Detroit - Urban Issues

Day 7, and the aftermath–

 

On the last morning of our trip, we packed up and shipped out of Detroit before the sunrise. The rectory was a flurry of activity, with everyone rushing to stuff stray chargers, socks, and toothbrushes into their suitcases, making sure that we didn't leave anything with our housemates. After stopping for gas, we left Detroit for good with a week's worth of memories and newfound appreciation and understanding. We came to Detroit a week ago, full of apprehension and fear for a city we had only known as a dead city. Now, we leave it knowing that people like Ms. Reit in Brightmoor, Christine and her associates at the United Neighborhood Initiative, the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, and many of the residents of Detroit see their situation differently—they see a future and a life in their city that no one else can see quite yet, but no doubt will very soon. We will each take away something unique from our experience, but we will be able to share this hope with the people we encounter at Mizzou and beyond. Below are thoughts from our participants from our week.

 

Stephanie:

I remember receiving the email congratulating me on being chosen as a participant for the Detroit ASB. Excited beyond normalcy, I called everyone I knew, and they all had the same reaction. "Detroit? Why would you want to go there? It's dangerous!" Not once did I feel a bit of fear walking or driving around this city we have all grown to love in the past week. In fact, the most fear I felt was waking up this morning wondering what will happen now that we all have to go back to Columbia and back to our routine. School. Work. Homework. Sleep (rarely). Repeat. I fear that after this week, everything will go back to this routine without taking the time to remember all of the experiences we learned on this trip and using them to help one another in need and help bettering ourselves. It all starts with a story in Detroit. I learned far more from the high school students at UNI about pursuing dreams in the most difficult of situations than I could have possibly taught them. They seemed to have no fear even with their difficult situations. They inspired me to keep alive my own dreams and to use these lessons to help me achieve them. To all my fellow ASB members, I know you all will achieve your dreams. American love!

 

Stephen: 

Upon returning to Como from our service trip to Detroit, I feel enriched by all my experiences in the Motor City.  Each day brought something new and exciting.  Despite the stereotypes about the city, I grew to love Detroit, with its artistic energy and friendly people.  Detroiters also seemed to have hope for a better future for their city and are working hard to realize that dream.  Although we accomplished much, we also learned a lot about the city's troubles and its residents.  I loved that my talks about urban agriculture with Mrs. Reat and the visitors to the soup kitchen were so engaging.  Coming from a farming background, I was very curious about urban ag, a new trend in Detroit and a particular brand of farming with which I was unfamiliar.  Also, in addition to my invigorating volunteer work, I experienced a musical breakthrough at Baker's Keyboard & Lounge on Livernois.  With the encouragement of my fellow ASBers, I sung "Fly Me to the Moon", a song from my boy Frank Sinatra, before the patrons of the jazz club.  I was nervous and excited, but so happy to have that memory of singing before an audience for the first time.  I was so fortunate to have had the support of the other members, all of whom I am so glad I have gotten to know over a week. Though I'm a bit disheartened leaving such an interesting city and returning to the rigors of school, I could not ask for more from my spring break.

 

Roze:

Confronted with the task of summing up the week in a tidy paragraph, I am at a loss. The past seven days do not lend themselves to cursory overviews at all.

The Good:

·      The amazing work done by the community organizers in the city, including urban gardeners (the people at the Greening of Detroit and Reit in Brightmoor), the United Neighborhood Initiative, and the Capuchin Soup Kitchen

·      The art community in Detroit, which is so freaking cool and complicated and ripped apart and beautiful

·      My fellow Detroit ASB-ers, some of the funniest, kindest, sharpest, most wonderful people I've ever met

The Bad:

·      The undeserved reputation of Detroit as a broken, empty city

·      How little attention the attempts to rejuvenate the city get

·      How much work there is left to be done (but at the same time, I have faith it will get done)

The Ugly:

·      The short length of the trip

·      The short length of the trip

·      THE SHORT LENGTH OF THE TRIP

 

