SPOTLIGHTING DETROIT’S MOST FASHIONABLE
BLAC
BLACdetroit.com • JULY 2021 • BLAC 1
JULY 2021
INSIDE 6 Online at BLACdetroit.com 8 Letter from the editor 10 Contributors
FEATURES 26 BLAC STYLEMAKERS Spotlighting Black Detroit’s most fashionable 40 BIG CHIEF Wayne County Executive Warren Evans talks his childhood and legacy 44 GROUP EFFORT Examining polyamory and non-monogamous relationships
Mary Jones is the owner of Intu Tea. She has been selling her loose leaf teas & accessories on Saturdays at Eastern Market for over 10 years.
DEPARTMENTS 14 DISCOVER Watermelon-heavy recipes, Rebel Nell partners with the Motown Museum, a multiuse outdoor space settles in downtown 20 APPRAISED Artist Mario Moore’s retrospective settles in at the Wright 22 IN STYLE Bright, citrus-y hues 48 POP ART New and upcoming Black books, TV and movies 49 ACCESS Juneteenth celebrations 50 SEEN Monroe Street Midway during Memorial Day weekend SPONSORED 12 DRIVING COMMUNITY: FORD MOTOR COMPANY FUND Regina Ann Campbell, president and CEO, Build Institute 25 ASK THE EXPERT: HEALTH ADVICE FROM ASCENSION MICHIGAN How can we combat vaccine hesitancy in the Black community? ON THE COVER: Photo by Boswell Hardwick
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Online in July
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6 BLAC • JULY 2021 • BLACdetroit.com
HISTORY MAKERS Black heroes of the American Revolution
BEHIND THE STYLE Get up close and personal with our BLAC StyleMakers
BLACK LIFE ARTS & CULTURE
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BLACdetroit.com • JULY 2021 • BLAC 7
EDITOR'S LETTER
CEO/Publisher: Billy Strawter Jr. Associate Publisher: Ann Duke
Goodbye, my friends
EDITORIAL Senior Editor: Paris Giles City Correspondent: Jasmine Graham Editorial Assistant: Savannah Strawter Contributors: India Charde, Boswell Hardwick, Bettie Lutcher, Marv Neal, Nick Pizaña, Arianna Smith, Starpointe Photography, Stacey Winconek
W
ith a hodgepodge of emotion swirling around my belly, I’m writing to tell you that this July issue will be my last as senior editor of BLAC. From the friends that feel like family, to the awe-inspiring people whose stories I’ve had the privilege to tell, this role has contributed in unquantifiable ways to who I have become as a writer and a woman. I’ll be packing it all away and taking it with me, leaving room for more. It’s fitting, though, that this issue will be my last in this capacity. I’m sure you spotted our inaugural suite of BLAC StyleMakers on the cover. If I love anything as much as being a writer and editor, it’s fashion. And if fashion is the language, style is the dialect. Get to know each of our StyleMakers and discover what speaks to them and why (Page 26). As amazed as I was by the clothes, I was just as excited to see a few faces that I first encountered early in my career, like Sabrina Nelson, who I met in 2017 at the Kresge Arts Fellowships award ceremony. I was there profiling artist Sydney James for this magazine. Sydney was being honored as a fellow, and Sabrina was seated at our table, having served on the judges’ panel. When I wrote that article, I was a freelancer, but, not more than a month after it ran, I was hired on as associate editor. Then there’s wardrobe stylist Marv Neal, who added the final touches by pairing each of our StyleMakers with the perfect accessory. A special thanks to Neiman Marcus at Somerset Collection in Troy for providing the watches, rings and things. I first met Marv when I came to his home to interview him for a different publication. This was even further back, when I was being paid in affirmations. Since then, Marv has become a Photo by Lauren Jeziorski dear friend to BLAC, and, although I’m leaving, I can’t wait to witness how that relationship grows and evolves. Also, in this issue, publisher Billy Strawter Jr. sits down with Wayne County Executive Warren Evans, who recalls the early experiences that helped make him, while also considering the legacy he hopes to leave behind (Page 40). And, because we’re all about balance at BLAC, I sat down with a handful of polyamorous practicing folks and relationship experts in an effort to explore the culture of non-monogamy (Page 44). You’ll also find watermelonforward recipes (Page 14) and learn how artist Mario Moore uses the idea of space in his work (Page 20), among other offerings. To the BLAC readers: It has been my honor to help bring you the stories of Black Detroit. To the rest of the incredible BLAC staff: Y’all take good care of my baby.
DESIGN Senior Art Director: Katie M. Howard
CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION SUPPORT MILO DETROIT, INC. Chief Creative Officer: Mark Simon Director of Content: Jeremy Smith Production/Advertising Operations: Christine Lasalle SALES Sales Directors: Samantha Alessandri, Gail Bindi PARTNERSHIPS Partnership/Events Coordinator: Ebony Jones CIRCULATION Distribution Coordinator: Jordan Winters ADMINISTRATION Director of Business Operations: Victoria Webb Accounting Associate: Judy Stewart PRINTER LSC Communications
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in whole or part without the express written consent of BLAC magazine is prohibited.
Paris Giles Senior Editor
8 BLAC • JULY 2021 • BLACdetroit.com
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CONTRIBUTORS
We Are a 24/7 Collaborative Call Center Coming Together
Meet Our Contributors
To Help Our Community.
Each issue would be impossible without the help of our freelance writers and creative contributors.
Boswell Hardwick, Photographer/Designer Boswell continues to shoot for brands and publications. His large format photographs populate many important homes and collections. He recently returned to millinery and debuted his inaugural collection at Showroom Place Des Vosges in Paris, which was met with great reviews but put on pause due to the pandemic. Boswell is currently preparing a special collection for a residency at Neiman Marcus and hopes to show his spring/summer collection in Paris in the fall.
Find India’s work on Pages 26 through 39.
Find Boswell's work on Pages 26 through 39.
@beautybyindiacharde indieglowcosmetics.com
@boswell_millinery boswellstudio.com
Bettie Jean Lutcher, Hair Stylist Bettie has been connecting with clients since she was a teenager. Since then, she’s only become more driven and diverse, having trained and worked with more than 50 stylists and countless salon teams, teaching them how to be successful in the fast-paced hair industry. Her work has graced the covers of several magazines, including this one. Bettie has worked on OWN Network’s Unfaithful, sent clients down the Grammys and BET Awards red carpets, and styled models for fashion shows in Detroit, Atlanta and New York City. As the owner of B’s Vanity Hair Salon in Ferndale, where shelves are stocked with products from her private label, Bettie’s goal is to amaze every client.
Marv Neal, Wardrobe Stylist/Designer Detroit-based but forever pushing our fashion limits, Marv has been traveling to expand his brand while simultaneously keeping the Motor City spirit alive. With 20 years of combined retail and styling experience, he’s cultivated looks and events for brands including UnitedFront, Thrift on the Ave, Elite Couture, Spoiled Forever, Versace, Dolce Moda and Henri Bendel. His work has been featured in Vogue Italia, Ambassador, Institute and Dark Beauty magazines. All the while, he’s been running the custom denim brand Jeanous Denim. Marv has also been hosting parties for the last five years, and, if you follow him on social media, you know he loves to laugh.
Find Bettie's work on Pages 26 through 39.
Find Marv's work on Pages 26 through 39.
