The Southwest Detroiter Blog — Inside Southwest Detroit

Experience Local Stories: Short Films at SW Fest 2025

Inside Southwest Detroit is proud to be back once again to present a small series of short films at this year’s SW Fest!

Join us on Saturday, August 23, 2025, at the historic Senate Theater, starting at 12:30 PM on the indoor stage.

This series features seven short films, a special collection of locally produced stories. Through film we are building a vision for how we create and connect during and beyond SW Fest. Whether you're creating and enjoying stories rooted in Southwest Detroit or weaving connections across the city, this is a platform for spotlighting local narratives We hope you enjoy the show!

Studio Sounds

Film by Andre Moore
Produced by Aa Print and Publishing

Created and directed by Andre Moore, "STUDIO SOUNDS" is a collection of recordings inspired by field recordings and sample loops. Sounds that are not too sonically directional that won't disrupt a stream of conscious thought and inspires the flowstate

Ogaawag I

Produced by Giizhigad
Storyweaving in collaboration with Annie Humphrey and family, Justice, Giizis, Scout, Alice Sun and Theo

This film documents our continued journey of learning Anishinaabe lifeways and being in relationship with the land. It shares through an authentic lens the relationships being built between urban indigenous people from Detroit and indigenous people living on the Leech Lake reservation in Minnesota. This is a story for us, so we can learn.

Our mother earth has been suffering, the fish have mercury at levels where our foodways cannot be our sole sustenance, due to pollution and climate change. We must continue to take steps to consume less, to restore balance. Please support indigenous people as they continue to struggle for the lands, the waters and for us all to be free.

The Divine Portal

Co-Produced by Giizhigad and Tiffany Hickman
Art direction support by Tazzjia Martinez

Divine Portal is an artistic film that explores women as portal, an expression of divine feminine. Storyweaving with LaTrece Robinson,Darlene Verdun, and Monica Robinson.

remember me loving you

Film by Julianna Sanromán

My mom calls me to remind me that the sun keeps shining despite everything. I spent the summer of 2023 rediscovering what it means to be alive, while I am still here. I exist in this world where I am loved by her. In another universe, when I come home, I like to think we’ve spent the entire summer together, laughing until we cry. In my dreams, I live again. I ache with an undefined longing. Life is too precious, Mother. I just wanted to hear your voice. The sun watches over me; there is no need to worry that I’ve died of love yet. I am not afraid; I was born to do this. — Over the past three years, I’ve accumulated videos of the time I allow myself to return home. I grant myself forgiveness.

life is too short but i would live for you

Film by Julianna Sanromán

Somewhere between a gentle ache and a savage craving (echos in my hazy dream a desire to live again).

Fast Trash

Film by Hannah Fahoome

Fast Trash is a short, experimental film and exploration of wastefulness in the fashion industry. By constructing garments out of a recycled green screen and replacing them with footage of litter and garbage, the piece calls into question the lifespan of the clothing we purchase— and reminds us that all of it is, essentially, future trash.

Orginal garments constructed by Worst Lady. Modeled by Demian Monet. Original sogn and score by Cecille.

No Te He Visto

Film by Karen Cardenas

No Te He Visto shares my father Roberto’s journey back home to Zacatecas, MX after 32 years, and the exploration of both unfamiliar/familiar terrain and family. This is a visual poem, mostly as an offering to my father for the history that he has shared with me.

Blessing of The Lowriders: Checo's 1963 Impala | Malverde63

This article is part of the Blessing of The Lowriders Profile Series featuring lowriders from the annual blessing. Keep an eye out for other articles in the series!

Checo was only eighteen when he left behind the familiarity of his hometown in Chicago for the promise of Detroit. His family had decided to start a business in Southwest Detroit. Checo embraced the move, working at the shop with the family. The business quickly became a cornerstone of their lives—a shared project that connected them and cemented values of responsibility and family trust.

Every morning on his way to work, Checo passed a local shop with lowriders parked out front—some slammed low to the ground, others perched on three wheels with one corner stretched skyward. Driving down Lawndale each day, he couldn’t ignore them. They were bold statements of pride, creativity, and individuality. He was hooked.

Not long after, he and his brother bought their first car, a four-door Caprice. Eventually outfitted with hydraulics and a candy-green paint job, the Caprice became their introduction to the lowrider lifestyle.

“...a shared project that connected them and cemented values of responsibility and family trust.”

But it was a 1963 Chevy Impala convertible that would truly capture Checo’s heart. He found the car in Ohio—a weathered beauty with its original details intact. Checo saw its potential and bought it. At first, he kept things simple, adding hydraulics and modest chrome touches to maintain a clean, classic look. Over time, though, the Impala transformed.

He has invested years into its evolution: a full frame-off restoration, intricate silver leafing, custom engraving, and refinished interior with ‘59 Impala inserts. Every detail reflected Checo’s craftsmanship, patience, and vision.

