BLAC Detroit Magazine October 2022 by BLAC Magazine

RELOCATING ABROAD

U.S. OCTOBER ISSUE

$4.99 2022 2210

Moving to South Africa

Honoring The Impact Of Josephine Love And Dell Pryor The Art of Chocolate Making

“A LOVE LETTER TO BLACK GIRLS” BRYNNE BARNES, English Professor at Schoolcraft

College, is a prolific author of children’s books that focus on celebrating living in a diverse world. Her latest work is Black Girl Rising. “This is a love letter to Black girls, to Black girlhood, to women everywhere. It’s the book I needed, wanted to read as a girl,” Professor Barnes said. To meet engaging, committed professors like Brynne Barnes, come to Schoolcraft College. Registration for Winter 2023 starts October 29. schoolcraft.edu

OCTOBER 2022

INSIDE 6

Online at BLACdetroit.com

Letter from the Editor

Contributors

• FEATURES 24

TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN Honoring The Impact Of Josephine Love And Dell Pryor

30 THE ART OF PACKAGING Exploring the World of Package Design

• FOOD AND DRINK 34

COOKING WITH BLAC Chili Lime Flank Steak

• DEPARTMENTS DISCOVER 12

WATCH IT Black Movies & TV Shows to Watch This Month

READ IT Black Books Arriving in October

THE ART OF CHOCOLATE Phillip Ashley Chocolates

TRAVEL 20

LIVING ABROAD

SEEN 36

A SNEAK PEEK AT MOTOWN’S NEW MUSEUM By James Charles Morris

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THINGS LEARNED AFTER LEAVING A SEXLESS MARRIAGE SEEN: DETROIT AUTO GLOW – A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

LIONS COACH KELVIN GOT TO KEEP DREADLOCKS AND TATTOOS

ARETHA FRANKLIN’S ESTATE PAYS OFF IRS DEBT

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CEO/Publisher: Billy Strawter Jr. Associate Publisher: Ann Duke EDITORIAL Editor In Chief: Darralynn Hutson Copy Editor: Joshua Gilles Content Specialist: Savannah Strawter Contributors: Frenchie Davis, Dedan Blackmon, Sheri McCovey and Raquelle Rocki Harris

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SALES: sales@BLACdetroit.com DESIGN: design@BLACdetroit.com EDITORIAL: editor@blacDetroit.com CALENDAR: calendar@BLACdetroit.com DISTRIBUTION: distribution@BLACdetroit.com BLAC Detroit magazine is published 12 times a year. ©2022 by BLAC INC. All rights reserved. Any reproduction in whole or part without the express written consent of BLAC magazine is prohibited.

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EDITOR'S LETTER

“This Exhibit Was Ten Years in the Making”

aid artist administrator and educational director, Malika Pryor, grand daughter to Detroit’s own Dell Pryor, powerhouse art curator, gallery owner and art enthusiast. Pryor, of course, is also curator and moving force behind a commemorative; three part exhibit, mural installation and art reveal that BLAC is honored to share on the pages of BLAC’s annual Art Issue. Sharing this moment with her and the Pryor family of artists while appreciating the real work done to bring art to the Detroit community in places where art was bare makes us humble. The fall is colorful; the skies and tree agree and I’m so proud to be able to tell the Pryor exhibit story and the story of our own black art giants and how they have preserved this artistic genre of expression. One of the many things missed in Detroit Public Schools are art programs right now. But our October issue is fully immersed in the form that we support, love an appreciate; this art issue was ten years in the making. As I write my second ‘Letter from the Editor,’ as BLAC’s new Editor in Chief; I have to admit that art is not my strong topic of conversation. These following pages have forced me to pay attention to Black art and art education in a new way. Appreciation isn’t enough, black art needs our dollars to survive so we commit to an artist profile appearing weekly on the online pages of BLAC Media and in the BLAC Friday newsletter. One of those artists, chocolatier Phillip Ashley creates beautiful art pieces with every piece of his famous chocolates; another are the architects renovating the Motown Museum encapsulating remnants of our musical royalty on display for the world to see, and of course, our Discoveries section, full of October reads and films created by black artists.. I want to thank Billy Strawter, Jr., our publisher, and the writers for their contributions to this issue all while putting their trust in me to lead the charge of growing our editorial voice. Fall of 2022 is colorful and inspiring. Here is it, our fall issue of artistic expression. P.S. If you are a budding writer or photographer/videographer interested in learning more about joining the BLAC Editorial Team. send an email to editor@blacDetroit.com.

DARRALYNN HUTSON Editor in Chief

Photo Credit: Dedan Blackmon Photography

BLACdetroit.com • OCTOBER 2022 • BLAC 9

CONTRIBUTORS

Meet Our Contributors

Each issue would be impossible without the help of our freelance writers and creative contributors.

RAQUELLE “ROCKI” HARRIS Known as a passionate and influential presence, Raquelle “Rocki” Harris covers culture, entertainment, music and relationships. She is also the host/producer of Rocki’s Reality podcast.

M. NICOLE MARTIN M. Nicole Martin, chief learning and engagement officer for the International African American Museum, provides strategic direction for creating and enhancing dynamic programs that explore the Middle Passage, the African diaspora, and the crucial contributions that African Americans have made to our history and to our modern world. As a member of the senior executive team, Pryor works closely with the CEO to establish partnerships and programs that help support and sustain the museum’s mission, including school programs, faith-based initiatives and programs, local and national public programs, and programs at the Center for Family History, a one-of-akind research center that focuses on African American genealogy.

Follow her on Facebook, Twitter (@writedowntoit3), and Instagram @writedowntoit and @rockisreality.

Studies and Afro-American & African Studies from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor before going on to earn her Juris Doctor degree from Wayne State University Law School in Detroit.

Pryor received her Bachelor of Arts in Organizational

After practicing law in Atlanta for several years, Pryor returned to her hometown of Detroit in 2010, where she served as director of education and programs at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. From there, she started a boutique non-profit consulting firm providing services to emerging community-based initiatives with a special emphasis on BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) founders. She then joined the National Art Gallery of the Bahamas where she established the communications and education department. While living abroad, she founded the Curlyfest Bahamas Festival before once again returning to Detroit, where she most recently served as senior director of educations and programs for the Detroit Historical Society. There, she formed a cohesive department serving 25,000 students with 220 public programs.

DEDAN BLACKMON When I was a little child my passion of photography started watching my father take pictures of people and things every where. He always took pictures at church functions and family gatherings. when he met and photographed celebrities like Muhammad Ali, Coleman Young and Bryant Gumbel my passion became stronger. Another person I pay attention to is my mentor Raymond Boyd who really showed me how to shoot photography. Look at me now,

shooting weddings, fashion shows, events and portraits. I’ve also had the opportunity to photograph celebrities like Barack Obama, Jill Scott , Stevie Wonder, Chante Moore, Mary Mary , Smokey Robinson and Otis Williams of The Temptations. Photography brings life to me! it makes me smile every time I click that shutter and I keep going strong continuing to do what I love the most. I’ve learned so much over the years and I Thank God for blessing me over and over again.

