As we neared my block, I started to worry. Yes, we had already seen blight in other Flint neighborhoods, however, I wasn’t fully prepared for seeing this on my old block, where there were over a dozen vacant houses and empty lots. My house was still there, and lived in, but the neighborhood had a completely different feeling than what I remembered. Seeing this filled me with a mix of thoughts and emotions. How would my life have turned out if we stayed here? What are the resident’s lives like now? Will my street ever be active and lively again?

I came to you to attend the 21st Century Cities conference and while I was there, was fortunate enough to explore your neighborhoods with some of the organizations who are doing some awesome work within your limits.