I have lived in Detroit for just about three months now and have focused on not only my work at PM Environmental and with Challenge Detroit but also on finding fun experiences and opportunities that encourage me to see different parts of the city. Our media mostly dramatizes negative news stories of Detroit and does not offer enough appreciation to the awesome music scene, art culture, culinary escapades, visionary initiatives, small business ventures, and grassroots movements that propel the city toward a more positive future.

I have made a few discoveries thus far and continue to see and learn more each week. From annual music events like Jazz Fest and Dally in the Alley to weekly get-togethers at the mega-hipster (sorry, not sorry, hipsters) cafe/bar Great Lakes and Nancy Whiskey, the city has something for everyone to enjoy. One also has the ability to experience the city through various volunteer opportunities. I particularly enjoy frequenting the jazz club, Cliff Bell’s and volunteering every few weeks at the Michigan Urban Farming Initiative.

I stumbled upon Cliff Bell’s while researching potential locations for my company Christmas party and decided to check out one of their free jazz shows that occurs every Tuesday night. Sipping on bourbon with my first Challenge group, I took in the sights of the 1935 art deco, depression-era club, adorned with mahogany and brass. We sat and listened to the upbeat jazz grooves of the Marcus Elliot Quartet and ordered another round. Cliff Bell’s has quickly become a place I return to every other week to treat myself!

After having worked for the Seattle University Grounds Department, I have developed a strong commitment to urban agriculture and sustainable food systems. Imagine my excitement when Challenge Detroit scheduled a volunteering event at the Michigan Urban Farming Initiative. Just a few years old, this non-profit urban farm focuses on the redevelopment of a two-square-block plot of land in Detroit’s north end. The volunteers who run the farm have a strong commitment to the neighborhood they serve by providing dozens of varieties of healthy produce on a donation basis. MUFI is also transforming the surrounding area by purchasing blighted homes to deconstruct and redevelop into community resource space. I am eager to contribute to and to see how MUFI continues to positively influence its community and in the city as a whole.

These examples are just two of the awesome things I have come across in Detroit. I hear about new, innovative, and fun things everyday. Before you share another news article about something negative that has happened in the city, I challenge you to find something positive and share that story instead. Better yet, come see Detroit for
yourself.