Of course, there were setbacks—like the time a botched paint job nearly pushed him to give up. “Man, I’m just gonna sell it like this,” he thought at one low point. But Fons, a fellow car club member from Majestics Detroit, stepped in, re-spraying the car himself to ensure it lived up to its potential.

Today, the ‘63 Impala is a testament to years of vision and effort. Through it, Checo’s story as a lowrider in Detroit comes to life: a tale of perseverance, artistry, and the bonds of community that turn challenges into triumphs.

Inside Southwest Detroit’s Blessing of The Lowriders is a vibrant celebration of faith, culture, and community, bringing together lowriders and neighbors in Southwest Detroit where Checo proudly support the annual event by showcasing his rolling works of art.

People, CultureInside Southwest DetroitFebruary 3, 202563 impala, malverde63, majestics, southwest detroit, la piedad

Blessing of The Lowriders: Jose's 1964 Impala | The Lions Den

Photographs by Erik Paul Howard

This article is part of the Blessing of The Lowriders Profile Series featuring lowriders from the annual blessing. Keep an eye out for other articles in the series!

In 2007, Jose purchased his 1964 Chevy Impala, determined to turn it into his dream car.

For years, he collected parts and imagined the build but lacked the time and space to bring his vision to life. The opportunity finally arose when his brother offered him access to his garage—with the condition that Jose cleaned it out first. Wasting no time, Jose cleared the clutter, set up a workspace, and began transforming the car, starting with painting the frame and slowly building it from the ground up into a rolling chassis.

“Jose began transforming the car, starting with painting the frame and slowly building it from the ground up into a rolling chassis.”

As the project progressed, Jose moved the Impala to the shop of a close friend and co-worker, where he spent the next three years focused on the build. This new space was a hub of collaboration and creativity, with friends and colleagues contributing ideas and energy to the project. Jose sometimes involved others in the design process, even hosting playful, informal competitions among friends to brainstorm and refine details for the car.

The final design draws inspiration from the Detroit Lions, incorporating aesthetics from the team’s logo, uniforms, and helmet. Jose also infused elements of graffiti culture, reflecting his artistic background. In addition to being a full reinforced, frame-off restoration, the Impala stood out as one of the few classic models in Detroit equipped with a 5.7L LS aluminum block engine—a technical achievement that distinguished it from others.

“The final design draws inspiration from the Detroit Lions, incorporating aesthetics from the team’s logo, uniforms, and helmet. ”

Named "The Lions Den," the car symbolizes Jose’s dedication and creativity. Built for versatility, it’s equally at home at car shows, cruising the streets, or even at the drag strip. While Jose is proud of his creation, he embraces the mindset that a lowrider project is never truly finished, always leaving room for refinement. "The Lions Den" is a testament to passion, persistence, and the power of community.

Inside Southwest Detroit’s Blessing of The Lowriders is a vibrant celebration of faith, culture, and community, bringing together lowriders and neighbors in Southwest Detroit where Jose proudly supports the annual event by showcasing his rolling work of art.

People, CultureInside Southwest DetroitJanuary 10, 202564 impala, lowriders, blessing of the lowriders

Detroit's Mural Crisis: Community Art Erased… Again

Memorial Wall Mural Targeted as Graffiti

This week “the buff”, Detroit’s tactical team responsible for graffiti removal, painted over a powerful community-supported mural that was transforming a local viaduct into a memorial for 8-year-old Laura Fernandez who passed away in August.

*Laura Fernandez, 8, paints with her father David at Aerosol Nightmares on Vernor near Waterman on July 14, 2024.*

The mural was organized by her father, a local artist, with support from friends and neighbors who offered time, talent, and materials to commemorate Laura and others’ lost loved ones from across the community. He obtained permission to paint the mural site from Detroit’s City Walls project.

Despite this outpouring of collective effort, a city employee deemed it “unauthorized graffiti,” and painted over it—erasing not only the mural but also the healing and solidarity it represented. This painful misstep highlights an ongoing issue in Detroit’s treatment of public art in Southwest Detroit and across the city.

Disjointed Policies Undermine Community Expression

Detroit’s current policies regarding public murals leave neighborhoods vulnerable to arbitrary actions by the city’s buff team, often without warning or consultation. Community-driven mural projects, especially those created in memory of loved ones, offer significant social value, providing spaces for healing and remembrance, and bring communities together.

“Community-driven mural projects, especially those in memory of loved ones, offer significant social value, providing spaces for healing and remembrance, and bring communities together.”

Yet, without clear policies to guide city officials, such works are frequently erased with little to no input from the community, leaving artists and residents feeling disregarded and disenfranchised.

*The centerpiece of the memorial wall, ‘Laura’, was part of the mural on Waterman that was painted over by the City of Detroit on Wednesday, October 23, 2024.*

Read more about how Detroit’s “graffiti” enforcement has impacted artists and cultural assets over the years:

Sheefy McFly arrested by Detroit police — while working on mural for the city

Contradictions in Detroit’s Public Art Strategy

The frustration over these decisions is magnified by Detroit’s efforts to brand itself as “Mural City USA.” While the city continues to invest heavily in public art projects, it often commissions non-local artists—with some notable exceptions—to create works in more commercially visible areas while frequently criminalizing local artists and the work they produce.

