Greetings Detroit: We're back, excited and ready to rock year six at Model D

Let's be brief and just say it: the year ahead tantalizes us already with possibilities and opportunities to move our simple agenda -- finding out what's next for a place where human energy has produced results over the past, oh, 300 years, give or take.

That's right: what's next is our over-arching theme going forward. We will follow a variety of threads launched more recently (only occasional visits to centuries past, we promise) like creative life in Detroit's art, design and music communities; developing social entrepreneurial life; projects that engage community and improve neighborhoods: pioneering efforts in the urban farming and food scenes; transportation, including mass transit initiatives and developments; walking, cycling and non-motorized trails; media, promotions and public relations; all transformational projects, big and small, global and local. You in? We are.

We've got some great speaker series events lined up, including this month's collaboration with the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business. Read all about it and register here.

We've got a few surprises for you along the way, including new perspectives via some fresh voices we'll be introducing in the weeks to come. What we've learned, in going on six years of doing this, is there is no shortage of either in Detroit.

The new year is out there, and we're ready for it. Let's stick together, innovators and trailblazers, and ride it out for the long haul. The best news is: who says it doesn't have to be fun? It will be. You know that's right.

Keep the community vibe going by joining the party on Twitter and Facebook. Let's all hang out once a week, if not more often.

Photo of Detroit house music producer/DJ Minx by © Marvin Shaouni Photography


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Read more articles by Walter Wasacz.

Walter Wasacz is a writer and the former managing editor of Model D. You can find more of his writings here.