What 1 thing would kids growing up in Detroit change?

[demmiblue]

Source: Freep

The Detroit Free Press spent a year listening to Detroit’s children, trying to understand their experiences — as many face violence, trauma and instability. With help from a grant from the Solutions Journalism Network, we looked both in our own backyard and around the country for solutions that may help children deal with the "toxic stresses" in their lives. Catch up with the series here.​ Here is how we did the project.

<A few snips>

From the wee ones:

If you could change one thing about Detroit, what would it be?

“It’s a lot of shooting. They took my mommy’s car. I want the city to be safer.” - MarKeyta Meadows, 5

"I want better playgrounds for kids and to be safer. I don’t like when the bad people shoot at my house." - Nejaiah Cross, 7

"I would like to have my school to be better and learn more." - Dillan Sims, 7

From the teens (same question):

"It would be the perspective that others have about the city, because it isn't always good. And I just wish others would see the beauty in my city like I do." - Le’Elle Davis, 16

"It would be the rest of the world's perspectives affecting the youths' minds and goals. ... Everything starts with the mind, and if these children feel that they can't reach the sky... then that's affecting them before the rest of the world's words can even get to them." - Amyre Brandom, 17

"It would be our educational system because there's so much potential in the youth of Detroit. However, we just do not have the tools to facilitate everyone's dream." - Charles English, 17

"It would be that everyone listens to one another. Once we listen to each other, we will understand each other's perspective. We will understand where everyone comes from. We will relate to one another." - Chance Carson, 17

More: http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2016/11/19/detroit-kids-change-ideas/91264734/

[longship]

1. My home town.

I lived the first three decades of my life there. I grew up there.

R&