Introduction

“An abandoned house is not an abandoned house unless I see it as that.” In this soul-stirring Detroit is Different interview, Kim Sherobbi reflects on her lifelong commitment to community, tracing her purpose from childhood fashion shows on Bethune Street to founding the Birwood House as a space of radical love and collective leadership. Guided by a lineage of powerful Black women like her grandmother Lula White—”block club president for real”—and shaped by organizers like Ron Scott and the Boggs Center, Sherobbi affirms, “We can figure out how to go through this journey no matter what.” Her story illustrates how deeply community, family, and grief interweave into our purpose: “Community is big… people came to us and loved on us.” Through organizing block parties, teaching physical education with intention, and nurturing youth through programs like Community Lens, Kim lives the ethos that supporting others in finding their power is where transformation begins.

“You can’t put love into a house you don’t own.” That one quote encapsulates the spirit of Ken Elkins’ journey, vision, and mission as founder of Renewed. In this powerful Detroit is Different interview, Ken speaks truth to the generational impact of housing instability, sharing how growing up in a series of rentals shaped his understanding of pride, permanence, and purpose. From his early days in Saginaw, working at Chuck E. Cheese and joining the Navy Reserves just to find a path to college, to co-founding Ferris State’s “Black Leaders Aspiring for Critical Knowledge,” Ken’s life is a testament to how community can turn potential into power. “When I owned my first home, I felt value for the first time,” he reflects. Now, he’s pouring that lesson back into Detroit, offering affordable homes where the mortgage is never more than 25% of your income. It’s not just about equity—it’s about emotional stability, dignity, and the ripple effects of ownership for families who have long been priced out of their own neighborhoods. As Ken puts it, “I can’t stop the developers, but I can flip one house and keep that in the community.” Filled with laughter, real talk, and a deeply rooted love for the culture—yes, lamb chops, buffs, and all—this episode is a masterclass in what it means to build legacy through healing and homeownership.

“We are not here for ourselves—we are here for other people. Period.” These words from Orena Perry don’t just summarize her perspective—they declare her purpose. Her story, like so many rooted in Detroit, is a vibrant blend of faith, family, and fearless entrepreneurship. From her great-grandmother’s home on Calvert to the stages of Jazz on the Boulevard and the halls of Redford High, Orena’s life journey has been one of intention, perseverance, and spiritual grounding. “I’ve always been a servant,” she says, reflecting on years organizing events, empowering Black-owned businesses, and uplifting voices through conferences, prayer breakfasts, and women’s luncheons. After surviving a near-fatal car accident in high school, Orena’s life took on a deeper clarity—faith became more than a belief; it became her strategy. “God can tell you when to move, when to stop, and when something is over—but you’ve got to be able to listen,” she shares. As a mother of three daughters who each embody her entrepreneurial spirit—one in design, one in administration, and one leading programs for autistic youth—Orena has turned her business into a family legacy. Watching them blossom, she says, is her proudest accomplishment. Whether mentoring young boys through the Loop It program, or sharing stages with legends during her Detroit Black Expo days, her impact has always extended far beyond any resume. “It was never about me,” she insists. “It was always about them.” With a laugh that warms the soul and a conviction that can organize armies, Orena Perry walks in grace, models resilience, and reminds Detroit—and the world—that healing begins when we make space to breathe, listen, and serve. What in Orena’s journey inspires you to listen more deeply to your own calling?

“You all live in the realm of impossibility because you’ve been conditioned by Western society to understand why a thing is not possible. Unlike you, my friends, I live in the realm of the impossible.” In this rich and deeply introspective episode of the Detroit is Different podcast, community organizer and cultural educator Raúl Echevarría shares a powerful narrative of transformation, memory, and resistance through his journey from Chicago’s Puerto Rican Humboldt Park to Detroit’s vibrant but complex Southwest. With profound insight into community organizing, Raúl emphasizes the spirit and commitment it takes to truly work within and uplift neighborhoods: “You’ve got to come correct,” he says, reflecting on his own approach to entering Detroit’s unique cultural landscape. This isn’t just talk—it’s a testament to a life of praxis rooted in justice, spirituality, and cultural preservation. He unpacks his work saving the oldest Puerto Rican mural in Chicago, “The Crucifixion of Don Pedro,” noting, “We own our own shit,” affirming a community’s right to its land and legacy. Through storytelling, Raúl brings the listener into the sacred act of community dreaming, describing workshops where “memory energy” transforms defeat into imagination. He challenges the false idol of rugged individualism, reminding us that “we’ve always been collective,” and that collectivity is a form of resistance in a system that benefits from our fragmentation. From maroon communities resisting colonial empires to the reawakening of African memory through Puerto Rican Bomba, Raúl’s perspective connects dots across time, space, and struggle. “Part of the challenge for the organizer,” he explains, “is can the organizer adopt the motif of vision caster… who goes into the other realm and then convinces the people?” This episode is a masterclass in organizing as spiritual and cultural labor, where remembering itself is revolutionary.

