All 11 members have officially arrived in Detroit and are struggling right along. Our four hour drive in the van included group bonding, rap sessions, and napping (except for our fearless driver, Heather). We were greeted with smiles and open arms at the Detroit Urban Retreat Center. Before departing for the city, one of our student leaders, Ryan, took the trash we had collected in the van to the dumpster in the retreat center parking lot and was quite shocked when a squirrel jumped out at him. After laughing about that incident, we took part in the Detroit Experience Factory Walking Tour (which was the first organization to make a map of the city) where our guide gave us an informed tour of the city. We soon realized that Detroit is not the ugly, crime-filled city it is typically reduced to. We have experienced first hand the beautiful art and kind people. We received an overview of the past, present, and future of Detroit. Many buildings in the city have been abandoned, while some of them will soon be demolished, many of them are being bought and will help to continue to rebuild the city. The past has shown the resilience of the city. Often there has been a pattern of the people being abandoned by big companies and the economy. Many plans and programs (some of which we will be exploring later in the week) are in effect to help ensure a more sustainable future.
After learning about the city, we explored it a bit on our own as we bought food at a local store and headed back to the retreat center to cook dinner. We finished the evening with a reflection on the day and on the days to come. One of the student leaders, Melia, mentioned while reflecting on the day“I knew about all the struggles Detroit has endured, but it struck a cord to hear the passion people have about the future of the city.” We found ourselves discussing how our views of the city have changed for the better since our arrival, approaching homelessness, and social justice.
The motto of Detroit: “We hope for better things, it shall arise from the ashes.”
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