The main takeaway I have learned about Detroit so far is its vibrant culture and deep commitment to bettering the lives of people in the city. After being here for only three weeks, it’s clear that most of the discussions I’ve heard about Detroit are from people who aren’t integrated or invested in this community. Everyone I have come into contact with both within and outside of my organization is open to extending opportunities or resources to me, which is something that I rarely experienced elsewhere. Working with LGBT Detroit, I also learned that there still is a broad need for black and brown-specific queer spaces, where people in the community can build relationships in settings catered directly to them. One of the most prominent black/brown queer spaces was recently burned down, so many of its former patrons are left searching for places that can act as a safe inclusive environment. Black and brown-specific queer spaces are especially limited as the city is becoming more gentrified.
During the pandemic, my organization was deeply affected, as we all were, due to most of its programming relying on in-person engagement. However, their solution to this was to transfer most of their events to free live streams or virtual content. For their annual Pride event, Hotter Than July, they built an outdoor performance stage behind the organization so artists could still do their performances, and the entire event was live-streamed. That way people were still able to celebrate, but from the safety of their homes. I think that they were able to adapt well to the restrictions, and many of those adaptations are still in place.
Throughout my time at LGBT Detroit, I’ve been able to speak with many community members. Last Saturday, there was a community picnic celebrating Juneteenth, and there I was able to meet a lot of former employees, volunteers, and people personally tied to the organization. They are very community-engaged, and it seems like there is always an event or group outing for people connected to the organization.
Photo from Juneteenth Community Picnic :3
