After exploring several post-industrial cities in Europe, Philip and I knew we’d have to check out the cities on our side of the pond. It was just a matter of finding the time, because, if you recall, gallivanting around Europe was no easy task.
Late one Tuesday night, in the midst of shooting our Detroit B-Roll, Philip found an unexpected break in our wall-to-wall schedule. Even though, we were swamped with an endless list of city shots, technically, we didn't have any concrete meetings until Friday. So if we postponed our B-Roll for 2 ½ days...
He looked up from his computer, “wanna drive to Buffalo tomorrow?”
Talk about short notice.
No plans, no directions, no place to stay...
Yeah, let’s do it.
2 ½ days…
Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Youngstown, Cleveland…
We hopped in Philip’s mom’s fuel-efficient VW Beatle, fired up the ol’ smart phone, and headed across the border.
I searched for profiles on Couch Surfer that had “photography” as an interest, and once we connected with the locals, they pointed us toward the abandoned factories.
Unfortunately, our last minute notice didn’t result in any open couches to sleep on, but oh well- after a full day of driving and shooting, a reclined seat in the rest stop parking lot was a godsend. …even in a Beatle.
(Rest assured kickstarters: we ain’t spendin’ your generous donations on froufrou hotel rooms; at this point, every penny we save goes directly into cooler things… like, color correction… or gas).
Highlights of the road trip include: the police searching our car at the Canadian border, authentic Buffalo wings, and winding through the tiny steel towns of Pennsylvania…
But I guess the best highlight is the footage. We got everything we needed, and we were back in Detroit with time to spare on Friday afternoon.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Monday, September 19, 2011
Detroit interviews pt 2
“I’m just a guy who gives a fuck”
…that’s what Zone 8 Thug turned neighborhood activist Yusef Shakur told us.
Yusef grew up on the streets surrounded by drugs, violence and prostitution, and not in a good way. Shortly after dropping out of high school, he was sent to prison for nine years; his life was over. Trapped in an institution that perpetuates the thug mentality, there was no hope. …Until one day, a prison transfer reunited him with the mentor his inner child needed most- his father.
Yusef and his father rekindled their relationship, and just like that, Yusef turned his life around. He finished his GED, got out of prison, and returned to the ‘hood that had raised him to start a community center. It’s part café, part bookstore, and part computer center. It’s a safe haven for kids to hang after school; and with the block parties he helps organize, it’s Yusef’s way of “restoring the neighbor back to the ‘hood.”
Mark Convington might not have an epic life story like Yusef’s… In fact, he wasn’t even trying to become a community leader when he cleaned up a vacant lot. Mark just wanted to plant a few vegetables to discourage people from dumping trash, but before he knew it, neighbors were pitching in, kids were learning how to farm, and the sprawling garden was providing healthy food for all.
If there’s anyone who believes in the power of these vacant lots and abandoned buildings, it’s Dan Pitera and his team of architects. They’ve committed to restoring purpose to these forgotten places. In one old house, they removed an entire exterior wall and added outdoor seating for a project they call ‘the playhouse.’
Dan will be the first to admit- they can’t just turn these spaces into anything they want; they need to listen to the people, and make spaces the community will use.
That’s why people like Vince Keenan spearhead voter education programs to make sure the people have a voice for the change happening in their neighborhoods.
Vince is currently promoting the Council By Districts initiative. If it passes, each district will have equal representation in City Hall and those representatives will actually have to live in the district they serve.
In Brightmoor, we toured a church where the pastor has committed to serving everyone- believers, non-believers… he built his church for everyone. So instead of a sanctuary, the congregation invested in a gymnasium. They set it up for services on Sundays, but every other day of the week, it’s a safe place to play.
The city has a lot of potential, and according to Free Press journalist John Gallagher, it’s just a matter of “Re-imagining Detroit” (hey, that’s the title of his book!).
Gallagher promotes ideas that embrace the shrinking population, like tearing up under utilized roads to make way for “greenways,” putting more resources into urban farming, and even “daylighting” forgotten streams that were paved over when the industrial revolution took foot.
A lot of these bigger projects take time and money. But as local small crepe shop owner, Torya Blanchard, told a lecture hall of University of Michigan business students (and I’m paraphrasing here)… all you need to succeed is a good idea and a good accountant, so stop wasting your money, drop out of business school, and do it.
