What does an average week look like for a sp/su SiD student?

Our spring/summer program moves fast - each class (besides the Internship Reflection Seminar) meets 2x/week for 3 hours at a time, and classes are over within 8 weeks of beginning. During May and June, students intern for 16 hrs/week while also taking classes, leaving July open to intern 32 hrs/week. 

This descriptive outline of a week in the life of a spring/summer student is applicable to May & June, and uses event examples for a June 2019 weekly events update that Marion sent out to students. In July, however, there’s usually a lot more free time to attend events and not worry about homework - see the charts below for a visual breakdown of May/June and July schedules.

(If you're curious what a week in the life looks like for a student participating in the fall program, see here.)

Monday

Wake up, walk to Stephen Ward’s 20th Century Detroit History class at the UM Detroit Center and discuss 1960s Detroit. Start off class with some music (as always), and discuss readings about the League of Revolutionary Black Workers, and the Northern High Walkout. 

Run home for lunch before returning for Craig and Marion’s Internship Reflection Seminar in the afternoon. Discuss the previous week’s journals and troubleshoot a question about something going on at internship sites. Learn about three different ways organizations and individuals can think about change-making.

Spend evening finishing readings for Diana’s class or writings for Darcy’s class. 

Tuesday

Wake up, go downstairs or walk to the Cass Corridor Commons for Diana’s Grassroots Community Organizing for Environmental Justice class. Talk about how community organizing changes the way people see themselves and each other. Quick lunch, then off to spend the afternoon at your internship.

-OR-

Wake up, head to internship for the morning and return home for a quick lunch before heading downstairs/to the Cass Corridor Commons for Darcy’s Detroit Artist as Activist class in the afternoon. Remember that the class will actually be going to Tuxedo House for a writing workshop with Rose Gorman today, so hop in the car with fellow classmates and head out! 

Receive Marion’s weekly events email in the afternoon, giggle at the funny gif/photo they included, then shoot a text to the cohort through GroupMe to see if anyone wants to go to a couple of the events this week. 

Spend evening finishing readings and response for Stephen’s class tomorrow morning.  

Wednesday

Wake up, get ready to set off on walking tour with Jamon Jordan (Black Scroll History Network and Tours).  Visit sites connected to the 1967 Rebellion, rooting discussions of that event deeply in the history of race & racism in Detroit by stopping first at the site of Thornton & Lucie Blackburn’s incarceration and subsequent escape from slave-catchers and an angry white mob in Detroit.  

Return home for lunch and spend afternoon digesting all of the incredible knowledge Baba Jamon shared before realizing how much homework you need to complete before tomorrow. Regardless, make sure to stop by the Juneteenth Freedom Day Party at the Wright Museum - it’s important to celebrate Juneteenth always, but especially in Detroit!

Thursday

Wake up, go downstairs or walk to the Cass Corridor Commons for Diana’s Grassroots Community Organizing for Environmental Justice class. Set off for a “Toxic Tour” of the Marathon Oil Refinery and the 48217 zip code. This was a super heavy tour, so lunch is spent processing/debriefing with classmates before heading out for afternoon internship hours.  Spend evening continuing to digest this week’s worth of info while practicing some individual self-care (journaling, coloring, etc).

-OR-

Wake up, head to internship for the morning and return home for a quick lunch before heading downstairs/to the Cass Corridor Commons for Darcy’s Detroit Artist as Activist class in the afternoon. Spend class discussing final book projects and get stressed but also excited at what could come out of the assignment. Make some dinner and enjoy a relatively free evening since no homework is due till Monday!

Friday

Wake up early to get to internship. Spend whole day at internship, come home, write journal for Craig and Marion’s class, and crash!

Saturday

Sleep in, make a big breakfast, watch some tv. Head out to count some bees for the Bee Blitz!, because why not? Be sad to have missed Transit Organizing 101, but it was just a really busy week and the bees were calling! See a free screening of Coco at Senate Theater in the afternoon, then spend the evening chilling with fellow cohort members at the Commons. 

Sunday

Sleep in, then get started on readings for the week. Finish up journals for Craig and Marion’s class, make a big vat of chili for the week, then head out for Community Yoga With Akilah. Go to bed!