Late Sunday afternoon, as I walked near the  façade of the Detroit Institute of Art, I felt mist tickling my face. Startled, I looked up and saw a water fountain. At that moment, I had a flashback to fourteen years ago, when my mother and I would run across the public fountains in Atlanta's Centennial Park. As she chased after me, I would spray her with water when she got too close, laughing and screaming all the way. Hours later, we would force our exhausted bodies into our beat-up Mazda and drive home to our apartment. After a warm bath and a couple of scoops of Haagen Daaz vanilla ice cream, I would read Dr. Seuss, and my mom would tuck me in by 8pm. Those were good times and simpler times.

Moving towards the façade, I walked up a few stairs and saw one of the 28 replicas of Rodin’s The Thinker, a bronze statue of a man contemplating his life. The first time I saw the original replica at the Auguste Rodin Museum in Paris, the level of profound emotion on his bronze face blew me away. But what was this emotion on his face, exactly? What was he thinking? Was he undergoing severe emotional turbulence or reaching a deep philosophical truth? Nietzsche once said, “If you look into the abyss long enough, the abyss will look back at you.” As I gazed at the second reincarnation of the Thinker, I felt the full force of the abyss. Everything about his facial expression alluded to his struggle to find purpose in chaos: his eyes, downcast and mournful; his hand, absently placed on his chin; his furrowed brows, angered by the injustices of the world. But I soon realized that as I was staring at him, I was simply staring at a reflection of myself. For a brief moment, the Thinker and I were one, intersecting on the twin axes of space and time.

Indeed, I struggle to find meaning in a world with so many problems – poverty, disease, blight, violent crime, injustice – problems endemic to not only Detroit, but to the world and human nature. These are problems that I have little knowledge about besides facts from dusty textbooks; yet, I want to solve these problems using both my heart and my head. I want to reach out to members of the Detroit community and hear their stories to find meaning in my own life.

Like the paper bag drifting in the wind in American Beauty, a thought – perhaps naïvely – drifted in and out of my mind. What if race, ethnicity, gender, class, body type, and other formalities are simply superficial boxes that we foolishly cling to hide their true identity? I imagine a world where the ideas and voice of all people are not just tolerated, but cherished. Like MLK, I imagine a world where individuals are not judged for the color for their skin, but for the content of their character. Humans are not that different, after all.

It’s funny: when I was five, I had no concept of meaning and purpose. I was perfectly content running through the outdoor water fountains and enjoying sunny summer afternoons with my mother. That is the process of growing up – my great hope is to replace the simplicity of my childhood with infinite gratitude and optimism. I want to marvel at the complexity of the world, rather than weep about its shortcomings.  And I have a feeling that even Nietzsche cared enough about himself to look away from the abyss for a moment or two.  

This summer, I started a venture: doing DukeEngage in Detroit. Detroit is labeled as a city of crime, hopelessness and bankruptcy. At least, it is what the media propagandized, and it was the impression I had of Detroit before I arrived in the city. However, after I got off plane, I started to doubt this idea. On my way to the place I live in, I saw many motivating slogans hung on buildings, such as “Nothing can stop Detroit!”, “Go Detroit!”, etc. Is Detroit really hopeless? I don’t know.

            Next day, the interactive bus tour and scavenger hunt gave me an opportunity to know the true Detroit. Many bus stops in Detroit have beautiful wooden benches, which are provided by Sit On It Detroit. These benches are made by wood from abandoned houses in Detroit, and each bench has a built-in bookshelf providing books to passengers. On the walls of abandoned houses, local residents painted great draws with positive themes, which made the bus tour became a tour in gallery. Admittedly, things like making benches and painting on the wall are little and even negligible compared to the problems Detroit faces, but they turn a place that is supposed to be hopeless to a city of hope and energy, and this spirit matters. At the end of the bus tour, we visited The Heidelberg Project, which makes neighborhoods become the heaven of arts. When we were walking in the neighborhoods, we talked to an old lady. She sits in an automatic wheelchair with white hair. She said she has lived in Detroit for fifty years and Detroit is the best city in the world. We knew from the conversation that she is writing a book about the city she loves the most. I was impressed by her smile, her energy and her love of the city. She is like a young girl with ambition, energy, passion and love.  Moreover, I saw the spirit of Detroit from her. 

