Astro Coffee, A gentrifier’s hangout in Corktown, Detroit, MI

PLAYGROUND DETROIT’S friend, Tommy Simon writes about the hardships and struggles that him and his creative peers find while living in the city of Detroit in the Huffington Post. He writes,

There seems to be this impression that there is this group of young white hipsters moving into Detroit and living these sweet, lush, and upper middle class lives. Well let me say, as a young gentrifier, it’s not that easy. Aside from my daily struggle of squeezing my legs into my skinny jeans, life is not a trust-fund joyride when you’re a partially employed member of Detroit’s creative class. Because with all of the recent investments that have gone into the city, there still seems to be a lack of entry-level positions. And for some reason, none of these companies believe me when I tell them I’m ready for a senior position. So what we have is a city of partially employed gentrifiers who are, unlike other city’s gentrifiers, struggling to get by. And I could vacate the state like the overwhelming majority of my undergraduate classmates, look for employment in areas where jobs are more ample, and post pictures of myself in a Tiger’s hat while at a White Sox game. But I decided to stay. Why? Because I like it here.” -Tommy Simon.

Read the full article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tommy-simon/lost-in-detroit-a-gentrif_b_1197663.html

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