Hardly Home but ALWAYS Reppin – DETROIT!

I was born and raised in Detroit and had an absolutely wonderful childhood there and most of my friends today are from Detroit. Telling people that I am from Detroit, no matter where I am in the world, more times than not, evokes a negative reaction, largely because of the negative stereotypes associated with the city.

Following my completion of undergrad, I, unlike many of my friends who left the state for school, decided to return to Detroit and work full time. Starting in February 2006 it was my first time living in the city as an adult, having spent my undergraduate years in NYC. The city was my playground and I played, HARD. I bought myself a riverfront condo for my 22nd birthday and I was a frequent fixture at Martini Mondays at the Woodward. Kwame was often on the scene and concerts at secret locations were all the rage. There was a small group of us so-called young professionals, but we had a ball. This was when Elysium was still the hot club downtown. My memories of my two years post college in Detroit are fond.

Fast forward to today and I haven’t lived in the United States in five years. Detroit was the last place I lived for two years post college. It is the last place I actually felt like I had a home. Over the last five years many of my favorite Detroit spots have closed, but luckily there are many more that have sprung up!

I constantly find myself defending the city not only to outsiders but also to friends who haven’t spent much time in the city since college save for some Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays. Detroit is blossoming and I love every bit of it. I have enjoyed an amazing night at the Red Bull House of Art, live music at D’Mongo’s, late nights in Five Guys at the casino, free wifi and expensive coffee at Great Lakes coffee, cheaper coffee and equally free wifi at Germack’s Coffee and Tea Shop in Eastern Market, delicious crepes in the garden of Le Petite Zinc, walks on the riverfront, shooting graffiti in the Grand River Creative Corridor, drooling over the dope lofts of friends paying ridiculously low rent, running around Rosedale Park, exhibits at the Charles H. Wright Museum, brunch at Majestic and walks afterwards to the DIA. I am not sure what else I can say but I love my city and a lot of other people do which is why we are seeing an influx not only of suburban residents, but people from outside of Michigan. “Detroit is really cool” is something I am often heard saying. Those little words really capture my feeling about the city. I was told yesterday that Bikram yoga is coming to midtown so if you don’t believe me, just watch!!

Detroit has a great art scene and is the next up and coming city in the US. Just ask Campbell Ewald who just relocated their headquarters to the city. So at a time when the city is on an upswing why has the Governor run out of patience? Just months before an election of a new mayor, why is the governor prepared to put in place an emergency manager? I am not sure what is driving the decision, but I know it isn’t logic. It saddens me to imagine what will happen if/when an EM is put into place, besides our loss of democracy, of course. If Pontiac is any example read about what our future could look like in today’s NY Times.

This post was not meant to be a political commentary but just an expression of love for my city. So on today, 3.13, I will just say, HAPPY DETROIT DAY!