It’s hard to believe that a year has passed since we began Challenge Detroit. So much has changed in that short period of time, both in the city, among the fellows, and in my own life. When I started this program, it seemed that only those who’d been born and raised in the city of Detroit, or a nearby suburb, could appreciate the beauty of it, and the unique qualities of the place that I called home. Whenever I would tell someone from out of town where I was from, they were either surprised that I didn’t fit the stereotype of  what a Detroiter looked/acted like, or immediately bombarded me with a bunch of unfunny jokes about how awful my city was. Now when I tell people where I’m from, they seem to get excited, and begin asking questions about a new restaurant that they’ve heard about, a cool business that’s opened up in the area, or an organization working or an initiative taking place in the city that seems to be changing it for the better. It’s almost as if they’ve been introduced to Detroit for the first time, or maybe just seeing it with new eyes, and although it feels strange to me because I’ve always loved where I’m from – I welcome the change.

As for the fellows, some of us have grown a lot closer than I’d ever expected. Despite differences in age, place of birth, and in some cases being of different ethnicities, I’ve formed relationships with people that I know will last far beyond this yearlong commitment. This year I found out that not everyone I began the program with was as kind or accepting of others as I would have liked them to be, but ironically it was those people who helped the rest of us to become closer, and to realize how senseless it was to prejudge one another based on race, sex, economic background, birthplace, or any other random factor that we probably have little, if any control over. I saw fellows step up to challenges, mature, face difficult conversations and topics, become angry with one another and work through their differences, and I learned a lot about all of them,  and myself through this experience.

Lastly, participation in this program has given me a quiet strength, resilience and self-control that many years of school and a number of disagreeable coworkers at various jobs never could. Primarily because I was challenged not only with tackling the objectives of the non-profits that we worked with, but also required to work in close contact with people who may never have had a relationship with a Black person/Detroiter/Strong-Willed Black Woman, and as a result, I had to carefully pick my battles, choose my words, and try to represent so many different groups of underrepresented people, all at the same time. It was exhausting, frustrating, many times upsetting, but ultimately worth it. Because now I can look back and realize that I ‘ve made in difference this year, not only through my contribution of service to the organizations that we’ve worked with, nor just my host company, but I’d like to think that I’ve changed someone’s mind about the way they perceived people like me, and how they relate to them in the world. Though in the beginning that was never my intention, and I hadn’t dreamed that this experience would be as trying as it was, in so many different ways. But it was definitely a challenge, one that I’m happy to have accepted and now conquered. I look forward to the days ahead as the city, the fellows and myself continue to grow, thrive and prosper. – PEACE!!!