Teaching English gave me an opportunity to meet a variety of people, and there were many who stood out as particularly ambitious beyond just in their learning of the language. They genuinely wanted to make something happen in their communities. I specifically remember a student named Diomar who, one day, laid out his plan for his hometown. Situated on the beach, he wanted to start a series of hostels promoting environmental conservation. That really stuck with me.
As we face challenges in the world we live in, I believe innovation will be essential. Leaders like Diomar need to act on their creative ideas, reflecting new approaches and potential solutions to issues at hand. I am thankful to be in a position to learn more about this while in Detroit, a city that seems to thriving with young entrepreneurs. Working at Detroit Food Academy had provided me a first-hand look into social entrepreneurship. I have been working with Small Batch, a for profit branch of DFA generating a variety of food products. I have been involved in Mitten Bites in particular- a no-bake snack bar. The youth unemployment rate in Detroit has been a pressing issue. DFA tries to tackle this by providing young people opportunities to work and learn about the culinary industry. I think this is the best of both worlds, as it aims to become a self-sufficient enterprise benefiting the city in more ways than supplying a product.
I feel like I have found something I am really passionate about. I wake up every day excited to see what can be done to help them grow. I realize there is only so much I can do, but I am ready to fully commit to becoming more and more of a help as I learn about something I deeply value.