In this week’s Fellow Spotlight, we are checking in with Carmen Bojanowski. She fills us in on what she enjoys most about Detroit, her host company Brooks Kushman, and what she’s looking forward to as a Challenge Detroit Fellow.

What do you enjoy most about living, working, playing, giving and leading in Detroit? 

Detroit is a city unlike any other and I love being here. Even though I’ve lived a half-hour away from the city my whole life, it’s a completely different experience being immersed in the city’s culture every day. It’s a struggle for everyone to feel like they’re doing something that actually matters, especially as a recent graduate, and Detroit’s the perfect place to have that opportunity. What we’re doing in Challenge Detroit is real and it’s being recognized and it’s a great feeling. Plus I’ve saved so much money and headaches that come with parking here by being able to walk to most of my favorite places in the city!

Tell us about your neighborhood and why you love living there. 

I live in Lafayette Park. I love that it’s a tucked-away little community in a big city. I’ll walk around the park and forget about the hustle and bustle of the city, but then I’m in walking distance from Eastern Market and Greektown. I get the best of both worlds in here.

Tell us about your host company and your role in the organization. 

I work at Brooks Kushman, an IP law firm in Southfield. I am a marketing and communications assistant and I dabble in accounting as well.

What have your learned from Challenge Detroit so far? 

I’ve seen a lot of growth in the city that I never would have known was happening had it not been for my involvement in Challenge Detroit. The city doesn’t have the best reputation but it’s so refreshing to know that there are so many Detroiters working on changing that and trying to restore its former greatness.

What are you looking forward to most in the coming months? 

I’m looking forward to the weather to warming up and the city coming back to life after such a long, cold winter. Detroit in the spring and summer is so exciting and not a weekend goes by that there isn’t some sort of event going on.

What type of impact do you hope to have within the city and within your host company? 

I’d love to stay in the city and get more involved within the writers community. There are so many creative minds in Detroit that I’m inspired by and I would love to be able to make my mark here.

Also, be sure to check out Carmen’s video to learn more about her time in Detroit, so far.