SHERRI MCGEE MCCOVEY Sherri McGee McCovey is a veteran television Writer/ Producer and journalist. She currently serves as a Writer on the Audacy podcast, K[no]w Mercy with Stephen A. Smith, hosted by the outspoken ESPN analyst. Over the course of her career, McCovey has written and produced scripted and unscripted content for ABC, Showtime, VH-1, Oxygen, BET, TV-One and Aspire networks, and worked alongside several high-profile artists, including comedians Kevin Hart, Emmy Award winner, Steve Harvey, and Oscar Award-winning actress/comedienne, Mo’Nique.

McCovey is a New York Times best-selling author of three books written with Mo’Nique: Skinny Women are Evil, Skinny Cooks Can’t Be Trusted, and the YA novel Beacon Hills High. She is a proven journalist whose byline has appeared in print and online in the publications, USA Today, Food &Wine, Parents, Essence, Ebony, InStyle, Kindred, and LA Parent.

A native of Detroit, Michigan, she was shaped by many of the city’s community and cultural arts institutions, and her education and work experience reflect this.

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.

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the film is not to re-traumatize Black viewers. “The crux of this story is not about the traumatic, physical violence inflicted upon Emmett – which is why I refused to depict such brutality in the film - but it is about Mamie’s remarkable journey in the aftermath,” she says. “I hope viewers will empathize with the humanities on screen and see our present cultural and political realities within this film. And I hope that Mamie’s story helps us all to realize the power within ourselves to continue to fight for the change we want to see in the world, just as she did.” Released by MGM’s Orion Pictures and filmed in Atlanta, Till is out in select theaters, October 14 and nationwide, October 28.

DISCOVER Written by Raquelle “Rock” Harris

BLACK MUST-SEE

TV & FILMS

COMING THIS FALL 2022 has produced a bevy of TV shows and films that center authentic narratives from Black creatives. Gems such as Katori Hall’s “P-Valley” and Lena Waithe’s “The Chi,” delivered impactful storylines that kept social media abuzz while also shifting our culture. Now that we’re officially “outside,” thrillers such as Will Packer’s Beast along with Gina Prince-Bythewood’s The Woman King, are sparking our return to the theaters. As the seasons change and we fall into cozy conditions, BLAC has compiled a watchlist of some must-see TV and movies. Fans of BET’s “Being Mary Jane” will feel some familiarity with the Kerry Washington executive produced “Reasonable Doubt,” while those who dig animation will enjoy Kid Cudi’s “Entergalactic.” Knowing there is choreography from the legendary Debbie Allen, is reason enough to watch Tyler Perry’s latest opus on Netflix, A Jazzman’s Blues. One of the most anticipated films to hit theaters this fall is Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. While many viewers may be apprehensive about the historical drama, Till, it is an unsettling but necessary reminder for all of America to heed. Read on to learn when/ where you can watch the aforementioned picks and more.

A JAZZMAN’S BLUES September 23 - Netflix Joshua Boone (Bayou) and Solea Pfeiffer (Leanne) in A Jazzman’s Blues (Courtesy of Netflix) Written, directed and produced by Academy Award honoree, Tyler Perry, A Jazzman’s Blues tells a story of forbidden love that unfolds in the deep south across 40 years. Joshua Boone is Bayou, a sweet-tempered young musician and Solea Pfeiffer is Leanne, a privileged yet troubled soul. Dangerously in love, their on-again, offagain romance endures pressure from their families and outside forces. The ensemble cast also features Amirah Vann, Austin Scott and Milauna Jemai Jackson. The trailer and film feature “Paper Airplanes,” a brand-new song from singer-songwriter Ruth B., which she co-wrote with multi-GRAMMYwinning artist Terence Blanchard, who arranged and produced the juke joint blues on the soundtrack. There will be also choreography from Debbie Allen. A Jazzman’s Blues was the first ever script Perry penned, in 1995, after a chance encounter with seminal playwright, August Wilson. Shot on location in Savannah, Georgia with interior scenes filmed at Perry’s Atlanta studios, A Jazzman’s Blues,” made its world premiere September 11, at the Toronto International Film Festival and streams September 23, on Netflix.

TILL October 14 - Select Theaters October 28 Nationwide Jalyn Hall as Emmett Till and Danielle Deadwyler as Mamie Till Mobley (Lynsey Weatherspoon / Orion Pictures) Till is the true story of Mamie Till Mobley’s relentless pursuit of justice following the brutal murder of only child, 14-year-old, Emmett Till. The young Black teen, from Chicago, was lynched while visiting his cousins in Mississippi during the summer of 1955. Leading the cast are Jalyn Hall (“All American”) as Emmett Till, Danielle Deadwyler (“The Harder They Fall”) as Mamie Till Mobley and Whoopi Goldberg, who also serves as a producer, plays Alma Carthan, Emmett’s maternal grandmother. Nigerian-American director and writer, Chinonye Chukwu collaborated with filmmaker Keith Beauchamp whose extensive research about Emmett Till’s death is the basis for the film. In an official statement, she explained her intention with making

BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER November 11- In Theaters Chadwick Bosemen joined the ancestors two years ago, but Wakanda is indeed forever. Director Ryan Coogler and most of the original cast from 2018’s Black Panther, will return including Angela Bassett, Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong’o and Danai Gurira. Filmed mostly at Pinewood Studios in Atlanta, expected enigma surrounds the plot, yet a few gems have been revealed. Tems’ plaintive rendition of “No Woman No Cry” during the trailer signals the mourning of the Wakanda nation as they move forward from the loss of their beloved King T’Challa. Because the mantle of Black Panther can be taken on by whoever is deemed the protector of Wakanda, someone else will don the Panther Habit. Some fans predict, if the movie follows the story from the comic book, T’Challa’s younger sister, Shuri. Other moments to anticipate include British actress, Michaela Coel (“I May Destroy You”) as Aneka, a queer woman and member of the Dora Milaje, and the onscreen debut of Marvel superhero, Riri Williams, aka Ironheart played by Dominique Thorne (Judas and The Black Messiah). Black Panther: Wakanda Forever opens in theaters nationwide, November 11.

“REASONABLE DOUBT” September 27 - Hulu Emayatzy Corinealdi as Jax Stewart in “Reasonable Doubt” (Courtesy of Hulu Onyx Collection) Dramas with Black female leads are scarce, which makes the release of Onyx Collective’s first scripted series “Reasonable Doubt,” even sweeter. The sizzling legal drama stars Emayatzy Corinealdi (Roots [2016]) as Jax Stewart, a Los Defense attorney known for her questionable ethics and wild interpretations of the law. Yet, her brilliance and moxie make her a formidable advocate for her clients. Jax also juggles her failing marriage, motherhood and more. Corinealdi is joined by a dynamic cast that includes Michael Ealy, Sean Patrick Thomas and McKinley Freeman. One of our fave femmes in charge, Kerry Washington, directs and executive produces along with Shawn Holley, Jon Leshay, Simpson Street’s Pilar Savone, and Larry Wilmore of Wilmore Films. Reasonable Doubt is created, written, and executive produced by Raamla Mohamed, who previously worked with Washington on ABC’s “Scandal” and Hulu’s “Little Fires Everywhere.” Stream “Reasonable Doubt” on Hulu, September 27.