            After I came back from bus tour and scavenger hunt, I was exciting and motivated because I was surrounded by energy, arts and thousands of young hearts. The media use cameras capture the abandoned houses and poverty in Detroit. That is true in Detroit. However, cameras cannot capture energy and hope, which can only be felt by heart.

           People respect phoenix, because phoenix can be reborn from the ashes, which makes phoenix great. Similarly, every great city needs a test and rises from ruins. Now Detroit is tested, and fortunately, Detroit people have the spirit and belief to lead Detroit to the great. I am lucky, because I can witness and be part of this process. During two months in Detroit, I wish I could contribute to this great city and makes it a better place.     

Motto of Detroit: Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus.

Latin: We Hope for Better Things; It Shall Rise From the Ashes.

“If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life it stays with you, for it is a moveable feast.” –Ernest Hemingway

After exploring the streets of both Paris and Detroit, I can confirm that parts of Detroit deserve its nickname “Paris of the Midwest.” A far cry from the urban wasteland that I had imagined it to be, the Detroit that I see is a vibrant city overflowing with hope and energy. From the public oasis of Campus Martius Park to the scenic banks of the Detroit Riverfront, Detroit has its own Champs de Mars and La Seine.

And the comparisons don’t stop there: public memorials? Look no further than the Fist of Joe Louis, a 24-foot tall monument commemorating the heavy-weight boxing champion, or Detroit's version of The Thinker, the Spirit of Detroit—a contemplative man comparing heavenly rays denoting God in his left hand and a family in his right. Corner cafes? Check out the rich brews and wines of the Great Lakes Coffee Roasting shop. Outdoor markets? Go to the vibrant Eastern Market on a lazy Saturday or Sunday morning. Cultural landmarks? Visit the Heidelberg Project, an outdoor art project that is the only one of its kind in the world or the Cass Corridor, home of the Detroit Institute of Arts, the second largest art museum in the US.

Yet, not all of Detroit can be compared to Paris. Abandoned buildings, including the striking Michigan Central Station, hint at better times and inspire the “ruin porn” that citizens detest and artists passionately admire. Local neighborhoods outside the more developed Midtown and Downtown areas, which encompass the Wayne State University dorms that our DukeEngage group is staying, TechTown, and all the locations described above, lay in ruin and neglect. According to recent studies, 40 percent of Detroit’s buildings are abandoned, Detroit has the highest homicide rate of any major city, and 47 percent of Detroit’s citizens are functionally illiterate. Urban sprawl, gentrification, and widespread poverty are just a few of the many problems that must be addressed. Rather than turning a blind eye towards these problems, I believe we should directly address these through steps that include investment in skilled workers, building a culture that attracts millennials, and equipping the city’s youth with trade skills and higher education.

My goal this summer is to improve the economic situation of these neighborhoods by attracting manufacturing companies into employ citizens outside of the more affluent Midtown and Downtown areas. My work with TechTown is to create a concept report and vision statement to attract manufacturing companies to move into these underprivileged neighborhoods. By increasing employment in the city, more Detroiters can experience the Paris of the Midwest in all of its glory and splendor. 

Hemingway called Paris a “moveable feast,” for anyone lucky enough to visit the City of Lights when they are young will leave with enough memories to last a lifetime. Detroit resembles Paris in many ways. Each of Detroit’s streets, like each of its citizens, tells a unique story and is a physical testimony to the evolving times. Its streets breathe history, and majestic cathedrals dot the cityscape like stars on a clear, midsummer’s night. The city comes alive at night with the light from the local clubs, skyscrapers, and the collective hope of a community in solidarity – a community longing for better days. Though I may be only one person, Detroit is a place large enough to make a difference for the world, and a place small enough for one person to make a difference for Detroit. I am excited for the many unforgettable adventures to come, and I am glad to be part of the DukeEngage Detroit program.