NEWS & VIEWS
Feedback
We received lots of comments in response to Lee DeVito’s column, “Help us, Gretchen Whitmer. You’re our only hope.” The column was published amid growing calls among Democrats for President Joe Biden to resign following worrying signs of cognitive decline during the first presidential debate.
So what if Biden didn’t put on a strongman act at the debate? Let’s not make snap decisions. No one can show their total self in a few hours. It takes a long time to know a person and their voting record. Biden just gave us a Green New Deal last year. He is an A1 president because of his decades of experience. Besides, he has many good advisors. A president is never a one-man show. —Brian Taylor, voicemail
Elections aren’t won off of debates. Obama bombed his first debate. Hillary won all three. Calm down. Biden had best fundraising AFTER the debate. —@mrsgrandebouche, Instagram
That dude was disastrous for the D party. What an absolute embarrassment. He couldn’t even finish his thought. I fully understand hating Trump so much that people had to vote for anyone running last election but.... this is an absolute joke.
Tom Blicharz, Facebook
I love Whitmer. She would be great in the White House. But… 90 mins does not mean failure!! Goes to show, Dems want to cross you out for 1 mistake, the Repulsive Republicans are holding on to their convicted felon no matter what. Where’s our Democratic loyalty to a
decent man who’s had served 50 years in the White House? Y’all are sick and sad. —@mbrad1017, Instagram
What are we actually suggesting? A switcheroo? DNC should’ve run her in the primary — with other candidates — so the voters could decide. I don’t feel comfortable at all with us just knighting someone in Biden’s place. This is what comes of the hubris of not acknowledging and facing Biden’s weaknesses at the start. Frustrating! —@michmobi, Instagram
Someone I could actually feel good about voting for FOR ONCE —@mattallica313, Instagram
100%. Last night was a disgrace and we should all be alarmed about both of these turds —@alexander___1.5, Instagram
Naw, this ain’t it. She’s a neoliberal corporate shill. She hasn’t said a word about the g e n o c i d e either. —@detroit.rust.belt.buckle, Instagram
Big Gretch for 2028! —@clshelto123, Instagram
What’s her golf handicap tho?? —Michael Martin, Facebook
For what it’s worth, I no longer believe a new candidate should be selected in an open convention at the DNC. I now believe Biden should either resign or be removed via the 25th Amendment, and Vice President Kamala Harris should become the first woman president in the U.S.
—Lee DeVito, editor-in-chief
Sound off: letters@metrotimes.com
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NEWS & VIEWS
Marianne Williamson calls for Biden to step down
Among the growing chorus of voices calling for President Joe Biden to drop out of the 2024 election amid signs of deteriorating health is Marianne Williamson, the best-selling self-help author and former Detroitarea megachurch leader.
In a statement published following Biden’s poor performance at the first 2024 presidential debate, Williamson said that her on-again, off-again longshot campaign is back on.
“President Biden deserves our respect, our compassion, and our gratitude,” Williamson said in a statement. “The debate last week, however, made clear that the time is now for another Democratic candidate to take his place on the November ballot.”
Calls for Biden to step down started immediately after he took the stage at the first presidential debate in Atlanta on June 27. Though Biden’s campaign requested the unusually early debate to try to shore up support ahead of August’s Democratic National Convention and the November election, the plan backfired when the 81-year-old Biden appeared frail and unable to form complete sentences — raising questions about the president’s health and a possible White House coverup. Biden has given fewer press appearances than any U.S. president in modern history,
turning down the traditional televised interview before the Super Bowl for two consecutive years.
Like others, Williamson, 71, has called for Biden’s replacement to be chosen during an open convention to be held at the DNC.
“The nominating process for the Democratic Party needs to begin again,” Williamson said. “We need to recalibrate, and we need to do so quickly. Over the next two months we need to do what we should have been doing over the last year and a half: engaging in a robust conversation about this country and how we’re going to beat Donald Trump in November. Today I throw my hat in the ring. We need to have an exciting campaign and an open convention in August.”
Williamson boasted that she received more than half a million votes in the primary election. She suspended the Williamson 2024 campaign in early February only to “unsuspend” it three weeks later, saying that the BidenTrump rematch was like “watching a car crash in slow motion.” Williamson withdrew from the race again on June 11, after the primary elections were held.
In her statement, Williamson called for “a genuinely democratic process” that should “not be manipulated by party and media elites.”
She also said her campaign is animated by Americans’ desire for something different.
“I traveled throughout the United States for over a year, gaining personal experience of ravages of both body and soul in communities throughout this country,” she said, adding, “I know how desperately people in this country want change.”
Williamson’s campaign platform includes Medicare for All, tuition-free higher education, affordable housing, and a guaranteed living wage. She has also released an “Economic Bill of Rights,” or what she calls a “vision for a moral economy.”
Previously, Williamson has also called for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Following the debate, Democrats have begun eyeing other presidential candidate alternatives including Michigan’s Governor Gretchen Whitmer, a co-chair of Biden’s reelection campaign who has publicly stated that she continues to stand by him.
Biden’s supporters have maintained that it is too late to switch candidates, and Biden has vowed to stay in the race. However, a recent CNN poll found a majority of voters say the Democratic Party would have a better shot at winning the presidency with someone other than Biden at the top of the
ticket.
Williamson rose to prominence as a spiritual leader for celebrities in New York City and Los Angeles. In the ’90s and early 2000s, she led the Church of Today in Warren.
She was one of a crowded field of Democrats to run for president in 2020, and was the first to announce a run against the incumbent Biden in the 2024 election.
“We need to revive the spirit of the American people at a moment when hopelessness is rampant,” she said.
“For the last forty years I have worked closely with people whose lives were in trouble, and I know something about restoring faith in what’s possible. As a writer, speaker, entrepreneur, and nonprofit activist, I have reached millions of people who were looking for hope that things could be better in their lives. I have helped provide that hope. I will provide it as a candidate and as President of the United States.”
She added, “A government ‘of the people, by the people, and for the people’ has been replaced by a government ‘of the donors, by the lobbyists, and for the corporations.’ We the People will no longer tolerate this. The political industrial complex has had its way with us for far too long. It’s our turn now.”
—Lee DeVito
The former Detroit-area megachurch leader’s on-again, off-again campaign is back on.
Detroiters left in the dark about mass shooting
The bodies were cold by the time Detroiters learned that a mass shooting wounded 19 people and killed two others at a block party early Sunday morning.
There were no press conferences or social media posts alerting residents about one of the worst mass shootings in Detroit’s history.
Never mind that the gunman or gunmen were still on the loose, as of Sunday evening.
The shooting occurred at about 2:30 a.m. on Rossini near Gratiot.
In any other city, it’s unimaginable that residents wouldn’t be alerted to such a horrific event.
But this is Detroit, where the narrative of a comeback city leaves no space for acknowledging the grim truths about persistent gun violence.
It’s at least the third mass shooting in Detroit since June 1. On June 15, five people were shot at a party on the city’s east side. The shooting occurred on a Saturday, but it wasn’t until the next Monday that police addressed the violence at a news conference.
By contrast, nine people were wounded at a splash pad in suburban Rochester Hills, and police immediately alerted the public on social media, news releases, and a press conference.
“Now we have the largest mass shooting in recent history, and I’m reading the national news before the mayor or police chief say anything,” Detroit Police Commissioner Ricardo Moore tells Metro Times. “I’m beginning to think our leadership only works Monday through Friday.”
Moore, who is elected to oversee the police department, says Detroit leaders owe it to residents to be honest about gun violence.
“The problem is the normalcy of these shootings,” Moore says. “Come January 1, the police will say crime is down and then we’ll start all over again. Funeral homes, hospitals, and florists are the only people who profit from Detroit crime.”
On Sunday morning, a Fox 2 reporter stood outside the site of the mass shooting on Rossini but couldn’t get information from police about what happened. It wasn’t until about 10:15 a.m. — or nearly 8 hours after the violence broke out — that the television news station finally confirmed there was a mass shooting.
And it wasn’t until 11:35 a.m. that the public learned the shooter or shooters were still on the loose. And that information came in a social media post by the Michigan State Police.
“Currently, there is no one in custody,” MSP wrote, referring reporters to Detroit police for further information.
Later in the day, the city announced there would be a news conference with DPD Chief James White and Mayor Mike Duggan, but not until 11 a.m. Monday.
“The violence at several block parties over the last three days has been heartbreaking for this city,” Duggan said in a statement to Metro Times.
“Young people and innocent neighbors are being put at risk every weekend. Chief White and I will hold a full briefing tomorrow to discuss this spike in violence at these events and our plans to address it.”
At 3:12 p.m., Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield released a statement, one that had more information than anything released by the police or mayor.
“I was saddened and utterly disgusted to learn of today’s early morning mass shooting on Detroit’s east side, where 21 young people, average age of 19, were shot with two of them succumbing to their injuries,” Sheffield said. “This unspeakable tragedy is yet another reminder that gun violence is an epidemic in Detroit and across this Nation. We must chart a new course of action and I’m calling for an all-hands-on-deck approach to ending the senseless killings and destruction of families in our community. My heart and prayers go out to the victims and their loved ones.”
