It’s been three years since I’ve spent Thanksgiving at home with my family in California. Not being from the States, the holiday isn’t personally meaningful to us in the traditional sense, but it has always been a time when all the family members have off from school/work and we get to spend some quality time together. But, having lived on the East Coast for two years, and now in Detroit, time spent with family (and close childhood friends) has diminished over time and the holidays are becoming more and more personally meaningful.

That being said, how and with whom I spend my holidays away from home had become increasingly important. And as I celebrated  Thanksgiving in Detroit this year, I had a chance to reflect not only on the people who were with me at the dinner table, but on all of the people I’ve met in the city in the last six months … and let me tell you, I have a lot to be thankful for. The people I have been privileged to meet, from strangers to fellows, and those I now feel comfortable calling good friends, are what makes this city especially beautiful and special, unique from anywhere else I’ve lived before.

The sense of camaraderie and support for one another (as opposed to the cutthroat competition one encounters in NY or LA, practically on a daily basis) is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. In large part, I think this stems from the fact that most people here, those who’ve settled in Detroit, are so incredibly passionate and genuine about making this city better for everyone, they understand that it’s more valuable and important to bring up the city and everyone in it – to increase the size of the so-called pie, rather than vie for a larger piece of it.

I’m also so inspired and enchanted by the fact that so many of the people here are creators, doers, makers, and pure hustlers. Detroit is not without its challenges, but that doesn’t stop Detroiters. In many cases, I’d say that’s probably what pushes them to work harder, to find creative ways to make things work in an at times broken system, and to stop talking and just do.

On a personal note, the Detroiters I’ve had the pleasure of meeting, working with, and becoming friends with are incredibly open and welcoming, creating a sense of community so much stronger that anything I’ve experienced before. That’s not to say everyone is welcomed with open arms, and with good reason. Those who have been here for a minute have been burned in the past, may be a bit skeptical of newbies, and as such take a minute (or a few) to sense whether your intentions are pure or if you’re here to purely benefit yourself. But they’ve honed their radars over there years, so as long as you’re genuine, you’ve got nothing to worry about.

And I could go on and on, gushing about this … so I’ll close with a huge thank you to everyone I’ve had the chance to meet over the last six months! So honored to be in your company. Detroit is lucky to have you!