Metro Times: Detroiters Explain Their Reasons for Leaving

**royce** · April-11-23, 03:38 AM

I read the entire article. It's the same old stuff that's been reported for years, families leaving for safety reasons or older folks leaving because they can't take the cold winters here in Michigan/Midwest. I get that. For the others interviewed in the article, some of the reasons for leaving have a lot to do with their level of education and the careers they chose.

One of the expatriates worked in big pharma, left to start their own health food store but said the rent increased, causing her to close shop. She couldn't find another area in Detroit to run her shop? Then she says she goes to Atlanta and finds another job in big pharma. Couldn't she just have gone back to big pharma here?

Another expatriate talks about not being able to find the funding for some unproven AI powered software to make home buying easier. He goes to Baltimore and he finds investors. However, the article says he found the money he needed and tested his software in Macomb and Oakland counties and the company is going to launch the software here in Michigan. Then what's the problem?

A third expatriate said they couldn't find work after getting a secondary degree in education. There are many school districts here in Michigan to find a job. Then she leaves here but finds jobs in everything else but education. Did she have a desirable teaching degree, such as one in science, math, or special education?

Finally, one expatriate is an actor. He says that the loss of the Michigan Film Incentive made it hard for him to find work here. Well, Detroit had nothing to do with that. Besides, if you want to be an actor with consistent work, then you go to LA or NYC. Everybody knows that, right?

A lot of Detroiters who get college degrees often get degrees in subjects that aren't in high demand. An arts degree, a degree in social work, or a degree in social justice is not going to pave your way to big salaries. Again, because of educational choices, the people interviewed couldn't find work here in Detroit. I don't think Detroit had anything to do with this, at least not this time.

BTW, how do you measure middle income neighborhoods? The article says that Detroit had 22 middle class neighborhoods but now only has 11. I would like to see those numbers.

**313WX** · April-11-23, 09:10 AM

Originally Posted by royce

I read the entire article. It's the same old stuff that's been reported for years, families leaving for safety reasons or older folks leaving because they can't take the cold winters here in Michigan/Midwest. I get that. For the others interviewed in the article, some of the reasons for leaving have a lot to do with their level of education and the careers they chose.

One of the expatriates worked in big pharma, left to start their own health food store but said the rent increased, causing her to close shop. She couldn't find another area in Detroit to run her shop? Then she says she goes to Atlanta and finds another job in big pharma. Couldn't she just have gone back to big pharma here?

Another expatriate talks about not being able to find the funding for some unproven AI powered software to make home buying easier. He goes to Baltimore and he finds investors. However, the article says he found the money he needed and tested his software in Macomb and Oakland counties and the company is going to launch the software here in Michigan. Then what's the problem?

A third expatriate said they couldn't find work after getting a secondary degree in education. There are many school districts here in Michigan to find a job. Then she leaves here but finds jobs in everything else but education. Did she have a desirable teaching degree, such as one in science, math, or special education?

Finally, one expatriate is an actor. He says that the loss of the Michigan Film Incentive made it hard for him to find work here. Well, Detroit had nothing to do with that. Besides, if you want to be an actor with consistent work, then you go to LA or NYC. Everybody knows that, right?

A lot of Detroiters who get college degrees often get degrees in subjects that aren't in high demand. An arts degree, a degree in social work, or a degree in social justice is not going to pave your way to big salaries. Again, because of educational choices, the people interviewed couldn't find work here in Detroit. I don't think Detroit had anything to do with this, at least not this time.

BTW, how do you measure middle income neighborhoods? The article says that Detroit had 22 middle class neighborhoods but now only has 11. I would like to see those numbers.

I would venture to say if most of these ex-pats had no problem securing funding for their ventures or establishing their careers in other states once they left, common denominator would imply the problem doesn't lie with them but the state they grew up in.

And that problem is a complete dearth of opportunities for young/ambitious people who are starting out and just want to catch a break. Said state has failed them in this regard.

**royce** · April-11-23, 12:13 PM

Originally Posted by 313WX

I would venture to say if most of these ex-pats had no problem securing funding for their ventures or establishing their careers in other states once they left, common denominator would imply the problem doesn't lie with them but the state they grew up in.

And that problem is a complete dearth of opportunities for young/ambitious people who are starting out and just want to catch a break. Said state has failed them in this regard.

Well, 313WX, the article specifically talks about Detroiters leaving due to the lack of opportunities in the city itself. And yes, there are state and regional issues that contribute to young folks leaving the state. Again, the article didn't focus on that specifically.

Specifically, it is tough for young black entrepreneurs to get seed money to start a business here in Detroit. There simply aren't organizations in Detroit, specifically black organizations, that can help these individuals. The city has a program that is awarding a number of Detroit based small businesses seed money, but it can't say it's designated for black Detroiters. It's not enough, but it's a start.

**Richard** · April-12-23, 08:16 AM

Originally Posted by royce

Well, 313WX, the article specifically talks about Detroiters leaving due to the lack of opportunities in the city itself. And yes, there are state and regional issues that contribute to young folks leaving the state. Again, the article didn't focus on that specifically.

Specifically, it is tough for young black entrepreneurs to get seed money to start a business here in Detroit. There simply aren't organizations in Detroit, specifically black organizations, that can help these individuals. The city has a program that is awarding a number of Detroit based small businesses seed money, but it can't say it's designated for black Detroiters. It's not enough, but it's a start.

