What does it really take to build thriving, equitable communities? In this episode, we dive into the world of community economic development (CED)—what it is, how it’s evolved in the U.S., and whether market-based and other policies are actually making a difference. From federal policy to grassroots activities, we unpack how CED shapes real lives and neighborhoods. Joining us is Professor Priya Baskaran, Associate Professor of Law at American University’s Washington College of Law and director of the Entrepreneurship Law Clinic. With deep experience providing free legal support to small businesses and entrepreneurs, Professor Baskaran brings a unique, hands-on perspective to what CED looks like in practice—and why it matters now more than ever. Whether you're curious about policy, passionate about social change, or working to make a difference in your own community, this conversation is one you won’t want to miss. Professor Priya Baskaran’s American University WCL Faculty page - https://www.american.edu/wcl/faculty/baskaran.cfm American University WCL Entrepreneurship Law Clinic - https://www.american.edu/wcl/academics/experientialedu/clinical/theclinics/elc/ Professor Dana Thompson’s University of Michigan Law School Faculty page - https://michigan.law.umich.edu/faculty-and-scholarship/our-faculty/dana-thompson University of Michigan Law School Community Enterprise Clinic - https://michigan.law.umich.edu/academics/experiential-learning/clinics/community-enterprise-clinic-0

In this episode of The Common Wealth, we dive into the complex and far-reaching impact of the Gordie Howe International Bridge project on Southwest Detroit. From promises of revitalization to concerns about displacement, our conversation explores both the benefits and the burdens this massive infrastructure project has brought to the community. We’re joined by three deeply knowledgeable and passionate guests: Theresa Landrum, longtime Delray resident and environmental activist, Laura Chavez-Wazeerud-Din, Former President and CEO of the Southwest Detroit Business Association, and Simone Sagovac, Project Director of the Southwest Detroit Community Benefits Coalition. Together, they unpack the meaning of “community benefits,” the Community Benefits Agreement tied to the bridge, and how area residents and small businesses—especially in the Delray neighborhood in Southwest Detroit—are navigating the economic fallout and opportunities that have come with this development. Tune in for a candid conversation about equity, resilience, and the real cost of progress.

In this episode of The Common Wealth, a podcast about community development and economic justice in Detroit and other urban communities, University of Michigan Law Professor Dana Thompson is in conversation with community leader and activist Malik Yakini. Malik Yakini is an urban farmer, guitarist, Black food sovereignty activist, institution builder, and a founder and former Executive Director of the Detroit Black Community Food Sovereignty Network (DBCFSN) organization. The two discuss the meaning of Black food sovereignty, food security, food apartheid, food deserts, and cooperative economics. Professor Thompson, who is the founding director of the Zell Entrepreneurship Clinic as well as the director of the Community Enterprise Clinic also discusses with Mr. Yakini, the Detroit Food Commons project and the Detroit People’s Food Coop. The Detroit Food Commons project is a $23 Million, 2 story, 31,000 square feet community development project spearheaded and co-developed by DBCFSN. The project’s anchor tenant is the Detroit People’s Food Coop which is a Black-led, community-owned grocery store cooperative. It also includes a banquet-hall rental space, commercial kitchens for rent to food entrepreneurs, and DBCFSN’s office space. The project brings the Detroit People’s Food Coop grocery store to a neighborhood in Detroit that didn’t have a grocery store in its boundaries. The University of Michigan Law School’s Community Enterprise Clinic provided the primary legal services to the project.

In the inaugural episode of the anticipated podcast on the nexus between higher education and community economic development, called The Common Wealth, University of Michigan Law Professor Dana Thompson invites University of Michigan Regent Mark Bernstein as her first guest. The two discuss Bernstein's legal and professional career and the University of Michigan's impact on the City of Detroit as well as it's continued engagement with the state's largest city. Professor Thompson, who is the founding director of the Zell Entrepreneurship Clinic as well as the director of the Community Enterprise Clinic also discusses with Regent Bernstein the University of Michigan's Center for Innovation in Detroit, which is being billed as a world-class research, education, and entrepreneurship center designed to stimulate economic development in Michigan's urban core.