My first month in Detroit has felt like one never-ending conversation. And, like anyone starting life again in a new city, it’s really just a script. The standard Q &A that discloses ones abbreviated life story to a new acquaintance:

I grew up in San Diego.

I studied architecture at Rice University in Houston, TX.

I work for ROSSETTI, downtown.

ROSSETTI designs sports stadiums…

E.T.C.

 

And then, somewhere around here, when I am breathless from talking about myself, it drops. THE question.

 

So… why Detroit?

 

The question is asked with genuine curiosity. And, suddenly, the conversation is elevated from casual small talk to something more.

 

Is it odd that such a simple question gives me anxiety?

 

I have answered it so many times its like I am listening to a record of myself. The root of my anxiety comes from my attempt to give the answer that people expect; an answer that mirrors the passion my counterparts have for making a difference. Yes, I do have similar sentiments. But, if I were to answer in complete honesty, I could say it in six single-syllable words.

 

I came to see what’s good.

 

Pretty basic right? In my defense, seeing isn’t implicitly passive. For this year in Detroit, seeing also comes with a responsibility to bare witness. I plan to use this space as a testament of what I see.

 

However negatively the city is portrayed in national media, I don’t go a single day without seeing something hopeful and beautiful. I leave my apartment each morning for a day that is full of listening and absorbing new information in a new environment. I breathe in the city and fall asleep each night with a full mind of exciting images.

 

I see Eastern market busy on a Sunday filled with produce seekers and at night transformed into an arts mecca. I see coffee shops filling the role of community gathering space. I see community leaders like Lauren Hood listening to the people she serves and providing lasting solutions. I see non-profits like MACC Redevelopment changing the lives of children everyday. I see organizations like Detroit Soup creating a platform for people with inspiring ideas. I see visionaries like Maurice Cox creating socially responsible and ambitious plans for the future of the city. I see the impact that 42 individuals can have working for a single afternoon at Recovery Park.

 

So far, I have seen a lot. I will continue to bear witness and feel comfortable with the fact that my “why Detroit” is a work in progress. And, although this is just one small record, I hope that it may add to your perception of this complex place I now call home.