arbor based WordPress Web design and social media consulting firm. A member of Team Motown for this year’s Chevy SXSW Roadtrip Challenge, Kyle is also one of the leaders of Tweetea Ann Arbor, beginning this May. You can follow him on Twitter at @KyleStuef.
This post also appears on The Whole Brain Group’s site.
