Dear Mom,

Thanks again for all the Hanukkah presents and for the dinner last night – it was delicious.

A few weeks ago I was watching a city council meeting.  The meeting’s agenda consisted of two main topics:  the first topic was whether or not Miller-Canfield should continue advising Mayor Bing and the second discussion was regarding an emergency financial manager in the city.  The council was going back and forth on both topics for the majority of the meeting, discussing consequences, opportunities, and alternative options to move the city forward.  Detroit residents also had the opportunity to chime in on the debates.  After much deliberation, one elderly woman took to the microphone and said,  “None of you are understanding the true problem.  I woke up one morning and read in the newspaper that I now live in Midtown.”

At the root of many disagreements is opposing cultures.  You raised me, Mom, in the suburbs of Detroit, not in the city of Detroit.  Growing up, my perspective and understanding of the world was much different than those born and raised in the city.   While striving for understanding of different cultures is a noble endeavor, acknowledging that different cultures exist is the first step.  Working towards coexistence is the next.

During the city council meeting, different ideas coexisted in the same room.  One person speaking could be both right and wrong.  If different ideas can coexist, then can different cultures, different communities and different people?  I like to think the answer is yes.  We are a country, after all, founded on diversity – diverse religions, people, and ideas.

The problem arises when one group thinks their culture is better.  The paradox, though, is that if we thought someone else’s way of life were better, we would reject our culture and accept theirs.  So we all think our culture is the best.

The challenge is to move beyond competing cultures and move towards acknowledgement. At my host company, one of the books frequently referenced is Good to Great by Jim Collins.  In the book, there’s a saying that “those doing the work understand it the best.”  This same principle can be applied to the city – those who have lived here their entire lives understand the problems and which solutions are most practical.

But back to the main point – a woman woke up one morning and realized she was living in Midtown.   With development and revitalization comes change.  But change should not be forced. While change is needed, growth for one community should not come at a loss of another community’s culture.