Kalisha Davis and Asandi Conner

00:05 My name is Felicia Davis. I am 42 years old today's date is October 17th, 2018. Where in Detroit Michigan and I am with my colleague and pure Asante Connor.

00:20 My name is Asante Connor. I am 48 today is October 17th, 2018 and I am in Detroit Michigan my relationship to Kalesa Davis is she is my colleague and peer.

00:36 So let's talk a little bit about the origins of the Detroit revitalization fellows program. I feel like you're more equipped to kind of give the the story cuz you've been in Fall for such a long time and then I'm totally happy though this year thoughts about okay. Okay. So the fellowship program began in 2011, it was inspired by the Keurigs fellows program that was housed at the University of Pennsylvania and the program while inspired by a T-Rex really was the brainchild of folks at Wayne State as well as local and National funders who were really interested in attracting and retaining emerging and new talent to the city of Detroit specifically to work in the Civic community and economic development space. So that's really what inspired the program in mm.

01:36 11 there has been I'll certainly Evolution over that time and even somewhat a shift and sort of the direction that we have been more recently ahead it in with a more recent cohorts from where we were when we started certainly adapting to the changing landscape that the city has experienced particularly economically.

02:01 Yep from me I'd heard about the fellowship program coming out of graduate school and actually had a couple of classmates to apply to her. Detroit natives. Really really bright and when I found out that they didn't get in I was at home and you know, cuz I hadn't lived in Detroit a long time and he's really a die-hard folks to definitely had a passion but then when I looked at it at so well, it seems like it's more revered and urban planning space initially and I knew I didn't necessarily fit that bill, but it was something that was just kind of plant is it in the back of my head is you know, maybe somewhere down the line This Might serve as a possibility and that's so interesting you say that because I also applied to the fellowship for in 2011 for the first cohort and had the same reaction like, oh once I saw the folks that were selected like now I get it I would not have benefit.

03:01 For this program based on my perception of what they were looking for at the time and we had heard we heard that similar story sort of ReSound Angley over the after the first cohort about folks feeling like this was not an opportunity for them, which we made really intentional efforts to begin to address that and to really be thoughtful about being inclusive and while there's this beauty and having new folks come to the city and any of the folks like yourself who are native and left and want to come back there's Beauty in that. There's also just acknowledging the the

03:43 Great depth of talent that is here and toes to stay here and creating opportunities in Access for those people. So we have really done our I feel good saying that we've done our due diligence to try to coerce to try to course-correct that and so that folks like you and I who felt like the opportunity wasn't for us in 2011 and 2018 feel like okay. I see they see themselves reflected in the cohort. So I'm hopeful that we've accomplished or at least begin to accomplish that I would say. So especially when I ended up why I think the the depth of the the types of opportunities and positions over offers on it where I could see myself like an issue is because you know, I don't necessarily match with that skill-set, but you know when I was ready to apply and what year was at 2015, you know, it was much more robust for someone like me.

04:43 Can public services start with a few different faces had you know develop a variety of different skills and talents along the way I call you. I'll let you know. I was four or five different places that could potentially benefit which I thought was was great in there. And I know I don't know if it and I know that was intentional but do you feel like it came together with the organization's at that learned about the project and wanted to be involved or was it more of due diligence of like staff to make sure certain things happened or was it kind of a combination of the two? I'm just curious. I think it was a combination of both but really staff driven and lay a day before I say a little bit more about that. I wanted to sort of this applaud you for even becoming a fellow because I don't know if you recall that that cohort application season was our most competitive ever and we received nearly 700 application. So you are one of nearly set

05:43 A hundred people who landed this opportunity which is you know, as you know, I was an extremely competitive process and you are able to secure actually one of the most highly coveted positions during that cohort here at the Detroit Historical Museum. So who knows to you and clearly it was a great fit because of the work that you've done which I know we'll talk a little bit about later. Yeah. I think the staff really kind of pause and reflect it like we need to address this and what do we do differently around on this perception of folks have so I think it was that combination the combination of our intentionality, but also how we framed and talk about the opportunity during our info sessions with employer applicants and what this opportunity was about and also even in that be more inclusive and framing that the positions were not just about economic

06:43 But they were not just about urban planning or any type of development that it was Civic development, which we previously hadn't talked about. It was community and economic development. So it allow for Willie the people decided what I like to refer to as part of the humanity in heart of that work, which is sometimes not valued or sometimes overlooked. So we were able to be more diverse and attracted A diversity of employers and more positions that we had in the past. Well, you can tell us what's 700 people applying that definitely means that it's resonating with a lot more folks. Yeah. Yes in transition talking about the Detroit 67 project during your time is a fellow we were proud to support a fellow lead project in collaboration with the Historical Museum by supporting and donating.

