Mc digital 3 22 17

Think before you eat

Food power!

An interview with Devita Davison, who says food, and who controls it, will control the rebuilding of Detroit

Detroit Food Policy Council sheds light on the power of food in the city Page B1

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POWERED BY REAL TIMES MEDIA

Volume 80 – Number 28

michiganchronicle.com

March 22-28, 2017

Chuck Berry, one of the founding fathers of rock and roll (1929-2017)

By Steve Holsey It would be impossible to overstate the importance of Chuck Berry to the creation, development and widespread popularity of rock and roll, soon to become a worldwide phenomenon and the dominating force in popular music. The genre, as we know it, simply would not exist were it not for the unique singer, songwriter and musician, along with another equally unique icon, Little Richard.

Chuck Berry passed away on Saturday, March 18, at the age of 90.

Among those on hand for the ribbon cutting ceremony for Hartford Memorial Baptist Church's Hartford Village development were Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, Hartford Memorial Baptist Church Pastor Dr. Charles G. Adams, HUD Secretary Ben Carson and Detroit City Councilman George Cushingberry, Jr.

Trump's proposed budget cuts could curb Detroit’s comeback

By Roz Edward

(Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/ Getty Images) One perceptive music journalist noted that no one can play rock and roll guitar without going through Chuck Berry. The sound he created, the foundation he laid, are unaffected by the passage of time, which is why songs he wrote and recorded in the 1950s — several of them classics and anthems — remain essential.

Although his music is rooted in some black traditions (blues, rhythm and blues), early on Berry made a career and life changing decision — to alter the music so as to appeal to a white audiences, specifically white teenagers. Certainly not a teenager himself, Berry’s lyrics and music struck the right chord among his intended audience.

The kids related to the story of a guitar-loving boy named “Johnny B. Goode,” the teenage angst of “School Days,” the car fantasy of “Maybelline,” a rock and roll-lovin’ girl identified as “Sweet Little Sixteen,” and they knew Berry meant every word when he sang, “It’s gotta be rock and roll music, if you want to dance with me.”

See CHUCK

On Thursday March 16, President Donald Trump unveiled a staggering $1.1 trillion budget for federal Fiscal Year 2018, which would increase Department of Defense spending by 10 percent, or $54 billion, by eliminating key social programs such as the $3 billion Community Development Block Grant program which funds everything from summer camps for low-income children to helping senior citizens get to doctor appointments.

Local and national leaders have decried the America First: A Budget Blueprint to Make America Great Again, as “immoral” and “deplorable,” citing the administration’s malicious attack on social programs for low and moderate income Americans as an attack on people of color living in hard hit urban areas and distressed communites.

On Wednesday, March 15, just a day before releasing the disturbing budget plan, Trump visited the Detroit area to meet with automakers, while HUD Secretary Ben Carson met with Mayor Mike Duggan.

Duggan said during a Michigan Chronicle Pancakes & Politics forum on the following day that during the meeting with Carson, he and staff made the case for continued CDBG funding to support the community development programs which are critical to neighborhood and business development and revitalization. Detroit stands to lose about $31 million for neighborhood development and community support programs while statewide cuts could amount to $111 million. Wayne County

BERRY page A-4

WHAT’S INSIDE

could suffer a $5 million dollar loss with Oakland County taking a $4 million hit.

“The CDBG program is not well-targeted to the poorest populations and has not demonstrated results,” the budget proposal says. In Detroit though, where communites citywide rely on HUD assistance. the impact could cause more hardship for distressed communities.

CDBG dollars are currently allocated to economic development, homelessness, housing services, lead-based paint home repair, minor home repair, public services, public facility rehabilitation and senior home repair.”

Programs like the City of Detroit’s highly touted Motor City Match program and the Grow Detroit Young Talent

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See BUDGET

advocate. He has been a legal commentator for Court TV and Channel 4 News (Detroit).

Senior Editor

Mahershala Ali

“I spent a fair amount of time … with HUD Secretary Ben Carson and we visited developments like Hartford Village on Meyers on the northewest side where they are building the first Premier Senior Living Community in the city of Detroit. The same day we saw the announcement that the president has proposed wiping out the Community Development Block which would wipe out the jobs program, it would wipe out

PROPOSAL page A-4

Mayoral candidate Bill Noakes on why he’s best man for the job

By Keith A. Owens

SPOTLIGHT

summer jobs programs (which intends to employ 8,000 young Detroiters) would be adversely affected if not eliminated altogether under the proposed federal budget spending cuts.

Noakes has taught at the University of Chicago Law School, Grand Valley State University’s Seidman College of Business, Southern Methodist University’s Cox School of Business, and the University of Michigan – Dearborn, where he currently teaches corporate social responsibility.

As part of an ongoing occasional series on some of the mayoral candidates who will be challenging Mayor Mike Duggan later this year, the Michigan Chronicle recently interviewed Bill Noakes. What follows is a partial transcript of the interview.

According to the biography he provided, Noakes is the founder and principal of Noakes & Associates, a consulting firm that advises on ethics and leadership. Before starting Noakes & Associates, he was executive vice president of Meijer, Inc. where he led its legal, IT, real estate, construction, and procurement operations.

Doakes has served as senior associate independent counsel, where he was prosecutor and press spokesperson in the case, United States of America v. Michael Espy, the corruption trial of the former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.

Bill Noakes As a lawyer in private practice, he has represented companies such as General Motors, Smith & Wesson, and Wal-Mart in state and Federal courts.

He has been an attorney with the Securities and Exchange Commission, an assistant general counsel with the General Motors Corporation, deputy Wayne County Corporation counsel, and an Air Force judge

He received his BA from the University of Notre Dame and the MA and JD degrees from the University of Chicago. Answering the call to preach, he studied theology at Southern Methodist University’s Perkins School of Theology and is an assistant minister at Greater Christ Baptist Church on Detroit’s east side.

Why are you running?

Because I believe I’m the only candidate who can truly transform the nature of this city. The word transformation is easy to use, but it’s very difficult to do if

you’ve never done it. And where I’m coming from, I don’t understand how they (Mayor Mike Duggan and Wayne County Executive Warren Evans) can truly be transformative when they are simply an extension of what’s always been. Both Duggan and Evans come from the line of Ed McNamara.

But really what I’m talking about is looking at the experiences I’ve had over the years that have [resulted in] transformation. I was executive vice president of Meijer in Grand Rapids.

By 2003 we faced a crisis. The company seriously had the possibility of going out of businessbecause the competition from Wal-Mart and others was so severe. And we went through what was called a transformation effort, which meant we looked at everything we did, we looked at every operation, we looked at how people worked together, and ultimately we put together a team of people from across the entire company. … And one of

See BILL

NOAKES page A-4

news

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

March 22-28, 2017

Page A-2

Dingell, state representatives hold town hall on impact of ACA repeal in Michigan

JC Penney stores in Oakland County remain open All three JCPenney stores in Oakland County were spared in the company’s announcement that it would close 138 locations nationwide. Seven stores in Michigan will close. They are all outside the Detroit area.

In Oakland County, JCPenney stores will remain open at:

• Oakland Mall in Troy • Twelve Oaks Mall in Novi • 300 Town Center Blvd. in White Lake Township.

“We believe closing stores will also allow us to adjust our business to effectively compete against the growing threat of online retailers,” Marvin Ellison, chairman and chief

executive officer, said in a statement. “Maintaining a large store base gives us a competitive advantage in the evolving retail landscape since our physical stores are a destination for personalized beauty offerings, a broad array of special sizes, affordable private brands and quality home goods and services.”

NKFM’s to enhance Diabetes Prevention Program in six counties The National Kidney Foundation of Michigan is one of three social services agencies to be selected by the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) to receive technical assistance while developing and launching a first-time Pay for Success (PFS) program model – efforts that connect government funding directly to outcomes.

The Foundation’s Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) will benefit from this additional support, allowing the Foundation to enhance the implementation of DPP in six counties in southeast and west Michigan.

In 2016 LISC received a $1.33 million grant from the Social Innovation Fund (SIF), a federal program of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS).

LISC is using a portion of this funding to help the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan design their PFS program.

PFS program efforts are funded upfront through loans, grants or other private-sector investments with insurers, and/ or government providing payment for successful outcomes as specific benchmarks are met.

LISC will help the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan structure their PFS program, raise private capital and develop the capacity and infrastructure to produce the metrics needed to demonstrate results.

“We are honored to be one of three organizations to work with LISC to develop a Pay for Success program,” said Dr. Art Franke, National Kidney Foundation of Michi-

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“Their support will assist us in our continued efforts to combat the diabetes epidemic in Michigan through the Diabetes Prevention Program, and we’re eager to provide the program at a higher capacity to those who would benefit from it the most.”

DPP is a year-long program designed for those at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes, with the goal that participants will adopt and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Trained lifestyle coaches help participants work towards losing five to seven percent of their body weight through healthy eating and participating in 150 minutes of physical activity per week.

The National Kidney Foundation of Michigan’s diabetes division, the Diabetes Prevention Center, will ramp up their implementation of DPP in high-risk, urban communities in the following six counties: Genesee, Kent, Macomb, Muskegon, Oakland and Wayne.

Low-income individuals in these counties, particularly people of color, are disproportionately affected by type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases.

Also, in these six counties, nearly 1.4 million adults over the age of 18 are living with prediabetes – a condition where people have higher than normal blood glucose levels, but not yet high enough to be diagnosed with diabetes. People with prediabetes are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. It’s estimated that 2.6 million Michiganders are affected by prediabetes.

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“DPP is an innovative program that scales a proven medical intervention to serve a larger, underserved population in Michigan,” said Lois Nembhard, acting director of the Social Innovation Fund. “The National Kidney Foundation of Michigan’s initiative to reduce the prevalence of type 2 diabetes is a pioneering use of the Pay for Success model and we’re thrilled that more people in Michigan will be able to benefit from this nutrition and wellness program that improves the long-term health outcomes of residents and reduces future health care costs” Since its inception in 2009, the SIF has grown into nearly a $1 billion social impact incubator within the federal government, creating public-private partnerships that deliver high-impact, community-based solutions that work. As a result of $341 million in federal grants and more than $672 million in non-federal match commitments, the SIF has awarded 51 grants to grant making institutions supporting more than 490 non-profits working in 46 states and the District of Columbia.

Trump budget may be good for Macomb County While much of Southeast Michigan stands to lose millions in funding cuts if President Trump’s proposed budget passes with 10 percent increase in defense and military spending, Macomb County, which has two military installations and a huge defense corridor — could reap the benefits of Trump’s proposed $54-billion increase in defense spending. In 2015, the Detroit region was home to 3,307 businesses serving the defense industry.

Together, they employ more than 94,000, with annual average wages of over $91,257, according to the Detroit Regional Chamber.

“This is a major, major economic opportunity for the county,” said John Paul Rea, Macomb County’s planning and economic development director.

Macomb is home to the U.S. Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command in Warren and Selfridge Air National Base in Harrison Township, which is one of a handful of sites that could be the new home to F35 fighter jets, securing the base’s future for years to come.

U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-12), State Representatives Donna Lasinski, Ronnie Peterson, Yousef Rabhi and Adam Zemke recently held a town hall with Marianne Udow-Phillips, executive director of the Center for Healthcare Research and Transformation to discuss Republican’s proposal to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and what it means for Michigan. The town hall, moderated by David Fair of WEMU Radio, drew more than 300 attendees to discuss the bill’s impact on the Healthy Michigan program, children, seniors and working families.

“With the House of Representatives expected to vote on proposed Republican healthcare legislation this week, many people have questions about its potential impact and what it means to them and their families.

We understand the importance of this community having answers and the facts, which is why we are hosting this forum,” said Dingell. “The consequences of this legislation are stark: the nonpartisan CBO confirmed that this bill will push 24 million Americans off their health insurance over the next decade. It will hit seniors from two fronts – rationing Medicaid and charging older Americans five times more for care – and it will end Healthy Michigan, which our children and seniors rely upon, by 2020. At the same time, while hurting working families, this bill will give a $600 billion tax break to the wealthiest. We cannot afford to go backwards.

We will continue to fight for the quality, affordable health care every American deserves.”

“As a state representative, I have serious concerns about the consequences of repealing the Affordable Care Act for the hundreds of thousands of Michiganders who have gained healthcare since it was enacted,” said Representative Lasinski. “While we in the Michigan Legislature don’t have a direct say in this important federal vote, we are hearing every day from our constituents who are fearful that they will lose their coverage and from our seniors who have learned of the dramatic proposed rate

Debbie Dingell increases. It is imperative that we use our voices to call upon our members of Congress to vote to ensure that residents of Michigan continue to have access to quality, affordable healthcare.”

“Michigan made a commitment to its residents when the Healthy Michigan plan was implemented, and it’s simply unacceptable for us to rip the rug out from under them now that they finally have stable insurance coverage,” Representative Peterson said. “We cannot abandon the more than 650,000 Michiganders who now have health care. That’s not who we are as a state, and that’s not who we are as a people.”

“Congress is on the precipice of gutting medical care for working-class Michiganders, seniors and people with disabilities,” said Representative Rabhi. “Judging by the turnout and the comments we heard today people are not happy with the Trump/Ryan vision of what healthcare should look like in America.”

“As a young Michigander, the Affordable Care Act has been paramount in ensuring that young Michiganders have health coverage while they are young, thus enabling them the freedom to take advantage of their opportunities and dreams without coverage concerns,” said Representative Zemke. “And as a Michigan legislator, the ACA has been paramount in ensuring that 650,000 more Michiganders have coverage through Healthy Michigan. Regardless of age, the ACA provides tremendous benefit for Michigan.”

Since the ACA was enacted in 2010, the un-

insured rate in Michigan has fallen by more than 50 percent, with 695,000 residents gaining coverage. The Republican’s proposal to repeal the ACA threatens to reverse the gains made in coverage and access to care.

The ACA repeal bill: • Rips health coverage away from 24 million Americans, including 14 million in 2018 alone.

