On Monday, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan visited Michigan State University to take part in two student-led discussions about Michigan’s future.
Held at MSU’s new Multicultural Center, the event brought together students from across colleges to engage in conversations about public policy and business. The first session focused on policy and attracted students from James Madison College, while the second centered on business and was tailored to Broad College of Business students.
When asked what students took away from the event, Cassidy Conley, youth organizing director for Duggan’s campaign, highlighted a common theme: the need to move past political polarization.
“Both the policy- and business-focused discussions centered around addressing that issue,” Conley said. “Students want to focus on solutions rather than party lines.”
Throughout the conversations, Duggan asked students what changes they would make if they were in his position.
“If you woke up tomorrow and you were the governor, what would you do to change it so that folks like you would want to stay (in Michigan)?” he asked.
One MSU College of Law student pointed to the state’s narrow industrial base: “Not everyone likes automotives.” They emphasized the need for Detroit to embrace innovation while preserving its cultural history.
“I’ve seen these beautiful buildings be torn down,” the student said. “We need to stay true to our historical roots — and by doing so, we’ll attract new industries and entice more tourists.”
Another student suggested focusing on “increasing density and increasing transit.”
Duggan agreed: “Detroit never used to value density, but I’m obsessed with it.”
“When I got elected, Detroit had the highest homicide rate in America, highest unemployment rate in America, highest poverty rate in America—47,000 abandoned houses. So you’ve got to start somewhere, right?” he said.
“Now we’re starting to shift toward tech jobs,” he added. “Microsoft is in the city. Google is in the city. LinkedIn is in the city.”
In December, Duggan announced his campaign for Michigan governor as an independent. He and many of the students shared the belief that the state’s most urgent problems require cooperation beyond partisan politics.
“I disagree with people, but they don’t have to be evil because they have a different opinion,” Duggan said. “And if you're on the far right or the far left, God bless you. But if we’re gonna build the kind of schools we want, if we’re gonna build the kind of jobs we want, we’ve got to get people from both sides who are reasonable working together.”
“There’s good people on both sides,” he added. “And so I’m gonna be independent—I’m gonna work with the good people on both sides.”
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