Just a city boy
Born and raised in south Detroit
He took the midnight train goin’ anywhere
Journey- Don’t Stop Believin’
The suburbs south of Detroit, cities and townships along the Detroit River, are collectively known as Downriver, Michigan. More than a place, it is a culture, an identity. Downriver is rural and suburban- a Midwestern locale with Southern tendencies. The auto industry and steelmakers simultaneously created a population of blue-collar and white-collar workers. What once was a boom no longer feels like a boon. Faded “Buy American” bumper stickers adorn the rears of well cared for Ford pickups. This collection of photographs takes place in Downriver and Metro Detroit and focuses on the people, their places, and their things. Here, the American dream is parked on your lawn. Here, is a new America.