The city’s stance on graffiti highlights a critical contradiction: promoting and profiting from Detroit’s reputation for bold street art, while systematically erasing local expressions of the same culture. This inconsistency devalues Detroit’s grassroots artistic heritage, undermining the community’s ability to shape the visual landscape of their own neighborhoods.

“The city’s stance on graffiti highlights a critical contradiction: promoting and profiting from Detroit’s reputation for bold street art, while systematically erasing local expressions of the same culture.”

Aerosol Nightmares: A Community Response to Policy Gaps

Aerosol Nightmares, a grassroots graffiti-art event, has emerged as a community-led response to Detroit’s restrictive and punitive policies. Through this event, local artists create legal, collaborative art in public spaces, aiming to bridge the gap left by the city’s inconsistent position and support.

The initiative offers an essential platform for local graffiti writers and street artists to showcase their work, fostering a creative and constructive space for community expression, and invite national and international artists to collaborate and build with the local scene. Aerosol Nightmares exemplifies how intentional public art projects can counter the suppression of local voices and nurture Detroit’s unique street art legacy in ways the city’s policies currently fail to support.

A Path Forward: Policy Reform for Community Empowerment

For Detroit to live up to its reputation as a vibrant art hub, city officials must establish clear, supportive policies that empower neighborhoods and local artists to create public art without fear of arbitrary censorship and other forms of punishment. Policies allowing communities to exercise control over neighborhood art projects would honor the cultural and personal significance of these works.

“[Detroit] must establish clear, supportive policies that empower neighborhoods and local artists to create public art without fear of arbitrary censorship and other forms of punishment. ”

By prioritizing artist and community agency, Detroit can fully embrace its role as a steward of the unique visual storytelling that makes the city’s art scene a vital part of its identity.

Only then can Detroit authentically honor and uplift its local artists while fostering the creative energy it seeks to showcase to the world.

Community, CultureInside Southwest DetroitOctober 26, 2024laura fernandez, city of detroit, the buff, Mike Duggan, city walls, aerosol nightmares, graffiti, southwest detroit

Experience Local Stories: Short Films at SW Fest 2024

Inside Southwest Detroit is proud to be back to present a small series of short films at this year’s SW Fest! Join us on Saturday, August 24, 2024, at the historic Senate Theater, starting at 1:20 PM on the indoor stage.

This series features three short films and a special collection of locally produced stories captured on smartphones by youth from Southwest Detroit. Each film highlights storytelling about, in, or relevant to Southwest Detroit and/or features contributions by local filmmakers. We hope you enjoy the show!

Terrible Ollie Attempt

Film by Romo de Ashley

Romo de Ashley repeatedly attempts an ollie on their skateboard, falling and failing, and finding joy in the process in this beautiful 30-second short. Playful sounds and dance capture the rhythm of resilience, love, and life’s journey. “Having fun will have you fall in order to laugh. Life has all sorts of winds and treasures that you will stumble upon—failing will be done, but dealt with. The journey of that process is the real joy of all.”

Nadia's Story: Drivers License For All

Directed by Silvana Lázaro
Cinematography by Luis Lomeli Oseguera

Nadia's Story is a short film about a young girl balancing her teenage years while also being the primary person in her family to drive freely, without fear. This story also highlights the importance of our campaign to reinstate driver's licenses for all in Michigan. It is not only about gaining a document to drive a vehicle, but also about the right to move freely to care for our family.

Un Día Normal

Film by Maurizio Dominguez
Director, Producer, Writer, Editor

Based on real events, Un Día Normal tells the story of a young woman who is detained by Immigration & Customs Enforcement officers in the fall of 2017. Facing the threat of deportation, she has to manage through her panic to prove her valid DACA status to the officers - without revealing that her mother is undocumented.

Art of Storytelling Through the Smartphone

Produced by Inside Southwest Detroit x Anthony Valadez
Selected Shorts TBD

Southwest Detroit youth dive into the art of storytelling through smartphones at The Alley Project with Los Angeles DJ and cultural strategist Anthony Valadez. Witness their stories as they capture a day in their life, share personal narratives, and learn to use technology as a tool for creative expression and community engagement. Their shorts are an immersive experience in visual storytelling and are under construction through this week with Valadez at The Alley Project in Southwest Detroit.

Culture, CommunityInside Southwest DetroitAugust 18, 2024SW Fest, Freshwater, a Slang in the Steel, A Little Mexican Village, Jesus Arzola Vega, Erik Paul Howard, dream hampton, The Southwest Detroiter

Longtime Detroit Artist Surprised with Community Arts Award

Family, friends, and colleagues gathered on Sunday at the Latino Cultural Center on Bagley to surprise beloved local artist and mentor Mary Luevanos with the Michigan Hispanic/Latino Commission’s Arts in Community Award.

