"Statue for Detroit"

The city of Detroit pretty much already has a few pieces of art that are unique and represent the city. There is the giant iron fist, monument to Joe Louis, and “Spirit of Detroit” statue. People have come up with their own interpretations of what they mean/stand for. If I were to create a new statue it would send a powerful message. I would want it to give the people in the city of Detroit hope and reassurance that things can only get better.

 I would create a giant wishing well type statue or maybe a heart, the overall message of the statue will be more important. My goal would be that the citizens of Detroit and even people from surrounding cities could write down encouraging words and ideas.  I would make a whole day out of it, somewhat like a fair, this would attract the people.  Then people could take the time writing on the statue in some kind of permanent ink or paint.  If possible I would design the fair to be a nonprofit fundraiser for various projects in Detroit, to help build the city up. I know a lot of cities have tried to step up and help the city of Detroit by organizing projects and Donating to shelters and school but encouragement is good too.

My goal of this project is to send love to the city. It has been receiving a lot of negative attention sense it recently filed bankruptcy. It has been the butt of many jokes and I think it would be nice for people to send love during this difficult time instead of hate.  

Detroit Bankruptcy

I can’t really say that I know much about Detroit recently filing bankruptcy.  I knew Detroit had a huge financial debt but I didn’t know a city could even file bankruptcy. I had to do some research to figure out what this all meant for the city. After reading a few articles I noticed a few ideas that kept coming up, many people were blaming the auto industry, large pensions and unions as what helped bring Detroit down. I’m not really sure if these are facts or observations made by outsiders that have done their “research”.  I am only an observer myself and can’t really pinpoint a main cause for this unfortunate event.

I can say a few things about Detroit after doing my “research”, and living there for a few years. Detroit has been on a downward spiral for decades. There is no single source of its reason for decay. The city was booming when the auto industry had a heavy influence over jobs, but people can’t blame the growth and expansion of these companies to other areas as the leading cause of destruction. Also Detroit isn’t the only city that gives their retiring members of the force benefits. In fact, according to research done by US Today, their retirees receive less than most.  It bothers me that these news reports continue to bring a city down that has already reached rock bottom. Instead of writing questionable articles about the cities reason for failures, they should be sending encouraging messages to reassure the city and its citizens that it can only get better from here. 

Community Life

What makes a community is the people within it and the standard they with hold for their community. The city of Northville is a quiet community that cares a lot about it's up keep and how the people represent their township. This goes for any community. 

I grew up in Plymouth but I currently live in Northville. I would consider myself a part of the Plymouth, Northville, Novi community. I lived in Detroit part time growing up but I never considered it home. I rarely interacted with my neighborhood when I lived in Detroit, which is why I wouldn't consider myself as a part of the community. 

I realized I was a part of community when I was about five. My next door neighbor use to babysit me while my parents were out. This made me feel close to my neighborhood. I also use to ride my bike with my parents back and forth to downtown Plymouth. It was nice to know the local shop owners. They always treated us like family. 

There are a few signs that people are not a part of the community. Sometimes when people don't belong, they treat an area they are visiting with less respect, but it depends on the individual. Another sign that someone isn't a part of the community is if they don't know their  way around, but like I said it depends on how frequently they visit the area. 

I think what gives someone membership is how they contribute to the area and how much time they spend there.I consider myself a part of the Northville community because I live and went to school there and treat is with a certain amount of respect. I consider myself a part of the Plymouth and Novi community because I work and hangout there. This shows that you don't have to live in a community to be a part of it. I think it is the amount of respect and interaction, that make you a part of it.  

Blogger nominations

 I would have to say one my favorite blog assignment was the “Create Your Own Community”. It gave us complete freedom as writers and allowed us to explore different ideas of the perfect city. After reading a few of my classmates’ blogs, I would have to say the blog post “Pocket Neighborhoods” by Michael Peters was the best. He not only wrote a detailed summery about his community he also include pictures to better illustrate his ideas.

