In the follow-up event of the Lansing Storytellers project series hosted by the Lansing State Journal, six people told their stories about how they learned to love Lansing—again.
The event was presented with two shows in one night at the Lansing Brewing Company March 19.
Whether they lived in the city their whole lives or moved there from their hometowns, these people tell their stories about what makes Lansing their home.
Former Olympic runner Judi Brown Clarke realized Lansing was her home after running over hurdles on MSU’s track team with former coach Jim Bibbs.
“So, without Lansing, I would have never excelled in track and then all over the world,” Clarke said.
Craig Terrill came back to Lansing after working in Wyoming and Washington, D.C.
Craig Terrill made TV commercials during the recession and when he quit his job, he moved to Wyoming. Later, he moved to Washington, D.C., where he worked in public service. He didn’t like Washington, so he used the skills he learned there and moved back to Lansing.
“I came back and the city’s kind of revitalizing,” Terrill said.
Imani Patterson
Jillian Johnson learned abut many kinds of diversity in Lansing.
Jillian Johnson discovered how diverse Lansing is when she met her best friend in her freshman year of high school. Johnson is black and her best friend is Chinese. Johnson was a Christian and her best friend was of a different religion.
“That was the moment that I realized how unique my experience was at such a young age. I had seen people who didn’t act like me, who didn’t look like me, who didn’t have the same race as me, religion—I had seen it all,” Johnson said.
Other storytellers were Haley Hansen, Cindy Kangas and Mike Marriott.