Detroit Lives!

Detroit -  A sticker with a Detroit Lives! logo lies on the sidewalk in Woodbridge, historic neighborhood in midtown Detroit. There’s a lot of meaning contained in this image. First, the location. Woodbridge is a favorite among hipsters, artists, Wayne State University students and others who have migrated to the city in recent years from surrounding suburbs. Those predominantly white 20 and 30-somethings find inspiration in Detroit’s past and presence and often become vocal defenders of the city. Second, the words. They convey the message of fight and hope, maybe a bit naive one given the reality so visible in the city. Here’s a quote from the Detroit Lives! website: “Established in 2009 by Philip Lauri, DETROIT LIVES!, L3C is a creative factory that designs media telling a good story about Detroit—- things like hand-printed posters, shirts, bags (check out the store why dontcha?), photography prints and a variety of other accessories. (...) The message is clear: Detroit isn’t a city that’s just surviving, in many ways it’s thriving." Detroit. Marcin Szczepanski
Marcin Szczepanski – Migrationpapa