@bvainhaircollection
@marvneal marvneal.com
Reach Us Detroit is spearheaded by Andrea L Smith, MSW, Director of Workforce Training & Program Development. To access services, call or text 313-488-HOPE or visit www.ReachUsDetroit.org. The Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network (DWIHN) is the largest and most diverse Community Mental Health system offering integrated health care in Michigan. We offer help with Infant Mental Health, Supportive Housing, and Recovery to support self- determination and improve the health, safety and quality of life for nearly 75, 000 people and their families.
Nick Pizaña, Writer Nick Pizana is a professional artist and writer from Detroit. He studied journalism at Wayne State University and is currently pursuing a Master of Fine Arts in painting at Cranbrook Art Academy. As a painter, Nick works primarily in making colorful murals that draw from his background in street art and comic books. His work can be seen all around Detroit, from Hart Plaza to Eastern Market. In addition to his painting practice, Nick co-owns KO Studio Gallery in Hamtramck.
S:7.375"
Mornings, nights, weekends or weekdays. We’re here for it all.
S:4.22"
India Brown, Makeup Artist India is a 25-year-old “boy mom” from Detroit who’s been in the beauty industry for over four years. She started as an assistant, cleaning makeup brushes and setting up stations, but her work ethic and drive shone. Now, India has her own suite in Southfield and a line of products, Indie Glow Cosmetics, which is steadily growing and adding new products. Her passions are beauty, and working with people and brands with a purpose.
The Detroit COVID-19 Virtual Therapy Collaborative aims to remove stigma and barriers to treatment for African-American males, single parents, transitional-age youth, adolescents, members of the LGBTQAI+ community.
Find Nick’s work on Pages 18 and 20. @shorin_nick nickpizana.com Confidence comes with every card.®
Whether it’s 2 a.m. on the weekend or a routine appointment, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is here to help you access the care you need. Call our 24-Hour Nurse Line with questions or see a doctor from home with Blue Cross Online Visits. Plus, our Blue Cross mobile app gives you on-demand access to the resources you need so no matter where life takes you, you’ll always be connected with your coverage anytime, anywhere. We’re here for it all and always will be. Learn more at HereForItAll.com
WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR TALENTED CONTRIBUTORS!
If you're an experienced writer, photographer or artist interested in working with BLAC, email your résumé and samples of your work to editor@BLACdetroit.com. 10 BLAC • JULY 2021 • BLACdetroit.com
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network are nonprofit corporations and independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
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A year-long series featuring Detroiters who are driving positive change in their communities.
Driving Community Sponsored by Ford Motor Company Fund
2,045 alumni, to date, and they are engaged in a number of really great ways,” Campbell says. “We can’t get anything done alone – we partner; we collaborate. We believe in networking, building relationships and making strong connections, because it makes the community stronger.” While she served on the organization’s board previously, Campbell came on as Build president and CEO in November. “I’ve always been one who loves cities,” she says. “I love commercial corridors, I loved going shopping with my parents and going downtown when I was a teenager.” She recalls being a 16-year-old at the bus stop near Grand River and Greenfield and noticing the slew of boarded up shops, the skeletons of a once-booming community. “That bothered me. In that moment, I said to myself, ‘You’re going to help Detroit revitalize.’ I didn’t know what that meant, but what I did know is
that I wanted to help bring back small businesses in our communities.” Campbell has worked in community organizing, housing development and related fields, but says it was when she participated in Wayne State University’s Detroit Revitalization Fellowship in 2011 that the pieces fell into place. “I started working with small businesses, founded the Detroit Entrepreneur Week, which helped bring micro businesses together for a week-long celebration, and I fell, literally, in love with it.” After that, she worked at TechTown for five years before moving to Memphis to become the city’s chief program officer, working to bring investments and programs to the city’s underserved, community-based businesses. Now, Campbell is back in Detroit with a continued commitment to uplifting women- and minority-owned businesses, in particular. “I’m from the community and of the community.
And, as a woman, a Black woman, gender and race is a challenge that we face. We experience different challenges and barriers that others do not. And, so, (considering) my lived experience, my professional experiences, it’s close to my heart,” she says. “I know that barriers can be removed and overcome. It’s just that we need certain people who are thought leaders and who are about theory of change, which I am, to walk the walk and do what’s necessary to break down the status quo.” Build Institute’s vision for Detroit is that it will be the global leader in equitable and inclusive entrepreneurship. Campbell says, “For us, it’s really about making sure that – particularly underrepresented, under-resourced entrepreneurs, Black and brown women – have access to the necessary capital, education and networks to launch and grow their business.”
“Ford Fund believes that investing in the needs of our youth is an essential step toward empowering our communities for a promising future.”
Ford Motor Company Fund commends Regina Ann Campbell of Build Institute for being a vital community resource that is profoundly impacting the future of new entrepreneurs in Detroit and beyond. For years, Build Institute has been dedicated to helping people turn ideas into businesses. Ford is also committed to removing the barriers to achievement in entrepreneurship. Over the past four years, Ford Motor Company Fund has partnered with 1863 Ventures to host the HERImpact Entrepreneurship Summit and pitch competitions designed to build community and provide investments for female social entrepreneurs. Ford also partners with ProsperUS Detroit at our Ford Resource and Engagement Centers to provide capacity building support to local businesses to help increase their impact and
Regina Ann Campbell, President and CEO, Build Institute
long-term sustainability. Ford celebrates Regina Ann Campbell and Build Institute for investing in Detroit businesses and planting the seeds that
This Detroit native heads the Corktown-based incubator that supports and champions the entrepreneurial spirit.
P lenty of us have great ideas and the gusto to turn them into reality. Often the only pieces missing are the support, knowledge and resources needed to get a dream off the ground – and that’s where Build Institute steps in. The Detroit-bred incubator was founded in 2012 as a way to provide entrepreneurs with the tools and network to launch and scale their businesses. President and CEO Regina Ann Campbell calls Build, “an idea innovation hub.” She 12 BLAC • JULY 2021 • BLACdetroit.com
says, “One of our taglines is, we say: ‘We help entrepreneurs earn, learn and return.’” With a suite of courses and programs centered around knowledge and capital, Build Institute buoys the entrepreneurial spirit. CO.STARTERS is a nine-week course geared toward aspiring entrepreneurs, “for individuals who are in the proof of concept stage,” Campbell says. Build Basics is the core eight-week course for aspiring and established entrepreneurs
to help them further develop their business plans, and walk away knowing how to access more capital and grow their businesses. While Build Impact is tailored to fit the social entrepreneur. She says, “It’s really about helping ideators in the community who have a social mission, and being able to help them build their business model where they are able to support the community and make a profit.” Build also offers a series of masterclasses on varying
topics from cash flow to customer validation, and Build Pilot allows for a real-world, working retail model. Networking is also a key component of the Build formula. Established entrepreneurs and industry experts are often invited to come speak and meet the aspiring business owners. “We create a variety of environments for them to interact. The one thing about Build, the ecosystem, we have a very successful alumni network. We have
will help them launch, grow and flourish.
– Pamela Alexander, director of community development for Ford Motor Company
UP AND COMERS
For more information on Build Institute or to get involved, visit buildinstitute.org.
BLACdetroit.com • JULY 2021 • BLAC 13
DISCOVER By Paris Giles
A cold wedge of watermelon on a hot day is a treat all on its own, but if you feel like getting fancy, these recipes will inspire you to take summer’s favorite fruit to the next level.