Metro Times called DPD at 10 a.m. Monday and asked if the suspect or suspects were still on the loose.
“You’ll have to come to the press conference,” the officer said.
Detroiters deserve better. Their lives matter.
—Steve Neavling
Air quality among world’s worst after 4th of July
After an abundance of backyard fireworks across Detroit to celebrate the Fourth of July, the sky looked hazy, the air smelled smoky, and the city was determined to be the most polluted in the country, according to data by IQ Air.
For a short period late Thursday and early Friday, Detroit had the worst air quality in the world.
Shortly after we fell to fourth place, following cities in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and Pakistan. The only other U.S. city in the top ten was Los Angeles, ranked seventh.
Fireworks, whether seeminglyharmless sparklers or large overhead explosions, release combustion particles and gasses into the air, which can travel for miles on wind currents, according to IQ Air. This causes air pollution to be up to ten times higher during fireworks shows than usual, mainly due to black powder and colorants.
As of Friday morning, Detroit’s overall air quality index score was 139, which is unhealthy for sensitive groups. Many areas of the city, however, saw pollution levels as high as 193, falling under the category of “unhealthy for all.”
The most polluted Detroit air quality stations were Mapleridge, Gratiot Town/Ketterring, 294 Riverside Dr., Lafayette Park, Airport Sub, and Eliza Howell-Roadway. Most of Grosse Pointe was also heavily polluted.
A full Detroit-area air quality map is available on IQ Air’s website.
IQ Air encourages people to protect themselves from poor air by monitoring air quality, closing doors and windows, wearing masks when outdoors, and using air purifiers inside.
—Layla McMurtrie
Study: Detroit second most stressed city in U.S.
You’re not alone. Apparently, Detroiters are among the most stressed people in the nation.
The city was ranked second among the most stressed major cities in the U.S., according to a new study conducted by WalletHub. Only Cleveland, Ohio, is more stressed than Detroit, which is followed by Baltimore and Memphis.
To make the list, WalletHub analyzed over 180 cities across 39 key metrics, including average weekly work hours, unemployment rate, and divorce and suicide rates. Each city was then given a ranking for work stress, financial stress, family stress, and health and safety stress.
Detroit ranked 44th in work stress, 9th in financial stress, and 4th in family stress. It topped the list for health and safety stress. More specifically, the study states that Detroit has the highest unemployment rate, poverty rate, and divorce rate in the country. Detroit also has the lowest median household income after adjusting to cost of living and a very low median credit score. People in Detroit aren’t very physically active either, with the city having the second highest obesity rate. Plus, Detroiters get the least amount of sleep at night compared to other U.S. cities in the study.
Grand Rapids, the only other Michigan city on the list, ranked 157th.
The full study is available on wallethub.com.
—Layla McMurtrie
Only inner-city YMCA ends daycare and preschool
In a letter to local families last week, the YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit announced the closure of The Boll Family Early Learning Center at Detroit’s Boll Family YMCA due to “a combination of factors that make its operations unsustainable.”
While the programs will continue through August 30 to allow families time to find alternative care, unfortunately, many childcare centers have wait lists that are months or even years long.
Located right downtown, the Boll Family YMCA is Detroit’s only inner-city YMCA,
and childcare options in the area are few and far between.
“We understand this is a difficult and unexpected change for everyone,” the letter says. “We share the sadness of closing a program that has profoundly impacted the lives of so many children and families over the years. We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to our families and staff who have been integral to our program efforts.”
The YMCA further explained that the local early learning center has seen a decline in enrollment since the
pandemic. Despite efforts to sustain operations, it is currently operating at just 50% capacity.
However, The Boll Family YMCA will continue to offer a range of family programs including swim lessons, dance, karate, and various sports activities.
To assist families in finding new childcare options moving forward, the announcement also included a comprehensive list of childcare centers, in-home daycare providers, and other community-based childcare options.
—Layla McMurtrie
Racial discrimination lawsuit filed against Shinola Hotel
A Black Detroiter has sued the city’s Shinola Hotel for racial discrimination, alleging the luxury hotel responded to his resume only after he reapplied with a whitesounding name.
The lawsuit was filed last week by Marko Law, PLLC.
According to the suit, Dwight Jackson, 27, has “extensive work experience in hotel hospitality” and applied to the boutique hotel multiple times between January and April 2024 without ever getting an interview.
Jackson then reapplied with the same resume, only he changed his name to “John Jebrowski.” Suddenly he got a callback within a week, according to the lawsuit.
After finally securing an interview for the position, Jackson said he was told he was no longer being considered.
“What’s in a name? Apparently, a lot if you want employment at the Shinola Hotel,” attorney Jon Marko said in a press release. “Studies show that applicants with black-sounding names are less likely to receive an interview when employers are presented with identical resumes. Mr. Jackson’s situation is case on point.”
The lawsuit alleges that the incident is a violation of the Michigan Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act.
Asked for comment, the Shinola Hotel’s operating partner Sage Hospitality responded.
“We take this allegation very seriously and do not tolerate discrimination of any kind,” the
Is Detroit still cheating homeowners on taxes?
Detroit homeowners are nearing the truth about whether their houses are still being overtaxed after the city council last week approved hiring an independent auditor to review property value assessments.
The council unanimously approved a $230,000 contract with the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAC), a Kansas City-based nonprofit research group that focuses on property taxes.
The contract, which was supposed to be passed five months ago, is required under an ordinance passed by the council in November 2023. The property tax ordinance is aimed at determining whether homeowners are being overtaxed.
Between 2010 and 2016, the city of Detroit overtaxed homeowners by at least $600 million. The Michigan Constitution prohibits property from being assessed at more than 50% of its market value. Between 2010 and 2016,
the city assessed properties at as much as 85% of their market value.
While Mayor Mike Duggan’s administration says the property assessments have been fixed and are now fair, a recent study suggests the city is cheating lower-income residents by illegally and disproportionately overtaxing homes worth less than $35,000. The study, released in March by the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy, claimed the city overassessed the value of 72% of the homes worth less than $34,700. By contrast, a vast majority of the homes worth more than $35,000 were not overassed, according to the study.
Duggan’s administration vehemently rejected the study’s findings, saying the city’s assessments are accurate.
In a statement to Metro Times in March, Detroit Assessor Alvin Horhn dismissed the claims in the study as “utter nonsense” and “politically driven,” saying that “any claim that homes today
are systematically overassessed is just false.”
Bernadette Atuahene, a property law scholar who has studied Detroit’s property tax foreclosure crisis, says she and other activists with the Coalition for Property Tax Justice, are “overjoyed” by the council’s action. She contends the independent analysis will substantiate the University of Chicago’s study and force the city to reform assessments.
“The key is that you cannot fix a problem until you admit you have one,” Atuahene tells Metro Times. “I hope with the independent evaluator, we all agree on what has been so painfully obvious, we still have a problem, the lower valued homes and Detroit are still being assessed in violation of the Michigan Constitution.”
More than a dozen Detroiters called on the council to approve the contract with IIAC on Tuesday and admonished the Duggan administration for failing to meet the February deadline to hire an
organization said. “We are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where everyone has the opportunity to succeed and are dedicated to building a diverse workforce that reflects the community.”
—Lee DeVito
independent evaluator.
“Passing this contract is long overdue,” Michael Thomas Hart told the council. “City council should pass this, not only because it’s required by law, but also because it’s the right thing to do.”
Duggan’s administration said it would have been nearly impossible to secure the contract in just three months, explaining that the standard procurement process typically takes about six months. The administration also said the city council requested multiple changes, prompting more delays.
Only time will tell whether Detroiters are still being cheated on their taxes.
“The University of Chicago already did the study but Alvin Horne keeps saying that it’s not legitimate,” Atuahene says. “Now that the city is doing the study itself with a trusted entity, the IAAO, he can no longer say the study is illegitimate.”
—Steve Neavling
A Detroit man says his resume was ignored until he reapplied as “John Jebrowski.”
NEWS & VIEWS
Lapointe
In some ways, this campaign feels like 1968 — but we’ve come a long way, baby
By Joe Lapointe
For a change, Rachel Maddow got quickly to the point.
Early in her interview with sex-film performer Stormy Daniels, the often garrulous MSNBC anchor asked Daniels about her tryst with former President Donald Trump and the aftermath of her testimony against Trump in his recent New York trial.
“My mailbox was destroyed,” Daniels told Maddow. “My animals have been injured. My daughter can’t go outside. There’s press and looky-loos. I’m afraid of being followed. And death threats are so much more graphic and detailed and brazen . . . It’s scary.”
Trump is appealing the verdict after being found guilty on 34 counts of laundering hush money to keep Daniels quiet about their affair shortly before he won the 2016 election over the Democrat, Hillary Clinton. It amounted to an illegal campaign contribution.
Trump lost to President Joe Biden in 2020. Although Trump is now a convicted felon, he is expected to be nominated to run against Biden again in November, although such a rematch is not a certainty.
