56 °f
Detroit
EL CENTRAL Hispanic News
  • Home
  • About
    • Introducing the partnership with the Race and Justice reporting Initiative
    • Resources
  • Español
    No Kings and No Crowns, Thousands Rally Against Trump Policies in Southwest Detroit

    No Kings and No Crowns, Thousands Rally Against Trump Policies in Southwest Detroit

    Defensores de los derechos de los inmigrantes piden a legisladores de Michigan que condenen la detención de un estudiante de Detroit por parte de ICE

    Defensores de los derechos de los inmigrantes piden a legisladores de Michigan que condenen la detención de un estudiante de Detroit por parte de ICE

    Panamá

    Panamá

    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

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

    Make-A-Wish Michigan Needs Spanish-speaking Volunteers

    El Salvador

    El Salvador

    Detroit hosts national conference on welcoming immigrants

    Detroit hosts national conference on welcoming immigrants

    Guyana

    Guyana

    Medicaid Cuts Threaten Detroit’s Healthcare Safety Net

    Medicaid Cuts Threaten Detroit’s Healthcare Safety Net

  • Community
    Bagley Arts Alley Celebrates Detroit’s Multicultural Roots, Opens June 28

    Bagley Arts Alley Celebrates Detroit’s Multicultural Roots, Opens June 28

    Sam Allen

    Tigers vs. Reds Negro Leagues Day

    No Kings and No Crowns, Thousands Rally Against Trump Policies in Southwest Detroit

    No Kings and No Crowns, Thousands Rally Against Trump Policies in Southwest Detroit

    The Nuevo Comienzo Class of 2025.

    Wayne State’s 2025 El Nuevo Comienzo Celebration

    What to Do When Detroit Air Is Polluted with Wildfire Smoke

    Balancing safety and community in Southwest Detroit: Lessons from Clark Park’s revitalization

    Community Volunteer Rhianna Morgan, wearing a bandana, assists visitors in identifying native plants. The garden includes species chosen for their ecological and medicinal value.

    Faith and Sustainability: A Rain Garden on Sacred Ground

    What to Do When Detroit Air Is Polluted with Wildfire Smoke

    What to Do When Detroit Air Is Polluted with Wildfire Smoke

    “No Kings” Rally Planned at Clark Park and Across America

    “No Kings” Rally Planned at Clark Park and Across America

    Defensores de los derechos de los inmigrantes piden a legisladores de Michigan que condenen la detención de un estudiante de Detroit por parte de ICE

    Defensores de los derechos de los inmigrantes piden a legisladores de Michigan que condenen la detención de un estudiante de Detroit por parte de ICE

  • 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

    Attendees of Youth In Action for Immigration’s conference gather together for a group photo. Photo by Ixel Garcia and Evelyn Garcia

    Immigration Conference Inspires Catholic High School Students to Take Action

    Co-writer and lead actor Alex Ruiz anticipates production of the film Love & Detroit during a recent Investor's Pitch. El co-guionista y actor principal Alex Ruiz anticipa la producción de la pelicula Love & Detroit durante un reciente Investor's Pitch

    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

  • Opinion
  • Culture & Arts
    • All
    • World Cultures
    Bagley Arts Alley Celebrates Detroit’s Multicultural Roots, Opens June 28

    Bagley Arts Alley Celebrates Detroit’s Multicultural Roots, Opens June 28

    Kikapú

    Kikapú

    Nicaragua

    Nicaragua

    Panamá

    Panamá

    Movement Detroit 2025

    Movement Detroit 2025

    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

    “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran” Tour Makes Memorable Stop in Detroit

    “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran” Tour Makes Memorable Stop in Detroit

    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

    Uruguay

    Uruguay

    • World Cultures
  • Latest Issue
  • Past Issues
    • Throwbacks
  • Events
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • en English
    • en English
    • es Spanish
No Result
View All Result
EL CENTRAL Hispanic News
  • Home
  • About
    • Introducing the partnership with the Race and Justice reporting Initiative
    • Resources
  • Español
    No Kings and No Crowns, Thousands Rally Against Trump Policies in Southwest Detroit

    No Kings and No Crowns, Thousands Rally Against Trump Policies in Southwest Detroit

