I have to start by saying that this one’s a bit of a downer.
When we got the invite to go see Mary Sue Coleman address Detroit interns this summer my first thoughts were all positive. Just like any other sane person I like to be thanked for the work that I do, and for it be coming from our university president, well I thought it was pretty darn cool. Until we got there that is.
Maybe it burst my Detroit bubble, but it seemed altogether pretentious compared to the somewhat humble and community based work that myself and the rest of this program had been working on all summer. This event was about the revitalization of Detroit through huge corporations and investment and entrepreneurship, which is important for the economic recovery of Detroit definitely. But my personal belief is that Detroit is where it is today not because of a lack of investment, but the root cause of this missing piece: racism and social degradation.
It’s almost cute to think that you can just tell young people to come to Detroit and start new businesses and they’ll be like, Yeah! Cool!
Almost every young person I told about my experiences working in Detroit cringed away from the thought of working in this beautiful, black majority, civil rights laden history of a metropolis. And I absolutely believe that it is exactly the same as the old lady clutching her handbag when she sees a black man on the street, or Stand Your Ground, or ridiculous drug laws that specifically target certain races. And to think that the students of the University of Michigan are any different from the white suburbs that leech off of the infrastructure of Detroit is completely ridiculous, mostly because many students were born in raised in these suburbs.
But then again, maybe I’m the naive one. Maybe we aren’t allowed to talk about these issues at pretty galas and events because they make people uncomfortable and that will hinder progress.
Bottom line: I’m left somewhat unsatisfied.
But here’s a pretty picture of Amber and I enjoying the Detroit skyline = )
I have had similar conversations with the Quicken Interns in the dorm! I completely agree with your feelings. I am very happy to have been part of some great grassroots organizing in the city as apposed to a for-profit internship
I completely agree. While for profit organizations are very important, I did feel as though our entire program was a bit out of place there. We weren’t really being celebrated, big corporations were. And I think our presence and input is really valuable, especially in a city like Detroit where so many everyday people aren’t necessarily given a voice. I am much happier, like Alyssa, that I’ve been able to be part of some really on-the-ground and direct organizing and community action (even if it wasn’t directly within Detroit…) instead of interning at a for-profit organization.
Yes Yes Yes! You said that perfectly. Outsiders with no real idea about what is going on in Detroit aside from what they see on the news always think they know whats best for Detroit. Then we have those who never want to publicly address the struggles of the city, but publicly offer unwarranted solutions. No one wants to talk about the poverty, the racial tension, the inequality, the poor quality of housing, the lack of funding for DPS schools, or any of the key issues that have contributed to the downfall of Detroit. I could go on and on, but again, well said!
Oh, wow. That must have been so awkward! Not that industry and non-profits are always at odds with one another. Detroit needs a lot more of both. But being marginalized by the president, intentionally or not, is a huuuuuge disappointment. Hopefully that isn’t an indication of where the University’s ideology lies.
I completely agree. They don’t like talking about these issues because they don’t care. Why would someone talk about something he/she doesn’t care about? When you do try to talk about these issues in a setting like that, people look at you weird, ignore you, and act like you are crazy and too radical. Many of times I have tried to shine light on issues that people don’t want to talk about. I was called a radical and ‘the rebellious one’.. Who cares if it is frowned upon? The truth is what matters!!
I LOVE this blog post. It gives me hope and really makes me feel a tiny bit better hearing this from someone not from my city. You have no idea how much it means for people not from Detroit to UNDERSTAND the realities you just described, especially the ones regarding our own university. It is true that U of M is no different as a business or corporation… only the people in it like you.