In requesting Daniels to read her previous court testimony, Maddow asked Daniels if it would be “too weird” and Daniels replied: “I’ve done weirder.” She also told of wiping Trump’s semen from her bare leg. And she said latex condoms (Trump wore no condom) make her feel as if “my genitals (are) on fire.”
Too much information? Later, when they returned to Trump’s vows of vengeance against all enemies, Maddow asked Daniels if she feared a Trump re-election.
“Shouldn’t we all be worried about that?” Daniels said.
On one level, last Tuesday’s two-hour conversation between them was merely another plot twist in a campaign that,
in some ways, recalls the bitterness of 1968, when Republican Richard Nixon defeated Hubert Humphrey to replace Lyndon Johnson in the White House.
As is the case now, the Democratic president was considered damaged goods and under pressure from his own party to resign. Also similar to 1968: A Democratic nomination convention is coming up in Chicago. Oh, and there’s a candidate named Robert F. Kennedy, this time Junior, back then, Senior.
But in other, major, respects, the culture around the familiar campaign narrative is much different, in part because Maddow and Daniels are allowed to literally read and write parts of the script. That would not have happened in 1968.
Why not?
Because Maddow is a lesbian, openly gay and proud of it. She is a non-conventional role model for other women and a generational star in her business. And Daniels is a sex worker, a different sort of role model who would not have discussed her business so graphically on the air in 1968.
In fact, back then, both women might have been arrested simply for being who they are, depending on where they were. Now, take it a step further. Not only is Vice-President Kamala Harris female, but also she is a person of color. And her name is often heard as the logical candidate to replace Biden. In 1968, such speculation about such a candidate would’ve been dismissed as a tasteless joke. But not now.
Should Harris become president, she would exemplify long-term success of what was once called “women’s libera-
no doubt next demand a ban on gay marriage.
Already, White Christian nationalists demand displays of the Ten Commandments in every Louisiana school, kindergarten through college. In Oklahoma, right-wingers insist the Bible be taught in public schools.
Across the nation, the deceptivelynamed “school choice” movement demands public tax money to fund classrooms that indoctrinate religious fundamentalism alongside the flag, the Commandments, and the Bible, preferably the edition Trump currently sells.
No doubt there was a copy of the Gideon Bible in Trump’s hotel suite — in the drawer of the end table by the bed — when Trump seduced Daniels in Lake Tahoe at a golf tournament in 2006 while Trump’s current wife recovered from childbirth. Daniels said Trump startled her in several ways.
tion” or “women’s lib.” Now, you hear the term “feminism.” No matter the label, the public presence of people like Harris, Maddow — and, yes, even Daniels — are examples of how the terrain has changed, in this case for the better.
Those of us who were alive 56 years ago (14 presidential elections ago) will recall the limited career options encouraged for young women back then: Nurse, teacher, flight attendant, waitress, telephone operator, entertainer, Miss America, and housewife.
If a woman were part of a TV newscast in 1968, she’d probably be the “weather girl.” That year, a clever advertising slogan — “You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby” — sold “feminine” cigarettes on television commercials, as if smoking would liberate women.
When TV news covered the larger women’s movement in those years, it would sometimes stereotype the “libbers” as angry people burning their bras and demanding abortion, which didn’t become a legal, constitutional right until 1973, five years later.
Which brings us full circle back to those bad, old days now that a Trumppacked Supreme Court has jeopardized the lives and freedom of women with its backlash against Roe v. Wade That came two years ago with a “state’s rights” rationale that tried to hide the true agenda and fooled nobody.
The six reactionary justices won’t stop there and neither will Magat supporters of Trump, who yearn for a nostalgic and imaginary past when America was “great again” under patriarchy and misogyny. Should Trump beat Biden, his “evangelical” mob will
She said she was accustomed to sex when it was prearranged professionally and not sprung as a surprise, as she described Trump’s approach. She said she was accustomed to skin-toskin contact with “ripped young men close to my age.”
Back then, she was 27 years old and Trump was 60. His skin, she said, felt like something she’d never touched before.
“The word I used was, like, ‘crepey,’” Daniels said.
She pronounced it as in “crepe,” the food, not like “creep,” the kind of guy who might brag about grabbing random women by the genitals.
“It was so shocking,” Daniels said. More shocking to right-wing culture warriors might be teaching the Bible itself, as in be careful what you wish for. Consider a 2020 essay by the Biblical scholar and Christian pastor Jeffery Curtis Poor on the web site medium. com headlined “What Does the Bible Say About Sex?”
While stressing that the Bible judges and calls out sin, Poor also writes: “Sex in the Bible is a very common topic. And it’s not just the good of sex or the rules of sex.” According to Poor’s reading, the Bible strongly stresses in graphic terms the downside of sex.
“It tells stories about how sex is used and abused,” Poor writes. “The Bible doesn’t shy away. It talks openly about sex in such detail that would shock most Christians.”
In other words, it’s sort of like reading aloud the transcript of Stormy Daniels on the witness stand. In the Scary New World of the looming Trump II, people like Maddow and Daniels may be spared Trump’s vengeance and allowed to read on TV chapter and verse from the Good Book.
The 2024 campaign in some ways recalls the bitterness of 1968. SHUTTERSTOCK
ne of them is Arab. The other is Jewish. Ismael Ahmed and Don Was are also dear friends, and both yearn for peace.
That’s why the theme of this year’s Don Was Detroit All-Star Revue — the musical performance Was leads as part of Detroit’s celebration of diversity, the Concert of Colors, which was founded by Ahmed — is “Peace, Love, and Understanding.”
The Revue typically serves as a way to shine a light on Detroit artists during the annual world music festival, with previous themes featuring the music of Motown or Iggy Pop. But with the growing conflict in the Middle East, Was says they decided to scrap their previous idea for a theme and focus on world peace instead.
“The guy who’s been running front of house for us and sort of coordinated all the production is named Chris Taylor,” Was explains. “He called me up and he said, ‘Why are you doing that? What we need is peace and love.’ And I just said, ‘Of course.’”
Was continues, “So all the songs touch on it. There’s nothing preachy about it. Again, no one’s taking any sides, except they’re on the side of peace and love as a method for solving big problems.”
“[Violence] is the opposite way to resolve it,” says Ahmed, who was born in Egypt.
Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza in retaliation for its October attack and taking of dozens of hostages has killed nearly 40,000 Palestinians, many of them women and children. A missile response against Israel led by Iran in April
involved more than 16 nations, stoking concerns of the violence exploding into a wider regional war.
“Without going too deep on it, I would say just on a personal level, I’m not a big fan of mixing religion and politics,” Was says. “And I see what’s happening now as being pretty much soul-crushing for everybody. I haven’t talked to anybody who’s not affected by what we’re being bombarded with. It tears everyone apart. I think any event that stresses our commonality is more essential now than ever. And that’s what [the Concert of Colors] does.”
He adds, “We know music works like that. All you have to do is go to a Willie Nelson concert, where you’ll see just a broad spectrum of people all vibing together. And that’s really what we’re going to attempt to do for my little part of it, the Detroit All-Star Revue. The theme is peace and love. … We’re just trying to bring a little comfort and relief for an hour and a half to maybe have a residual effect, and maybe it dawns on people that you can keep that effect going.”
This year’s Detroit All-Star Revue is scheduled from 8-9:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 21 at the DIA’s Detroit Film Theatre, featuring special guests Marshall Crenshaw, Steffanie Chris’tian, Milton Bennet, Herschel Boone, Carolyn Striho, Corktown Popes, Gretchen Gonzalez Davidson, Julie Benjamin, Kara Meister, and Mike E.
It’s part of six days of programming for the free, family-friendly festival,
“I think this is a bringing together of, for want of a better word, the tribes — you know, to celebrate who and what we are, and what we’ve done here in Detroit,” Ahmed says. “It’s a very Detroit thing that opens up the planet to everybody.”
which includes happenings in and around Midtown, as well as other locations in the Detroit area like the Dequindre Cut and Dearborn’s Arab American National Museum.
“Our aim is to bring people together, not to separate [them],” Ahmed says.
“That doesn’t mean that our politicians don’t do their share. You know, music is a great thing, but it is not allpowerful, and even community is not all-powerful. And so I think we’re all wishing that this gets resolved, and that there’s peace, and justice, and kindness, and respect for everybody.”
30 years of promoting diversity
The Concert of Colors launched in 1993 thanks in part to New Detroit, a coalition of corporations and community organizations that were working to fight against the entrenched racial segregation in the region
programs to promote entrepreneurship among minority groups.
Around that time, the city had transformed a former industrial section of the riverfront into Chene Park, now known as the Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre. The city offered the outdoor amphitheater to groups like the Cultural Exchange Committee to promote diversity. Thus, the Concert of Colors was born.
The first festival started with a budget of $100,000. Within a few years, it was drawing tens of thousands of attendees. In 2001, it expanded to three days to coincide with festivities surrounding Detroit’s tricentennial, drawing 100,000 visitors with a budget of more than $1 million and corporate and foundation support.