07:43 Vines to the workshop that was held and that I'm really glad was not just about the fellows but it was also open to the public in the community, which I think made it even more special. So it'd be great to hear have you talked a little bit more about that? Sure sure. So, you know pretty early on like you said, you know that the position is self was one that was exciting to a number of candidates for the fellowship. So then we all got settled and we knew where we were going to be. You know, there. Were you no more than one of my fellow cohort members who said that the tray 67 project is going to be really exciting. You know, let me know how I can help if I can help and in the same thing for other cohort member so one of those particular Brad Frost reached out to me directly. He is serving a similar position at the DIA on DirecTV Outreach and engagement and had a sentence of the types of hurdles that I was going to run.

08:43 Too so he was very intentional about reaching out to me which I really appreciate it. And it kind of building a bridge and saying, you know, let me know what what you need. Even before we got to the point where it was obvious that you know, the the Historical Society you should partner with drf and figure out what that look like. And so you don't want when it came around that time. We we had had that new show initial conversation. I think it was you me Greg and Meredith in the room talking that through and you gave the go-ahead to pursue. This idea was like a committee of fellow that were interested and you know, proud of course was one of the first people as well as Regina and others

09:33 I'm going number them for my own cohort who you know who responded to the initial call and my roommate a Time Leslie and fellow fellow Lively time was happy to host the first meeting and look at the Charles H Wright Museum. And that's when we began to kind of deliberate figure out. What are the potential options Brad's I had recommended this idea of addressing healing reconciliation and truth because it has to have so much alignment with what we were able to accomplish with the 67 project to invite people that share their stories, you know to focus on you know, coming together and being, you know driven around, you know, this very difficult moment in this in the city's history, but learning from that and being able to apply lessons, you know now and you know towards the future so he was one of the people

10:32 Proposing in Gilroy three proposals they came in and we ended up agreeing that his made the most sense for what we were aiming to achieve and you know, when I was thinking about this a little earlier today like it, you know, I made me somewhat emotional because of you know, what we what we know, you know, what happened in over the course of that time. He was diagnosed with cancer and then it just accelerated so quickly and he was gone by January of the following year. But you pay homage to him. We'd already decided we were going to move forward with that. We you know what able to conceptualize the idea one of my cousins recommended a potential or consultant which ends up being a in, Foundation. I haven't got to them. Yes my cousin. I think I was we were together at Thanksgiving.

11:32 He was I already have a friend of a friend who focuses on healing reconciliation Andrews and you know, you might reach out to him and see what you know what he you know, how he responds and what it might cost to do with this that and the other and then, you know, we ended up going from the air and you know, pretty diligent planning and we ended up with you know, 50 people in a room on Belle Isle in July of the funeral of that was 2017 and your people from all different backgrounds. I was glad that you were able to join us that day different stories of Necessities ages and they stayed which was really great that they felt like they were gathering enough for themselves to to make it worth our time to be present. Then that was pretty exciting. So to see it come to fruition from it being something that sparked out of Brad's experiences in South Africa.

12:32 And all the things that he learned while living there and then, you know, seeing it and I'll come together and help us unpack, you know, a very complex story, you know from our own community and then Belle Isle being a space where you know, people were held prisoner so like kind of RI reimagining and igniting that location and kind of blessing it and acknowledging what happened. But you know from that point on saying, you know, collectively we agreed to move forward with something that was really powerful d r. I, I know you're going to talk a little bit more about what may have come up for you during the workshop and I'm glad that you acknowledge. I think that Workshop was just a wonderful way to honor his legacy.

13:28 And just really grateful for your leadership around that because I think it certainly was just one example of sort of the impact that he had not just in the fellowship program Bud Light on individuals and across the city and so I'm very proud that we were able to be a part of that and in some way so it was very special. All of it was just all Divine in our special how that all came together exactly. Like you said from the folks who were in the room to the place where we were and and all of that. So thank you like that and that was really special and huge. So thank you for that. So I'm curious during while I was in the room for some of the workshop at I don't think I was there for the whole day. I was in awe by how diverse it was pleasantly surprised by that. I am curious about some things that may have came up for you or talk a little bit more.

14:28 Your experience or two being in the workshop and the facilitators. I recover pretty dynamic as well. I think the power of the conversations.