• Implements an “age tax” for older Americans, which will drastically increase costs seniors pay for their healthcare. Older Americans will be forced to pay premiums five times higher than what others pay for health coverage.

• Ends Medicaid expansion, which has extended coverage to 695,000 Michiganders through the Healthy Michigan program.

• Rations care for 76 million Americans by arbitrarily cutting and capping Medicaid, using a program that provides critical health services to the most vulnerable Americans to provide tax cuts for the wealthy.

• Forces Americans to pay more for less. Working families could see their premiums and deductibles increase by hundreds to thousands of dollars.

• Fails to protect up to 129 million Americans with pre-existing conditions. Protections only apply for those who maintain continuous coverage.

If someone has a lapse in coverage, insurance companies could charge a 30 percent premium increase for an entire year.

• Defunds Planned Parenthood. Women with nowhere else to turn will lose access to essential preventative care.

City of Detroit announces changes to Department of Neighborhoods district manager lineup Mayor Mike Duggan has announced the appointment of three new district managers to the Department of Neighborhoods. Duggan created the Department of Neighborhoods when he took office in 2014 to establish a more direct connection between the Mayor’s Office and the city’s many neighborhoods. District managers are charged with addressing blight in neighborhoods, organizing block clubs and community organizations and helping residents access city services.

There are two managers serving each of the seven City Council districts.

The new managers are: • Letty Azar, District 4 Manager • Kya Robertson, District 5 Deputy Manager • Ammie Woodruff, District 6 Deputy Manager Two district managers were promoted: • Erinn Harris, District 3 Manager (previously District 5 Deputy Manager) • Ninfa Cancel, District 6 Manager (previously Deputy Manager) Letty has spent 20 years in healthcare, home and community-based services, and political advocacy, mainly in healthcare operations and administration. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and master’s

degree in education from Oakland University. Azar replaces Odell Tate, who served as the District 4 manager since 2014 and now handles community engagement and outreach for the Detroit Parks & Recreation Department.

A Detroit native, Azar has two adult daughters and is a group fitness instructor and runs marathons. She serves on the board of the Great Lakes Burn Camp, a children’s burn survivor group.

Kya Robertson has worked as a caseworker for families and adults with mental illness. She holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Toledo, master’s degree in public policy administration from South University of Savannah, Georgia, and is working on a doctorate in public administration.

Robertson is actively involved with the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority and community outreach. She has a two-year-old daughter.

Ammie Woodruff has worked in the mortgage and hotel industries and, most recently, with

Quicken Loans in community engagement, underwriting and cultural development.

Woodruff is a graduate of King High School in Detroit and is close to completing her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Central State University in Ohio.

Woodruff has an interest in entertainment and been writing and performing rap music for a number of years. She is a member of the Order of the Eastern Star and hopes to start a non-profit organization that focuses on art and culture for youth.

In District 3, Erinn Harris has been promoted to district manager replacing Garry Bulluck, who is now the City of Detroit deputy chief of Mobility Innovations.

In District 6, Ninfa Cancel has been promoted to District Manager replacing Rico Razo, who took a leave of absence from the City to serve as the campaign manager for Mayor Duggan’s re-election campaign.

news

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

March 22-28, 2017

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URC launches pilot project to develop a national water infrastructure network The age and condition of urban infrastructure systems are critical issues, not only for Michigan, but for cities across the United States. Against this backdrop, Michigan’s University Research Corridor (URC) — an alliance of Michigan State University (MSU), the University of Michigan (U-M) and Wayne State University (WSU) — announces the launch of a collaborative pilot program, the Infrastructure Network for Water (IN-Water).

IN-Water is an initiative focused on moving science-to-practice in addressing aging water infrastructure issues statewide and across the nation. Envisioned as a national network that will, in time, include multiple forms of infrastructure, such as transportation, energy and telecommunications, IN-Water will connect researchers and practitioners through the exchange of ideas for addressing advanced technologies, development of creative solutions, reducing barriers to implementation and formation of collaborative partnerships.

In 2013, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimated that $384 billion is needed in capital improvements over the next 20 years to ensure water systems can provide clean, safe water to the American public. As water and wastewater utilities respond to this growing problem, utility professionals are forced to make critical and costly decisions, often in the face of limited data. In order to make informed, cost-effective decisions, there is a need to understand the causes of asset deterioration to better predict failures and implement effective responses. While viewed by some as a problem, this may also represent an opportunity to transition to a newer, higher performing approach rather than simply replacing water infrastructure in-kind.

“Aging urban infrastructure is a serious problem facing the nation, and the Flint water crisis is simply one point of proof,” said Glen Daigger, professor of engineering practice in civil and environmental engineering at the University of Michigan. “The American Society of Civil Engineers gave the nation’s drinking water and wastewater infrastructure a grade of ‘D’ or poor, and that’s entirely unacceptable. As a nation, we must be able to immediately and efficiently provide a solution to, or support for, either the rehabilitation of distressed infrastructure, or replace it with higher-performing systems.”

With this understanding, the IN-Water network would provide a much-needed resource for cities struggling with and managing aging water and wastewater infrastructure. The overall mission is to secure a network of experts that will focus on decaying infrastructure in urban areas and will promote science to practice across multiple infrastructure systems, including transportation, communications and energy, with water as a pilot. Additionally, the goal would be for these experts to create a framework linking water quality to health in communities and for use in promoting academic, government and private partnerships in the future to address water infrastructure from source to tap.

Phase Two will include a water colloquium for national invitees and experts to address key questions and discuss best practices for developing this national network of infrastructure experts.

“Our universities have been working together for years on complex water-related research,” said URC Executive Director Jeff Mason. “These institutions and experts within this field are undoubtedly in a position to provide the research, technology and innovation needed to create solutions to the problems facing our nation’s water infrastructure.”

Why not Alycia Meriweather?

By Cliff Woodards

and familiarity with DPS, it’s perplexing why Meriweather was not selected as a finalist.

In 1975, the Detroit Public School Board appointed Arthur L. Jefferson as the general superintendent of a school system governing over 200,000 students.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ramos doesn’t seem to be too happy in his position in Milwaukee. Not six months ago, he was seeking to be the “chief cheerleader” for the Allentown School District in Pennsylvania. Dr. Vitti, who presides over the “most dangerous school district in Florida,” just signed a contract extension in Duval County that keeps him under contract until 2019.

Remarkably, he was only 36 years old at the time. He served diligently through an incredible period marked by labor strife and intense contract negotiations.

In these tumultuous times, it is almost unimaginable that Dr. Jefferson went on to serve Detroit’s children for fourteen years until he retired in 1989.

Since then, elected boards have appointed seven people as either interim or general superintendent and only one lasted more than two years, David Snead. He survived three years.

The district has also endured four state appointed CEOs, three emergency managers, one transition manager and is presently served by an Interim Superintendent Alycia Meriweather.

She is a proud graduate of Renaissance High School, a lifelong Detroiter where she still resides with her husband of 20 years.

Upon her appointment by then transition manager Judge Steven Rhodes, Meriweather was lauded and applauded by a plethora of teachers, administrators and union officials, including DFT Interim President Ivy Bailey, who called her a “good choice.”

Last fall, the voters of Detroit elected a new school board. Despite the public praise and continued support for Dr. Meriweather, one of the first pronouncements by the new board, if not the first, was that they would immediately conduct a nationwide, transparent search for a superintendent.

In the midst of this national search, the state announced the impending closure of more than two dozen underperforming schools in the new DPSCD. You could hear the board members howl as each cried foul.

Earlier this week, they voted to sue

Cliff Woodards the state to prevent closures that haven’t occurred. Board President Iris Taylor said the “district is entitled to operate schools for at least three years without even the threat of closure.”

Now after 90 days in office and expenditures in the six figures, the board has whittled down its list of candidates to three. Surprisingly, Meriweather is not among the finalists.

The list reportedly includes Derrick R. Coleman, superintendent of the River Rouge District which has about 1,700 students currently enrolled; Orlando Ramos, regional superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools since 2015, a district with an enrollment of 76,000 students; and Dr. Nikolai Vitti, superintendent of Duval County Public Schools in Jacksonville, Florida, with a student population of 130,000.

Coleman is a homegrown DPS graduate who formerly served as a DPS assistant superintendent. The DPSCD board would do well to remember the last superintendent who came from a tiny district to run a large urban school district: Connie Calloway. She didn’t last two years and wound up suing the board, costing even more money the district didn’t have.

On the other hand, if they’re seeking someone who has a background

Could it be that the board doesn’t want Meriweather, despite her local background, experience and commitment, simply because she’s a holdover from state control? Otherwise, why shouldn’t she be given the same opportunity to turn around Detroit schools that the board is demanding for itself?

The initial moves of the current members bring to mind the turmoil surrounding Drs. Porter and McGriff and a reform team that long ago promised change and hope. Thus began a merry-go-round of superintendents that couldn’t cope.

It is imperative that this new board be different from the school boards of yesteryear. We simply cannot afford to return to the backbiting, sniping, political posturing and grandstanding that seemed to go hand in hand with a seat on the Detroit Board of Education.

Business development requires educational development in order to continue. The true measure of success doesn’t rest with Mayor Mike Duggan, Dan Gilbert or the Ilitch family. Rather, it lies with committed parents, engaged children and a responsible DPSCD board.

Let’s hold them to it like the future depends on it, because it does.

Cliff Woodards is a criminal defense attorney in Southeast Michigan and the host of “Your Turn with Cliff Woodards,” airing each weeknight at 7 pm on 910 AM The Superstation.

Detroit Branch NAACP announces honorees and keynote speaker for 62nd annual NAACP Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner

By Alisha Dixon

sador, a violation of the Logan Act. This singlehandedly led to the forced resignation of Flynn.

The Detroit Branch NAACP has announced the honorees and keynote speaker for its 62nd annual Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner to be held on April 23, 5 pm, at Cobo Center.

“There is no other event in the nation that brings together such a diversity of community activists, business, labor, corporate, faith-based, young and old, from every vocation and station in life, in the numbers that we find here in the city of Detroit. It continues to provide a source of pride, networking, fellowship, and the building of bridges across culture and community,” said Rev. Dr. Wendell Anthony, president of the Detroit Branch NAACP, the largest chapter in the country The theme of the 2017 Detroit NAACP Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner is “A new era, but the same cause… Justice!” The theme, Anthony said, comes at an important time in the country.

“It is particularly significant at this very critical time in our nation’s history as we face challenges to national health care, civil and human rights, community policing/racial sensitivity, and public education, all at a crossroad as it relates to quality and accountability. The issues are great,” said Anthony.

To celebrate the tireless work of women, this year’s

This year’s recipients of the Great Expectations Award include Angelique Peterson-Mayberry, the newly elected vice president of the Detroit Public Schools Community District’s Board of Education. Peterson-Mayberry has long been an advocate for education reform and workers’ rights in the city of Detroit.

dinner will include a “special historic tribute made for the unique role women play in the acquiring of freedom and equality for all people,” Anthony said.

Often forgotten are millions of women who fight for equality alongside organizations like the NAACP, Anthony said, a fight that has reached fever pitch this year as women marched on Washington. This year, he said, “has been marked by mobilization of millions of women across the nation and the world calling for justice and human dignity.”

One of those women is the Honorable Elizabeth A. Warren, senator from the state of Mas-

sachusetts who was chosen as this year’s keynote speaker.

Anthony said choosing Senator Warren was a no-brainer because she “reflects the time that we are in, who has spoken boldly about all these issues, who continues to be a crystal clear voice regardless of race, station or location, who has made a history of advocating for the rights of people regardless of their status in life. She has been their champion.”

Honorees for the 2017 Detroit NAACP Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner include Joy Reid, host of “AM Joy” on MSNBC, who will be honored with the Ida B. Wells Barnett Freedom & Justice Award for the excel-

lence she has shown in journalism. Reid, a Harvard University graduate, has used her national platform to speak on issues of race and is one of the major voices in the African-American community.

Former Acting U.S. Attorney General Sally C. Yates will be presented with the Mary Church Terrell Award for Freedom & Justice Award for her efforts in protecting basic human and constitutional rights with her refusal to defend the travel ban signed into law by Donald Trump. Yates is also responsible for helping to uncover secret talks between then National Security Advisor Michael Flynn and the Russian ambas-

Also receiving the Great Expectations Award are Eastern Michigan University students Jaren Johnson and Darius Anthony. They have bravely exposed the hostile racial climate on the EMU’s campus and have organized demonstrations and sit-ins to engage both EMU students and faculty. Johnson is the current president of the EMU’s Black Student Union and Anthony is the president of the EMU’s college chapter of the NAACP. “We believe that this lineup of freedom fighters, advocates for justice, and keepers of the flame of hope, will serve as true inspiration for those of us in the city of Detroit and this region,” Anthony said.

To purchase tickets, tables or to become a sponsor for the 62nd annual Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner, please go to detroitnaacp.org or call (313) 8713027.

news

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

March 22-28, 2017

Bill Noakes the first things we had to do was figure out how we were going to reduce our cost basis. And it turned out we were one of the higher cost retailers in the district … and going at that pace we couldn’t compete with Wal-Mart.

We’d be out of business in perhaps three years?

Four years? [They had to reduce their costs dramatically over a threeyear period.]

What is it going to take?

Budget proposal Motor City Match, one of the greatest successes of this administration so we are going to have to make our case very aggressively,” Duggan continued.

Since Motor City Match’s inception, nearly $3 million in grant funds have been awarded to more than 60 local businesses and more than 570 entrepreneurs have been assisted. The program matches new and existing businesses with real estate opportunities and provides them with technical and resource support focused on business success.

Motor City Match has recognized a diverse group of businesses to date: • 76 percent are minority owned • 54 percent are minority-women owned • 68 percent are women

owned, and • 62 percent of are owned by native Detroiters Also in jeopardy are essential support programs for Detroit and Michigan residents like the THAW program which provides home energy assistance to low-income persons.