Luevanos was unable to attend the commission’s 2023 award ceremony in Kalamazoo last fall and so Theresa Rosado, who nominated Mary for the award, brought the ceremony to her.

“I knew she would shy away from a ceremony for her so it was presented as a birthday party for her [great] granddaughter,” said Theresa Rosado, a fellow artist who nominated her for the award.

For decades, Mary has welcomed fellow artists into Detroit’s arts spaces, guided children in valuing their creative potential, and facilitated artistic works and sessions throughout the community. Her enduring dedication and influence, even without expectation of payment, inspired Rosado to nominate her.

“I can't think of a person that has worked more selflessly without an expectation of being paid, or even thinking of an award,” Rosado said. “We can all learn from Mary.”

As Luevanos was honored, people shared stories of how she has contributed to Southwest Detroit’s vibrant, resilient arts ecosystem and motivated them personally. Despite limited resources, Mary has long prioritized community arts and made an impact by encouraging artists—from children scribbling with sidewalk chalk to painters working within cramped apartments—modeling how to stay dedicated to one's craft, even (especially) in difficult circumstances.

Mary's example reveals that art is not an extravagance, but an essential and uplifting force within communities. Her commitment has gradually cultivated a richer, more vibrant local culture, one inspired person at a time.

Culture, CommunityInside Southwest DetroitJanuary 29, 2024mary luevanos, southwest detroit, michigan hispanic latino commission, award

Short Films at SW Fest

Inside Southwest Detroit is proud to present a small series of short films at this year’s SW Fest at Senate Theater on Saturday, August 19, 2023.

This set offers three short films. Each film highlights storytelling about, in, or relevant to Southwest Detroit and/or features contributions by local filmmakers. We hope you enjoy the show!

A Little Mexican Village

Directed by Jesus Arzola Vega

A Little Mexican Village explores the simple and uneventful lives of the few remaining residents of El Encino de La Paz, in Durango; tiny, impoverished and destined to disappear. It is precisely for this reason that the story of such a place must be told: before its residents, and the village itself, are gone.

Watch ‘A Little Mexican Village’ on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/350988912

a Slang in the Steel, a Sound for the Sangat

Directed by Erik Paul Howard

For decades Detroit has transmitted culture and sound with global reach. Nep Sidhu’s ‘Paradox of Harmonics’ vibrates at a frequency that left Detroiters feeling seen in an exhibit that revealed itself as “a beautiful mirror”. Short film ‘a Slang in the Steel, a Sound for the Sangat’ asks how artists might enter communities respectfully as it reflects on Nep Sidhu’s epic 2022 installation at MOCAD.

Watch ‘a Slang in the Steel, a Sound for the Sangat’ on YouTube: https://youtu.be/wHixvIadjOI

Freshwater

Directed by dream hampton

Detroit filmmaker dream hampton explores water as an archive, a force of harmony and devastation. Freshwater is a narrated portrait of her disappearing Black city, flooded basements, and the fluid nature of memory.

Watch ‘Freshwater’ on NYTimes Op-Docs: https://www.nytimes.com/video/opinion/100000008730916/freshwater.html?

Culture, CommunityInside Southwest DetroitAugust 17, 2023SW Fest, Freshwater, a Slang in the Steel, A Little Mexican Village, Jesus Arzola Vega, Erik Paul Howard, dream hampton, The Southwest Detroiter

'Creative Connections' Project To Stimulate Economic and Creative Capital

We are excited to share that the most recently approved federal budget included two million dollars to the Creative Connections Collaborative, a project developed by the Southwest Organizing Network, which includes the following organizations in Michigan's 13th Congressional District: Urban Neighborhood Initiatives (UNI), Equitable Internet Initiative Southwest, Grace in Action Collectives, Garage Cultural and Inside Southwest Detroit.

The Creative Connections project will stimulate economic and creative capital through the deployment of high-speed broadband infrastructure as well as the construction and renovation of four indoor and outdoor community spaces where residents build businesses, develop and nurture creative and entrepreneurial networks, and non-profits provide programming focused on community, youth, art and culture.

The funding supports the completion of capital projects that exemplify the network members’ shared value of neighborhood development without displacement of residents, especially those who have lived here long-term.

In celebration of this award, Amelia Duran of Garage Cultural said, “As a community, we deserve all this and more. We deserve spaces that allow us to dream up new ways to organize, to be creative, to make art and make noise, to celebrate our uniqueness and ensure all of who we are is seen and understood.”

Each development project began with a participatory design process that kept community members of various ages and identities at the center of vision, design, decision making and ongoing use of the spaces.

The network’s proposal responded to the 2022 Congressional Community Projects initiative in which elected officials put forward projects that serve the needs of their districts. Christine Bell of UNI said, “we want to thank Rashida Tlaib and her team for their hard work and dedication to the community. Thank you for continuing to fight hard for your people day after day, you are the true embodiment of what politicians should do for their communities.”

