Yesterday was an absolutely incredible day in Detroit, thanks in large part to Tyree, founder of the Heidelberg project and incredible ambassador to his neighborhood. Besides a very moving interview with Tyree himself, I was lucky to be able to interview:
– John and Magnola, retired auto workers who moved to Detroit after growing up in the South
– Tishan, a highschool grad (as of yesterday) who is following his passion of culinary arts
– Lisa, a Native American and successful optician who traded it all in for a career in fine arts, with a focus on metal smithing
On my drive from Buffalo to Detroit I thought a lot about the focus of my project, and I’ve decided to shift it from stories of American values, to stories of people who have taken big risks to follow their passions. I like this subject better because it’s inherently personal, and it’s relevant to my own journey. My day in Detroit was a field test of this topic and I’m very happy with the results.
Now, on to South Haven MI for a little R&R with my good friend Matt, and on Sunday off to Chicago. Here we go-
Kiran Divvela says
It’s great you got to see the Heidelberg project and meet Tyree. I remember the huge controversy when Detroit tore down a bunch of his houses. I thought they had all been torn down.
Miro says
I like the direction you are headed. I think it’s both more personal and more universal. Everyone has something that felt to them like a big risk and I think those kinds of decisions across many people inherently say something about who we are as an American people. Godspeed.
Nabil Laoudji says
Hi Kiran — v. cool that you’ve heard of him. The city tore his project down twice — we talked about it in our interview.
And thanks for your comments Miro — yes, it feels both more personal and universal. And our Boston Commons skills continue to pay off ;)