“In Michigan there are approximately 1.2 million families that are available for energy assistance and weatherization programs.

That helps families pay for their heat and electric bills so they can stay warm and safe during the winter months, explains Matthew Phillips, CEO of the Heat and Warmth fund on Griswold in Detroit. Phillips added that assistance is also necessary for the medically vulnerable who are effected by heat during the summer months. However, current funding levels

Republicans hit major roadblock to ‘Trumpcare’ after bad CBO numbers

By Lauren Victoria Burke (NNPA Newswire Contributor)

Less than a day after the Congressional Budget Office released an analysis of the American Health Care Act of 2017, three House Republicans, Representatives Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) Leonard Lance (R-N.J.), and Rob Wittman (R-Va.) said that they would vote against the new GOP health bill.

The recent Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report on the Republican healthcare bill, caused many to voice concerns about how it would affect their home states and districts. The nonpartisan economic agency concluded that 14 million more Americans would be left without insurance under the GOP’s healthcare plan next year.

The other figures from the CBO’s report that rocked Capitol Hill included: ■ 24 million Americans will lose their health coverage, including $14 million in 2018 alone; ■ Under the GOP bill, 19 percent of the non-elderly population will be uninsured in 2026, compared to 10 percent in 2026 under current law.

■ The bill would have the effect of slashing Medicaid by $880 billion over 10 years.

■ The bill gives $600 billion in tax cuts to the wealthy and corporations, including $2.8 billion to the 400 richest families.

■ Under the GOP bill, a 64 year old with an income of $26,500 in the individual market will pay $12,900 more in their premiums each year.

The impact of the above, combined with the repeal of funding Planned Parenthood, would likely impact African Americans

in a big way. African Americans continue to have the highest poverty rate of any minority group in the U.S., with 27.4 percent of all blacks living under the poverty line. High-quality healthcare is typically something many poor Americans simply cannot afford.

In a report on coverage rates under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Lisa Clemans-Cope, a health economist at the Urban Institute, revealed that “the divide in coverage between whites and blacks dropped from a 6.5 percentage-point gap to a 5 percentage point gap,” according to The Pew Charitable Trusts. Cope added that “if all states expanded Medicaid coverage [under the ACA], then the divide in coverage between whites and African Americans would drop to 2.6 percentage points.”

Even before the CBO report, there was a rift between Republican lawmakers over the proposed bill. The right-wing, Tea Party-infused House Freedom Caucus had already announced that their members would vote against the bill en masse, calling the legislation “Obamacare lite.”

Pressure from the left and right has put the House GOP in serious political jeopardy.

In a March 13 statement, Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Cedric Richmond (D-La.) said that the non-partisan CBO confirmed that the Republican healthcare bill would be a disaster for the American people and that it would strip 14 million Americans of their health insurance next year and leave 52 million Americans without health insurance by 2026.

From page A-1 only allow 38 percent of eligible families in the state to take advantage of energy assistance programs. Forty percent of Detroit families qualify for THAW assistance.

“In the number of households we served just last year [throughout the state] there were over 28,000 children and 4,800 seniors living in homes that we served. … Heat and lights during the Michigan winters are a necessity. They are not a luxury. During the cold months that Michigan faces, I think it’s unimaginable that people would have to make a choice between heating or eating.”

Freedom House, a facility in Detroit with a 35-year history of helping asylum seekers, has already announced that it will have to close its doors due to cuts in HUD funding. In the past decade, nearly 1,400 people, fleeing the horrors of war and physical and mental torture, have survived with the help of the facility.

Refugees from Freedom House have come from 74 countries, including the war-torn Middle East and countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

“We are the only agency to do what we do,” said Thomas “T.J.” Rogers, Freedom House program manager. “There are different places you can go for shelter, different places you can go for legal aid, but no onestop-shop where you are safe, your basic needs like medical, behavioral health, preparation, the whole nine yards. When people exit our program they are able to be independent and self-sufficient and live in perma-

nent, stable housing.”

Trump’s proposed budget is rife with measures that would burden citizens of Detroit and other urban centers around the nation that are working ardently to fight blight and revitalize local neighborhoods and business districts. The America First: A Budget Blueprint to Make America Great Again would also eliminate Department of Trabsportation grants, like those used to help fund the M-1 light rail line or the Q-Line and splinter the federal Department of Health and Human Services with a whopping $15.1 billion hit.

The Legal Services Corp., a federally created organization that funds legal aid to poor people, elderly people and veterans in family law cases, foreclosures, employment matters and other civil legal proceedings will be no more.

And lastly. the president’s budget proposal calls for eliminating both the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities, which would save about $300 million a year out of a $1.065-trillion budget. A quick look around Michigan shows dozens of smaller grants by both which, over the years, add up including, in the last decade, about $500,000 for installations and exhibits at the Detroit Institute of Arts.

This budget doen’t bode well for Detroit or any city in the nation that prioritizes quality of life issues over an increased ability to hinder the quality of life for people of nations around the world.

How do you address the people [issue]? Because that’s the real big issue here in the city of Detroit, people are talking about, well, we’re building new buildings and we’re getting new development, but ultimately nobody’s talking about how do we change the mindset of people and about people.

Because I can give somebody who doesn’t have the right mindset a brand new house, and I dare you to tell me that house will be maintained if they’ve never had a house. So the question is how do we change the mindset of the people who appear to be left behind and change the mindset of those who are coming in and are running things about the people who are not them?

And so part of what I’m talking about is investing in people.

I mean, nobody’s going to come here because of a new stadium. You might get some investment from local folks, but you’re not going to get a significant investment. No company is going to come from Silicon Valley, or someplace similar to that, unless they see that 1) there’s a viable workforce, a viable well-trained workforce and 2) that it’s a safe environment, and 3) it’s a place that people find interesting to be in. But the main thing is how do you invest in people? How do you inspire them?

So how do you do that?

Well, the first thing is you talk to them. Not at them, not talk around them, not talk about them. One of the things I’ve learned over the years is to listen to folks and hear what they have to say, and find out what’s on their minds. They aren’t going to listen to your plan unless they know that you are listening to them. So many politicians do a great job of talking and making promises that pretty much go unkept. But they don’t really listen to the people.

I’m not the most powerful orator, and I clearly won’t be the best-financed candidate, but I will be the one that will listen. Per-

Chuck Berry

Page A-4

From page A-1 haps better than anybody else. Because that’s where the message is.

When you talk to people during your campaign, what are you hearing?

The great part of the city has been ignored.

The second part that I hear, largely from fellow ministers, is that they can’t understand the drainage fees that are suddenly being charged.

Someone who was once paying $750 per acre is now paying 10 times that.

And they’re talking about the real issue of whether or not the churches will have to leave the city because ecause they won’t be able to pay the drainage fees. And their concern is we gave away the water. We gave away control of the water, which Detroit had for many years. Another concern is crime, and more than anything else it’s the homicide rate. Yes, certain crimes are down, but the crime that concerns people the most is homicide. Detroit had more than 300 homicides in the year 2016. New York City, which is maybe 10 times the size of Detroit or more, They had 332 homicides. Now, that’s quite a comparison. Now they can talk about how they are solving crime, but that’s the stat that matters the most.

Now somebody gets killed in Midtown, and they go all out, and the people that live in Midtown are calling into the police and making complaints and the police are responding with increased policing. Not too long ago, three people were killed on the east side. It barely was noticed.

How do you address that?

Well the first thing you want do is to look at what resources we have and how we allocate those resources. And one of the best ways to allocate resources is to begin with how do we use predictive policing through technology? Many bigger cities, they can predict where crime is going to occur, and then they allocate resources according to where the hot spots are.

The other way is to actually have police live in the city. That’s been a concern, and there’s been a court case saying you can’t make police officers live in the city. But what if we incentivized officers to live in the city? What if we said we will pay you a slightly higher rate if you live in the city? There may be a problem with that, I don’t know. But what if we explored that?

From page A-1

Meanwhile, in the black community, Chuck Berry was not a major attraction. Many black people liked him, but their interest was generally casual; they didn’t fully relate.

Berry was rock and roll. The black community’s preferences were R&B, jazz, disco, gospel and blues.

In 1973, Berry performed on “Soul Train.” It was somewhat awkward and the kids had no idea how to dance to his music.

Nevertheless, Berry’s records were great, and will always be great.

As much as anything else, the songs were fun. And uptempo; one could have never imagined a tender love ballad from Chuck Berry.

But Berry could be raunchy too.

You can take a man out of the inner city, but you can’t take the inner city out of the man. One funny line was deleted by the record company from his hit song “Reelin’ and Rockin’.” In recounting the events of a particular night, Berry said, “Looked at my watch, it was a quarter to two, she said she don’t, but I know she do.”

Considering the blatant racism of the times, it is ironic that Chuck Berry would be a Pied Piper of rock and roll, so to speak. Maybe white America thought he was “safe.”

When asked on one occasion to assess his music and its place in society, Berry said, “The music I play is a ritual, something that matters to people in a special way.

I wouldn’t want to interfere with that.”

Charles Edward Anderson Berry was born on Oct. 18, 1926 to a middle class family in St. Louis, Missouri. He took an interest in

music at a very early age. Although he played and sang hereand there, with lofty visions of the future, his big break came when he was signed

by Chess Records in the 1950s, a famed white-owned company that specialized in black music. One of his heroes, blues legend Muddy Waters, had suggested that he audition for Chess.

Despite some serious personal setbacks — and there were more to come in the future — Berry became a major star with superhits like “Roll Over Beethoven,” “No Particular Place to Go,” “You Never Can Tell” and “Nadine.” He was also famous for his classic “duck walk.”

No performance was complete without it.

Berry was noted for one-nightonly concerts, playing as many as

100 one-nighters per year. He traveled alone, having lined up musicians in whatever city he would be performing in. He walked fast through airports, passing people who would say incredulously, “Wasn’t that Chuck Berry?” By then he would be long gone.

Chuck Berry received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1984 and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.

In 2004, he was recognized as “immortal” by Rolling Stone magazine.

For a real treat, watch Berry and Etta James perform “Rock and Roll Music” on YouTube.

“Chuck Berry: The Autobiography,” which has been described as “astonishingly candid,” can be purchased at Amazon.

news

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

March 22-28, 2017

Page A-5

ESSA law must provide necessary investments for success, educators say

By Stacy M. Brown

ination that plays out in our education system.

(NNPA Newswire Contributor)

Across the nation, educators say that federal dollars must follow former President Barack Obama’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) in order for the law to be effective.

BLACKPRESS190 A display wall showcases the front pages of the nation’s Black newspapers. (Travis Riddick/NNPA)

The National Newspaper Publishers Association honors Democratic strategist Donna Brazile Celebrates the 190th anthniversary of the black press during Black Press Week 2017

WASHINGTON/March 20, 2017/NNPA Newswire/—The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) will honor veteran Democratic strategist Donna Brazile with the 2017 Torch Award for Outstanding Leadership and Achievement in Political Empowerment during Black Press Week 2017 (March 22-24) in the nation’s capital.

Members, partners and sponsors from across the country travel to the nation’s capital for the annual celebration of the Black Press. This year, the trade group will commemorate the 190th anniversary of the launch of the black press. On March 16, 1827, John Russwurm and Reverend Samuel Cornish published the first edition of the Freedom’s Journal.

Black Press Week 2017 will feature a joint welcome reception hosted by the NNPA and the National Association of Hispanic Publications (NAHP), an enshrinement ceremony honoring the memory of Lenora ”Doll” Carter, meetings with members of Congress on Capitol Hill, and a public education workshop on the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

The public education workshop will take place on Friday, March 24, from 8-10 am at the Dupont Circle Hotel. The event will also be livestreamed.

The NNPA recently received a media grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to create a public awareness campaign about ESSA, the education law signed by President Barack Obama in December 2015.

Black Press Week attendees will also participate in panel discussions on advertising, brand development, and ethnic media and politics in the age of President Trump.

Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., president and CEO of the NNPA, said that the NNPA convenes Black Press Week 2017 with a strong sense of cultural and business pride during the 190th anniversary celebration of the black press in America.

“Today, our print and digital busi-

“Sufficient federal Title I and Title II funding is critical in targeting resources Lipscomb also said that the law does to students and schools with the high- not take into consideration the perest need, developing and supporting our son-in-environment perspective and the educators working in these schools, mental health needs of some students. and enabling states to meet their ESSA “What does trauma look like? What commitments,” said Liam Goldrick, are [the impacts of] additional stressthe director of polors on intersectionicy at New Teachal identities,” for er Center, a Santa Blacks, poor people, Cruz, Calif.-based or queer and transnon-profit that’s gender people, Lipdedicated to improvscomb asked. “These ing student learnidentity markers also ing by accelerating play a crucial role in the effectiveness the student’s ability of new teachers, to succeed, academexperienced eduically speaking, and cators and school this law must look leaders.

“Without at all of the nuances these federal comthat impede a stumitments and indent’s ability to funcvestments, students tion and succeed in under-resourced within an oppressive schools will contineducational system.” ue to face an inequitable educational Kim L. Defibaugh, system and the work president of the Naof educators will be Allen E. Lipscomb is the author of the tional Art Education made even more 2016 book “Black Male Grief Reaction Association (NAEA) to Trauma: A Clinical Case Study of in challenging.”

Williamsburg, One Man’s Mental Health Treatment.” Va., said the newPresident Barack est incarnation of Obama signed the (Allen E. Lipscomb) federal legislation ESSA legislation on guiding K-12 education maintains the Dec. 10, 2015. The bipartisan measure basic components of state plans and reauthorized the Elementary and Secdistrict report cards as accountability ondary Education Act (ESEA), the 1965 federal education law and longstanding measures. commitment to equal opportunity for all students, according to the Obama Administration. ESSA was drafted to build on key areas of progress in recent years, made possible by the efforts of educators, communities, parents, and students across the country, officials with the Obama Administrations said.

