“From Our Side of the Street” presented by Black Bottom Archives

“From our Side of the Street” is a living installation and storytelling series that reimagines the iconic front porch as a site of memory, resistance, and neighborhood connection. Inspired by the legacy of Detroit’s Black Bottom community, this in-person event invites Detroiters to gather on and around a custom-built porch to listen to true, lived stories from Black residents whose families were impacted by displacement and urban renewal.

Our porch is more than a structure—it is a platform for truth-telling and a sanctuary for remembrance. Through curated story circles, music, memory walls, and interactive digital kiosks, the space comes alive with the voices and visions of those who shaped Detroit from the stoops up. Guests are invited to engage with archival materials, sip on sweet tea or lemonade, and contribute their own reflections to a collective memory wall.

Featuring intergenerational storytellers, historical artifacts, poetry, and community-based design, “Porch Stories” honors…