Hebrews 11:1 – Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

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Life is best understood when we have the luxury of hindsight to rely upon, but we must live our life’s moving forward centered around faith in God and ourselves. To chase our dreams, we must understand that our life begins where our comfort zone ends. To obtain our individualized rendition of the ”American Dream”, you must be adapt to change and except obstacles.

As humans we are creatures of habit and regularly repeat the same actions day in and day out without consciousness of our actions. Its the atypical occurrences of each day that we remember down the road, and I believe its these actions that play a marquee role in redefining who we are. We must consistently reinvent ourselves to conform to our ever-changing surroundings.

At the mid-point of my yearlong fellowship in Detroit, I cant help but reflect on my expectations and reservations with accepting the invitation to join Challenge Detroit’s fourth cohort.

With limited knowledge of the city and its multifaceted and opulent history both past and present day, I was eager to indulge myself into the culture and pulse of Detroit. I quickly learned that Detroit is both a reflection of its past, and a emerging foundation for its future. Its not entirely what you see on TV from the confines of your home, but its not definitively opposite of it either. Detroit is a city that challenges who you are, and changes your perceptions of why you are who you are. Having previously lived in Cincinnati, Baltimore and Atlanta I had a strong understanding of ”city life” and what to except on a daily basis in regards to transportation, groceries, fitness, etc. But in contrast to my prior cities, I actively seeked to become apart of the city of Detroit, to learn about it and contribute positively to it.

Detroit will question why you are here, but upon proving your genuine interest in being one amongst the rest you will reap the best of rewards; a home.

With a structured daily routine that generally starts at 5:00am as I lace up my Nikes in preparation for a run underneath the emerging shadows of the Detroit skyline, the lifestyle I have embraced and created has vastly succeed my realistic expectations. Detroit has become my home both in the present state, and the foreseeable future Lord willing.

HamiltonAnderson & Associates, the architecture firm located a stones throw away from Ford Field and Comerica Park, has been a seamless fit for me both on a personal and professional level. The firm has welcomed me with a unprecedented level of professionalism, and unequivocally supported my inclusion in the Challenge Detroit fellowship. HAA is a workplace environment I foresee myself working as I pursue my Masters of Architecture degree this fall, and in the early stages of my professional career.

Living in Detroit has urged me to expect the unknown, and anticipate change. Detroit is more than a city on a map, it is a culture that lives in you and an attitude that drives you. It is infectious, both positively and at times negatively.

As we make the turn toward the homestretch and I focus my eyes on the finish line of the Free Press Marathon, and the fellowship in the fall, I urge any prospective fellow to take note of your goals and reservations standing between yourself and applying. If, and when, your list of fears and unknowns is more prominent than your goals, click apply. Because over the course of the fellowship you will become comfortable being uncomfortable, consistently challenged both personally and professionally and pushed to the limitations of who you are.

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“When a poet digs himself into a hole, he doesn’t climb out. He digs deeper, enjoys the scenery, and comes out the other side enlightened.”