National art display helps Detroiters tell their stories
A new national storytelling initiative is launching in Detroit, giving people a chance to share their personal experiences through public art and a speech-to-story platform ahead of America's 250th anniversary.
The project, called "The Stories of Us," invites communities across the country to reflect on their past, present, and future. In Detroit, that storytelling is taking shape through a series of large-scale public art installations known as "Talking Drums."
These installations are helping tell Detroit's story ahead of America's 250th, capturing where the city stands now and preserving those voices for future generations.
One of those artists, Darius Baber, created a drum near the Detroit riverfront that reflects his own personal journey.
"It kind of gave me knowledge, but it also gave me pride of the resilience of my ancestors," Baber said.
His piece draws from his family history, particularly his mother's ancestry, and explores the lasting impact of colonization. The design features layered symbolism meant to challenge viewers to think critically about identity and belonging.
"The American flag is inverted. And then next to it is the cultural flag of the Bubi people, which is the culture that I come from in Equatorial Guinea. And their flag is very similar to an American flag. So I want to juxtapose those together, showing that I'm proud of all my heritages, but not all parts of it," Baber said.
Organizers say that kind of reflection is exactly the goal of the project. The Stories of Us combines public art with technology, allowing people to record their thoughts through a speech-to-story platform. Those spoken reflections are then turned into written stories and added to a growing national archive.
Lynette Simmons, senior vice president of community initiatives at the YMCA of Metro Detroit, says the initiative is designed to give people a voice during a pivotal moment in the nation's history.
"During this, you know, period of time in our nation, individuals get a chance to share their thoughts, and those drums are meant to kind of insight, engage individuals to express themselves," Simmons said.
While Baber typically creates figurative work, he says this piece pushed him in a new, more abstract direction.
"I hope it makes people think about their relationship to their heritage and what it really means to be an American," he said.
Talking Drum installations can be seen at the Detroit Public Library Main Branch, Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park, Warren Gateway, and other locations across the city.
