A few days ago I read an article by Ryan Felton in the Metro Times about the turbulent history of public transit in Detroit. There were a few sections that I thought were interesting:
Back in the 1920s, metro Detroit had nearly 500 miles of streetcar tracks and feeder buses. In the 1940s, there were nearly 1,000 streetcars and 490 […]
Is generational behavior a natural phenomenon or is it a product of societal pressure in a particular time period? Or are the two not mutually exclusive?
At my age, my parents were married with two young kids (a third would arrive only a few years later), no money, very defined career paths, and daily schedules booked […]
The barometer for success in all professions is one’s ability to make a positive impact on others and, of course, his/her employer. I don’t think there is any profession in which that statement rings more true than community development work.
In Madagascar, there were several times where I wondered if the Malagasy students I worked with were getting anything out […]
All Challenge Detroit fellows are responsible for a certain number of volunteer hours per month. At the beginning of the fellowship, I knew I wanted to volunteer with, and learn about, a handful of different organizations around the city, but I had hoped to find one that I would want to be involved with regularly. […]
I didn’t have any intention of taking notes while attending the Detroit Policy Conference in February. I just wanted to listen to what people had to say because, personally, there’s nothing enjoyable about feverishly writing things down as people speak.
Well, that was until John Hope Bryant spoke.
Yeah, I didn’t know who he was either.
John Hope Bryant is […]
A Look from My Lens
I decided not to get a car* when I came back from the Peace Corps for one reason: I wanted a small, daily reminder of the constant struggles Malagasy people face in regards to transportation. Right now, there are thousands of people all over the island walking dozens of miles to […]
I probably should have saved this submission for when we get closer to the interview trip for Challenge Detroit’s 5th cohort of fellows, but there is something soothing about recanting funny/inspirational memories around the New Year.
One of the first Challenge memories I have was reading a blog post written by year three fellow, and my current […]
I’m not one to lose myself in thought very often, but when it does happen it’s always an adventure. Last week, I was riding my bike past Michigan Central Station in Corktown and thought, I can’t wait until this building is operational again. Wouldn’t it be great if I had enough money to buy it?
I was […]
At this point, it has been well-documented that I served in the Peace Corps in Madagascar. I’ve tried to limit the amount of stories I bring up around people, but sometimes I can’t help myself when something I hear makes me think “Oh, that reminds me of a time in Madagascar when…”
As I mentioned in […]
Corktown is one of the many Detroit neighborhoods that has redefined itself in the past 15 years. Previously known for beers and baseball, Corktown now attracts crowds from all seven districts and the suburbs for its unique restaurants, walkability, and charm. But even in one of the most popular neighborhoods in this city, there might still […]
