NOW / 0–3 MONTHS
Welcome & listen
Begin with small gatherings, personal conversations, and a simple way to connect.
WHAT WE NEED TO LEARN
Learn what people actually seek, offer, and enjoy.
DETROIT ROOTS. SHARED POSSIBILITY.
You shouldn’t
have to figure
it all out alone.
A place to belong. People to grow with.
Possibilities we might never see on our own.
There’s room for you.No pitch. No perfect introduction required.
Here for SushiRitas? Explore the restaurant 
Good people.
A little room.
A world of possibility.
A little room.
A world of possibility.
PEOPLE
MAKE THE
PLACE.
MAKE THE
PLACE.
COME AS YOU ARE✳BELONG BEFORE YOU BUILD✳MAKE ROOM FOR EACH OTHER✳#BETTERTOGETHER
01 / WHY WE’RE BETTER TOGETHERTurning Ls
Turning Ls
into Lessons.
I’ve taken some Ls. The lessons become more valuable when we share them.
From amplifying voices through RepYourCity to working with Detroit’s young people and bringing strangers together through Social Sushi, the purpose kept showing up: be of service. Help people see their worth and the possibilities around them.
Some ideas changed. Some took longer. The Social Sushi restaurant never opened. Those chapters taught me to ask for help, build stronger foundations, and value what other people bring. Along the way, I kept showing up for their dreams, too.
That’s #BetterTogether. What we learn, who we know, and what we can offer can help someone else take their next step. Their experience can help us take ours.
SushiRitas carries those lessons into hospitality. BTC creates room to share them, discover what’s already among us, and open doors wider for whoever comes next.
Jay RayfordFOUNDER · BETTER TOGETHER COLLECTIVE
02 / THREE WAYS TO SEE ITPeople. Places.
People. Places.
Possibilities.
Connection starts with curiosity.
Explore what brings us together.
“Some people
need a door opened.
Some are the door.”
need a door opened.
Some are the door.”
Most of us will be both.
Real people.
Stronger together.
Neighbors. Creatives. Parents. Founders. Quiet listeners and big dreamers. The collective starts with people, not credentials.
Bring your lived experience, your curiosity, or just yourself. There is no obligation to turn a relationship into an opportunity.
ONE PLACE WE COME TOGETHER
5700 WOODWARD · MIDTOWN DETROIT
5700 WOODWARD · MIDTOWN DETROITSometimes, it starts
with a good meal.
SushiRitas brings our #BetterTogether spirit to the table. Fresh rolls, frozen Ritas, and a soundtrack with soul. Come for the food and drinks. Stay because you feel welcome.
You don’t have to join BTC to enjoy the restaurant, start a conversation, or simply rock with us.
Food, drinks & visiting on the restaurant site. Shared moments for restaurant interests, future collaborations, or “I just rock with y’all” updates. Opening details are still being finalized.
BELONGING HAS VALUE. ALL BY ITSELF.
You don’t have to
bring something
to mean something.
No performance. No required contribution.
Your presence is enough.
03 / START WHERE YOU AREWhat brings
What brings
you here?
No application. No right answer.
Choose a starting point, or simply explore.
These are invitations, not categories you have to stay in. Belonging never depends on a next step.
04 / THE NEXT 6–18 MONTHSGrow the trust.
Grow the trust.
Then grow the system.
A working direction, shaped by community.
Timing depends on learning and capacity.
NEXT / 3–6 MONTHS
Make resources useful
Shape a small resource bank around real requests, pointing to existing community support first.
WHAT WE NEED TO LEARN
Publish what people can use, with someone responsible for keeping it current.
EXPLORE / 6–12 MONTHS
Test what helps
Explore small partner-led experiences and introductions only where people want them.
WHAT WE NEED TO LEARN
Look for participant-reported value and reliable follow-through.
POSSIBLE / 12–18 MONTHS
Grow what works
Consider recurring experiences and community-led clusters where relationships support them.
WHAT WE NEED TO LEARN
Expand only when the people, evidence, and capacity are there.
Community → behavior → evidence → software
This is a roadmap for BTC’s development, not a required journey for participants. Rita’s Sanctuary remains a proposed space, with no opening date announced.
05 / A LITTLE MORE CLARITYWondering
Wondering
about something?
We are beginning with relationships and shared experiences, not a paid membership offer. You do not need a title, a business, or something to contribute to belong.