Visiting Friends in the D (Part 1 of 3) (#16)

I just realized I never blogged about going to Detroit this summer!  So, we went to the 2nd U.S. Social Forum, a gathering of 20,000 other activists from around the country.  I don't know how many times I've been to Detroit, I think this is probably my 10th trip, and I like to think of it as my 2nd home. Maiya and I flew out together and stayed with Scott, Emily and Tula.  It's important to take Maiya to Detroit to visit with Tula and Grace Lee Boggs, where Maiya gets her middle name, and to celebrate Grace's 95th birthday.  Tony was in Rhode Island to hang out with his friend Bill and planned to meet us in Detroit a few days later.

But the first person we saw at the USSF was actually our friend 

Luke "Aidger," who Maiya got to see perform for the first time.

The first thing Emily & I did was to take Maiya and Tula to the Children's Social Forum.  

Here they are waiting to see Joe Reilly perform.  I worked with Joe 8 years ago when he was part of the Long Hairz Collective, a spoken word group.  I think we have every one of their CDs as well as Joe's.

After seeing Joe perform at the Children's Social Forum, 

Maiya and Tula followed Joe to the childcare room

 for infants and toddlers and sang backup for him.

Here is Emily with Will Copeland (one badass spoken word poet) 

who was also part of the Long Hairz Collective (long hair in spirit these days), 

and who also was the Detroit coordinator of the USSF

Kibibi! One of my favorite people from Detroit Summer from 10 years ago.  

Grace spoke at one of the plenaries, a multi-generational panel.

Scott facilitated a conversation with Grace and Immanuel Wallerstein 

that was attended by 800-1000 people.  The response was phenomenal.

Roxy!  With Kibibi and her nephew at Grace's birthday party.

Ah, the beautiful Angela, who performed two of my favorite spoken word pieces about Detroit, 

one of them she says she hadn't performed in 10 years, but I remember it like it was yesterday. 

 BTW, Angela also a former member of the Long Hairz Collective, still has that long hair.

 Maiya and Tula with Grace at her birthday party.  The line to have a photo with Grace was crazy!

 When you want to raise some money, send the money bucket around 

with Boggs Center organizers, Tula and Maiya.  

Making Tula's Fruit Salad.  It was delicious.  

The secret is in the Trader Joe's rice pudding, and mixing it together with best friends.

Coming soon, parts 2 and 3 of our trip to Detroit.  NaBloPoMo#16