Michael Peters: “Michael Peters 106” http://michaelpeters106.blogspot.com/

I also really liked writing about our dream vacation spot. I think Kyle Kantebet’s “I’ve Got 2 Tickets to Paradise” was a fun blog post to read. Although we wrote about the same dream vacation, I would have to say I liked reading his description a little better. The intro was very attention grabbing and I like his reference to Eddie Money’s song “I got two tickets to Paradise”.

Kyle Kantebet: “On the Outside looking in”http://ontheoutsidelookingin11.blogspot.com/

Living on a Dollar

There is a lot of vacant space in the city of the Detroit, but with a little funds and hard work have the potential to become something great. If I were given the opportunity to create a new community within the city of Detroit, I would design it for the broke college students. I would use the funds I had to create a safe and affordable environment for people still in college or just entering the work force.

I would create apartment like housing that offered single rooms and multi-room suits that provide roommate options. There would also be houses and condos that people can rent out if they don’t want to live in an apartment. The housing would be more affordable then dorms and allow for more freedom.

The community would offer the same amenities as any other town. It would have a movie theater, shopping center, grocery store, restaurants, night clubs and numerous other businesses. With the amount of businesses needed to be run, it would provide the young people with job opportunities to help pay for their living expenses. I would also like to promote urban farming. This would help bring the community together and cut down on the food cost.

I know this may sound risky but it would give the newer generation an opportunity to make it on their own, almost like a head start program for young adults. I don’t plan on putting a gate around the town and excluding everyone over the age of twenty five but I would make it more appealing to the young. The town would need some experienced adults to help keep the town in order.

Overall, I would like the community to be a safe affordable place for young people to live and develop their skills. With today’s high living expenses, it’s hard for people in and out of college to move out on their own. By providing them with a cheap and comfortable place to live, that also has plenty of jobs; it will give them a chance to make it. I think the young adults would appreciate it, but maybe I’m just bias because I am a broke college student myself.

"Top five places to visit in Michigan"

 I have lived in Michigan for nineteen years and there are a few places I make a priority to visit at least once a year. Depending on what time of year it is, I like to take my out of town guest to these places too.

1.      The Detroit Zoo is one of my favorite places to visit during the summer and entertaining for all ages. It is home to over 3,000 animals and 280 species.  It is also located in Royal Oak which is also a fun place to have dinner after a fun day at the zoo.

2.      I traveled to Gran Haven last summer and had a blast camping on the beach. The water was refreshing and the waves were big enough for boogie boarding. The beach is located right off of like Michigan and has a towering lighthouse located at the pier. They have mobile home campsites for overnight stay or you can just visit for the day. It’s a fun place to take Michigan visitors or residents that have never been.

3.      If guest plan on traveling to Michigan during mid January, I highly recommend visiting the North American International Auto Show. Even if they are not car enthusiast, it is still pretty fun. Many people just go there to take pictures of the cars and fantasize about owning them, like I do.

4.      One place that I always take my family when they come to visit is the mall. I love shopping and I always set aside a day for it. I usually take my guest to Twelve Oaks because it is close to my house and has something for everybody.

5.      Whenever my family comes to visit we always go to Dearborn. Since I am of middle-eastern decent, I take my family here to indulge in traditional Middle-eastern cuisine. This may not be a place where other people take their guest but for my family it is in our top five places to visit. 

"Lights, Camera, Action"

Writers and directors use different mechanics to attract their audience to make a film seem more interesting or dramatic. Sometimes the setting of movies, TV shows, and books are how characters and plots develop.

The television show “Friends” is a perfect example of directors using the city setting to develop the story. In many scenes viewer see the happy group of friends hanging out in a New York coffee shop, talking about the struggles of life. Another familiar television show to most teens is “The Hills”. This show was filmed in Hollywood hills and features teenagers that come from wealthy families and live the luxurious lifestyle. By using this setting, it shaped the characters and storyline portrayed in “The Hills”.

The most common back drop for action and superhero movies is the city. It is a tool that directors use to bring movies to life. Movie viewers not only see this in action films but in pretty much every other movie. New York and Las Angeles are familiar backdrops for these box office hits. Spiderman probably wouldn’t receive as much positive hype if it was not for its city setting. I doubt anyone would find it just as interesting if he was swing from condominium to condominium in a small suburb.