But by 2006, the partnership with the City of Detroit and the then-Chene Park ended. Fundraising became difficult, and even more so as Detroit fell into the Great Recession. With corporate sponsorships drying up, the Concert of Colors forged new partnerships with organizations like the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Midtown Detroit, Inc., relocating the festival across multiple venues in Midtown all while keeping it free to attend.
The Concert of Colors has now partnered with more than 20 local arts and media organizations, “a grand coalition for progress,” as Ahmed describes it.
“Having to raise the money for this is always a struggle,” Ahmed says. “Each year, we’re not even sure if we can pull it off.” But as he likes to say, “When you don’t have money, you should have friends.”
following the 1967 summer of civil unrest.
“[New Detroit] was sort of a Black and white organization at the time,” Ahmed says. However, in the years following 1967, the Detroit area had become home to increasing numbers of people from other cultures as well, including Arabs, Latinos, and Asians. “Metro Detroit had become much broader than that, with lots of other people of color especially,” he continues. “And the one thing that they all have in common is their cultures.”
Members of these groups had started to come together following the 1982 death of Vincent Chin, a Chinese American autoworker who was killed by two white men on the night of his bachelor party, a vicious attack that occurred amid a backdrop of anti-Asian sentiment as the Detroit auto industry struggled. An organization called the Cultural Exchange Committee began holding cultural events in Detroit’s neighborhoods and working on
Ahmed says the festival’s continued success is the result of the hard work of lots of generous people.
“Everybody is involved, whether you’re Black or white, or Arab, or Jew, or Asian, or Native American,” he adds. “And that’s what we want. We want people to be able to celebrate together to enjoy and respect each other’s cultures, and we want them to get to know each other so that they could work for the progress of all the people of Detroit.”
The power of music
An accomplished musician, producer, and music industry pillar originally hailing from the Detroit area, Was first performed at the Concert of Colors in 2001. He immediately fell in love.
“I’d been living in L.A., and I hadn’t been to the Concert of Colors,” Was says. “It was just the most beautiful afternoon, and it was a peculiarly De -
As in previous years, the 2024 Concert of Colors features music and dance performances from all over the world. COURTESY PHOTO
troit mixture of people. It was a Noah’s Ark.”
Shortly after, Was and Ahmed connected over dinner, and soon found they had much in common. An idea to bring the music of Detroit into the festival was hatched.
“It was basically [an idea] to celebrate the indigenous music of Detroit every year,” Was says. “Within a couple of years, we started the Revue.”
“I think this is a bringing together of, for want of a better word, the tribes — you know, to celebrate who and what we are, and what we’ve done here in Detroit,” Ahmed says. “It’s a very Detroit thing that opens up the planet to everybody.”
Aside from the All-Star Revue, this year’s Concert of Colors will also feature a tribute to the MC5, the Detroit rock band that helped define the counterculture era of the 1960s and ’70s. The MC5’s last surviving members, guitarist Wayne Kramer and drummer Dennis Thompson, both died earlier this year, as did the band’s visionary manager John Sinclair. In a bittersweet moment, the band was finally selected for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in October, with none of the band’s original members alive to appreciate it.
A musical tribute to MC5 will take place at the Concert of Colors on Friday, July 19, at 6:30 p.m. at the Detroit Historical Museum. The event will be hosted by WDET’s Ann Delisi, alongside journalist Peter Werbe and
band photographer (and Sinclair’s former wife) Leni, with performances by Was and Tino Gross.
A case could be made that the MC5 was so far ahead of its time that the rest of the world is finally catching up. It was the only band to perform as part of the protests against the Vietnam War at the chaotic 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. In an echo of history, this year’s DNC will also be held in Chicago in August, and is likely to attract a sizable protest movement opposed to the war in Gaza.
“I think that was certainly one of Sinclair’s great contributions to the culture, was that he understood that rock ’n’ roll was an important political force — a force for change,” Was says. “I don’t know that it was ever as clearly delineated previously, the whole idea of a ‘guitar army,’ which I think is John’s phrase, you know, is pretty significant. And that impacted more than just local culture.”
As for what’s in store, Was keeps details under wraps. He says his rehearsals for the Concert of Colors performances typically happen close to the event.
“I think part of the charm of it is that maybe about 60% of it gets worked out beforehand,” he says. “And the spontaneity of it is where the sport and adventure come in. I think people pick up on that. It’s part of the fun — it’s not something you’re ever going to see again. You come and you get this event and it happens one time. We dig the
and African refugees.
“There’s always a lot of focus on the music, but there’s so much more,” Ahmed says. “There will be vendors, there will be voter registration, there will be health care information. It’s a whole thing aimed at the entire human body.”
The future of the Concert of Colors
While the festival has struggled financially over the years, the Concert of Colors recently received some good news. Last week, the State of Michigan included Concert of Colors in its 2025 budget, earmarking $1 million with a goal to book artists, hold programming in more Detroit neighborhoods, and most importantly keep the festival free to attend. Organizers say the Concert of Colors could be on track to become the largest world music festival in the nation, and draw tourists to Detroit.
Of course, the money is welcome, but for Ahmed and Was, the Concert of Colors has long been a labor of love.
fact that it’s sort of being created on the spot.”
Was says that’s something he learned from touring with Grateful Dead founding member Bob Weir as part of the group the Wolf Bros. “During the course of any Grateful Dead-related show, there’ll be a couple of absolute train wrecks, and a couple moments of pure ecstasy that make the whole endeavor worthwhile,” Was says. “And the audience comes because they know that no one knows whether it’ll be a trainwreck or ecstasy. But you’re seeing something real, and actually participating in it, because the musicians feed off of the audience. The feedback coming back impacts the next note you choose.”
“In a certain sense, that’s true of the entire Concert of Colors,” Ahmed adds. “You have a mix of performances that you will not find anyplace on planet Earth, from all over planet Earth.”
A brief overview of the many global acts scheduled to perform at the Concert of Colors include electronic artists Transglobal Underground from England, Afro Cuban jazz ensemble Big Palladium 3, the all-women North African music ensemble Nafada, and the Inuit music group Pamyua, among others.
Other activities include a Caribbean costume parade, a K-Pop dance-a-thon, African and Latin dance lessons, and a lowrider car show. There will also be an exhibit and fundraiser at the Scarab Club featuring art made by Middle East
“When I think back to my first exposure to the festival, the thing that really struck me is that it represented the best of the city. That’s what touched me. You see how great the people in the city are, and how unique the mixture is here. And the thing that really locked me into it was meeting Ish, who I thought combined activism and philanthropy and love of arts into one very dynamic force.”
“I love you too,” Ahmed responds.
“I love you man!” Was says. “He’s one of my closest friends. And it’s all from this common thing, the love for this that we have. I think he is just the embodiment of the spirit that makes Detroit unique and great.”
Ahmed modestly deflects the praise.
“I am not a big fan of the big leader theory, like some great leader led the civil rights movement, you know, Martin Luther King Jr. made it all happen,” he says. “People forget that thousands of people gave everything for it to be successful. In a way, Concert of Colors is like that, too. We have a whole bunch of really talented and wonderful people, whether they’re the musicians, or the people who work for nearly nothing, or nothing, and the many, many others who jump in and help out. And it’s a cross section of Detroit. In many ways, it’s a bottomup festival by the community, for the community.”
The Concert of Colors will be held July 16-21 at various venues in and around Detroit. See concertofcolors.com for the full lineup and schedule.
Other activities include a Caribbean costume parade.
COURTESY PHOTO
WHAT’S GOING ON
Select events happening in metro Detroit this week. Be sure to check venue website before events for latest information. Add your event to our online calendar: metrotimes. com/AddEvent.
MUSIC
Wednesday, July 10
Live/Concert
Damien Escobar, Johnny Britt
7:30 p.m.; The Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre, 2600 E. Atwater St., Detroit; $15-$60.
Frances Forever, Grace Gardner, Same Eyes 7 p.m.; The Shelter, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit; $18.
Lifeguard, Font, Almost, The Nuts 6:30 p.m.; Pike Room, 1 S. Saginaw, Pontiac; $15.
Matt Lorusso Trio & Special Guests 8-11 p.m.; Northern Lights Lounge, 660 W. Baltimore St., Detroit; no cover.
SummerFest Concert: Dave Bennett Band 6:30-9 p.m.; The War Memorial, 32 Lake Shore Drive, Grosse Pointe Farms; $0-$40.
Tomb Mold, Horrendous, Nethergate 7 p.m.; Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff St., Hamtramck; $20.
Thursday, July 11
Live/Concert
Toronzo Cannon 7 p.m.; The Roxy, 401 Walnut Blvd., Rochester; $30-$650. Dueling Pianos: An Interactive Entertainment Experience 8 p.m.-midnight; AXIS Lounge, 1777 3rd St, Detroit.
Fury In Few, Queen Jayne 7 p.m.; Small’s, 10339 Conant St., Hamtramck; $12.
Giacomo Turra & The Funky Minutes 7 p.m.; Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; $25-$50.
Wayne Baker Brooks, Carl Caballero and The Wreckage 7:30 p.m.; The Token Lounge, 28949 Joy Rd., Westland; $20-$120.
