Hans Barbe is a musician, music teacher, small business owner and political activist/organizer. He was born and raised in Grosse Pointe, attending South High School, earned his Bachelor's degree from the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music and now teaches music in Grosse Pointe. Since 2007, he's been involved in a variety of grassroots campaigns and causes, starting with his job as Michigan director of former Senator Mike Gravel's Presidential campaign for nine months until Michigan's primary election. That campaign plugged Hans right into Michigan's progressive activist community while also encouraging an approach to politics that is unafraid to be candid about thinking outside the box, an influence that maintained ever since.
After that campaign finished with the 2008 Presidential primary, Hans joined the Iraq Moratorium antiwar campaign as its National Student Coordinator. This had him traveling around the country to help organize and catalogue any events that called for an end to the war in Iraq. After a year of involvement in the antiwar movement he joined the board of Peace Action of Michigan. Then in 2009 he and a group of artists and musicians opened a creative performance space/community lounge called the Phoenix Cafe in the city of Hazel Park. The Phoenix Cafe has hosted all manner of cultural events, performances, meetings, open mic nights and raised money for several community-based initiatives and non-profits. His involvement there led to his being a founding member of the Hazel Park Arts Council, a combination of city officials and local creative people fostering the arts in Hazel Park.
When the "Occupy Wall Street" movement emerged in late 2011, Hans jumped in head first. His faith in people-power and previous involvement in so many grassroots campaigns and causes was fully utilized in Occupy Detroit, where he continues to organize to bring attention and activity around important issues like fighting foreclosures and state-takeovers of public assets.
After that campaign finished with the 2008 Presidential primary, Hans joined the Iraq Moratorium antiwar campaign as its National Student Coordinator. This had him traveling around the country to help organize and catalogue any events that called for an end to the war in Iraq. After a year of involvement in the antiwar movement he joined the board of Peace Action of Michigan. Then in 2009 he and a group of artists and musicians opened a creative performance space/community lounge called the Phoenix Cafe in the city of Hazel Park. The Phoenix Cafe has hosted all manner of cultural events, performances, meetings, open mic nights and raised money for several community-based initiatives and non-profits. His involvement there led to his being a founding member of the Hazel Park Arts Council, a combination of city officials and local creative people fostering the arts in Hazel Park.
When the "Occupy Wall Street" movement emerged in late 2011, Hans jumped in head first. His faith in people-power and previous involvement in so many grassroots campaigns and causes was fully utilized in Occupy Detroit, where he continues to organize to bring attention and activity around important issues like fighting foreclosures and state-takeovers of public assets.