“THE BMF DOCUMENTARY: BLOWING MONEY FAST” October 23 - STARZ As we await the second season of the STARZ scripted series “BMF,” Executive Producer Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson delivers “The BMF Documentary: Blowing Money Fast.” From Detroit corner boys, to notorious drug kingpins, and hip hop kingmakers, the eight-part docuseries will chart the meteoric rise and fall of BMF founders: Demetrius “Big Meech” and Terry “Southwest T” Flenory, two brothers who built one of the largest cocaine empires in American history. The fabled story spans four decades across five major U.S. cities, immersing viewers in a network of crisscrossing relationships between crime, hip hop, and law enforcement. Viewers will receive exclusive access inside all the epic family feuds, high stakes drug deals, suspicious murders, and champagne drenched parties attended by hip-hop royalty. Additionally, the series will feature exclusive interviews, never-before-seen archival footage, original

What to Read this Fall Memphis

Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism By Safiya Umoja Noble New York Press 248 pages

Data discrimination is a real social problem. In Algorithms of Oppression, Safiya Umoja Noble challenges the idea that search engines like Google offer an equal playing field for all forms of ideas, identities, and activities; Noble argues that the combination of private interests in promoting certain sites, along with the monopoly status of a relatively small number of Internet search engines, leads to a biased set of search algorithms that privilege whiteness and discriminate against people of color, specifically women of color. Dr. Safiya U. Noble is an internet studies scholar and Professor of Gender Studies and African American Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) where she serves as the Co-Founder and Co-Director of the UCLA Center for Critical Internet Inquiry (C2i2). In 2021, she was recognized as a MacArthur Foundation Fellow for her ground-breaking work on algorithmic discrimination, which prompted her founding of a non-profit, Equity Engine, to accelerate investment in companies, education, and networks driven by women of color. In 2022, she was recognized as the inaugural NAACP Archwell Digital Civil Rights Award recipient.

By Tochi Onyebuchi Tordotcom 336 pages

by vengeance ... that the sole instrument she needs for healing is her paintbrush. Unfolding over seventy years through a chorus of voices, Memphis weaves back and forth in time to explore the complexity of what we pass down, in a family and as a country: brutality and justice, faith and forgiveness, sacrifice and love. Poet, former attorney, Northwestern University MFA graduate, and semifinalist for the Fulbright Fellowship, Tara M. Stringfellow has written for Collective Unrest, Minerva Rising, Jet Fuel Review, WomensArts Quarterly Journal, and Apogee Journal, among other publications. After having lived in Okinawa, Ghana, Chicago, Cuba, Spain, Italy, and Washington DC, she moved back home to Memphis, where she sits on her porch swing every evening with her hound, Huckleberry, listening to records and chatting with neighbors.

From the author of the critically acclaimed novel When Life Gives You Mangos comes a captivating journey of love, loss, and letters. When Brie

work includes Riot Baby. He was a finalist for the Hugo, Nebula, Locus, and NAACP Image Awards and winner of the New England Book Award for Fiction, the Ignyte Award for Best Novella, and the World Fantasy Award; the Beasts Made of Night series; and the War Girls series. His short fiction has appeared in The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy, The Year’s Best Science Fiction, and elsewhere. His non-fiction includes the book (S)kinfolk and has appeared in The New York Times, NPR, and the Harvard Journal of African American Public Policy, among other places. He earned degrees from Yale University, New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, Columbia Law School, and the Paris Institute of Political Studies. He currently resides in Connecticut.

Author and memoirist, Nefertiti Austin shares her story of starting a family through adoption as a single Black woman. In this unflinching

Gender and Parenting in America. Her work around this topic has appeared in the “New York Times”, “Washington Post”, “Huffington Post”, “MUTHA”, “Gen Medium”, and many other publications. She has appeared on numerous shows/podcasts, including “The Today Show”, “1A with Joshua Johnson”, and NPR. Nefertiti is the proud adoptive mother of two children and lives in Los Angeles.

was younger, her mama used to surprise her with treasure hunts around their island town. After she died three years ago, these became Brie’s favorite memories. Now, on her twelfth birthday, her mama has another surprise: a series of letters leading Brie on one last treasure hunt. The first letter guides Brie to a special place. The next urges her to unlock a secret. And the last letter will change

life as she knows it. In this poignant coming-of-age story of new memories, surprises, and moments of healing, Kereen Getten beautifully captures the edge of adolescence, when everything is thrilling, amazing, and terrifying in a way it will never be again. Kereen Getten grew up in Jamaica but now lives in Birmingham with her family. She was nominated for Best

Short Fiction 2018 and highly commended for the FAB prize. When not writing you can find her out in nature, planning her next travel adventure, or watching Netflix.

By Nefertiti Austin Sourcebooks 304 pages

By Kereen Getten Delacorte Press 176 pages Reading age: 8-12 years

In the 2050s, Earth has begun to empty. Those with the means and the privilege have departed the great cities of the United States for the more comfortable confines of space colonies. Those left behind salvage what they can from the collapsing infrastructure. As they eke out an existence, their neighborhoods are being cannibalized. Brick by brick, their houses are sent to the colonies, what was once a home now a quaint reminder for the colonists of the world that they wrecked. A primal biblical epic flung into the future, Goliath weaves together disparate narratives a space-dweller looking at New Haven, Connecticut as a chance to reconnect with his spiraling lover; a group of laborers attempting to renew the promises of Earth’s crumbling cities; a journalist attempting to capture the violence of the streets; a marshal trying to solve a kidnapping into a richly urgent mosaic about race, class, gentrification, and who is allowed to be the hero of any history. Tochi Onyebuchi’s other

account of her parenting journey, Nefertiti examines the history of adoption in the African American community, faces off against stereotypes of single Black moms, and confronts the reality of what it looks like to raise children of color and answer their questions about racism in modern-day America. Nefertiti Austin writes about the erasure of diverse voices in motherhood in the critically acclaimed Motherhood So White: A Memoir of Race,

Motherhood so White: A Memoir of Race, Gender and Parenting in America

If You Read This

from Black Authors

Goliath: A Novel

By Tara M. Stringfellow Random House Publishing Group 272 pages

A spellbinding debut novel tracing three generations of a Southern Black family and one daughter’s discovery that she has the power to change her family’s legacy. In the summer of 1995, ten-year-old Joan, her mother, and her younger sister flee her father’s anger, seeking refuge at her mother’s ancestral home in Memphis. Half a century ago, Joan’s grandfather built this majestic house in the historic Black neighborhood of Douglass-only to be lynched days after becoming the first Black detective in the city. This wasn’t the first time violence altered the course of the family’s trajectory, and as Joan settles into her new life, she soon discovers it won’t be the last. Longing to become an artist, Joan pours her rage and grief into sketching portraits. One of her subjects is their enigmatic neighbor Miss Dawn, who seems to know something about curses, and whose stories show Joan that her creativity, devotion, and relentless hope are the continuation of a long matrilineal tradition. Joan begins to understand that her life does not have to be defined

Written by Sheri McGee McCove

-- Sherri McGee McCovey

DISCOVER

meet the man making your chocolate dreams come true By Sherri McGee McCovey

ou know you are a bad man when Oprah, Serena, Issa, and Kelis sing your praises. Ten years ago, designer chocolatier Chef Phillip Ashley Rix set out to blaze a trail with his wildly imaginative luxury chocolates that celebrate the culture. Since then, the man known as the Black Willy Wonka has developed an international following and been named One of America’s Best Confectioners and Chocolatiers by TasteTV.