Karaoke
DARE-U-OKE 9 p.m.-midnight; Northern Lights Lounge, 660 W. Baltimore St., Detroit; no cover.
Drag Queen Karaoke 8 p.m.-2 a.m.; Woodward Avenue Brewers, 22646 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; no cover.
Friday, July 12
Live/Concert
41st Annual African World Festival with Third World, Urban Art Orchestra with De’Sean Jones, Vox Sambou, and more 3-11 p.m.; Hart Plaza, 1 Hart Plaza, Detroit; $0-$15. Britain’s Finest (tribute to the Beatles) 6 p.m.; Meadow Brook Theatre, 207 Wilson Hall, Rochester; $79-$99.
Jesse Sendejas plays Days N’ Daze 7 p.m.; Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff St., Hamtramck; $23. Fantasia, Joe 8 p.m.; The Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre, 2600 E. Atwater St., Detroit; $45-$125.
Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears, Shane Guerrette 7 p.m.; Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; $23.
Matthew Daher The Wisdom to Know the Difference album release show 7 p.m.; Moondog Cafe, 8045 Linwood St #2, Detroit; $15 (suggested donation).
Mother Mother, Cavetown, Meet Me @ The Alter 6:30 p.m.; Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill, 14900 Metropolitan Pkwy., Sterling Heights; $36-$70.50.
Pig and Whiskey: Lucero 6 p.m.; The Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; $5-$20.
Racoon Dogs with Eastside City Elvis & the Motor City Mafia, DJ Tony Drake 9 p.m.-1 a.m.; Bowlero Lanes & Lounge, 4209 Coolidge Hwy., Royal Oak; no cover.
The Guess Who 6 p.m.; Meadow Brook Theatre, 207 Wilson Hall, Rochester; $110-$145.
Twist Of Country - Faster Horses Night with DJ Sarah G 8 p.m.; Diamondback Music Hall, 49345 S. Interstate 94 Service Dr., Belleville; $10.
Yoi Toki, Macross 82-99, Vantage, Engelwood 9 p.m.; Pike Room, 1 S. Saginaw, Pontiac; $20.
DJ/Dance
Electric Feels: Indie Rock Dance Party (18+) 9 p.m.; Saint Andrew’s Hall, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit; $13-$18.
Saturday, July 13
Live/Concert
41st Annual African World Festival with Rapsody, the Chris Canas Band, Sheefy McFly & Donovan Glover, and more ;11 a.m.-11 p.m. Hart Plaza, 1 Hart Plaza, Detroit; $0-$15.
A.C.E 6 p.m.; The Fillmore, 2115 Woodward Ave., Detroit; $58-$198.
Candlelight: Classic Rock on Strings 8:30-9:45 p.m.; The Detroit Masonic Temple, 500 Temple St., Detroit; $29.00.
Daawat 8 p.m.; The Token Lounge, 28949 Joy Rd., Westland; $15-$80.
Dear Darkness (cassette release show) with Duende, Prude Boys, Core Values, DJ Sovain Sylvain 5-10 p.m.; Kelly’s Bar, 2403 Holbrook Ave., Hamtramck; $10.
George Strait, Chris Stapleton, Little Big Town 5:45 p.m.; Ford Field, 2000 Brush St., Detroit; $95-$3,000.
Killing Pixies (Roxy record release show) with Self Absorbed, Unity, Riot Course, Some Days Are Darker 7 p.m.; Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff St., Hamtramck; $13.
Rapid Eye Movement (tribute to REM) with Playground Twist and Morning Glory 7 p.m.; Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; $20.
POP 2000 TOUR with Chris Kirkpatrick of *NSYNC, O- Town, BBMak, Ryan Cabrera & LFO 6 p.m.; District 142, 142 Maple St., Wyandotte; $35.
DJ/Dance
Dino Munaco, Captn Morgan, Miss Belles, ALOKUS 9 p.m.; Garden Bowl, 4120 Woodward, Detroit; no cover before 10:30 p.m., $15 after.
Heartbreak Beats ’80s New Wave Lounge with DJs Zumby & Josh 8 p.m.-1 a.m.; Bowlero Lanes & Lounge, 4209 Coolidge Hwy., Royal Oak; no cover.
Alternative country and Lucero performs Friday as part of Ferndale’s Pig & Whiskey festival.
JAMIE HARMON
Marcus Harris (Politics of Dance release show), Quentin Harris, Mike “Agent X” Clark 8 p.m.-2 a.m.; The Elephant Room, 439 E. Congress St., Detroit; $10-$20.
Sunday, July 14
Live/Concert
41st Annual African World Festival with DJ Killa Squid, Thandiswa Mazwai, Dumpstaphunk and more 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Hart Plaza, 1 Hart Plaza, Detroit; $0-$15. Harmolodics 8 pm; Garden Bowl Lounge, 4120 Woodward Avenue, Detroit; no cover.
Lake Effect, Motives, Adventurer, Splinters, The Picassos 7 p.m.; Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff St., Hamtramck; $12.
Method Man, Redman, Danny Brown 8 p.m.; The Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre, 2600 E. Atwater St., Detroit; $40-$110.
Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs 7:30 p.m.; Sound Board, 2901 Grand River Ave., Detroit; $39-$52.
Monday, July 15
Live/Concert
Mates Of State, Al Menne 7 p.m.; The Shelter, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit; $25.
DJ/Dance
Adult Skate Night 8:30-11 p.m.; Lexus Velodrome, 601 Mack Ave., Detroit; $5.
Tuesday, July 16
Live/Concert
Ian Fink & Friends (33rd Annual Concert of Colors) 7-8 p.m.; Third Man Records; 441 W. Canfield St., Detroit; no cover.
Global Sunsets, Blackman & Arnold Trio 7-10 p.m.; Northern Lights Lounge, 660 W. Baltimore St., Detroit; no cover.
Hobo Johnson, Remo Drive, BabyJake 7 p.m.; Royal Oak Music Theatre, 318 W. Fourth St., Royal Oak; $29.50.
Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, the Vindys 7:30 p.m.; Meadow Brook Amphitheatre, 3554 Walton Blvd., Rochester Hills; $35-$99.50.
X, Jon Spencer 7 p.m.; Cathedral Theatre at the Masonic Temple, 500 Temple St., Detroit; $29.50-$39.50.
DJ/Dance
B.Y.O.R Bring Your Own Records Night 9 pm-midnight; The Old Miami, 3930 Cass Ave., Detroit; no cover.
THEATER Performance
Rosedale Community Players
Staged reading of Eyes to the Stars by Erin Osgood; $15; Saturday, 8 p.m.
The Inspired Acting Company It’s Only Life (A Musical Revue); $40-45; Friday, 8-10:30 p.m.; Saturday, 8-10:30 p.m.; and Sunday, 2-4:30 p.m.
Theatre NOVA Doctor Moloch by Carla Milarch. It’s 2029, and tech startup VitalAI is about to launch the first humanoid robot doctor, capable of personalized medicines and single-cell cancer detection. There’s only one problem: the good doctor has no empathy. When actress Serena Blaise arrives to teach him how to “be human,” she gets much more than she bargained for. Directed by Briana O’Neal, featuring Shelby Bradley, Louie Chen, and Artun Kircali. $28; Friday, 8-10 p.m.; Saturday, 8-10 p.m.; and Sunday, 2-4 p.m.
They Say The Murder Mystery Company Presents: Good Riddance. Prepare to unravel the secrets of a thrilling murder mystery, where every twist and turn leads you closer to uncovering the truth. Put your sleuthing skills to the test as you examine clues and mingle with suspects, all while enjoying a delectable three-course meal. But beware — you might find yourself a suspect in this gripping tale. $59; Friday, 7-9:30 p.m.
Musical
The Berman Center for the Performing Arts Guys and Dolls; $40; Saturday, 7:30-10:30 p.m.; and Sunday, 2-5 p.m.
COMEDY
Improv
Go Comedy! Improv Theater
Pandemonia The Allstar Showdown; $20; Every other Friday, 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Planet Ant Theatre Hip-Prov: Improv with a Dash of Hip-Hop $10 second Wednesday of every month, 7 pm.
Stand-up
Emagine Royal Oak “Laugh in the D” comedy show with Darren Fleet; $45; Friday, 7:30-9 p.m.
The Fillmore Funny Marco & Bobbi Althoff: Open Thoughts vs Really Good Podcast Tour; $26.50-$100.50; Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Detroit Shipping Company 313 Comedy Show; no cover; Sundays, 7-8:30 p.m.
Continuing this week
Blind Pig Blind Pig Comedy FREE
24 July 10-16, 2024 | metrotimes.com
Mondays, 8 p.m.; no cover.
The Independent Comedy Club at Planet Ant The Sh*t Show Open Mic. Sign up starts at 10:30 p.m. and the show begins at 11 p.m.; $5 suggested donation.
The Unorthodox Business Club
The Love to Laugh July Comedy Series hosted by Comedian T.Barb with sounds by DJ SkyeHigh; $20; Mondays, 8 p.m.midnight.
