It was a hot summer evening late last month when I and sixty other people gathered in Hamtramck's Zussman Park for a walking tour of our Inside|Out art works installed in that city within a city. Inside|Out, sponsored by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, places high quality reproductions of DIA masterpieces into communities around Metro Detroit and in select cities across the state. Interestingly, half the people in attendance were not from Hamtramck. Before starting the tour, I humorously indicated that it was only for residents. I was, of course, pleased to see that art brings people together and attracted individuals beyond Hamtramck. We had nine Inside|Out pieces spread throughout the city, representing artists from three continents: North America, Europe, and Asia. We try to be as diverse as possible in our selection of artworks so we can mirror the communities we visit. In Michigan, Hamtramck is perhaps the epitome of diversity: at least twenty-six languages are spoken, more than four religious are present, and residents come from all over the world (Bosnia, Albania, Bangladesh, Poland, Yemen, Pakistan, among many other places). A particularly apropos place to celebrate June as Immigrant Heritage Month.

Walking and talking about art and life with the people of Hamtramck and beyond was simply a pleasure. I am also an immigrant--from Spain--and I felt like a fish in water during the tour. Many participants had questions and comments about the works on view. The conversation became very rich, fostering an opportunity to learn a multiplicity of perspectives---one of the benefits of diversity. We stopped in front of a reproduction of a Mughal painting, and I asked a young man whom I had just met, Razi, from India, to help me out with his comments about the painting. How lucky we are to have great local expertise. We were able to establish a good dynamic and informative dialogue with our fellow "tourists."

After more than an hour walking in the summer heat, the tour ended up at an ice cream social organized by our friends from the city at the Hamtramck Historical Museum. The walking art tour, engaging conversations, and exposure to an incredible community has been one of the most meaningful experiences I have had since I moved to the United States. After exploring the Inside|Out pieces, you are all welcome to come and visit the DIA to see the works of art in the flesh, so to speak, using your free tri-county admission. In the meantime, the DIA will continue to reach out beyond the museum's walls. We are more than a museum; we strive to facilitate a dialogue, improve understanding among our communities, and elevate the unifying power of diversity within the framework of our extraordinary world-class collection. Please remember, the DIA has something for everyone, from Hamtramck and beyond.