Rasheed "The Connect" Thomas
Detroit, MI · United States
Automotive decline, comeback economy, underground music
Rasheed has watched Detroit die and come back to life — and he's been documenting every chapter. From the automotive collapse that left entire neighborhoods abandoned to the new economy rising from the ashes, he covers the grit and ingenuity of a city that refuses to quit. A Detroit native and Wayne State graduate, Rasheed's reporting has been recognized for its unflinching look at what happens when American industry leaves a city behind — and what grows in its place.
Population
~640K (metro: 4.3M)
City Intel
Filed the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history ($18B, 2013). Now the fastest-growing property market in the Midwest.
Dispatches Filed
4
Dispatches
Detroit's $500 Houses: The Comeback Economy Nobody Predicted
When Detroit auctioned houses for $500 during the bankruptcy era, investors and speculators from across the world swooped in. A decade later, those same properties are worth $100,000 or more. But the comeback narrative hides a more complicated story: longtime residents who couldn't afford $500 watched outsiders buy their neighbors' houses, renovate them, and flip them into the gentrification pipeline.
The Underground Sound: Detroit Techno's Second Wave
Detroit invented techno, then watched Europe take it global. Now a second wave of Detroit electronic producers is reclaiming the genre, building studios in abandoned factories and hosting warehouse parties that draw thousands. The economics of this scene are pure DIY — no labels, no venues, no permission. Just speakers, space, and a city that doesn't ask questions.
Urban Farming in the D: Agriculture in the Ruins of Industry
Detroit has more urban farms than any major American city — over 1,400 at last count. On land where auto plants once stood, communities grow food that feeds neighborhoods abandoned by grocery chains. The economics are modest but meaningful: urban farms generate an estimated $20 million annually in a city where 36% of residents live below the poverty line.
Motor City to EV City: Detroit's Electric Gamble
GM, Ford, and Stellantis are betting their futures on electric vehicles, investing over $120 billion combined. Detroit's workforce is caught in the transition: EV assembly requires 30% fewer workers than traditional auto manufacturing. The city that built the American car is now racing to figure out what happens to the workers who built the city.
From the Wire
Community intel and chatter from Detroit
Corktown property values up 300% since Ford's Michigan Central investment. OG residents can't afford property taxes.
Feb 14
Movement Festival tickets sold out in 3 hours. International demand exceeding domestic for the first time.
Feb 12
Land Bank releasing 500 more properties for auction next month. Community groups requesting right of first refusal.
Feb 11