ARTS
Artist talk
Artist Talk: The Cuban Contemporary Lens (Note: this lecture was previously scheduled for June 15 but has been moved to a new date.) This special artist talk will feature Marco Castillo and other Cuban artists featured in the exhibition series: A Modernist Regime: The Contemporary Cuban Lens. The conversation will be moderated by co-curators Laura Mott and Abel González Fernández. Saturday, 3-4:30 p.m.; Cranbrook Art Museum, 39221 N. Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills; no cover with museum admission.
Art exhibition
Cranbrook Art Museum Summer Exhibition Opening Celebration; 6-8 p.m.; Thursday.
Continuing this week
Habatat Galleries 52nd Annual International Glass Show (GLASS52). Through Aug. 30.
PARC Art Gallery The Light Show with Molly Bell, David Bowling, Cheryl Chidester, Tina Creguer, Ellen Doyle, Jaclyn Gordyan, James Guy, Tim Haber, Terri Haranczak, Kseniya Hauptmann, Vanessa Howson, Susan Hunt, Michaele Kadell, Alexander Kautz, Mike Kroll, Dawn Krull, Mary Lane, Jen Muse, Brian Peck, Thomas Rosenbaum, Bill Schahfer, Valerie Shelton Miller, Victor Spieles, Leonid Tikh, Nancy Wanchik, Joan Witte, and Lori Zoumbaris. Through Aug. 1.
Stamelos Gallery Center, UMDearborn Piece by Piece: Recent Work from Regional Fiber Artists
University of Michigan Museum of Art Unsettling Histories: Legacies of Slavery and Colonialism
WELLNESS
Self-care
Angela Cares: Finances After Losing a Spouse/Partner When someone dies, loved ones may suddenly find themselves taking on new responsibilities — including managing finances.
Our expert from TRUE Community Credit Union will present as part of the Angela Cares series, offering helpful tips for those dealing with estate planning, financial planning, and navigating paperwork. Thursday, 2-3 p.m.; Angela Hospice, 14100 Newburgh Rd., Livonia; no cover.
MISC.
Downtown Ann Arbor Paint The Town Downtown A2 Block Party with live music, food, drinks, plein air painting,, and more! Tuesday, 5-9 p.m.
M1 Concourse M1 Cycling Classic
Bring your bike or come as a spectator. This is a multi-lap criterium format race on a 1.5-mile closed track, providing excitement throughout the day. The schedule covers a kids course, amateur races for all skill levels and concludes with elite races for men and women. There will also be FONDO, family fun rides and mountain biking on off-road course. Vintage bike displays, food trucks, Jolly Pumpkin and North Peaks Brewing Co., and a cornhole tournament will be on-site. $10; Sunday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
Convention
Trinity Lutheran Church The Great Lakes Comic Expo Summer Show; $5; Saturday, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Chandler Park Chandler Park Community Arts and Music Festival; no cover; Saturday, 1-4 p.m.
The Godfrey Detroit Sneaker Ball at I|O Rooftop Inside The Godfrey Hotel. The event combines the elegance of a traditional ball with the comfort and casual style of sneakers. The event at the city’s largest rooftop bar in Corktown is open to the public and looking for “Sneakerheads” to show up with their best sneakers and elegant street style. Prizes will be given for the sneakers judged. Saturday, 8 p.m.
Guardian Building Insider’s Detroit Guardian Building Tour Tour this iconic landmark considered by many to be Detroit’s most beautiful building. Marvel at the different types of marble, colorful tiles, intricate mosaics, soaring painted ceiling, grand mural, & elaborate characteristics that define this Art Deco masterpiece. Tour visits several areas not accessible to the public. Tours available on select Thursday nights @ 6 p.m., and Saturdays/Sundays: 12:30, 1:30, 2:30 p.m. $6 adult, $3 youth.
Oddities & Curiosities Expo Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m.4 p.m.; Suburban Collection Showplace, 46100 Grand River Ave., Novi; $12.
FOOD
$8 burgers for Detroit Burger Week
Your stomach should be growling: Detroit Burger Week is back in 2024, and it’s almost here. From Monday, July 22, to Sunday, July 28, you can enjoy $8 burgers at restaurants in and around the city. Each participating spot will create a specialty burger for the week, and the event is both omnivore and vegetarian friendly.
Plus, it’s not only a delicious event but a game with a serious prize — $250 in restaurant gift cards.
Chaldean Town’s Sullaf reopens under new ownership
Until its abrupt closure around three years ago, few restaurants in metro Detroit belonged in the same breath as Sullaf, the small Iraqi spot that was the last restaurant standing in what residents once called “Chaldean Town” at 814 W Seven Mile Rd., Detroit, between Woodward and I-75.
As I wrote in my 2017 review of Sullaf, the restaurant didn’t have much of a menu — owner Safaa Momika, kind of a gruff dude until you get to know him a little, would simply ask, “What do you want — lamb or chicken?”
Behind him, flames leapt from a charcoal grill holding some of the best kofta — smoky and popping with cumin — that I’ve ever had. The chicken kebabs were excellent, and the lamb quzi, a super tender, massive lamb
shank, has lived on in my memory long after Sullaf closed.
The restaurant was mostly carryout, and it was loud, a bit chaotic, and filled with people on lunch break who were excited to be there — the best kind of vibe.
I had heard a rumor that Momika had to close the restaurant after being diagnosed with cancer, so I was thrilled when I recently drove by Sullaf and unexpectedly found it was open. Inside, the new owner ran a mop over the floor prior to opening. He said he grew up in the neighborhood long ago and couldn’t stand to see Sullaf closed, so he took it over. He declined to share his name with Metro Times
Regardless, he reopened Sullaf around two months ago and the first
Rattlesnake Club closes
Detroit’s swanky riverfront Rattlesnake Club Restaurant has closed its doors for good.
According to a press release sent Saturday by its vice president and CFO Mark Tuttle, the fine-dining establishment’s final day of business was Friday.
“After 36 years, the Rattlesnake Club Restaurant will close permanently after June 28,” Tuttle wrote. “We are grateful for the support of our loyal customers over these many years. Most of all, we are grateful for the loyal service of our dedicated employees. These seasoned profes-
sionals’ focus on producing the finest food and outstanding customer service have been responsible for maintaining the restaurant’s reputation these many years since it opened in 1988.”
Tuttle blamed the closure on shifting trends and other economic factors.
“Changing patterns in dining habits, office occupancy and traffic have negatively impacted revenues since the Covid pandemic,” Tuttle added. “Private events, which had always been a pillar of the business, have not recovered.”
According to Tuttle, the restaurant’s
difference one will notice is a full menu. That includes a range of kabobs, lamb shank, shawarma, chicken cream chop, and several sandwiches. There are also salads, which I don’t recall ever seeing at the first Sullaf, and a menu of Iraqi breakfast staples. There seem to be more booths than before, and the new ownership has spruced the space up a bit, but all told, it looks like the original spot.
Sullaf is one of a handful of awesome Iraqi spots in metro Detroit, rejoining Saj Alreef and Ishtar, both in Sterling Heights, and several in Dearborn. We didn’t have a chance to try it yet, but check back for a full review of the new Sullaf sometime in the coming months.
—Tom Perkins
workers were notified Saturday and offered a severance.
The restaurant opened in June 1988 in the Stroh River Place complex. In 2010, chef Jimmy Schmidt traded the Rattlesnake Club to the owner of the complex, the Stroh Cos.
Its menu featured regional, seasonal, and sustainably harvested dishes, including local game. It was known for its patio with stunning views of the Detroit River. It was located at 300 River Place Dr., Detroit.
—Lee DeVito
To enter the contest, download the new Detroit Burger Week app. Check in for every burger consumed, and once you have five recorded, you’ll be entered to win that grand prize. In addition, whoever has the most points at the end of the week will also be entered in the drawing. And even if you don’t win, the app is well worth your while. On it, you can view the list and a map of the participating restaurants. As of right now, that includes CK Diggs, Gus’ Snug Irish Pub, Hamilton’s at Godfrey Hotel, IceBurg, J’s Penalty Box, Kelly’s Bar Hamtramck, McVee’s Pub and Grub, O’Connor’s, Pine Coast, and Rock On Third. More will be announced, and this list is subject to change.
To get the most out of your Burger week Experience, remember the event’s commandments:
• The restaurants could run out of the special — this is a popular event.
• There might be waits — see above!
• Tip like a pro — figure your burger costs the restaurant at least $10.
• Buy other drinks and food — not a requirement, but it’s nice for the participating restaurants.
• Check social media — keep up with the Burger Week Facebook and Instagram.
• Double check for dine-in or carryout — most places will only be doing the former. Check the app to confirm if you want to pick up.
For the most up-to-date information, go to burgerweekdetroit. com.
—Jessica Rogen
Bites
Sullaf was one of the best restaurants in the city.
TOM PERKINS
CULTURE
LaKela Brown explores Black identity in MOCAD homecoming show
By Layla McMurtrie
Food and fashion are two of the most significant markers of culture.
LaKela Brown, an artist born and raised in Detroit and now residing in Brooklyn, New York, examines these subjects in her new show From Scratch: Seeding Adornment. Displayed at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD) through Oct. 4, it’s Brown’s first hometown show and first solo museum exhibition.
