It is really easy to talk about all the positive aspects of Detroit — the romanticized view that includes cool bars and restaurants, beautiful murals, shows and sporting events. Its easy to talk about all the of the changes that are happening all around us, and to be optimistic about all of the good being initiated in the city. But, it’s really hard to talk about the unsettling reality of some things happening in Detroit.

Within two weeks, everything I was warned about before moving to Detroit happened to me. My friends’ car was broken into–windows smashed and almost stolen right in front of my house. A few days later I sprinted to my roommate’s room waiting for the sounds of an ambulance after we woke up to gun shots right outside our house. Days later, I waited to be picked up at a bus shelter that I shared with two homeless men who were drinking beer at 8:00 am. Later that week, my roommate caught someone eating out of our trash can.

I have never experienced anything like this before. In the days that followed, I couldn’t help but become hyper aware of all of the problems around me, of all of the people that I pass everyday on my way to work who never leave their corner as they beg for food or money. I know their faces, and what they commonly wear. I am aware of all the burned down houses, of the trash, and of the flaws that I used to mull over before I was immersed in them and before I was able to pretend that these problems didn’t exist.

I was scared because these problems all felt too large to fix. I felt like I had spent all of my time in Detroit being naïve about my surroundings. I spent many days feeling less than optimistic about the place that once held my heart. But then I remembered one of my first days as a Challenge Detroiter when we were toured the city. There was a sign in the Ford Resource and Engagement Center that told The Starfish Story. It’s a story about a young boy throwing starfish in the sea to save them from their death, despite the immense amount of starfish on shore. He was approached by an older man that told him he was wasting his time and he would never be able to save them all. To which the young boy threw another starfish in the sea and replied, “It made a difference to that one.”

I came to the conclusion that it is okay to feel a little scared for the future of this city, and it is okay to be open about that feeling. Because making people aware of the positive changes in Detroit is just as important as telling them about some of the negative realities of Detroit. It is necessary for me to open my eyes to the issues surrounding me so that I am more aware, not just for my safety, but for the sake of the city. I have a real chance to make change in Detroit, and I want to do that while knowing about every part of the city, even those parts that I used to wish didn’t exist. And just maybe, I can make a difference to one.