Arriving in Detroit, I truly had no idea what to expect. If one were to believe the newspaper titles and word of mouth it would have seemed as if I was stepping into a third world country. At the same time, Matt Nash had explained to us that innovation and entrepreneurship were in full effect throughout the city. The truth is that Matt had a much clearer picture of the city. What has truly surprised me about Detroit isn’t the amount of innovation, as impressive it is, but the solidarity and commitment of those who reside here. I haven’t come across someone that is not proud to live in the city and doesn’t want to make their city a better place. To me that shows the true strength of Detroit. I have noticed a lot of similarities between Durham and Detroit, with Durham obviously on a much smaller scale, but while Durham is further along in its revitalization, in my opinion, we still do not have pride that those who reside in Detroit have.
The entrepreneurship and innovation come from a true commitment and that has blown me away, even in my single week here. If there is anything I can give back to the city, it would be the same dedication that its citizens provide. Despite the economic hurdles the city will have to overcome, i believe that it will do more than succeed, Detroit will thrive again. I am incredibly grateful to have a chance to be a part of this change. The dedication and pride are truly pervasive and contagious.
Specifically with Detroit Food Academy, I hope to be able to start their Small Batch program for them and have it running to a point that students would be able to take over its operations by the time I leave Detroit. This will be difficult as there is a lot of work to do, but I feel hopeful, especially with all of the support that has been shown to Brianna and I from every corner. Especially from the kids. Visiting Central High School with DFA was a great experience as I was able to see some of the kids that were actually a part of the program and how much the program meant to them. The kids have really adopted this program as their own and taken ownership which I believe is incredibly important to the continued success of the program. Just like the native Detroit residents I mentioned before, the kids’ love for their city and pride in what they were doing is second to nothing I have ever seen. The concrete part of what I want to give back is the completion of Small Batch, but I think the true scope of what I want to give back is actually more clearly defined by same level of commitment I have seen everywhere, and to be worthy of being able to stand toe to toe with all of the people I see around me.
The entrepreneurship and innovation come from a true commitment and that has blown me away, even in my single week here. If there is anything I can give back to the city, it would be the same dedication that its citizens provide. Despite the economic hurdles the city will have to overcome, i believe that it will do more than succeed, Detroit will thrive again. I am incredibly grateful to have a chance to be a part of this change. The dedication and pride are truly pervasive and contagious.
Specifically with Detroit Food Academy, I hope to be able to start their Small Batch program for them and have it running to a point that students would be able to take over its operations by the time I leave Detroit. This will be difficult as there is a lot of work to do, but I feel hopeful, especially with all of the support that has been shown to Brianna and I from every corner. Especially from the kids. Visiting Central High School with DFA was a great experience as I was able to see some of the kids that were actually a part of the program and how much the program meant to them. The kids have really adopted this program as their own and taken ownership which I believe is incredibly important to the continued success of the program. Just like the native Detroit residents I mentioned before, the kids’ love for their city and pride in what they were doing is second to nothing I have ever seen. The concrete part of what I want to give back is the completion of Small Batch, but I think the true scope of what I want to give back is actually more clearly defined by same level of commitment I have seen everywhere, and to be worthy of being able to stand toe to toe with all of the people I see around me.
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