Go (Mid)west, young man — Detroit, the new frontier
A century and a half ago, adventurers, dreamers and gamblers alike headed west to seek freedom and fortune. A new article in YES! Magazine hails Detroit as the new American frontier for the modern-day visionary. Urban agriculture, cheap land, yes — Detroit has these things, and more. But, author Aaron M. Renn notes, the city’s relatively lax attitude avoids a pattern of interference, which often hampers development in stronger cities. And that’s birthed a community of “self-determinants,” working together to create something closer to utopia out of the ruins.
Excerpt:
Whether this trend really pumps life back into Detroit remains to be
seen. But it has done one essential thing: it has created an
aspirational narrative of success in Detroit that other Americans might
imagine themselves being a part of. If that starts to attract people in
sufficient numbers to reverse core city population decline, Detroit
could be at the start of the long road back.
Say yes. Read more here.
Related Articles
With a legendary juror, ‘Trabajadores’ show connects art, labor, Latino identity
From construction sites to canvas, a Detroit exhibition brings Latino workers into the spotlight.
The Tuba in the Laundry Room
In a southwest Detroit basement, a brass and wind band rooted in Mexican tradition has gathered to rehearse for more than 25 years.
Detroit Author Curtis Chin is bringing stories of family, food, and identity to Port Huron
Curtis Chin, an LGBTQ+ author, is visiting Port Huron on his Michigan Great Reads book tour. The moderated conversation and book signing of “Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant” takes place on Thursday, April 16.
