Economic
Recovery Corps Fellow Eze Redwood seeks to spark vibrancy and change during his
three-year immersion in Michigan City.
Michigan
City and Gary were selected to collaboratively host Redwood through the ERC
Fellowship Program, which was put into place by the International Economic
Development Council and U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development
Administration in 2023.
“They
selected 65 ‘changemakers’ from thousands of applications around the United
States and paired us with the cities that they saw as having the most
potential,” Redwood said. “I was incredibly excited to have been matched with
the Northwest Indiana region because I see the absolute most potential here of
any city in America – from the research I did, I could tell there was truly
inspired visionary leadership that was comfortable doing what it takes to
actually solve problems.”
The
$30 million cooperative agreement supports economic growth and innovation in
cities across the country by planting economic development professionals to
cultivate needed change. The Michigan City and Gary joint application was
selected out of more than 500 cities that sought the opportunity.
“By having Eze here for an extended period of time, he will be
able to help us with our Vibrant Michigan City initiative as well as bring in
new ideas and potential opportunities to take our city to the next stage of
growth,” said Michigan City Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch.
Redwood will lead the continued implementation of Vibrant Michigan
City, the economically inclusive initiative that is focusing on the East, West
and Midtown areas. The process led to a playbook with short- and long-term
agenda items to pinpoint economic ideas, built environment changes, civic ideas
and social ideas.
“From the beginning, we knew that we would need
help to put agenda items into action. Having Eze here to center on the
initiative paves the path for creating the changes outlined in the playbook,”
said EDCMC Executive Director Clarence L. Hulse.
“I believe the Vibrant Michigan City plan is phenomenal, and I
hope to first and foremost help that get executed,” Redwood said. “Secondly, I
want to get MC significant national coverage and help it define then
communicate what makes it different.”
Redwood said he will also focus his efforts on working with the
city’s entrepreneurial community and assist with workforce development, crime
reduction and the continued strengthening of the city’s schools as well as
research grant opportunities.
“I am looking forward to working with those who have been doing
the work here to bring in knowledge, resources, visibility and funding
opportunities to MC businesses,” he said. “I enjoy being in the economic
development arena because it centers on my favorite thing to do, which is solve
hard problems – through which you’re able to make people’s lives better.”