Grilled Watermelon and Pork Kebobs
6 tablespoons brown sugar 6 tablespoons soy sauce 6 tablespoons diced red onion 3 garlic cloves, minced 3 tablespoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon olive oil ¼ teaspoon ground thyme Dash of pepper to taste 1 pound boned, lean pork chop, cut into 1-inch cubes (approximately 38 to 40 pieces) 32 cubes watermelon (1 inch) 16-24 zucchini rounds (1/2 inch) 16 pineapple chunks (1 inch), fresh or canned 24 yellow and/or orange peppers Cooking spray
1. Combine sugar, soy sauce, onion, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, thyme and pepper in a mixing bowl. Pour into a zip-close bag and add pork pieces. Seal bag, mix thoroughly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, turning bag on occasion. 2. Remove pork from bag and reserve marinade. Thread 5 pork pieces, 4 watermelon cubes, 2 to 3 zucchini rounds, 2 pineapple chunks and 3 peppers on each of the 8 skewers, alternating the order. 3. Heat the grill to medium-high. 4. Spray cooking surface and place kebobs on grill. Grill for 12 to 15 minutes, depending on grill heat, or until done, turning and basting frequently with reserved marinade. Garnish with sesame seeds and chunks of watermelon.
Grilled Watermelon and Pork Kabobs
• All recipes courtesy of watermelon.org
(That’s right! There’s a whole website dedicated to watermelon).
•
14 BLAC • JULY 2021 • BLACdetroit.com
Watermelon Coconut Margarita
2 cups seeded watermelon chunks 2 ounces coconut flavored rum ½ cup shredded coconut Juice from 1 fresh lime 1 cup ice Sugar to rim glass (optional)
1. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. 2. Pour into a sugar-rimmed glass.
Avocado Toast with Watermelon
4 tablespoons mashed avocado ½ teaspoon lemon juice 2 slices whole grain bread, toasted 4 tablespoons diced watermelon 2 tablespoons feta cheese, crumbled 2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint ½ teaspoon lemon zest
1. Mix mashed avocado with lemon juice. 2. Spread half the avocado mix on each slice of the toasted bread, top with half of the watermelon and cheese, then sprinkle with half of the mint leaves and lemon zest.
Watermelon Gazpacho
5 cups chopped watermelon ½ cup chopped yellow onion ½ cup chopped green peppers ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon cumin ½ cup chopped cilantro 2 teaspoons chopped jalapeno 1 tablespoon lime juice ¼ teaspoon chili powder 1 cup finely chopped watermelon, reserved for garnish ½-1 cup diced avocado for garnish (optional)
Watermelon Muffin Crumble Parfait
2 cups chopped watermelon (well drained) 4 cups small cubes of watermelon 3 small bran muffins ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 cups fat free vanilla flavored yogurt ½ cup toasted sliced almonds ½ cup dried cranberries ½ cup honey
1. Crumble the muffins and divide among the bottom of four 12-ounce glasses, reserving about ¾ cup of the crumble. 2. Mix the cinnamon and yogurt, and divide half of it over the crumbled muffin in the glass. 3. Divide the watermelon and dried cranberries over the yogurt in the glasses. 4. Divide the remaining yogurt over the watermelon and dried cranberries. 5. Divide the remaining muffin crumble over the glasses and top with honey. 6. Garnish with the toasted sliced almonds and top with watermelon cubes.
1. Puree the first 10 ingredients in a blender until smooth. Adjust the seasonings as needed. 2. Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour. 3. Stir in the finely chopped watermelon and avocado at serving time. BLACdetroit.com • JULY 2021 • BLAC 15
DISCOVER By Arianna Smith
OUTDOOR ENTERTAINMENT
B
edrock’s new Monroe Street Midway, located near Campus Martius and Cadillac Square, is a much-anticipated site for everyone tired of being cooped up and ready for more open, community space in Detroit. With the long-awaited return of safe, outdoor gathering spaces, Monroe Street Midway (formerly the Monroe Street Drive-In) offers a collection of food trucks, basketball courts, exhibits by local artists and live DJ entertainment. The main gem is the Rollout Detroit Roller Rink, an outdoor skating rink from Bedrock’s Decked Out Detroit initiative and RollerCade, the oldest continuously operating roller rink in the city – possibly the country – made all the more special because it’s Black-owned. Third-generation RollerCade owner Kyle Black says that his partnership with Bedrock and their effort to provide free recreation for the city is “great for everybody involved.” He says, “The attention and recognition for RollerCade is amazing, and people really start looking into our history once they know who we are. But Detroit needs more places where people can just come together and have fun all day, in a space that caters to multiple interests.” Guests can skate on courts featuring murals from artists like Sheefy McFly and Phil Simpson. Statements provided by Bedrock assure the public that Monroe Street Midway will comply with all recommended COVID-19 precautions and social distancing during operation. Masks and sanitizer will be freely available for use, and capacity limits are being enforced. The Midway is set to remain open until fall 2021.
deckedoutdetroit.com
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DISCOVER By Nick Pizaña
VINTAGE INSPIRED
B
ack in 1978, Motown Records released the single “Pops, We Love You,” featuring Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and Smokey Robinson. The song was written as a tribute to Berry “Pops” Gordy Sr., the father of Berry Gordy Jr., the founder of Motown Records. In addition to the all-star group, the 45 stood out because of its bright red color and unique heart shape. It was the only record to get this treatment, and a recent collaboration between the Motown Museum and Rebel Nell is bringing it back. Rebel Nell is known for creating stylish wearable art from repurposed materials, while providing employment and support to women. In the new Motown Album Collection, Rebel Nell’s teams of artisans have repurposed the original vinyl into pieces that pay tribute to Motown and its founder. For Amy Peterson, founder of Rebel Nell, the opportunity is a dream come true. “We’ve always partnered with incredible Detroit organizations, and we’ve always wanted to partner with the Motown Museum,” Peterson says. The collection is comprised of 10 items including necklaces, earrings, bracelets and lifestyle pieces made of brass, stainless steel and gold. Rebel Nell’s creative designers meticulously craft pieces from the bold ’70s vinyl into wearable pieces of art. It’s an artful fusion of two genuine Detroit enterprises and the synergy is apparent. Both companies are neighbors, just blocks away from each other, and Peterson credits Berry Gordy Jr. with being a pioneer in creating a valuable business that also does social good. “It’s a way to honor the legacy of Motown and Berry Gordy. We’re a social enterprise, and I believe Berry Gordy created social enterprise through Motown.”
@rebelnell rebelnell.com
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APPRAISED By Nick Pizaña
SPACE AND TIME
I
f you haven’t heard of Mario Moore, you definitely should’ve. The Detroit native has been turning heads with his realistic and warm portraits, often drawn or painted in oil. In these works, Moore renders ordinary people with boldness and dignity. “I’ve always dealt with realism and naturalism, because I feel like everybody is able to approach my practice, and they’ll be able to understand the work on some level – whether it’s a person walking in off the street or someone with a Ph.D. in art history.” Moore graduated from the College for Creative Studies with a degree in illustration and got his MFA in painting from Yale. His artwork can be found in the collections of institutions like the Detroit Institute of Arts, The Studio Museum in Harlem and the Princeton University Art Museum. He says a common thread through his work is our relationship with time, and the connection between the past and present. “I like to think about how we sometimes continue in the same directions we’ve already been through,” Moore says. “The question that I think my works ask is ‘why?’ and ‘how?’ not necessarily to get an answer, but to draw attention.” In June, Moore’s retrospective, Enshrined: Presence + Preservation, opened at the Charles H. Wright Museum. The exhibition offers a look back over his body of work. His lifelike portraits do for his contemporary, everyday subjects what the paintings of the Renaissance did for theirs – it elevates them and gives an air of majesty without pompous spectacle. Keeping busy, Moore is preparing for a solo exhibition at Arthur Roger Gallery in New Orleans this fall.
