Three Amigos - Life Remodeled - Detroit, MI
Life Remodeled is a Detroit-based nonprofit that invests approximately $5 million in cash, labor and materials into one Detroit neighborhood each year. Projects are determined by the community’s needs and vision. Life Remodeled partners assist in three areas: Remodeling a school or other community asset, repairing owner-occupied homes, and mobilizing volunteers to clean up 300 city blocks in six days. Every phase is about people transformation, those served and those who are serving.
As the lead photographer for Life Remodeled 2017, I made a lot of photos and asked fellow photogs and friends to do the same. The grand total stands at 7,533 for the 6-day event to paint-up, clean-up and fix-up Durfee Middle School and the neighborhood area around it. This is the same area which spawned the 1967 racial uprising and a project that will take two years instead of the usual one year LR focus.
Over 11,000 volunteers answered the call to do what they could to revitalize this core Detroit neighborhood. For all the pay was the same, a free t-shirt, midday meal and the knowledge that they gave from the heart to make Detroit a little better place to be.
During lunch on Thursday, August 3rd, I found these 3 young men who’d been busy since 8:00am chatting about the challenge of the afternoon. They modified their free shirts to better suit their activities, and were clearly working as a team. I call them The Three Amigos, and they’re in it together. This image, more than any other, captures Life Remodeled for me this year.
