Getting Dirty

Until today, we had made homemade meals for our breakfast every morning. This morning we decided to change it up and instead went to an establishment called “On The Rise Bakery.” It is a small restaurant that employs individuals who were previously incarcerated. Here, we filled up on delicious, giant cinnamon buns that were a perfect way to start our day. After each of us had a large amount of sugar and caffeine, our group traveled to EarthWorks. 

Half of the group finished pruning the trees from the previous day while the other half pulled grape vines and cleaned up the garden. Time seemed to past by fast, and soon we were gathering for lunch in the soup kitchen. We stepped out of our comfort zones and split off from our large group into small groups of two or three people. Each group sat with strangers and did their best to have a conversation over lunch. A variety of different perspectives were experienced during this time. Some individuals eating at the soup kitchen had jobs, but were still considered poor, while others were seeking employment and living in poverty. There were also individuals who had grown up experiencing homelessness and have never been able to escape the cycle. A few residents had mentioned that they feel that Detroit has been decreasing in value or “getting worse” over the past few years - it was a new perspective that we have not yet heard this week. Other groups had conversations about sports, artificial intelligence, conspiracy theories, and/or music. Amanda stated that, “I think stereotypes are a large problem in today’s society. Often people fail to realize that not everyone they see in impoverished. You cannot judge someone by how they look. I met some great people today and loved listening to their story without knowing their financial status.” After lunch, we went back to work and spent the afternoon cleaning garden patches, picking up trash, and gathering clean soil. 

Our evening plans consisted of a guided tour of The MoTown Museum and making dinner at the retreat center. The museum was amazing. It was great to be in a space that was such a big part of our musical history. We were even in the same room that some of our favorite artists not only once stood, but also recorded their greatest hits. Many people found it very interesting to see how the music of the time helped to promote and expedite the civil rights movement. Celebrities used their talents and fame to advocate for issues and it is a practice that is still used today. After the tour, we retired to the retreat center to eat dinner and begin some discussion. A main topic point was the importance of dignity for the underprivileged. To close off the night, we reflected on solidarity and kinship and how we often forget that we are all humans.