Girl Gang Gets Dirty: Day 4

A grand hello to our loyal readers- 

Once again, we come to your interwebs with a late post to satisfy your Detroit ABST updates.  This morning, we started our day around the dining room table sharing in conversations, breakfast and hair braiding by Kristen and Kaitlin in full preparation for a day of dirt, potatoes, and Motown history.   We arrived at Earthworks and immediately put our limited farming skills to the test.  But no worries, Tyler was there to guide us as we cultivated the dirt around some onions, celery, broccoli, swiss chard, and collared greens.  Tyler facilitated some fun (and equally frustrating) riddles to make our morning work go by quickly.  We ended a little earlier than expected and walked over to the soup kitchen where we were greeted by a friendly volunteer staff serving deep dish pizza for lunch! Our group was also so excited to see that the Capuchin Soup kitchen was also hosting a vaccine clinic on site where community members could walk-in and immediately get vaccinated!

After eating lunch, we headed back to the field to cultivate and weed some empty beds in order to prep for the rest of the season.  We had a few more tasks like digging walking paths between the beds and planting red potatoes. We really lucked out with amazing weather for the entire day and Jess even got tan lines of her mask! During our work, we met a local volunteer, Sue, who made conversation and shared stories about her 8 grandchildren.  

After parting ways with Sue and Tyler, we said hello to Motown. The Motown Museum welcomed us with the most wonderful guide, Derrick.  Derrick led us through the house-turned-museum with songs, dances, and a vast history of  Motown.  The Girl Gang was pleasantly surprised by all that Motown brought to Detroit and the music industry. We were dumbfounded at some of the famous names that stood in the very same recording studio that we had the privilege to sing a very poor rendition of "My Girl".  We left Hitstown U.S.A. and came back to our AirBnb to cook a dinner of chicken, rice, and broccoli.  

I think our group can all agree that some of our best conversations have happened around the dinner table after one of our home cooked meals (which is exactly why this post is so late).  We chatted, reflected, played an intense board game (where An came out of nowhere with her super imposter skills), and prepared for our time tomorrow with Mosad who is so kindly hosting us for a Sunset prayer at the American Moslem Society Friday evening.  They are also hosting us for dinner after another long day at the farm.  The Girl Gang is prepared to get dirty and learn more as we spend out last full day in Detroit tomorrow.   

Girl Gang Listens and Learns: Day 3

 Hey all you cool cats and kittens, we're back! 

We started out our day by heading to Earthworks for our first day of service. Upon arriving at the farm, we were welcomed with much enthusiasm by Tyler and Wendy, two of the permanent staff members. Wendy spent the morning talking to us about Earthworks, what they do, and how things have changed since the pandemic. Earthworks is an entity of the Capuchin Monastery here in Detroit. They have two city blocks devoted to farming and cultivating crops to support the Capuchin's soup kitchen. They are the only urban farm in the city of Detroit that is organic certified (mostly due to money and political issues). In addition to the farm and soup kitchen, the Earthworks site offers a bike repair shop and free showers. Prior to the pandemic, the soup kitchen served as a safe haven for food and socialization among the community. People could hang out between meals, get a shower, and make any needed repairs to their bikes all in the same place. Now, people have to leave the premises in between meals and the bike repair shop has been reduced to an air pump with a couple of tools. Wendy then gave us a tour of the farm, and we got to see all of the different things they have growing! Currently they are harvesting arugula, collard greens, kale, and swiss chard. After breaking for lunch, we spent the better part of a half hour trying to solve Tyler's riddles. We rounded out the rest of the day learning about the history of urban farming in Detroit. Historically, urban farming efforts have come and gone.  However, for the past twenty years, urban farming through Earthworks has been a constant presence.

