Hello ALL,
Osborn is the community I am working in. It’s located on the east side of Detriot. My worksite is not only OBA or ONA; it’s also a community center. Community centers are crucial to my neighborhood back home, Harlem. As I check in from 9-5, I get to see the impact that ONA has on the community at large. Not only do people come in the office space seeking help from us, but they are also very willing to tell their stories. I have learned so much about the people that make up Osborn and the struggles and success they may face.
The photo is not properly uploading, but it was a picture of the demographic breakdown of Osborn. As some of the numbers are eye-opening and hard to phantom, as I speak with members of the community, I can make sense of how things are playing out. For example, thousands of Detroiters do not have access to the internet. The ‘digital divide’ impacts most of those that patron ONA and impacts kids younger than 15 more than any other group. Kids are living in a disadvantaged environment that is not conducive to success. Although ONA can link Osborn residents with the needed digital resources, it’s still not enough.
Thank you for writing this. I did not realize that even something as simple as the Internet is not available to so many Detroiters. It definitely impacts the work I do, as well, because that means we have to be mindful of how we reach out to Detroit parents.