New Year's Eve, I took the kid to the Playscape on Belle Isle to blow off some steam. Driving over, there was something of a traffic jam with signs indicating "Race Parking" near the old casino.
- Awesome! Maybe there is a drifting competition or a auto sprint going on today! I LOVE CAR RACING!!!! Hey kid, lets go play at the playground for an hour and then go watch the racing? OK?
- OK, Mommy!
45 minutes later, we were at the playground when these guys ran past, followed by 1,000 other people, all wearing spandex and little numbers stuck to their shorts or shirts. We walked over cheer the runners as they shuffled along, faces contorted in expressions of what looked a lot like pain. This must be the new year's eve Belle Isle "Fun Run" though nobody really looked like they were having any fun. I fear that I will never fully understand running. All of the people were White, with the exception of 5 apparently non-white people. I counted, because this was a really non-representative demographic sample of Detroit
From time to time in Detroit, we have moments where we feel like we are living inside of the "Stuff White People Like" Website. A good indication that we have stumbled across something that white people like is when we notice large gatherings of predominantly white people and a conspicuous absence of Black and brown people. In a city where 85% of the population is non-white, you would think that this would be a very rare thing indeed, but not so much.
In the case above, I can only assume that black people, by and large, are far too sensible to engage in something as ridiculous as a "Fun Run" in freezing temperatures on New Year's Eve. Likewise, I am pleased to note that Black people seem to share my dislike of watching live hockey games at Joe Louis Arena.
You can't discuss the situation in Detroit honestly without discussing the complex racial and economic divides between the city and the suburbs, and the unhelpful biases and prejudice on both sides of the divide.
Our building, for example, is pretty representative of the existing racial demographics of Detroit but it is not representative of the economic demographics if Detroit. We are a racially integrated, happy building full of mostly wealthy or upper middle class people.
Anyway, I am by no means an expert on anything related to race, and frankly, an practically a foreigner here myself. However, as we travel around Detroit and notice these sort of things I think I will blog about them, and label the posts A non-representative sampling if only because I am sort of surprised by the lack of integration within the city of Detroit itself.
Stay tuned.
- Awesome! Maybe there is a drifting competition or a auto sprint going on today! I LOVE CAR RACING!!!! Hey kid, lets go play at the playground for an hour and then go watch the racing? OK?
- OK, Mommy!
45 minutes later, we were at the playground when these guys ran past, followed by 1,000 other people, all wearing spandex and little numbers stuck to their shorts or shirts. We walked over cheer the runners as they shuffled along, faces contorted in expressions of what looked a lot like pain. This must be the new year's eve Belle Isle "Fun Run" though nobody really looked like they were having any fun. I fear that I will never fully understand running. All of the people were White, with the exception of 5 apparently non-white people. I counted, because this was a really non-representative demographic sample of Detroit
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| Not the race I was expecting... |
From time to time in Detroit, we have moments where we feel like we are living inside of the "Stuff White People Like" Website. A good indication that we have stumbled across something that white people like is when we notice large gatherings of predominantly white people and a conspicuous absence of Black and brown people. In a city where 85% of the population is non-white, you would think that this would be a very rare thing indeed, but not so much.
In the case above, I can only assume that black people, by and large, are far too sensible to engage in something as ridiculous as a "Fun Run" in freezing temperatures on New Year's Eve. Likewise, I am pleased to note that Black people seem to share my dislike of watching live hockey games at Joe Louis Arena.
You can't discuss the situation in Detroit honestly without discussing the complex racial and economic divides between the city and the suburbs, and the unhelpful biases and prejudice on both sides of the divide.
 |
| Image grabbed from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1315078/Race-maps-America.html you should read this! |
Anyway, I am by no means an expert on anything related to race, and frankly, an practically a foreigner here myself. However, as we travel around Detroit and notice these sort of things I think I will blog about them, and label the posts A non-representative sampling if only because I am sort of surprised by the lack of integration within the city of Detroit itself.
Stay tuned.
I've never visited Detroit, so your thoughtful observations are very interesting, Sarah. I enjoy your blog. xx
ReplyDeleteThis is so hilariously and pathetically true of our city.... I can't wait to hear more of your observations.
ReplyDelete