After a day filled with learning, we left Earthworks and visited Belle Isle, an island in the Detroit River. We then spent the late afternoon reflecting and unpacking all of the things that we saw and learned over the last three days, while Kylie taught us how to make friendship bracelets.  Those important conversations continued over a delicious taco dinner cooked by chefs Kylie and Kaitlin.  After dinner, we ventured out to enjoy a late night ice cream treat.  We had ice cream at Burk's Igloo in Hamtramck.  Hamtramck is a predominantly Muslim neighborhood.  We were lucky enough to be there during sundown prayer, and were surprised to hear the call to prayer being projected throughout the area. We capped off the evening with more important conversations around food, race, and justice - and a little more bracelet weaving. 

Tomorrow we return to Earthworks to start planting potatoes for the fall harvest.  We're so excited and looking forward to getting our hands dirty.

Girl Gang Dives into Detroit's History: Day Two

 Hello guys, gals, and Gannon pals!

Settle in folks! This day was jammed packed with everything Detroit! 

Our day started with coffee, conversations of weird noises heard by Kylie and Kristen throughout the night (both thought it was the others phone going off--still unsure of what it actually was), and Sarah deciding to put a questionable white powder into her coffee (don't worry, we confirmed it was actually powdered coffee creamer.)

First on our list was On The Rise Bakery for cinnamon rolls as big as our faces! (See the pictures below for reference!) On The Rise Bakery is a local bakery that hires individuals just out of prison or substance abuse treatment programs. Their goal is to give these individuals a second chance and an opportunity to work and get back on their feet. When we walked in we were greeted with warmth, kindness, and the incredible smell of fresh bread! 

Following the bakery we headed to the Heidelberg Project, an outdoor museum-like exhibit on Heidelberg Street. Tyree Guyton created the Heidelberg Project after he returned to his family's neighborhood from the army and found that his neighborhood had deteriorated since his childhood following the 1967 race riots. In protest of the aftermath of these riots, Tyree began creating exhibits that reflected the loss of childhood innocence and the shift to corruption and division. 

Driving past the street, it may just look like large piles of trash everywhere. However, each item has a message, a story, and a purpose. Throughout the entire exhibit are clocks and specific times. We learned that the use of clocks and time symbolize how it is time for change. One house, Dotty Wotty, was painted by Tyree and is filled with circles that represent the circle of life, the sun, the moon, the cell, and how all things in life are connected and repeat. The equation "2+2=8" could be found in multiple places along the exhibit to represent creating your own reality. Shoes were hanging from the trees symbolizing the souls of those who were lynched. An entire lot of land was piled with household items in place of one of the nine houses on the street that were destroyed by arson during this time. This powerful outdoor museum touched our entire group, leaving us all curious to learn more about the project and the history of Detroit during the time of racial protests. We reflected on how events leading to the creation of this project are eerily similar to events we have witnessed within the past year. 

After the Heidelberg Project, we went to the Henry Ford Museum where we were immersed into the world of planes, trains, cars, and American industrialization. We walked exhibits looking at the evolution of Presidential cars, saw the actual bus Rosa Parks sat on when she was arrested for not moving seats, and learned so much about how the automobile industry changed throughout our history. 

We finished our day with intense games of UNO, spaghetti, and Italian ice! We almost witnessed a man propose to his significant other downtown, but he left before we could could witness the event. And afterwards we went to a lookout and looked at Canada from across the river (during which we came to a consensus that Rachel is not allowed to take panoramas anymore...long story on that one) We are all looking forward to sleeping and then starting our service at Earthworks tomorrow!

Girl Gang Takes on Detroit: Day One

Well hello, friends and family of the Detroit ABST squad!

Our group of 7 (amazing) women piled into a big van bright and early to begin our journey to Detroit, MI!  The car ride was filled with some major jams, potholes that seemingly came out of nowhere, and an iced tea that all 7 of us were unable to open! (Until we ran it under some hot water.)