That’s how Torya opened her crepe shop; she cashed out her retirement, took out a bunch of loans, and now she owns three restaurants in the Detroit area. She believes small businesses promoting growth at the neighborhood level are going to save this town; we just need more ideas and more people to act on them.
One solution didn't focus on a growing economy at all.
Grace Lee Boggs is a 96-year old political activist who marched with Martin Luther King and collaborated with Malcolm X. According to her, people need to focus first on "growing their souls." It's an approach that might seem unconventional at first, but when a woman who’s seen as much as she has says it, you better listen.
…that’s what Zone 8 Thug turned neighborhood activist Yusef Shakur told us.
Yusef grew up on the streets surrounded by drugs, violence and prostitution, and not in a good way. Shortly after dropping out of high school, he was sent to prison for nine years; his life was over. Trapped in an institution that perpetuates the thug mentality, there was no hope. …Until one day, a prison transfer reunited him with the mentor his inner child needed most- his father.
Yusef and his father rekindled their relationship, and just like that, Yusef turned his life around. He finished his GED, got out of prison, and returned to the ‘hood that had raised him to start a community center. It’s part café, part bookstore, and part computer center. It’s a safe haven for kids to hang after school; and with the block parties he helps organize, it’s Yusef’s way of “restoring the neighbor back to the ‘hood.”
Mark Convington might not have an epic life story like Yusef’s… In fact, he wasn’t even trying to become a community leader when he cleaned up a vacant lot. Mark just wanted to plant a few vegetables to discourage people from dumping trash, but before he knew it, neighbors were pitching in, kids were learning how to farm, and the sprawling garden was providing healthy food for all.
If there’s anyone who believes in the power of these vacant lots and abandoned buildings, it’s Dan Pitera and his team of architects. They’ve committed to restoring purpose to these forgotten places. In one old house, they removed an entire exterior wall and added outdoor seating for a project they call ‘the playhouse.’
Dan will be the first to admit- they can’t just turn these spaces into anything they want; they need to listen to the people, and make spaces the community will use.
That’s why people like Vince Keenan spearhead voter education programs to make sure the people have a voice for the change happening in their neighborhoods.
Vince is currently promoting the Council By Districts initiative. If it passes, each district will have equal representation in City Hall and those representatives will actually have to live in the district they serve.
In Brightmoor, we toured a church where the pastor has committed to serving everyone- believers, non-believers… he built his church for everyone. So instead of a sanctuary, the congregation invested in a gymnasium. They set it up for services on Sundays, but every other day of the week, it’s a safe place to play.
The city has a lot of potential, and according to Free Press journalist John Gallagher, it’s just a matter of “Re-imagining Detroit” (hey, that’s the title of his book!).
Gallagher promotes ideas that embrace the shrinking population, like tearing up under utilized roads to make way for “greenways,” putting more resources into urban farming, and even “daylighting” forgotten streams that were paved over when the industrial revolution took foot.
A lot of these bigger projects take time and money. But as local small crepe shop owner, Torya Blanchard, told a lecture hall of University of Michigan business students (and I’m paraphrasing here)… all you need to succeed is a good idea and a good accountant, so stop wasting your money, drop out of business school, and do it.
That’s how Torya opened her crepe shop; she cashed out her retirement, took out a bunch of loans, and now she owns three restaurants in the Detroit area. She believes small businesses promoting growth at the neighborhood level are going to save this town; we just need more ideas and more people to act on them.
One solution didn't focus on a growing economy at all.
Grace Lee Boggs is a 96-year old political activist who marched with Martin Luther King and collaborated with Malcolm X. According to her, people need to focus first on "growing their souls." It's an approach that might seem unconventional at first, but when a woman who’s seen as much as she has says it, you better listen.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
…And we’re back
I didn’t journal much when I was in Europe; I blogged. Now, it’s the opposite.
I’ll find a balance someday. Until then, let's get caught up.
We’re well into the editing process on the movie, so stay tuned for post about...
Week Two of the Detroit Interviews, Exploring America's Rust Belt (in a VW bug), and the Joys of Editing at 4am.
I’ll find a balance someday. Until then, let's get caught up.
We’re well into the editing process on the movie, so stay tuned for post about...
Week Two of the Detroit Interviews, Exploring America's Rust Belt (in a VW bug), and the Joys of Editing at 4am.
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