DETROIT – Eric Thomas, a lifelong Detroiter and founder of SAGA marketing, has joined the city of Detroit as Chief Storyteller. He fills the position previously held by Aaron Foley, who created the role in 2017 and recently took a prestigious fellowship at Stanford University.

As Chief Storyteller, Thomas will focus full time on helping the city of Detroit and its Media Services division create compelling content that informs and enlightens Detroiters on all communications platforms, including the city’s cable channels, websites, and TheNeighborhoods.org.

“If you look at Eric’s work, it’s clear he tells stories that seek to elevate the community by holding everyone – especially those of us city government – accountable for our city’s progress,” said Mayor Mike Duggan. “To have a respected voice like his exploring what is working in Detroit’s revitalization, and what we need to do better, will help foster an honest community conversation that is both healthy and necessary, even if it’s at times uncomfortable.”

Thomas said he plans to use his new position to do what he always has done: give Detroiters a greater voice by offering them a platform to speak their truth and to connect them to programs and opportunities that can uplift them.

“The way we see ourselves shapes our outcomes, how we engage and how we occupy space,” Thomas said. “Storytelling is a tool I’ve used in my career to promote dignity and celebrate identity for organizations that support the local community. It is important to me to tell stories that are rooted in truth and kick open the doors to opportunity.”

“For nearly a decade I have been dedicated to using stories to connect resources to the people that truly need them and I am excited to pursue that work at a city level,” Thomas added. “Detroiters deserve access to all the opportunities that exist within the city and I intend to make sure they know about them. It’s time that Detroiters owned the story of Detroit.”