Growing up in the city, I quickly found the issues instead of looking for the light in the darkness, similar to how many did. This mindset guided me to decide on leaving the city at an early age. I moved to Ann Arbor during my undergrad career and had no intentions on looking back. Little did I know, that was not the case once I graduated.

Halfway through my undergrad, I began to visit the city more since my family still lived in the area. Not sure if it was because I began to mature more or my reasoning skills were more concrete than that of a teenager, but I began to see this light in a dark place. Aside from the rich culture that resonated in the communities, the youth brought me to a new place. A place of peace and exceeding potentials that just needed a push; this idea is where I was reeled in. I wanted to be part of the dynamic of a prospering city that has made me who I am today. I began to think of my youth and in what ways that can help me push the new potentials that the city can bring. This potential being the kids that are growing up in the community today. These fresh slates that can view the city in the ways I did not as I grew up and attended Detroit Public Schools. If the leaders of tomorrow had fate in the city, then the future of Detroit can continue to expand and become what everyone wants to see.

My first hand exposure with tackling these passions of mine of the revitalization of the city began with what I held close to my heart, soccer. Shortly after moving back to Detroit, I began to coach a youth soccer team at an elementary school in my Southwest Detroit Community. The excitement and happiness that these children brought to the field is something that I have not seen since I played. No matter if they won or lost, they were resilient in the end and found the positives in it all. I initially hoped to teach these kids a thing or two about soccer, but I quickly realized that they had a lot more to teach me. If we all had an open mind and found the good in even the worst experiences, the city would be a better place. Although our city has a lot to work to do, if we keep our heads up and keep on striving for a better Detroit, there is no telling what the future holds.