By Dion Pittman
I was born in Flint, Michigan in 1973. My grandfather’s father and uncles worked for General Motors in Flint. Crime started to rise in the late ’70s, so my mother opted for us to move to Ann Arbor.
In 1979 we relocated. Our first house was literally next to the “Big House,” on the University of Michigan campus. I could open my front door and see the stadium from my porch. As a child, I would use the Big House as my playground. I can remember going into Yost Ice Arena and playing on the cement, which was normally ice for games. As children, we used to be able to walk right into the stadium and explore all the time. Whether running the football field or exploring underneath the bleachers, it was our clubhouse.
I attended Perry Nursery School, then Burns Park, and then Eberwhite Elementary School. I can remember always being taught the Martin Luther King theory—judge a man on his character, and not his color. This was embedded into to us at a very young age. This way of thinking really helped us navigate through our city. Literally growing up on campus, I witnessed students from all around the world rotate into my neighborhood/city every year. Every race, color, and creed. You name it, Ann Arbor was home for everybody. Every new school year we would watch new students come in. The revolving door of the student body was just a normal experience as an Ann Arbor youth.
In my youth, and into my teenage years, I was a big skateboarder. My teen years were spent at Community High School, still in the heart of the University of Michigan campus/downtown. I always met or experienced amazing people/conversations skateboarding through the Diag—the hub for residents and students. I can recall at times stopping by a tree in the Diag, where I would see a professor, some students, a homeless man or two, and an occasional hippie having debates on multiple topics. They would be intense at times, but always interesting. I loved how everyone respected the speaker and they would hold civil debates. This left such a strong impression on me. It showed me how to behave in circumstances where people didn’t agree. It was respect for ideas/ideals at its finest.
Read more about the Ann Arbor Mentality Podcast!
To this day, I carry out these mantras everywhere I go—we call it the Ann Arbor Mentality. To hold a conversation with anyone, and to keep it civil, without profanity, or personal attacks. I truly believe Ann Arbor has always been ahead of the game. Whether it was race relations, community activism, or just plain inclusion. As a black man/child I never felt out of place here. This city is truly special and has a lot to show the world. The energy of the residents and students is truly amazing. I wouldn’t trade my time growing up in Ann Arbor for the world. Those were the times, and lessons, that molded me into who I am today.
The Ann Arbor Mentality Podcast is a project my partner Ed Williams and I took on to show the world how we were raised. Especially now that the world is getting more unbalanced. We see too much division and not enough unity. We are now in our second season, and the podcast has really shined a light on Ann Arbor and its special energy. Yes, Ann Arbor is special, and our guests only confirm that. We are on all major platforms, and we just started our YouTube channel. We are always looking for new guests—people who have spent time in Ann Arbor during their lives. We love Ann Arbor, and that will never change! Go Blue!
#AAMP Ann Arbor Mentality Podcast can be found on all major streaming platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. Find them online at facebook.com/Ann-Arbor-Mentality-Podcast-780521981999357.
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