Lifelong Detroiter Jerrylyn Cope Howard joins us to share what it's really been like to grow up, raise a family, and stay rooted in the city for decades.

From Hudson's and Kresge's ice cream waffle sandwiches to the 1967 uprising, STRESS and the Big Four, legendary nightclubs, Gantos at Northland Mall, and today's rooftop bars, she traces how Detroit has changed — and why she still loves it.

We get stories about Brightmoor, parenting a kid with a big vocabulary (our own Norris Howard), and what it means to move beyond Motown nostalgia and look to the future... while still holding on to the good memories.

This is the beginning of an occasional series on Detroiters, focusing on those not always lifted up in the media.

Feedback as always — dailydetroit - at - gmail - dot - com or leave a voicemail, 313-789-3211.