Nick:

I'm from Chicago, and live fairly close to Detroit, but never visited previously because of its negative reputation.  The prevailing opinion seemed to discredit Detroit as a city worth visiting due to poverty, violence, and other forms of urban decay.  Going to Detroit took a leap of faith, but looking back on our visit, I find myself impressed beyond expression by the spirit of the people and sense of community.  In Detroit, I got the feeling that everyone was in it together.  The city rose together when the auto industry was doing well, and now that its fallen on tougher times, communities and organizations seem to have stayed together in search of a remedy.  One thing I'm taking with me is the importance of human relations wherever you are.  When times reasonably are good it's easy to get caught up in our own individualism, and to turn our backs on others that are struggling.  It's worth considering Detroit, however, to appreciate common human struggles, and how engaged communities can help foster positivity when everything seems to be working against you.  Specifically, the conversations at lunch at the Capuchin Soup Kitchen left me thinking about how vulnerable we all are, even those that appear to be the most intelligent and well off.  The great support networks and community organizations of Detroit were an impressive example of how we can combat the

 

Alicia:

We gathered last Saturday in the darkness of 6am. As we loaded into the vehicle we had high hopes for making a difference in the Detroit we have all heard about – one in shambles of gunshots and broken people. Looking back at the week, it is hard not to laugh at how wrong all of the stereotypes have been. Yes, there are empty homes and people without jobs. But for every person who aches with a longing for the Detroit we know as the booming motor city, there is another who wants to create a new Detroit based in everything from art to urban agriculture. You would think that after a week of living on the "wrong" side of 8 mile and eating in soup kitchens we would be ready for the serenity of our college town. But somehow, we found smiles and stories on the faces of everyone we spoke with and I am in no way ready to say good-bye. I wish I could have seen Detroit when it was at the top of it's game but even more so, I hope I am blessed enough to see the art filled, green Detroit of the very near future.

 

Paul:

Before arriving in Detroit, I didn't really know what to expect.  Sure there were the obvious stereotypes of a city in decline, stricken with homelessness, poverty, drugs, unemployment.  It is hard not to know, or at least here about these things.  What I didn't know, and I'm sure most of us not from Detroit were unaware of as well, was the determination of Detroiters to not give up on their communities.  This is what makes Detroit special.  The people.  One of my favorite quotes is, and don't ask where it comes from because I've long forgotten, "Engage people, not issues".  I like to think that is what we were doing in Detroit.  That is what the people who are involved in the Capuchin Soup Kitchen, Urban Neighborhoods Initiative, or the Greening of Detroit are doing.  Yes, Detroit has many issues and can't be fixed overnight, or even in a week.  In fact, it may never be the same again.  But when people come together in times of need, that is when they truly grow and begin to make a difference in their own and each other's lives.  When I sat down to eat lunch at the soup kitchen I was no longer a white kid from the suburbs.  I was a man, hungry and grateful for the food in front of me, just as Jake, O'Terria, Hosea, and Alicia were.  It is only in those shared moments of laughter, sweat, conversation, smiles, and love that change can be made.  Detroit is changing.  I was a part of it.  My fellow ASBers were a part of it.  The people of Detroit are it.

 

Taylor:

When I first found out that I would be going to Detroit for spring break, I must admit I wasn't very excited about going up north to colder weather. I was also very nervous about staying in what I thought was a "rough" city. However, this past week has completely surpassed all of my expectations. I had the most amazing time ever and made some amazing new friends. I actually miss Detroit already. I definitely had my stereotypes about the type of people who lived in Detroit; but after meeting some of the citizens I learned so much about the people in this city. I was truly touched by their stories and was able to empathize with their situations in which they now find themselves. When the auto industry left the city it also left thousands of people without jobs and without a bright future. So many people counted on work in the factories to provide for their families, and when there were no more jobs they had nowhere to go. This week really gave me a chance to reevaluate my life and realize how truly fortunate I am to live in a nice home in a nice city.