Members of this network have been building together in shared values and authentic partnership for more than ten years. Initially meeting in garages and on front porches, they continue to share space, resources, and talents, whether there is funding or not, to meet community needs with community assets. The result of the award affirms the power of authentic, long-term community collaboration.

Capital Improvement Project Sites:

1725 Lawndale, Detroit, MI
Equitable Internet Initiative of Southwest Detroit

4670 Junction, Detroit, MI
Garage Cultural

1725 Lawndale, Detroit, MI
Grace in Action

1540 Elsmere, Detroit, MI
Inside Southwest Detroit

2026 Lawndale, Detroit, MI
Urban Neighborhood Initiatives (UNI), Lawndale Center

PHOTO CAPTIONS (From top to bottom):

Community gathers at Grace In Action along The Alley Project for the annual Blessing of The Lowriders in May of 2017. The Blessing of The Lowriders brings community, faith, and culture together through a celebration of the creativity and craft of lowriding.

Youth and adult neighbors bike through the community along Vernor near Lawndale together during the 2020 Juneteenth bike ride organized by SW Rides, a program of Urban Neighborhood Initiatives.

Amelia Duran and the Detroit Collaborative Design Center co-facilitate a participatory design workshop in 2018 with partners and community of Garage Cultural. These workshops bring together decision-makers, professionals, and constituents to collectively envision the activities, values, and physical features of the space.

Mary Luevanos facilitates Open Studio in 2017 on The Alley Project in the same garage where Inside Southwest Detroit, Radical Productions and other Grace In Action collective co-ops have split and shared space since 2012 when the organizations didn’t have indoor locations to run programming.

Place, CommunityInside Southwest DetroitApril 24, 2022southwest organizing network, southwest detroit, Urban Neighborhood Initiatives, grace in action, equitable internet initiative, the alley project, press release, blessing of the lowriders, garage cultural, rashida tlaib

Solidarity Film

'Solidarity: First Your Liberation And Then Mine' was produced for Inside Southwest Detroit, co-directed by Karen Cardenas and Erik Paul Howard, and centers 40 days of solidarity and movement building in Detroit following the murder of George Floyd at the hands of the Minneapolis Police Department amid national uprisings in support of #BlackLivesMatter and the introduction of the Breathe Act led by Movement for Black Lives' policy agenda.

Breonna Taylor, Rekia Boyd, and Aiyana Jones are lifted up in voice and local media clips alongside a pledge that this work will continue until "we free us" in our quest for liberation rather than waiting on an incapable system to come to terms with and correct itself.

The short film focuses on people and community coming together through protest, performance, relationship, marching, education, and art in photographs to the beat of intersectional solidarity building at the Solidarity Action + Freedom March, "A people's movement rooted in Black + Indigenous leadership" on Woodward on July 4th, 2020. Original soundscapes from the march are combined with visuals alternating between video of the July 4th march on Woodward and 75+ photographs by the team's photographers Rosa Maria Zamarron, Rachel Elise Thomas, and Erik Paul Howard—edited and sequenced by Nina Robinson—from the past 40 days.

Karen Cardenas is an artist in residence with Inside Southwest Detroit’s Porch on TAP (PoTAP) residency program. PoTAP programs places and spaces in community as portals for neighbors, youth, and partners to access the wider world of art.

Community, CultureInside Southwest DetroitAugust 24, 2020blacklivesmatter, movementforblacklives, brycedetroit, frontlinedetroit, solidarity, potap, karencardenasComment

First Your Liberation and Then Mine

Across the globe communities are realizing, acknowledging, and studying the interconnectedness of their ongoing struggles for liberation and civil rights. For many, our nation’s adopted political values and policies boil down to injustice for profit and are adversely impacting the health, education, and safety of generations.

In Southwest Detroit our residents are strong and engaged. For each other and in community. They are not only in service of their own interests. Many have become allies for others’ fights for liberation in the face of systemic injustices that are preventing them from living free under oppressive structures.

They are in solidarity in fights against a system that routinely prioritizes money over human wellness when making decisions about what is important. That system values profit over people—meaning it systematically harms people to protect profits.

That mantra—profit over people—makes many of us expendable within that system whether it be about our health, education, or public safety. However, it also unites communities in struggle, forging communion and challenging the chains that bind toward freedom and justice for all.

“So what exactly does it mean to be in solidarity?”

— Raúl Echevarria

Does simply being “in the same boat”, or having similar issues, mean people are in solidarity with one another? Or do we make things harder on each other (and ourselves) by failing to connect the dots and purposefully work together?

Raúl Echevarria is processing what this moment in our history is presenting us and what it requires of us to overcome, together. He offers thoughts on solidarity that gets at some of these questions and beyond.

In Solidarity

Words by Raul Echevarria

“Raúl is a community development practitioner with more than 20 years of experience, primarily in Humboldt Park, a historical Puerto Rican community in Chicago, and is currently employed as the Director of Land Use and Economic Development at UNI in Southwest Detroit.”
-From University of Detroit Mercy, Master of Community Development website

In the wake of the murder of George Floyd at the hands of the Minnesota Police Department and the subsequent uprisings in most urban cities throughout the U.S., the word solidarity has become popular in activist and non-profit circles.