The show underscores Black cultural iconography through sculptural reliefs and consists of two galleries: an ethnobotany room and an adornment room.
Crops like collard greens, okra, and corn, plus cuisine such as pigs feet and chicken wings, are rendered into white plaster bouquet-like sculptures to honor foods that form the foundation of Black American culinary traditions. Accessories like rope chains, doorknocker earrings, pearls, Nefrititi pendants, and grills reminisce on ’90s Black American fashion.
Brown describes the items in the show as “entry points into translating culture visually.” These items are repeated again and again in unique ways, demonstrating the power of repetition.
“When I think about how I grew up, where I grew up, in the ’80s and ’90s in Detroit in a Black American family, these are objects that are important to me,” Brown says. “I grew up watching people adorn themselves in very specific ways.”
The journey all started with the door-knocker earring, what the artist calls “the main and sort of foundational object” that paved the path to creating the show.
“The door-knocker earring is an artifact that came along with this new cultural art form and it is, to me, like sort of representative of that new art form, which of course I’m talking about is hip-hop,” Brown says. “This object
can indicate a person, a particular kind of person, who maybe grew up in a particular kind of area in a particular era and appreciates hip-hop and or R&B and is femme-identified and almost certainly Black or brown.”
Uniquely, just one piece in the show ties together both themes, displaying pearls as well as a skirt made of bananas in the adornment room, as an ode to the dancer and singer Josephine Baker.
For Black families across the nation and even the world, food is just as indicative of culture as fashion. Brown’s first introductions to culinary tradition happened in Detroit, and the city has allowed her to showcase this in her work.
“Both of my grandfathers retired from the auto industry and we were able to live this kind of life that is not unique in Detroit,” she says. “Lots of people’s grandparents worked in the auto industry. I think that allowed the city to flourish at a time, and then people began to be able to think about more intellectual pursuits like art and stuff … I was always into art and cared about it, but I think the sort of hustle of Detroit allowed people to have practices and influence people like me.”
She adds, “When I was little, I thought that my family invented collard greens and cornbread, and then I went out into my larger community. It’s one of the ways that I learned about culture.”
In the ethnobotany room, which examines how plants become culturally significant, one outlier is a cast of Brown’s grandmother’s hands.
“That’s there because she is our
family’s cook and she very much formed my palate, like the first time I ever had collard greens she must have cooked them, but also she was a professional cook for almost 40 years,” Brown says. “Even though this is not a figurative show and not generally using body parts, her hands are in here because it just feels necessary to pay tribute to her.”
Through the show, Brown hopes to bring more representation and relatability to the fine art world, which she says is “not known for its inclusivity.”
“I went to art school and I was studying a very specific Western history, and as a little Black girl from Detroit, I had to figure out how and where I fit into that,” Brown says. “I think a lot of marginalized people end up sort of exploring that in their art because it’s not so reflected … My sort of idea was that if I can make work that my grandmother could walk into a gallery, and especially a museum gallery, and see objects that she relates to, then she could feel welcome. She has a very specific relationship with these objects, especially the culinary plants, meat scraps, and things like that. So, that’s the main thing, is for people who relate to these objects to see themselves reflected in an institutional space. And I know other artists are working on that project as well because it seems like an obvious need.”
Having these galleries at MOCAD is truly a full-circle moment for Brown, as she was present during the museum’s inaugural exhibition while she was a student at the College for
Creative Studies.
“I remember when MOCAD started and they were talking about the first show and Nari Ward was here working and he had some art students over to help them build a Japanese tea house. I was one of those students,” Brown says. “I was here for the beginning of MOCAD as a little art baby and it really feels like a homecoming to have the privilege to show here.”
Ahead of the exhibition opening, Brown worked with MOCAD for 10 days to set up the space, a collaborative experience she describes as “wonderful,” and “excellent.” Now, Brown hopes that when people visit her show, they feel just as welcome as she did.
“I hope people come, and I’m thinking specifically of my community, but I’m thinking of everybody, I’m hoping that we can drop some of the elitism,” Brown says. “I just really hope that people come in, they feel welcomed, and I hope they feel celebrated. I hope that they just feel comfortable and that they can spend some time with the work … I put all my blood, sweat, and tears and my love in this work and I hope it comes through in a genuine way.”
From now through Oct. 4, the space will host public programs including an artist talk, an exclusive screening of the documentary film Grown in Detroit, and a seed preservation workshop organized in partnership with Keep Growing Detroit.
Dates for summer programming are not yet available, but updates and more information can be found at mocadetroit.org.
From Scratch: Seeding Adornment is on view at MOCAD through Oct. 4.
CULTURE
Savage Love
The Outsiders
By Dan Savage
: Q Question about genders and dating apps that I will try to keep brief. I am a 45-year-old married cis male. After more than a decade of dipping in and out of the swinging lifestyle, my wife and I have decided to open up to dating other people. I’m trying to catch up with the language of dating apps. I would like to express that I am open to dating people of various genders and orientations so long as they don’t have a penis. I am attracted to lots of different kinds of people along the masc/femme continuum, but I know from personal experience that I’m not interested in D. “Looking for people AFAB” was suggested by a friend, but that doesn’t seem very nice to me. Any suggestions on how to convey this in a way that doesn’t sound awful? Also, if a “straight” man has sex with or dates a non-binaryidentifying AFAB individual, would he be considered bisexual? Oh, and you don’t need to tell me this is all moot. I am aware that middle-aged and married cis dudes don’t pull a lot of likes from beautiful, non-binary folks anyway.
—Concerning Intimate Semantical Meanings And Nuances
A: Climbing out on a limb here to say … there’s nothing bisexual about a person who was assigned/observed male at birth and currently identifies with his assigned/observed sex and is exclusively attracted to AFAB persons, CISMAN, not even when that guy is balls deep in the vagina of someone with a rad haircut who uses they/them pronouns. If I had to slap a label on the sex you hope to have with AFAB enbies … if someone held a gun to my head and forced me to print out a label … I would slap the “straight sex” label on it. And that’s fine, CISMAN, as consensual straight sex is nothing to be ashamed of and can be quite lovely. It’s also how God makes more queers, so have at it.
Now, an AFAB person who identifies as non-binary is queer — because, of course, they are — but having sex with a queer person doesn’t automatically make you queer. Like a
straight guy with a bisexual girlfriend, CISMAN, fucking or dating a nonbinary AFAB individual doesn’t magically make you something other than straight. But since a non-binary AFAB is queer, a straight guy in a relationship with a non-binary AFAB is in a queer relationship, just like a straight guy with a bisexual girlfriend is in a queer relationship. But I would argue — this is a hill my gay ass is prepared to die on — that straight guys who are only interested in AFAB persons, regardless of how they identify or present, so long as those AFAB persons have vaginas and want dick are, and always will be, straight guys.
Moving the fuck on …
“Exclusively attracted to AFAB people, however they identify,” is not only a perfectly respectful way of asking the Internet for what you want, CISMAN, it’s a good way to avoid wasting the time of people who don’t have what you want. Despite what you may have heard from some loud people online, “genital preferences” are not bigotry. Sexual orientations are real, and primary sex characteristics are something our sexual orientations orient us toward. While some people are attracted to particular kinds of gender expression and genitals are irrelevant or interchangeable — and while many any-junk-will-do types realize this about themselves until giving it some thought (so everyone should give it some thought) — for most people, the combo platter of gender presentation and primary sex characteristics are hardwired dealmakers. People who argue with one breath that sex matters when it comes to their gender identity — and conflict between the two must (quite rightly) be resolved in gender’s favor — can’t turn around and argue with the next breath that sex shouldn’t matter when it comes to other people’s sexual orientations. That cunt won’t hunt.
Finally, CISMAN, don’t sell yourself short! You may not be overwhelmed by the response you get online (most men aren’t), but you’re gonna be someone’s jam. But to optimize your odds of success, you’re not going to wanna rely exclusively on dating and hookup apps. The increasing “enshitification” of dating apps, as described by the brilliant writer Cory Doctorow, is inspiring people to go actual places and do actual things again in the hopes of meeting actual people who actually wanna fuck them. So, in addition to putting your profile up
on apps, head out to bars and clubs where you feel comfortable, go to or throw parties and invite your friends to bring friends, join a few clubs, and volunteer for an organization whose mission you support. Because you never know: a hot AFAB person — binary or non — who would’ve swiped left on your photo might actually wanna fuck you after meeting your straight cis married ass in person.
