Last October, neighbors on Detroit's Eastside celebrated Hutchinson Elementary's 85th anniversary. On the Eastside, where white flight has caused a sharp decline in the population, this was quite an accomplishment-amidst the demolition of many schools like it, Hutchinson was still standing. No small part of the reason why is the Warren/Conner Community Development Coalition, which has helped organize parents into a powerful lobbying group for their children's education. At the most fundamental level, Warren/Conner creates community leaders. Rather than dictating what the Eastside needs, their goal is to inspire residents to create their own agenda-and their own vision for the future.
