Take a Look at "The Last Days of Chinatown" at the MOCAD

Once upon a time, Detroit was the fourth largest city in the world. We were the car capital of the United States and during the war we became the backbone of our country. Unfortunately, we also became one of the most racially charged places in the US and we eventually became one of the most run down and abandoned cities in the world before the so called "rebirth" of the City of Detroit over the last ten years. We have had some high highs and some remarkable lows and somehow we have perservered. We are now at a turning point; the new stadium is up, Ford is moving in, and we have one of the fastest growing restaurant and art cultures in the world. We are a city on the upswing and everyone is ready to celebrate. But, every once in awhile when I step back and think about it, I remember that all of these changes might not be as great as they seem, at least not for everyone. To put it simply, we are displacing a lot of the people who called this city home for the last 50 years when no one else wanted to hang around. It makes you ask yourself, what negative effects is this growth having and who is it effecting.

These are two questions the documentary The Last Days of Chinatown seeks to explore. This Detroit made documentary that was created by Nicole Macdonald and Oren Goldenberg. takes a look at Chinatown, a subdivision of the Cass Corridor. The Corridor was formerly one of the richest neighborhoods in the city before it fell into squalor. This documentary explores the people who live there and how the "rebirth" of the city is affecting their lives. The Last Days of Chinatown will be playing at the MOCAD this Thursday . It's only $5 to get in and tickets will only be sold at the door. MOCAD members are welcome to attend the screening free of charge. This presentation of the film will be followed by a Q & A with the film's creators. So, if you are interested in learning more about one of the city's most historical spaces, head up to the MOCAD at 7 p.m. to see what Nicole and Oren have to say about it.

~S