CORE Immersion 2022

Today we started our first morning in Chicago by visiting IMAN at one of their 63rd St locations. IMAN is an Islamic-informed organization which works within their community to improve the quality of life and access to resources to ensure holistic healing and well-being for everyone. We got a tour of the facilities and it was incredible to see the variety of spaces and resources IMAN has to offer. We learned about their evolving health clinic which serves the community to support the holistic healing that IMAN promotes. IMAN also integrates community building by having spaces for events and prayer, as well as art spaces such as their ceramic studio to offer the community a variety of healing practices in a safe place. 

Along with the wonderful tour of IMAN’s campus we also got to speak to several of the organizers and staff at IMAN and they shared great insight regarding how much IMAN has grown and how beneficial this organization has been to the community. Finally to end our first visit at IMAN we enjoyed amazing food from a local restaurant!

-Christopher Karo and Yesica Ortiz-Ceja

Feet beware! Dangers in the hostels of Michigan and the beaches of Indiana. Both my journey partner and I hurt our feet in these locations and are warning all to watch their steps.

Besides that we vibed on our car ride to Chicago from Detroit.

-Christopher Karo and Yesica Ortiz-Ceja

On this day we saw food in Detroit from a seed to a stomach. We started our day with Keep Growing Detroit and contributed to their urban farm in any way they needed. Many of us sorted seeds for their distribution program that will send a variety of plants to different individuals so they can grow fresh food in their own spaces.

After we met with the Detroit Equity Action Lab (DEAL). They take fellows that apply to their program through a year long process addressing racism in the systems external and internal to the individual. They are an amazing program and were super honest and open with us about how they themselves have grown as an organization. 

After we got to tour the Eastern Market that have their own programs dealing with equity, specifically within the sphere of food access. They are an organization that has big goals and is not deterred by red tape or challenges to fulfill their mission to make fresh fruit snd vegetables available to people across Detroit including though fresh food prescription programs among other pursuits.

-Christopher Karo and Yesica Ortiz-Ceja

Today we went to a Baptist church for the Mother’s Day service, and it was incredible to see the energy and passion brought by everyone. Many of us had never been to a Baptist service so the dynamic was new to most folks on the trip but was nonetheless appreciated and admired. The message that day was focused around being a Christian and the pastor was saying that just because you show up to church every Sunday and go through the motions doesn’t mean you are a Christian. Connecting this back to social justice, we discussed during reflection how as volunteers and activists, we cannot simply show up to show face. We must show up for the right reasons and by the right means. 

Later that day we got a tour of the city by one of the founders of the hostel we were staying at. Locations we visited included Belle Isle, Cliff Bell’s Jazz Bar, and the house of the founder of Motown, Berry Gordy. Belle Isle is an island in between Detroit and Canada that is frequented often in the spring and summer due to the incredible views, aquarium, and park. We learned that the park that was once owned by the city is now managed by the state due to Detroit’s bankruptcy back in 2014. This has caused many changes to the park’s rules which make Detroiters feel less connected to the park they once felt welcomed to. From this tour and through many of our outings, it is evident that there is a great sense of pride that Detroiters have for their city. Many community members state that the history and current state of Detroit is often misunderstood by outsiders. It’s amazing to see the passion that is put into this city by those that want to reinvest in the neighborhood and city they grew up in so they can give back to the place that cultivated their growth as people.

-Angela Wipfler and Jennifer Alvarado-Rubio

Today we had a slow morning and went to Eastern Market which is a Pike Place-like farmers market with around 225 vendors. We lucked out with the weather being sunny and warm, so it was no surprise that the market was packed. We then had a free afternoon so a few of us took a walk to downtown which took around half an hour and explored the city. 

After our city exploration we made dinner and went to the Congress of Communities (COC) event for youth that was planned by their youth council. The event started with a few speakers, then dinner followed by games and dancing! We asked how long they had been planning this event and they said they started organizing back in October! It was inspiring to see the amount of work the youth puts into their community. 

-Angela Wipfler and Jennifer Alvarado-Rubio

On Friday morning we departed to Detroit Mercy University to assemble and deliver produce bags for the local community. Following the distribution of produce, we drove to get lunch at Farmacy Foods which is a Detroit based organization that partners with local farmers to make delicious food for Detroit residents. We met Chef Phil Jones and neighborhood block leaders to get to know more about sustainability, nutrition, and surrounding issues related to food distribution and accessibility. 

During the afternoon we headed to Dearborn to explore the Arab American Museum. The museum was full of insightful and interesting exhibits about the Arab culture. Following our visit to the museum, we headed to a nearby falafel house for some delicious food!

-Angela Wipfler and Jennifer Alvarado-Rubio