By Maggie Fleury
A Humble Beginning with a Camera
“Here’s the camera phone,” stated Sister Ann, a program manager for DREAM. On May 10th, 61 volunteers and DREAM team members arrived at the DREAM Center site to clean the streets of their impact turf in the Dexter-Linwood neighborhood for the 2025 Motor City Makeover. My first task as an intern for DREAM was to capture images of this event, a responsibility I was determined to excel at. However, I quickly realized I lacked creative direction when it came to photography.
The Power of Community Input
Thankfully, community members contributed countless inventive ideas, which were instrumental in guiding my approach. Additionally, they offered insights into what moments to capture and how to frame them. This level of participation ensured that the photos reflected an authentic experience and provided a lens through which the community could represent itself. Allowing community members to influence their portrayal highlights the importance of ethical documentation.
A Critical Reflection on Representation
Coloniality, an extension of colonialism that lingers even outside colonial rule, often shapes how people understand and interact with communities different from themselves. This influence extends to how groups are depicted by outsiders. While not everyone is a “colonizer,” it’s important to remain mindful of the ways we choose to document and represent a community. DREAM embodies this awareness through its core value of community-based work, which fosters intentional engagement and empowerment.
Building Bonds Through Community Work
On that day, the DREAM community embraced this principle by capturing moments that spoke to their collective efforts. From before-and-after photos of the cleaned streets to group photos after sharing a lunch of halal hot dogs and chips, the event was a testament to the power of togetherness. Furthermore, these wholesome yet genuine moments showcased not just a neighborhood cleanup but also the deepening of bonds among new and familiar faces.
Centering Community Voices
In a world where diverse populations are often denied the opportunity to shape their own narratives, it’s vital to amplify their voices. The DREAM community and its volunteers prioritized this, ensuring that the story of the Dexter-Linwood neighborhood cleanup was told by those who lived it. Moving forward, we must continue to ask communities what parts of their stories they wish to share, respecting and honoring their agency in shaping their portrayal.
