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
