Amid finals week of the spring semester, Michael O’Key (M.R.P. ’21) made the big move from Ithaca to Birmingham, Alabama, to begin his internship with the City of Birmingham’s Department of Innovation and Economic Development. Within the department, he is working with the Office of Business Diversity and Opportunity, which focuses on providing tools and resources for the city’s minority and women-owned businesses. According to O’Key, approximately 78% of the city’s population is comprised of people of color, making the office’s initiative an essential resource for many small business owners.
“For any person, on a good day, it is exceptionally difficult to start a business. Throw in a global pandemic, a civil rights movement, and generations of disenfranchisement, minorities and women have the deck stacked against them,” says O’Key. “It is our office’s job to give them the resources they need to compete and be successful.”
Coming in with municipal planning and urban design experience, O’Key shares the dynamic and complex shift in working on economic development projects at his office. His projects range from a variety of tasks, including building redevelopment, neighborhood revitalization, and employer demographic analyses, all of which he hopes to achieve equitable outcomes for the city. “Every day is different. We go with the flow and have a lot of fun, but in the end, there is a lot of work to do when you are trying to counteract centuries of inequity.”
Prior to joining the MRP program, Michael O’Key received his undergraduate degrees at Auburn University, with a double major in Environmental Design and Public Administration.