Andrew Jason
Office Administrative Assistant
What's one thing you think people get wrong about Detroit?
That Detroit, isn’t relevant to America. Detroit is a city that experienced the extreme boom and bust that is American capitalism. Detroit is a place where we are learning what it means to heal the harms that folks faced through economic and racial injustices.
What Detroiter inspires you the most?
Grace Lee Boggs inspires me because she was always learning and adjusting how she saw her activism as the city also changed. Through her long life she was able to see that life is constant change at all different scales of the human experience, learning how to be of service to your community requires adjusting and learning new tools that are appropriate for the time and space you find yourself in.
Bio
I grew up in the Newaygo County area in West Michigan before going to school at Michigan State University to study the arts and humanities. After graduating from MSU I moved back the Newaygo County area to advise high school seniors on their post-high school plans through an Americorps service position. I also worked for a local career and college access organization while living in Newaygo County mentoring students and helping to organize data around college access in our community. I recently moved to Detroit to study Urban Planning at Wayne State University.
I love learning about how both places and history shape our culture and society. Over the last seven years I have been visiting Detroit, taking time to meet people living here and shaping the culture here, while also diving deep into the history of this incredibly dialectic and diverse city.
Describe your perfect day in Detroit.
Waking up on a sunny day and going for a morning run to Belle Isle. After the run, walking to Sister Pie to grab some pie and coffee to snack on with my friends on our front porch.
Where's your favorite place to hang in Detroit during the summer? During the winter?
In the summer, Motor City Wine has an amazing patio that you can sit in the sun or catch an evening breeze while meeting new friends and listening to some amazing jazz or electronic musicians. All while drinking great and affordable wine!
In the winter, I love to share a happy hour snack at Craftwork in West Village. The bar area is cozy and warm in the winter and it’s only a short walk away from my house so it makes the trip out into the cold bearable!
What's your favorite experience DXF offers and why?
The Art and Architecture Tour is my favorite because we get to share the many ways Detroit has and continues to contribute to the world of design.