True solidarity requires intention, shared mission, and action

It is important to highlight the true nature of the word and raise the expected actions based on its use. Solidarity is not a mere substitute or synonym of words such as "support." Solidarity has a deeper or profound sentiment and commitment. To be in solidarity is to intentionally intertwine action and mission with another based on common or mutual interests.

This requires some form of analysis of the issues that multiple groups of people confront.

Solidarity comes with expectation and accountability

When used in its original intent, solidarity effectively connotes “co-liberation”, which has greater implication than simply to support.

“If you use this term then there is an expectation that you show up for your sister or your brother. And if you don’t show up, there is an expectation that you should be held accountable for your absence in the movement. ”

— Raúl Echevarria

To be in solidarity is not for the faint of heart. It is not a trend. If we cannot uphold the true intention of the term then perhaps we should stick with "support”. There is nothing inherently wrong with supporting others. It is a virtue to be sure. But words carry energy and with that energy responsibility to carry out its intention.

Solidarity Protects Movements From Divide-And-Conquer Tactics That Leave Us By Ourselves

Solidarity makes movements stronger, more solid. And every time that folks have embodied the true nature of this term, intersecting their issues and oppressed experiences, the forces of the state apparatus, those that abuse their authority granted by the people, have had to give way. Every time.

Indeed a common tactic of 'divide and conquer' is utilized by those in authority, lifting up differences among groups and distracting from those common threads discovered during the previously mentioned analysis. The division is easily accomplished if the analysis is weak or does not exist.

But if solidarity is truly embodied, the movements will not be so easily torn apart, because they are stronger in those places that unite, that bond. The stitchwork on the quilt of movements need to be tight. THAT is true solidarity.

First your liberation and then mine

And so to the Black community that is suffering under the weight of white supremacy, I say, "Tu Lucha Es Mi Lucha" (Your struggle is my struggle). First your liberation and then mine.

En Lucha,

Raúl

CommunityInside Southwest DetroitJune 26, 2020southwest detroit, solidarity, blacklivesmatter

Standing In The Shadows of Love

Zoë Villegas shares reflections on finding a place in the ceremony, economy, and celebration of Valentine’s Day growing up in Detroit. Erik Paul Howard illustrates her musings with photographs from the places and rituals her reflections are rooted in.

Words by Zoë Villegas
Photos by Erik Paul Howard

*A Valentine’s Day window display lights up the street at Delia’s Fashion on W Vernor Hwy and Springwells in Southwest Detroit.*

Remember how it was... here in the Motor City where backseats were made. With women hauling buckets of plastic wrapped single roses, doing cash exchanges in a series of hand motions in under 15 seconds—across from the Grand Marquis with the blinking light guarding Armando's.

On the intersection at I-75 and Springwells where the smog sunset brought to you by Marathon refinery will offer an air of romance later, two men compete selling pink carnations and red roses on the eastern and western corners. Specials on Hypnotiq, Rosé and small teddy bears that say "I luv you" next to condoms and aphrodisiacs by cash registers at the liquor store, remind us what month it is.

Casino lights flash red and pink. The insurance building with a glowing heart illuminates Fisher Freeway. All month in lobbies of welfare offices we have women selling perfume from brief cases, negotiating prices and discussing plans for reservations, showing manicures and pitching last minute sales on makeup sessions. All red outfits we plan to wear later are fodder for conversation when we get our bureaucratic mess dealt with for the day. One more document to turn in. Denied a bridge card once again. Apply again tomorrow.

The ho store has been window-dressed with red tinsel and cutouts of bows and arrows displaying a sale on lingerie and all the variations of fabric that mimic lace, sequin, chiffon, satin and silk in the entire spectrum of erotic alternative fibers.

This economy was trained young—we were once freshman girls delivered singing Valentines and boxes of chocolates... for $1 anyone can say all the things they could never say. Radio dedications evoke memories of Ford-Wyoming drive-in make out sessions allowing songs long out of rotation to be made an exception for the sake of a collective memory.

Detroit carves a space for a moment to live—in between the stress and mundane of every day life, while we fantasize about leisure. If even in those two seconds at a light can be used for maximum potential filled in with the sentiment of romance buying a flower that is how it's done.

We take a holiday seriously. The message is about claiming our time, our right to love amidst the harsh reality of endless work to make ends meet.

Detroit says I love you the same way we do everything else, with hustling. Happy Valentine's Day to all the hustlers standing in the shadows of love.

For those about to ho, we salute you.

Last Days at Home with The Family

Local artist Freddy Diaz is spending his last few days at the home where he grew up before moving.

Here Freddy is shown sifting through belongings where he grew up during his last days at home with the family before moving into his own place.