Brazile, who is also an author, syndicated columnist and television political commentator, will receive the award at the 2017 NNPA Torch Awards Dinner on Thursday, March 23, at the Dupont Circle Hotel. The NNPA will also honor Wade Henderson, the president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and the Learship Conference Education Fund, and Roy Lewis, an award-winning photographer for the Washington Informer.

When it comes to progress that was made during the Obama years, today, high school graduation rates are at alltime highs, dropout rates are at historic lows, and more students are going to college than ever before.

Donna Brazile will receive the 2017 Torch Award for Outstanding Leadership and Achievement in Political Empowerment during Black Press Week 2017. (Brazile & Associates, LLC/Wikimedia Commons)

ESSA states that the new law will, “Advance equity by upholding critical protections for America’s disadvantaged and high-need students.”

Some education advocates have said that the new law doesn’t go far enough to address long-standing racial discrim-

“The people of Flint and all Americans deserve a more responsive federal government,” said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. “EPA will especially focus on helping Michigan improve Flint’s water infrastructure as part of our larger goal of improving America’s water infrastructure.”

“I appreciate the EPA approving this funding to assist with Flint’s recovery,” Michigan Governor Rick Snyder said.

“Combined with the nearly $250 million in state funding already allocated, this will help keep Flint on a solid path forward. It’s great to see federal, state and local partners continuing to work together to help with infrastructure upgrades and pipe replacements for the people of Flint.”

“A major change from the previous legislation is that it removes responsibility for outlining and monitoring implementation of the law from the U.S. Department of Education and returns it to the states,” Defibaugh said.

Defibaugh added that another encouraging key point in the language of the law, is the section that describes the “well-rounded education” provision, Section 8002.

“Mentioned throughout ESSA, it lists the arts as a subject essential to providing students a comprehensive and enriched educational experience,” Defibaugh said. “The National Art Education Association defines visual arts as a core academic subject and supports inclusion of a rigorous, high quality, comprehensive, sequential, and authentic visual arts program in every school for every child.”

nesses continue to be the authentic and trusted voice of black America,” said Chavis. “We publish truth to power. We articulate the aspirations of 47 million African Americans and others who cry out for freedom, justice, equality, and empowerment.”

Chavis thanked NNPA partners General Motors-Chevrolet, Ford Motor Company, Reynolds American Inc. (RAI), and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. He also recognized NNPA sponsors Volkswagen, Ascension, Coca-Cola, the American Association for Cancer Research, and Honda for supporting the NNPA’s mission during 2017 Black Press Week.

Follow Black Press Week 2017 events on social media using the hashtag #BlackPress190Yrs. ABOUT THE NATIONAL NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION (NNPA) The NNPA is a national trade association of 211 black and women-owned U.S. media companies with a weekly print and digital readership of over 20.1 million black Americans. The black press of America is 190 years old. The NNPA is known as the Black Press of America and the Voice of Black America, because its member publishers are trusted, respected and embedded in their local communities where they provide significant influence and impact.

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EPA Awards $100 Million to Michigan for Flint Water infrastructure upgrades The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today awarded a $100 million grant to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to fund drinking water infrastructure upgrades in Flint, Mich. The funding, provided by the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act of 2016, or WIIN, enables Flint to accelerate and expand its work to replace lead service lines and make other critical infrastructure improvements.

“The law perpetuates an academic system of oppression in the lack of recognition to deconstruct [White supremacy],” said Allen E. Lipscomb, author of the 2016 book “Black Male Grief Reaction to Trauma: A Clinical Case Study of One Man’s Mental Health Treatment.”

• • • •

“We are excited and very grateful to receive these much needed funds,” said Flint Mayor Karen Weaver. “The City of Flint being awarded a grant of this magnitude in such a critical time of need will be a huge benefit. As we prepare to start the next phase of the FAST Start pipe replacement program, these funds will give us what we need to reach our goal of replacing 6,000 pipes this year and make other needed infrastructure improvements. We look forward to the continued support of the EPA and federal government.”

The WIIN funding supplements EPA’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (SRF), a federal-state partnership. In addition to the federal funds announced today, the State of Michigan is providing the required 20% match of $20 million.

Over the years, EPA has provided more than $32.5 billion to states for infrastructure upgrades through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.

Under President Trump’s budget blueprint SRF remains fully funded, and the proposal provides robust funding for the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program to finance critical drinking and wastewater infrastructure.

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Page A-6 • THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE • March 22-28, 2017

PINNACLE AWARD

Patricia Maryland, Dr.PH CEO, Ascension Healthcare

TRAILBLAZER AWARD

Pat Locke First African American Woman to Graduate from West Point

10TH Anniversary Women of Excellence Induction Ceremony and Mini-Conference 1:00 PM Love, Life Work Balance The Entrepreneurial Edge 3:00 PM Million Dollar Roundtable Building Your Brand: Authentically You 5:00 PM Reception 6:00 PM Induction Ceremony

10th Anniversary Women of Excellence 2017

Induction Ceremony and Mini-Conference

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DOCTOR

March 22-28, 2017

Dr. Carmen McIntyre

The R-word

March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, following a proclamation in 1987 by President Ronald Reagan. Over 178,000 people in Michigan have an intellectual and/or developmental disability (IDD). These are a group of conditions that are usually present at birth and affect physical, intellectual and/or emotional development.

Intellectual disabilities start before a child turns 18 and affect intelligence (IQ), which means the ability to learn and problem solve.

They also affect the ability to adapt, causing problems in social and life skills.

Developmental disabilities may include intellectual, physical and/or emotional development. Some examples include Down syndrome and autism spectrum disorders (ASD), which are disorders of the nervous system, and phenylketonuria (PKU), a disorder of metabolism.

IDDs are usually lifelong conditions. Many IDDs have no cure, but there are treatments available.

Physical, speech and occupational therapies, diet, medications, hormones, and behavior therapy are examples of treatment that can improve symptoms.

People with and without disabilities have value and enrich our communities, and should be able to live, love, work, play, and learn together, not be kept segregated from each other.

Unfortunately, many people disrespect and make fun of people with IDDs, and there is a long history of demeaning and stigmatizing names for IDDs. Some examples used by health care professionals starting in the 1800s include simpleton, idiot, imbecile, moron, and feeble-minded.

The word retarded came to be used for IDDs in 1895, meaning that development was delayed. Retarded has been the most common term used in laws, medical books, etc. Unfortunately, what started off as clinical terms are now used as insults.

The R-word, and these other words, are hurtful to people with IDDs, their families and friends. They are offensive and derogatory. Sometimes they are used to cause pain, and sometimes used in ignorance. They end up causing discrimination, isolation and segregation. They are experienced as direct or indirect bullying. Words can destroy self-esteem and dreams.

In 2010 President Barrack Obama signed what is known as Rosa’s Law. It replaced the terms “mental retardation” and “mentally retarded” with “intellectual disability” in federal health, education, and labor policy and literature. In 2014 Michigan did the same.

Think before you eat

Detroit Food Policy Council sheds light on the power of food in the city

By Keith A. Owens Senior Editor

We all need to eat. That’s something we can agree on. Because if we don’t eat, then, well… we die. So it’s simple.

What’s not so simple, however, is the business of food itself. As in the business of food manufacturing businesses, food regulation, food delivery services, farms that produce and grow food, food in grocery stores, food in gas stations, food at high-end restaurants and food at Church’s Chicken.

But that’s just for starters, because the real issue that affects most of you reading this article is food access. Which basically means which populations right here in Detroit have real access to healthy food? Not McDonald’s or whatever you can grab from the nearest gas station, but actual food that will nourish your body and give your body what it needs. And for those families who don’t have easy access to good food choices, how can that situation be rectified?

And what are the consequences to a community if that situation is not rectified? And how does institutional and systemic racism factor in to who does and does not have access to healthy food?

From the Detroit Food Policy Council’s “Creating a Food Secure Detroit” 2017 policy review and update: “Detroit’s food sector generates $3.2 billion in revenue each year and supports 36,000 jobs, but more than half the revenue leaks to companies outside Detroit. Although Detroit’s population is over 82 percent African American, there are only a handful of African American-owned food businesses. African Americans in Detroit’s food system p r e d o m i nantly occupy low-wage positions or simply play the role of consumer.”

It was these sorts of issues that were dealt with head-on recently at the two-day Detroit Food 2017 conference, sponsored by the Detroit Food Policy Council. But it is precisely these issues that need to be dealt with and highlighted on an ongoing basis as Detroit continues its uneven journey

toward what we all hope will be a better future. The present condition of the city still needs a lot of work once you get outside of downtown.

“Federally subsidized nutrition programs support emergency food providers, fund school nutrition and supplement individual food purchasing power. To qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, Food Stamps), individulas must be at or below 130% of the poverty line.

From the period 2010 – 2015, poverty in Detroit climbed from 34.5 % (47.7% for children under 18) to 39.8% (55.2% for children under 18), and as a result, nearly half ( 47%) of Detroit is eligible for SNAP benefits. Based on average SNAP participation rates in Michigan, this represents over $2 billion public dollars available to be spent on food.”

So one thing for certain is that if the improvement of Detroit’s food situation is not considered a critical factor in the city’s rebuilding, then a better future is much further away than we’d like for it to be. A major part of rebuilding Detroit’s neighborhoods has to be improving access to better food choices for the families in those neighborhoods. Because the consequences of a consistently poor diet can be severe.

“Fast food is scientifically designed to be delicious, and to be enjoyable, and to hit some very specific centers of enjoyment in the structure of your brain and in your body’s chemistry. The right mixture of salt, fat and sugar is delicious no matter what because we’re hardwired to enjoy it,” said Aaron Egan, a food historian, writer and chef who served as one of the panelists on Friday’s discussion titled “Food in the Current Political Climate.” “I cook food, and that’s a very interesting lens to look at the rest of the world through. We use the phrase ‘a seat at the table’ in politics a lot, in discussing how we want to include or how we do not currently include people in any number of important discussions. And I think that’s really an interesting quirk of our language that we ultimately understand food as something very central and something that allows us to explore so many other different things. It’s obviously a powerful point of intersection for so many different things.”

See POWER OF FOOD page B-2

Maurielle Lue, destined for greatness

To show your awareness of how hurtful the word is, consider making a commitment to use respectful language by taking the pledge on the R-Word website www.r-word. org

By Alisha Dixon

A

s we commemorate Women’s History Month, the Michigan Chronicle wants to celebrate one of our local rising stars, Fox 2 Detroit’s Maurielle Lue, whose career is one of faith, hard work and purpose.

Take the time to educate yourself and those around you on the effects of the R-word.

Stop using the word, even as a “joke.” It might not seem like a big deal to you, but it can make a big difference to many people who feel they can’t stand up for themselves.

Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, Lue’s passion for journalism began in her childhood. At 15, Lue became the voice of youth in Atlanta in her role as reporter and anchor for the Atlanta syndicated series, “Brookwood Upclose,” a program that highlighted local Atlanta events and all topics relating to youth in Atlanta.

For more information on programs for IDD, visit our website, www.dwmha.com.

And as always, if you need help, call our 24/7 hotline (800)241-4949.

As a graduate, with honors, from the esteemed Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communication at Hampton University, Lue credits her Hampton professors for teaching her a solid foundation of discipline that is evident in her work ethic and tireless dedication to journalism.

Dr. Carmen McIntyre is chief medical officer at Detroit Wayne Mental Health Authority. If you have a question for Dr. McIntyre, please submit it to AskTheDr@dwmha.com.

“Discipline. That’s what I learned. At Hampton, we had a saying, “To be early is to be on time and to be on time is to be late and to be late is unacceptable.” There was this strict set of guidelines that I think I was able to keep with me through every job and every place that I went. I think that’s a big part of what has allowed me to excel so quickly in my field.”

Maurielle Lue

See MAURIELLE LUE page B-2

community

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

March 22-28, 2017

Power of food From the Food Policy Council report: “Processed foods command much of the shelf space in Detroit food stores, while healthy, minimally processed food is much less readily available. The effects are severe. Wayne County has remained the least healthy county in Michigan since county health rankings began in 2010. Estimates for obesity in Detroit range between 33 and 38 percent and are trending upward. For one in three Detroiters this means a higher risk of chronic illness and much reduced quality of life.”

Crowdfunding campaign launched for the GRANDcorridor Beautification project Michigan Chronicle Reports

The Grand River corridor in the Grandmont Rosedale area of Detroit will soon feature new murals and trees with the help of a crowdfunding campaign, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and Grandmont Rosedale Development Corporation announced today. The campaign is being offered through the Michigan-based crowdfunding platform Patronicity.

“We are pleased to partner with the Grandmont Rosedale Development Corporation and the entire community to help bring these beautiful murals and greenery to life and add to the vibrancy of the Grand River Corridor,” said MEDC Vice President of Community Development Katharine Czarnecki.

“The installment of this project not only enhances the corridor, but also utilizes local talent and connecting students and residents of the Metro Detroit area.”

If the campaign reaches its crowdfunding goal of $10,000

by April 30, the project will win a matching grant with funds made possible by MEDC’s Public Spaces Community Places program. For project details and to donate, please visit: www.Patronicity.com/GRANDcorridor.

The GRANDcorridor Beautification Project fuses arts and the natural environment to create a more walkable, beautiful, grand corridor. The project elements reflect the visions, aspirations and history of the people who use Grand River every day. The GRANDcorridor is comprised of two main elements: art and environment.

These two aspects of placemaking and community development will enhance both the resident and business owners’ experience along the Grand River corridor. The murals will draw interest and support new business growth, and the trees will provide beauty and shade, enhancing the pedestrian’s street and sidewalk experience.

“MEDC’s Public Spaces Community Spaces Program is as a real catalyst for community-led change in the Grandmont Rosedale community,” said Grandmont Rosedale Development Corporation Executive Director Tom Goddeeris.

“By providing matching funds for crowd-funded donations, this program has inspired us to think bigger about what we can achieve – and inspires our individual donors too.”

