SNAPSHOT: Reflexiones / Reflections Opening At Cafe Con Leche

Cafe con Leche on Vernor and Scotten hosted the opening for Lisa Luevanos’ photography exhibit ‘Reflexiones’ on Friday, May 4, 2012.  Lisa has sought to celebrate and preserve Latino heritage in her work over the past three decades. Born and raised in southwest Detroit, her photographs document various aspects of the history of the neighborhood. For a night the coffee shop was transformed into a venue in overt celebration of and community.  Several generations of artists from the community came together to enjoy coffee, view the exhibit, and even work on costumes and other props for the Cinco de Mayo parade.  Lisa’s exhibit will remain on display at Cafe con Leche, now open 7 days a week, through the end of June.

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SNAPSHOT: Via Crucis at St Gabriel’s Church

Via Crucis is a long standing tradition of the Catholic Church.  Each year on Easter weekend St. Gabriel’s parish in Southwest Detroit hosts an elaborate presentation of the stations of the cross acted out by members of the church.  Hundreds of parishioners and local residents gather to view Via Crucis as it travels outside the church and through the community around Vernor and Springwells for the 2 hour event.

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SNAPSHOT: Cinco de Mayo Parade 2012

This year’s Cinco de Mayo Parade was filled with youth, families, instruments, horses, fashion, and rides!  This year the parade again traveled its traditional route from Patton Park to Clark Park.  Lasting for just over an hour it pleased visitors with a diverse arrangement of floats and performances.  Marching bands filled the streets with familiar sounds.  Horses pranced by.  Candy flew from cars and floats.  And young people from the community sported everything from signs with messages to the latest fashions from local shops.

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Neighborhood Is Buzzing As Cinco de Mayo Approaches

Cars line up on West Vernor. Horns beep and bass shakes the neighborhood through the early night. People wave flags out of car windows. These are just a few signs that the Cinco de Mayo parade in southwest Detroit is on its way. This highly anticipated parade is the largest annual event celebrated in the community of southwest Detroit. Cinco de Mayo festivities have evolved from a one day parade to a series of celebrations stretching throughout the first week of May.

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Food, Culture, And Community In Southwest Detroit

If Southwest Detroit were a food, what would it be? Take your pick: pierogi filled with potato and cheese, tamales brimming with shredded pork, cheese-filled papusas or doughy gnocci topped with pesto?  And I’m sure I’m missing some kind of cuisine – for my money, one of the best things about living in the area – and I’m on its bleeding eastern edge, Corktown – is the food.  And its not just the restaurants, it’s the mercados with produce and meats sometimes fresher than Eastern Market, it’s the parking lot taco stands and the bicycle-propelled ice cream “trucks.”  It’s bakeries and bar-b-que and cerveza and ceviche and even falafel.

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Update: New Content/Design

Just to give people an update about what is going around here: the site is a MESS but we are working on getting it all together for you.  When it is finished you will have access to all the new sections of Inside Southwest Detroit as well as directions on how to get everything you need from the site.  So be patient and leave us comments on what you think about the new layout/features.