“I never really paid attention to it as a kid but as I got older I think my grandmother and aunts being creative gave me some sort of confirmation... someone having a similar energy to mine. Sewing was their way of channeling theirs and graffiti was mine.”

— Freddy Diaz

His grandmother is visiting his family from Mexico. It’s always a special time together when she is able to make the trip, often staying with them for an extended period of time at the house.

He sees himself in her craft and creativity. "I never really paid attention to it as a kid but as I got older I think my grandmother and aunts being creative gave me some sort of confirmation... someone having a similar energy to mine. Sewing was their way of channeling theirs and graffiti was mine."

With his grandmother visiting from Mexico, he and his mother enjoy all the time together visiting. "Man I love my mom's cooking. I'm going to miss that. Actually I'm not because I'm not far."

CommunityInside Southwest DetroitFebruary 10, 2019family, swdetroit, southwest detroit, vernor-springwells, 48209, artist, mexico

First Latin American Baptist in Southwest Detroit

First Latin American Baptist church in Southwest Detroit hosted its final service on the corner of Fort St and Dragoon this week as demolition crews razed nearby structures across the street.

The church building was constructed in the early 1900’s and has been home to the congregation for the past 50 years. It was purchased by MDOT—along with hundreds of other parcels along W Fort St and throughout the Delray neighborhood in Southwest Detroit—to be demolished to clear land for the new Gordie Howe International Bridge to Canada.

The parish has a long, celebrated history in the neighborhood as it has served the Latino community in Detroit since its inception almost 90 years ago.

Elizabeth Valdez, a member of the congregation since 1987, says she will miss the old building but that it will not dampen the spirit of the church.

Pastor Kevin Casillas and the First Latin American Baptist church of Southwest Detroit will be moving into their new home on Scotten between Vernor Hwy and Toledo after one final celebration at their current site next week for their annual children’s Christmas Party.

PlaceInside Southwest DetroitDecember 6, 2017First Latin Baptistfirst latin american baptist, southwest detroit, swdetroit, kevin casillas, elizabeth valdez, faith, church, fort st, 48209, gordie howe international bridge, dragoon, delray

Phoenix Academy Closing, Community Invited To Reimagine Building Use

As you may or may not know Phoenix Academy, located at 7735 Lane Street, is closing its doors at the end of this school year due to low enrollment, according to the EAA (Education Achievement Authority of Michigan).

The sign outside Phoenix Multicultural Academy on Lane Street shows recently updated dates of importance. The school will close permanently at the end of the school year.

Urban Neighborhood Initiatives (UNI), in partnership with Congress of Communities (CoC), is coordinating a community engagement process to learn what the community would like to see happen with the building or in the building. UNI and CoC are facilitating this community engagement process to encourage residents and stakeholders to re-imagine future use of the Phoenix building in an effort to inform project plans of potential developers.

Over the next couple of months they will be facilitating various forms of engagement (door knocking, small group discussions, social media surveys) in order to get input from a broad sector of the community, from residents most affected by the school closing to community leaders, business owners, and other stakeholders.

Phoenix Academy’s playground and basketball courts were recently updated. The school will close its doors permanently at the end of the school year according to the EAA, who is in charge of this school and others under emergency management by the St… — Phoenix Academy’s playground and basketball courts were recently updated. The school will close its doors permanently at the end of the school year according to the EAA, who is in charge of this school and others under emergency management by the State of Michigan.

Recent landscape improvements have made the areas outside the school more welcoming for neighbors with seating, newer soccer and playground equipment, and basketball court as shown here from bordering Evans Street.

Please assist them in gathering this information by answering the following questions in the comment box at the bottom of this post:

Question 1: What would you like to see happen with the building and surrounding land in the short term (1-2 years)?

Question 2: What would you like to see happen with the building and surrounding land in the long term (5,10, 15 years)?

Question 3: What is it that you don't want to see happen with the building and surrounding land?

Thank you for participating and be on the lookout for more opportunities to provide your opinion and feedback on possible ideas.

If you would like to volunteer with UNI in collecting this information or have questions please contact Raul Echevarria at UNI by phone at (313) 451-8380 or via email at rechevarria@unidetroit.org

CommunityInside Southwest DetroitMay 11, 2016Education, Phoenix Academy, Schools, Youth, EngagementComment

Residents, Danto's, and SWSOL Come Together On Carson Street

Starting yesterday Danto's Furniture, located on Vernor and Central, began to board all the open properties on Carson from Dix to Vernor. For the past several months residents, businesses, and organizations have been working to discover and prioritize the overwhelming issue that has resulted from the concentration of open, vacant properties on Carson.

