http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126241853

some highlights:

one college students describes a history class as “death by powerpoint”

the dean of george washington university law school says “students have failed to pay attention in class probably going back to socrates and the first socratic classroom”

one proposed solution is to make classroom lectures engaging and lively, but it seems this is a near impossible goal in universities based on 300 student lecture halls [easier said than done].

it’s probably both sides at fault, students and professors, but neither side wants to talk about it. what do you think?

http://www.detnews.com/article/20100410/METRO/4100380/1409/Volunteers-to-help-clean-up-Detroit-neighborhoods

Once again, THANK YOU to all the volunteers who came out – your positive attitude and great work ethic made the work pass by quickly and efficiently.  I thought we had a great mixture of community members and student volunteers, which allowed people to meet each other and connect over common interests.  Besides the physical change we were able to enact, I think that events like these are important agents of empowerment.

For example, the commercial property on McGraw (featured in the video) was a real wreck – the local neighborhood association president told me that she didn’t think anyone had ever even attempted to clean it before, after multiple ownerships and fires.  There was terrible graffiti on the building, trash all around it and illegal dumping in the alley next door.  This property is located on a main intersection with thriving small businesses around it.  A man who lives next door to the property came out and began talking to us.  He told the local neighborhood association president about problems he’d noticed with illegal dumping and asked her advice on how to deal with this issue.  They exchanged numbers and will work together to crack down on violators in the future.   This is why I wanted to make this event a success – not only can we enact immediate change, but we can building lasting relationships amongst residents and empower community members to take blight into their own hands.

I learned a lot from planning this event, mostly about how to work with people and organizations and how to plan for everything, even the unexpected.  I also learned that there are many strong neighborhood associations and block clubs in Southwest Detroit and that people here are readily investing in strengthening the community.

One of my favorite Detroit discoveries is the plant conservatory on Belle Isle, the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory.  It is lovely to step from the cold of winter into this little oasis.  There are banana and orange trees, an incredible variety of orchids, and a peaceful fountain inside.  It also happens to be the nation’s oldest conservatory, as it was built in 1904.  I highly recommend stopping by any time – it is free and open 10am-5pm every day of the year!  Just turn left when you get into the park and drive for 3 minutes or so.  Like so many of my favorite Detroit places, it’s unassuming from the outside, but incredibly vibrant on the inside.

http://www.thetakeaway.org/2010/mar/05/national-step-competition-sparks-race-controversy/

Here is an article to continue the debate about buying and selling produce. It is especially pertinent to Detroit since the city, by rough estimates, is in the top 10% of major U.S. cities ranked by obesity.

The study finds:

“The researchers say their findings suggest that the taxes were more effective than subsidies.”

“Karlan says a “sin tax” — charging more for unhealthful foods — would not change families’ diets or approach to nutrition overnight. But it could serve as a first step in raising awareness of bad habits, alerting us to the kinds of things we choose to snack on.”

But we have to note here that sin taxes are often regressive – they disproportionately affect the income of already low-income individuals.

I think the final solution, rather than imposing taxes, is for the federal government to provide heathful foods as part of a public education:

“These days, fresh fruit is the only choice for their mid-morning snack. On their way out the door for recess the kids reach into bins filled with apples and bananas and other fruits depending on the season. The fruit is funded through a USDA grant, and free to the students.”

“”But now it’s the rule in the entire school. And the kids are into it,” says Lamer. “It’s not me being the mean teacher who’s not letting them have their Doritos!”"

This reminds me of some of the students we heard at Ferguson Academy.

My concerns with Meijer are two-fold, and I’d like to elaborate on them because I wish more people could see it from the perspective I’m looking at it – at least for the duration of this post.  My hang ups with Meijer and big box stores and corporations isn’t from the “anti-corporation” or “buy local” soap box (although I am on the last one).  My hesitations are from two city-centric positions.

First, supermarkets of any sort suck the life, money, customer base, and clientele out of downtowns.  A local grocery store just can’t compete with Meijer – in terms of prices or selection.  Meijer will always win – and the more people that get in their cars and drive to the suburb line to find their superstore, the less people there are to support the local grocers.   Even Ann Arbor, surrounded on its fringes by meijer, target, kroger, whole foods… has not a single lower-end grocery store downtown.  The closest would be the people’s food co-op or Sparrows market – the latter of which I love, and try hard to support – but struggle to afford.    In ann arbor it isnt the same kind of urgent issue though, because so much higher of a percentage have access to a vehicle.  In Detroit, however, the poorest will be the ones that suffer – left without cars in a downtown stripped of its ability to support local food stores.