    Defensores de los derechos de los inmigrantes piden a legisladores de Michigan que condenen la detención de un estudiante de Detroit por parte de ICE

    Defensores de los derechos de los inmigrantes piden a legisladores de Michigan que condenen la detención de un estudiante de Detroit por parte de ICE

    Panamá

    Panamá

    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

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

    Make-A-Wish Michigan Needs Spanish-speaking Volunteers

    El Salvador

    El Salvador

    Detroit hosts national conference on welcoming immigrants

    Detroit hosts national conference on welcoming immigrants

    Guyana

    Guyana

    Medicaid Cuts Threaten Detroit’s Healthcare Safety Net

    Medicaid Cuts Threaten Detroit’s Healthcare Safety Net

  • Community
    Bagley Arts Alley Celebrates Detroit’s Multicultural Roots, Opens June 28

    Bagley Arts Alley Celebrates Detroit’s Multicultural Roots, Opens June 28

    Sam Allen

    Tigers vs. Reds Negro Leagues Day

    No Kings and No Crowns, Thousands Rally Against Trump Policies in Southwest Detroit

    No Kings and No Crowns, Thousands Rally Against Trump Policies in Southwest Detroit

    The Nuevo Comienzo Class of 2025.

    Wayne State’s 2025 El Nuevo Comienzo Celebration

    What to Do When Detroit Air Is Polluted with Wildfire Smoke

    Balancing safety and community in Southwest Detroit: Lessons from Clark Park’s revitalization

    Community Volunteer Rhianna Morgan, wearing a bandana, assists visitors in identifying native plants. The garden includes species chosen for their ecological and medicinal value.

    Faith and Sustainability: A Rain Garden on Sacred Ground

    What to Do When Detroit Air Is Polluted with Wildfire Smoke

    What to Do When Detroit Air Is Polluted with Wildfire Smoke

    “No Kings” Rally Planned at Clark Park and Across America

    “No Kings” Rally Planned at Clark Park and Across America

    Defensores de los derechos de los inmigrantes piden a legisladores de Michigan que condenen la detención de un estudiante de Detroit por parte de ICE

    Defensores de los derechos de los inmigrantes piden a legisladores de Michigan que condenen la detención de un estudiante de Detroit por parte de ICE

  • 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

    Attendees of Youth In Action for Immigration’s conference gather together for a group photo. Photo by Ixel Garcia and Evelyn Garcia

    Immigration Conference Inspires Catholic High School Students to Take Action

    Co-writer and lead actor Alex Ruiz anticipates production of the film Love & Detroit during a recent Investor's Pitch. El co-guionista y actor principal Alex Ruiz anticipa la producción de la pelicula Love & Detroit durante un reciente Investor's Pitch

    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

  • Opinion
  • Culture & Arts
    • All
    • World Cultures
    Bagley Arts Alley Celebrates Detroit’s Multicultural Roots, Opens June 28

    Bagley Arts Alley Celebrates Detroit’s Multicultural Roots, Opens June 28

    Kikapú

    Kikapú

    Nicaragua

    Nicaragua

    Panamá

    Panamá

    Movement Detroit 2025

    Movement Detroit 2025

    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

    “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran” Tour Makes Memorable Stop in Detroit

    “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran” Tour Makes Memorable Stop in Detroit

    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

    Uruguay

    Uruguay

    • World Cultures
  • Latest Issue
  • Past Issues
    • Throwbacks
  • Events
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • en English
    • en English
    • es Spanish
No Result
View All Result
EL CENTRAL Hispanic News
No Result
View All Result

Books Open a World of Possibilities

History Teacher Mike Cruz:

EL CENTRAL by EL CENTRAL
May 15, 2025
in Community, Education, Resources
Reading Time: 3 mins read
Home Community
ShareShareTweetEmail to a friend
  • William Bowles
  • May 15, 2025

All Western International High School history teacher Mike Cruz wanted to do was to read a book. If not for a book, he might have been killed. Cruz was a reader, but reading books was not an acceptable pastime for a young man in Southwest Detroit in the 1980s when running drugs often held more allure. Cruz recounts the night when his drug-dealing best friend was shot dead. “I would have been standing next to him,” Cruz said. But Cruz was at home turning the pages of a book. “Books saved my life,” he said.

