By Michael Kachingwe
Director of A Refugee in Detroit by Keith Josef Adkins

In 2020 the attention on personal freedom has been challenged due to a Global Pandemic. In the United States freedom is bandied around like it's a Right for everyone, but in the wake of publicized systemic racism, it becomes evident that not all cultures/creatures/humans are created equal. Many people feel empowered to exercise their freedom by choosing to not wear masks or choosing to be misogynistic, sexist, and overtly racist. The price our society pays is the systemic aspect of all these isms. We, as a society, are blinded and fooled by the over policing and racial profiling guised to "serve and protect" in neighborhoods that have not the demand or desire to be under such control. The levels of surveillance have gone beyond the pale to where citizens are constantly being listened to and watched. Most impacted are the marginalized communities that are populated with diverse cultures. These cultures are pitted against each other to fight for the small piece of turf that has been granted out as if it is a slab of meat in a lion's den. A Refugee in Detroit explores the impact when socio-political refugees of different ethnic backgrounds must fight for that turf. There is no winner in my estimation....Ever!