About half-way through the program, I’m thinking about my every day routine of being in the Eastern Market office; I’m sad I only get to be here for the summer. I’ve grown to really enjoy the company of everyone in my office, and later this week I’m going to go with Dorothy and Barbara to one of their health matters/cooking demo classes at a senior citizen home.
I had another really nice weekend in Detroit, too; on Friday, 2 of my friends came down and we got burgers in Corktown and then went to a concert at Small’s in Hamtramck, which is really close and I don’t know why I always thought it was far from downtown. Then on Saturday, my family and I went to the film playing at the DIA about Grace Lee Boggs, which was interesting and funny and I learned a lot about the history of Detroit. Grace Lee in a Chinese-American super passionate activist in Detroit, and has been involved in Black rights movements for around 50 years. She’s so smart and interesting and talked a lot about how she valued conversation over everything else in the world; after the film played, she stayed and had Q&A with the audience for about an hour. I liked feeling like I was a part of this community event, and all different people came out to watch the film and talk to Grace Lee, who had apparently touched thousands of lives.
I heard about the film while doing research on one of the organizations I’m going to be meeting with, because they were talking about the James and Grace Lee Boggs school on their website. This is a new charter school that is being created by Detroiters in Detroit with some of James and Grace’s philosophies in mind. Among the many important aspects this school focuses on (nurturing creative and critical thinkers, highlighting the importance of multiple literacies and embracing the language of people’s origins, lots more) this org. I was reading about mentioned the school’s commitment to a plant-based education, teaching the importance of connecting to the land one lives on and how the food they eat relates to cultural and global issues. Hearing/reading about this has helped me in understanding the goals and accomplishments of some of the org’s I’m working with.
I think its really awesome that your getting out and going to different events! Looks like you enjoyed yourself which is great!