14:42 I think everyone who walked into the room had a certain intentionality of being present that day. They didn't necessarily know what to anticipate and how it was all going to play out. But you know, like there were very few people like counseling, you know, walking away on their phones and all that kind of stuff. You probably didn't have the best cookie no connectivity out there anyway, so that was a benefit for that, you know particular environment. But yeah, just the intensity that I observed of people like listening to each other talking to each other a small groups. Like when we walked away like folks were hugging each other and exchanging contact information and taking pictures and you know feeling like I have a new friend that I've made our friends that I've made out of this experience which you know, we couldn't have predicted that that was going to be the case and maybe in some way

15:42 Is it was like preaching to the choir? So to speak, you know, especially with this, you know, political and social climbing, you know of so much division, but I but I still have because there was so much diversity. I appreciate the fact that people said I'm going to lay down, you know, whatever my preconceived notions are and just you know, I have this particular experience and you know, there was a course correction or cuz there was even like I'm trying real call there was something that was said that was offencive to someone in the group and like I wasn't directly involved, but they were able to kind of work through where they have been offended what specifically have been said and the first one of the facilitators helped kind of man, is that off to the side and they were able to come back and both be present, you know for the rest of the day, which I thought was was really great. So yeah that

16:42 And the fact that we had, you know the time, you know, like we could have done something like that over the over a week right if you have the time and money right to do it, but at least it was a good solid days for the love of learning exchange, which was important. Awesome when when I think about the 60s about 67, I specifically the project the first things that come to mind for me. I was born three years after so I wasn't around and I did not hear my family talk a whole lot about it, but what I do recall, and when I think about is language and the power of language and how we name our thing, however, we choose to name it and it my family. I always heard Riot and not until I got to college at Wayne State.

17:42 Did I begin to revisit and challenge that and think about the name differently, which I'll talk a little bit more when we get to talk about the project because I thought that was really huge. But that's that's what I think about I think about and then even now I think about that summer across the country and I think about what we have as a nation have been experiencing what the past.

18:15 5 years

18:19 And how I hope that we got some lessons learned so that we are not in that situation again because I do feel like the soil is fertile for a rebellion a revolution. That's that's what comes to my for me like initially what comes to mind for you. So I would say that the one of the points you made about language is something that definitely resonates. I think initially the lack of information that was ever she heard about that. Here in the city. So my mother's family is from Detroit and they were all here. But anytime that subject came up. I think there was a level of sensitivity around the relationship with the police particularly because I had an uncle who died.

19:19 I'm as a result of an interaction with the police. Okay, he was shot and killed while and so it wasn't something that like my mother talks about it all I think if I had like ass was the youngest she probably would have said, you know, and she did later or say while I was in college and I was you know, we were on the street and kind of hanging out and I want what's going on and you know that there was a whole dialogue around now, okay, but initially it was just something like all the riots happen and it changed the city and you know, and it wasn't a good time for for anyone and you know, it was some lives were lost. You know, there was a lot of damage and stuff that the city is still recovering from the end. He was like, oh okay leave in like what the call Drew causes were, you know addressing, you know, oppression and institutional racism and you know, all of the other things that have you know still

20:19 Created this ripple effect, you know not just hitting hero, but in other parts of the country not just now but then like, you know numerous incidents is across the country that you know that I just wasn't even fully aware of and you know, that's what kind of comes to mind and usually it's interesting what

20:40 That similarly my family just never really talked about it and he and I began to because of the work relationship and being connected to this project and learning through the project. I'm happy and to ask questions and only from that begin to hear some stories. So I know at the time my parents were married that and living on the westside of Detroit not near 12th and Claremont, but they were living on the westside of Detroit and my father is from Belleville Michigan. And so we used to call that the country so at the the start of the Rebellion he sent my mother to Bellevue out there not knowing

21:26 What was going to happen so he sent her to what I'm sure he would say was safety, but he stayed until I hadn't heard that story until a couple years ago. I had never known that and I forgot that I had a great aunt and uncle also on my mother's side who lived on Philadelphia sort of down the street and it just never connected or clicked with to me about the proximity of their home to that space and them not being then I begin to hear stories from my grandmother about them not being able I think they may have been out of town and it happened and I'm trying to connect with neighbors around the Safety and Security of their house. So but again, those are stories that I didn't get until I began to ask questions because the family just did not talk about it, which is so interesting that we have for dinner as similar.

