Week Four (4) Blog – A Reflection on Culture in the REO and Detroit

I can’t believe it’s already the program’s fourth week – the time is speeding by so quickly. I’m really enjoying this work despite (and sometimes because of) its challenges.

My supervisors and co-workers at Metro Matters / the REO were instantly and consistently welcoming. They made me feel at home in the office and have created a safe space; I even feel comfortable discussing some difficult topics (i.e. race relations in America). My co-workers are also extremely kind and patient whenever I ask questions (which is very often). Their responses are informative and never condescending. The team’s open-mindedness has encouraged me to explore new topics and expand my knowledge. I’ve started to listen to Detroit Public Radio as I commute to and from work, and I’m learning about the city’s key players.

My supervisor Jennifer Young has also taught me quite a lot – not only about southeast Michigan but about life in general. Jen plans ahead beautifully and is extremely organized. She is also very calm under pressure, an indispensable and admirable quality. I tend to freak out over small issues, but Jen doesn’t allow herself to be derailed by any roadblocks. She rolls with things, accepts and deals with difficulties so gracefully. I’ve been paired with a peaceful supervisor who balances my anxious nature and offers a model of the calm sort of person I want to be.

As I mentioned earlier, the office is pretty small. I work alongside six others, two of whom (Kristen and Dom) are also in the program. In terms of age, I’d say we are all skewed toward the younger side (or maybe middle-aged). Because I’m younger, I sometimes feel like I seriously need to get my shit together. My co-workers are professional, responsible and extremely knowledgeable. However, I am not totally disheartened by my comparative lack of experience and I’m eager to learn more about how the “real world” works. The office’s energy is quiet, industrious and focused, with occasional lively outbursts of fun and intelligent conversation.

Besides the general office atmosphere and age differences, our workforce is largely composed of women. At the moment, Conan and Dom are the only two guys in the office. I don’t think I feel any particular way about this, but I imagine if I worked someplace where I was only one of two women I might feel outnumbered (or maybe slightly awkward?).

Our office also has mostly white employees. As a group, we’ve talked about workplace diversity and its importance. Conan, who is both white and African-American, led a discussion about how ecosystems operate. The more diverse an ecosystem is, the better its chance of survival. In growing crops, monocultures are risky because a single disease has the potential to wipe out an entire field – there is no diverse plant to overcome it. Similarly, a workplace with employees of different races and from different cultural backgrounds will make that place thrive and better equip it to meet challenges. Diverse workers bring a wide variety of perspectives to the table, enabling an organization to flexibly navigate issues. Without that diversity, a problem might remain unsolved.

Since my office is based in Ferndale, I sometimes walk around the city or through the neighborhood after work. There are many small houses and some condos/apartments. The neighborhood is vibrant and, in many areas, heavily shaded by beautiful old trees. Around town, I’m getting a more developed picture of the community. Ferndale seems very health-conscious – there are places to practice yoga and several health-food stores with organic produce. Usually, I see many people walking their dogs or biking around town. I also get the sense that people are focused on local products and that residents are proud of Detroit – Rust Belt Market is across from my office and features many small-business owners.

While Ferndale’s atmosphere is young, trendy and fairly full of hipsters, I love Detroit’s culture (or at least my perception of it?) much more. On Saturday (6/20), I met my parents at Wayne State and went with them to Eastern Market. This was an eye-opening experience as I was able to gauge my parents’ and sister’s feelings about the city. I had been to the Market about three years ago with a high-school group and this past weekend it seemed livelier than ever. It was completely packed, a real challenge to find a parking spot. My family and I walked around, ate delicious bagels and indulged in oatmeal and lemon cookies. It makes me proud and glad to see the place completely packed. I wonder what might happen if other parts of Detroit grew that crowded.

My sister May (12 years old) raved about the “warehouses filled with food” but later commented that Detroit was “weird and scary”. We had driven past and taken photos of some abandoned houses in more deteriorated parts of the city. I think I am in danger of romanticizing some of the neighborhoods because I think they’re rather beautiful, but I also go home to a comfortable house in the suburbs. I haven’t experienced any of the challenges of living in an area like that, so I’m wary and concerned about making those empty houses into something they’re not.

After my family left, I walked around the DIA. I’ve been there many times, but they were holding a few private events there (a wedding?) and some exhibits were sectioned off. The DIA and science center are some of those areas that are more densely populated. Just like when I visited Eastern Market, I felt so full of pride and joy to see the museum packed with people. I feel fortunate to live so close to a hub of such extraordinary culture and history.

When I park near our UM Center, I see the RenCen in the distance. I was curious about how far it was, so I walked there from the DIA. (P.S. – It’s about 2 miles I think, but the walk seemed longer, probably because I’m severely out of shape :P…) I saw the Tigers Stadium, where people huddled beneath that giant tiger statue to take photos. With a camera slung across my shoulder, a hat and sunglasses, I felt more like a tourist/visitor than inhabitant. This was probably the first time I walked around Detroit alone. I passed through a couple of bad neighborhoods / down some empty side-streets. I found myself feeling a little scared and on guard, but probably wouldn’t if I had some company.

Company wasn’t a problem once I reached the RenCen – it was crawling with people arriving, leaving and milling around inside. Outside, I watched a plane plummet towards the ground. My mind froze, my heart stopped and I slipped off the curb. Across the street, a woman and a little girl yelped with horror and excitement. After it disappeared behind some buildings, we all watched the plane shoot straight back up, twisting as it ascended at a dizzying speed. I realized there was a plane show downtown, but not until after I’d had a mini heart-attack.

Walking back to my car, someone called out to me but I was so nervous I just kept walking. I still need to learn how to manage these meetings and delve deeper into my nervousness. I got the sense that there are some highlighted parts of Detroit (the Market, stadium and RenCen), while other areas are burned out, abandoned and have a sort of dangerous feel. Its population is patchy, alternating between serious crowds and parts with only one or two other people around. How can this be? I’m eager to learn and explore more. Detroit’s culture is a fascinating, adventurous and soulful one, and I love it.