Enshrined: Presence + Preservation is on view at the Wright through Sept. 19. @mariomooreart mariomoorestudio.com
Photo credit for artist’s photo: Danielle Eliska Lyle 20 BLAC • JULY 2021 • BLACdetroit.com
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IN STYLE Curated by Paris Giles
Lemlem
t t
Pucker Up
Dopamine dressing in bright, citrus-y hues.
Off White
Lena Ballet One Piece $275 • lemlem.com
Burrow-38 Tote Bag $1,840 • off---white.com
t
t
All these fashion and beauty brands are Black-owned!
Andrea Iyamah
Brandon Blackwood
Sari One Piece $140 • andreaiyamah.com
Kuei Bag $165 • brandonblackwood.com
t
t
Christopher John Rogers
Fe Noel
Crystal-embellished Crepe Pants $1,498 (Net-a-Porter) christopherjohnrogers.com
Spice Sheer Pants $428 • fenoel.com
t Petit Kouraj
t Brandon Blackwood Mini Kendrick Trunk $165 • brandonblackwood.com
t
Christopher John Rogers
Strapless Twill Gown $2,298 (Net-a-Porter) christopherjohnrogers.com
Mini Fringe Prism $375 • petitkouraj.com
t
t Andrea Iyamah
Lona Dress $290 • andreaiyamah.com
The Lip Bar
Coco and Breezy
t
t
City Girl Matte Lipstick $13 • thelipbar.com
22 BLAC • JULY 2021 • BLACdetroit.com
t
PRAM-103 $325 • cocoandbreezy.com
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Health Advice from Ascension Michigan
How Can We Combat Vaccine Hesitancy in the Black Community? Jamila Taylor, M.D.
A
s the COVID-19 vaccine is now available to most who want it, concerns around vaccine hesitancy and distrust of the medical system are at the forefront. Why are some in the Black community choosing not to get this potentially life-saving vaccine? While reluctance is understandable, getting the facts is key. Family medicine physician Dr. Jamila Taylor says, “Fear of the current COVID-19 vaccinations should not be founded on fears from the past. Thankfully, even in this uncertain health crisis, we have seen a steady trend of people keeping their recommended vaccine schedules.” Several states are steadily vaccinating more of their Black residents and closing the racial vaccination gap. Education around the science, safety and efficacy have helped. “I’ve found explaining the process to the patients helps, especially when it comes to the COVID vaccines. Understanding how messenger RNA helps code cells to produce and fight off the virus themselves can get complicated,
but having the conversation with a Black physician who relates to you makes it easier,” Dr. Taylor says. Many of the questions Dr. Taylor receives from her patients about vaccines, specifically the new COVID immunizations, echo theories and fears that stem from a variety of sources – both official and not. “I’ve had patients ask me about their reproductive system and if it might be harmed by the vaccine. Or patients with circulatory issues, who heard about the blood clotting cases, wonder whether the vaccine is safe for them. Those are valid questions to ask about one’s wellbeing,” Dr. Taylor says. The speed with which the vaccines were developed is also an understandable point of hesitation for some, but there’s an explanation for that. “The vaccines did seem to arrive right when we needed them because the technology was in development years before. Messenger RNA vaccines were seen as groundbreaking and more effective than the ‘dead virus’ vaccines for a while before COVID, unexpected as it
was. The science was secure, so the timeframe and technology of the COVID vaccine development can be viewed as a modern science success,” Dr. Taylor says. The circulation of misinformation can be frustrating, she says, but we must take care to avoid dismissing those with questions and concerns, or labeling them conspiracy theorists. “We want people to take vaccines, but being hesitant about them can be borne from a lot of things other than just ‘ignorance,’” Dr. Taylor says. “Some people prefer or find good results with alternative or natural methods. Some have seen side effects and issues arise in people they know and love. I have to respect people’s autonomy while also providing them factual, evidencebased information in order to make an informed decision.” Dr. Taylor says that we tend to receive the vaccinations we need to attend school as children, and then skip the critical ones needed in adolescence and adulthood. Often, this isn’t intentional on the part of the patient, who doesn’t always
know that additional vaccines are recommended. “We can reference Henrietta Lacks and the Tuskegee experiments as why there is mistrust of the medical community, but the whole of the issue is that it’s hard to stay informed and knowledgeable in a system that was built without addressing health care inequities and social determinants of health. The disparity of care, treatment by doctors, access to quality care, and understandable information not being readily available – that’s what destroys trust over time,” she says. From ease of access to aftercare, the patient experience is key to building trust. In the case of COVID, that trust is key to vaccine adherence that builds herd immunity and safeguards the community. Not every question can be answered, but the effort to connect and inform is critical. “I was one of the firsts within Ascension Michigan to receive my COVID vaccination, and, even as a longstanding doctor, I had reservations. But, ultimately, I trust the field I chose and understand that protecting myself also protects others. And that’s the message I try to convey to my patients,” Dr. Taylor says.
GET MORE HEALTH INFORMATION AND FIND A DOCTOR NEAR YOU BY VISITING ASCENSION.ORG/MICHIGAN OR CALLING 866-501-DOCS (3627) 24 BLAC • JULY 2021 • BLACdetroit.com
BLACdetroit.com • JULY 2021 • BLAC 25
BLAC
Our sincerest thanks to Neiman Marcus at Somerset Collection in Troy for providing the accessories listed. 26 BLAC • JULY 2021 • BLACdetroit.com
Celebrating Detroit’s Most Fashionable
Feature Editor, Ann Duke Photographer, Boswell Hardwick BLACdetroit.com • JULY 2021 • BLAC 27
Michael Anthony Menswear designer, stylist, blogger
How would you describe your style?
Preppy with an urban influence.
Who are your favorite designers?
One designer that I find admirable is Daniel Day, also known as Dapper Dan. He got his recognition from reworking traditional luxury house products into outfits for the hip-hop scene in the late ’80s and ’90s. He had a huge hand in the reason why rappers and hip-hop stars rock luxury labels.
How does being a Detroiter influence your look? Being a Detroit influencer helped me to be myself and free with my style. Detroit may not be on the map as a huge fashion capital, but we have a huge impact on the fashion industry through our automotive influence. Detroit has shown me that no matter how little you have, always take pride in your appearance. Because when Detroiters dress, we dress. Bag: Shinola, $895
Rhonda Walker News anchor, founder and president of the Rhonda Walker Foundation
How would you describe your style?
As timeless and classic, with an elegant and feminine touch. I am more comfortable when I take the time to dress up and select my outfits from head to toe. My favorite clothing items are dresses paired with high heels. If you ever see me in jeans and flats, I’m forcing myself out of my comfort zone.
Who are your style icons or inspirations?
Growing up, I always loved the elegant styles of Princess Diana, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Audrey Hepburn. It was not only for what they wore, but also for how they used their platforms through philanthropic causes to give back to others.
How does being a Detroiter influence your look?
I love supporting local designers and boutiques, especially when it comes to accessories. I frequent fairs, festivals and vendors all over town for unique pieces. Being a Detroiter influences my look because of our diversity and acceptance of all walks of life and fashion choices. Ring: David Yurman, $2,850 Earrings: Alexis Bittar, $165
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Kenneth Jamil Woodson
Business professional, entrepreneur, co-owner of Anytime Fitness Auburn Hills
How would you describe your style?
Sabrina Nelson “Artivist”
Where are your favorite places to shop? My favorite shops are Detroit boutiques. I frequent Flo’s, Frida, Busted Bra Shop, Mama Coo’s, The Peacock Room and Détroit is the New Black.
How does being a Detroiter influence your look?
