One question has the power to make any college senior cringe. “So what are you going to do after graduation?” Taking the next step after graduation and into “the real world”  is a scary prospect for most. When I envisioned my life after college, I saw myself working with others to build strong communities. I didn’t know exactly what I would be doing but I knew I would be living and working in my hometown, Detroit. To me, Detroit is a city filled with hope. In this place where joy and struggle walk side by side.

When accepted as a Challenge Detroit Fellow, I knew my year in the city would entail hard and fulfilling work which would make a difference. Detroit’s story is not only important to me but to others around the nation and world. Grace Lee Boggs once said, do something local. Do something real, however, small. Little did Mrs. Boggs know, she offered me some of the best advice one could give a recent graduate.