There have been many experiences outside my placement that have stood out to me. Every cohort event has been enriching in some way, educating me on Detroit, history—in general—and other learning areas/subject matter. What I love about this program is that it is very multidisciplinary (like real life, am I right?); there is a lot of overlap between the subjects I am interested in: political science, sociology, psychology, etc. The Concert of Colors event we attended last Thursday merged together the personal and political. Hearing Dr. Gloria House, Ramy Essam, Tall Paul, and Satori Shakoor speak and perform transcends. What I mean by this is—for me, personally—listening to individuals’, like the ones we saw that night, life stories; hearing about what they have lived through; and most of all, hearing about how they dedicate their lives to causes higher than themselves in working towards a better, new world for all people, feels spiritual to me. It goes beyond our tangible existence. There was just so much love in the space. Love truly transcends. The feeling proves difficult to describe. I guess the thing that comes to mind closest to how I felt are those memories of driving in the car with someone you love, whether it be a friend, a partner, a family member, by yourself, etc. blasting your favorite song with the windows down and feeling so alive and happy and fulfilled or dancing freely with no constraints late into the night. That’s what I felt in the space. And I have been struggling and grappling with my own religious and spiritual beliefs recently, and it is moments like the one at the Concert of Colors that make me believe in something more, though I do not think I will ever know what that something more is in my lifetime.
Josie
