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    Downtown Detroit’s Hart Plaza Comes Back to Life with ARRiBA! Latinos Festival

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    Medicaid Cuts Threaten Detroit’s Healthcare Safety Net

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    Pope Leo XIV a ‘man of many gifts’ who will lead Church with grace

    Southwest Detroit’s Cinco de Mayo Parade Prevails Over “Rain and Rumors” to the Enjoyment of Thousands

    Southwest Detroit’s Cinco de Mayo Parade Prevails Over “Rain and Rumors” to the Enjoyment of Thousands

  • Community
    It’s Time to Hear “Latino Voices In Tech”

    It’s Time to Hear “Latino Voices In Tech”

    How One Catholic Principal Is Shaping the Next Generation of Leaders

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    Fifteen-year old kidney transplant patient Genesis wished for a Quincenera party

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    The city is grappling with how to conduct its resurgence after decades of a flagging population that left thousands of blighted properties behind

    Detroit’s next mayor can do these 3 things to support neighborhoods beyond downtown

  • Featured
    Downtown Detroit’s Hart Plaza Comes Back to Life with ARRiBA! Latinos Festival

    Downtown Detroit’s Hart Plaza Comes Back to Life with ARRiBA! Latinos Festival

    Pope Leo XIV, the former Cardinal Robert F. Prevost, waves from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican after his election as pope May 8, 2025. The new pope was born in Chicago. (CNS photo/Lola Gomez)

    Pope Leo XIV a ‘man of many gifts’ who will lead Church with grace

    Southwest Detroit’s Cinco de Mayo Parade Prevails Over “Rain and Rumors” to the Enjoyment of Thousands

    Southwest Detroit’s Cinco de Mayo Parade Prevails Over “Rain and Rumors” to the Enjoyment of Thousands

    Caesar Chavez Academy’s Robotics Team Represents Southwest Detroit at World Robotics Championship

    Caesar Chavez Academy’s Robotics Team Represents Southwest Detroit at World Robotics Championship

    El Arzobispo Edward J. Weisenburger dirige las oraciones durante una Misa en memoria del papa Francisco el 21 de abril en la Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament en Detroit. El papa Francisco, quien ha liderado la Iglesia católica desde 2013, murió la madrugada del lunes, el día después del Domingo de Pascua. (Foto de Valaurian Waller | Detroit Catholic)

    Archbishop Weisenburger leads Detroit faithful in mourning Pope Francis’ death

    Photo of Cesar Chavez Academy’s High School Robotics team, the AzTech Eagles, after their successful performance at the FIRST State Robotics Competition. Photo taken by the AzTech Eagles robotics team.

    Southwest Detroit Robotics Teams Earn Recognition at District, State and World Competitions

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    Filmmakers Return Home to Challenge Hollywood’s Lens

    La Basilica of Ste. Anne, un emblemático templo de 139 añosserá completamente restaurada gracias a una alianza transformadora con The Catholic Initiative. The 139-year-old Basilica of Ste. Anne will undergo a $30 million “complete rehabilitation” thanks to a “transforma- tive partnership” with The Catholic Initiative. (Foto de / Photo by James Silvestri | Special to Detroit Catholic)

    ‘Innovative partnership’ will secure future of Ste. Anne, preserve basilica for generations

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    Michael Reyes interviews Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield about Detroit’s creative arts and culture scene at The Platform this past Monday. Photo by Freddy Torres @Hisoptics

    Detroit’s Cultural Curators Face an Uphill Battle

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    Southwest Detroit’s Cinco de Mayo Parade Prevails Over “Rain and Rumors” to the Enjoyment of Thousands

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Sewing: The Thread That Unites Community and Purpose in SW Detroit

Amber Ogden by Amber Ogden
April 11, 2024
in Community
Reading Time: 3 mins read
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Just three blocks south of the Ambassador Bridge in Southwest Detroit a room full of lively ladies measure their hips and waist. They are preparing for their next sewing project, a maxi skirt. Self-taught seamstress Volencia Simpson, owner and creator of Sew In Detroit, passes out bright, beautiful fabrics and instructs the participants on how to start. Simpson reassures the beginners they can complete this sewing project with no problem, just a needle, and some patience is needed during the Sip N Sew party she occasionally offers.

Simpson started Sew In Detroit in 2018, offering weekly sewing classes every Saturday for all ages and skill levels. Recently, adding Friday night sewing parties, located in the old Latino Family Services building on Fort St and West Grand Blvd., the building still serves as a gathering place for the community. Today, it also serves as an event space, including loft apartments overlooking the Detroit River. 

Simpson believes that sewing is not just a hobby but also a way of life that can provide individuals with a sense of purpose and fulfillment.

“Ever since childhood, I wanted to be a teacher, lawyer, and fashion designer. I’m blessed to have lived a piece of all the titles. I can say I love teaching most of all, and I was trying to figure out how to incorporate my love for fashion into the sewing classes, and that’s how I arrived here,” Simpson says. 

In addition to sewing trends being on the rise, clothing swaps have become more popular as well, like those hosted by Free Market and Spotlite Detroit., Sewing saves money, especially for families with children. But clothing swaps also save money, and you can mend an article of clothing, hem pants, or tailor a jacket without having to pay someone. 

Rey Benedict Pador is an Associate Professor at The College for Creative Studies, where he has been teaching for several years. He is a highly experienced and skilled dressmaker with a deep understanding of the technicalities involved in traditional sewing and stitchwork. He believes these practices are beneficial for the environment.

“I think the state of the world is very important, especially for Gen Z kids who see that the world is burning,” Pador says. “We are living on a burning planet.” According to Royal Waste Services, the fashion industry contributes 97 million pounds of waste that negatively affects Planet Earth. 

”Now, with a growing trend of being more conscious and reusing clothes that are already available, (this) is where we are headed today,” Pador says.

Pador sees a growing trend toward becoming more aware of one’s surroundings. The increase in the number of people making their own clothes can be attributed to the environmental movement and the pandemic, as people were forced to stay home. 

“Even though there were no big events to attend, people tried hand stitching, knitting, or experimenting with wrapping fabric around their bodies and moving away from fast fashion,” Pador says. 

Volencia Simpson says her favorite thing about Sew In Detroit is seeing a room full of ladies eager to learn a new skill and also seeing her young students motivated to start their own fashion lines and businesses. In 2023, Jordin Gaut, a talented 16-year-old designer from the local area, showcased her fashion line, Jacaurtii Cardigans, in the highly competitive Jr. Sharktank competition held in Detroit. Despite the intense competition, Jordin’s unique designs and exceptional creativity earned her a well-deserved spot.

Sew In Detroit offers sewing classes every Saturday for beginners and intermediate levels; no experience is required to sign up. The cost is $35 per class, and over the course of four weeks, students learn everything from operating a sewing machine to creating a finished sewing project. Simpson guides students through every step of the process, ensuring that you have a fun and fulfilling sewing experience. 

Sew In Detroit is located at 3815 W Fort St., Suite 114, Detroit, MI 48216. For more information, call 248-252-7827 or visit www.sewindetroit.weebly.com

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Amber Ogden

Amber Ogden

Amber Ogden is a freelance writer born and raised in Detroit. She has published work in Forbes, Chevy in the D, Model D, and Rachel Ray Every Day. She enjoys art and eating through the city in her free time.

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