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© 2025 Stephen McGee
The PRODUCER
“Jessica Care Moore is one of the most important storytellers of this century” - Talib Kweli
Producer Jessica Care Moore is Detroit’s Poet Laureate, the CEO of Moore Black Press, executive producer of BLACK WOMEN ROCK!, and founder of the literacy-driven jess Care moore Foundation. An internationally renowned poet, playwright, performance artist, and producer, she is the recipient of the 2013 Alain Locke Award from the Detroit Institute of Arts.
Stephen McGee and Jessica Care Moore first collaborated in 2010 for TEDX Detroit. Since then Jessica, born and raised in Detroit, and Stephen, raised in California, have collaborated on 12 films about Detroit. “All of those collaborations, combined with my interviews, curated the approach to this film, where I point my lens, my daily life and how I talk about Detroit.” - Director Stephen McGee
‘The beautiful undercurrent’
As Detroit photographer Elonte Davis says in a recent interview. Interviews with community leaders including Marsha Music, Bill Harris, Waajeed, Ro Spit, Soufy, Hadassah Greensky, woven together into a narrative that welcomes the viewer into life in Detroit. Until recently, the popular narrative of Detroit, led by the abandoned buildings, eclipsed the reality of the people in the city from the outside world.
THE SETUP TO 20 YEARS OF DOCUMENTING
‘In 2005 I was a rootless, globe traveling, parachute journalist documenting some of the deepest levels of the human experience, pointing my lens where I thought I could make a difference. After almost being killed overseas, I landed back in California and questioned my purpose. The next day The Detroit Free Press called and I moved from California to Detroit. After seeing some of the world’s greatest ruins, both of past civilizations and humanity, I knew that the abandonment in Detroit was a larger than a zip code narrative.
‘Detroit could be the best mirror this country has’
For the next 19 years I became ingrained in the story I fell into. Yes, I explored Detroit’s ruins but my camera didn’t stop there. I pointed my lens to the people and listened to their stories. I began being invited into the real story of life in the city. Each of my almost 1000 interviews brought me closer to understanding how to present this symphony of visuals. Connecting back with people, sometimes after 10 years gives a perspective in life that I tried to represent in this film.’
-Stephen McGee - Director
The age of the abandonment narrative is over.
In the past 10 years Detroit has drastically changed and abandoned buildings that once legitimized Detroit’s failures are either being demolished at a record pace or coming back to life. The investment is staggering. This film explores a few of the post industrial gems and this evolving landscape and a few incredible before and afters shots taken sometimes decades apart.
The Anishinaabe
Pictured: Hadassah Greensky
Before this was Detroit, it was Waawiyaatanong “Where the Curved shores meet”.
“Under this concrete is our land”. Soufy from Detroit’s @vibeswiththetribes said. Long before this was the city we all love, this was Anishinaabe land full of Anishinaabek history.
