Detroit is Not Dead! It Just Looks that Way
After a long absence, I finally returned back to Detroit. I have heard all of the stories and seen videos so I knew what to expect. At least that is what I thought. From a distance, Detroit seems like a nightmare of a city; crime, political corruption, failing schools, loss of manufacturing jobs, urban decay and a mass exodus that has seen its population decrease by half since 1950.
There are several reasons for Detroit’s decline, but what I took away from my visit was that the death of Detroit has been greatly exaggerated.
Initially, I wanted to see some of the same things that those urban explorers take videos of. Abandoned places are very popular on the internet. But some of these outsiders disrespect the city and its residents. They drive in the safety of their automobiles and film the abandoned factories and dwellings. They do not stop to think about the residents of Detroit and the resiliency they maintain while staying in the city and making the best of their situation.
I did want to see some of these places myself but I did not want to mock the condition of the city. I did not want to make videos and exploit those blighted areas. People come from all over the world to drive through these neighborhoods to take photos and videos to post on social media. This is at the expense of the people that live there. There are even tours people can go on that starts at $75. For that price, they are escorted to all the abandoned factories and neighborhoods as if they were visiting some dangerous safari in a far off land.
Nature Strikes Back
Detroit proves that nature is very powerful. One of the things that really amazed me was how quickly and aggressively nature has stepped in at just the slightest sign of technological neglect. Nature uses every opportunity it is afforded to assert itself. Trees are growing in the middle of living rooms and forcing its branches through and high above the soggy roofs. Tree roots and wild weeds crack the concrete walkways and wooden steps. Rain is causing the wood to rot and crumble. The weeds and wild trees are covering entire homes. Several homes cannot even be seen even if you are standing directly in front of the dwellings. I visited my home in the Conant Gardens neighborhood. My house and the gas station that was next to it is now an empty grassy filed that looked like nothing ever existed there.
Wildlife is returning. As drove through my former street, a vulture was flying low overhead. I snapped a couple of pictures of the bird above the trees and bird eventually disappeared. The vultures apparently have enough to make a living or else they would not be there. Vultures are not the only animals to make a comeback in the urban area and make a living. coyotes, pheasants, and falcons are also there in large numbers.
My brother is a hustler. By this, I mean that he is working off the books. He is on disability and cuts hair for a living in one of his bedrooms that he converted into a barbershop. He makes enough money to pay all of his bills, buy food and gas and basically keep things running just as anyone else does. Many of his friends in his immediate orbit are also hustlers, making a living off the books and not reporting it to the IRS. On any given day, you can buy shoes, jerseys, pants or just about anything else you can think of. Prices are very low, 30 to 70 percent off of the original price most of the time. I do not know where the merchandise comes from that that could be a new topic by itself. Makeshift restaurants are dotted throughout the city.
Before you get the idea of a bunch of criminals, these guys and girls are people who support families, have children in school and some even college. They support themselves and pay bills like everyone else. They have skills, they are smart and they are friendly. However, by being mostly black men, I could easily imagine some of those outsiders, those urban explorers coming across a porch full of black men laughing, and drinking and talking loud and those urban explores may feel intimidated or frightened. However, the reality is that these men are hardworking and share much in common with the rest of America. They want the same things; be safe, live comfortably and remain independent.
Nine to five jobs are not the norm. They are part of a subculture that prides itself on being resourceful while operating and maneuvering in an underground economy. Some are skilled auto mechanics, carpenters, plumbers, or woodworkers. For various reasons, they did not receive the industry-recognized certifications that would have placed them in the mainstream of society. As a result, resigned to the outskirts of society in a place that only they, and the people who purchase their goods and services knows about.
During my short visit, I witnessed hope, possibilities, and resiliency. On some city blocks, you may come across several abandoned homes and all of a sudden, there it is; a beautiful well kept home in the middle of extreme blight. The people in those homes have dignity and instead of talking about it they show through their daily life by displaying a touch of class and resiliency when all other forms of civilization have disappeared.
I witnessed tree farms, community gardens and great artwork in these areas. While at the eastern market I met a man was making a podcast and shouting for people to “stay positive’ no matter how difficult things seem to be. When I spoke to him he told me he makes a positive podcast every day because it helps lift people’s spirit.
So, Detroit is not dead. Detroit is far from dead. The only thing that is dead is the creativity and imaginations of the outsiders and naysayers who think and say all of these terrible things about Detroit. They underestimate the resilience of the human spirit. They make a big mistake by underestimating people. I see hope. I see potential. I see a city that is using this opportunity to go through a transformative stage. Detroit is a city that is being rebirthed We do not know what exactly will be on the other side of that transformation, but if nature is any indication, Detroit will emerge from this unsightly cocoon; new, fresh, vitalized, strong and beautiful.
