Homes + Schools + Communities Abandoned

From time to time, I pull myself out of my bubble and look at the mayhem going on in our communities. Miami has been one of the biggest victims to the market crash resulting in massive layoffs and cut-backs, foreclosures and so on. But there has been another city that has been suffering for much longer. Detroit.

The city of Detroit was the backbone of U.S. industry for nearly 50 years, now it is the apparent black sheep by many. I strongly disagree.

I spent a summer at Detroit studying at College for Creative Studies, and I had a great time enjoying the people and the entertainment. Many of my friends actually attended the school for their undergrad and have had tremendous careers afterwards. That proves to you that Detroit that has quality.

James D. Griffioen documents Detroit's abandonment in his photography. The beautiful, slightly chilling images show you the condition of environments being left vacant and unsupervised. But just like James, many people still call Detroit home. People still exist there and they deserve for America to start believing in them again.

As a Miami resident, I feel for the Detroit families and know that it can all change if we give them a chance.