Q: What advice would you give to someone who is beginning to do this kind of work?

A: Practice networking. I know that at least from the time I was married, I had developed a habit: Whenever I met somebody, I would categorize their interests and where they fit into the picture of the local community. Then I began to see people who should know each other because of their common interests, but didn't know each other. Then I got them together. Just very simple things, like when we had the urban renewal crisis in Ann Arbor. They were going to tear down housing and put up fancy stuff, but without providing for the people who had been living in them. So bringing people in to listen to each other was so important. The practice of networking is something you get better at and better at.