After many hours of volunteering at various sites in the city, I realized how connected the Detroit community is and how determined they are to get Detroit back on its' feet. Whether it's urban farming or working at a youth center after school, the community is constantly trying to find new ways to keep kids out of trouble and get them engaged in productive work. I was amazed to see that almost all of the organizations were connected to each other in some way to better the community; it's a huge city with a small town feel. Although there are so many problems with drugs and gangs, the community remains very optimistic about the changes and advancements occurring. I so badly want to go back and help them make the changes necessary to improve Detroit's heartbreaking situation.

            I feel so fortunate to have been able to volunteer in Detroit for a week and hear the people's stories. This experience has made me think about what I want to do with my life and how I can help people in cities just like Detroit. I think I can speak for all of us when I say this has been an eye-opening experience that we will never forget. I love my new ASB family and am so glad I was able to share this awesome experience with them. Motown rocks!! 

 

Carol:

I have to admit that when I first heard I will be going to Detroit for my spring break, I wasn't very looking forward to it because it's up north and very cold. Also, I am a bit scared when I realized I need to travel with a group of American friends to another city and I was afraid there is nothing left for me to talk about with them and I would be left out. But it turned out there is nothing for me to worry about because all of the people I went with are so great and amazing people, we are definitely like a big family together.

One of my favorite parts about the trip is the people I went with. I am fascinated by their passions and enthusiasm to engage me to do anything. I really love the nickname they give me which is "Chinatown", actually everybody has a nickname in our group and we called each other's nickname to make us even closer to each other. We always sat around the table every evening to share our interesting things happened each day, and we will shop together, sleep on the same floor, help each other cook etc. I can think of million things we've done together like a family!

As for the volunteering thing, we have done Greening of Detroit and helping out at the youth center. We've done volunteer work varied from gardening, to playing games with kids. It's always nice to talk to different people and step out of my comfort zone. When we went to the Capuchin Soup Kitchen to volunteer, we actually went to the places to eat with the homelessness people for lunch and we talked with them. I have to say that at first I am a bit scared to talk to them when I saw all the African-Americans men were sitting there. But I got over myself and had very interesting conversations with them and I am surprised to see that how willing and happy they are to talk to us and have their voices heard.

For our last day in Detroit, we went to downtown Detroit and have a relatively fancy dinner there. I realized that Detroit used to be a prosperous city, but now Detroit needed help from everyone to get back to its prosperity. There are many people moved out of Detroit, GM headquarter is kind of empty, there aren't many people walking on the street even though it's weekdays. I am happy to see that everybody in our group has a warm heart to give generous help to whoever needed.

I really miss everyone teasing me all the time; it makes me feel I am part of the group, an indispensible part. I feel so lucky to participate in the ASB and know this group of amazing people. I love them all!

 

Jake:

Life is made up of defining moments. More often than not, these moments come in the form of extraordinary events: meeting inspiring individuals, completing a significant or difficult task, losing something or someone important to you, and/or a multitude of other experiences. My trip with Alternative Spring Break included all of these things. Detroit is one of my life's defining moments.

Outside of my own self-absorbed musings on the world, witnessing firsthand the driving passion of the people of Detroit is the most inspiring thing I have ever been a part of.  I wouldn't change my trip for the world, even after seeing all of my sun-kissed friends return from warm locales. Seeing the power of an idea manifest itself in real change is unreal. As Margaret Mead said more eloquently than I ever could, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

I remember during the 2008 election, many people demonized the "community organizing" background of Barack Obama. I couldn't think of something more important than community organizing, especially in a place as desolate as Detroit. The people of this city have not lost hope. They don't only hope things will change, they know they will. And they're not going to sit idly by and watch it happen from a safe distance. I hope one day I can make as much of a difference in a community as so many of the people we worked with.