Public Spaces Community Places is a collaborative effort of the MEDC, the Michigan Municipal League, and Patronicity where local residents can

use crowdfunding to be part of the development of strategic projects in their communities and be backed with a matching grant from MEDC. Communities, non-profits and other business entities can apply at https://patronicity.com/puremichigan.

“The Michigan Municipal League is a strong proponent of the concept of placemaking, which is creating spaces and places that people love and enjoy,” said Dan Gilmartin, CEO and Executive Director of the Michigan Municipal League.

“The murals and trees planned for the Grandmont Rosedale area, as supported through this crowdfunding effort, will greatly enhance this community and be source of pride for people for years to come.”

The Public Spaces Community Places initiative started in 2014 with MEDC providing matched The Public Spaces Community Places initiative started in 2014 with MEDC providing matched funding of up to $50,000 for community improvement projects throughout Michigan. As of March 2, 2017, MEDC has provided $3,293,500 in matching grants. Since the launch of the program, 102 projects have been completed with nearly $3.9 million raised from 17,702 individual donors.

For Will Copeland, an environmental justice advocate who also served on the panel discussion with Egan, environment has a lot to do with quality of life. As he sees it, not enough Detroiters seem to realize how important concern for the environment really is and why it should matter to black people.

“When many people think

Maurielle Lue

Page B-2

From page B-1

about the environment, they think about polar bears, or rain forests, or saving the whales, or something like that” he said. “We always ask the question, ‘what’s in your environment?’ And who is in our environment? Who do we see at the gas stations, or at the Church’s Chicken? The liquor stores and whatnot are in our environment. And so we’re trying to bring justice to our environment. … I’ve been in a couple conversations recently where people said – these are Detroit people – said that the environment is a concern for white people.

“If you do something environmental, only white people are gonna come to it, or only white people that care about it. I’m talking about Detroiters saying these things, and I get why they’re saying that, but I think that it’s our job to reframe it and say that what we’re doing is environmental.

We’re not gonna let somebody else define what is saving the environment or protecting the environment.”

From page B-1

As an Emmy award-winning television news anchor, Lue is the youngest AfricanAmerican woman TV n ​ews anchor on a prime network.

Her faith, she said is the main reason she has been able to rapidly climb in the world of TV news, all done while maintaining her strong ethics and integrity.

tionalism of the newsroom..

Lue brings a perspective that is fresh and right on time for what our country needs.

When it comes to the issues of social justice and equality, she speaks up and is able to help raise the consciousness of viewers with her signature Maurielle Lue flair and digital influence.

“I do feel it was pre-ordained and I feel grateful that I was raised in that way. It’s taken a lot of stress off because the truth is if it’s meant for me, it’s mine and you can’t take it away. It’s easy to get caught up in the day to day.”

“I’m finally in a position where I have more of a say in the content. It’s surreal, but I feel like there’s still work to do,” Lue said.

In addition to hosting “The Nine,” Lue hosts the popular Facebook Live show, Mornings With Mauri where she engages daily with The Lue Crew, which has garnered over one-million in reach from viewers all over the country.

As host of “The Nine” at Fox 2, Maurielle is a millennial media savvy powerhouse that is changing the tradi-

“When there is something that’s in the news and it’s my responsibility to speak up, I speak up. I just know it’s my responsibility. As the youngest and only AfricanAmerican woman on “The Nine,” it puts you in a position, whether you like it or not, of being a voice. It suddenly became my responsibility to provide another perspective. That is why I haven’t had the time to sit back and say I’ve made it.”

Calling all Detroit High School Seniors

The Michigan Chronicle presents the 2nd annual S.W.A.G. Awards in Detroit. S.W.A.G., which stands for Students Wired for Achievement and Greatness, is a scholarship program recognizing outstanding high school seniors who have demonstrated a commitment to community, integrity and service. Current students that live and attend school in Detroit or the Metro Detroit area and planning to attend college or a trade school are eligible to apply.

The Michigan Chronicle is awarding scholarships up to $10,000 Apply by March 31, 2017 NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT NECESSARY. 2016-2017 Michigan Chronicle S.W.A.G. Awards entry period starts at 12:00 AM ET on 12/7/16 and ends at 11:59:59 PM ET on 3/31/17. Open only to 12th graders who are 16 and older who are legal residents of City of Detroit or the Metro Detroit area who: (a) attend a public, charter, or private high school; (b) will graduate in spring 2017; (c) have at least a 2.5 grade point average (or equivalent); and (d) are in good community standing. Visit www.michronicleonline.com/ swag-awards for entry instructions. Submission requirements prizes and complete details. Only one (1) Submission per entrant. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

SPONSORED BY

Go to www.michronicleonline.com/swag-awards to apply.

For more information, email swagawards@michronicle.com

community

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

March 22-28, 2017

Page B-3

Moderator Dennis Archer, Jr.. Wayne County Executive Warren Evans, Mayor Mike Duggan and publisher of the Michigan Chronicle Hiram E. Jackson

‘Michigan Chronicle’ Pancakes & Politics Forum l, Season 12

T

he Michigan ­Chronicle kicked off the 12th season of their signature event Pancakes & Politics last Thursday at the Detroit Athletic Club in downtown Detroit. Forum I was moderated by Dennis Archer Jr. Chief Executive Officer of Ignition Media Group and Vickie Thomas, City Beat Reporter for WWJ News Radio 950. Special guests, Wayne County Executive Warren Evans and Mayor Mike Duggan addressed a crowd of more than 300 people to discuss the Transformation of the City Detroit and Region.

Lead Sponsor Ric Devore Regional President PNC Bank

Mayor Mike Duggan and Executive Evans have a moment of laughter

Dennis Archer, Jr., Gina Coleman and Ric Devore of PNC Bank

Hiram E. Jackson, Publisher of the Michigan Chronicle

Join the Conversation #PancakesandPolitics2017

To view Pancakes & Politics Forum I in its entirety visit www.michiganchronicle.com or on facebook.

Moderator Vickie Thomas poses a question to the panel from the audience

The audience responds to poll question, What should the Mayor focus on next? Associate Publisher and COO of the Michigan Chronicle Cathy Nedd and Warren Evans Answer c) Neighborhoods

Henry Ford Health System and Health Alliance Plan pose for the camera

More than 300 guests attended Pancakes & Politics Forum I

HIRAM E. JACKSON Publisher

A Real Times Media Newspaper 479 Ledyard • Detroit, MI 48201

(313) 963-5522 e-mail: newsdesk@michronicle.com March 22-28, 2017

Page B-4

CATHY NEDD Associate Publisher KEITH A. OWENS Senior Editor SAMUEL LOGAN Publisher 1933-2011

JOHN H. SENGSTACKE Chairman-Emeritus 1912-1997 LONGWORTH M. QUINN Publisher-Emeritus 1909-1989

Why Detroit parents should opt-out of the M-STEP

By Sharlonda Buckman

Imagine your child is playing on a neighborhood basketball team in a citywide league that allowed the top teams to compete in the state playoffs.

It’s clear to you that your child’s team is not the best. It doesn’t have the brandnew gym and team bus that the top teams all enjoy, and it doesn’t recruit better players from other neighborhoods while Sharlonda Buckman pushing the lesser players to the side, like many of the winning teams also do.

Still, you like your team and your child is doing well. The coaching staff is dedicated to helping all their players get better, which is difficult because so many of the players joined the team without the experience the better players have on other teams. Your coaches show up every day with love, encouragement and helpful training, and you can see that your child is growing. You are grateful even though you are clear that this team is not going to be competing for the state championship.

Now imagine that the league mandated that all teams stop practicing for the last few weeks of the season so that it can administer an intense physical assessments to all players. Then imagine that the league commissioner declared that he will keep a list of which teams have the most skilled players on them and that the teams with the least-skilled players will be kicked out of the league.

That’s exactly what the School Reform Office is doing to our kids with the M-STEP, a 10-hour mandated academic assessment administered over a two-month period in April and May. The M-STEP offers no practical guidance for teachers or parents on how to help their students improve, but it is mandated

nonetheless. State officials have used it not just to determine a top to bottom ranking of all schools in Michigan but also to threaten a closure of the schools on the bottom of the list.

The state doesn’t treat young people in sports the same way. Anyone knows that a small school in a rural town in the Upper Peninsula has virtually no chance against much bigger schools in metropolitan areas. That’s why there are four divisions in high schools sports (and eight in football). If the state’s athletic association followed the same logic as the School Reform Office, teams in Escanaba and Ispheming would have been called “failing” and kicked out a long time ago. Why does the state feel so free to malign our schools academically when no one would ever consider doing the same to its teams athletically?

Fed up with the lack of logic shown in state educational policies and the lack of respect shown to parents by the School Reform Office, Detroit Parent Network has launched a campaign encouraging parents to refuse for their children to participate in the M-STEP this spring.

The interesting thing is that parents in other communities are also opting out of the test. Some because they believe that “teaching to the test” is destroying the curriculum and their children’s educational experience while others are protesting the implementation of the Common Core in the state’s curriculum.

What bothers me is that it somehow seems acceptable when parents in affluent communities do this, but unacceptable when parents in low-income communities do.

The United States Supreme Court has ruled consistently that parents possess the “fundamental right” to “direct the upbringing and education of their children.” When the practices of the state violate what parents know is best for our children, we have a responsibility to stand up and say so. That is why we are encouraging parents to opt-out of the M-STEP. Please join us by signing up to opt out at www.detroitparentnetwork. org.

Lessons from the Obama years

By Dr. Jessie Fields

ocratic Party, in fact he would became a Democratic Party insider.

Like many Americans, I am deeply concerned about our country. I have been practicing medicine in Harlem and active as a political independent for over 20 years. Having supported Barack Obama throughout his presidency, rejoicing in all of his moving speeches, I hoped perhaps naively that he would at some point during his presidency break free of partisan politics and speak directly to the American people as an advocate for structural reforms such as open primaries and redistricting reform. He did not. His effective- Dr. Jessie Fields ness as a bridge builder was thus diminished. I believe the Obama presidency offers important lessons to all Americans, to the black community and to those who supported Barack Obama and wanted the promise and vision of his 2008 campaign to be fulfilled.

There were some early signs in his first term that President Obama did not understand or could not act on the depth of the crisis of American democracy, the role of the political parties and of his own party in perpetuating that crisis and how much he needed the participation of the American people in the endeavor to fulfill the promise of his campaign.

In February 2007 in his very first campaign speech in which then Senator Barack Obama announced his candidacy for president, speaking to the people who had assembled on that cold day in Springfield, Illinois he said, “In the face of despair, you believe there can be hope. In the face of a politics that’s shut you out, that’s told you to settle, that’s divided us for too long, you believe we can be one people, reaching for what’s possible, building that more perfect union.”

People across the political spectrum, including many independents, white Americans, people of color and young voters were drawn to Obama by virtue not just of his soaring rhetoric but also out of a desire to see real political change and an end to racial and partisan division.

In the 2008 presidential election independent voters favored Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton. The fact that 33 states held open primaries or caucuses which allow independents and non-party affiliated voters to vote in the primary, made it possible for Obama to become the Democratic Party nominee and also with support from independent voters, to win the general election. However once elected President Obama failed to continue the fight to open up the Dem-

Some tragic errors were made at the beginning of the Obama presidency. One was the decision to consolidate the lists of Obama supporters from his campaign into the Democratic Party. His supporters included many independents, young people and people of color. They were Obama supporters, they were not Democratic Party loyalists. In fact it was an alliance of black and independent voters that powered his ascendancy to the White House. The decision to merge the 2008 Obama campaign supporters into the Democratic Party was a political not an administrative decision that collapsed his independence and the independence of his campaign base totally inside the Democratic Party. By the time of the 2012 re-election campaign President Obama was turning down offers to partner with independent voters. In the 2012 election he lost support among independent voters overall but he still won a majority of independent voters in enough states to win re-election.

In the 2016 Democratic Primary independents and young voters fueled Senator Bernie Sanders’ revolt and Sanders came close to winning the primary but could not get pass the party establishment, it’s super-delegates and closed primaries. There was also a revolt against top down control in the Republican Party expressed through the campaign of Donald Trump. And after a very flawed primary process in which millions of independents, young voters, third party members and unaffiliated voters were locked out of voting, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump became the party nominees. They were both viewed unfavorably by a majority of the American people. Of these two choices in the general election the outsider candidate Donald Trump was elected president.

What happened to the Obama coalition?

Independent voters are now 40% of the American electorate. Of the independents 48% voted for Donald Trump, and 41% for Hillary Clinton. Over one million fewer black voters went to the polls in 2016 than in 2008 and 2012.

Public Schools offer safehouse for poor children

By Linda Simmons

to attend public schools.

Amid poverty and despair, Detroit’s poor children find a way to laugh, in spite of it all. During a time when they should be enjoying life- worry free- they have the lowest test score, chronic absenteeism, health, and living environment in the nation-yet they endure.

Regrettably, The Detroit News reports these children are living in the worst extreme poverty, more than all the nation’s 50 largest cities.

Yet despite the state, local and community grappling on how to fund and best educate our children, they can be seen gleefully laughing, and playing in front of or near abandoned houses, exposed to pollutants, waste, and loosed dogs, while their parents may face eviction, shut off water notices and more.

Public schools, before its numerous closings, offered them an alternative to escape these devastating surrounding and hardships.

Akin to Detroit’s children, the children of the Mania slums, even though they are some of the poorest in the world, they act like any other youngster by playing in a paddling pool and even tying rubber bands together to make bracelets (Sabastien Cuvelier/HotSpot Media).

Though they still manage to smile and laugh, Detroit’s children face a litany of challenges.

According to the National Test Scores, the fourth-eight graders lagged far behind all cities, in reading and math, four times in a row (2009, 2011, 2013 and 2015). Moreover, The Associate Press reports: DPS has the highest rate of chronic absenteeism in the US, which also impacts their test scores.