My second concern has to do with the streetscape.  Now, granted, DEtroit doesn’t have the most walkable, continuous streetscape in the world.  (And by streetscape I mean safe, lit, with stores abutting sidewalks, not broken up by parking lots, continuous, etc.)   BUT, the addition of big-box stores, especially in areas where land is not extremely expensive, means 1/2 acres of sprawling parking lots and a further broken streetscape.  In “working” downtowns (sorrrry detroit, I mean that only in a financial, walkable, public transportation sense…) this type of development is extremely detrimental.  It creates artificial neighborhood “boundaries” to people on foot.  It is car centric, not human centric.   One of my favorite (and absolutely most entertaining) articles has to do with this.  Check it out if you get a chance:  http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/001/531wlvng.asp

(as a last note, I recognize that meijer DOES bring low cost food into communities, and for that it has great value.  The problem is getting people there, and then if they do go, how much it detracts from the viability of a vibrant, full-service, low cost city center)

Southwest Detroit continues to grow in population and experience significant investment.  Investment in the area’s business district is also an investment in the community, as the work that improves business viability also tends to improve residents’ overall quality of life by making the neighborhood a more desirable place to live.  Vacant properties can become havens for illegal activities that harm the community, including prostitution and drug dealing.  Furthermore, these properties tend to become sites of illegal dumping, which is hazardous to the health of the community and unsightly.  SDBA continues to invest in the abatement of nuisances on such properties, as identified by the community.

For this event, I am working with community members from the different neighborhoods.  They are identifying to me the properties that they consider to be the biggest nuisances: commercial buildings with highly visible graffiti; abandoned homes in high traffic areas that are open to trespassers; and abandoned lots that have become illegal dumping yards.  On the day of the event, SDBA will provide volunteers with all of the supplies and basic orientation needed to complete the work themselves.  I am recruiting student volunteers from UofM, but we hope that most of the volunteers will be community members and neighbors of the nuisance properties.

Events like this are important because they encourage communities to take blight into their own hands.  Hopefully, this spirit will continue into the future and not just on this day.  For example, we will provide paint to neighbors of buildings that are frequent targets for graffiti so that they might continue to paint over the incidents if they reoccur.  City government does not have the capacity now to properly attend to all of the nuisances – we are more likely to see action if we do it ourselves. 

I’d like to invite everyone to participate in this event with SDBA! Again, it’s Saturday, April 10th from 9am-1pm.  The rain-date is set for the 17th at the same time.  Contact me at leeyac@gmail.com if you would like to volunteer.  We will be having a celebration at the completion of our day and pizza will be provided!  Refreshments will be provided in the morning as well.  This will be an energetic event and a great chance to be a part of a proactive approach to taking on blight in Southwest Detroit.  Also, I’d like to put a call out to any artists out there – we are looking for local artists to paint or somehow decorate the boards we’ll be using to board up properties, to add some vibrancy to otherwise drab looking properties.  If you have any skills in spray-painting or other styles you think might apply, please contact me.   I hope to see you all there!

SDBA Clean-up event in Hubbard Farms, November 2009

So what’s left to explore? Well, everything. Detroit’s the kind of place where not everything meets the eye. Bars that look sketchy on the outside might have a great ambiance and clientele. Buildings that look abandoned might be artists studios or private clubs. I’m reminded of that every time I read Detroit Blog. The author is constantly uncovering new places and people I’d never have guessed existed. So I know there’s always more to learn about this fascinating city.

Already this semester I’ve been to quite a few new places: the Detroit Boat Club, the Redford Theater, the Charles Wright Museum of African and African American History, Mudgies, Russell Street Deli, Shangri La,  Woodward Coney Island, Cafe d’Mongo’s, and, briefly, the Cadieux Cafe. But I’d like to keep discovering new things. Where else should I go? Who should I meet? Here are some ideas I have so far:

• Drive through the West Side. Yes, I know it’s huge, but I think Grand River is a good place to start.
• Walk through Detroit’s major parks. I love Belle Isle, but I’d like to see Palmer Park, Rouge Park, and Eliza Howell, too.
• Visit historic churches. I’ve been to a few (mostly Catholic), but I’d like to see more.
• Learn more about Detroit’s labor, social, and religious history — and see the sights that connect to it.