: Q Q: I’m one of those basic heteroromantic bisexual dudes — attracted to women sexually and romantically but only attracted to men sexually — but I did the right thing and came out to my wife very early in our relationship. (I credit years of reading you for coming out about being bisexual.) She broke up with me at first, then we got back together, and after two years, she gave me permission to have sex with other men so long as all outside sex was as safe as I could make it. (Condoms, PrEP-on-demand, doxypep.) Her only other rule: just men, no other women. (You could say she has a strict “one-pussy” policy.) Everything is out in the open except one thing: My wife thinks I’m a top. Years after giving me the OK, she confessed — during sex — that she thinks about me penetrating other men when she masturbates. She thinks me topping other men is hot because it makes me an even bigger stud. (Her word, not mine.) Thing is, I’m almost always the bottom with men. On the rare occasion when I do top someone, it’s a dominant bottom twink, and I am his sub top. My wife has gone from not wanting me to have sex with other men to wanting to hear about my experiences to tentatively suggesting she might want to watch me penetrate one of my “skinny twink bottom boys” at some point. I don’t know where she got that — I’m into twinks (except the rare dominant one) and I never used that word around her — but the guys I’m typically into are bigger, stronger, older, and very into dominating me. I’ve played along with my wife’s assumption that I’m a top for years, Dan. What do I do here?
—Basic Bisexual Bottom
P.S. She doesn’t read your column. I tried to get her into your column and podcast, but she felt you were crude and used more profanity than you needed to in order to get your point across.
A: If your wife is erotically invested in this mental image of you as a dominant top — if she’s aroused
in whole or in part by the idea of her husband being a hole-punishing stud — knowing you bottom for other men could be a libido killer for her. But seeing as your wife went from not wanting to hear about you fucking other men to wanting to watch you fuck another man in front of her, BBB, it’s possible your wife’s erotic imagination is expansive enough to incorporate the bottom you actually are into her erotic mental image of you. So I think being honest with her is the best way to go here. But you should test the waters by bringing up vers guys you’ve played with and talking about how studly they were. And since she’s curious about watching two men have sex, you could show her some gay porn featuring a dominant power bottom being served by a sub top and then talk about a few of the studly bottoms you’ve encountered.
It is hot to think about keeping the lie going by recruiting a dominant vers bottom to play the sub in front of the wife in exchange for him getting to destroy your ass later — full disclosure: I spent a little time thinking about it — but involving someone else takes this from easily forgiven passive deceit to harder to forgive active deceit. So as hot as that suggestion might be, maybe don’t do it.
P.S. Is that what she said? Well, fuck her then.
Read the full column online at savage. love.
Got problems? Yes, you do! Email your question for the column to mailbox@ savage.love!
Or record your question for the Savage Lovecast at savage.love/askdan!
Podcasts, columns and more at savage.love
CULTURE
Free Will Astrology
By Rob Brezsny
ARIES: March 21 – April 19
I trust that your intuition has been guiding you to slow down and disappear from the frenzied, agitated bustle that everyone seems addicted to. I hope you have afforded yourself the luxury and privilege of exulting in the thrill of doing absolutely nothing. Have you been taking long breaks to gaze lovingly up at the sky and listen to music that moves you to tears? Have you been studying the children and animals in your life to learn more about how to thrive on non-goal-oriented fun? Have you given your imagination permission to fantasize with abandon about wild possibilities? Homework: Name three more ways to fuel your self-renewal.
TAURUS: April 20 – May 20
Actor Carrie Fisher put a strong priority on being both amusing and amused. For her, almost everything that happened was tolerable, even welcome, as long as it was entertaining.
She said, “If my life wasn’t funny, it would just be true, and that’s unacceptable.” I recommend you experiment with those principles, Taurus. Be resourceful as you make your life as humorously interesting as possible. If you do, life will conspire to assist you in being extra amused and amusing.
GEMINI: May 21 – June 20
As you charge into the upcoming period of self-reinvention, don’t abandon and forget about your past completely. Some of your old emotional baggage might prove useful and soulful. A few of your challenging memories may serve as robust motivators. On the other hand, it will be healthy to leave behind as much oppressive baggage and as many burdensome memories as possible. You are launching the next chapter of your life story! Travel as lightly as you can.
CANCER: June 21 – July 22
Even though you and I were both born under the sign of Cancer the Crab, I have a taboo against advising you to be like me. I love my life, but I’m not so naïve or arrogant as to think that what has worked for me will also work for you. Now, however, I will make a temporary exception to my policy. Amazingly, the astrological omens suggest you will flourish in the coming weeks by being at least somewhat like me. Therefore, I invite you to experiment with being kind and sensitive, but also cheerfully irreverent and tenderly wild. Be on the lookout for marvels and miracles, but treasure critical thinking and rational analysis. Don’t take things too personally or too seriously, and regard the whole world as a holy gift. Be gratefully and humbly in awe as you tune into how beautiful and wonderful you are.
LEO: July 23 – August 22
Over 3,700 years ago, a craftsperson living in what’s now Israel fashioned a comb from an elephant’s tusk. It was a luxury item with two sides, one used to smooth hair tangles and the other to remove lice. On the handle of the ivory tool is an inscription: “May this tusk root out the lice of the hair and the beard.” This is the oldest known sentence ever written in Canaanite, a language that created the world’s first alphabet. In some ways, then, this comb is a precious object. It is unspeakably ancient evidence of a major human innovation. In another way, it’s mundane and prosaic. I’m
nominating the comb to be a symbol for your story in the coming weeks: a blend of monumental and ordinary. Drama may emerge from the routine. Breakthroughs may happen in the midst of everyday matters.
VIRGO: August 23 – Sept. 22
Some astrologers assert that Virgos are modest, humble, and reluctant to shine. But a Virgo New Yorker named Ashrita Furman provides contrary evidence. His main activity in life is to break records. He holds the Guinness world record for having broken the most Guinness world records. His first came in 1979, when he did 27,000 jumping jacks. Since then, he has set hundreds of records, including the fastest time running on stilts, the longest time juggling objects underwater, and the most times jumping rope on a pogo stick. I propose to make him your spirit creature for the coming weeks. What acts of bold self-expression are you ready to make, Virgo? What records are you primed to break?
LIBRA: Sept. 23 – Oct. 22
Libran author Diane Ackerman says, “We can’t enchant the world, which makes its own magic; but we can enchant ourselves by paying deep attention.” I’m telling you this, dear Libra, because you now have exceptional power to pay deep attention and behold far more than usual of the world’s magic. It’s the Season of Enchantment for you. I invite you to be daring and imaginative as you probe for the delightful amazements that are often hidden just below the surface of things. Imagine you have the superpower of X-ray vision.
SCORPIO: Oct. 23 – Nov. 21:
If I’m reading the astrological omens correctly, you are in the midst of major expansion. You are reaching further, opening wider, and dreaming bigger. You are exploring frontiers, entertaining novel possibilities, and daring to transcend your limitations and expectations. And I am cheering you on as you grow beyond your previous boundaries. One bit of advice: Some people in your life may find it challenging to follow you freely into your new territory. They may be afraid you’re leaving them behind, or they may not be able to adjust as fast as you wish. I suggest you give them some slack. Allow them to take the time they need to get accustomed to your growth.
SAGITTARIUS: Nov. 22 – Dec. 21
Sagittarian actor Jeff Bridges has wise words for you to heed: “If you wait to get all the information you think you need before you act, you’ll never act because there’s an infinite
amount of information out there.” I think this advice is especially apropos for you right now. Why? Because you will thrive on making strong, crisp decisions and undertaking strong, crisp actions. The time for pondering possibilities must give way to implementing possibilities.
CAPRICORN: Dec. 22 – Jan. 19
People may be attracted to you in the coming weeks because they unconsciously or not-so-unconsciously want to be influenced, stirred up, and even changed by your presence. They hope you will be the catalyst or medicine they need. Or maybe they want you to provide them with help they haven’t been able to give themselves or get anywhere else. Please be aware that this may not always be a smooth and simple exchange. Some folks might be demanding. Others may absorb and integrate your effects in ways that are different from your intentions. But I still think it’s worthwhile for you to offer your best efforts. You could be a force for healing and benevolence.
AQUARIUS: Jan. 20 – Feb. 18
Sometimes when gifts arrive in our lives, they are not recognized as gifts. We may even mistake them for obstacles. In a worst-case scenario, we reject and refuse them. I am keen on helping you avoid this behavior in the coming weeks, Aquarius. In the oracle you’re now reading, I hope to convince you to expand your definition of what gifts look like. I will also ask you to widen the range of where you search for gifts and to enlarge your expectations of what blessings you deserve. Now please meditate on the following riddles: 1. a shadow that reveals the hidden light; 2. a twist that heals; 3. a secret that no longer wants to be secret; 4. a shy ally who will reward your encouragement; 5. a boon that’s barely buried and just needs you to scrape away the deceptive surface.
PISCES: Feb.19 – March 20
Lake Baikal in Russia is the world’s deepest, oldest, and largest lake by volume. It contains over 22% of the fresh surface water on the planet. I propose we make this natural marvel your prime symbol for the next 11 months. At your best, you, too, will be deep, fresh, and enduring. And like Lake Baikal, you will be exceptionally clear. (Its underwater visibility reaches 120 feet.) P.S.: Thousands of plant and animal species thrive in this vital hub. I expect you will also be a source of richly diverse life, dear Pisces.
Homework: Enjoy free articles and audios from my new book: bit.ly/ lovelifegifts
Well, it’s hot out, our beers are cold and it looks like the English might’ve gotten their shit together. With that, maybe we can get Boddington and Bass Ale back on a regular basis. A Yankee can dream.
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