July 2016

Hi all, Week 9 has come and gone, and I feel like I’m finally starting to get my head around some of the bigger issues at play in the city of Detroit. After spending some time at the Riverfront this weekend (at the MoPop concert) and seeing how beautiful it is that so many people […]

This election has been a weird one for me. I’ve always followed elections very intently (Presidential and congressional) until this one. Don’t get me wrong, I watched debates and I read about the differences between the two sane candidates, but for some reason I just can’t get excited about this election. I absolutely loved Bernie but I was

I visited home last weekend so I could celebrate my birthday with my family. It was a fun time, but I realized that I really like being in Detroit. It just seems really strange being in Grand Rapids after being in Detroit. There are just so many things going on in Detroit good and bad

  This summer is the first time that I’ve ever had a 9 to 5 job. Over the years all of my work experience has been linked to school (of one kind or another), music, or family. I’ve never been in an environment where extra work and practice was not expected outside of the hours

This post is not specifically about my experiences in Detroit, DCBRP, or Friends of Parkside. However, it is still very relevant in my eyes because the upcoming election will determine the future of cities like Detroit and small nonprofits like Friends of Parkside. So, here’s my political rant for the summer. I voted for Bernie

I’m pretty ready for the internship to end, but I’m not ready to stop living at Wayne State and living with everyone. I really enjoyed my experiences here. I enjoy hanging out with everyone and getting to know everyone. I hope that I get to hang out with at least a few people, or at

One of the aspects of my internship that has surprised me most (and an aspect that I now feel comfortable writing about because I’m convinced no one will ever read these blog posts) is the office drama. There always seems to be tension among some coworkers, feuds between departments, gossip, and general mistrust floating around.

One of the common narrative that arises when talking about the city is “bringing it back” or “restoring it.” While I think it’s fair to have different opinions and strategies about how to bring about change, I think that hearkening back to the past is where people are mistaken. Detroit and the metro region, just

Lately, as the program has been winding down, may people have asked me what I have learned from my internship and from being in Detroit. While I have seen so much growth, potential, and positivity in the communities I have been serving, I have also seen many of Detroit’s most pressing issues up close and learned

Our group meeting Tuesday really got me thinking about my own family history and how it relates to Detroit. Our tour made me realize how relevant Detroit’s history has been to my life. The Italian side of my family came to Detroit from Pennsylvania to work in the auto factories and my dad’s parents met