Hi all! It’s crazy to me that it has already been 9 weeks and our program is ending in just a couple days. Looking back on my time with DREAM, I am so glad that I was accepted into DCERP otherwise I never would have met so many wonderful people or learned as much as I have. My first blogpost reminded me for the first couple weeks I was completely virtual and still getting acclimated to my new surroundings and the community I was invited into, but now I have been to and seen so many places.
My supervisor Dr. Alisa Perkins was better than I could’ve imagined. She really has mentored me, not just oversaw me, and taught me so much. If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t know nearly as much about film, permissions and copyright intricacies, organizing teams, the importance of cooperation and kindness and more. It was because of her that I had access to learn about the community more quickly and was able to connect with so many community members to hear their stories. On top of what she showed me within the DREAM realm, she welcomed me to her home, invited me to events, and showed me some of the best places to eat around. This experience would not have been the same without her.
On top of Dr. Perkins, the entirety of the DREAM community was amazing to connect with. Through speaking with community and organization members and listening to their interviews, I was able to expand my knowledge on community organizing, connecting, and the impact of incarceration and how little access to resources for returning citizens there really are. The knowledge they have shared with me has opened my eyes to the depth of problems I already knew were happening and issues I didn’t know about while welcoming me to learn about what they are taking. Between the outreach to the homeless and hungry to the aid for returning citizens all the way to revitalizing houses, DREAM is truly doing noble work with the community at the heart of it all.
While I will very much miss working with DREAM of Detroit and especially Dr. Perkins, I was given to opportunity to come back August 12 and volunteer for the DREAM Street Fair and be a part of one last project. Every week I’ve gone to a volunteer meeting for the Street Fair so I am super excited to see how everything turns out and see everyone again! Luckily, it has been made clear to me that there are always volunteer opportunities that I could be a part of.
Although I have so much more to say, I don’t have enough room in this blogpost to do so. So good-bye, thank you, and have a great summer!
I love that you are able to come back on 8/12 and continue to be a part of more events. I hope that you are able to continue to work with them and am glad you had a good experience 🙂
Your reflection on your 9-week journey with DREAM is truly inspiring. Dr. Alisa Perkins’ mentorship and the DREAM community’s impact have clearly left a lasting impression, expanding your horizons in community organizing and beyond. Your upcoming involvement in the DREAM Street Fair demonstrates your dedication to making a difference. Farewell for now, and may your summer be filled with continued growth and meaningful experiences.