We need to be healed as a community.” Krystal Larsosa, co-founder of the Black Marriage Movement, sits down to share an intimate and powerful journey rooted in love, healing, and transformation through marriage. Raised on the same Detroit block where she met her now-husband Jasahn at age 12, Krystal opens up about the realness of growing into womanhood in the heart of the city, the impact of protection and stability in relationships, and the vision she and Jasahn share for healing Black families through the institution of marriage. From weathering literal fires in their home to building the Black Marriage Movement from the ground up, Krystal speaks with vulnerability and wisdom on the challenges and triumphs of cultivating a love that not only nurtures a household but strengthens a community. She speaks candidly on learning the true roles of wife and mother, reshaping narratives around submission and support, and creating spaces like the Detroit Wives Club and Birth Fathers Detroit to educate, affirm, and uplift Black love. This episode is a rich blend of personal storytelling, cultural critique, and community visioning, echoing the foundational Detroit is Different mission of “healing community through culture.” Krystal’s story is more than a testimony—it’s a blueprint for rebuilding the foundation of family, legacy, and power in our neighborhoods.

We need to be healed as a community.” Krystal Larsosa, co-founder of the Black Marriage Movement, sits down to share an intimate and powerful journey rooted in love, healing, and transformation through marriage. Raised on the same Detroit block where she met her now-husband Jasahn at age 12, Krystal opens up about the realness of growing into womanhood in the heart of the city, the impact of protection and stability in relationships, and the vision she and Jasahn share for healing Black families through the institution of marriage. From weathering literal fires in their home to building the Black Marriage Movement from the ground up, Krystal speaks with vulnerability and wisdom on the challenges and triumphs of cultivating a love that not only nurtures a household but strengthens a community. She speaks candidly on learning the true roles of wife and mother, reshaping narratives around submission and support, and creating spaces like the Detroit Wives Club and Birth Fathers Detroit to educate, affirm, and uplift Black love. This episode is a rich blend of personal storytelling, cultural critique, and community visioning, echoing the foundational Detroit is Different mission of “healing community through culture.” Krystal’s story is more than a testimony—it’s a blueprint for rebuilding the foundation of family, legacy, and power in our neighborhoods.

“God said, give ’em drum machines—and see what happens.” That’s the dream Mike Huckaby shared, and it’s the heartbeat of God Said Give ‘Em Drum Machines, the acclaimed documentary by Detroit filmmaker Kristian Hill that restores techno’s true story—deeply rooted in Black Detroit creativity, culture, and resilience. “We had a grocery store on Hastings Street. My grandfather ran numbers,” Hill recalls, grounding his storytelling in generations of Detroit legacy, from his grandmother Mabel White teaching home economics at Kettering and cooking for Aretha Franklin, to DJing with friends like Al Ester and parking cars outside Cheeks while legends like Jeff Mills and Stacey Hale spun inside. The film traces the untold journey of techno’s pioneers—Juan Atkins, Kevin Saunderson, Derrick May, Eddie Fowlkes, Blake Baxter, and Santonio Echols—as Hill and his team follow the music from Detroit to Amsterdam, Japan, South Africa, and even Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, where locals called it “the Detroit of Russia” and clubs pulsed with Detroit’s sound. “We got the stars,” Hill says, referring to the Belleville Three and others, “but nobody ever tells the story.” Fueled by years of footage and shaped in long, late-night edit sessions, the documentary is not only a cinematic reclaiming of techno’s Black roots but a personal odyssey of creative purpose. “It’s not just a link. It’s an experience,” Hill emphasizes, reminding audiences that this is more than a movie—it’s Detroit history set to a beat that moved the world.

“You know Detroit is about the look, the feel, it’s a Detroit essence to the culture.” That essence radiates through Jessica Blair, the visionary behind Jessica Blair Beauty, a proudly Black-owned beauty supply store in the heart of Rosedale Park on Grand River. From learning hair care in her grandmother’s community-rooted home on Blaine Street to launching her own store after midnight shifts in psych hospitals, Jessica’s journey is one of resilience and intention. “It sounded crazy, but I felt like it was God telling me — no, this is what you need to do,” she shares. Her shop bridges tradition and trend, offering everything from natural hair essentials like TGIN to bundles and silk press staples. And she’s not just selling beauty — she’s restoring a legacy. “It was very community oriented,” Jessica remembers of her upbringing, a value now baked into her brand. Through thefts, floods, and pandemic pivots, she turned setbacks into success. Her grand opening on February 21 marked more than a business launch — it’s a celebration of Detroit beauty, Black womanhood, and the power of doing it yourself, for your people.