Leaders and politicians are desperately grabbing hold of the phrase “creative class,” hoping the alliteration will revive their decaying rust belt cities by attracting young, smart, global talent.

In clawing at a catch phrase, they have already struck out. They have failed to take the first baby step in transforming the stagnate manufacturing-based wind of the past into the ferocious, entrepreneurial gale of the future. They’ve forgotten to ASK the creative class what it wants. As members of the creative class, we can not and will not wait any longer to build the community WE want.

Participants in the Young Smart Global (YSG) Lansing movement sat down over the course of several months and decided what they want from the Lansing region. This group of emerging leaders discussed the area’s bright spots as well as its dark alleys, and created a “creative crackdown” – a compilation of 17 regional issues that have been talked about and studied ad nauseum, but never actually addressed.

The creative crackdown evaluates cultural assets, global interaction, entrepreneurship, community aesthetics, technology infrastructure and attitudes. The resounding “C” average that resulted doesn’t sit well with this high energy, entrepreneurial workforce with the brainpower and manpower to effectuate change in the Lansing region.

And guess what? Try attracting entrepreneurs to an area with a “D” in its attitude toward innovators and entrepreneurs, a “D” in understanding the region’s role in the global economy and a “D” in the creation of a first rate live-work-play environment.

The creative crackdown isn’t a $30,000 study. It certainly doesn’t come with addendums, outcomes or agenda items. It is simply an honest and objective evaluation of the community by members of its class of enterprisers. There's a movement afoot. That foot doesn’t wear tassled loafers or Dr. Scholl’s and it isn’t connected to a derrière that sits in a chair talking about the “creative class” while doing nothing to attract or retain young, smart, global talent. Instead, it runs, it jumps, it explodes. It creates NEW WIND.

It has been less than a month since the creative crackdown was put together and YSG Lansing has already started making changes. Increasing access to entrepreneurship: Check. Fighting for infrastructure changes that will lead to strong live-work-play environments and embracing global resources: Check and check.

Despite YSG Lansing’s immediate impact, it’s going to take a powerful movement to fully WD40 Lansing. But, we’re determined to do it and we’ve already harnessed the power of dozens of innovators and enterprisers to get it done.

If you’re interested in the creative crackdown and the YSG Lansing movement, click here.