Stories

Get ready for The Blend, a Detroit digital magazine for women launching in June

Two leading women-owned organizations committed to growing community and promoting equity in Metro Detroit have teamed up to deliver essential information to help women grow, connect, learn, achieve and become the best versions of themselves.

Initially planned for launch during Women’s History Month but postponed due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, Detour Detroit and the Detroit Women’s Leadership Network announced they are launching the area’s first digital magazine in Detroit focused on women’s issues, including empowerment, support, leadership and equity.

The Blend is an every-other-week email newsletter that delivers the spirit and utility of the Detroit Women’s Leadership Network, an online community of female leaders, straight to your inbox. Inside The Blend, readers will find local journalism centered in the female experience —
inspiring profiles, challenging conversations, stories of hope, and empowering advice from women across Detroit.

“Through our online platform and in-person connections, DWLN has developed a supportive, inclusive and authentic outlet for women leaders of all backgrounds, that’s become even more essential during this crisis. We’re extremely pleased to take this community beyond our private group into a broader audience through our magazine and partnership with Detour Detroit,” said Danielle North, an entrepreneur, education strategist and founder of the Detroit Women’s Leadership Network.

Through The Blend, North and her partners will elevate the voices of Metro Detroit women, provide support and important resources for their personal and professional journeys, and create meaningful opportunities, online and in-person.

“Now more than ever, this new medium is critical to harnessing the power of women to support each other while we navigate this time of crisis and transition into our post-pandemic society,” said Jennifer Mrozowski, strategic content editor for the Detroit Women’s Leadership Network and an award-winning former journalist and public relations strategist.

“We need each to uplift each other and advocate for our shared success.”


Background

“We’ve seen firsthand the power that newsletters have to bring communities together around local issues that matter,” said Ashley Woods Branch, CEO of Detroit Detroit. This female-led digital media startup has won funding from Facebook and the Google News Innovation Challenge for
their groundbreaking local journalism products.

“We’re inspired by the women who call Detroit home and feel privileged to create this product for them.”

Women can sign up for The Blend by accessing the official signup page.

About the Detroit Women’s Leadership Network

Detroit Women’s Leadership Network (DWLN) is a diverse intersection of women who reside, work or serve in the Detroit area. The organization is committed to producing meaningful change in the region. The DWLN Facebook group is home to more than 8,000 women, and celebrates the feminine aspects of leadership as an instrument for transformation and support uncommon collaborations that make positive contributions to our community. To support this work and learn more, visit www.dwln.org or join the Facebook group.

About Detour Detroit

Detour Media LLC is the publisher of Detour Detroit, a digital-first local news outlet designed to grow community and help Detroiters access information relevant to their lives. Detour Media is also a strategic digital consulting partner for community-focused newsrooms across America.

For more information on sponsoring The Blend, becoming a media partner or engaging with Detour Media, contact Ashley Woods at ashley@detourdetroiter.com.

Ashley Woods Branch

Ashley Woods Branch is the founder and CEO of Detour Media, a local journalism startup that builds community, spotlights neighborhood issues and curates Detroit news through an equitable perspective. Ashley leads Detour’s audience growth strategies, community partnerships, revenue operations and strategic planning. She’s also a sought-after consultant for digital newsrooms and has worked with more than 100 news outlets across America. Ashley previously led consumer experience and digital strategy at the Detroit Free Press and was the editor of HuffPost’s Detroit bureau, as well as a reporter and editor focused on Detroit culture and development for MLive, Real Detroit Weekly and Model D. She was a 2019 Marshall Memorial Fellow and a 2018 Visiting Nieman Journalism Fellow at Harvard University. Follow her on Twitter: @ash_detroit

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