Chantel 'Chani The Hippie' Watkins is a writer and poet. As a member of the Archives Writing Team, she contributes her creative writing along with pieces about Detroit, feminism, health and culture.
In 2009, over 11,000 untested rape kits were found in a police storage facility in Detroit, MI. This was alarming because thousands of victims had no closure and thousands of criminals were still roaming the streets. With the help of the state, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy, organizations like End The Backlog, and the citizens of the city, almost all of the kits have been tested. As of September 2015 2,616 suspects had been identified, including 477 serial rapists, and 21 convictions have been secured
Flint, Michigan, one of the biggest cities in the state, has poisonous drinking water contaminated by led. Corroding led pipes are the reason for most of the contamination.The contaminated water has caused an outbreak of Legionnaires Disease affecting 87 people, 10 of them who have died.
The city of Flint has known that the water is unsafe to drink since 2014 and has called on state leaders, especially Governor Snyder to help.
This school year has been anything but easy for Detroit Public Schools. Classrooms are overcrowded, staff is underpaid, materials are inadequate, students are not receiving the education they deserve, and teachers are being laid off due to budget cuts and the school system’s a $216 million deficit. The state of DPS is horrific, and teachers have taken it upon themselves to call for change.
As the demographics of the city are changing and more white people are moving back to the city we must reflect on the city's past in order to keep us from going back to our old ways of racial division and tension. The "8 Mile Wall" is a clear example of something we never want to go back to.
I have been able to learn about tribes from Africa at Dabl’s African Bead Museum. I have learned the true art of being a b-boy or b-girl with The Foundation. I have seen the art of graffiti, I have marched yelling “Black Lives Matter” in the streets, I have twerked with the black LGBTQIAs at The Woodward. I have learned who I am in the black community and how many layers of blackness are in Detroit
by Chani the Hippie
Flint, Michigan has been in the news for the past 2 years because their whole water supply is filled with lead-contaminated water. People in Flint are not able to drink, cook with, shower with, or do anything with the water. Millions of dollars have been donated, millions of water bottles have been sent, but no solutions have resulted in fixing the problem. People are still bathing with bottled water, and unable to get a simple drink from their faucet. Without clean water boiling noodles cannot even happen.
By Chani The Hippie
Our money has made people rich over and over again. That is power. We have more power than we understand and our dollar is the biggest tool. With such a tremendous spending power we can change the climate of the world towards us if we use it. We need to use our dollars to empower ourselves economically. There are tons and tons of black businesses that we need to funnel our dollars into and support.
Homelessness is and always has been a problem in our nation. Many people have been forced to live on the streets, in shelters, tent camps, and more due to different issues. Many of these issues include mental illness, domestic violence, addiction, or the cutting off of state or federal benefits. Whatever the case may be it breaks all of our hearts every time we see someone in need of food or a place to rest their head.
As a feminist I have often been met with debate and people saying "women can't do that," especially when it comes to sex. It's taboo for women to enjoy sex, talk about sex, brag about sex, or initiate sex. Many women, or hoes as they are often called, have been defying the old way of things and are embracing being a "hoe". Being a hoe may be a bad thing to most people, but the "pro-hoe" movement thinks it's just fine.
The benefits of medical marijuana are often overshadowed by stigmas like it being a gateway drug and that people are using it just to get high. In my case, it has helped me to keep anxiety in check and flourish in ways I never thought before. As the battle for it to be legalized continues the testimonies I hear from patients at my job show me that l am not the only one who's quality of life has improved from its medicinal properties. Marijuana helps so many and I am thankful that I am reaping the benefits.
Let's be honest, almost all of us have had or are actively having sex. It is a huge part of our culture and our relationships. It's perfectly okay to get your freak on, but it is imperative that we are having sex in the healthiest way possible.
by Chani the Hippie
It’s not my fault how I came into this world.
Why hate me because of the love I’ve come from?
By Chani The Hippie
Detroit has always been an interesting place to be. It's full of music, art, fashion, and sights to see like any other city, but most of it has been created by the people when they had nothing else. Recently the city is in the process of being revitalized, and it has only added to the repertoire it already had laid out. Here is a list of some great places to visit during your Detroit Summer.