14 BLAC • OCTOBER 2022 • BLACdetroit.com

So, how does Rix come up with chocolates like his awardwinning Savoy blue cheese bonbon. “I get inspiration from so many sources; my encounters with interesting people, traveling, eating, and drinking; but much of it is I spend a lot of time daydreaming and wondering what something would taste like if it were chocolate,” he says. “That could be music, a movie, or any concept, really. It is the reason I never run out of ideas for new chocolates. It may sound crazy, but some of the best collections come to me in the wee hours of the morning.” Speaking of collections, Rix has created several dope ones: Taste of Memphis pays homage to his hometown; The 50-piece Taste of America is a chocolate lovers dream with a flavor representing each state. And the inventive Soul Food Collection features fried chicken, Kool-Aid, collard green, and macaroni & cheese flavored bonbons that will have you jones-ing for a summer cookout. Rix also dropped collections inspired by the popular HBO shows, “Love Craft Country” and “Insecure”, and teamed with Black-owned Uncle Nearest Premium Aged Whiskey for the Phillip Ashley X Uncle Nearest, a box that brings two African American craftsmen together in one box. Once inspired, Rix spends hours, days and sometimes months digging into the concept, researching how to translate the idea into flavors, writing formulas, and figuring out which ingredients to pair to tell a story in a meaningful way. He then crafts the ganache, conducts taste tests to tweak the final product, and then signs off on the flavor(s). “We typically paint 21 to 32 pieces at time. Some designs require finger painting which is done one cell at a time. Painters typically work fourto-five-hour shifts and will yield 3,500 to 5,000 chocolates each. The visual design is primarily driven by the style and purpose of the collection, flavor profiles and the mood I want to visually communicate.” The chocolates arrive in specially designed boxes, or the Phillip Ashley signature black box with the green inscription, ‘Every chocolate should tell a story’ and includes a flavor menu. When asked what he considers his most artistic chocolate, Rix has an easy answer, “the next one”. Like a true artist, he aims to create something exciting with each new flavor.

So, what is new? “I am in the lab working on several new projects including a Mixtape Collection inspired by some of my favorite music, an international flavors collection, and a new Fall/ Winter box that includes unique teas that have been infused into milk chocolate and caramel bonbons,” says Rix. “And just in time for the holidays, I recently dropped the Luxury Advent Calendar, a 24-piece box filled with festive bonbons that resemble shimmering holiday ornaments in seasonal flavors like Eggnog, Gingerbread Man, Pecan Pie, Rosemary Grapefruit, Chess Pie, Cranberry Sauce, Pumpkin Spice, German Chocolate Cake, Bourbon Banana Nut Bread, and Pear Tarte Tartin. If you’re in Memphis, stop by the 1,300 square-foot retail studio and boutique located in the heart of the city’s historic Cooper Young District. As for the rest of us, head to www.phillipashleychocolate.com to shop all collections and the Luxury Advent Calendar available for pre-order now. “We ship everywhere, so visit us locally, or let us ship our award-winning chocolates to you.”

BLACdetroit.com • OCTOBER 2022 • BLAC 15

DISCOVER

THE BLACK HISTORY MONTH MUSEUM “Wait. Stop. Go back.” “Huh? What are you…?” “Go back!” The squealing brakes were a painful reminder of what Jeremy had planned to get fixed nearly a month ago but …well…things. As in ‘things happen’. Or maybe things don’t happen when your money’s tight, which was why Jeremy still hadn’t gotten several needed repairs done on the vehicle. That’s what they called the car, rusted and rust red in color but still chugging. But it could still get you from Point A to Point B. Today, Point A had been the home of Jeremy and Rebecca, located on Clairmount Street just east of the Lodge. Only white folks there for now, but indications that could change in a matter of years. Not necessarily good news for Jeremy and Rebecca, who called themselves getting in on the ground floor in a neighborhood they could afford. In the city. Because f--- the suburbs. They were young and determined not to be those kinda white folks. They wanted the real. It’s also what they wanted for Sarah and Sherman, their two little ones who were back at Point A with Rebecca’s sister, Trish, who said she’d keep an eye on them. 16 BLAC • OCTOBER 2022 • BLACdetroit.com

An artist, she rented the second floor. Anyway, Point B was supposed to be the grocery store near 7 Mile and Livernois, because they still weren’t quite ready for the ‘real’ of the much closer neighborhood store. Same thing with the laundromat. Maybe in time. Small steps on a clear and pleasant summertime Saturday afternoon. “I thought we were going to the store?” said Jeremy in the tensely forlorn way of someone who has been married long enough to know what certain tones of voice mean and what he wishes they didn’t mean. Rebecca frowned at her husband, who stared straight ahead through the windshield as the vehicle sputtered and chugged into park on a side street not far from the house. A side street he sometimes used as a shortcut to Point B and other local destinations because he liked to avoid the freeways whenever he could. Jeremy didn’t remember the street name but he drove it all the time so what did it matter, right? He was focused more on keeping his temper in check. Too often, Rebecca complained that his spirit of adventure wasn’t what it once was. The most recent argument started when Jeremy responded that adulthood was probably the reason. “Some of us had to grow up,” he said. So maybe he shouldn’t have said that, which explained why he chose silence this time in the face of his wife’s heated glare - even though all he had said was that he thought they were

supposed to be going to the store. Point B. Stick to the plan. Stay the course. Best way to accomplish things. Not by meandering about, following whatever whim and whimsy struck you at the time. Couldn’t they just go to the store? Rebecca pointed out the back window, the tip of her pale finger capped by an orange and bluecolored fingernail, her plentiful homemade jewelry tinkling on her narrow wrist. “Look,” she said, her voice sounding a bit warmer than he would have expected, almost hopeful. Jeremy followed directions via the rear view mirror. “So what am I supposed to… hey…when did that get there?” “Exactly. Now go back.” This time without questioning, Jeremy put the vehicle into reverse and slowly eased it back along the side of the street for half a block, recognizing they were going against traffic. Once he turned off the engine, Jeremy looked at Rebecca and halfsmiled. He patted her knee, then nodded toward the stately two-story grey stone building that was situated in the middle of what only yesterday had been a vacant lot. Jeremy was certain it had been a vacant lot because yesterday he had driven by this same spot on his way to visit Sam and help him with the neighborhood garden he had been cultivating. He would have noticed something like this. Right? But it wasn’t just the structure that commanded attention, with its imposing architecture that seemed glaringly out of place amidst noticeably more modest brick bungalows across the street, some of