Western International High School history teacher Mike Cruz
Western International High School history teacher Mike Cruz

Cruz’s family did not expect him to attend college. Making money was all that mattered. So Cruz worked on the line at the Wayne Assembly Plant and made good money. But something was not right. For a man with a curious mind and a restless intellect, factory work was a stultifying routine, a soul-destroying dead end. To sustain his mind and spirit, Cruz read books — a paragraph at a time — in the seconds between his tasks on the line. After nine years, Cruz had read hundreds of books while earning three college degrees in his off hours.

One day, toward the end of his shift at 4 a.m., Cruz had an “aha” moment. He was reading a short article in the New Yorker about a conversation between Joseph Heller, author of the bestseller Catch-22, and the celebrated writer Kurt Vonnegut. Vonnegut told Heller that their party host, a hedge fund manager, had made more money in a single day than Heller had earned from all sales of his wildly popular novel. Heller responded, “Yes, but I have something he will never have — enough.”

Cruz had also had enough, so he took a big pay cut and became a history teacher and embraced greater metro Detroit as his classroom: Third Man Records, where his students wrote and recorded their own music; Roosevelt Proxy (near Michigan Central Station), where students teamed up with entrepreneurs and graduate students at Lawrence Technological University in Southfield to design and build a shipping container business; and independent local bookstores, such as Book Suey, Pages Bookshop, John King Books, and Literati Bookstore in Ann Arbor.

Visiting bookstores was revelatory to his teens, many of whom had read little else than the drab, colorless language in textbooks. Indeed, most students had neither been to a bookstore nor owned a book. Visiting bookstores “normalized” reading as a legitimate and worthwhile pursuit, said Cruz, who founded Breaking the Cycle with Books, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting reading to urban students. “They get to be in a space with others who love reading and love books,” said veteran Western English teacher and book advocate Tara Baker, who has long supported Cruz and his students.

Mr. Cruz's students at Literati Bookstore in Ann Arbor
Mr. Cruz’s students at Literati Bookstore in Ann Arbor

When his students visited Literati Bookstore in Ann Arbor and saw their fellow teens engrossed in books and reading and while lounging on the grass at the campus of the University of Michigan, they “no longer felt alone,” said Cruz. They felt, “I belong, too.” Bre Caban is one of Cruz’s many students who found the trips to bookstores transformative. She met people who “think the way I do, who have a love for literature,” she said. Caban went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in English at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. “Getting lost in a book allows you to travel,” said Caban.

As Baker reflected on her visits with students to the bookstores, she mused, “It’s my chicken soup for the soul moment of the year.”

Tags: educationteachersyouth
Previous Post

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

Next Post

Guyana

EL CENTRAL

EL CENTRAL

Related Posts

Bagley Arts Alley Celebrates Detroit’s Multicultural Roots, Opens June 28
Community

Bagley Arts Alley Celebrates Detroit’s Multicultural Roots, Opens June 28

by EL CENTRAL
June 19, 2025
0

Celebrate the unveiling of Bagley Arts Alley on June 28 in Southwest Detroit—murals, mosaics, and culture honoring Mexicantown’s rich multicultural...

Read moreDetails
Sam Allen
Community

Tigers vs. Reds Negro Leagues Day

by EL CENTRAL
June 19, 2025
0

The Tigers honored Negro League legend Ron “Schoolboy” Teasley in a special ceremony, celebrating Detroit’s rich baseball history and Teasley’s...

Read moreDetails
No Kings and No Crowns, Thousands Rally Against Trump Policies in Southwest Detroit
Community

No Kings and No Crowns, Thousands Rally Against Trump Policies in Southwest Detroit

by Juanita Zuniga
June 19, 2025
0

Thousands marched in Detroit for the #NoKings rally, joining 2,000+ protests nationwide to reject Trump’s policies and defend democracy, DEI,...

Read moreDetails
The Nuevo Comienzo Class of 2025.
Community

Wayne State’s 2025 El Nuevo Comienzo Celebration

by EL CENTRAL
June 19, 2025
0

Wayne State’s El Nuevo Comienzo celebrated Latina/o/x and Native grads with culture, community, and pride, honoring Detroit's vibrant Latino heritage.

