As I finish out the first month of this journey as a Challenge Detroit fellow, I can’t help but reflect on transition. This, after all, is my fourth city in as many years. A few months ago I read this post by Charlie Guo on Medium, and I feel it apropos to share here. My life circumstances don’t exactly mirror those of the author, and I’m not saying I agree with everything he shared, but some of it certainly resonates with me. First, is that this lifestyle is exhausting. Packing, moving, settling in, getting acquainted with a new city, creating a new circle of friends; all of these things take time, and incredible amounts of energy. Moving to a new city is bittersweet for me, as I say goodbye to what has come before.  Second, I think it’s important to acknowledge both the highs and lows, because life is more than just the curated photos and moments shared on social media.

Despite what I just divulged, I’m still incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be a fellow. Our cohort was recently asked to create a vision for the year, and the representation for our vision is the Sankofa from the West African Akan tribe. It symbolizes the need to learn and pull from the past to create a strong future. In this time of transition, I find that this rings true. It’s important for me to look back over the past three years and take the lessons I have learned with me as I move into my new home here in Detroit. On a deeper level, it also holds true that I need to look at Detroit’s past. This city has a profoundly rich history about which I am only just beginning to learn.

So as we begin our first challenge tomorrow, I’m giving myself space to be in this moment of transition, but I’m also pushing myself to learn about Detroit and connect with the people I meet here along the way. Because if there is one thing I have learned from moving to so many new cities, is that it requires a consistent nudge just outside of my comfort zone.