In a city that is 78% African American where are the African American groups supporting other African American groups with seed money?

Where I am at I know lots of African Americans with a lot of money,in the millions,but the last thing they do is help other African Americans as a community.

But will be the first to say,African Americans need to come together as a community and support each other,but as a rule the more wealth they acquire the further they distance themselves from the rest of the African American community.

I remember years ago the city of Orlando provided seed money for African Americans,exclusively,but as a majority they started small businesses that they could have started without help.

After allocating 10 million in funding,1 year later none of the businesses started were still in business.

It also depends on what one is looking for in seed money and what the intentions are for it use.

When it comes to tech,very few cities across the country are know for easily acquired tech seed money,there are probably about 3 at best and that’s where people move to.

If one is looking for seed money to start a business,taking somebody that has zero business experience and handing them $100k and saying have at it is setting them up for failure.

So you not only have to have the ability as a city to provide seed money,you have to have the funds to provide the training before even you allocate the funds.

I am not sure where the concept came about that just because somebody is not African American it rains money down on them and there are lines of people with bags of cash just handing them out.

If it was that easy everybody would be doing it.

**313WX** · April-12-23, 09:29 AM

Originally Posted by Richard

In a city that is 78% African American where are the African American groups supporting other African American groups with seed money?

Where I am at I know lots of African Americans with a lot of money,in the millions,but the last thing they do is help other African Americans as a community.

But will be the first to say,African Americans need to come together as a community and support each other,but as a rule the more wealth they acquire the further they distance themselves from the rest of the African American community.

I remember years ago the city of Orlando provided seed money for African Americans,exclusively,but as a majority they started small businesses that they could have started without help.

After allocating 10 million in funding,1 year later none of the businesses started were still in business.

It also depends on what one is looking for in seed money and what the intentions are for it use.

When it comes to tech,very few cities across the country are know for easily acquired tech seed money,there are probably about 3 at best and that’s where people move to.

If one is looking for seed money to start a business,taking somebody that has zero business experience and handing them $100k and saying have at it is setting them up for failure.

So you not only have to have the ability as a city to provide seed money,you have to have the funds to provide the training before even you allocate the funds.

I am not sure where the concept came about that just because somebody is not African American it rains money down on them and there are lines of people with bags of cash just handing them out.

If it was that easy everybody would be doing it.

A couple points:

1. You mentioned earlier that the region is auto-centric, and I think you were onto something.

Automotive is an very cyclical industry. When times are good, they're great and folks are making money hand over fist. However, the downturns are equally as brutal. So yes, for those who do have money in Michigan, this just breed a culture of extreme risk-aversion & penny-pinching for investment/spending compared to other cities/states with more diverse & stable economies.

2. The point isn't about "money raining down because someone is African-American."

More to the point, look at the Chaldean community in Metro Detroit as an example. Mike George, the founder of Melody Farms, could be argued is singularly responsible for helping Chaldeans grow such an massive business empire across the region. He would guarantee every single one of their loans from the SBA with the only caveat that his milk be sold in their stores *AND* he would base his decision only on his judgment of a family's character [[nothing else). So it can be [[and has successfully been) done.

Unfortunately, there isn't a similarly wealthy & powerful figure in the African-American community that has attempted to execute the same thing for the benefit of aspiring African-American business owners.

**Richard** · April-11-23, 09:17 AM

It would stand to reason as the middle income is being wiped out across the country,a decline in the neighborhoods would follow suit.

There is also a thread going back a few months about the middle class African Americans moving to the suburbs,what you are seeing is not Detroit specific,as the younger generation moves back to the city they are filling up the apartments as they get further along in their careers and start families they will shift to houses,most likely because they already established roots with in the city they will prefer to stay there .

A lot of the thought patterns are the same across the country - insert city name here - so although this is a Detroit centric forum is not a Detroit specific issue.

There are specific locals that are seed money friendly and people move there no different then moving to California to become an actor,but for anything else,people with money are always looking for ways to make more if somebody has a solid plan to submit they can find funding in Detroit no different then anywhere else.

Its never been like you walk down to the corner and pick up a bag of cash and not everybody gets funded.

Ann Arbor seemed to be seed capital friendly before but Detroit also has been opening up lots of new avenues,when it comes to tech it is tough if not impossible to go door knocking on your own but there are groups that will take you by the hand and help.

Rivian did it,but not everybody with an idea is going to be a rivian.

Granted the region is slow on diversification as it has been auto centric for 100 + years and leadership is slow to adapt or maybe has pressure not to so losses related to that are par the course.

**313WX** · April-11-23, 12:29 PM

Originally Posted by royce

Well, 313WX, the article specifically talks about Detroiters leaving due to the lack of opportunities in the city itself. And yes, there are state and regional issues that contribute to young folks leaving the state. Again, the article didn't focus on that specifically.

The fact that all [[but one) of the folks interviewed had to leave the state entirely is enough to imply the problems they faced plague Michigan as a whole.This didn't have to be explicitly stated.

**softailrider** · April-23-23, 07:35 PM

I'd say the two biggest reasons for the flight is crime and schools. People want to feel safe taking a walk down the street. As it pertains to the schools, many people may not want to spend 1000 dollars per kid, per year for private schools. They may feel that should come part and parcel with their property taxes.