Read moreDetails
Defensores de los derechos de los inmigrantes piden a legisladores de Michigan que condenen la detención de un estudiante de Detroit por parte de ICE
Community

Defensores de los derechos de los inmigrantes piden a legisladores de Michigan que condenen la detención de un estudiante de Detroit por parte de ICE

by EL CENTRAL
June 12, 2025
0

Detroit teen faces ICE deportation before graduation. Advocates push for release as Maykol, 3.5 credits from his diploma, fights to...

Read moreDetails
What to Do When Detroit Air Is Polluted with Wildfire Smoke
Community

What to Do When Detroit Air Is Polluted with Wildfire Smoke

by EL CENTRAL
June 12, 2025
0

Wildfire smoke harms everyone—but hits vulnerable groups hardest. Learn who’s at risk and how to protect your health with expert...

Read moreDetails
Next Post
Guyana

Guyana

Leave Comment
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Volunteers Needed for Refugee Resettlement in Michigan

Volunteers Needed for Refugee Resettlement in Michigan

February 14, 2024
Southwest Celebrates Cinco de Mayo

Why We Celebrate “CINCO DE MAYO, THE 5TH OF MAY”

May 2, 2024
MSHDA Opens $60 Million MI Neighborhood Applications

MSHDA Opens $60 Million MI Neighborhood Applications

April 4, 2024
Infamous Highwaymen Motorcycle Club Leader Pursues a Second Chance at Life

Infamous Highwaymen Motorcycle Club Leader Pursues a Second Chance at Life

February 1, 2024
Community and RuboFest 2022 

Community and RuboFest 2022 

0
“Vemos a México como un socio igualitario”

“Vemos a México como un socio igualitario”

0
Ford Hispanic and Latino Network Beautifies Clark Park

Ford Hispanic and Latino Network Beautifies Clark Park

0
Editorial Opinion “The Fifth, I take the Fifth”

Editorial Opinion “The Fifth, I take the Fifth”

0
DCFC Struggles Continue 

DCFC Struggles Continue 

June 19, 2025
Bagley Arts Alley Celebrates Detroit’s Multicultural Roots, Opens June 28

Bagley Arts Alley Celebrates Detroit’s Multicultural Roots, Opens June 28

June 19, 2025
DCFC vs Santos Laguna- Friendly Match

Detroit City Football Club to Welcome Club Santos Laguna to Keyworth Stadium

June 19, 2025
Why Standing Up Against Trump is Good for Business

Why Standing Up Against Trump is Good for Business

June 19, 2025

Recent News

DCFC Struggles Continue 

DCFC Struggles Continue 

June 19, 2025
Bagley Arts Alley Celebrates Detroit’s Multicultural Roots, Opens June 28

Bagley Arts Alley Celebrates Detroit’s Multicultural Roots, Opens June 28

June 19, 2025
DCFC vs Santos Laguna- Friendly Match

Detroit City Football Club to Welcome Club Santos Laguna to Keyworth Stadium

June 19, 2025
Why Standing Up Against Trump is Good for Business

Why Standing Up Against Trump is Good for Business

June 19, 2025
EL CENTRAL Hispanic News

Michigans #1. Oldest. Largest & Only
Bilingual Hispanic News for 33 Years.

Follow Us

Browse by Category

  • Business
  • Classifieds
  • Community
  • Culture & Arts
  • Education
  • Entrepreneurs
  • Español
  • Events
  • Featured
  • Finance
  • Food
  • Latest News
  • Local News
  • Local Small Business
  • Music
  • National News
  • Opinion
  • Others
  • People
  • Politics
  • Resources
  • Restaurants
  • Sports
  • Throwbacks
  • World
  • World Cultures

Recent News

DCFC Struggles Continue 

DCFC Struggles Continue 

June 19, 2025
Bagley Arts Alley Celebrates Detroit’s Multicultural Roots, Opens June 28

Bagley Arts Alley Celebrates Detroit’s Multicultural Roots, Opens June 28

June 19, 2025
  • Latest Issue
  • About
  • Newsletter
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Menu Item
  • Created with EyeBreatheDesign

© 2022 EL CENTRAL HISPANIC NEWS

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Catagories
    • Featured
    • Local News
    • Community
    • Culture & Arts
    • Español
    • Music
    • Sports
  • Events
  • Latest Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Contact
  • Advertise

© 2022 EL CENTRAL HISPANIC NEWS