Mistakes We Made

GaoIa Vang
Graduate
Osborn University High School


Remember those days of pure innocence?
When the streets were clean, our mind healthy?
Remember when we could walk down an unbroken sidewalk without the blood spilled glass, that’s now scattered across our city?
The bright dream Detroit once had, is now shattered because of the increasing high rates of crimes and violence our people choose to ignore.
Abandon houses, which use to be a home of memories, are left to be vacant, only to be touch by thugs who’s only purpose is to use that space as a place to sell drugs, as a place to rape young girls.
Uncut fields is the perfect place to dispose large amounts of waste or even a dead body that can go on decaying for days but not notice.
But instead of trying to speak out against what’s contaminating our Detroit area, we play with time and wait for somebody else to get the job done for us.
All we ever do now is complain and complain but nothing is really done, is it?
We say the upperclass isn’t helping us, but why can’t we step up and help ourselves?
We have arms, feet, and a mouth, don’t we? Let’s put it to use.
Why should they help us when we can’t even help ourselves?
If the people don’t do anything, the government won’t care, and in the end, we’ll be back to square one.
Youth these days are so use to be seeing trash everywhere.
They say they’re accustom to be living in a dirty neighborhood.
But I can’t, I don’t want my kids growing up in a place where everything they touch is unsafe.
And that’s a reason why so many people are moving out of Detroit, which use to be known as the Motown City but now known as the 'Murder City.' This causes more abandon houses to be left on our streets.
It’s sad to know that the youth will never see what the good Detroit use to be.
People have become so narrow minded.
When we have a dirty neighborhood, people from outside think we have dirty people living in it because we do nothing but choose to live with the trash surrounding us.
Now does it really cost a fortune to clean up an area?
Does it really cost much to cut the grass?
To pick up trash and actually place it inside a trash can?
To not litter, to clean up after ourselves and to not vandelize property?
We pay taxes and those money are suppose to pay the city to clean up our neighborhood but instead most are being used to clean our city’s attraction.
Why do we think the Detroit's attractions are our city’s only hope left?
It’s not the attractions that makes Detroit, Detroit.
It’s the neighborhood and it’s people that makes Detroit what it is.
Therefore, stop making the excuses and be apart of this movement to help repair Detroit to it’s former glory.
When you see trash, please pick it up. You’ll be doing something good for your community.
A dirty neighborhood sets up a negative atmosphere.
But a clean neighborhood sets a healthy mind set.

---GaoIa Vang