MetroMode, the online newsletter on culture and economic development in SE Michigan, has been devoting a lot of time recently to Ypsilanti. In December, they came out and shot some really nice video of the Shadow Art Fair, and today they ran a pretty extensive feature article on Ypsi. I’m not sure where they got the idea that we have 50,000 residents, and I cringe every time they use the word “Hipsilanti,” but I think you’ll find that they did a pretty good job otherwise. (The City of Ypsilanti has approximately 21,000 residents.) Here’s a clip:

…But as Bob Dylan once sang, “The times, they are a–changin’… .” Area transplants and U-M refugees alike are starting to tune into Ypsilanti’s down-to-earth, authentic vibe as more and more musicians, artists, bloggers and other creative types start proudly calling the city home. Blessed with a core of caring, active people who work hard to make it a good place to live and work, this community of nearly 50,000 people is becoming, as one local calls it “the Brooklyn to Ann Arbor’s Manhattan.”

…But with all those challenges come great opportunity. Over and over again, people making an impact in Ypsilanti say the same thing: a person with a good idea and the energy and creativity to pull it off can come in and have the room to make a real impact.
”More people are making a conscious choice to live here,” Maynard said. “They want to live in a town have where they have some agency to actually do something and make a difference. It’s not hard to break into the city and be a part of something and start something.”

And with that, my friends, my recent media juggernaut comes to an end. No more interviews are scheduled, and I have no intention of saying anything again that the “New York Times” will find even remotely quote-worthy. So, enjoy these links.

One last thought on Ypsilanti before I hand over the “Number One Booster” reins to someone else. If Ypsi is ever really going to turn around, in my opinion, I think we need to focus our energy in a few key places. I think we need to focus on arts and culture, the fact that we’ve got young creative energy, and that we have a strong network of independent locally-owned businesses. And, perhaps most importantly, I think we need to stop being afraid to draw the comparison with Ann Arbor… We’ve had an inferiority complex for far too long, and I think it’s time to let it go. As I watch this video of the Shadow Art Fair, and read this article about Ypsi, I’m convinced that we’ve got something here that they’ve lost. The momentum toward something positive is here. Ann Arbor is a great little town. It’s extremely successful. But, that success came at the price of authenticity and people are beginning to notice it… It’s true, we aren’t Ann Arbor, but sometimes that’s a good thing.