Detroit is Different

  • Latest episode: “We Have Been Locked Away From Our History, Olayami Dabls Journey”
  • Latest episode: “Black Stories on the Big Screen: Inside the Detroit Black Film Festival with Marshalle Favors”
  • Latest episode: “Taste of Black Spirits is Building Black Ownership From the Bottle to the Shelf”

  • Latest episode: “We Have Been Locked Away From Our History, Olayami Dabls Journey”
  • Latest episode: “Black Stories on the Big Screen: Inside the Detroit Black Film Festival with Marshalle Favors”
  • Latest episode: “Taste of Black Spirits is Building Black Ownership From the Bottle to the Shelf”

“If you don’t impact your environment, your environment’s going to impact you.” That’s how Glenn Wilson, President and CEO of Communities First Inc., sets the tone in this powerful Detroit is Different episode. What started as a casual connection in New Orleans blossoms into a deeply honest conversation about housing, healing, and hope. Glenn shares the raw journey from surviving a childhood house fire in Flint to leading a multi-state nonprofit developing thousands of affordable housing units. From reflections on faith—”Statistically, I shouldn’t be here”—to breaking down what “capital stack” really means in community development, this interview is a must-listen. With tales of hot plates on broken stoves, bird nests in rooftops, and turning trauma into mission, Glenn reminds us: “The very things we take for granted are the very things people pray for.” This is about more than real estate—this is about legacy, trust, and doing the work. “It’s not about being a gatekeeper. It’s about being a gate opener.”