DETROIT – The fourth annual Detroit Homecoming, an invite-only, three-day event, is bringing back Detroit expats to reconnect and reinvest in their hometown.
Opening night of Detroit Homecoming kicked off at the iconic Michigan Central Train Station, which had been closed to the public for nearly 30 years. Wednesday night featured presentations from industry leaders in business, philanthropy, athletics and more.
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This year's event theme is: Connections.
As the city remembers the 50th anniversary of the Detroit Riots/Rebellion, Detroit Homecoming offers guests the opportunity to remember the past while creating new connections to advance the vitality of Detroit and its residents.
According to organizers, since launching in 2013, Detroit Homecoming has brought in more than $300 million in pending investments, as well as valuable thinking and fresh perspectives.
2017 Featured Speakers:
- Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan
- Detroit Schools Superintendent Nikolai Vitti
- Actress and Comedian Lily Tomlin
- NBA Champion Draymond Green
- Businessman and Philanthropist Stephen Ross
- TaskRabbit CEO Stacey Brown-Philpot
- Quicken Loans Founder and Sports Team Owner Dan Gilbert
Detroit Homecoming daily venues:
- Thursday, September 14, The Factory at Corktown, 1907 Michigan Ave, Detroit. Remarks begin promptly at 8:30 a.m. EDT
- Thursday, September 14, Detroit Institute of Arts Film Theatre, 5200 Woodward Ave, Detroit. Remarks begin promptly at 8 p.m. EDT
- Friday, September 15, The Factory at Corktown, 1907 Michigan Ave, Detroit. Remarks begin promptly at 8:30 a.m. EDT
Thursday, Sept. 14 Detroit Homecoming schedule
VENUE: The Factory at Corktown, Michigan at Rosa Parks Boulevard
DAY'S THEME: Jobs for Detroiters
- 8 - 8:30 a.m. Breakfast
- 8:30 a.m. Welcome--Jim Hayes
- 8:40 Welcome from Expats Tommy and Robbie Buhl
- 8:50 Intro Mayor/day's theme, intro by KC Crain
- 9:05 Mayor Michael Duggan, City of Detroit
- 9:25 Q&A with the Mayor
- 9:35 INTERSTITIAL: Arn Tellem, Detroit Pistons and Wright Lassiter III, HFHS
- 9:45 a.m. DISCUSSION: Jobs for Detroiters
- Expat Stacy Brown-Philpot, CEO, TaskRabbit
- INTRODUCTION: Ralph Gerson, William Davidson Foundation
- REACTOR PANEL:
- Dave Meador, DTE Energy and co-chair, Mayor's Detroit Workforce Board
- Expat Suneel Gupta, Bloomberg Philanthropies' Shift Commission
- Victor You, president/CEO, Rock Connections, Detroit
- Mickey Bakst - Train the Need, Charleston, S.C.
- 10:40 a.m. INTERSTITIAL: Larry Alexander, Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau
- 10:45 a.m. URBAN ENTREPRENEUR SHOWCASE
- 12 curated Detroit-based companies will compete for cash prizes - and the vote of expats!
- INTRODUCTION: Jim Anderson, Urban Science
- MODERATOR: Jules Pieri, The Grommet
- 11:45 a.m. LUNCH -- with time to mingle with entrepreneurs before voting
- 12:30 p.m. Neighborhood Immersions Introduction: Rev. Larry Simmons, Brightmoor Alliance
- 1:00-4:00 NEIGHBORHOOD IMMERSIONS
- Brightmoor -- Rev. Larry Simmons
- Central High School Neighborhood -- Chris Lambert, Life Remodeled
- Livernois/6 Mile-Lauren Hood and Michael Forsyth, Liv/6
- 4:00 p.m. Buses return to The Factory and Foundation Hotel
- 4-5:00 p.m. Break
- 5-7:30 p.m. QLINE Moveable Feast - Expats will have credentials to ride the QLINE for the entire week. We'll have food stations at several stops with a goal of being at the DIA by 7:30 p.m. for the evening performance.