It gets worse, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services reported Detroit’s children having elevated lead levels in their blood, from being exposed to older dilapidating, homes built before 1978. These lead levels have proven to affect their learning, behavior, and future criminal potentiality.

Parents’ hope for their children are to be healthy, happy and successful; and to have a better life than what they had. Given the low public schools standardized test scores, parents line up to enroll their kids into good reputable schools. Many charter and privatized schools, cherry-pick and vet for academically successful students, to help the schools’ reputation and endorsements.

Students with disciplinary problems- if by chance,-are accepted, their vouchers may be retained (for a stipulated window period), but for various reasons, many of these students return to public schools, voucher-less. This vetting process has been an on-going issue between charter schools and public schools. Unfortunately, special needs students are unlikely candidates for admission to these schools, leaving them little choice but

“There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way it treats its children.” (Nelson Mandela (https:// www.brainyquote.com) Charter and private schools do have the draw and appeal to better educate students (small class size, selected students and more). Public schools from its inception, and throughout the years, have played a very significant role for children and the neighborhoods. It was a home away from home -a safe place.

Youngsters looked forward to early morning breakfast and lunch. For many, this was their only meals and place of warmth, especially for the homeless families Instead of a cold shoulder due to: truancy, suspensions, and low test scores, the public school teachers, and staff, generally made them feel wanted, and accepted (contrary to popular opinion, learning did take place; to what extent and under what conditions, is for another discussion. Nowadays, data shows increasing numbers of charter and private schools under attack as well).

Given sufficient lawful safety measures, including staff, coaches, and sponsors, after school activities provided children a place of comfort where they could escape drive-bys, gangs, drugs, hunger, harm, hostilities, helplessness and other ills. Extracurricular activities (debate, band, chess, yearbook, newspaper and more) taught them discipline, teamwork, and socialization skills; more importantly they had the opportunity to earn college scholarships. Homecoming parades, baseball, football and basketball games filled a void and lifted the spirit in the neighborhoods. In short, it offered many students hope and confidence to become better citizens in society.

Republican lawmakers attack education, civil rights

By Julianne Malveaux NNPA Newswire Columnist

The effort to repeal and replace health care is generating headlines, and the attempt to investigate Trump’s Russia connections is of high importance.

The specious claim that President Barack Obama wiretapped Trump Tower, too, has generated interest, largely because it is unprecedented for one president to accuse another of a felony, and because “45” has absolutely no proof that President Obama has done any such thing. While President Obama, with a multimillion Julianne Malveaux dollar book deal tucked into his pocket, is living his life like its golden, “45” has indulged in several public tantrums, with episodic moments of calm. Too many of us have been riveted to the drama, while there is a more quiet revolution happening in Congress, with the approval of the White House.

There has been an attack on education, with legislation being introduced as early as January 23, 2017. That legislation, HR 610, is titled the “Choices in Education Act.” It would repeal the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), and limits the authority of the Department of Education so that it should only award block grants to states. It also sets up a voucher system.

If states do not comply with the rules of this legislation, they would be ineligible for block grants.

The legislation would also repeal nutritional standards for the national school breakfast and lunch programs, which were set by the No Hungry Kids

Act of 2012. Schools would no longer be required, as First Lady Michelle Obama advocated, to increase the availability of fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods at lunch. Are we going back to the days when officials with the Reagan Administration tried to classify ketchup as a vegetable? Seems like it.

The ESEA was passed as civil rights legislation, providing more opportunities to a broader range of children, including disabled children. It also requires reporting around issues like the achievement gap, bullying, and underperforming schools. All of these provisions would be eliminated, if HR 610 were passed.

Not to be bested by legislation that would limit the reach of the Department of Education, Rep. Thomas Massie (RKy.) has introduced a sentence-long piece of legislation. HR 899 reads, in total, “The Department of Education shall terminate on December 31, 2018.” Of course, Massie hasn’t put the thought into considering how things like Pell grants would be administered, or would he eliminate those, too? HBCUs are part of the education budget. What would that mean for us? The bill has been cosponsored by several of Massie’s colleagues.

It speaks to a national antipathy to education, so that even as we hunger for jobs, and elected “45” so that he could “create” them, we are prepared to limit pathways to job preparation. Efforts to eliminate the Department of Education are, at best, shortsighted.

Even though Trump nominated the extremely limited Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education, his pre-campaign policy book advocated for the elimination of the Department of Education. Is the hidden agenda to run the department into the ground to the point that elimination is the only option? “One-note Betsy,” with her focus on school choice, must be gratified, especially by HR 610.

community

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

March 22-28, 2017

Page B-5

35th Annual Delta Art Auction

BLACK ART MATTERS: INSPIRING Our Destiny and CHANGING Our Lives Known as the Delta Art Auction, this annual event raises scholarship funds – some to support students who are aspiring to become either visual or performing artists as well as to benefit young people who are earning degrees in other academic fields. It is a partnership between Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Detroit Alumnae Chapter, and the Delta Service Through Detroit Foundation, Inc. The Delta Art Auction is one of the year’s most anticipated events for area art lovers. Those who attend BLACK ART MATTERS: INSPIRING Our Destiny and CHANGING Our Lives are contributing to the city’s thriving arts community and are able to purchase investment-quality works at very reasonable rates, in both live and silent auction settings. More than 400 people are expected to attend this exciting event, to bid on the art and support scholarships.

Art: Fine art, paintings, sculpture, wearable art and jewelry.

BLACK ART MATTERS: INSPIRING Our Destiny and CHANGING Our Lives Sunday, March 26th ~ 3 – 7 PM DSTDFI Headquarters, 24760 W. Seven Mile @ Grand River Detroit, Michigan 48219 $35 Donation | Music | Light Refreshments | Free Parking For ticket or event information contact 313-929-6875 Presented by Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Detroit Alumnae Chapter & Delta Serving Through Detroit Foundation, Inc. www.DetroitDeltas.com

Artist Donald Calloway Jazz Ensemble

Live auction services: Henry Harper, proprietor of The Henry Harper Collection, in Grosse Pointe; and Jocelyn Rainey, owner of JRainey Gallery, in Detroit.

Live music will be performed by Detroit’s own Dr. Vincent Shawn Trent

Local art galleries: MAC Galleries | Dell Pryor Gallery | Eric’s I’ve Been Framed Gallery Art in Motion Gallery | Sherwood Forest Gallery | Detroit Fiber Works Gallery | Richard Bennett and Associates | Jo’s Gallery Austen Brantley Studios | Jocelyn Rainey | National and local artists: Donald

Calloway, Jr. Darren Darby | Shirley Woodson | Stewart Allen | Safell Garner | Julia Richardson Pate | Bill Sanders and many others.

Online Art Preview begins on March 20th: http://bit.ly/dstdac-2017-art-auction 35th Annual Delta Art Auction

DSTDFI was established in 1999. The non-profit organization’s mission is to "improve the quality of life for future generations, and make substantial contributions and investments in our community by way of scholarship programs for the youth, seniors and the homeless.” The foundation supports various community groups with similar missions and provides scholarship funds.

Other major fundraisers include the annual golf classic and the Twice Nice Upscale Resale shop.

For more information, please go to www.dstdfi.org.

Youth Development Commission dedicates McNeil Empowerment Center in honor of late founder Randy C. McNeil On Feb. 28 as Black History Month concludes for 2017, ydcdetroit.org one year after the passing of their founder, Youth Development leader Randy C. McNeil, the Commission now headed

by Robert D. Counts, MPA honored his legacy by dedicating the McNeil Empowerment Center amongst a host of YDC alums, partners, and well-wishers. Notables in attendance were Carol Goss, The Skillman Foundation president emeritus; Tonya Allen, president and CEO of The Skillman Foundation; and Dierk L. Hall, president and CEO of City Connect Detroit.

Fox 2 reporter Josh Landon served as the master of ceremonies. The dedication featured reflections from Donna L. Givens, former YDC president and current president of Eastside Community Network, and Shuna K. Hayward, YDC alum and current senior program officer of City Connect Detroit. A resolution was also presented by Claudia Meeks,

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presented by Patricia Bridges, the Commission’s longest tenured staff member, to Jennifer McNeil, daughter of the late Randy McNeil who served as the representative of the McNeil family. Robert D. Counts, YDC president/CEO, stated that McNeil always asked the question, “Are you doing the work?” The dedication of the McNeil Empowerment Center proves that the work is being done.

Established in 1995, the mission of the Youth Development Commission (YDC) it to enhance the lives of children and youth, provide quality programs, and services, and strengthen the skills of those that serve them.

office manager of Detroit City Council member Raquel Castaneda- Lopez.

Prior to the ribbon cutting, a Key to the McNeil Empowerment Center was

The McNeil Empowerment Center is an extension service to the community of the Youth Development Commission. Parties interested in renting the center for community events or meetings, please contact the Commission at 313.963.8916, ext. 8123.

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dfree® Financial Freedom Detroit conference set for March 31 and April 1 A national team of experts prepared to help people get out of debt, as the first step toward financial freedom, is hosting a mini-conference in Detroit for the first time on March 31 and April 1 in order to recruit hundreds more to the dfree® Financial Freedom Movement.

The Friday night program, from 7 to 9 pm, is being hosted by Pastor Sterling Brewer at King David Missionary Baptist Church. The Saturday program, from 9 am to 2 pm, takes place at the University of Detroit Mercy and is also hosted by The Global Summit, Detroit Partnership, Greater Christ Baptist Church Credit Union and Powered by Prudential.

“We live in a culture where debt is not perceived as a problem,” said dfree® founder DeForest B. Soaries, Jr. “The first thing we have to do is admit there is a problem. We have to address the mess. We have to change our attitudes.”

Soaries has said financial slavery is a massive problem, particularly for African Americans. America’s consumer debt is $3.4 trillion and the average American household balance-carries $16,048 in debt. Perhaps more shocking, the wealth gap between black and white Americans is so extreme that it would take 228 years for black people to obtain on average what white families have today. Americans also aren’t passing on good financial habits to younger generations. Millennials are “financially fragile,” with 53 percent carrying over a credit card balance in the last 12 months and 50 percent believing they couldn’t come up with $2,000 for an unexpected need within the next month.3 The informative, uplifting and celebratory mini-conference is designed to train those who want to start dfree® programs in their churches, community organizations or other groups and also to introduce dfree® to targeted audiences -- including entrepreneurs, millennials and women. The program includes training, opportunities for 1-on-1 meetings with financial advisors and financial empowerment workshops.

“Dr. Soaries has done an outstanding job in helping people become financially responsible and get on the road to debt free living. Greater Christ Church is proud to join him in this tremendous ministry,” said Dr. James C. Perkins, president of the Progressive National Baptist Convention Inc., and pastor of Greater Christ Baptist Church. Greater Christ is just one of hundreds of churches nationally that have joined the financial freedom movement. International participants are located in places including Australia, Ghana, Spain and South Africa.

“God always sends a Moses, to deliver his people from bondage. Dfree is such an opportunity,” said Bishop John L. Jones, Jr., of St. John’s Tabernacle New Pentecostal Church. “This is a program that’s time has come. I pray that this program goes all across this country and is a blessing to the masses.”

Featured presentations on April 1 include Living in Your Purpose to Help Achieve Financial Prosperity by Centric Senior Vice President Michele Thornton and Making Money in the New Economy

by Tech Guru Navarrow Wright.

Registration for the conference is available via http://bit.ly/2naPn0R . The Friday event is free at King David Missionary Baptist Church, 18001 Sunset Street, Detroit. The Saturday event costs $20, which includes a dfree® book, workbook and light meals. It takes place at University of Detroit, Mercy, 4001 W. McNichols Road, De-

See CONFERENCE Page C-2

Food power!

An interview with Devita Davison, who says food, and who controls it, will control the rebuilding of Detroit

By Pamela Hilliard Owens Devita: What brought me back to the city of Detroit is, I’m a Detroiter. I was born and raised in the city of Detroit.

Everything that I am and everything that I will be I really do owe to this city, and the folks who poured so much into me.

There is sometimes a narrative that is being told, particularly today, and I have to say this, is that I had a very visceral reaction to a speech our president gave recently, that Detroit, History Month along with other inner cities, were affiliated with crime and violence, when that is not the narrative when you’re on the ground in communities and cities like Detroit, that happens on a day-today basis.

Women’s

Pamela Hilliard Owens: Right.

Davison: The work that I do here in Detroit, now that I’m back, is that I am the executive director of a nonprofit organization called FoodLab Detroit. With the support of funders, what FoodLab Detroit does is we work with now over 250 locally owned businesses in the city of Detroit, helping these entrepreneurs. Creating a platform to empower — I don’t use the word help — empower these entrepreneurs .

Owens: Empower, exactly.

Davison: To start, launch and scale healthy food businesses in their neighborhood, and so I start with what I do but the reason why I do it is because it is so important that entrepreneurs —

community members in Detroit — be a part of telling the story, the narrative, as we see the revitalization that’s happening in Detroit. They need to see themselves a part of this revitalization and they need to be empowered to advocate and have agency to tell their story through their own voice and so, even though I work with starting and developing businesses, I really consider myself an activist. Someone who empowers our members to tell their own story.

[As for my personal story], I thought I had achieved a level of success in New York — 18 years, worked for two big brands, marketing executive, took the buyout. I bought my first home in Long Island, in Nassau County, in a beautiful maritime community called South Freeport.

All that changed in October in 2012 when hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast.

Owens: Right.

Davison: And as a result of being located in that beautiful maritime community, in between two canals — the Hudson and Whitecliff, which both fed out to the Long Island sound and the Long Island sound fed out to the Atlantic ocean — you can imagine what happened.

When the Atlantic ocean rose ... that hurricane hit ... nine feet of water, as a result, ran through my home. I was up in the attic for about two days waiting for the waters to recede so I could evacuate my community. I left New York with nothing after 18 years of accumulating, what I thought was a level of success based upon those tactile items that I accrued — car, home, a little bit of savings and all of the accoutrements that come with the trappings of what we call success.