Cities are full of excitement and drama, which is why they make the perfect setting for certain movies. I’m not saying suburbs cannot produce the same amount of excitement and drama but they’re not the ideal atmosphere for Marvel films. I think it is resourceful for director, authors and writers to use cities to set the scene for their investments.

Barcelona!

I have studied Spanish for the last seven years, and have fallen in love with the language and various cultures. And every since I started learning about the different Spanish speaking countries, I have dreamed of going to Barcelona, Spain. This popular tourist area is rich in culture and history. In my last Spanish class I did a presentation on Antoni Gaudí, a famous Spanish architect. His work depicts a more Modernisme style along with influences from nature.  After seeing pictures of his most famous building located in Barcelona, I am really eager to visit the city and see Gaudí’s Work.

In addition to learning about the city in school, I have also seen it featured in different movies and television show. I first discovered the city when I watched The Cheetah Girls 2 back in middle school. After watching this popular Disney film, I too wanted to dance and sing in the streets of Barcelona. The entire movie was filmed there and highlighted the cities greatest features.

Most of my knowledge about Barcelona has come from school and TV, so I haven’t really heard any negatives. The city it known for being a popular tourist attraction, and is a major cultural and economic center in southwestern Europe. I think the city is not only a great vacation spot but also an unique location to study abroad. It would be the ideal place to further my knowledge about the Spanish language and culture. Even if I never have the opportunity to study in Barcelona, vacationing there is definitely on my bucket list.  

"City ties"

I recently spoke to my cousin Sarah about her experience living in Detroit. She lived there for eighteen years before going away to the University of New Orleans. I asked her if she felt safe living close to the rougher areas of the eastside and she explained that she had to be cautious when walking to school or taking the bus. My cousin then went into detail about what it was like going to school in Detroit. She said that the kids were misbehaved and there were not a lot of class options because they were continuously laying off teachers.  But went on to say that although the city was rough and dangerous, it did not stop her from achieve her goals.

I also lived in Detroit, but only for a few years. I also lived closer to the Westside and I never went to school in the city. Even though we are closely related our experiences growing up were entirely different. My parents sent me to private school instead because they did not like the district. I later moved to Northville and finished up my grade school education in their public school system. I cannot say my experience with public school was completely different because all the districts were facing similar problem. But unlike the area my cousin grew up in, I rarely felt worried about my safety. I walked carelessly to the bus stop every morning.

My cousin and I were close growing up and although our circumstances were different we both were able to achieve most of our goals. By doing this interview I have realized that the area you live in does not necessary determine your fate. I also remembered that there are problems in every city and it’s up individuals to decide if they are going to let these problems hold them back. My question is, is the city the problem or the people?

My City

The most common perception of Detroit is that it’s a rundown dangerous city and that majority of the news that comes out of the city is about crime and murder. Some of these facts may be true but there is still plenty of good left in Detroit. The city has a lot of decent qualities to it and is still often referred to as the motor city. It also has Greek town, Fox Theater, Detroit river walk and various other entertainment to offer, that often attract tourist and locals from the surrounding areas. Along with this, the city has also been the background for box office films such as Iron Man and Read Dawn.
I personally relate Detroit back to my family and the part of my blood that is still spread throughout the city. Although I have turned into somewhat of a “suburban princess” it was not too long ago that I was smacking on Now and Laters on the way home from the corner store. I remember spending countless summers hanging out with my cousins in the city, where we would make daily trips to the neighborhood park. I also remember going to Belle Isle to ride the giant slide and feed the ducks. Now that we have all grown up and either left the state or moved to the suburbs we are quick to forget our urban playground.
I think that there is still enough heart and soul left in Detroit for it to be as lively as it was decades ago. People just have to be reminded of all the qualities the city has to offer.  In addition to, we have to remind ourselves that we cannot try and change the city from the outside by sending aid and assistance to the city. Instead we should step out of our comfort zones and try to change the city from the inside. The city of Detroit may not be as “happening” today as it use to, but it is never too late to change it.