22:19 Story and half and I wonder about it makes me just now think about the trauma and how that might be. Why do you know certainly a different level of trauma for your family with the loss of your uncle but like how that trauma impacts your ability to how you grieve and if that grief is shared or like you shut down or we don't need to talk about that. Right? Right. It just hit me that there's trauma, exactly that we're still

22:56 Dealing with yeah, that's something that I find when I talk when you tell people about the work that you're doing out in the community. Have you heard about the Detroit 67 project and going to go through the whole Spiel and then many times if folks have a story they're going to tell you their story and you know, they're processing and I like all they were tanks that came down this tree or yeah, my mother told me to get down, you know it as low as I could in the house or in the car cuz we were driving around and of the police redirected us and yeah, I like that that it is traumatic especially, you know, I think at any age for this to be happening in the heart of your community, like you're not in a war zone, you know, this is you know, you're up the block Ryan all the sudden, you know, all of this chaos emerges, you know for a number of different reasons. So yeah, I think that was part of the beauty of this work with being evil.

23:56 The peel bag some of those layers, you know, it does make you feel vulnerable and put you out there but I applaud and appreciate all of the more than 500 people that you know told us their story and wanted it if you know, you know record it and now I'm and placed on the record that was important. That is pretty awesome. So so the Historical Society convene this work, right? And by the time I arrived, you know, it was already something that they were building momentum for that been launched and you know, my job was to begin to cultivate, you know, those community-driven strategic Partnerships, but for organization like this one is almost a hundred years old now, I know what I what kind of feedback I initially receive dryer when I stepped out there in the community to invite people to be a part of this but you know, it's

24:56 I had told you like 15 years ago that that this particular institution of the Troy Historical Society will be heading towards the 50th, you know anniversary commemoration. Like what would have been your reaction to that? I would not have believed them. I would not have believed dumb. And while I understand at the Museum is about

25:21 The history of the city

25:25 I don't know that I would have believed it or also even had confidence in her ability to pull it off frankly and also knowing that and we sit in this Cultural Center. We are in walking distance. There is the Charles Wright Museum of African American history so naturally

25:47 I could see them sort of shepherding or leading the sub the commemoration of 67. However, what I also know is about access to resources and I know the resources my perception is at the resources. Are there more resources available here at the Detroit Historical Museum, then perhaps the right had access to to really be able to do justice to this commemoration, but I would have I would not have believed you I would have been surprised I would have asked why I had not really really engaged with this museum until my work with the fellowship since I was a kid it was not a place frankly where I necessarily felt welcomed or invited the perception my perception.

26:44 Is that it is a white institution. So I just would not have it would have made sense to me and I likely would have asked why.

26:55 And I'm glad I went has shifted that for me frankly is is you being here and being able to meet some other staff that work here in our here and the authenticity of the commitment to this project and to do it, but I feel to do it right and to really be respectful and sensitive sell. It is shifted my entire perception of the museum because of the work that you did and some others in folks that they brought in that I felt like really got no but this belief would have been my my thought if someone has said that 15 years old like there is no way and I don't even know that I would have believed that there would have been a commemoration because you didn't you still until the launch of that this project and exhibit was going to happen. You really didn't hear you still don't hear people talking about it. So

27:55 It was almost as if it didn't happen or people forgot so that even to the acknowledgement is a surprise let alone this multi-year commitment to do this exhibit this project to do this massive Community engagement across. Do you know the city suburbs across generations and now there's use them there's no way I would have saw that happening know absolutely way. So I have been pleasantly surprised is probably an understatement. What about you so I was thinking about that and I like 15 years ago. I wasn't even living here in the city of Detroit. I had like a little bit of you no connection or knowledge of this institution based on her like, you know, I don't know maybe a third grade field trip, you know like that you remember the cobblestones you read, you know some of those things

28:55 I resonate with you and yeah, I dunno High School. I don't recall, you know, like coming down for any type of programming like in Middle School for the science center was a space where I participated in, you know, some of their summer camps and field trips and and other institutions to DIA. So I guess I don't know if I would had nothing Sara Lee and opinion about it other than I would have hoped that they would would do this type of world well and do right by the community and not just give like the

29:34 Did the media stereotype typical type of messaging and LS as opposed to digging up digging deeper? And I think that's what resonated with me the most in interviewing with I'm with the staff members here before joining. The organization was that what seems to be their priority date? They were honest about the fact that there were many things that they didn't know and work that had yet to be done as far as reaching particularly African-American community. And so all those things made a real significant difference for me as far as even wanting to be involved cuz it was exciting to read about it. But it's a whole nother thing when you figure out who's doing the work and you know what their intention ality is or isn't so yeah, cuz what what you talked to a lot of the different aspects, but was there something in particular?

