From tall grass to opportunity to a whole community, Katrina Watkins and Bailey Park NDC

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Katrina Watkins was spurred to action by the sight of grass towering over people in her neighborhood, propelling her to instigate change. Transitioning from passive waiting for city intervention to proactive engagement, she founded the Bailey Park Neighborhood Development Corporation, now a beacon of hope on Detroit’s Eastside. A true Detroiter, Katrina lives and breathes the transformation of her community, epitomizing grassroots empowerment and community-driven change. In this insightful Detroit is Different feature, we delve into the tangible impact of her work, from revitalizing landscapes to fostering holistic neighborhood growth. Experience the inspiring journey with Katrina Watkins as she navigates the landscape of real community empowerment in Detroit.

What began as a journey engaging hip-hop audiences, has grown into a career as a marketing consultant. As business people have seen my work, I was propositioned many times to provide graphic design, photography, videography, event planning, website development, and social media campaigning. These initial business contracts inspired me to build Creative Differences Marketing. I’ve balanced my entrepreneurial experience with formal education from Walsh College of Business and Accountancy. My degree in Marketing serves me well in understanding many of the formal, universal, and theoretical marketing approaches used in corporate environments.Formulating this business model has been anchored by the success of my BLOG ‘Detroit is Different.’ I create all content for Detroit is Different. This serves as a prototype of the ways I can design events, websites, graphics, music, podcasts, social media campaigns, and e-mail campaigns. ‘Detroit is Different’ focuses on the people and places of Detroit that add to the culture. Through these people and places, themes are driven. These themes will partner with, sponsor, and advertise for businesses and organizations using this innovative multilevel marketing approach.