The Lord giveth, the Lord taketh

away.

Owens: Right.

Davison: So I came back to Detroit, my hometown and did not know what I was going to do. I had no intentions of really staying in Detroit. I did not have a real, deep connection, but I knew something was happening and I think after three days of sitting on my mother’s couch and my father’s couch, I remember something that my mother said to me that sticks to with me, even to this day. My mom said to me “Devita, the Lord did not send the waters to drown you, he sent the waters to move you. It is up to you to find out why you’re back here in the city of Detroit.”

And I now have the privilege and the honor of running this amazing organization. FoodLab started in 2011.

FoodLab started with this very premise, as seven entrepreneurs sat around a kitchen table in 2011. The government (isn’t) going to save us. The federal government is not, and the city is not. FoodLab was started by entrepreneurs, for entrepreneurs, to provide a support to each other to figure out how we gonna do this thing.

So, it’s with that passion that our members started businesses. That was in 2011. Five entrepreneurs sitting around a kitchen table. FoodLab is now a 501c non-profit organization. We’ve got 240 locally owned businesses a part of our community.

Owens: You keep saying this word, and the word that keeps coming up is community.

Davison: Oh, absolutely! Absolutely.

Community is imperative. I tell folks all the time, there is a Proverb that says, “It takes a village to raise a child.” It takes a village to start a business. And Food Lab Detroit, is unapologetically

See FOOD POWER Page C-2

Detroit Regional Workforce Fund creates careers for Detroiters

By Karen Tyler-Ruiz The Detroit Regional Workforce Fund (DRWF) was created in 2010 to connect unemployed and underemployed individuals with skills training that will connect them to a career path leading to secure, well-paying jobs that meet the workforce needs of employers and the larger community.

The DRWF invests in demand-driven training initiatives and leads collaborative efforts with other organizations in a wide variety of industries. One of its outstanding initiatives is Access for All. Access for All is for residents of the city of Detroit. It offers free nine-week training with a curriculum designed to prepare students for pre-apprenticeship in the construction trades, such as bricklayer, carpenter, electrician or cement mason.

The success of Access for All is due to the innovative partnership with the building and construction trades, labor unions, contractors, Michigan Resources Development, Inc. (HRDI),

a training organization, and many other community-based partners and workforce development organizations, including the Detroit Regional Workforce Fund.

while training to become an electrician, a person develops an interest and expertise in community building projects that spur economic development, such as affordable housing, and makes that the focus of his or her work. These are but three instances of how one can step on and off the Access for All pathway in exploring a variety of exciting career opportunities.

More than 80 percent of Access for All participants graduate from the program. Graduates gain certification and enter apprenticeship programs that lead to long-term careers. Best of all, at a time when Detroit is seeing significant growth in well-paying careers, Access for All puts its students on the path to securing and keeping one of those much sought after construction careers that offer family-sustaining wages.

As the term career pathway implies, the training and learning opportunities offered through Access for All lead not just to jobs, but to careers.

Once someone steps onto the pathway to training in the construction trades, a whole new world of previously-unconsidered opportunities may open up.

For example, a person with a truck and a toolbox may have

Karen Tyler-Ruiz a passion for electrical work.

With the right training and experience, that person becomes a pre-apprentice, an apprentice, then a journey-level worker and, eventually, a small business owner. That owner has traveled one career pathway thanks to the initial pre-apprenticeship training. Another person, after

training as an electrician, may decide he or she wants to go to college and get a degree in project engineering. After graduating, he or she enjoys a lifetime career as a project engineer.

That person stepped onto and off of the career pathway in a different place than the small business owner. Or, perhaps,

Eligibility for the next Access for All class, which begins on April 17, requires that an applicant be at least 18 years old and an unemployed or underemployed resident of the city of Detroit with a valid Michigan driver’s license. To apply for the class, call 313.736.5290 or go to www.accessforalldetroit.com.

Access for All is funded by the Detroit Regional Workforce Fund (DRWF). The DRWF is a public-private workforce funders’ collaborative and is housed at United Way for Southeastern Michigan, which is also one of its investors and serves as the fiscal agent.

business

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

March 22-28, 2017

Food power

From page C-1 Healthy food, food access, whatever stems from a much larger problem.

focused on food businesses. We feel like, if we focus on food businesses, number one, we can be an industry expert in that particular category.

We also know that food is so intersectional that it really addresses a lot of things. Food businesses.

It addresses the need to have healthy food access in traditionally marginalized communities. We talk about economic development and community development.

Because, here’s the thing, food serves as a catalyst for other development to follow. If you look at, and I had the opportunity to be in New York City where you see this happen, I saw food being used as a conduit to reshape a neighborhood. I saw coffee shops open in SoHo. I saw little farm-totable restaurants open. I saw how food was used to change an entire community. I’ve got to tell you, once you start to create that activity, once you start to create amazing places to eat and drink around conviviality. It’s not only about healthy food access at FoodLab, it’s also about creating retail where folks feel welcome. Where folks can come, and be, and have a drink of coffee, and have a meeting, and someplace to go. It’s about job creation. We know Detroiters hire Detroiters. So, food sits at this intersection.

That is so important to us.

Page C-2

And so there’s a couple of things I know about healthy food access in the city of Detroit. I know this much. I know that probably 40% of our children in the city of Detroit and 70% of our adults in the city of Detroit, suffer for lack of healthy food and as a result they’re overweight or obese. I know that.

I also know that as a result of being overweight or obese, folks that are black and brown also suffer from what we call diet-related diseases.

That’s your high blood pressure, your hypertension, your diabetes which leads to death. Let’s just be clear about that.

I knew coming in to FoodLab that entrepreneurs need a couple of things. This is from my experience.

Entrepreneurs need, yes, access to capital. That’s a barrier for folks who don’t have

Conference troit. A limited number of scholarships are available by emailing info@mydfree. org.

Founded in 2005, the dfree® financial freedom movement is a transformational, lifestyle movement that promotes financial freedom through values-based principles and practical approaches to financial management. dfree® addresses the cultural, psychological and spiritual influences on financial wellness. In the tradition of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., dfree® also is a movement to help achieve economic justice in America. Rev. Dr. King once said, “We must never let it be said that we spend more for the evanescent and ephemeral than

money to start a business. Capital is important. Not only capital in a financial sense, but capital in terms of the social sense. Social capital is also needed. People do business with who they

know. So, as you are a part of a community of like-minded entrepreneurs, think about all of the relationships that are being built.

Detroit has been labeled as a food desert. I think the labeling and the defining of food deserts all across the country was From page C-1 done strategically. I think for the eternal values of freedom and that it was done strategijustice.” dfree® emphasizes controlling cally because once a commoney matters so that individuals have munity was labeled as a the freedom to focus on more purposeful food desert, meaning that there was not access to pursuits. Let’s Move Forward Together. healthy food ... You hear dfree® was featured by CNN in a 90-­ the word desert though, minute documentary, “Almighty Debt,” you think it’s like devoid an installment of the Black in America of any food. Like you series, hosted by Soledad O’Brien. The don’t have anything. dfree® strategy is being used by hunSo I think that label dreds of churches, organizations and was put on so many comindividuals worldwide. For more information about dfree® visit mydfree.org, munities and neighbortext “dfree” to 22828 to join the mailing hoods, particularly rural list or follow any of the following: #dfree and black and brown communities, so that the #mydfree #dfreeNextLevel #LMFTdfree. solution to food deserts

were based upon this economic model. This economic methodology that, “Oh, this is labeled as a food desert. So the only thing we have to do is build a grocery store in that community and that solves the problem.” As if the problem was economic based, right? As if the problem was only because they didn’t have a grocery store in that area, therefore they were lacking access to healthy food. No, that’s not it at all, and I don’t even like that approach.

The reason why I don’t like that approach is because when folks look at healthy, or not having access to healthy food, it is not the reason why there isn’t any healthy food. My question is why aren’t you looking at it from a lens of poverty?

I also know that folks in the city of Detroit, in many communities, live closer to a gas station or party store where some folks in Detroit shop more than they do to a healthy food outlet where they have access to healthy foods and vegetables. And then there’s another thing that I know for sure is that you can find high quality produce, fruits and vegetables in our suburbs more readily than you can find in the inner city. That’s a problem. Why is it plentiful in the suburbs, but not plentiful in the inner city?

So in many cases, we see the disparities that happens, and this is why it is important. For those folks who are part of, or challenged by the problem ... If it is African Americans, if it is our Latino brothers and sisters, our Middle Eastern brothers, the black and brown folks who are suffering as a result of not having access to healthy food in their communities, shouldn’t they be a part of the solution as well?

Pamela Hilliard Owens is CEO of Writing It Right For You. This is an edited transcript of an interview she did for her weekly ­podcast. “YB2C Live.”

At Your Fingertips DIGITAL DAILY WWW.MICHIGANCHRONICLE.COM

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UAW-FORD’s

Section C-3

March 22-28, 2017

Countdown to takeoff: Michelle Davis helps Davis Aerospace students rise

‘You’ are the answer says dedicated 20-year educator

On a mission for our youth: Michelle Davis joyously wears many hats at Davis Aerospace where she helps students at a uniquely, special place enjoy a total high school experience.

By Scott Talley Special to the Michigan Chronicle To say Michelle Davis has a ton on her plate at Davis Aerospace Technical High School at Golightly would be an understatement.

Named after General Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., the Air Force’s first African American general, Davis Aerospace Technical High School is a special school, which exposes students to aerospace and aviation careers. And in Michelle Davis, the school has a very special staff member who is 1,000 percent committed to the overall development of the school’s student body.

As we continue to observe Women’s History Month during the month of March, the “Best of Young Detroit” is honored to share a small slice of the Michelle Davis story, which includes being an eleventh and twelfth grade English teacher, athletic coordinator, mentoring sponsor for the “Brotherhood,” student council advisor, “Pieces of our Pies” (Partners in Education) coordinator, and cheerleading coach.

“I have the spirit of ‘yes,” proclaims Davis, a proud 20-year educator. “I don’t believe that you wait for someone to do something. I believe ‘you’ are the answer.”

Davis takes great pride in her school, which is the only program of its type in the state, where students learn aviation maintenance, how to fly Cessna aircrafts and can earn their private pilot license prior to graduation. However, for Davis, being the “answer” also means stepping up to be athletic coordi-

nator six years ago to enable Davis Aerospace students to have another type of enrichment experience.

“Sports really teaches discipline, teamwork, productivity, persistence and dedication,” said Davis, whose athletic program includes cross-country, basketball, track, cheerleading and baseball, which was just added.

Her commitment to building character within students pushed Davis to answer another call, when she said, “yes,” to a group of male students who wanted a mentoring group to be formed. This group would go on to become the “Brotherhood.”

“I’m the ‘Mother of the Brothers,’ “ states Davis, as proudly as any mom can sound. “It’s a family, not an organization. They support each other and there’s accountability, so they thrive. Their brothers are the first line of defense. They even mentor and tutor each other; check each other’s progress reports; they just look out for each other, always.”

Davis lets it be known that she “absolutely loves” the students at her school. And as she does her best to always show up for them, Davis is most appreciative of the entire Davis Aerospace staff and team, which includes her basketball and cross-country coach Duan Donaldson-Taylor, who was one of Davis’ students when she taught at Northern High School.

“He (Duan) is the hardest working person you will ever meet in your life,” said Davis, who pointed out that her coach works his magic without athletic facilities at the school. “We have to go to other schools to practice, but he just pours his all into the kids and teaches them perseverance with no excuses.

“We’re little pups in this and with nine players we were beating teams in basketball and we were the East division champs in cross-country, but my coach just says this is a start. He’s a visionary and always on to the next thing. He believes we can do whatever we put our minds to.”

Davis also appreciates Alvin Ward, deputy executive director of Athletics and Health Education for Detroit Public Schools.

“Alvin Ward has always been very supportive,” said Davis, who needed the support of a compassionate administrator as she built the school’s athletic program from the ground up.

“If it were not for Alvin Ward we would not have a program.”

In praising the people who have helped her help students through the years, Davis had the kindest of words for esteemed educators like Patricia Murray and Brenda Belcher for “giving me my wings, and then teaching me how to fly” when Davis was a younger teacher.

Davis spoke with the same fondness about professionals in our community that have volunteered their time to mentor the young men in the “Brotherhood.”

“My mentors are my rocks,” Davis stated matter-of-factly.

Not surprisingly, those mentors have the utmost respect for Davis.

“Michelle is a tireless advocate, skilled organizer and inspirational role model for our young people,” said Ken Coleman, who has witnessed Davis’ work with high school children in Detroit for more than a decade and is now a recent mentor to the ‘Brotherhood.’

“She’s an awesome educator who truly believes in the community approach to raising our children. I’m especially proud to call her a friend.”

Davis always welcomes the opportunity to work with friends—old and new—who share her commitment to our youth. That is why she has asked the “Best of Young Detroit” to put out a call for adults who are willing to share their time, talents and wisdom as men-

Sports really teaches discipline, teamwork, productivity, persistence and dedication,” said Davis

tors to the young men in the “Brotherhood,” who have all made a pledge to come back to their community upon completion of their entire education and be “the solution.” Brotherhood members also are committed to IMAGE, which stands for Integrity, Manhood, Activism, Generosity and Excellence. Adults interested in being mentors to the “Brotherhood” can contact Michelle Davis at michelle.davis@detroitK12.org

UAW-Ford’s Best of Young Detroit

March 22-28, 2017

Page C-4

K-8 sports program is vital to our youth, says Maria Adams-Lawton ty you may not attract any children, but if you mention a basketball party, now you have everyone,” said Adams-Lawton, as if she was speaking from experience. “You have kids who may come to school just because they’re on the basketball team, so we have to reach out to children like that. Let them know that they are a student first and then an athlete, but work with that child to keep the child in school and when that’s done K-8 sports can help serve as a feeder program for our high schools.”