It’s a love for the blue-collar, we-work-better-together mentality. There are so many patterns and colors through the diversity of cultures in Detroit, like Arabic, Nigerian, Bengali, Polish, Indigenous, Mexican and more.
How has the pandemic and events of 2020 affected your personal style?
The best way to describe my style is fluid. No matter what setting I’m in, I can always find what I need in my closet to make an entrance. I don’t try to blend in, but I also don’t want to look like I try too hard. My style is effortless and flows like water.
Who are your style icons or inspirations?
Being 6’2” and 200 pounds, most of my inspiration comes from professional athletes. I pay close attention to what they wear when they arrive at the arena or stadium. I am also starting to enjoy Tokyo street fashion, and I’m excited to add more pieces inspired by Tokyo to my wardrobe.
Where are your favorite places to shop?
I try my best to spend my money locally. I have a few pieces that I like from Dolce Moda in Birmingham. I like to get my suits from Taiyon by Montee Holland out of Detroit. Backpack: Ermenegildo Zegna, $1,295
I used to dress to go out, now I dress as medicine. I am my first canvas. I paint myself first and then the world. Everything I curate from my emporium has a purpose, and it helps heal me – and I hope it can extend to others. Watch: Shinola, $650
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Deron Washington Team leader at Shops on Top
How would you describe your style?
I would describe my look as clean and classic.
Where are your favorite places to shop? My shop (Shops on Top) and High Street Tie Shop.
How does being a Detroiter influence your look?
Detroit has always been a leader when it comes to fashion, especially from watching icon groups dress like The Temptations, The Dramatics and The Four Tops. These groups have set the tone for fashion in Detroit and across the nation. Ring: David Yurman, $550
Latrice Delgado-Macon Wardrobe stylist, creative director, founder of the Detroit Fashion Community
How would you describe your style?
The words I use to describe my style are: chic, comfortable and modest. I like to be covered, and, when I am dressed modestly, I feel comfortable. I use the word “chic” because there’s just something about dressing elegantly that makes me look and feel put together.
Who are your style icons or inspirations?
I pull my inspiration from many different icons. I love the styles of Diana Ross, Josephine Baker, Cher, Jane Birkin and Audrey Hepburn.
How does being a Detroiter influence your look?
Detroit allows you to be yourself, create your own style and step out into faith. We are the next fashion hub! Scarf: St. Piece, $350
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Palencia Mobley Kenneth E. Harris
Deputy director and chief engineer, Detroit Water and Sewerage
Director of the Harris Financial Group, CEO of The Detroit Popcorn Company
How would you describe your style?
Who are your style icons or inspirations?
I have no personal icons because I am self-expressive, but my inspirations come from the many well-dressed Detroiters I have been blessed to know and socialize with.
How does being a Detroiter influence your look?
I have been blessed to reside in Detroit for over 40 years. I find Detroiters to be very on point with their fashion. After living in Washington, D.C. and New York City, I learned to dress the way I want and continue my style as me.
How has the pandemic and events of 2020 affected your personal style?
The pandemic changed my daily attire to more sportswear. It made sense since my home was my workspace. Saying that, I’m glad it’s over. I have quickly adjusted back to my “Ken Harris” look. Sunglasses: Tom Ford, $465 Watch: Shinola, $900
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My style is classic, sexy and a bit daring. In some instances, my style is glamorous and over the top. I love clothing that highlights my shape and height. I love standing out and commanding the room.
How does being a Detroiter influence your look?
I have an outfit that my dad bought me from Saks in 1979 when I was a newborn. My daddy was willing to risk divorce for that outfit. Detroiters will risk it all for fashion. We push the envelope, we’re unique and we love to dress. When you think you look good, it elevates your mood. Detroiters aren’t afraid of fashion.
How has the pandemic and events of 2020 affected your personal style?
If you love to shop, the pandemic did not stop you. This past Christmas, I decided to do The Twelve Days of Christmas in fashion. It was a fun experiment, but I have to leave social media to the real influencers. Earrings: Oscar de la Renta, $450
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Priscilla Perkins Senior director of development, Beaumont Health Foundation
How would you describe your style?
My style has understated quirkiness layered over classic lines.
Who are your style icons or inspirations?
My icons are Michelle Obama, Diane Keaton, and fashion designer and couturier Ann Lowe, who I wish had been of my time. She was remarkable.
How has the pandemic and events of 2020 affected your personal style?
My style is less structured and free flowing. I’ve incorporated brighter colors and never wear a heel over two inches. Bag: Tom Ford, $1,790 Earrings: Oscar de la Renta, $260
Antonio Hardrick Marshall’s sales associate
How would you describe your style?
My style is one of a kind. It’s very flamboyant, extra and loud – in the best way possible. It attracts a lot of attention and it speaks for itself.
Who are your style icons or inspirations?
My icons are Janelle Monáe and Fonzworth Bentley. My inspirations come from fashion magazines such as GQ and Elle. I always look to fashion magazines for ideas and ways to up my fashion game.
How has the pandemic and events of 2020 affected your personal style?
Because of the shutdown, I had a lot of time to brainstorm ways to improve my personal style. I had lots of time to look at fashion magazines and watch fashion shows on YouTube. Sunglasses: Gucci, $580
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Roslyn Karamoko
Eric Thomas
Founder and CEO of Détroit is the New Black
Chief storyteller, City of Detroit
Where are your favorite places to shop?
I enjoy shopping internationally, or when I’m traveling in general. Copenhagen, Denmark is one of my favorite places for design. It’s exciting to draw inspiration and gain new perspectives on cultural dress from around the world.
How does being a Detroiter influence your look?
Detroiters have confidence that inspires me to be myself. There are various pockets of Detroit style which allows an individual to feel comfortable in their own skin here. There’s a freedom in style that has influenced me greatly.
How has the pandemic and events of 2020 affected your personal style?
The pandemic has definitely challenged my view of style, especially practical style. I’m evolving in my own personal style, as well, so it’s a chapter where I’m reevaluating what style is to me and how fashion functions in my daily life. I’ve been thinking more about the communication of clothing and the items that I choose to wear, and less about current trends. I’ve always admired the confidence of the chic older woman who wears cashmere crewneck sweaters, perfectly fit denim and pearls.
How would you describe your style?
People know me by my round glasses, ponytail and suit. For me, style is not about being loud. It’s about consistently dressing in a way that brings you joy. If you feel confident, you’ll exude confidence. The wardrobe is defined by who wears it. It’s important to dress for yourself. Sometimes, I get all the way dressed up just to sit around my house. I believe that my joy is my job and I work to maintain that.
Who are your style icons or inspirations?
I love the villain look. I’ve always liked the edgy look with a little bit of sass mixed in. Villains are often the best dressed in movies and aren’t afraid to be confident.
How does being a Detroiter influence your look?
In Detroit, we get dressed to go to the grocery store. Style and fashion have always been important here and to the Black community as a whole. Detroit is a style capital and cultural hub and has influenced fashion all over the country. I feel lucky to get it right from the source. Watch: Shinola, $595
Bag: Valentino, $2,290
To learn more about our Stylemakers, visit Blacdetroit.com 38 BLAC • JULY 2021 • BLACdetroit.com
Accessories styling: Marv Neal; Hair (on select StyleMakers): Bettie Lutcher; BLACdetroit.com • JULY 2021 • BLAC 39 Makeup (on select StyleMakers): India Charde
QA FEATURES
&
Warren Evans Wayne County Executive Warren Evans recalls his life back in Idlewild, the childhood that helped make him, and the legacy he wants to leave behind.
