Valerie Gray

HON 1000
Dr. Ewing
November 17, 2016
Reflective Essay
Entering HON 1000, I wasnt sure what to expect from the class. I had taken multiple
college classes before, but none were structured in this style or covered such a unique topic. My
experience in the past four months with this course material really opened my eyes to the city of
Detroit, and its triumphs and struggles. I was challenged to think in a way I never had before,
and I really feel like I became an active citizen of Detroit, instead of an outsider. I am leaving
this class appreciative of all it has taught me, and excited for the challenges future Wayne State
Honors courses will hold.
I came to Detroit for college. I had never been here before; I was reluctant to because of
what I had heard about it in the news of from my peers. I was the only one from my small rural
community to choose to come here, and everyone told me to be safe. I was a little nervous
myself, but this class taught me the history and significance of Detroit. It is so much more than a
city in decline, that outsiders may view it as. I knew very little about the economic turmoil of
Detroit, let alone its creation or success. I appreciated how this class did not censor Detroits
past or present in anyway. Through lectures, Martel and other readings, we were given the
whole story. We were not told how to interpret it, but rather guided in the general direction
towards making our own interpretation of the city. Now I will gladly say that I attend college in
the middle of Detroit. I fully believe the city is performing an upswing to becoming an even
better Detroit, than it was in the past.

There are so many incredible things here to be proud of, that I was not aware of before
HON 1000. The passport event really helped to bring the topics that were discussed in the
readings to life. My absolute favorite was Eastern Market, but the DIA and the Redford Theater
each held a specific lesson to be learned. They helped me to understand the importance behind
the city.
Group discussions opened my eyes to the rich diversity that is present in Detroit, and
unfortunately along with that, the racism. My small rural community was all white, Christian,
and conservative. It was so thought provoking and enlightening to meet and hear the
perspectives of Jews, liberals, and ethnicities from all over the world. It taught me that you dont
have to agree with someone, to understand them. I became a lot better at seeing things from
anothers point of view, by being able to put myself in their shoes like how we put ourselves in
the shoes of immigrants during our first essay. The ability to do this will be especially helpful
for me when I enter the medical field. It is always important to be able to understand your
patient, and the underlying social or environmental factors that could be contributing to their
illness.
Along with this, I am ashamed to admit my lack of knowledge to the racism and social
issues that are still ever present in our society. I thought racism was a thing of the past, and even
though we have come a long way its still present. My white privilege has blinded me to the
discrimination still faced my minorities here in Detroit, and across the nation. Listening to the
stories of my classmates and the stories of their ancestors help me realize this.
As I leave this course I will be taking with me a new sense of sympathy and the ability to
think critically. I learned a new way to study in this class that I will carry over to future courses.

Most of all though, I hope that I can cling to this found understandment of the world and people
around me to make me a better doctor in the future.