Global Citizen didn’t choose Detroit for optics. It chose Detroit because this city — forged in labor, culture, and refusal — reflects exactly the kind of ground-up transformation global movements now depend on. The decision to hold its first American summit outside of New York in a majority-Black city with a complicated history and a rising population wasn’t symbolic. It was strategic. Because Detroit doesn’t just talk resilience. It lives it.
“You don’t know my Detroit,” said Jessica Moore as she opened the conference with her renowned poetry. And that wasn’t an introduction. That was a charge. Her words weren’t about branding the city for outside validation. They were about reclaiming the narrative from within. For decades, Detroit has been portrayed as either broken or “bouncing back.” But the truth lives in the middle — in communities that never left, in people who rebuilt block by block, and in new coalitions shaping the future on their own terms.
That’s why Simon Moss, co-founder of Global Citizen, made the pivot clear: “We can get beyond partisan politics a lot of the time when you’re dealing with a group of people in a city who all literally live there. That’s easier a lot of the time to get real progress compared to waiting on elected officials in capitals, who will often talk a good game and who’ll be responsive, but where, in America and many other countries, they’re finding it really hard to actually make big-picture policy decisions.”
The theme was echoed from the start: If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. The “Innovative Infrastructure & Thriving Communities” panel put that belief into practice. Margaret Anadu, senior partner at The Vistria Group, didn’t sugarcoat the stakes: “Safe, affordable, quality place to live is the epicenter of building a city. It’s all about public partnership. There are no shortcuts.”
Brian Donlan, director at Cisco Systems, stressed the need to build with everyone in mind: “We’re empowered to create an inclusive future for all. We’re making sure that no one gets left behind. And that is super critical especially in this era that we’re in right now. We should all grow faster together.”
Kofi Bonner, CEO of Bedrock, laid out how development has to center people, not profits. “We’re very intentional about how we build and attract businesses. We are very intentional with having the mix of market rate and affordable housing. It’s important that we think about the public spaces and we are very intentional to attract a wide variety of all people and be attractive to all, that is what creates a thriving city. Rich tradition and cultural heritage is at the heart of how we build for them. Take a legacy of a district and highlight that such as Paradise Valley.”
Marvin Rees, former mayor of Bristol in the UK, added what grassroots strategy looks like in practice. “No one sleeps on the streets during the coldest months,” he said. “We developed a partnership through church leaders to open doors of all churches for the homeless to sleep.”
The conversation wasn’t limited to rooftops and zoning. Equity meant expanding who is seen as valuable. “People are missing out on incredible opportunities,” said one panelist. “People in underserved communities, they eat too. They want quality food, restaurants, and markets. That’s impact and bottom line investing. When you are excluding underserved communities, Black entrepreneurs, you are missing out on so many opportunities. We have to do a lot of reframing around inclusivity and bringing everyone into the work.”
The “Precision Medicine” panel shifted the conversation toward public health. Dr. Stephen W. Durst, Dean of Pharmacy at Ferris State University, emphasized the psychological and structural harm of unequal access: “It’s undeniable that health is fundamentally the most important part of our life. Health has to be our focus. Access has to be assured for everyone. Health care and education is very similar, access is very vital. Access and opportunity. The occurrence of pharmacy deserts is of great concern to me. We have to ensure that people have the expectation to be well. Because underserved people expect to be ill and we have to change that. That’s where access plays a part.”
Dr. Chang, founder and CEO of BAMF Health, put the city at the center of innovation. “We can make innovative precision technology for all people. It should be affordable and accessible and that can happen right here in Detroit.”
The next panel — “Fielding the Future” — focused on Detroit’s young people and the power of affirmation. Patty Graham, President and CEO of Meridian Health of Michigan, reminded the room what real community care looks like. “It’s not just a difference in a moment. It’s a difference in their life. This city has people with fire in their belly and people that care.”
Iman McFarland, President and CEO of 21st Century Expo Group, spoke from experience about creating emotional safety for youth. “It starts with being vulnerable, that’s what kids really resonate with. Kids sharing their hardships and what we as adults have struggled with. Find the positives and beauty in being unique. With this program we’re trying to empower and give them a framework that they can utilize and to be proud of who they are and that they matter and they’re not alone. We try to meet them where they are. Stay FLY — Fully Love Yourself.”
