In August 2013 I had the decision between two job opportunities. One was a well-paid, associate position in a highly esteemed international analytic company and the other was Challenge Detroit. From my bubble in Ann Arbor, where I spent the summer of 2013, the decision was difficult. When I confronted friends and family with the […]
This past month, Challenge Detroit decided to allow us fellows to spend our Friday’s in July pursuing an impact project of our choosing, as opposed to working as a group with a non-profit in a pre-arranged style. I decided to work for Healthy Detroit in planning a Community Conversation on Mental Health. While the event […]
One aspect of myself that I have grown into more since I’ve moved to Detroit is becoming uncompromised in some things in my life that I staunchly believe in. Just to cover all basis, being uncompromising is not always a good thing, in most situations I could argue it is a negative attribute. It can lead […]
Wayne County ranks 82 out of 82 in health rankings among all counties within the state of Michigan. This includes being 82 out of 82 in social & economic factors (high school graduation rate, child poverty rate, no social support, violent crime, etc.) as well as physical environment (air pollution, severe housing issues, length of […]
I’ve been away from the city for the past two and a half weeks. I had bunion surgery on my right foot and have been convalescing on my parents’ couch in Bloomfield Hills. While it was amazing to have my mom cook me three square meals each day like I was a kid again, I […]
Something I have been struggling with since beginning to work in healthcare is the ability of individual organizations to treat an entire community. Especially now having worked in academic, private and non-profit settings, it always seems that certain segments of the population drop to the wayside. For example, working on an adolescent substance abuse research […]
I have always considered myself a strong feminist, someone willing and able to stand up for the female gender in the face of frequent, and often silent, discrimination. I think about my gender every day of my life, but this month I’ve been experiencing it outside of myself more often than usual.
First off, Beyoncé dropped […]
The eve before the Michigan v. Ohio State game, I found myself watching a documentary with my brother and father, chronicling the legendary rivalry between the two institutions, one that can only be credited the coaches, Bo Schembechler and Woody Hayes. While watching the film pumped me up for the game today, there was one […]
Last weekend, I had both my parents visit my apartment in Midtown and take a trip down to Eastern Market. This was not just any chilly fall morning for me, as my parents actively avoid Detroit and have been known, from time to time, to talk that negative talk we all know so well surrounding […]
I’m Kirsten Bondalapati, a 25 year old who was raised in Bloomfield Hills, one of the many Detroit suburbs. I grew up with four siblings, a kind mother and an encouraging father. I was first introduced to Detroit as a teenager, sneaking out with friends to catch live music downtown. I continue to associate Detroit […]