By Billy Strawter Jr.
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On a morning in mid-May, we sat down with Wayne County Executive Warren Evans via Zoom. We were thrilled to get an opportunity with one of the busiest people in the county. Evans began his career in law enforcement as a deputy with the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department in 1970, before quickly rising through the ranks, becoming sheriff in 2003. In July 2009, Evans was named the 39th Detroit Police Department chief by Mayor Dave Bing. Evans announced, in April 2014, that he was going to seek the Democratic nomination for Wayne County Executive, challenging three-term incumbent Robert Ficano. Evans easily won the Democratic primary – taking 46% of the vote in a four-person field – and went on to win the general election. He’s currently serving a second term.
Q
Talk about the Idlewild, because, you know, it’s a place that I’ve been to recently, and I understand the history. I would love to hear you talk about what it was like in its heyday. Oh, my God. Let me just say, my brother and his significant other live there now. He has two motels and four houses on the lake, and he’s busy and working on the revival of Idlewild and that sort of stuff. I was 6 months old my first trip there. There was an excitement with the adults who had the opportunities to congregate with each other and, of course, all the kids hung out together. A beautiful lake, beautiful history. The people who had houses on the lake, Dr. Daniel Hale, for example…just there were people that were in two different groups. They were the professionally prominent African American people, then there were the men and the people on the other side that are equally financially secure. Some people had an opportunity to make it this way, and some people had an opportunity to make it that way. There was an acceptance that they were all there having fun at a place that African Americans didn’t really get a chance to do anywhere else in the country. I’m 72 years old, and I’ve been a horseman since I was 12. My first experience with horses was there. There was an old, retired Buffalo soldier, 10th Calvary, that had retired and got a little string of nags, and created a little place for himself up there for trail rides. I’m this little
12-year-old kid. As soon as I saw the horses – and my fascination with horses – I’d be there every morning, leaning over the fence, just looking in, watching. I didn’t know him or anything. And, finally, we kind of struck up a partnership and he
“I’m 72 years old, and I’ve been a horseman since I was 12.” said, ‘You come in here. I’ll teach you what I know about horses, if you don’t mind helping do some of this work.’ And that was as close to heaven I’d ever been. That’s where my fascination with horses began. I’ve done some competitive riding.
I have seven grandchildren and honestly, every last of the seven have the passion for horses and the same passion for water sports. They love the horses, and I am, to this day, paying money I wish I didn’t pay for lessons for them, for keeping the horses up. I can’t just have one horse for me and my grandkids on the other one. It’s a very expensive sort of thing, but I’ve always felt that, especially with Black kids, exposure to things is so critical, and especially for girls – but everybody. I would tell my grandkids, ‘I do want you to be able to be in a crowd anywhere and let folks know how to put a saddle on (a) horse. You’ve ridden horses.’ I think it’s a confidence thing, but, for me, it’s also unnerving to people who are not of color quite often, almost kind of disbelief. I’ve been in the police department and been around guys, my commanding officers and other big guys, waiting for a meeting. These guys are all talking about their place up North and their pontoon boat, but I had a lot of boating experience. Questions pass from one person to another, then we’re talking about water skiing. I do think that kids ought to have the exposure for more and more things, and then pick what they have a passion for. I hear my folks saying all the time, ‘I don’t do that or this,’ it goes. Now they’re grown-ups and never dealt with it at a younger age. And, so, they have a predisposition to think it’s not the thing to do, or people of color don’t do that.
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Warren Evans
Q
That’s right. That’s how I raise my daughter. We’re going to expose you to everything, and we’ll let you determine what it is that you like. As you start thinking about legacy, what does that look like for you? No. 1: to do a more than competent job of providing services. No. 2: When I leave, they will know a person of color was there. There’s no reason to be a Black county executive if you don’t have a different perspective about the plight of Black folks, the lack of opportunity – and do things that create that. If you look at my administration, it looks like Wayne County. There are African American males, females. I don’t care if you’re gay or straight; I don’t care about any of that. I’m looking for talent. The more diverse my cabinet is, the better I make decisions, the better perspective I have on the world out there. Have I done right by people, in general? Have I been fiscally responsible? Detroit had just gone through bankruptcy, and if you look at any article before I took this office, the only question was, ‘When is Wayne County going into bankruptcy too?’ Now, we’ve had six balanced budgets. We never went into bankruptcy. We paid down all of the debt. We have an investment-grade bond rating now. And if I were not a person of color, you would know that. But it goes against the stereotypical. It must’ve just been one of those miracles that happened, you know, because Black folks can’t really lead you out of that abyss and not file bankruptcy. I didn’t have a grand bargain, I didn’t take away the benefits of my retirees, and I didn’t file bankruptcy. It would have been an easy way out, in many respects.
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As a police chief in the city of Detroit, I fought crime, reduced crime significantly for the one year I was there and gave $6 million back to the general fund, because it wasn’t about the stuff you see all the time. When I took over that job, I would say, a safe estimate would be, people were generally working at about 40% capacity. And if you ask an officer what his end game was, what his goal was, most often you’d hear ‘to get home safely.’ While that is a heck of a reality, that’s not a movement forward in problem-solving. You get out there, get people pumping. I’m doing the math, and I’m 200 police officers short and everybody’s working at 40% capacity. If you could get them to 60% capacity, I got more officers. It’s not just bodies, it’s changing what bodies do. It’s getting people enthused to do something. People don’t get up in the morning and say, ‘I just don’t want to do a thing all day.’ That’s morale. If you give them something to do, give them some incentive for what it is and you’re consistent, I think you can do a lot of things. It’s a social problem, and it’s been a social problem since slavery. What we have to do … you’re supposed to bring something to the table that makes things different.
Q
Thank you so much for your time today. For people who want to walk up and say “hi,” what do they call you? “Mr. Evans,” “Evans”? “Chief.” I think that’s partially “Chief Executive Officer,” but it’s more policemen, that sort of thing. So, I think that’s what most people say. But I’m happy if they call me “Warren” too.
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FEATURES
Love,
I
t’s interesting. We don’t cap our platonic relationships at just one, right? We don’t go hunting for our one true friend match, and then, when we find that person, forsake all others for them and ask that our friend do the same. Chances are, you’ve got many friends, each nourishing you in different ways: the afternoon movie buddy who’s up on all the off-kilter, indie flicks; the friend who’s always down for a few drinks and a good time; your go-to for a good heart-to-heart. Sure, some are probably closer to you than others, but point is: We don’t limit ourselves to one nonromantic connection. Why then, with romantic relationships, is the default move to pair up and close off?
Mul tiplied Monogamy is the default mode for most, but, for some, it’s just one option on the menu of relationship styles. For polyamorous folks, three – or more – is company.
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By Paris Giles
Discourse around the inevitability of the “relationship escalator” comes up often in polyamory and non-monogamous circles. It’s the idea that in traditional, monogamous relationships, you hop on the escalator, and then, well … you’re on it. It’s taking you and this one other person up and up at a steady pace, and as you ascend, you hit the milestones: cohabitation, engagement, marriage, kids. And to change direction or, God forbid, get off, would cause quite the disruption; some people might even get kicked in the face. Polyamory practicing people tend to adhere to philosophies around freedom, autonomy and a greater sense of control over self. They allow space to explore connections and for relationships to progress and evolve in ways that are, perhaps, more organic. While there are typically still rules involved, they’re house rules. That’s not to say that they’re aren’t monogamous couples also shucking societal standards for a design that’s unique to them. Before we go any further, it’s important to understand what polyamory actually is, because there are plenty of misconceptions. First: Polyamory is not swinging, where a couple goes to a sex party, perhaps, looking to hook up with (usually) random people. Second: Polyamory is not the same as polygamy, where a man (usually) has multiple wives. Third: Polyamory is not
the same as an open relationship, where one or both partners in an otherwise committed twosome have a hall pass of sorts, which allows them to have sex with other people under certain circumstances. Rather, poly folks are often after the emotional connection and intimacy – they’re just open to getting it from multiple people. Sure, sex is often involved, as it is in many romantic relationships, but it’s not the main motivator. And within polyamory exists many different shapes and formations. The word “polyamory” is a mashup of “poly,” from the Greek word meaning “more than one,” and “amor,” the Latin word for “love.” And is there ever such a thing as too much love? After all, Dionne Warwick told us it’s the only thing that there’s just too little of.
