Reflecting on the first week I feel like I’ve definitely learned a lot about the community, Detroit history, and culture. My time in the program definitely let me learn a lot about Detroit’s disability community, current initiatives, and issues pressing the community. I have also made new connections outside of the program as well. I […]
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
Gloryvee coming in to speak with us about mindfulness was something that stood out to me. For me, I am someone who doesn’t like to procrastinate & would rather focus on getting things done before I am able to slow down. Her talk reminded me that there is still more to learn in mindfulness and
For this blog post, I decided to share reflections for the reading on liberation practices. When looking at the forms of different practices, it reminded me of conversations I have been having with organizations such as Detroit Disability Power. The Advocacy Director, Eric Welsby, had discussed with me the organizations plans to develop a program
For this week’s post, I got the opportunity to interview Christopher Samp, the director of the Office of Disability Affairs (ODA), and Marisa Spain, a Policy Research Assistant also with the ODA. Both of them identify themselves as part of the disability community, so they are passionate about the work they do. Over 123,000 residents with
week 5: interview w/ chris & marisa from the Detroit Office of Disability Affairs Read More »
I think that one of the main points that have stuck with me both through my engagement with ODA as well as my reading of How to Kill a City is the problem of property tax foreclosure and subprime lending. A passage that stuck with me was on Moskowitz’s conversation with a Detroit couple living
Something new I have learned about Detroit is the issue of property tax when conducting background research for my placement. It definitely opened my eyes to the problems of housing that go beyond just landlords and renting. Researching the history of housing and how tax foreclosure is a common cause of why residents lose their
My community placement for this summer is the City of Detroit’s Office of Disability Affairs. This organization was founded by Christopher Samp, to help improve accessibility and quality of life for Detroit’s disabled residents. The core of their mission is the 3-year strategic plan they have created which you can read here. This summer follows
Hello, I’m Adesewa Ojo a rising sophomore majoring in History. I’m working with the City of Detroit’s Office of Disability Affairs office under the guidance of Christopher Samp. To me, community means having a group of people with a common goal or interest in which mutual support occurs. I was attracted to doing community work
