Plowshares Theatre Company Announces New Board Member

Michigan's only professional African American Theatre, Plowshares Theatre Company, announces the appointment of Lauren Hood to its Board of Directors, effective immediately. The appointment fills one of two vacancies on the Board and brings the total number of Board members to five.

"We welcome Lauren Hood to the board as new directors and look forward to the value their leadership will bring," said Gary Anderson, Producing Artistic Director of Plowshares Theatre Company. "As we continue our focus on deepening our relationship with Detroit communities and sustainability during the critical moment, the depth of knowledge and relevant experience of Lauren will provide a valuable perspective."

Anderson continued, "Lauren is an accomplished community developer and an experienced Board member in both the public and nonprofit sector. We are confident that Plowshares will benefit from her insights, business acumen and counsel."

Born and raised in Detroit, Ms. Hood brings double consciousness to the practice of community development. Being both a trained practitioner and a lifelong resident, Hood serves as a translator/negotiator between development entities and citizen stakeholders.

Through her work as an Equitable Development Strategist, Hood develops engagement frameworks, facilitates dialogues, and creates platforms that allow for the emergence and inclusion of often unrecognized place-based expertise in city planning and neighborhood development processes.

Through her consultancy, Deep Dive Detroit, Ms. Hood produces workshops and events on community engagement, equitable development, and racial justice for civic, philanthropic & institutional clients.

Ms. Hood regularly writes and delivers keynotes on the value of place-keeping, preserving Detroit's cultural heritage, and how to authentically engage the community. To that effort, she helped launch the Live6 Alliance in 2015, serving as the organization's co-director. In 2017, Ms. Hood was recognized by Crain's Detroit Business among its "Michigan Change Makers: Ones to Watch" for her work with the community development corporation.

Ms. Hood currently serves as the Vice-Chair of the City of Detroit Planning Commission and on the Board of Directors for Detroit Sound Conservancy, MoGo, and on the advisory board of the Urban Consulate. She holds an undergraduate business degree and a Masters Degree in Community Development, both from the University of Detroit Mercy. Recently, Ms. Hood was named as the new Program Director for New Detroit, Inc.