them abandoned. It was the large red, black and green sign out front: Welcome! Detroit’s Own Black History Museum Is Now Open. HISTORY LIVES! “So don’t tell me; you got bored and decided to build this last night, right?” Rebecca grinned, then rolled her eyes. “C’mon, you. Let’s go explore. The store’s not going anywhere.” “And this is?” Rebecca raised an eyebrow. “Have you ever seen this before? In the three years and four months we have lived in this neighborhood have you ever seen this or anything that looks like this? Have you ever seen a museum just appear out of nowhere?” “OK, OK. Let’s go. Geez.” Rebecca hopped out the passenger side door like a kid arriving at Disney World for the first time, her long, ankle-length tie-died skirt flowing behind her like a huge butterfly wing. The closer she got to the building, the wider her smile stretched across her face, revealing two rows of near-perfect pearl-white teeth. The look on Jeremy’s face was closer to fear. He was experiencing a harsh metallic buzzing between his ears that he couldn’t explain and that seemed to ratchet up in intensity the closer he got to the museum. “Something isn’t right about this,” he said quietly, almost to himself. “What did you say?” said Rebecca as she began practically skipping toward her discovery. Her voice seemed to be coming from far away, at the far end of a tunnel. Jeremy shook his head slowly.

“Something isn’t…” “Come on, Jeremy, Geez. You’re starting to act like an old man and you’re only 32!” “I’m 34 and I’m your husband so you should know that. Where is everybody else? Are we the only ones visiting this museum? There’s nobody in the parking lot which, by the way, is something I didn’t see was there until just now. Did you notice that parking lot?” For a brief moment a look of confusion clouded Rebecca’s rainwashed hazel blue eyes, as if she had been shaken awake out of a short nap. She looked at the empty lot, which was now to the right of the museum and seemingly brand new with sparkling white parking spaces and asphalt that looked as if it had just been paved that morning. “There’s no cars, Rebecca. If this is such a hot attraction, and it should be, then why isn’t anybody else here on a Saturday afternoon in the summertime?” Rebecca squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head sharply, as if trying to clear some fog that had settled in her brain. “I don’t…” “Hello there! So good to see you!” The museum doors, located at the top of five concrete steps heavily decorated with various signs and symbols, were now open wide. A heavyset smiling woman with skin the color of coffee-no-cream stretched out her arms to the couple in greeting. She wore a majestic red and greenpatterned African gown with a cherry red headwrap to match. Rebecca’s brief confusion faded like mist as she bounded up the stairs to greet the woman, who pulled Rebecca into a

smothering embrace. Jeremy noticed – or thought he noticed – the woman’s eyes flicker and spark like pinwheels as they regarded him from over Rebecca’s bare shoulder, embedded in a broad face that couldn’t seem to hold its shape. He could have sworn he recognized the woman from somewhere… Aunt Jemima…? Suddenly the metallic buzzing sound that had been running riot between Jeremy’s ears disappeared. “Come, Jeremy! Come on up here and give Momma J. a hug! I can tell your wife isn’t the only one who needs some love.” Jeremy frowned, resisting the near-magnetic tug trying to drag him up the stairs to join Rebecca who was motioning almost frantically for him to join her. Pleading… “How did you know my…” “Come, Jeremy. This museum is just for you and no one else. A special treat! Just for you!” Jeremy shook his head, backing away. The inviting warmth in Momma J.’s face moulded the caramel flesh into something less recognizable as she spun around and dragged Rebecca inside. “Jeremy please,” she said, before disappearing into the museum. The huge wooden doors slammed shut. *** Once inside, Rebecca felt her skin turn cold as her mind struggled to make sense of the surrounding ‘exhibits’ behind a wall of glass dividers inside a room that seemed somehow to stretch as far as she could see in any direction. There were no other visitors except for her and Mama J., who held her close as she watched a re-enacted scene of a terrified white man about to be lynched from a tall tree as smiling Black parents and their children cheered while licking ice cream cones and other treats. On the other side of the room she watched a young white girl in raggedy clothes fleeing for her life as a pack of snarling dogs gained on her. Several Black children sat on a nearby well-tended porch, seemingly oblivious to the ruckus as they sipped lemonade and shared a plate of cookies. She looked at Mama J. “Who are you? What kind of museum is this?” Mama J. offered Rebecca a grotesquely distorted and out of proportion smile as she leaned in close, her breath like a furnace. “Which exhibit would you like to be in, my child?”

BLACdetroit.com • OCTOBER 2022 • BLAC 17

WHATEVER IS

NEXT For Grand Valley students, next is opportunity and innovation. Next is global, connecting and uniting us. It’s local, shaping the spaces in which we work and live. It’s a commitment to progress. Next is where minds are free to imagine what could be. At GVSU, next is now. And whatever’s next for you, we will help you get there.

gvsu.edu/next

Open

Wednesday: 10 a.m. – 8p.m. (Free) Thursday - Friday: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sunday: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

BrooksMuseum.org Memberships Available Open in Overton Park 1934 Poplar Ave. Memphis, TN

Kenneth Wayne Alexander - Karl Erickson - Coe Lapossy - Sarai Payne - Anthony Sims

Digital Art in Memphis

Another Dimension:

Kenneth Wayne Alexander, 'Tower of Babel' (still), 2021, Digital Collage, Courtesy of the artist

June 24 - Sept. 11

TRAVEL

BEFORE MOVING ABROAD

MOVING TO

SOUTH AFRICA WITH MY 9-YEAR OLD By Darralynn Hutson Deciding to move to another country isn’t an easy decision especially for a single mom of a 5th grader whose entire family and support system still lives in the states. For me, however, it was one of the easiest decisions I’ve made in my life to date. The hardest decision was which continent I’d move to first. As a freelance journalist for the past 20+ years, I’ve luckily had been able to make a living in my hometown Detroit, Michigan, the city where I went to college, Atlanta Ga, the city where I made my first film and got married, Harlem New York and most recently the city where I landed after my divorce which was Los Angeles. For me, moving to another country was a natural progression in my dream for worldwide storytelling. I knew so little about Africa even though I’d visited the continent on three separate occasions. The first time, was in 2002 after I produced a documentary on Langston

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Hughes, I traveled to Burkina Faso for FESPACO - a bi-annual international film festival that invited American filmmakers to display their work. That experience was both eye-opening and exhausting as it was the first time I was on a flight more than 15 hours and the first time I’d ever been robbed at knife point. Let me not give you a bad impression of Africa because I was a gullable tourist, carrying my passport, all my money and airline tickets with me everyplace I went from movie screenings, shopping and to restaurants. The second and third time I visited Kampala Uganda on assignment to cover Kampala Fashion week where I was treated like royalty experiencing the incredible growth of a city in the midst of a business revolution. All three experiences left me with a feeling of belonging and inquiry.

