DISCOVER Pro tips for plant parents, Neisha Neshae’s new project, the Jazz Fest goes digital and more

Plant Positive

By Paris Giles

PLANTS HAVE AN ALMOST DIVINE ABILITY TO BREATHE LIFE NOT JUST INTO A ROOM BUT INTO US. Fill a hospital room with foliage and watch a patient bounce back more quickly. Maybe it was the prayers – but maybe it was the plants. For Alexis Sims, it was the plants that brought her back to life. Last year, Sims found herself divorced with a weeks-old baby and living in a house under construction. Her mom brought over a couple plants to warm up the space for the baby, but they also served to steady Sims. “Repotting them, watching them grow, cleaning off the leaves, pruning them, all of that just helped me stay in that moment versus having those anxious thoughts where you’re wondering what’s going to happen,” she says.

Caring for the plants proved therapeutic for Sims, and, in the year of the bizarre, she thought others may also be able to benefi t – and so Leaf Me bloomed on Juneteenth. This online plant boutique responds to the increasingly intimate way in which people, especially young consumers, like to shop. So rather than a swipe-thank you-come again approach, Leaf Me’s plants are available to rent for photo shoots and events, and they also offer repotting and plant styling – which means they’ll show you how best to care for and arrange your new plant in your favorite space.

Sims currently sources most of her plants from nurseries in sunshiny states like Florida and California, taking care to consider which will thrive in the homes of her mostly Michigan-based clientele. Though, she has plans to eventually grow her own plants and control the supply chain. “As Black people, we participate as consumers in all these markets, but we really don’t tap in on the business side. So, I thought this was a good opportunity to pay homage to my ancestors” – she says green thumbs run in her family – “and provide this therapeutic service.”

PLANT PARENTING TIPS

• BOTHERSOME BUGS

Sims says, “Bugs mainly come from overwatering. If the soil is too moist for too long, you can get all kinds of bugs.” Gnats, fruit fl ies and spider mites are common insects that can attack your plants. Also avoid letting dust collect on your plants. Dust often contains skin cells and pet hair, a nice snack for pesky pests. Wipe your plants down regularly. Dunking your plant’s leaves or spraying them down in a solution of slightly soapy lukewarm water can also help.

• SOIL SELECTION

“There’s no one-fits-all for soil. Certain plants require certain kinds of soil. Succulents, for example, they like a lot of drainage, so sand or moss or things like that. Sometimes, you can sit a succulent in rocks, and it’ll be fi ne.” Sims recommends researching your plant and its needs before just using whatever’s around or grabbing an all-purpose soil.

• SOLAR POWER

How much or little sunlight to give your little one will be specifi c to the plant, but in general, Sims says, “Most plants like sunlight.” She says south-facing windows typically get the best light, but follow your plant’s instructions and trust your instincts. And avoid sitting your houseplants outside – that’s often too much direct sunlight. “There’s a thin line between perfect and a burnt plant.”

• WATER LEVEL

“A lot of plants lean over, droop a little bit when they’re ready for some water,” Sims says. “It does not mean they’re dead – it means they’re thirsty.” Browning leaves could also be a sign that it’s time to water, and remember, you’ll want to water more in the summertime than during the winter months. To avoid overwatering, watch for limp leaves and fungus gnats, or stick your fi nger an inch or so into the soil. Still moist? Hold the water.

• REPOTTING PLAN

“The drainage hole is a good indicator of whether or not your plant needs to be repotted,” Sims says. “If you see roots in the drainage hole, that means it’s too big and it needs a bigger pot.”

Also watch for matted roots near the soil surface.

If you buy a plant still in one of those pliable plastic pots, it’s probably been in there a while and may need to be repotted when you take it home.

Otherwise, you’ll typically need to repot every year and a half or so once your plant reaches a mature size.

