Civic Therapy: WTF Community Engagement with Yodit Mesfin Johnson

Ann Arbor AF

Today we talk to Yodit Mesfin Johnson about the problematic promises of community “engagement,” and what it could look like to pivot more towards community-driven planning. Yodit is presently co-leading (with Jess and developer partners Avalon Housing and the Ann Arbor Housing Commission) a community-driven planning effort for the mixed-use affordable housing project at Fourth and Catherine, a historically Black business and residential area in downtown Ann Arbor.
Some programs we mentioned:

• The affordable housing development at 121 E. Catherine, including the first and second public sessions
• NEW’s Champions for Change program

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