NFL Hall of Famer Darrell Green put his commitment into generational context. “I came from food stamps. So it’s a blessing to be able to share our stories with these kids. Every little boy and girl just wants to be loved and know that someone cares. We’ll travel 1800 miles to give a kid a hug. That’s the key — if we show up, they’ll show up. We have the influence and celebrity and we’re able to use it to be a benefit to these young people and it’s so special.” He added, “I’m going to continue to do this until I die. It’s my calling. We can all serve and I truly believe that. And I’m gonna do it until God calls me home.”
Simon Moss returned to announce a major move: a worldwide initiative to bring AI literacy to 10 million people, with a sharp focus on underserved women and children — starting in Detroit. “AI for all will be given worldwide, a global movement,” he said. “Especially here in Detroit.”
The cultural pulse was carried by Sheefy McFly’s live painting performance — a visible declaration of Detroit’s creative heartbeat. “If it wasn’t for art or Detroit I wouldn’t be here today,” McFly said. “Art saved my life. It’s a responsibility to retrace Detroit to Detroiters because we get these big companies that come here and look at us through a fish bowl. There’s an importance and power in our own soil.”
Jessica Care Moore, Detroit Poet Laureate, laid out what makes the city singular. “The soul of our city is the people. Detroit has always been a character in my poems. What’s different about us is that we’re not Brooklyn, Chicago, or LA on purpose. We’re regular kind of folks and geniuses at the same time. If not for us, what is music? Detroiters don’t care about fame, they care about the work.”
Artist Deann Wiley, founder of DeeLaShee Artistry, emphasized presence over legacy. “Legacy isn’t a long-term thing for me. I want the people who see and support me to know that I see them as well. My legacy is to contribute to the right now.”
Global Citizen and Mona Ventures unveiled the Detroit Access to Capital Program — a $1 billion initiative for affordable business loans focused on underestimated entrepreneurs. Mark Cuban, who moderated the discussion, said, “ChatGPT can write a business plan that’s better than anything I could write.” Andrew Leon Hanna, co-founder of Mona University, added, “Access to capital comes down to the heart of it — storytelling. What are the stories that we’re willing to believe touches us?”
The final session on creative economy didn’t feel like a wrap-up. It felt like a passing of the torch — from legends who shaped cultural movements to those still building them here in Detroit. Robin Terry, Chairwoman and CEO of the Motown Museum, spoke to the dual responsibility of honoring legacy while nurturing what’s next. “Motown garnered all types of creatives to convene all for one purpose — to collab and make great music. In our expansion, there’s two parts — that tells the story and history of Motown, and there’s what’s next, telling stories about what’s going on now in the world of music. It’s part of our investment back into the talent of Detroit. There’s no shortage of talent here. We just need to keep creating the spaces for them.”
Ben Blackwell of Third Man Records added to that, saying, “The ultimate Motown model is anyone who has a bare minimum of space, but with that drive and true intention, there’s nothing you can’t do.” His comment echoed what so many Detroiters have always known — that greatness doesn’t come from luxury, it comes from the grind, from the hallway studios, the basement sets, the backyards turned venues.
Wyclef Jean closed the session as both artist and Global Citizen Ambassador. He reminded the audience that for him, this role is not symbolic. It is personal, urgent, and grounded in responsibility. “For me, it’s an amazing platform. Keep in mind I ran for president in my home country, so I do not take this lightly. The Fugees is short for refugees — we’ve always been at the forefront. A kid from my home can look to me and say if Wyclef can do it, I can do it. And that’s the message I will continue to push as ambassador.”
Wyclef’s words hit different in a city like Detroit — a city made up of migrants, survivors, visionaries, and Black working-class families who’ve turned displacement into determination. When he spoke about transforming global access to AI for small businesses, it was more than innovation talk. It was about making sure that the next kid growing up on Linwood or Jefferson knows that their ideas are not too small, not too local, and never out of reach.
Global Citizen’s conference didn’t just land in Detroit — it resonated. It heard what Detroiters have been saying for years: if you want to see the future, don’t just look at federal buildings or boardrooms. Look at neighborhoods. Look at murals. Look at small businesses and spoken word stages. Look at the places that have always known how to rebuild themselves, not out of convenience — but because they had no choice.
This wasn’t a conference about Detroit. This was Detroit standing firm in the face of a world looking for answers. From AI to urban farming, mural work to medical deserts, the summit didn’t just pose questions — it spotlighted the people already doing the work. The people who never left. The ones who knew the city’s value long before the cameras arrived.
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