Every Wednesday, there is an Op-Ed piece about Detroit, and I am working on a series about a "12-Step" Program for Detroit. Not about our city's "leadership", but about the regular people who live and work in Detroit. Detroit and Detroiters are more and better than the current crop of "leaders"; and it is up to us to help to make Detroit what it can and should be.
In the the first post of this series, I asked if Detroit needed "emergency surgery". As the weeks have gone on, issues "up top" have actually gotten worse. So, each week we examine ourselves and how we can be the ones we have been waiting for.
Step Four involves taking a " moral inventory of ourselves"...so this is a good time to take an inventory of Detroit, the City. What is right and good about the city? What has gone wrong? We can we do to fix what's wrong and improve upon what's right? Sometimes it's good to step back, take a deep breath, take a walk on the Detroit Riverwalk, and just do a mental exercise.
Often people say: there's so much to do, there are so many different groups doing different things, and I'm only one person, I just don't know where to start!
Luther Keith, the Executive Director of ARISE Detroit, has a vision about Detroit that correlates with the purpose of the current Wednesday Series on this blog: that Detroit can be a city where children and families are safe, healthy, and strong; and that the City and everyone who lives and works here has a spirit of hope, gets involved in community service, and realizes that we are the true leaders in Detroit.
In the the first post of this series, I asked if Detroit needed "emergency surgery". As the weeks have gone on, issues "up top" have actually gotten worse. So, each week we examine ourselves and how we can be the ones we have been waiting for.
Step Four involves taking a " moral inventory of ourselves"...so this is a good time to take an inventory of Detroit, the City. What is right and good about the city? What has gone wrong? We can we do to fix what's wrong and improve upon what's right? Sometimes it's good to step back, take a deep breath, take a walk on the Detroit Riverwalk, and just do a mental exercise.
Often people say: there's so much to do, there are so many different groups doing different things, and I'm only one person, I just don't know where to start!
One place to start is with a group that works to bring together all of the diverse organizations in Detroit: ARISE Detroit! ARISE is an acronym that stand for "Activating" "Resources" and "Inspiring" "Service" and "Empowerment".
The goals of ARISE Detroit include helping citizens to become aware of the network of community organizations and services and getting people involved in making Detroit and its neighborhoods and communities to work better.
This Saturday, August 2 2008, is the annual Neighborhoods Day for ARISE Detroit; over 100 different activities will be taking place all day in every part of the City, including Highland Park, and even reaching out to Southfield and West Bloomfield.
Luther Keith, the Executive Director of ARISE Detroit, has a vision about Detroit that correlates with the purpose of the current Wednesday Series on this blog: that Detroit can be a city where children and families are safe, healthy, and strong; and that the City and everyone who lives and works here has a spirit of hope, gets involved in community service, and realizes that we are the true leaders in Detroit.For a excellent way to take inventory of Detroit and to find organizations where you can be of assistance, attend the ARISE Detroit activities near you this Saturday. You will be sure to find a way to get involved. See you on Saturday; and I look forward to your comments here.
Shameless Plug: please read my husband's blog The "D" Spot...
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