We passed through Detroit, and headed to Frankenmuth in order to cross off a major bucket list item of one of our amazing accompaniers Kristen: Bronner's. The biggest Christmas store IN THE WORLD! It did not disappoint! Our group embraced the "Christmas in May" spirit getting lost in endless ornaments, Christmas trees, and every Christmas decoration you can think of (we literally got lost.) After soaking in all things Christmas, we headed into town to experience the world famous chicken dinners of the Bavarian Inn! After grabbing a much needed coffee, we headed back to the van when we ran into a Gannon Alum of the class of 1959! He noticed one of our members wearing Gannon apparel and stopped us to talk! He shared with us (an all female group) of how when he went to Gannon there were no females there! On our way out of town, Rachel spotted a lion that was actually a tiger and we all just realized Rachel needed some sleep. 

After leaving Frankenmuth, we headed to our Airbnb in Detroit where we were completely blown away. Each of us moved room to room full of excitement over how cute the rooms were, how nice the place is, and how excited we were to have a place to ourselves! 

We went grocery shopping for meals for the week, settled in, and went into an amazing night of reflection! Our group fully embraced the spirit of vulnerability and community, and we are so excited to further build this community through service in the days to come! 

Day Seven: In shaa Allah

Hi guys! 

As we conclude our trip, Friday was full of bitter-sweet moments. As we started the day at Earthworks, we spent the morning with the farm-manager, Patrick, solidifying our information on food justice, sovereignty, and security. We learned the importance of supporting local farms, having food safe for consumer and producer, being affordable and accessible for all walks of life and advocating for policymakers to protect the nature of our food systems. 

We finished our time at Earthworks from how we started, by breaking bread one last time with our community members in the soup kitchen and sifting compost. After saying some hard goodbyes, we left with two important messages: live everyday like it is your last and always be grateful for what and who we have in our lives. 

Friday night, our last hurrah together, we humbled ourselves at the American Muslim Society in Dearborn, Michigan. The president of the mosque, Mosad, welcomed us with open arms into the lovely worship center. As tradition goes, we took off our shoes as we entered and gathered ourselves into their prayer space. The room could have held over 300 people, spanning over three rooms. One room was specific to males and another designated for females. 

Fridays are considered the “holy day” where all males are required to come to the mosque at five specific points during the day to pray. The first prayer, sunrise prayer, starts at 6:00 AM and the last one ends at 7:55 PM marking the nighttime prayer. We had the opportunity to witness their sunset prayer, which occurred at 6:30 PM. All the men gathered together, including children, at the “call to prayer”. Call to prayer, Adhan, was a beautiful hymn and Arabic message to call all Muslims to the mosque for prayer. Once everyone came together, the Imam (the leader of prayer), led the congregation. The men went from standing, to kneeling and to laying in the prostration (head to the floor) back and forth for over 10 minutes as the imam led his sermon in Arabic. This was an extremely beautiful opportunity to witness. What truly moved me, was being in the back of the prayer space (guests are asked to sit in the back observing) and as the men made their way in, they either smiled or waved, acknowledging our presence. I loved the way the Muslim members made us feel more than welcomed in their place of worship. 

After observing a lovely sermon, we were brought into another room and engulfed in the smell of Middle Eastern spices and greeted with warm smiles of three guests, two male Muslim doctors (one MD and one cancer researcher) and one female engineer Muslim (married to the MD). We were served a traditional Muslim meal of rice, chicken, salad, hummus, pita and potatoes and given the best baklava in Dearborn. Amongst dinner, the guests described their faith, including the five pillars of Islam and offered us the opportunity to ask as many questions as we desired. The female engineer had touched our hearts in a special way though. She came in her head-scarf, hajib, and was dressed in a long satin white dress to the floor with embroidered flowers on the long-sleeves. She had an elegance to the way she talked about her experience becoming an industrial engineer and how proud she was to be an American. Born and raised in Detroit, but family had roots in Yemen, she also talked about her struggles as a Muslim but more significantly as a Muslim woman. Growing up, herself and her family were subjected to harassment and discrimination in Detroit. She describes being in second grade and being told to present to her entire school on her faith and why she chooses to practice Islam. When she got older, the shame worsened often being spit on, chucked rocks at and condemned for her faith. She thought this would all be left behind after receiving her degree at the University of Michigan, but when she started her career at General Motors, she was faced with multiple more types of harassment. Being specifically proficient in her career, one of the only women in charge of all eight SUV compact cars and their design at GM, she worked hard, almost 12-18 hours a day. But that did not stop people in her workforce from sexual scrutinizing her for her choice of dress, desire to pray five times a day or even not being able to practice “typical” society norms such as shaking hands. Because of this, she was often denied her raise or job promotions simply because “she was different”. 