First things first, it’s best to plan as far in advance as possible. I started saving for the move a year in advance; telling most of my family and friends and putting my dreams out into the atmosphere. I made my mind to move to South Africa because I’d seen so many American publications launch South African editions which gave me hope that I’d be able to continue freelancing. Deciding to move even visit South African requires that you apply for both a passport and a visa. Now the passport is easy enough to get if you have all of the requirements and fees. It cost me $140 and another $95 for Nya’s passport book. Oddly enough I’d been told that passports took up to 4 months to arrive, but ours were in the mail less than 8 weeks later which was a happy surprise because when you apply for a passport, the United States asks for original copies of your birth certificate which they do return with your passport book. In order to enroll Nya in school, we were required to have possession of a study visa which is altogether different then what I applied for which is a 6-month travel visa. Here’s the kicker, you can’t request for a study visa until you have an acceptance letter from a school. So many friends who had visited Johannesburg suggested that I visit before moving. I, unfortunately, didn’t follow that suggestion which hurt us in the long run but there are always ways to get around the rules. To get an application from a school, it’s essential to communicate with the school’s administration and express how much your child would contribute to the school family. In our case, we were referred to a school called Kairos School of Inquiry - a small yet focused primary school where it was very easy to connect with the owner, Marc Loon. They’d been open less than five years, and he interviewed Nya over Skype before accepted her records from the LAUSD. He asked for recommendations from her teachers and we were able to get accepted less than two weeks later. Unlike in America, there are no free schools in South Africa. Every school has a fee associated with attendance, even the public schools. Private schools can be quite expensive but some international schools especially cater to American students to make a smoother transition. We chose Kairos because we felt that the teachers would pay particular attention to Nya and her needs, especially since her teacher joined in on her Facetime interview. Fees for Kairos range between $500-$600 per month for 5th graders. I especially appreciated being able to meet and converse with the person that would be directly responsible for her education.

UPON ARRIVAL

It took us two days to reach Johannesburg, and the transition from America to South Africa was relatively easy. The school year began the last week of July, so Nya was a week later, however, the school was incredibly welcoming. Nya fell in love with the school immediately, making friends the first week and engaging in the after-school programs which included Meditation, Cooking class, and the nature club. After school programs are called extramurals and have an added expense which is super affordable. Each extramural teacher shares their emails and phone numbers and is very engaged with parents. “I think we all know that moving can be extremely stressful for most adults, so what more for children especially since they may already have a sense of not enjoying much control over their own lives, which can make them vulnerable to anxiety and more rigid ways of managing,” says ). Zamakhanya Makhanya, M.A., M.P.H.

SMALL THINGS MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE

The great thing about South Africa is that everything is controlled primarily digitally. Housing, banking, school, extra activities can all be taken care of on your mobile phone. These institutions encourage you to engage online because meeting people in person can be very difficult. For example, Nya’s school required us to have a bank account in order for them to take fees out each month. Banks in South Africa, unfortunately, don’t like to allow expats to have bank accounts. You are required to have a 6-month (or longer) lease agreement along with utility bills in your name to open a checking bank account. For us, we were able to open a limited Non-resident savings bank account, but every time we deposited or transferred American dollars into the account, we were charged an enormous fee and had to wait in line with tellers inside the branch. Because banks, cell phone providers and other institutions (libraries) encourage online service, lines to get service are always extremely long. The day I opened my bank account, we were in the branch for 2.5 hours. The second time I tried to deposit American dollars into the account, I waited at the teller line for 1.5 hours because the system needed to convert my dollars to Rand was down, and I had to wait for it to be back up. That wasn’t the only line that I had to wait in; there was the line to get a cell phone carrier. To set up a phone account, you also need to be a South African resident. If you’re not, you need three months bank statements, an employment contract, and a lease or utility bill. They also allow you to use a current South Africa resident to co-sign for you, but that’s quite a bit to ask of a stranger. So as an alternative, I paid for a pre-paid

Clinical Psychologist. “What I have found in my work is that parents are often oblivious to or perhaps in denial when it comes to the impact of certain experiences on their children, including the emotional baggage that relocation can leave on the child’s psyche. Factors, such as losing friends, starting at a new school, culture shock, identity politics and language difficulties cannot be underestimated. However, I have also seen how a parent’s involvement can be quite significant in helping the child process the relocation. This kind of participation from the parent can also aid in mediating the child’s experience and in helping them integrate the experience in a more meaningful way. Parental collaboration in this process, however, can give them the tools to understand their own feelings and think through unrealistic and unhelpful fantasies about the relocation, as well as help them learn appropriate ways to say “goodbye” and “hello”.

sim card which I’m only able to get a small amount of data which means that I’m buying data and airtime at least twice a week. Not that we’re using my phone that much outside of a WIFI setting, it just seems to run out which means that I have to pay special attention to my phone and data usage, something that I haven’t worried about in years. We arrived August 1, in the dead of winter when the temperature rests in the mid-50s. LA’s hottest months are South Africa’s coldest. Unlike LA, Africans are the dominant ethnicity. Since we’ve arrived, we’ve only seen Africans, White South Africans, and Indians. There are no Asians, Mexicans or Chinese. If they’re here, we haven’t seen them. Similar to Europe, drivers ride on the opposite side of the streets and the right side of the car. Grocery stores are always right next to liquor stores, and other little things include the name of things like Cookies are called biscuits, milk is called crème, grits are called pop, a barbeque is labeled a braai and ketchup is called Tomato sauce. Certain foods simply don’t exist; like there’s no chili, no non-dairy creamer and our favorite yams aren’t sold in the grocery stores. And LA traffic has nothing on Johannesburg traffic. There is no Ebay in South Africa and no one, I mean no one trusts the Johannesburg postal system. We haven’t figured out how to send out simple letters to our family and friends so FB and Instagram, as well as the WhatsApp, keep us connected. WhatsApp is the number way that most South Africans communicate because it’s a WIFI app and no one wants to use their airtime or data unnecessarily.

PIECES OF ADVICE FOR PARENTS RELOCATING ABROAD WITH YOUNG CHILDREN.

“We moved from Johannesburg, South Africa, to Laverstock, England on the 25th of August. We said goodbye to our country of birth; our friends and family; our home where our 8-year old child was born and we raised our family; and all the many small familiar things that made it home. We (Thandi and husband Bevan Rees) have two daughters - aged 12 and 8 and had been deliberating for about 4 years about when would be the ideal time to uproot them and move to another country. …,” recalls Thandi Puren, mother of Coco Rose Puren-Wilter, 12, and Leia Belle.

“The truth is, I don’t know if there is a perfect time. Our girls were both so happy in their intimate, alternative school in Johannesburg. They knew the names of tellers at our local supermarket, they had a predictable routine, which I liked to think gave them a sense of security. At the end of the day, moving is tumultuous and traumatic. …In my experience children find it unsettling. The unpredictability makes them feel insecure and the unknown is always a little bit scary even for me.”

