I enjoyed studying Environmental Justice in class as I was previously unfamiliar with its topics. The curriculum revolved around the disproportionate impacts faced by certain racial groups at the hands of government and industry. I was deeply curious about the challenges these communities faced; and what organizations and governments were doing to correct it. Our course culminated in a capstone event which answered those questions directly from the source in Detroit’s Historic North End. 

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          We toured and volunteered at Oakland Avenue Urban Farms, one of many growing Black-Owned farms in the area. Alongside their parent organization, North End Christian CDC, they are working to build community security through infrastructure, housing, employment, beautification and more. We learned about collaborators like Keep Growing Detroit and DBCFSN that share a mission of creating food security in their communities. We toured the partly abandoned old industrial complexes on the South End which featured the recently closed trash incinerator, the Marathon Oil refinery and its adjacent neighborhoods, and Detroit’s water treatment plant. Our day there concluded with the grand opening of Detroit People’s Food Co-Op. Its lively celebration community and sustainable practices was a welcome positive note following the devastation of witnessing the very real loss and suffering in these neighborhoods.

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          In sum, the day was a rollercoaster of emotions as I witnessed the state of affairs in Detroit. Thus, it felt appropriate to develop this piece as part journalistic evidence of the current success of these groups, and part literature review of the history of challenges faced by Black Detroiters. In my process of creating it, I documented what I witnessed in person through photographs and sensations. Then, I researched more about the core challenges these organizations sought to improve. Followed, of course, by digging through old magazines for clips that captured the essence of my main argument. Overall, this piece expresses both Detroit’s muddled past and dreams of a better future through intentional use of different modes as rhetorical tools.

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          In the backdrop, there are two convenience stores, representative of the food desert that has negatively impacted the nutritional options for Detroiters and led to many poor health outcomes. Smoke stacks from oil refineries on the South Side represent the decades of pollution and high-rates of disease in low-income black neighborhoods. From the acid rain clouds bursts a broken spicket, a symbol of the water crisis Detroit has been facing for nearly 15 years. This crisis is one in which the government taxes Detroiters for rainfall on impenetrable surfaces and to treat neighboring municipalities waste water, causing thousands to default on their water bills and experience shutoffs. Also featured are a few artifacts of its history of rich commerce and arts powered, in part, by polluting industries. For example, an outdated photograph of Red’s Jazz Shoe Shine Parlor, a mark of Detroit’s once bustling creative scene, sits right next to the present-day corner liquor store. Not pictured is the dilapidated sidewalk and littered parking lot of the store; which I experienced as a stark contrast to the blossoming urban re-greening project just next door. 

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          In the forefront, we see directly through the window of the tree branches to the heart of Detroit. The tree has come to bear fruits, both literally and metaphorically by the success of these community-driven nonprofit organizations. The fruit trees line the freshly paved path towards Oakland Avenue Urban Farms. They are joined by art installations, including one of beaded black geese on a red backdrop featured on the back of the same corner liquor store, which give power and inspiration to black artists. Hoop houses and outdoor gardens worked by volunteers bring bounties of healthy produce to markets and pop-ups. An apiary brings pollinators to the garden to support fruiting and the preservation of native species. Powered by solar power, there is an outdoor gathering and charging station along the path. Finally, an experimental living roof that may one day be installed during Red Jazz’s redevelopment to reduce heating cost and capture rainwater. As a concluding remark, I re-envisioned the Spirit of Detroit, his Sun replaced by the new vitality and his people represented as the activists who drive this regeneration.

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          Originally handmade on 17” by 14” poster board, there are many intricate details to this composition. Thus, it is best viewed on Google Drive by following this link (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ODH-XQCpyjhqiLsK-xpk6rT4DlougLqZ/view?usp=sharing).