Greg Niemeyer & Emma Fraser Awarded BCNM's Community Engagement Grant

BCNM is excited to support more community engaged projects. This year, our faculty could apply for funds to support their community engaged work. Greg Niemeyer and Emma Fraser were awarded a grant of $5,000 a year for three years to fund their work with We the People of Detroit.

This collaborative project will host a series of events to facilitate knowledge exchange between BCNM researchers, We the People of Detroit (WPD), and other communities facing water insecurity. Building on past partnerships, the project continues collaborative research with WPD’s President and CEO, Monica Lewis-Patrick, integrating academic research with on-the-ground advocacy.

The initiative expands on previous work such as the Water Futures in Michigan, Kenya, and Oaxaca exhibit, focusing on how high water costs lead to foreclosure, social fragmentation, and gentrification. Greg and Emma will produce accessible, community-centered materials, primarily in print, to support advocacy and outreach in affected neighborhoods.

Each year, WPD will select a partner community to engage in mutual learning and share findings. The project is intentionally designed to remain flexible and responsive to ongoing water crises in Detroit and beyond.