I had the privilege of working on a project of Dan White’s, The Folks of Flint, in 2017. I was introduced to Dan through the Jan Worth-Nelson, the editor-in-chief of East Village Magazine.
After wrapping up fieldwork for my book Power, Participation, and Protest in Flint, Michigan. I spent the next month interviewing Flint residents about their life stories and their relationship to the city.
I recently learned of the passing of Norm Mercier, who I interviewed that summer. We sat on his porch for more than an hour talking about what Flint meant to him. Many of the stories I collected for the project have stuck with me, especially Norm’s. I am grateful for the time I spent with Norm.
I am grateful to the people of Flint who welcomed me into their homes and trusted me to share their stories. I hope that in all of my work, whether short-form narratives or long-form book, I continue to uplift the stories and experiences of Flint residents and community members in meaningful and authentic ways.
Thank you for this, Ashley. It was a pleasure having you in Flint. Can’t wait to read the book. I hope you come back soon so we can celebrate you and your achievement. Flint truly is a treasure house of stories–taken together, of great significance to the country, in my opinion.