Speramus Meliora - Resurget Cineribus

 Speramus Meliora - Resurget Cineribus :  "We hope for better things - It will rise from the ashes"

These interesting Latin words are the motto inscribed on the Detroit seal and flag. They were written by Gabriel Richard after the fire of 1805. The fire caused the entire city to burn with only one building saved from the flames. The words intended for the 1805 fire, still ring true today.

As I headed into Detroit, I was excited and nervous to see what the blemish of America would look like. I'm sure you've heard the same things I've heard: crime, poverty, murder, broken glass, danger, etc. When I got there, my brother gave me an incredibly well rounded view of the city.

In its prime, Detroit was the motor capitol of the world. The assembly line, Ford, GM and anything car related was in Detroit. Which in turn, meant it housed over 5 million people at one point. Now, a mere skeleton of the city remains. There are maybe 500,000 people living there now and the motor industry is all but gutted.

We drove through neighborhood after neighborhood of empty, abandoned homes. It was like a bomb had hit and people fled; leaving everything behind. It costs too much to knock the houses down so there they stand, remembering the people who once inhabited them and hoping for better things.

At one point, we drove through Highland Park. The most impoverished part of Detroit. They have no electricity for their street lights because it costs too much and the schools have all shut down. It was crazy to think that kids currently lived here, did their homework here, played here, ate dinner with their families here, all while nestled among the abandoned homes and darkened street lights.

But, amidst the shambles and the emptiness, was hope. People turning empty lots into gardens, people making abandoned homes into artwork, people trying to rebuild, trying to rise from the ashes. It reminded me of a way larger scale of Bridgeport, CT.

On Easter, we went to Mass at a church that my brother had warned me about. He said, "Katie, last time I was here, you could see the sky through the roof because of all the holes. So if it rains, pick a seat with a roof over it." So when we walked in, I was humbled by the simplicity of the church and awe struck by the warmth I felt. Each parishioner greeted us and made us feel welcome. At the sign of the peace, it was a good 15 minutes of EVERYONE greeting each other and wishing them a happy Easter. I felt love. I felt warmth. I felt hope; right there, in the ashes.

Coming away from Detroit, my views are changed. Yes, it probably is dangerous. But we can't shy away from a city that needs so much support. They don't need my sympathy, they don't need my love, they have plenty of that. There's so much Detroit pride that I can't help but want to be swept up in it. The people are beautiful, the strength is admirable and the warmth of 500,000 in a city that swallows them whole is unlike any other warmth I've ever felt, even if it is having to fight to rise from the ashes.

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