How to Kill a City impacted how I view my placement. The whole of Detroit is trying to encourage early learning for children before they go to kindergarten. This effects different Detroiters in different ways. Josie and I visited the day care center in the Renaissance Center because it is technically a care center in Detroit. It is very different from the other centers we went to. First of all, the children were less likely to be children of color. The employees we met were white when every other care provider we met has been black. Secondly, the center was a part of a cooperation that runs care centers in other areas too. They were therefore unable to interact with us, the community non-profit. The other care centers we visit were usually based in people’s homes. They were much more personal. These were the true residents of Detroit. They were people who have lived in Detroit since before Dan Gilbert and they do a lot to support their communities. They take care of the neighborhood children after all. It just made me think about how the residents and the gentrifiers are very different in racial make-up and in their intent.
