Mellon Foundation Grant:
Cracks in the Pavement

Cracks in the Pavement Symposium

Thursday, November 6th, 2025 | Downtown Flint

During this symposium, we’ll highlight the ways democracy is practiced far from the halls of power, especially in places like Flint. Local community gardens, activist networks, nonprofit organizations, block clubs, and more contribute to forms of democratic association on the ground. We want to broaden our definitions of democracy to show how these organizations express democratic values in our community.

Keynote speakers will put these broader themes into context, while breakout sessions will illustrate how these concepts are already being implemented in our community and beyond.

The event is free and open to the public. Registrants will be provided with breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Symposium Overview

Please join us for a day filled with inspiring ideas, mutual connection, and community building.

9 – 9:30 a.m. | Coffee & Breakfast

Happenings Room, Harding-Mott University Center at UM-Flint

9:30 – 11 a.m. | Keynote Conversation 1: Community Wealth Building in Cities Like Flint

Happenings Room, Harding-Mott University Center at UM-Flint

Community wealth building is one approach to local economic development that is based on democratic participation to build equitable wealth using tools such as worker cooperatives, community land trusts, public banks and more. In this session, we will discuss how these tools have been used elsewhere and how they could be relevant to our city and region.

Featured Speakers

• Joe Guinan, President, The Democracy Collaborative
• Esteban Kelly, Executive Director, U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives

11:15 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. | Breakout Discussion #1: Doing Democracy in our Region

Michigan Rooms, Harding-Mott University Center at UM-Flint

Faculty and community partners will discuss shared projects and visions that range from the intersection of art and democracy to more democratic forms of urbanism to the role of local media in building democratic cultures.

1 – 2 p.m. | Lunch and Keynote Conversation 2: Labor, Democracy, and Flint: A Global Perspective

Happenings Room, Harding-Mott University Center at UM-Flint

Labor and democracy are intimately connected. Historically, the power of labor shaped the culture of democracy in cities like Flint and beyond. In this session, we will discuss the role of labor and jobs in the global economy and connect that to the democratic backsliding we see at home and across the globe.

Featured Speaker

• Thea Lee, former president of the Economic Policy Institute and former Undersecretary of the Bureau of International Labor Affairs (2021-25)

2:15 – 3:45 p.m. | Breakout Discussion #2: Doing Democracy in our Region

Michigan Rooms, Harding-Mott University Center at UM-Flint

Faculty and community partners will discuss shared projects and visions that range from the intersection of art and democracy to more democratic forms of urbanism to the role of local media in building democratic cultures.

4 – 5 p.m. | Group Discussion: Creating Alternative Democratic Models – Organizations in Conversation

Ramsdell Room at The Flint Farmers’ Market

This session examines democratic practices through the lens of local organizations. It considers what democracy can look like beyond the halls of power, showcasing the experimentation and experiences of Flint-based organizations. How do local organizations and activists in our region understand their work in relation to democratic participation?

5 – 6:30 p.m. | Dinner and Closing Conversation: The Future of Democracy from the Local to the Global

Main Atrium at The Flint Farmers’ Market

Having explored how democratic cultures and practices shape our city and region, we will conclude the day by considering how communities like Flint navigate an era of democratic uncertainty. This wide-ranging conversation will reflect on the day’s key themes and surface ideas for future exploration, particularly emphasizing how local democratic efforts are impacted by global democratic backsliding, shifting national political cultures, and local challenges.

Featured Speakers

• Dan Kildee, former Representative, U.S. House of Representatives, and President of the Community Foundation of Greater Flint
• Jenna Bednar, Professor of Political Science and Public Policy and Co-Chair for the Presidential Initiative on Democracy, Civic Empowerment, and Global Engagement at the University of Michigan