A world where our environment is clean.
A world where people who contribute to our society and culture are valued and not hunted down over documents.
A world where economic inequity is kept in check.
A world where no one has to go hungry or make the painful decision between dinner and life-saving drugs.
A world where employers treat employees with respect and as partners.
A world where the color of your skin, your religion, your gender or gender expression or your sexual orientation do not matter to society – rather, society values you for your contributions and encourages you to fulfill your full potential.
A world where schools are about education, not prison pipelines.
And so much more.
That, in a nutshell, reflects much of the progressive vision of the world. And that vision will be on display in its full glory this week here in Detroit.
This week Netroots Nation comes to the Renaissance Center. We strongly encourage you to attend, if you can. This is the largest gathering of progressive thought leaders, politicians, media, internet activists and so many more. This is the intersection of the progressive movement and once a year this conference pops up in one city or another. It has been described as the left's family reunion.
But it is so much more. It is a chance for people from around the country to connect and share ideas. It is a chance for us to celebrate successes, mourn our losses and plan the next year and our political goals.
This issue you will hear from both allies and members of our community working hard in key progressive arenas: choice, immigration equality, labor rights, the environment and economic inequality.
We reached out to advocates we know who are doing incredibly important work – but we are more than aware that they are representative of many in our community who work day in and day out to make this country and this world a better place. Netroots Nation is your chance to connect with brethren from around the country. To think bigger. To act bigger. To discover.
For those who are visiting Detroit and reading this editorial – welcome. Take time while you are here to discover the real Detroit. Not the one of ruin porn and headline grabbing bankruptcies. Instead, find the growing local food movement. The investment in neighborhoods by the city in auctioning off houses. A city on the verge of a renaissance.
Ask yourself: How do I tell people about the real Detroit? Certainly, the city has its struggles. From a still troubling bankruptcy proceeding to mass water shut offs to crumbling infrastructure. Those are obstacles, true. But they can be overcome.
How?
With progressive values and a commitment by our fellow community members to talk about the innovation happening in Detroit. The reimagining has just begun and you are invited to the table.
And Michigan residents can do the same. Together, we can make Detroit a beacon of hope. We can show America and the world that challenges do not shut us down: challenges allow us to rise and overcome. Challenges allow us to shine and to show that our progressive values and vision will bring a new America.