An Emerging Alternative
These ideas aren’t new, but polyamory does seem to be gaining visibility in recent years and inviting spirited conversation, particularly around what it means to be poly and a person of color. Red Table Talk – The Facebook Watch series from the Pinkett-Smith family – released an episode on multiple partners a couple years back, which garnered over 4 million views. They summoned a “throuple” (you may hear it called a “triad” in poly circles) to the BLACdetroit.com • JULY 2021 • BLAC 45
Love, Multiplied
These ideas can get complicated. We get it. Here are a handful of common polyamory-related terms and their meanings. • Solo Polyamory Someone has multiple intimate relationships, table for a conversation, and we learned that Willow Smith’s ideal relationship arrangement would wedge her right between a man and a woman. More recently, the first feature film from queer and Asian director Marion Hill, Ma Belle, Ma Beauty, explores polyamory in the South of France and features a Black, female lead as one in a group of reunited former partners. The film premiered at Sundance earlier this year to high praise, nabbing the Audience Award in the NEXT category. It hits American theaters on Aug. 20. Cincinnati carpenter and handyman Reggie Parker has been practicing polyamory since around 2015. Before then, he says, “I would say I was non-monogamous, unethically. I used to listen to my uncles a lot. And the formula that I saw that they had with their women was, you know, they would just have a woman or a wife and have someone else without them knowing – and that was kind of how it went. So, it took me until I was in my adulthood to figure out, OK, there’s a term for unethical monogamy, and then polyamory. OK, so this is how you’re supposed to do it. You know what I mean? Everyone is supposed to be in the know.” Parker belonged to a BDSM-kink community, and he says it was that network that introduced him to the idea of polyamory. “And that tends to happen when you are involved in those arenas of life, alternative lifestyle, they all kind of co-mingle,” he says. “I kept seeing these people in my circle, and by having conversations and meeting their poly families, I’m like, ‘OK, so first of all: You’re Black, and you do this, and you’re open, and everyone is cool? Like, it blew my mind.” The 45-year-old says he learned how to be open and honest about what he wanted his life to look like, and, along the way, he gained the courage to stand firm in his convictions. “I’m an adult.” 46 BLAC • JULY 2021 • BLACdetroit.com
A philosophy that’s commonplace in the polyamorous community is the idea of relationship anarchy. In short, the ideology says that no relationship (romantic or otherwise) should be bound by any rules not agreed upon by the parties involved. To be clear: Not all relationship anarchists are poly, and not all poly people are relationship anarchists. Though, some of the core principles overlap. As explained in a 2018 The Cut article, the core, shared tenets include being: non-hierarchical (not ranking romantic partner[s] as necessarily more important than friends); anti-prescriptionist (there are no built-in prescriptions about what a partnership must look like); and often, non-monogamous. “For me, what that looks like, in terms of relationship anarchy, is not having the assumption that one needs to be married, one needs to be monogamous, one needs to have some sort of definition at all on a particular relationship,” says psychologist J. Oni Saniyah, Ph.D., founder and director of Integrated Empowerment Group based in Ann Arbor. “There can be freedom and expansiveness to relate to people in ways that feel natural and organic, that honor the sovereignty of all the people involved.” Saniyah also recently founded Liberation Centered Healing, LLC. As a married, Black, queer woman who also practices polyamory, she says her work is meant to fill the gaps she says she saw with regard to practitioners who share her identities. At Integrated Empowerment Group, specifically, she says, “We really focus on integrated ways to address mental health, focusing on an intersectional feminist liberation perspective. And, so, we work with queer folks and BIPOC folks, both exploring non-monogamy and polyamory, and also people who are involved in kink or BDSM.” Saniyah says, in her mind, the connection between polyamory and anarchy is strong. “In general, I’m very much a
but has an independent or single lifestyle. They may not live with partners, share finances or have a desire to reach traditional milestones or intertwine lives.
• Anchor Partner
A long-standing and, typically, logistically entangled romantic relationship. This person may also be called a “primary partner” or “nesting partner.”
• Metamour
Sometimes shortened to “meta,” this person is a partner’s partner, with whom you are not romantically involved.
• Hinge Partner
This is the mutual partner of two metamours who are not involved with each other.
• Polycule
A network of interconnected non-monogamous people or relationships.
• Parallel Polyamory
Multiple relationships run in parallel but do not entwine or overlap.
liberation-focused person. So, I’m interested in radical freedom, expansiveness and, like, bodily autonomy and agency, and the ability to intentionally choose the types of ways that I move through the world, including my relationships,” she says. “I’m like, fuck the system; it’s an act of resistance to me.”
A Complex Community
Poly-practicing or -interested people still have to wade through a sea of misconceptions and offensive, if not harmful, opinions. And if you’re Black or queer – or Black and queer – that’s an extra layer of gunk. Saniyah says most of her clients belong to the LGBTQ community, and about 60% are polyamorous or practicing some version of non-monogamy. Clinical therapist and relationship specialist Ashley Turner says most of the clients she sees at her Farmington Hills-based private practice, Alleviate, LLC, are Black women, many in the polyamory info-gathering stage. “There are a lot of double, triple minorities,” Turner says. “This idea of being Black and practicing polyamory, it gets complex. Because you have a lot of people of color and Black people, specifically, who carry a very negative connotation about polyamory.” Let’s be real. Black folks aren’t likely to mince words, and we ain’t always the most open-minded. Turner looks ahead to a more progressive and graceful world, but, in the meantime, she says, “You’ve definitely got to have a big sense of security and confidence within yourself to be able to face whatever types of judgments you might get, whatever type of difficulties that you might face. It is going to be another battle.”
