Posted by By: Ava Pritchard
Editor: Oliver Hackett and Yanxi Zhou
Ava Pritchard: Where did you grow up and what factors influenced you?
Corey Sims: I grew up in Flint, Michigan, the greatest city to live in back in the 1950s; the auto industry was a hit, and my grandfather worked for General Motors. He was only a janitor, but he brought food to the table and kept a roof over his family’s head. My mom had me at just 18 years old, which was a trend within the area and time period. It was too difficult for her to raise me on my own, so my grandparents took her back in, along with their new grandbaby. There were minimal work opportunities for her, without a high school diploma, so she stayed at home to take care of her children. Because of this, she relied on government assistance to pay bills and put food on the table. There was rarely food to snack on, and they would oftentimes only have one thing without its partner, such as hot dogs without the bun.
AP: What made you decide to leave?
CS: The people who live in Flint are a product of the previous generation living in the area. Most of the kids who graduated in my class had no plans of furthering their education. I noticed that it was a vicious cycle. The decision to work or go away to school was one of the hardest decisions I had ever made, but I ultimately had to put my future first.
AP: How did your family take the news?
CS:I was the first in my family to even receive a high school diploma, so I was nervous about how my family would take the news. I knew they would be proud of me, but I did not want them to feel upset that I was leaving home or even envious of the path I was about to take. The moment I showed my parents the news, I could see the pride in their smiles.
AP: How did you feel about moving away from home?
CS: I have never been away from home more than a few nights, so I was most anxious about getting homesick. I graduated during the pandemic, so I was also nervous about how COVID protocols would affect my education or my living on campus. I was also excited about new beginnings and meeting new people. I have always strived to surround myself with people who had similar goals in life as me, so I was excited to be in an educational environment.
AP: How do your hometown experiences compare to those at Oakland?
CS: Sometimes, it seems like Flint is a whole different state compared to Auburn Hills. The scenery itself proves it. The rundown shops and gang signs graffitied on road signs represent the people who live there. Really, there’s not a whole lot of desire to evolve and prosper. Like I said before, there is a vicious cycle of stagnancy. The environment in Auburn Hills is uplifting, and opportunities are in every direction.
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