MOVED BY MUSIC

By Marquin Stanley

Nothing can stop a powerhouse like Neisha Neshae. Not even 2020, where a worldwide pandemic took hold, racial tensions seem to have reached a new high and the concert industry has completely fallen fl at. Neisha remains committed to delivering new records to a devoted and constantly growing audience in and outside the Motor City.

Beginning with the release of the single “Never Know” in May, Neisha’s latest records perfectly align her signature R&B trap style with evolved life messages. “Never Know” fi nds Neisha motivating listeners to strengthen their relationships with loved ones. She says, “I wrote ‘Never Know’ the day after Kobe passed away. I was in a space where I realized there’s a lot of things that I don’t say to people. I just wanted to remind people to tap in with the ones that they love.” July single “Be Yourself,” produced by Coal Cash Blac and Ced Louie, serves to promote self-love. The powerful lyricism that surges through “Be Yourself” proves why the R&B songstress remains a respected fi gure in Detroit’s music culture.

Throughout this pandemic and time of increased racial tension, Black women in the music industry like Neisha have been a major sector of the voices that steadily uplift our community. Being a true advocate for her people, Neisha continues to encourage her diverse fans to own who they are and to spread positivity. She wonders, “At what point do we all come together and realize that we are not each other’s opponents?”

VIRTUAL REALITY

By Marquin Stanley

Beginning Labor Day weekend, the Detroit Jazz Festival will launch with a free virtual presentation of the annual show.

Presented by Rocket Mortgage, the four-day festival will be performed live on the indoor sound stages of the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center. Embodying the soulful experience of past years, the Detroit Jazz Fest will place artists on traditional stages featuring familiar lighting and sound structures.

In addition to being filmed with three cameras in high definition, the lineup – to be revealed in its entirety at a later date – will mainly consist of local musicians. Artists originally set to travel to the city for their performances, including Dee Dee Bridgewater, Gregory Porter and Herbie Hancock, may still pop up. Chris Collins, Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation president and artistic director, recently teased the possibility of virtual appearances during the program.

Collins says, “Working with city, state and federal authorities, we evaluated several contingency plans to ensure the health and safety of our extensive audience during the pandemic. After much consideration, it was decided to create a virtual performance environment that will duplicate the live performance experience.”

Along with connecting with Detroit audiences, the festival will now be accessible on a worldwide scale thanks to the digital transition. Music fans interested in watching the program can view the show in multiple ways: on Channel 22, the city’s new arts and entertainment station; the festival’s website; public radio and television; and the offi cial app. VIP packages, which include personalized and up-close artist experiences, are also available for purchase on the festival’s website.

Sept. 4-7 @detroitjazzfest detroitjazzfest.org

ADAPTABLE ART

By Paris Giles

In years past, University Prep Art and Design has held an end-of-year student art exhibit, but the typical pop-up gallery wasn’t possible this past spring – and so they had to whip up a new plan. We’ll call it the COVID pivot from here forward. Instead of an in-person gathering, school offi cials, teachers and students created an online gallery, Night of the Arts, showcasing the students’ art and selling professional prints for as low as $20.

Art and Design chair Manal Kadry says they looked upon this would-be negative as a chance to get, well, creative. No, they couldn’t mingle in person, but the students could still be given the opportunity to display their work – for more than just one night and reach further than Detroit. “We’ve sold over $4,000 worth of pieces,” Kadry says. “There’s been people from all over America buying pieces. It’s just been really amazing to see how people in different states are interested in seeing our students’ work.”

Sophomore Micah Sanders’ collection features images from her web comic Dark Zone, about Aiden, a boy who’s one of a gang of people who have gone missing over the last seven years. Aiden mysteriously shows back up, “but he’s a little weird.” The 16-year-old’s portfolio consists of the prep work she did for the comic – character design, promotional art, background images. Micah says, “I thought, at fi rst, that portfolios had to be specifi cally eight images that corresponded to one theme. And, technically, this all is a theme, but it doesn’t follow the traditional portfolio format.”