<Insert paragraph from Springwells Voice Initiative describing pilot project>

This week when several residents spoke plainly about their concerns and the potential of losing more buildings on a block already plagued by arson and a dwindling housing stock they were heard. The urgency of the matter helped to connect several community resources to each other in a way that allowed action to follow their input. As a result, Southwest Solutions was able to purchase materials and Danto's Furniture provided the labor so that the residents of Carson are able to enjoy less open structures

PlaceInside Southwest DetroitSeptember 14, 2012dantos, southwest solutions, carson street, springwells voice initiativeComment

The Apartments On Elsmere Have Burned For The Last Time

The corners on Elsmere from Avis to Mandale have been at varying stages of disrepair for some time. For the last 3 years open, empty, and burning structures have contributed to the blight and seem to have helped fuel illegal and even violent activity in the area. Multiple requests have been made to the City of Detroit over the course of this time. During the last 5 weeks in particular the area within 2 square blocks of Lane and Elsmere has suffered 2 shootings and 8 fires. But this week changes are coming.

This Thursday the City of Detroit will be hosting a press conference at 1808 Elsmere to spearhead demolition efforts in the neighborhoods around Springwells in Southwest Detroit. The press conference will be at 9:00 am and Mayor Bing will be in attendance. There will be four properties demolished at that site on this day. We are asking everyone to come out and show their support around these much needed demolition efforts in our neighborhood! Translation will be provided at this event. Please share this information with others. If you have any questions or need additional information, please call me at 313.451.8380

If you had the microphone for 30 seconds during this press conference, what would you say or ask your audience?

PlaceInside Southwest DetroitJuly 18, 2012interactive, elsmere, blight, Avis, 48209, fire, violence, Urban Neighborhood Initiatives, Mayor BingComment

Customized Cars and Bicycles Bring Southwest Detroit Community Together To Dispel Myths

Words by Gionni Crawford

A tradition that started as a way to bring together young people in Southwest Detroit can be touted as "Dream Cruise: Southwest Detroit Style"

Hundreds of people gathered to see the showcased lowriders at the annual Blessing of the Lowriders event in Southwest Detroit, one of Detroit's most vibrant communities, along West Vernor Highway May 5, 2012.

The first Blessing of the Lowriders event took place 14 years ago in 1998 at Ste Anne's Catholic Church in Detroit.

Victor Villalobos is the founder of the Blessing of the Lowriders event and is passionate about telling stories about how lowriders were established. He believes this event ties the community together and dispels myths about youth, gangs, lowriders, and the Southwest Detroit community in general.

"When people think of lowriders immediately they think of old American made cars, but lowriders are also bicycles. Old Schwinn "Krates" and "Stingrays" are the two most popular bicycle styles used to convert to lowriders," said Villalobos, "By accepting bicycles to be blessed it brings families together to build, paint, and display their works... young men and women love to show off what they labored over."

To keep the community-binding tradition going, Victor and Young Nation partnered in 2010 in hopes to attract more young people.

Young Nation promotes youth and community development through cultural and educational initiatives.

Young Nation is helping break stereotypes about Southwest Detroit (the community) and lowriders (the people) and using lowriders (the cars) as mentoring tools.

"We're excited that Young Nation has a big enough roof for us all to live under with our passion-based projects and want to have that be part of what gets out with this event." said Erik Howard, founder of Young Nation.

Villalobos realizes that there are a lot of unconfronted myths about Southwest, but he believes that this event has effectively combated those myths.

"Over the years I think that it has been very effective because the day that we had the first blessing the community and congregation at the church was accepting to the lowriders. These young men and women went back to their communities to tell other lowriders how accepting and uplifting it was to participate in mass."

Lowriders were not the only thing spectators could enjoy, Southwest Detroit is known for its surplus of ethnic restaurants and businesses.

"Southwest Detroit is a community built on pride. Even after a neighbor leaves they always find their way back for at least a visit or a bite to eat. I have always said once you have "bounced" down W. Vernor Hwy, you are hooked...you'll be back."

If you're looking for a history lesson about the Blessing of the Lowriders tradition and customized cars, contact Victor Villalobos via email at vicvillalobos@yahoo.com or Erik Howard at erikpaulhoward@gmail.com

CommunityInside Southwest DetroitJune 13, 2012lowriders, blessing of the lowriders, Vernor, Cinco de Mayo, Victor Villalobos, The Lowriders, lowrider bikesComment

Rebel Diaz Rocks Concert At Clark Park To Support Freedom School

Rebel Diaz, SubVerso, Invincible, Motor City Rockerz, DPress and more gathered at Clark Park to an audience of about 100 spectators to perform a free live concert in solidarity with the youth from the Southwest Detroit Freedom School.

Inside Southwest DetroitMay 12, 2012invincible, hip hop, freedom schook, freedom school, clark park, Motor City Rockerz, D PressComment

SNAPSHOT: Via Crucis at St Gabriel's Church

Photos by Gabriela Santiago-Romero

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.

CommunityInside Southwest DetroitMay 10, 2012catholic, faith, st gabriel's, vernor, via crucisComment

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.

What was YOUR experience? Leave a comment below to let us know. What did you see, hear, taste, touch, and/or smell out in the neighborhood this weekend for the Cinco de Mayo festivities?

CommunityInside Southwest DetroitMay 7, 2012patton park, clark park, vernor, horses, parade, interactiveComment