Oral History Interview with Mark Crain on July 18, 2020
Oral history interview with Mark Crain conducted by Ayesha Cook on July 18, 2020. Interview written by Dr. Alisa Perkins (Research Director) and Ayesha Cook. Mark Crain was born in Detroit, Michigan in July of 1988 into a family that has lived in Detroit for four generations. His maternal grandfather worked for Mayor Coleman Young’s administration, and his paternal grandfather opened Detroit’s first Black-owned locksmith shop, which has stayed in the family for decades. Crain was raised as a Presbyterian, and converted to Islam while he was a student at Northwestern University, where he focused on African-American studies and political science. After graduation, Crain joined the Inner City Muslim Action Network (IMAN) in Chicago where he served as a community organizer. He also worked as a campaign director for MoveOn, an organization combining political and civic advocacy. In 2013, Crain moved back to Detroit with his family and took on a leadership position with the neighborhood revitalization organization Dream of Detroit where he now serves as executive director. In the interview, Crain reflects on his experiences raising a family in an intentional community in close proximity to the Muslim Center Mosque and Community Center. He details Dream of Detroit’s accomplishments in recent years, including their efforts to advocate for all Detroiters while promoting housing accessibility, increasing housing density, and fostering community life in Dream of Detroit’s target area.
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