“That work ethic that you get from those Southern people, that’s in our blood as Detroiters.” Andre Terrell carries that legacy from his grandfather, who migrated from Macon, Georgia, and built Simmons Brothers from a wheelbarrow and shovel into a successful construction business. Growing up in Detroit, Andre discovered photography while attending Mumford and Crockett Vocational High School, eventually photographing generations of Detroit students at A&M Photography Studio. His entrepreneurial vision expanded into technology when he launched Street Vision around 2000, securing streetvision.com at a Woodward Avenue cybercafe before most Detroiters had internet access. “People didn’t even have internet at the time,” he recalls. From uploading videos overnight through dial-up connections to navigating the digital divide, Andre stayed committed to technology as it evolved. Today, his Street Pass mobile app connects consumers, Black-owned businesses, and cultural experiences. His story explores the intersection of Black Detroit entrepreneurship, technology, and ownership, showing why recognizing opportunity early means little without the determination to keep evolving.
