Evaluative Statement

 

While writing this paper in particular, I found myself extremely interested by what I learned. Upon viewing Campus Martius as a public social space that is integral to a sense of community within downtown Detroit, it hit me that there was a certain group in particular that did not seem to be included in the festivities. Leisure time is often only available to people who are privileged enough to have financial and social security. Thus, the citizens of Detroit who have been hit by the economic downfall of the city, are still not able to partake in the exciting developments taking place in the city. This is because they cannot afford Campus Martius's amenities nor transportation downtown if they do not live in that part of the city. 

 

That realization then became the driving force of my research and facilitated the investigation that I conducted. As a learner and a professional, I believe that this experience allowed me to expand my persepective of the city because I was able to view two differing human experiences (as a result of economic and social class disparities) connected to Campus Martius. I included this item in my portfolio in particular because I am proud of what I have learned and the effort that I put into exploring how the citizens of Detroit are not equal and thus cannot enjoy what the city has to offer, equally. In terms of my goals as a journalist, this was particularly important to me because I value different stories that come from different types of people who live vastly different lifestyles. Learning about the plight of the people who live in the city that I learn in enabled me to understand how the past has shaped the present and the danger of pursuing a future that is dissociated from the past.

 

After completing this work, I learned that foregoing the past for the sake of an idealized future presents a skewed sense of improvement. My research was able to recognize the flaws within this mindset. Analyzing the prospect of inclusiveness as well as socio-economic disparities is also beneficial to me as a writer and researcher because I was able to understand why people are in the positions they are in and how they can hope to improve upon their lives.