Embrace the Culture: Week 4 – Detroit Community-Engaged Research Program

Embrace the Culture: Week 4

Working with Brilliant Detroit has exposed me to different cultures in the area of Detroit. From a highly Hispanic population to a Black population. At the Southwest location they have Zumba for physical activity but at the black location they have Zumba and hustles. I love seeing the similarities and the differences within the two different groups. I saw that there are also different food choices at each location. The southwest location prefers Mexican food and the Central location would prefer pizza for lunch. The beauty in it the differences is that I get the chance to learn how to adapt to different cultures, how to change the way I interact with certain people of different cultures. For example, at the Southwest location I can walk in and say Hola! Buenos dias and at the Central location I would have a totally different greeting.

Culture does not include just race, there is also gender culture and workplace culture. Since I mainly work at the Southwest location, I see a lot more people there. What I noticed was that only the mother come with their children and participate in Zumba. I have been meaning to ask my supervisor if only women can come or does it just happen that way, since women are usually does a lot of the childcare. I interact with the mother and children daily, which makes work so much more fun. This is a job where I feel like I have a lot of power because Cindy gives us so much work and projects to create on our own. I feel honored that she trust us with so many big projects and it encourages me that just because it seems like a lot does not mean I can not do it. Seeing our work actually come in action is a very rewarding sight. I like how the workplace is open and laid back, where we can be very productive but also have a fun and memorable time. I am learning a lot about myself and the different cultures within the communities of Detroit.

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