Our female Muslim sister (Muslims refer to one another by brother or sister) is continuously subjected to cultural discrimination as well as female oppression that one would think would have set her back, but actually has only sprung her forward. She now takes her time to educate those who do not have the knowledge on Islam and the Muslim culture. She has made serious strides in the workforce to address women rights as well as rights for Muslims. Her courage and vulnerability today are a reason she is a role model for our students on our ABST as well as all women. I specifically admired her devoted nature to her religion and being so passionate about being a Muslim. The world needs more of her in our lives. 

The last man to talk to us, is a doctor at University of Michigan Cancer Institute who has been a part of many opportunities of service and mentorship in the Detroit Metropolitan area. This man spoke from his heart about the love he has for every human being in his path and his love for life alone. He came to the states also from Yemen and settled surprisingly in Erie, PA after being treated at Shriners Children’s Hospital for a chronic condition in his youth. It was a God moment learning one of our accompaniers had even been a part of his recovery during his time at Shriners. He also talked about how our faith is very similar to the faith of Islam. We discussed about the similarities and differences and most of us were surprised by the vast amount of similarities rather than the differences. He too, eloquently shared with us his vulnerabilities and how he chooses to live his life in peace.

In all, the experiences we had today at the mosque had touched the lives of many of the students on our ABST. Speaking for myself, I known their love for all walks of life was inspiring to my own faith and has encouraged me to be more devout. More importantly though, this population truly is a peaceful, giving and compassionate group who wants nothing more than to do good in the world. Muslims are just as much of people as we are and we have incorporated it in the missions in our lives, to do everything we can to advocate for their beautiful faith. 

I think as a conclusion of our trip, we can say our experiences with the mosque have solidified the hope we have in humanity. As we are packing up tonight, we are realizing we truly are leaving a piece of our hearts in Detroit. But we know that space in our hearts are now only open to the moments that set our souls on fire and the gift of love that we have experienced here in Detroit, Michigan. 

In shaa Allah (God Willing), 

Shukran (Thank you), 

Alesha D. Griffo  (Group Leader) – Sophomore Physician Assistant and Psychology Major 

Day Six: Alumni Day! (late post)

Hey all!

We started out Thursday with another amazing morning at Earthworks. We spent the morning working in the hoop house. While it was cold outside, due to the hoop house being warmed by the sun, it was quite toasty inside. However, our energy was high and we were ready to go. A lot of the work we did was based around cultivating. Some people were planting, others were working with the compost, and others were prepping the soil for planting. Even though we only were able to spend the morning at Earthworks, we did an amazing job working with the time that we had. 

Once we left Earthworks, we all got dressed up and drove over to Troy, Michigan to meet with Joe Bione. Joe was a graduate from Gannon University in 1973 and then again with his masters degree in 1975. Joe is now the President for a company called Whitehall. They work with struggling businesses to help put them back on the right track. We also got to talk to Joe about the Detroit area. We learned about how Detroit went from a booming city of 3 million people to a city that only has 700,000 people now. Downtown Detroit is 90% black, while the suburbs are 90% white. However, he also said that there is not a strong Michigan without a strong Detroit. There has been a lot done to help Detroit and we are all excited to see Detroit grow even more. Mr. Bione also talked about his experiences at Gannon. We all agreed that we embrace the hug of Gannon. They make sure to make you feel comfortable and safe but also to push you out of your comfort level and to really learn about the world. 