Saniyah says some of her clients are coming in to discuss issues directly related to polyamory, and others just happen to be poly but have other stuff to unpack. Some issues don’t discriminate by relationship type – like jealousy. Folks new to polyamory may step into it thinking that if they’ve chosen this relationship style, then jealousy is not allowed, or if it does seep in, that they’re expected to stuff it down and rise above. Jealousy is a natural, human emotion. Yes, even among super woke, poly people. We’re products of our environments, and, resist as we might, we’re viewing the world through monogamy-colored glasses. When Parker from Cincinnati and I spoke in early June, he has recently separated from his primary partner of five years. The reason, according to him: jealousy, or more specifically, miscommunication around feelings of jealousy. For them, he says, the separation means they’re no longer primary partners, but they’re still involved. Parker says polyamory has been a great teacher on the subject of jealousy, despite the stumbles. “‘Jealousy’ is a very important word, especially when you’re talking about non-monogamy and polyamory,” Parker says. “Most people who are not in the know assume that, because you practice this lifestyle, there is not jealousy, that ‘jealousy’ is a dirty word. And one of things that I’ve probably learned in polyamory, one of the bigger things, is that that’s not the case. In fact, polyamory has taught me how to admit when I was jealous. That’s the first step: admitting that you feel a way, and then taking the processes to communicate that to your partner. Because that’s not something that I practiced in monogamy.” Being a Black, heterosexual man who grew
up around other straight, Black men, the idea that feelings of jealousy are valid and normal, and, most importantly, OK to discuss with your partners, was a revelation for Parker. “There’s this idea in polyamory called ‘compersion,’ and what that means is that you’re happy for your person being happy with somebody else,” Turner says. That’s ideal, perhaps, but if you feel some type of way, it’s OK to lean into that. You may come out stronger on the other side. The lessons may sneak in unexpectedly, but what also attracts polyamorous folks to this lifestyle is a sense of community and the idea of a chosen family. It’s not unusual to hear of intertwined polycules (a community of non-monogamous people) buying a house together and cohabitating as a community, raising their children as a village. Parker says, “One of the reasons that I decided that I wanted to be polyamorous is because I had a dream of having, like, a cooperative kind of living space, with not only my romantic partners, but people that I know that are like my adopted family,” Parker says. “I get that ideal, believe it or not, from my grandparents on both sides of my family. Naturally, they had a lot of kids, but, more importantly, they had adopted family who would always seem to be around, people who were not our family, but were ‘cousins.’ So, I grew up wanting to be around a lot of people that I decided was my family.”
PARIS GILES IS BLAC DETROIT’S SENIOR EDITOR.
• Kitchen Table Polyamory
In this situation, members of the polycule are cozy enough with one another to hang out or break bread.
• Garden Party Polyamory
Metamours are comfortable enough with each other to co-mingle occasionally at, say, a partner’s birthday party, but they’re not exactly friends.
There’s no way we could cover it all. Here, psychologist J. On̄i Saniyah, Ph.D. shares her favorite books on polyamory and non-monogamy. Polysecure: Attachment, Trauma and Consensual Nonmonogamy by Jessica Fern
Love’s Not Color Blind: Race and Representation in Polyamorous and Other Alternative Communities by Kevin A. Patterson Opening Up: A Guide to Creating and Sustaining Open Relationships by Tristan Taormino
More Than Two: A Practical Guide to Ethical Polyamory by Eve Rickert and Franklin Veaux
Ethical Slut by Dossie Easton and Janet Hardy
Battling The 8-Armed Octopus of Jealousy (workbook) by Reid Mihalko
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POP ART by Paris Giles and Arianna Smith
BOOKS Between Freedom and Equality: The History of an African American Family in Washington, DC by Barbara Boyle Torrey and Clara Myrick Green
In 1793, formerly enslaved African Capt. George Pointer purchased his freedom from the George Washington Potomac Company, after working as a boat captain and supervisory engineer (Georgetown University Press). Using a letter that he famously wrote concerning his feelings and challenges being free, Torrey and Green traced the stories and travels of six of Pointer’s descendants, exploring their trials as free Black people in an unfree land and how American history attempted to erase them.
Black Sci-Fi Short Stories edited by Tia Ross
Who better to write about alternative views on society and the future than those who have been consistently left out of it (Flame Tree Collection)? Authors including Martin R. Delany, Frances Harper, Pauline Hopkins and W.E.B. Du Bois explore cloning, gene splicing and more, along with dystopian themes in this collection of Black perspectives about humanity’s future, with a touch of fantasy.
The Collection Plate by Kendra Allen
Award-winning poet and author Kendra Allen explores her inner thoughts and the emotional trials of being a Black woman in modern America (Ecco). This social commentary covers interconnected experiences related to race, relationships, sex and religion. Release date: July 6
MOVIES & TV
ACCESS ]
DETROIT • JULY 2021
We’re gearing up for the return of in-person events.
[ ART IN THE PARK ] DOWNTOWN PLYMOUTH
Artists and shoppers are welcomed to Michigan’s second-largest art festival. Shop paintings, jewelry, ceramics, photography and more, while you enjoy live music and great food. July 9-11 • artinthepark.com
[ ROCKET MORTGAGE CLASSIC ]
[ THE OAKLAND COUNTY FAIR ]
This tournament will feature a field of 156 golfers competing for a winner’s prize of $1.35 million and an overall purse of $7.5 million. June 28-July 4 • pgatour.com
The annual tradition is back with monster truck shows, movie nights, carnival rides, racing pigs, food, fireworks and more. July 9-18 • oakfair.org
DETROIT GOLF CLUB, HIGHLAND PARK
SPRINGFIELD OAKS COUNTY PARK, SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP
[ SHEILA E. & MONICA BLAIRE ]
[ DETROIT FESTIVAL OF BOOKS ]
The Aretha kicks off its Jazzy Nights series with Grammy Award winner Sheila E. and Detroit’s own Monica Blaire. July 7 • thearetha.com
Join this fourth annual festival, where over 100 vendors will be on site selling used, rare, antiquarian and unusual books. Also enjoy food, beer and funk music. July 18 • detroitbookfest.com
THE ARETHA FRANKLIN AMPHITHEATRE, DETROIT
EASTERN MARKET, DETROIT
GET CREATIVE! RELAX, THE COCKTAILS ARE ON US!
Space Jam: A New Legacy
The ’90s classic is back with a reboot, with LeBron James at the helm as captain of the Tune Squad (Warner Bros. Pictures). When James and his son Dom are trapped in a digital space by a rogue AI, he must lead Bugs Bunny and the rest of the Looney Tunes in a battle against the Goon Squad. Directed by Malcolm D. Lee and also starring Don Cheadle. Release date (theaters, HBO Max): July 16
Audible
This documentary short follows star Amaree McKenstry-Hall, star football player at his high school, Maryland School for the Deaf (Netflix). Shaken by a friend’s suicide, he must navigate family and relationships while preparing for his final homecoming game. Release date: July 1
Resort to Love
Set on an East African island resort, this rom-com is produced by Alicia Keys and stars Christina Milian, Sinqua Walls and comedian Jay Pharoah (Netflix). Erica (Milian) is an aspiring singer who lands a gig on the resort island, but, turns out, her ex-fiancé Jason (Pharoah) is getting married at the same resort. Erica gets roped into performing, and as secrets simmer, old flames rekindle. Release date: July 29
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The Perfect10 Mixology specializes in cocktail education with our fun and interactive, ‘Making the Perfect Cocktail' mixology classes. These classes are offered virtually or in-person, and can be used as: A creative way to promote team building in the workplace An alternative to a night out on the town A celebration of a special occasion
Contact us today! website: perfect10mixology.com social media: @perfect10mixology BLACdetroit.com • JULY 2021 • BLAC 49
SEEN Photos by Starpointe Photography
Monroe Street Midway
Over Memorial Day weekend, we caught up with some of the first folks to enjoy the newly opened, family-friendly outdoor activities space in downtown Detroit.
Angela Turner, Mia Turner, Julie Cannon, Lisa Marie
Toyia West Berkley Edwards
Kim Williams, Wanda Black, William Williams
Derrick Thomas, Char Davis, Dave Dons
Autumn, Brandon Billings
Michelle Wilks, Marissa Robbins, Rob Wilks
Mary Nasir, Mary Nasir, Nabi Nasir, Will Nasir
Bree Sampson, Iysis Sampson, Ashli Wilson, Rickey Wilson
50 BLAC • JULY 2021 • BLACdetroit.com
Gigi Ray
Jalen Bosin, Chyna Thomas
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RB_7.875x9.875_vFINAL.indd 1 52 BLAC • JULY 2021 • BLACdetroit.com
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