It all starts with documentation.

From driving to voting, or even showing up for orientation to start work, just about every legal privilege and opportunity requires proof of who we are.

Those without (documentation) are forced to live in the shadows, without the resources the majority of Detroiters are accustomed to.

Now, thanks to a newly launched City of Detroit program to help residents formally establish identity, many citizens frequently excluded from access to basic community benefits and local resources can become participants again – or even for the first time. Lost, damaged or stolen paperwork that might be expensive and inconvenient to replace won’t have to block simple daily transactions, with the introduction of the Municipal ID Program.

While not a substitute for state-issued documents like driver’s licenses or Michigan ID, the new municipal card is designed to help recipients use city services, interact with financial institutions, and enjoy special shopping and dining discounts in Detroit. Mayor Mike Duggan’s announcement of the new program, endorsed by various community leaders, is an insightful move toward inclusion at a time when disenfranchisement of many residents is a growing concern.

Among other perks, citizens as young as 14 will find the Detroit ID handy when required to present valid documents for access to Detroit Public Schools Community District, DTE Energy, Detroit Medical Center, One Detroit Credit Union, and more than 100 other local businesses and cultural organizations. Making the process of obtaining the new card fairly simple is a walk-in policy, though scheduling an appointment by visiting www.Detroitmi.gov or calling 1-800-408-1599 – the hotline programmed to communicate with callers in five different languages – is recommended.

City Council’s Raquel Castaneda-Lopez deserves praise for advocating the program ordinance be passed. Too many of her District 6 constituents in Southwest Detroit’s widely diverse, largely immigrant community have been among hardworking residents making positive contributions, yet denied basic services.

At $25 for most citizens, the card is affordable. With the proper promotion and continued support of this effort, the new Detroit ID program will eventually show itself worth not only the small fee, but the trade value of making life in the city a little simpler. It all starts with documentation, but it ends with greater respect, recognition and independence for those marginalized in the community we all share.

Photos courtesy of Global Detroit

  City of Detroit, Detroit City Government, Detroit ID, Mayor Mike Duggan, Municipal ID program, Raquel Castaneda-Lopez