Work at DHDC is picking up as we get closer to our first parent leadership workshop next week. Every day here is so interesting; not only do I occasionally get homemade Mexican food, but I get to learn so much about the Southwest community. It’s very humbled to be shown so much of a new culture. The other day my department along with the Youth department did a Native American circle ritual to help us refocus on our work and remember to balance mind, spirit, body and heart. I would have never thought to do an exercise like that while I was facilitating groups at U of M, and I honestly usually view things like that as silly, but it was very spiritual and it really brought everyone there back to why they do the work they do.
Non-profit work is definitely draining, not so much for met yet because I just got here, but I can see my coworkers get discouraged sometimes when they talk about grant money running out or their programs not getting much attention. But the people who work here, and Southwest Detroit as a whole, are resilient. Many of my coworkers started as participants in DHDC programs, started volunteering after, and eventually stuck around so long that the executive director “had to start paying them.”
Being able to see people who care so much about giving back to their community everyday makes me feel very lucky. As does free guacamole. I’m excited to see what else I learn throughout my summer here.
