Starting a Revolution

How does a revolution start? Many times, it just takes one person, especially in Detroit.

Angela G. Reyes created the Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation in 1997. She turned a tiny idea born in her living room into a powerful community organization.

Among its many initiatives is to intervene in gang violence in Detroit Public Schools. DHDC has six full-time staffers across the schools to help mediate gang issues, work with parents and advise educators. “Young families won't move into the city if their kids won't be safe in the schools,” Reyes said.

There are programs for kids that otherwise would fall into danger during those endless hours after school and during the summer. In fact, much of the DHDC's staff come from the community and participated in these programs. “They've grown up here, so now they're giving back,” Reyes said.

There are opportunities for teens and adults to start small businesses, get a high-school diploma, learn music and video producing, developing real skills for the real world. Thanks to its Urban Arts Academy, “we are teaching entrepreneurship and leadership,” Reyes said.

Safer schools. Keeping kids productive. Educating and uplifting a population. Sounds like a revolution to me.

All from this petite, lovely woman who forgoes eating lunch (it's already 3 p.m.) to talk to some blogger she's just met. Reyes has the calm of a Buddha, something that probably has given her the strength to survive in such a city.

A little background: Reyes grew up in Detroit and raised four children here (all by herself, notably). She received her Master's Degree in Public Health in 1998 from the University of Michigan and has been a community activist for more than 30 years. Her talents are many; her admirers are endless.

Housed on Trumbell Street, the DHDC looks like an average office building from the outside. Inside, it's a bee hive of activity even on the most mundane day. When I visited, the place was jumping with a film crew doing background interviews, staffers rejoicing over a huge donation of coats from a local retailer and people popping in an out of doors to chat with Reyes. The energy can be felt on your skin and deep inside. People here feel and are productive.

One of the DHDC's mottos is “Lives begin to change here,” and you can see it in action. There are teens prowling about, hanging out in every room. They genuinely seem happy to be there.

The non-profit organization does a little of everything: adult education, HIV counseling and testing, substance abuse prevention and treatment, after-school youth programs. There are programs for prisoners who need to re-enter the working world. There programs for gang members who want to remove the visible signs (re: tattoos) of a past life. You need it, Reyes and her staff will provide it.

Reyes probably could move on, find some well-paying job in public policy. But she stays put, doing what she can for the city she loves. Reyes says Southwest Detroit is one of the only growing parts of the city. It is a diverse and cohesive community. While there is a large Hispanic population, there are Arab Americans, East Indians, Hmong families and more all within its friendly confines. There is no way she could leave.

“Almost everybody in the world lives in Southwest Detroit,” this proud resident boasts.

Reyes talks about changing the city for the better: getting parents more involved in the schools, reducing the amount of violence and drugs, helping people get jobs (especially after being incarcerated), healing an ailing and struggling population. She is among the many who are challenging the city to do better.

“The issues are complex, but the solutions are straightforward,” Reyes said.

Ah, let's hope so.