Friday, July 5, 2013

Sticking Around in Flint

It's heartening to read that there's one UM student willing to leave Ann Arbor and come to Flint after graduation. Harsha Nahata describes her decision in The Michigan Daily:
The experience I have been able to get has been unmatched anywhere else. Within the first week, I was able to meet with the mayor, Flint’s emergency manager, the Chamber of Commerce and top leaders from four major universities. Throughout my time in Flint, I have constantly been reminded how much my time, skills and work are being valued. And it’s a great feeling to know that the work you are doing is not only effective, but also much appreciated.
 
Not only that, but I’ve been able to witness all aspects of city management. Being interested in economic development, this experience has been a blessing for me. I have seen statistics on every factor ranging from local city services to education to public safety to city finances. I have also been able to sit in meetings, listening to the top minds in the city come together and brainstorm ways to turn things around. And beyond that I have made amazing connections with some incredibly inspiring and determined individuals.


3 comments:

  1. Slight correction: it appears Harsha is a student at UM-Ann Arbor.

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    1. Right you are. Sorry about that. I just corrected the error. Is it just me, or does the fact she's in Ann Arbor and wants to come to Flint make this even more encouraging?

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  2. The thing about Ann Arbor that bothers me most is their anti-Automobile and anti-US Automobile attitude. The funny thing is, when they built the new U of M Hospital and Tertiary Specialist facilities, they were FORCED to make that part of Ann Arbor MORE Automobile Friendly, because you can't have "rapid transport" bring one patient one hundred miles to see one specialist.at 11:00 AM on a Thursday. The most they can hope for is that they drive a Prius and don't get it run over by a truck on I-94 or US 23. The roads in and around Flint are so much better, except the one way streets in Downtown Flint.

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Thanks for commenting. I moderate comments, so it may take a while for your comment to appear. You might enjoy my book about Flint called "Teardown: Memoir of a Vanishing City," a Michigan Notable Book for 2014 and a finalist for the 33rd Annual Northern California Book Award for Creative NonFiction. Filmmaker Michael Moore described Teardown as "a brilliant chronicle of the Mad Maxization of a once-great American city." More information about Teardown is available at www.teardownbook.com.