I’ve learned so much from Jamon Jordan’s tours that we’ve done this summer. On our last tour it was really informative to learn about the history behind all the new places that are gentrifying Detroit to hear about the systematic destruction of Black Bottom and Paradise Valley, and gave insight into what is happening today. …
In the letter to myself from Week 1 of the program, I wrote about wanting to learn more about the history of Detroit and forming my own opinions about the city from my own experiences, and I can say that I for sure did learn a lot about the history of the city and developed …
The 67 tour was an event that stood out to me because the history discussed really characterise the racial tension in Detroit at the time – and the lasting consequences after. The scope of it was something I hadn’t thought about on as deep a level as I think I should have and I appreciated …
Regarding my week 1 letter: I was right about meeting a lot of people. I definitely got to know my peers. I wish I could have let my guard down a little more and have been more open. I definitely made connections that will influence me for the rest of my time at Michigan. I …
Discuss an experience in the program that has stood out to you that didn’t occur at your placement. My placement has a constant environment in which I come in and sit down and work every day. When we have our weekly Tuesday and Thursday meetings, I find that I get to learn more about …
I really enjoyed attending the Detroit Historical Museum for the 1967 Exhibit. This is an event that I have often heard about in a passing way but never fully understood. Some described it as a “race riot” while others put it in the context of being the cause of Detroit’s decline. So many ideas about …
An experience that really stuck out to me was when a coworker invited me to a Pink Flamingo Dinner. This was his friend’s food truck right around the corner from his house. His friend was a welder by day but opened up the Pink Flamingo for Thursday dinners with the neighbors. There was a big …
I enjoyed reading How to Kill a City. One thing that stood out to me was a line from the conclusion about the foundation of America having a “gentrification narrative” (Moskowitz 215). This line reminded me of illegal things in the past that are modernized to continue racism and discrimination. This may also slow the …
As a native Detroiter, I truly enjoyed beginning the program with a tour from Jamon. Although I had already explored most of the spots visited, I never took the time to learn and/or read the history that was there. I find that many times we tend to focus on the present when in a city …
So far I have really liked the events we have had. I enjoy learning about Detroit history specifically, so having the historical museum tours were fascinating and the oral history tours with Jamon Jordan were especially cool because we got to see all these statues, monuments, and places in person during the tour. My favorite …
