What a day! It is only our second day here in Detroit, and we are already experiencing and learning so much! We started out our day with going to Mass at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Each of us had a different experience. For some of us, going to a Catholic Mass was new in itself but for some of us it was the norm.
One big takeaway from mass today was the sense of community and welcoming that the members portrayed. There was shaking of hands, hugging, solidarity and all-around kindness that exuberated within the entire church. There was also a lot of singing in praise and worship that was very jovial and beautiful.
Although the mass was different from what a lot of the members had experienced, everyone found a sense of the beauty that was invested by the congregation in their worship. Another sign of the overall welcoming experience was when they invited us into the sanctuary to pray over some individuals who were dealing with different struggles whether it be from sickness or future travels. While in the sanctuary, we exchanged with the priests and the congregation a sign of peace.
We also noticed they were a lot of carvings and paintings across the were mainly made up of “Black Jesus” which for some is the norm but can be different for people who are not used to that. The population was mainly comprised of black people but there was a sense of inclusivity where everyone from all different race and backgrounds was cordially welcomed and loved.
We returned to the Detroit Urban Retreat Center where we are currently staying and had a chance to reflect on the day. One topic that was brought up was the importance of not using labels. If we call it a “Black Church”, others may not feel welcome. However, we found that they welcomed all of us complete strangers as family. They were very inclusive.
After a quick lunch, we set out to meet Phil Jones. Phil Jones is a Detroit resident who also operates as a chef. He started the City Food Community Concepts in Detroit and is also a member of the Detroit Food Policy Council.
He welcomed us into his house with open arms and shared numerous and insightful information on the work that he does around the community. We learned that he started cooking at an early age while selling meat pies on the beaches of St. Croix at the age of 6. Initially he wanted to be a computer lawyer but down the road he found his passion for cooking overweighed this desire.
He has been cooking in Detroit for over 50 years. He started his own urban farm from which he harvested for his cooking. He’s works purpose is “Make food not waste.” During our conversation he mentioned some of the problems within the food and farming industry such as:
· GMO seeds taking over non-GMO seeds
· Large agriculture ruining farming businesses
· Big businesses profiting over selling more unhealthy foods rather than providing access to healthier options.
Phil Jones mentioned that a lot of his work is mainly geared towards fighting racial injustices within the community. We learned that as of a couple of years ago, there are no black owned grocery stores within the city of Detroit which is 83% black. We found this astonishing and majority of his work is not only geared towards fighting racial injustices within the city but providing opportunities for black Americans within the city.
One big takeaway for us about racial justice was a quote we took from him that stated, “Inside of a system that doesn’t work for me I’m sure it doesn’t work for you.” We are incredibly thankful of Phil Jones to take time out of his busy day to meet with us! Day two was a big success and with our new understanding of urban farming we are looking forward to our first day at EarthWorks tomorrow!
-Aidan Kerlin, Freshman Philosophy Major
-Sydney Oyatta, Senior Computer Science Major
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