Fun at Dequindre Cut

I am not one to quickly adjust to anything and moving to Detroit to start my postgrad life was no exception. Each month I get to present you with snapshots of my life in this storied city and most of the time they are far from grand. For the most part I am alright with that. For me this journey is about progress. So much has changed since I wrote to you about my first and second months. I can only imagine what 2015 has in store for me. With progress in mind, I am going to share with you the biggest success and the biggest challenge I experienced in my third month here.

This is an exercise we do weekly at HelloWorld, my Challenge Detroit host company.

My Biggest Challenge
I struggled most with honesty during my third month here. Honesty about Detroit and knowing when it is appropriate for me to express what I know to be true about my life here.  I am new to this city. I would need a lifetime to understand the complex layers of legislation and inequity that have combined to create the Detroit we know today. Yet I still feel that it is important to share my experiences. All of them. From my car being stolen to the shooting that took place a few blocks from my home. I subscribe to a daily crime report. If you live in Detroit, I think you should too. These are scary stories to tell, but we need to be honest about this city. If we do not paint an accurate picture of this city for outsiders, the wrong people will move here. People that are unaware of the challenges facing this city and as a result ill equipped to address them in a meaningful manner. So let’s be honest. There is a lot more going on here than pop-up holiday shops and artisan coffee and all of it matters.

My Biggest Success
Getting to know Alyssa, Jon, and Zeke was the highlight of my November.  For the second challenge I was placed on the Storytelling & Video Team with these fellows. At the start of our 5 week project I was a mess of nerves. I had no idea how we were going to make a video that would highlight the wonderful mission of Vehicles for Change, our nonprofit partner. Yet as our plans and the project progressed, I found myself immersed in a work environment abundant with sincerity and enthusiasm. The work was hard, but I so thoroughly enjoyed collaborating with my group that 5 hours of editing 3 nights in a row flew by. I was exhausted each morning during that final push, but not discouraged. I owe all of that to my team. Check out our final video below.