Lessons and Questions on Diversity from Detroit: Detroit as Microcosm

In 2010, I wrote, “Detroit is a microcosm of Black America. I believe if you cannot love Detroit, you cannot fully love Black people. The Detroit Metropolitan area represents the best and the worst that Black folks in this country have to offer.” When I penned these words I had just moved from the state of Michigan three years earlier and while in the state I’d considered Detroit a home away from home. I was concerned about Detroit’s state given that harsh economic realities hit the area long before the financial downturn of 2009, but I remained hopeful because in the city and the metro area, I saw the tale of Black struggle and triumph in America. Now more than ten years later, I still agree with this sentiment, but I realize the path ahead is wrought with challenges that complicate sometimes simplistic narratives of integration and social progress. Indeed, the election of Trump and the rise of Trumpism meant that race and relationships continued to morph. In this essay, I offer some insights on urban and suburban change has influenced where people live and how they experience schools, while also highlighting some signposts that we should consider in understanding if we are making racial progress.