By Executive Director Cathleen Edgerly
At the end of July, popular British social media duo -Josh and Jase - made their return to Michigan—with a surprise visit right here in the Capital City.
Across social media -thousands of pages lit up with excitement and anticipation. Everyone wanted to know where they would visit next. Residents flooded the comments with recommendations for their favorite restaurants, must see murals, neighborhoods, and hidden gems. We couldn’t wait to show them what makes Lansing special and hoped they would fall in love with the places we love every day. Watching the excitement unfold not just leading up to their visit, but during the visit made caused me to reflect.
Josh and Jase didn’t know all about Lansing. They simply noticed it, celebrated it, and shared it with the world. They reminded us of people and places we often overlook and sometimes put ourselves down for. They pointed out we live in a community worth talking about.
So what if we all became a little more like Josh and Jase? Now hear me out.
What if we shared photos of our favorite local businesses just because we love them? What if we celebrated the entrepreneurs taking a chance on our city, invited friends downtown for dinner, explored neighborhoods we haven’t visited in a while, or spent a Saturday being tourists in our own town? (Thank you, Choose Lansing, for reminding us to “Love Lansing Like a Local.”)
What if we became the biggest champions of our own city?
Being an influencer or ambassador for Lansing doesn’t require thousands of social media followers. It starts with the little things. Picking up a piece of litter during your walk. Sweeping your storefront or tending your flower pots. Adopting a spot in your neighborhood. Leaving a positive review or sharing a positive experience for a local business. Attending a community event. Sharing a favorite meal, mural, sunset, or experience online. Choosing to focus on what’s possible instead of what’s imperfect. Celebrating and laughing at our somewhat weird local-ness (Big Penny or Big Red Balls anyone?) These simple acts of pride and stewardship add up.
Communities don’t become energized because of one organization or one viral video. They become active and spur excitement because thousands of people choose, day after day, to care for the places they call home.
Imagine if every Lansing resident became a storyteller. Imagine if we all celebrated our local quirks, championed our neighborhoods, and proudly shared what makes this community unlike anywhere else. I believe we’d see more than just likes and shares. We’d see stronger neighborhood pride, increased volunteerism, new business investment, thriving entrepreneurs, and a new generation choosing to build their future right here in Lansing.
Downtown Lansing Inc. is committed to creating a downtown that is welcoming, vibrant, and full of opportunity. And that work belongs to all of us. Every positive conversation, every act of kindness, every recommendation, every shared photo, and every small act of stewardship helps write not just the story of Michigan’s Downtown. But of our entire Capital City.
So here’s my challenge this month: Be your own Josh and Jase.
Get out into your community. Discover something new. Support a local business. Share what you love. Pick up that piece of litter. Invite someone downtown. Celebrate our creativity, our resilience, our local weirdness, and the people working every day to make Lansing better. Because no one can tell Lansing’s story better than the people who live here.
Let’s tell it loudly. Let’s tell it proudly. And let’s continue to Love Lansing Like a Local.
