Personal Narrative: A New Place In Detroit

When you think of someone who would be a hero from your state, you would probably come up with a person who was an astronaut, sports player, an actor or somebody who has saved many lives. It may come to you as a shock when I tell you my personal Michigan hero is my older brother Jacob. Jacob is only 2 years older than me, but has gone through so much. He was diagnosed with Autism when he was two years old. He didn’t talk until he was 5 years old and has struggled and worked so hard to get where he is at today. Kids with autism are all different, but my brother Jacob is definitely one of a kind. He has a hard time saying the words he wants to say and at the same time loves talking. He is a Special Olympics athlete

Some people believe that Detroit is comparable to a blank canvas. A place where an opportunity is lurking right around the corner. They imagine it as a deserted place, in which a businessman can create anything they dream of. However, the harsh reality is, Detroit is not a blank canvas. It has been splattered with an era of prominence, scribbled on with the invention of the automobile, and engraved with a history of racism and corruption. Although much of Detroit’s glory has been stripped away, there are still people who exist in the city’s remnants. Actual people, with actual families, actual homes, and actual lives. When outsiders talk about the city’s revival, they are often forgetting about these people, or the actual citizens of

Detroit, many call it the worst place in America, other detroiters like myself call it home. It takes a strong person to be able to withstand all the things going on around you. For those who know it, it’s a place that has many memories that can not be erased, things that most citizens have no recollection of, and secrets the government will never release to the public. Detroit’s truths are only comprehended by a few. The drugs, murder, rape, hospital abuse, and even corruption within the government. Many who are unfortunate enough to bear the weight of Detroit’s burdens have often told stories about their experiences. This, however, is not a review of all those stories but a personal terror.

It was about 70 degrees outside and fog engulfed the city. As my mom and I were walking back from the Fishermen’s Wharf. I turned to my right and heard dubstep playing so I looked to my right and saw a gorgeous trans man in pumps dancing gorgeously. That was before we took a wrong turn into what was one of

Where I come from it's taking pride in your yard, knowing every single one of your neighbors, and leaving doors unlocked because there isn’t a thing to worry about. I find comfort in that small town feel, and I am more than proud to be from good ol’ Warrenton, Indiana. Here, we are just a wee bit shy of being big enough to be on a map, but we have a name and we have town lines. Within those lines nearly two hundred people have found a home, and thanks to Mr.Dave Gruible our community is steadily flourishing. There are now three subdivisions on the rise in addition to the church, salon, family restaurant, and campgrounds that nestled into the area years ago.

Some Michigan Heroes can be people that helped you in life or helped you succeed in life. My Michigan Hero is someone that raised me, taught me everything I know in life today. This person is my idol, that gave me a hand when I needed one, or told me to keep my head up and never look down. I wouldn’t know what to do in life if this person wasn’t in it.

It was the summer of 2010 and I was attending an inner city missions trip in Peoria, IL. Each morning we served in an urban neighborhood volunteering at a local school or government housing. At the school, we found chipped and faded paint, walls yellowed from old age, water stains on the ceilings and walls, and lockers that were filled with graffiti. The government subsidized housing was in a horrid state of disrepair. Bullet holes riddled the doors and brick facade on the buildings. The windows and doors did not provide the safety the residents needed: ripped screens, broken glass panes and broken door locks prevailed throughout the units. The neighborhood community center had barred windows, broken concrete walks, and trash on the property. I was overwhelmed with the deterioration of the school and the neighborhood around me. I decided that summer, I would do what the neighborhood people could not do for themselves, be an active part of revitalizing broken communities through the

Michigan's capital and my current place of residence. DeWitt is wonderful place for children to spend their early years, and for many of my acquaintances, still a nice place to live. When I was young, Dewitt was a growing and friendly community. The atmosphere was brimming with positive attitudes and possibilities. It sounds corny, but honestly driving down the street, with every waving arm offering a warm welcome, you would think you entered a cheesy family sitcom neighborhood.

There’s few similarities in everyone’s side of the story, incidentally, that is this taking place in the “ghetto” area of Cloverdale. It all began with Keisha, Jordyn, along with myself were walking. We were visiting our friends that happened to live in the area as well as those who lived close. Our friend, Kennedy, and we had just finished a conversation. Then we headed to another friend’s house when we realized it had gotten too dark, ultimately, that’s when perspectives changed.

Lotes en Cleveland Heights. Sucio, basura por todas partes. Pero imagine uno como un jardín. Eso era verdad. (Lots in Cleveland Heights. Dirty, trash everywhere. But imagine one as a garden. That was true.)

My Michigan hero is my dad. He not only was my dad, but he was my best friend. We did so much together and I don’t think I can forget that. He’s the kind of person that would expect so much out of me, but he did realize that sometimes, I can’t give it all to him. But I know that he gave his all to me, even though it doesn’t seem like it sometimes.

I really don't know how to say what I am going to say. But I'm going to try the best that I can. I am really thinking that me taking the Grand Rapids store was a bad decision for me to make. A lot of it is because of the pay. Over the last two or so weeks I have paid more in gas than the raise that I was given. So right now I am losing money going to work. If I would have know it would have been anything like this I would have turned it down. I would have loved to move to Grand Rapids but there isn't any places for me and my family to move to as of right now. The earliest a opening was coming was sometime in November and that wasn't a guarantee that I would get it. And I am not in the position to wait that long. The ones that they did have

Tall, brown eyes and creative, the funniest person in the room and makes you want to laugh. He was the only one there for me when I needed a second hand or to have each other's backs, he means the world to me. The only friend I had as a little kid, my brother A.K.A. Michigan hero.

Don't you think dad’s are the best in the world? My dad is the greatest person I know he is funny, motivational, awesome and last but not least caring. He is the type of person who can make you smile or laugh even if you are down. He is hilarious, not just with his words but, with his actions as well. `My dad is liked and loved by anyone who has the chance to meet him, for instance he could be buying a bow for hunting from some random stranger, and they become the best of friends. My dad did not grow up in lower Michigan where we now live and where I was born, he grew up in the Upper Peninsula 2 hours from Wisconsin in Kingsford.

Well in July the time I was out of school I went to Michigan to be my family and that time I had some fun times and had all my kids. Also my granny was sick so I stayed with her and that made her feel her better knowing that I was in town and that her other grandkids in town to see her. In that time we stayed there most of the time or is the kids was out I stayed there with here because she didn’t want to leave the house which was cool. I cooked and cleaned for her and made sure she was ok.