30:34 In particular that you found really great about the project overall two things that you can gauge my part. I just love and I appreciated the concept that it was about looking back to move forward and the importance of that so that we're not stuck in the past and really kind of going back to the workshop is about sort of the acknowledgement the healing the reconciliation and telling the truth about what happened cuz I think they're not I think I know there are a lot of

31:11 Just lies about what happened that have been documented and people have believed that so that was important to do that and to allow those folks who experience that I had stories through their relatives to share so that I can only imagine how sort of therapeutic and healing. I probably was for many of those Welton I'm and then probably go back home and maybe have some conversation. If not with folks in your generation, perhaps grandchildren or children or even neighbors. So the use component of that. I was like really just happy that you are did that and was really inclusive the other part was the exhibit and when you first start if you go through the hall and I think really the first Corps part of it I called the exhibit is talks about how you name. How how you refer to

32:11 The 67 in what happened in and talks about and gives you the definition of Riot and Uprising and rebellion, and and it really forces a person to stop read it think asked themselves like reflect maybe how they refer to it how they hurt others refer to it and to make a choice about how they choose to talk about him moving forward and that was just like the exhibit was great. That probably was the most powerful thing to me because I think particularly as a black woman being able to Define an incident through

32:52 My perception of what happened and using the words that I feel are powerful and not not necessarily criminalizing is important. So those were really those are two big things for me. Like everything else was just like extra like Tre on the top but those two things that use involvement and the naming and the definitions were

33:19 Great.

33:21 I'm curious if you could I know you're still in the work sure, but it's been a couple of years like what what were some highlights for you?

33:33 When I think about like the project over all the fact that it came together the way that it did and such an accelerated fashion. Like, you know, of course I take credit for doing my due diligence. Right but a lot of that was like divine intervention. Like it just wasn't possible like, you know, that that first year in 2015 when I'm starting to build some momentum, you know beginning of September of that year when I came aboard and I talked to ended up talking to leaders and Community engagement experts on the national and international level who said well it probably will take you about two years to get them enough momentum to get people to commit to something now my I don't have two years. I literally have these next few no 12 months 14 months to make this thing.

34:33 Where is going to actually because that was part of the challenges. We were building this plane while we were riding it, you know like and so to be able to slowly but surely one person at a time connect with people have these conversations in a representatives from all these different organizations and somewhere. It's some kind of way me in the Middle where they saw the benefit and it was also beneficial to us to be able to move forward with something unique or something that maybe they had done before but it was configured an entirely different way. It just took a lot of patience and you know, finesse and Trust building all the various things that you go through, you know to be able to achieve what we did but by the time we we hire

35:33 Who was Ida November of 2016 side side and running around like a chicken with my head cut off? You know that whole time trying to figure this all out by December. We were beginning to plug in on paper. Like these are the the actual program. So they're coming out of these Partnerships and when we had like 12 Pages worth of programs, you know, I was like, oh, okay. That was why I was nuts and but we did we did it like we actually achieved what we were hoping it would be even even though we hadn't necessarily hit all of the pieces that she said there were stuff there were things that were still coming together, but we had this really great.

36:22 Commitment and investment from people who didn't have to invest right anyting and to making a successful. I think that was what was kind of the most exciting in the most hopeful about something like this, you know, it's on the back and you know, after we posted more than a hundred and sixty public programs and has all these you know, why doesn't the varieties of different types of activations and cultural events for people to say I like I really enjoyed working in this way. I feel like this type of collaboration is something that can further the capacity of our organization and email people that I knew and didn't know like worked through them directly or indirectly say, you know, I appreciate your role in this is something that I think has definitely resonated and I'm powerful and a number of things I can talk about. But yeah more than 166

37:22 I want to say thank you for inviting me to participate in this conversation with you. I initially have paws like why is she asking me if I'm okay just say yes. And so I'm glad I did I got to learn even though we've known each other for a few years. I've got to learn more about you and your story. So I appreciate you sharing with me and just the opportunity to talk and listen. Thank you assign D. I will definitely stay the same like when I when Billy initially approached me about doing this and said we'll think about someone that you've been working with and it's been a lot of different people but I felt like the root of what brought me here in the first place was the Detroit validation fellows program and you know what better opportunity to have this kind of conversation with you and unpack some of the things that we've been able to achieve and you know, but that was where it start.

38:22 Did and that's where you know that I give a lot of credit for it for creating that match between myself and in the institution great. Thank you.