To expect Ann Arbor to be like Chicago, New York or San Francisco is absurd. Nevertheless, when it comes to attracting professional talent, we are competing with lifestyles those cities offer. A recent guys-only pub-and-shop-crawl through downtown sought to demonstrate that The Deuce can be a contender. 

Over the last few years TechArb, an incubator for student entrepreneurs, has been quietly nurturing the next generation of tech start-ups. Concentrate's May speaker event will feature the folks behind this innovative effort and student groups pitching their business concepts to the crowd. Sign up now for Thursday's Happy Hour event!

When people talk about paving the way for the next generation of community leaders and activists they're talking about someone like D'Real Graham. Born and raised in Ypsilanti, Graham ran for his local school board, serves on the city's Recreation Commission, taught science at Ann Arbor's Hands On Museum and is the program coordinator for 826Michigan. And he's only 26.

It has been said that you should write to be understood. Dan Wickett, executive director and publisher of Dzanc Books, an independent press and literary advocate, offers up resources for those tangled in the oft-solitary pursuit of creative writing, and speaks to how writers impact our economic, social, and cultural issues.

Literacy matters! And Michigan suffers from some startling statistics. Amy Goodman is the executive director of Washtenaw Literacy and this week's guest blogger. She'll be writing about the region's struggle with literacy rates and their implications on our economy and culture.

Albert Abbou is this week's guest blogger. A young intellectual property attorney and native Michigander Albert will be writing about how his personal experiences led him into the law, his Chaldean roots, and why he chooses to make Ann Arbor his home.