
The Downtown Detroit Business Improvement Zone (BIZ) named Cabbon Winston its 2023 BIZ Ambassador of the Year.
A Detroit native, Winston has served as a BIZ Ambassador for more than six years. In his current role, he is an equipment operator working to keep downtown “streets clean, safe, and welcoming for all.”
Launched in 2014, the BIZ Ambassador Program is the cornerstone of the BIZ. It employs a team of nearly 100 ambassadors, made up of more than 90 percent Detroiters. All ambassadors are certified in crowd management, mental health first aid, CPR, de-escalation, and more.
Training is facilitated by Detroit Police Department’s Neighborhood Police Officers, by the city of Detroit Department of Homeland Security, DDP team members, and DDP’s vendor, Block by Block.
“I set a goal at the start of 2023 – to be named BIZ Ambassador of the Year,” says Winston. “Reaching that goal and receiving this recognition has been really rewarding. I’m happy to see all my hard work pay off in my hometown, and I’m looking forward to continuing to keep Detroit beautiful.”
Since the inception of the BIZ, ambassadors have assisted more than 500,000 patrons, collected 8,338 tons of trash, and removed more than 32,000 markings of graffiti. This year the BIZ celebrates its 10-year anniversary.