I will never forget the relationships I formed on this trip. The other 11 individuals on this trip are some of the best people I have ever met. Although I was the "grandpa" of the trip, I couldn't imagine feeling closer to individuals in a 7-day span. Each individual brought a unique skillset, and the bond formed through giving back is unbreakable. As a senior graduating in a SHORT 5 weeks, my one regret is this being my first and only ASB trip at Mizzou. But at the same time, I'm glad all the people on this trip will be my reflection on the program. They set the bar pretty high.

I think this was the perfect trip for me to attend prior to serving the low-income, inner-city community of San Antonio as a teacher. I'm pretty excited I get to continue my passion for serving communities starting in late-May through Teach For America. I WILL incorporate the sense of community action in my work in Texas, because only together can real change come to fruition. There is only one method to ensure the future is a place you want to live: be the change you wish to see in the world. I'll see you there.

 

Monica:

To be completely honest, I was not expecting all that much from our ASB trip.  I wasn't even sure if I was going to have any fun.  I just assumed that we would come together, do the best we could to help the Detroit community, go back to Columbia and move on.  The funny thing is, the first night I slept in my own bed after we got back, all I could think about is how I wish I could be sleeping in the rectory at Detroit Mercy on the floor- keep in mind that this floor was ant-infested, cold, hard and uncomfortable.  When we started class again on Monday, my friends and teachers asked me how my break was and I didn't even know where to begin.  At one point I stared in silence at my folklore professor for 10 seconds until I gathered the word "amazing" (lame, I know) out of the all the thoughts I was trying to articulate.  I didn't know how to explain how it feels to enter a downtrodden city like Detroit, littered with burned houses and abandoned buildings, and leave it with a sense that while there is an overwhelming amount of work to be done, there is a vibrant community that is alive and trying to do its best.  Every day I became more surprised by how interconnected the community is in Detroit.  All of the organizations that we volunteered for knew of each other and were often somehow directly working with each other.  While we were at Brightmoor volunteering with Riet, I expressed how I would have no idea how to start something as significant as she has and she explained that the most important thing to remember is that you can't do it alone, stressing the importance of a support system.  By the end of the week I realized how completely right Riet was.  The organizations we volunteered for relied on each other, our ASB group relied on members within the group and we relied on the organizations as much as they relied on us.  I felt a connection to the inner workings of a city like I never have before and I couldn't get enough of it.  There was a wonderful, comforting sense of community that we all felt, and none of us are even from Detroit. I look forward to returning to Detroit soon, especially if it's with our ASB group in tow.

 

Michelle:

            After reading everyone else's reflections on the trip, the only thing I can say is that I am completely overwhelmed. I am the kind of person who sets her expectations ridiculously high, but despite this fact ASB Detroit completely superseded every single one that I had, a million times over. Our participants were absolutely phenomenal—no one complained, no one got in a fight, no one thought that the work we were doing was pointless and stupid. I didn't have to send anyone home for breaking the rules (if they crossed the border to Canada, it was super sneaky and without my knowledge). We all loved each other, and we all fell in love with Detroit. Before Nick and I decided to go there, I knew absolutely nothing about the city. I had read articles here and there about how empty and downtrodden it is, but I didn't know anything about its history or how it go there. Researching before the trip taught me a little bit more, but it wasn't until we arrived that I began to fully understand. Seeing a city large enough to fit 2 million people nearly empty is a jarring experience. We wandered around downtown on Sunday, our free day, and only a few people here and there could be found. However, the small population leads to something truly unique to Detroit—a tight knit community surviving together.  Even though we found our housing and our three volunteer sites through random Google searches, every time we met someone they already knew someone else we had spoken with. Detroit is beautiful and filled with amazing people, and it's obvious that they are still there because they have a dedication to the city that is nearly impossible to abolish. I loved traveling there and discovering this passion, and I am excited to bring it back and share it with the people I know here in Missouri. I am thrilled to have eleven fantastic people to do this with, and I look forward to doing more good things with them and with Alternative Spring Break!