July 2023

It is insane to think about how it is the end of the program is steadily approaching us. Just in the beginning of June, we were talking about how much this summer would “fly” by, as we excitedly anticipated starting our projects soon. Now with 2 months under our belts working for our non-profits and […]

This week, Maggie and I chose to interview each other for our blog post to get to know each other more. As we sat outside in sunny Detroit weather we got to share more about each other and our lives. Maggie is from Houston, Texas and is majoring in Sociology and Social Work. When we

 This project has definitely expanded my view of the issue, as well as the different approaches of people involved in work towards addressing disability rights in the community. I’ve spoken to people concerned with community outreach, staying grassroots, autism advocacy, housing, and health. Looking on all the information, I come back to Raquel speaking on

Last week was my first time visiting the Charles H. Wright Museum and their “And Still We Rise” exhibit. Initially, coming into the museum, I had an idea of the themes that may be covered. However, I was surprised by the detail of the entire exhibit, particularly the mannequins, which were very surreal, especially in

All of our guest speakers have impressed me with their knowledge and work. I have appreciated learning about the history of Detroit as well as its current challenges and the countless groups attempting to provide some kind of solution to them. Raquel Garcia, the Executive Director of Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision, has stood out in

I read a recent article in the New York Times discussing how Detroit is beginning to reassert the authority of the municipal government in code enforcement and other community needs. While the ability to maintain essential services is great, a quote from the mayor argues that these aren’t what should be celebrated. “Nobody in Chicago

Assalamu Alaikum (peace be unto you) everyone, This week we were honored by Ms. Tiffany Brown, who came to speak about her experience running the Detroit Food Academy and Developing Despite Distance and the importance of self-care. Her presentation about self-care was enlightening. In my time in Detroit and experience working with nonprofits, I never

Hi! This week I decided to look back on what has happened so far in this fellowship and what I had learned; more specifically, in the DCERP meetings. We have meetings twice a week and most weeks we had a guest speaker on anything from education programs and research to self care. I have to

At Week 7, it’s hard to separate parts of DCERP. In fact, planning for the Showcase has shown me that all of these themes — community, leadership, Detroit identity, wholistic planning and organizing, research, my site, and so much more — will only continue to criss-cross and converge with time. That’s why the prompt regarding

Hello everyone! For my blog post this week, I interviewed one of my fellow 2023 DCERP cohort members: Siya! We had a nice conversation in the courtyard outside of our apartment building where we’re staying this summer. I hope you enjoy learning more about her as much as I did! Siya is a rising sophomore