We then had an amazing dinner at Granite City with other alumni. This was a great time for us to learn about some amazing people that have come through out university and to hear their stories. We want to thank Joe and all the other amazing alumni who came and were gracious to give us their time. Also, another thanks to Tony DiPasqua for setting up such an amazing event. 

All the best, 

Joshua Staley (Group Leader), sophomore Political Science major

Day Five: Miracles Still Happen

“All the efforts of excellence are very difficult. Don’t ever stop fighting for your dreams.”

--John, On the Rise Bakery

“The Time is Now” –The Heidelberg Project

What's bigger? Chloe and Sanibel's face or the Cinnamon Rolls?

We rolled out of Love Rising Lutheran Church at 9:00 am and headed to breakfast at On the Rise Bakery. This bakery was begun by the Capuchin Friars, the religious affiliation was prominent throughout. The men who work here were all very kind men and amazing bakers. The food was absolutely scrumptious! On the Rise is known for being a transition for those who were recently incarcerated, helping them move back into society. This is achieved through them working at the bakery and learning important skills. It was such an experience to see the joy these men had despite their past struggles. Our group stayed there for nearly an hour enjoying each others’ presence and the peaceful atmosphere that had been created in this beautiful place. 

Here we are outside On the Rise

After On the Rise we headed to the Detroit Historical Museum. This place showcased all the amazing things that have occurred here in Detroit whether they were positive or not. We were surprised to see how much history there really is in Detroit. Seeing it today the temptation is to only see a delipidated city that not much comes from; however, it was once thriving. Full of life and innovations. Many incidents regarding civil liberties occurred within the boundaries of Detroit, from the Underground Railroad to the Race Riots of 1967. Seeing such vibrant exhibits depicting these events brought them into a clearer perspective that cannot be obtained merely through reading about them.

Even though it was hot, we loved the Conservatory!

In a city full of Urban Farms there is also a beautiful Conservatory on Bell Isle full of plants from all over the world. The variety of fruit trees, cacti, flowers, and palm trees displayed the wonderous works of God in nature and the beauty of His creation. This place was a lovely way to take a break from the serious nature of both the Museum and the Heidelberg Project (where we headed next).

"I wish I could have a picture of them in front of the Detroit skyline." -Aly as we drive across the bridge

The sun was bright, but our energy was brighter

The short 45 minutes that we spent exploring the Heidelberg Project were some of the most powerful of the day if not the week so far. This began in 1988 as a way to improve the neighborhood from the inside through artistic expression. The mastermind behind this marvel was Tyree Guyton. Heidelberg was his childhood home that fell to disrepair during Mr. Guyton’s absence and upon return he took his Grandfather’s advice to make a difference using a paintbrush instead of a weapon, which was the trend at the time. 

There were three motifs throughout all of Heidelberg; polka dots, clocks, and shoes. The polka dots have a three-fold meaning; the circle of life, how all things in life are connected, and his grandfather’s love of jellybeans. All the clocks scattered about remind us that the time for change is now. These were added after the 2013 arson attack on the project. Damages caused by these violent acts inspired Guyton to once again pick up a paintbrush rather than a weapon. This addition worked to emphasize the importance of taking advantage of the time we have to make change. Finally, there were shoes scattered throughout the neighborhood, representing the souls of those who died through violence.

We capped off a fantastic day at the humbling Heidelberg Project

All in all, we had an impactful day of exploring this resilient city full of history and hope. One of our accompaniers mentioned how powerful the Heidelberg Project was despite not fully understanding it. She followed this with “maybe it’s not for me to understand.” This was very powerful and representative of our whole trip because we are not yet meant to fully understand what we are doing or how we are being impacted. Each of us may be setting the foundation for a Miracle in the future after all “Miracles still happen”.

God bless, 

            Anna Graham, Freshman Early Childhood Education Major 

            Sanibel Stravinsky, Freshman, Nursing Major