Are Your Intentions Aligned With Your Actions?

There are so many people who claim to want a better Detroit.  Many make impressive social media proclamations, settle on a "cause" for a short time and then it's on to the next "big thing" that solidifies being a follower versus a leader.

 

 

For example, how many people say that they plan to vote, but don't even have a voter registration card?  How many people complain about the State of The City, but have never attended a Town Hall Meeting or written a letter to one of our local politicians?  For that matter, do you even know who to contact for various concerns? How many of our "famous" or "infamous" peers do everything that they know how to uplift our neighborhoods, instead of just complaining about what those in office aren't doing? These questions were posed to make you think about your position when it comes to Detroit...to challenge you about why you think or feel as you do.

 

A poll commissioned by the Detroit News and funded by the Thompson Foundation reports that 40 percent of Detroiters plan to leave in the next five years.  On the surface, there is nothing wrong with that.  People relocate for many reasons.  The underlying issue with that, if this "poll" were to be true, is what did you do to improve the things that impacted your life as a Detroiter while you were a resident?  Sure, there are things that are out of your control, but there are also things that could have been influenced by you.  If you had concerns with the Detroit Public School System, did you take the time to personally address them and facilitate change from a parental perspective versus removing yourself and your children from said "problem"?  If your issue is a lack of jobs, did you consider thouroughly that you have inner marketable talents that only need guidance, thus, attempting entrepreneurship?  Now, please understand that not every one is cut out to be a business owner, the example provided is to shed light on the fact that not everyone exhausts all of their options before giving up.

 

The hard truth is, there are so many opinions about what could be different about Detroit.  I agree with a few of those opinions.  What's different for me is, I'll do my part to change what I can within my power, and make sure that those that are in high positions of authority hear from me via single letter or petition, so they can do their part.  We have power as citizens.  It's time for an alignment that forces a collaboration between what we say, and what we do.