Where we come from is knit together by a constellation of people, animals, plants, soil, stories—a textured weave of relations that form our sense of place and self. For Alice James, founder of About Face Detroit, place is both something we inherit and something we create. Placemaking happens in the space between where we come from and what we believe we can become.
Alice grew up on Detroit's east side, a place she left and returned to after decades away. Back on familiar soil, she found herself immersed in dense layers of historical context. Amid old stories and wilted promises, there were persistent signs of vibrancy: a thriving network of people dedicated to their homes, their blocks, and their neighborhood. Yet, despite the abundance of community care, this place bore the wear of time.
With her two daughters, Jade and Mina, Alice formed a nonprofit to respond to the needs around them. About Face Detroit was formed to cultivate beauty, dignity, and structural sustainability. With Alice as the visionary and her daughters as the hands, they brought the power of family to bear on the future of their community. Together, they now work to transform the soil, structures, and stories around them.
About Face Detroit turns neglected spaces into sites of devotion through home repair, urban gardening, and litter clean-ups. Each project layers into the next, modeling a placemaking practice that connects sustained relationships with sustainable restoration.
In this conversation, Alice reflects on her roots and the collective power of community care.
