DETROIT — During recent evenings at an iconic location in northwest Detroit, many of the elements one might associate with a festive Super Bowl party filled the room: lively conversations, discussions of strategies, brief periods of silence during critical moments. And real food, like baked chicken slathered in barbecue sauce, accompanied by hot side dishes like potatoes and string beans — all in heaping helpings.
But this was no Super Bowl party. And the stakes, for many, are much higher and more personal, not dictated by a date on a calendar or a scoreboard clock.
