In light of Detroit's recent financial dealings and media covering, supporters of the city stay positive despite the constant onslaught of negative press. Here are some of my favorite moments of Detroit pride:
Today Detroit Huffington Post posted this prompt to get people thinking:
Question: What's #Detroit stereotype frustrates you most? What inaccuracies do you wish someone would dispel for good?Here are some of my favorite responses:
— HuffPostDetroit (@HuffPostDetroit) July 22, 2013
@HuffPostDetroit It is frustrating when Detroit ruins are positioned in the media to represent the city as a whole. We are more than blight.
— Haley Cue (@haleycue) July 22, 2013
@HuffPostDetroit That all the world sees is "ruin porn" and blight. They need to know Belle Isle, Guardian Bldg, John K. King, DIA, etc.Detroit was even denied their proposal to host the upcoming X Games just days before the bankruptcy despite their valiant efforts. Instead Austin, Texas was chosen. In response, the Detroit Huffington Post posted a letter to ESPN which lists reasons why Detroit is still the most extreme, no Matter where the X Games are held. Even though this list is specific to the X Games, it still highlights the city's uniqueness and the support the city receives from all kinds of people.
— Dr. Remulak (@3_Dots) July 22, 2013
- Most of our sports teams are extremely good. We also have arguably the greatest sports fans in America. Fans who would have embraced the X Games in a major way. Does Austin even have sports?
- Extreme desire. Detroit WON your online poll. We tweeted #xg2d and went to parties and shared all the articles a zillion times. Other cities don't care like we care. Plus, OUR bid was launched by two rad local 20-somethings. That's a great story, ESPN.
- Extreme public art, sculpture and graffiti, coupled with affordable museums and galleries. Exploring Detroit's visual oddities can feel like playing in the world's largest scavenger hunt. And Austin isn't the only city with food trucks!
- Visiting Detroit is like seeing all the microcosms of American life, but to the extreme. All cities have nice buildings, but most of their nice buildings aren't next to abandoned ones. We call broken glass "Detroit diamonds." Just think of the minds we would have blown.
- We know you've seen the lists. Worst Neighborhoods In America. Most Miserable City. Worst Reputation. Yeah, that's Detroit: an extremely bad reputation. If Detroit were in high school, ESPN, we'd be that skateboarding, X-Games-loving rebel kid your mom told you to stay away from. See where we're going with this? Not only would some of that attitude and authenticity have rubbed off on your event, but with international eyes on Detroit, some might have started to see the city in another light.
- We're extremely nice. Everybody says people in Michigan are so welcoming and friendly to tourists. We are. We're so sick of people talking trash that we roll out the red carpet for anyone who even has a layover in the Motor City.
- Extreme boosters. Did you see how many people poured downtown during a thunderstorm to show you how much we believe in our city? Or how easy it was to get a billionaire real estate mogul on board with the X Games? And Dan Gilbert is far from the only one putting money and sweat into bringing the Motor City back.
- An extreme impact, ESPN. We've been trying to be polite, but we're just imagining how much an estimated $170 million economic impact could have helped us Detroiters hustling in a city on the edge of bankruptcy. We would have been so grateful.
- Extreme hope. We've got three years to get another bid together to bring the X Games to Detroit. So heads up, ESPN: Our city motto is about rising from the ashes. We'll be back for another shot.
Even the Queen B, Beyonce, has something to add. During her sold out show in Detroit over the weekend she gave a heartfelt cover of "A Change is Gonna Come" in light of the city's recent financial crisis while standing in front of a large screen which flashed a montage of some of Detroit's most famous images and faces including Aretha Franklin, Eminem, Kid Rock, Anita Baker, Berry Gordy and Aaliyah, before the empowering message: “Nothing Stops Detroit” ended the segment.
