Update: Since the writing of this piece, on May 8, 2023, Lyndsay was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for her words published in the Detroit Free Press. Though she did not win the award, it is an honor to be recognized for her work. Our most heartfelt congratulations.
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Imagine being so unique that you’re easily forgotten. That’s the feeling Lyndsay Green has continued to experience as the relatively new food critic at the Detroit Free Press. In her position it is customary to keep a low profile as to not draw any special treatment and to review the dining experience without being swayed. The elephant in the room though is that she is a Black woman, with hair that has been blonde, afroed and everything in between. She has had personal connections and conversations with chefs and owners, only for them to forget her the very next day. And it has left her in many ways, feeling invisible. That comforting sense of familiarity – a smile across the room, a knowing look or a slight tilt of the head, are all elements missing from her interactions with many in the food industry.
Detroit has long been known as a Chocolate City, one where Black people have been the majority and have heavily influenced its culture. In the last 10-12 years or so though, the landscape has started to change. I have had out of towners tell me, oh Detroit is getting better isn’t it?! It’s a loaded question for me though, a native of the city.
The idea that Lyndsay, a Black woman is now the stranger in a city whose restaurant industry has become increasingly White-run has flipped the balance of the scales. And while she may not be native to Detroit, neither are they. But some would say her Blackness would make her an honorary Detroit before them.
I sat in a private dinner recently where Lyndsay was introduced and said a few words. And while I didn’t have a chance to talk with her that night, I absolutely took note of the fact that she was a Black woman. She was small statured like me but felt like she had important things to share. We have chatted briefly on the socials and I hope to meet her soon. And when I do, I’ll absolutely recall who she is.
Head to the Detroit Free Press for Lyndsay’s moving piece in her own words.