BLACdetroit.com • OCTOBER 2022 • BLAC 21

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FEATURE

Youth participating in TWMIG mural class with Ijania Cortez, mural artist, image credit Dean Nasreddine

To Whom Much Is Given Written by Malika N. Pryor

“To Whom Much Is Given” is a project developed by curator, Malika N. Pryor, that was ten years in the making. It considers the lives and histories of trailblazers — Josephine Love, founder of Your Heritage House Fine Arts Center for Young People and Dell Pryor, proprietor of Dell Pryor Galleries — who crushed racial, gender and age barriers with the power of their unrelenting excellence. The opportunities they engendered for others have colored and framed Detroit’s artistic and arts institutional canvas for more than half a century. The centerpiece of the project — a mixed media exhibition — will chronicle Love and Pryor’s work using personal collections, archives and commissioned literary and contemporary works from various artists. The exhibition opens on Oct. 1, 2022 at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.

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Josephine Love and Dell Pryor It was over ten years the idea to celebrate Josephine Love and Dell Pryor, two of Detroit’s greatest arts advocates and creatives, was sparked in curator and arts administrator, M. Nicole Martin. However, it wasn’t until 2019 that she found a way to bring it to fruition. “I saw an ad for the Knight Arts Challenge, I’d just relocated back to my hometown, and thought to myself, this is a way for me to work from a place of love, to finally do something I’ve been wanting to do with the funding I need to get it done. “To Whom Much Is Given,” a project that includes three major programs exploring the professional lives and histories of trailblazers. The two women — Love, who passed in late 2003 and Pryor, who is still curating at 94 years old — overcame racial, gender and age barriers with the power of their unrelenting spirit and their commitment to a culturally representative arts landscape in Detroit — a legacy that spans seven decades.

BLACdetroit.com • OCTOBER 2022 • BLAC 25

FEATURE

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Three Phases Across Detroit Whether mentoring artists or non-profit founders, or bringing world class artists into conversation with the local community, Love and Pryor brought Detroit art to the world and did their part to introduce Detroit to world class art. Between classes, students were likely to encounter master artists like Elizabeth Catlett and Jacob Lawrence while walked the halls of the victorian mansion on E. Ferry and. Emerging artists seeking to expand their practice or be seen as capable creatives could make their way to the Dell Pryor Galleries and if Dell saw something in you, that was often the beginning of a professional career. In August, the project launched the first of its three initiatives: “Mission I’m Possible,” a youth arts program. Hosted by the historic Scarab Club, a cohort of youth, ages 12-16 from all across Detroit, spent their mornings discovering various Black arts movements, talking with Detroit-based arts entrepreneurs and learning from master artists like Carol

“Of my grandmother’s nine grandchildren, five are practicing artists or are art professionals. Half of her six-children became arts practitioners as well as entrepreneurs. There is something about the way that she directly nurtured us that has made us all creatives.” Malika Pryor

Morisseau. In the afternoons, they took courses in painting, drawing, and photography modeled after the professional yet whimsical teaching approach embraced by Your Heritage House instructors. The second program, “TWMIG: A Mural Experience,”

“To Whom Much Is Given” is made possible by

is an installation and event celebrating Pryor and Love with a

the support of the John S. & James L. Knight Foundation

portrait mural to be painted by noted artist, Ijania Cortez. To

and is fiscally sponsored by the Wright Museum. Visit

be located at the corner of Cass and Forest in Midtown Detroit,

towhommuchisgiven.org for more information on additional

the installation sits between their former businesses and just

programs and events.

blocks away from Dell Pryor Galleries’ final location. The formal unveiling takes place on Sept. 30 as part of the Detroit Month of Design. The anchor of the project — a mixed media exhibition — will chronicle Love and Pryor’s work using personal collections, archives and commissioned literary and contemporary works from various artists including Anita Bates, jessica Care moore, James Charles Morris and others.

BLACdetroit.com • OCTOBER 2022 • BLAC 27

The experience is unforgettable . Because the lessons should never be forgotten . There’s no better place to learn about the struggle for black equality while walking in the footsteps of the Movement’s heroes. It’s all here, from the world-class Mississippi Civil Rights Museum to the Fannie Lou Hamer Memorial Garden and Emmett Till Interpretive Center. Plan your journey today at VisitMississippi.org/CivilRights.

Fannie Lou Hamer Monument | Ruleville, Mississippi

MDA12073-BlacMagazine-CivilRights-P1.indd 1

9/13/22 3:30 PM

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FEATURE

The Art of

Packaging

esign, both structural and graphic, has become ever more relevant as competition has increased - so much so that we often find ourselves in the paradoxical situation of appreciating the packaging more than the product itself.

Packaging has long been more than a simple container or wrapper for a product that protects it, facilitates handling and details its features and specifications. Packaging is also used to sell its contents. Design, both structural and graphic, has become ever more relevant as competition has increased - so much so that we often find ourselves in the paradoxical situation of appreciating the packaging more than the product itself. Lots of professionals, creative designers and students upload their packaging work and studies to Behance, and we have selected some examples of our favorite Black package designers.

Zenzile Sky Lark is a Designer and Visual Artist that was born in Brooklyn, raised in Virginia and currently a returned Brooklynite.

30 BLAC • OCTOBER 2022 • BLACdetroit.com

Mam’Goabozi Design factory a South African based design studio creating work and spaces that celebrate the Afrikan identity.

Shaylin Wallace of SMW Visuals is a Surreal Artist | Graphic Designer in Wilmington DE

BLACdetroit.com • OCTOBER 2022 • BLAC 31

FEATURE

Tapiwanashe Sebastian Garikayi at sebgarry • design is a Graphic Designer & Type Designer in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

32 BLAC • OCTOBER 2022 • BLACdetroit.com

LiNa Yousry An Ambitious Egyptian Graphic Designer. Speciality include: Brand Identity / Motion Graphics Designer Freelancer in Cairo, Egypt

BLACdetroit.com • OCTOBER 2022 • BLAC 33

FOOD AND DRINK

Cooking with

BLAC

Chili Lime Flank Steak Prepared by Billy Strawter. Jr.

