Week Two

Hey  Everyone,

I am placed with an organization called FoodLab Detroit. It is conveniently located down the street from the dorm so it is easy to walk to and from. Since the first time I had a conversation with my supervisor, I fell in love with my placement.

One of FoodLab Detroit’s mission is to create a community of businesses with the broader good food movement in Detroit. They do this by maintaing relationships with technical assistance providers, regulatory agencies, policy-makers, and etc. During my time at FoodLab, I will be working with the Operation Above Ground (OAG) crew in hopes to create four one-sheeter guides on how to become a licensed food entrepreneur in the City of Detroit. Each of the four-sheets have different theme. The first is a guide on how to become a successful and licensed food truck owner and operator; the second revolves around shared-use kitchens; the third around fixed establishments; and finally pop-ups. The reason why FoodLab has taken this upon themselves is because there is not a clear-cut way to become an established licensed food owner in the City. Many entrepreneurs complain about poor regulatory practices on the agency that licenses city businesses. They also complain that the said agency is not consistent and the epitome of rudeness. Overall, it has been quite the journey these past few days on learning about these regulatory processes and understanding policy.

This past week has been amazing. Since I started interning at FoodLab just when celebration started, I had a fun-filled week. Last Tuesday, FoodLab hosted BASE graduation and then we had a staff retreat to a lake that following Thursday. It was definitely an exhausting week, but it was worth it. Exploring the City, on the other hand, has been quite the journey. I was finally able to go to Easter Market for the first time and experience my first Gay Pride celebration in downtown Detroit. I have met some amazing people along the way and can say we will stay in touch for awhile.

Love,

Purabi