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Last Updated:
Mar 19th, 2008 - 07:43:02 |
Hot Pursuit:
Hipsters Organizing
If you happen to be at the corner of Third and Selden in the Cass Corridor on a Wednesday evening, you will witness a pick-up game/meeting of the Detroit Sandlot Baseball Club. As the platitude goes, birds of a feather flock together. Nonetheless, semiformal groups centered around a common interest are much fresher than the old rhyme. Perhaps you’ve heard of the Detroit Craft Mafia. Knitting, sewing, embroidering, the Mafia formerly met once a month to generally share their love for the homemade. The group recently broke off from the national Craft Mafia organization, but former members have re-organized into Loop Detroit.
A central interest can be something as fundamental as eating. In rebellion against the meal-on-the-go, Slow Food Detroit has emerged to give food lovers a chance to truly savor their meals. Founder Melinda Curtis, along with Vicki Algarra, started the Detroit branch of the international movement. “It’s very Italian, the idea is that you’re going to get together to prepare the food and enjoy the food,” Algarra says. “You’re going to know about the food, to counteract what we have right now, which is a disconnection from where our food comes from.” These organizations don’t have to work hard to recruit members. “It sort of has a life of its own, we’re finding. We’re only a little over a year old, and people keep coming to us.”
“Advantages of being a gang member include: having a shared experience, talking to other folk outside of the bar/computer/cell phone/garage air vent arenas, a positive mob mentality and if anyone tries to mess with ya, then you’re messin’ with the whole gang!” explains Eugene Strobe, “prez” of the Defying The Law Bicycle Club Gang. This group was created “as a celebration of humanoid powered transportation, as well as an attempt to gain a greater appreciation of one’s city.” Such a group, of course, offers a chance to network, in addition to creating a unique social milieu.
Organizing your own group may not be as hard as you think. Surely you’ll find people who would love an invitation to your soon-to-be monthly session of capture-the-flag, tea party society or whatever organization suits your passion. | RDW
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