COOKING CLASSES

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WWW.COOKINGWITHQUE.COM 34 BLAC • OCTOBER 2022 • BLACdetroit.com

Chili Lime Flank Steak Recipe Try this mouthwatering flank steak recipe you can definitely cook at home. Flank steak is a very lean piece of beef that can easily get tough. But, don’t fret. In this recipe, the acidity from the lime juice marinade will help tenderize the meat. Try out this soft, tender, tasty flank steak made with a simple yet excellent-tasting marinade. It’s easy to whip up and cook, but you will need some time to let the meat sit in the marinade for the best flavor. For optimal results, marinate the meat for at least two hours, or longer if you have the time. Plus, you may want to cook the steak to a mediumrare to keep it juicy. Our publisher, Billy Strawter Jr., tried out this mouthwatering grilled flank steak recipe and only had praises for the dish. INGREDIENTS: 2 lbs flank steak MARINADE: ¼ cup white wine vinegar ½ pc lime 4 pcs garlic cloves minced 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 2 tbsp honey 2 tsp smoked paprika 2 tsp chili powder 1½ tsp kosher salt 1 tsp thyme 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp freshly cracked pepper ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes INSTRUCTIONS: Marinade: 1. Combine vinegar, lime juice, garlic, honey, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, thyme, cumin, ground pepper, and red pepper flakes in a dish big enough for the flank steak to rest flat. Just combine everything using a fork or anything else you happen to have on hand. 2. ¼ cup white wine vinegar,½ pc lime,4 pcs garlic cloves,2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce,2 tbsp honey,2 tsp smoked paprika,2 tsp chili powder,1½ tsp kosher salt,1 tsp thyme,1 tsp cumin,1 tsp freshly cracked pepper,½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes 3. 2 lbs flank steak Preheat the Grill: 1. Set up a charcoal grill with two cooking zones such that one is hot and the other is warm. When you can only hold your palm over the hot area of the grill for a few seconds, it is hot. 2. In order to establish two cooking zones on a gas grill, first heat the grill to 450°F with two burners active. This should only take approximately 10 minutes. Grill the Steak: 1. Take out the steak and throw away the marinade. Place the steak’s thickest portion on the hotter side of the grill and its thinner portion on the cooler side. Seven minutes of searing are required. Flip the steak over, then close the cover. Cook for a further 6–7 minutes. It’s best to have medium-rare meat. 2. Allow the steak to rest for five to ten minutes. After that, slice thinly (less than a half-inch thick), diagonally across the grain. Serve after arranging on a plate.

BLACdetroit.com • OCTOBER 2022 • BLAC 35

SEEN

HITSVILLE NEXT CELEBRATES COMPLETED PHASES OF EXPANSION Wrritten and photo by Dedan Blackmon

wo phases of the highly anticipated Motown Museum expansion are now complete and a Detroit-style celebration was held Monday, Aug. 8, boosted by attendance from distinguished Motown alumni that included Smokey Robinson, Otis Williams and Martha Reeves.

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“

The celebratory event marked the grand opening of Hitsville NEXT, the new educational programming and creative hub, and the newly established Rocket Plaza, thanks to a $5 million contribution from Rocket Companies and the Gilbert Family Foundation. It was in 1959, that Motown was created by Berry Gordy where music legends were made and hits were created right in Gordy’s family residence, now dubbed ‘Hitsville.”.

63 years later, Motown still stands as the museum and now the first two phases of the newly built expansion is completed to continue the legacy that they paved the way for our future generations. The vision for this ambitious project that was first announced in 2016 –and that so many generous and committed supporters have contributed to–is now a reality. Not only are we back–but we are back, bigger and better than ever. ROBIN TERRY, Motown Museum Chairwoman and CEO

Highlighted by energetic musical and spoken word performances, Terry was joined for the grand opening of Hitsville NEXT by musical legends including Motown’s own Smokey Robinson. “Come to the new Motown where they can learn about music, how to record music just like he did when he first started,” says Smokey Robinson, “Detroit is rising back up. We may have fallen but we’re not dead. Detroit is making a comeback in so many ways. World you better look out because we’re rising to the top.” Also the festivities of the evening were highlighted by commentary from iconic Motown stars including Otis Williams, an original founding member of The Temptations who gifted microphones to the museum from his personal collection, which is so meaningful because of the significance of inspiring emerging artists in the place where the Motown legacy was built. Fellow Motown alumni Duke Fakir, Shelly Berger and Martha Reeves were also in attendance to lend star power to the celebration. Hitsville NEXT will offer community-focused programs, workshops and events designed to activate and inspire future generations of creatives, artists and entrepreneurs. Headquartered within three historic, Motown-era buildings at 2654-2658 W. Grand Boulevard—previously owned by Motown Records—Hitsville NEXT will feature professional recording pods, community activation space and premier programming to foster emerging talent. Programs featured in the Hitsville NEXT line up include its spoken word competition Motown Mic; Amplify, a singing competition; The Lyric Project songwriting workshop; and Spark summer camps. Rocket Plaza will serve as a welcome destination for museum visitors, meant to inspire joy and creative collaboration with regularly activated performances by local talent and unique opportunities for emerging entrepreneurs. Inspired by a time when young Motown acts like Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, the Supremes, The Temptations, The Four Tops would hang out in front of Motown’s headquarters, the Plaza will be the ultimate Motown-inspired community gathering space. Both were designed by Detroit-based architectural firm Hamilton Anderson & Associates. Performing for the crowd were next generational songwriters who are signed to the Motown label, Imani Forbes, Samuel Pickens, Tavion Knight, King Bethel and Dion Jackson Jr. who came together as a group – The Fab 5 to pay tribute. The museum is also welcoming visitors back for tours of Hitsville U.S.A. beginning Sunday, Aug. 14 following pandemic- and constructionrelated closures. The tours resuming on Aug. 14 will be a soft reopening with the museum offering abbreviated walking tours of portions of Hitsville U.S.A., including Studio A and the museum’s campus. BLACdetroit.com • OCTOBER 2022 • BLAC 37

October 2, 2022 - January 22, 2023

Tickets at dia.org Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, 1853–1890). The Bedroom (detail), 1889. Oil on canvas; 29 x 36 5/8 in. (73.6 x 92.3 cm). The Art Institute of Chicago, Helen Birch Bartlett Memorial Collection, 1926.417. Van Gogh in America is organized by the Detroit Institute of Arts and is part of the Bonnie Ann Larson Modern European Artists Series. Lead support is generously provided by the Founders Junior Council, The J. Addison and Marion M. Bartush Family Foundation, Bank of America, Cadillac, and Nancy and Sean Cotton. Major support is provided by the William H. and Patricia M. Smith Family, Kenwal Steel, Frances and Kenneth Eisenberg, Nicole and Stephen Eisenberg, Alex Erdeljan, James and Sally Scapa Foundation, Marjorie and Maxwell Jospey Foundation, Spencer & Myrna Partrich, Friends of Art & Flowers, Joanne Danto, Arnold Weingarden & Jennifer Danto Shore, Huntington, Ford Motor Company Fund, DTE Energy Foundation, Jennifer Adderley, and The Family of Christopher R.W.D. Stroh. Additional support is provided by the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, Wells Fargo, Gilbert Family Foundation, Nancy S. Williams Trust and executor, Sharon Backstrom, and Aaron and Carolynn Frankel. This exhibition is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, as part of the Dutch Culture USA program by the Consulate General of the Netherlands in New York, and the European Paintings Council. Funding is also provided by Mrs. William Clay Ford, Mr. and Mrs. John W. Ingle, Jr., Mr. and Mrs. John W. Ingle III, Mr. and Mrs. John M. Sullivan, Jr., Eleanor and Frederick Ford, and Kathleen and Robert Rosowski. The exhibition is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities. Major funding for the exhibition catalogue is generously provided by Jo Elyn and George M. Nyman.

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