Creating Space: LGBTQ+ Community Development in Detroit

CM credit hours for mobile workshops are awarded based on the planned dedicated instructional time. Adjustments to CM hours will not be made after the live event.

Get ideas for sustainable LGBTQ+ community development from Detroiters working in intersectional organizations. Case studies demonstrate how persistence and community-focused strategies create lasting change.

Learn how Building Community Value's real estate program cultivates emerging community developers, and understand the LGBT Chamber's approach to conceiving a LGBTQ+ business district. Bulk Space supports marginalized artists, provides essential community space, and promotes belonging and the arts.

The Ruth Ellis Center's facility offers youth housing and comprehensive programming, illustrating how physical space and supportive services create holistic solutions. Meanwhile, the Raymond E. Shepherd House - Michigan's first LGBTQ+ development for older adults - showcases affordable housing and services for our elders.

Leave with strategies for building partnerships, mobilizing resources, and tackling complex challenges. Understand how Detroit successfully centers community needs, addresses intersecting identities, and maintains long-term vision despite systemic barriers. Inspirational case studies reveal how persistence, authentic partnership, and community-driven solutions underlie effective, inclusive, and enduring change.

Frameworks from Detroit's LGBTQ+ community development include: intersectional organizing, community ownership, and coalition-building strategies that counter discrimination and foster inclusion. Gain tools to center marginalized voices, mobilize resources, and create participatory planning processes that drive lasting, equitable outcomes across diverse communities.