You'll fi nd that a lot of the student work in the Night of the Arts online gallery features, focuses on or otherwise relates to their environments. “A lot of our students were at home just like everybody else,” Kadry says. “We found a way to get them to be creative in a small space, in their own space. We’ve always believed that art is a way for students to express themselves creatively in a language that everybody can understand.” – P.G.

nightofthearts.com

DRESS FOR SUCCESS

By Paris Giles

For Detroit youth interested in retail or fashion merchandising, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan is launching its fi rst Industry Club. By teaming up with Bedrock Detroit, Ponyride and Détroit is the New Black, BGCSM is offering the opportunity to learn the business of fashion. “What we’re doing is embedding the youths inside of a true industry,” says Shawn Wilson, BGCSM president and CEO. “The whole goal of the club is to teach the kids the business cycle of the retail and fashion industry.”

The year-round program will operate primarily out of Détroit is the New Black and employ three “cohorts” per year, the fi rst starting in September. They’ll have their hands in everything from product design to marketing to sales. “Ultimately they’ll get a chance to see all of those different components at work in real time,” Wilson says. And, perhaps most importantly, the kids gain access to those connections and relationships that will prove invaluable as they venture out.

Registration is still open to youth enrolled in BGCSM. “When you look at most problems facing youths – whether it’s high incarceration rates, teen pregnancy, gun violence, etc., etc. – the core root of that is poverty,” he says. “And so our goal is to really focus on and address poverty, and this program is an example of that. As with a lot of our programs, we hope it leads to our youths becoming career, startup and homeowner ready.”

BURN BRIGHT

By Jamilah Jackson

Brittani Brisker suffered from chronic migraines with no relief in sight. She began burning candles and saw results much quicker than any medicine she was prescribed. One day she read the ingredients on the candles she’d been using and was shocked. “I started to imagine that if a dirty, toxic-fi lled candle could give me some relief, then a clean candle could probably make me feel like Superwoman,” she says.

Brisker took her love for candles and started making her own – fi rst for her health, but then the hobby evolved as her family and friends began requesting her products. After rave reviews, she eventually turned her part-time hobby into a full-time business, Whiff N Sniff, in 2019. Choose from 17 varieties of 10-ounce candles made in Detroit with pure soy wax, essential oils and cotton, lead-free wicks. Candles are estimated to burn up to 60 hours.

Visit the site for help on fi nding the right candle. Stressed? Try Brisker’s Destress and Decompress Collection. In the mood for something sweet? How about a banana split? Or sign up for the Whiffer Sniffer’s Club. The monthly subscription includes a new candle every month as well as introductory offers, free gifts and other surprises.

@whiffnsniff whiffnsniff.com

BLACK LIST

While major businesses and corporations are being outed for not supporting Black lives, Black-owned businesses are seeing an increase in customers as consumers of all types clamor to shop Black. NOIR Detroit is an online database of Black-owned businesses, resources and events in Detroit.

The user-driven community resource encourages visitors to submit their businesses for recognition, add their events to the calendar and also leave reviews for their favorite spots. With many Black business directories on the market, NOIR Detroit’s uniqueness is found in its easily searchable database and event reminders which can be sent via email or text message.

Launched on Juneteenth, co-founders Mardi Woods, Alicia Nails and Debra Sanders created the database because they say they were tired of the often-troublesome search for Black businesses. Woods says, “It was frustrating to dig for information on the internet, and we wished there was a comprehensive site featuring all of Detroit’s Black businesses, upcoming events and informational resources.”

NOIRDetroit.com is up and running with dozens of businesses and events already listed. The team hopes that as the site grows, NOIR Detroit will become one of the major sites for all things Black Detroit. This very magazine has long been a community go-to for Detroit’s Black businesses, events and resources – and we welcome NOIR Detroit to the space.

@noirdetroit313 noirdetroit.com