The gift that keeps giving: A gift from the UAW-Ford National Programs Center and other community partners in 2013 launched an initiative that has provided DPS students with an opportunity to participate in team sports including basketball, cheerleading and much more.

By Scott Talley Special to the Michigan Chronicle A wave of early round NCAA Tournament basketball games was just revving up on the afternoon of Friday, March 17, and not surprisingly, Maria Adams-Lawton wanted to talk sports.

Adams-Lawton is a former math teacher who actually longed to teach physical education.

Needless to say, she absolutely loves sports. However, on this Friday afternoon, Adams-Lawton did not want to talk about her tournament bracket or picks to make the Final Four. In fact, she did not want to talk about the NCAA Tournament at all and instead focused on a topic that she is most passionate about—the health and well being of Detroit youth. And through

her nonprofit, Healthy Kidz Inc., Adams-Lawton addresses the health and well being of our youth by providing sports programs to K-8 students across the Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD).

“The K-8 sports program is important to our city to keep kids out of trouble, to give them a sense of ownership, and to provide our kids with the same opportunities as other children across 8 Mile,” said Adams-Lawton, who also operates Tindal Recreation Center in northwest Detroit.

When Adams-Lawton talks about giving Detroit youth ownership, she is talking in very real terms with the understanding that sports can be a magical elixir that brings many students to life.

“If you talk about having a homework par-

Understanding the importance of athletic programs at the elementary and middle school levels, especially as physical education classes have been reduced in recent years, DPSCD launched an initiative to offer all DPS students an opportunity to play in an organized sport. The initiative was made possible when a collection of community partners stepped to the plate for Detroit youth in 2013 by providing valuable funding. The partners included the UAW-Ford National Programs Center, Ford Motor Company Fund and the Detroit Public Schools Foundation.

Today, Adams-Lawton reports that K-8 students attending Detroit Public Schools have a wide array of opportunities to participate in team sports through the district’s program across the school year including coed basketball (third and fourth grades), girls basketball (seventh and eighth grades), flag football and middle school volleyball in the fall; boys basketball (seventh and eighth grades) and coed

basketball (fifth and sixth grades) in the winter; and baseball (fifth to eighth grades), track (K8), and middle school tackle football (fifth to eighth grades) in the spring. There also is an opportunity for children to participate in cheerleading from the fall through winter seasons.

Adams-Lawton said the K-8 sports program is currently touching roughly 5,000 DPS students and she would love to see that number rise quickly because so much is on the line. The sports enthusiast in Adams-Lawton regularly looks at the rosters of athletic teams at Wayne State and the University of Detroit Mercy and she longs to see a day when more student-athletes from Detroit Public Schools fill those spots and experience the life-changing opportunities they provide.

“We want to build something right here where are kids can be seen, and then we want those schools to look at what we have,” said Adams-Lawton, who has already demonstrated the passion and determination to work with key community stakeholders to make that happen, including Edward Tomlin, director of Elementary-Middle School Athletics for Detroit Public Schools.

On Saturday (March 25), the Detroit Public Schools Elementary-Middle School Athletics Program will host a Middle School Boys Basketball Championship Game, along with a Fifth and Sixth Grade Co-Ed Basketball Championship Game and Jamboree at Renaissance High School. The event is scheduled to start at 9 a.m.

DEPSA Pioneers are history makers after capturing Class C basketball crown The Michigan High School Athletic Association Class C girls basketball crown has a new resting place and it resides at 1903 Wilkins, home of the Detroit Edison Public School Academy (DEPSA) Pioneers.

The word “young” is often used to describe high school teams, but the description truly applied to the Pioneers, which boasts a roster with no seniors, two juniors, one sophomore and nine freshmen. In the end, youth won out as DEPSA defeated Pewamo-Westphalia, 46-44, in the Class C championship game at Michigan State University’s Breslin Center on March 18.

DEPSA, which formed a girls basketball program six years ago and did not play in a conference during the regular season, prepped for the state tournament by playing

a challenging schedule, including some tough matchups with larger schools. And in the closing moments of the title game, the Pioneers, who led by seven entering the fourth quarter, proved they were battle tested by holding off a furious rally by Pewamo-Westphalia.

Years from now, perhaps after more championships are won, Coach Monique Brown’s players will get together and look back at the box score from the first Class C title in the program’s history and recall that sophomore wing Rickea Jackson scored 21 points and pulled down nine rebounds and freshman guard Shaulana Wagner chipped in 12 points, while the entire team contributed to a stellar defensive effort.

Congratulations Pioneers!

Remembering Will Robinson, a coach to many in the game of life Will Robinson once said: “Detroit has long been one of the pockets of outstanding athletes in America.” And there is probably not any one person more responsible for making that statement true than Robinson (June 3, 1911 – April 28, 2008) who arrived in Detroit from Chicago in 1944.

Robinson, then 33, was sent to Detroit by the Chicago school superintendent because he had demonstrated an ability to work effectively with blacks and whites. Before Robinson’s arrival, racial tensions in our city had led to nearly three days of race rioting in June 1943, resulting in 34 deaths – 25 blacks and nine whites. A man of small stature, Robinson relied on enormous inner strength and character while demonstrating that he had no problem inspiring all people, particularly youth.

The record books show that in 26 years as a head basketball coach in the Detroit Public School League, Robinson won 85 percent of his games at Miller, Cass Tech and Pershing.

In the process, he groomed some of the top prep athletes in state history, including multisport legend Sammy Gee (Miller) and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees Mel Daniels (Pershing) and Spencer Haywood (Pershing) just to name a few because one could suffer writer’s camp trying to list all of

the greats Robinson coached.

After coaching Pershing, Robinson did more great things like becoming the first African American head coach at a Division I basketball program (Illinois State), where he coached Doug Collins, the number one overall pick in the 1973 NBA Draft.

And as a scout for the Detroit Lions and Detroit Pistons, he was credited with identifying a host of standout players including future Hall of Famers Lem Barney, Charlie Sanders, Joe Dumars and Dennis Rodman. But Robinson accomplished something far greater than all of that, and his greatest accomplishment connects to his time as a teacher, coach and mentor right here in Detroit. During that time he helped send an estimated 300 students to college. These students and the future children of these students were able to use education to create a Detroit where African Americans had a much better life than the city Robinson found in 1944.

Today, Robinson’s legacy should still provide inspiration to our student-athletes and coaches, because he challenged Detroit athletes to achieve greatness across various playing fields, and then gave even more by guiding young people to success after athletics, which should be the goal of all high school and youth coaches.

As this week’s “Best of Young Detroit” section was going to press, two boys basketball teams that were tested this season by PSL competition (Osborn and Edison Academy) were about to play state tournament quarterfinal games.

Osborn was playing New Haven and Edison Academy was taking on Monroe St. Mary Catholic.

Following are some of the top performers in regional championship games played by Osborn and Edison Academy: BOYS Class B Armonee’ Felder and Kenneth Holloway, Osborn each scored 21 points in a 67-64 regional final victory against Detroit Collegiate Prep at Northwestern (DCP-NW) on March 15.

Steve Pearson, DCP-NW, scored 22 points against Osborn.

Kylan Shipp, DCP-NW, scored 20 points against Osborn.

Young, bright, disciplined minds shine at DPSCD Spelling Bee Elementary Winner: Syleena McPherson (Golightly Education Center) Elementary Runner-up: Mohammad Hasib (Davison Elementary/Middle School) Middle School Winner: Tasnim Dina (Davison Elementary/Middle School) Middle School Runner-up: Candace Montgomery (Marcus Garvey Academy)

The “Best of Young Detroit” salutes all of the students that participated in the recent Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) Annual Spelling Bee. A spelling bee provides a friendly, but also spirited form of competition; gives students a sense of achievement; and, helps students develop their vocabularies and understanding of language in a manner that will last a lifetime.

District spelling bee participants must be through in their preparation and then be extremely poised on the day of the bee.

Following are the elementary and middle school champions and runner-ups, as reported by DPSCD:

Class C Gary Solomon, Edison Academy, scored 18 points in a 66-60 regional final victory against Cornerstone Prep on March 15.

Jamal Keese, Edison Academy, contributed 16 points against Cornerstone Prep.

Your Feedback Matters The “Best of Young Detroit” welcomes feedback from our community. Please submit story suggestions and other comments to Scott Talley at stalleyassociates@gmail.com or 313-590-3686.

business

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

March 22-28, 2017 Page C-5

Detroit is the land of opportunity

By Anthony O. Kellum Making your real estate dreams become reality is often simply a matter of aggressive and persistent determination; the journey of you, “making it happen,” no matter what it takes. There are many books on being successful in real estate, but I’m here to tell you that there’s no yellow brick road to glory. The path to hardearned success is unique for everyone. However, there are some common themes, like the willingness to take advantage of opportunity, even if it involves a leap of faith.

Now is the time to invest in Detroit!

Pictured from left: Leonard T. Miller, son of Leonard W. Miller; Dr. Benjamin Chavis, Jr., president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association; Machelle Williams, senior director of Diversity and Corporate Social Responsibility for VWGoA; Leonard W. Miller, founder of the Black American Racers; and Ernest Green, civil rights icon and one of the Little Rock Nine with the Super Vee. (Volkswagen Group of America)

Volkswagen Group of America celebrates black American racers

By Darcy Kohn

In celebration of the contributions of African Americans in auto racing, the Volkswagen Group of America (VWGoA) welcomed the Black American Racers (BAR) to Volkswagen’s headquarters in Herndon, Va., for an inspiring Lunch and Learn and the reveal of the team’s newly-refurbished Formula Super Vee race car.

Leonard W. Miller, the first African-American motorsport owner to have a team compete in the Indianapolis 500, was among the special guests at the event. Miller’s BAR team was founded in 1972, the same year he began the Black American Racers Association (BARA) to give recognition to African American racing drivers, mechanics, car owners and sponsors of African Americans in motorsports.

Miller’s racing team fielded cars for African American driver Benny Scott in the Volkswagen Gold Cup Super Vee Series throughout the mid-1970s. During its heyday, BAR was ranked within the top 60 racing teams in the world.

Machelle Williams, the senior director of Diversity and Corporate Social Responsibility for the Volkswagen Group of America, kicked off the program, welcoming colleagues and BAR guests to the Lunch and Learn. Sean Maynard, consumer events coordinator for Volkswagen Marketing, followed with a brief history of African American racing in the U.S. and discussed Volkswagen’s involvement.

“It was so inspiring to hear the story of these automotive pioneers, and to know that Volkswagen was a part of their groundbreaking

achievement was especially rewarding,” Williams said.

Miller headlined the Lunch and Learn and told incredible stories from his racing days, discussed the inspiration behind his work, and relived the day when Benny Scott became the first African-American driver to set the fastest qualifying time in a professional auto race — putting his Formula Super Vee on pole at Laguna Seca in 1975.

“The experience today was a historic one because this is the first time in my life that a major automotive corporation has acknowledged our achievements as a race team,” Miller said. “The story behind the team, in our VW-powered car, has never been told before and I was honored to join Volkswagen employees, along with my BAR colleagues, friends and family, to unveil the beautifully restored Black American Racers Super Vee, thanks to Volkswagen.”

Ernest Green, civil rights figure and one of the Little Rock Nine, also attended the event and spoke to Volkswagen employees about the Civil Rights Movement and the role African-American racing played during the time. The Little Rock Nine refers to a group of nine black students who were barred from entering an all-white high school in Little Rock, Ark., following the U.S. Supreme Court ruling declaring segregation unconstitutional in public schools.

After Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus called in the state National Guard to prevent the nine students from entering the building on the first day of school, President Dwight D. Eisenhower ordered federal troops to escort the students

into the building.

“You don’t know when you’re doing something that you’re making a mark on history,” Green said.

“You’re simply there trying to win races and do the very best you can.

And then you look back on it, like the folks here at Volkswagen did and Leonard did, and you’re a part of history.”

During the program, attendees also heard from Mark Gessler, president of the Historic Vehicle Association (HVA), who discussed the exhaustive search Volkswagen and HVA conducted to find the original Super Vee race car driven by Benny Scott and the car’s importance in automotive history.

Leonard T. Miller, son of BARA founder Leonard W. Miller, also previewed the new documentary, out later this year, that will tell the story of the black American racers and include original racing footage of the famous Super Vee. The film is based on Leonard W. Miller’s book, “Silent Thunder: Breaking Through Cultural, Racial, and Class Barriers in Motorsports.”

After the speakers, the Volkswagen Experiential Marketing team revealed the newly-refurbished Super Vee, parked in the VW showroom.

The car’s restoration was completed in two months, with every detail matching the car raced during the 1975 season. The restoration team used old race footage and rare photographs to carefully complete the project.

At the conclusion of the Lunch and Learn, attendees also had the opportunity to win copies of Miller’s book.

DPTV celebrates premiere of ‘This Old House-Detroit’ with community conversation and Toolkit Party The Michigan Chronicle

In less than three weeks, fans of “This Old House” around the country will see firsthand how the team transformed a small abandoned house in Detroit into a beautiful home for the Polk family and, in the process, put a stake in the ground for neighborhood revitalization in the city.

The event at University of Detroit Mercy will kick off at 6:30 p.m. with a welcome by Detroit Mercy President Dr. Antoine Garibaldi, Faculty member Dan Pitera, Live6 Director Lauren Hood, with a One Detroit community conversation on rebuilding Detroit’s neighborhoods moderated by award-winning journalist, Christy McDonald and Detroit 67 Project Director, Marlowe Stoudamire. The hosts of “This Old House,” Frank & Tamiko Polk; Craig Fahle, director of public affairs at the Detroit Land Bank Authority; realtor Lolita Haley; and a representative from Mayor Duggan’s office. DPTV will turn the livestream into a special “This Old

Eight Detroit neighborhoods to invest in: • The Woodward strip from downtown to Midtown – General Motors and Quicken Loans headquarters through the entertainment district, and then continuing to Wayne State University.

• Corktown – This is the oldest village in the city of Detroit, where the old Tigers Stadium was located.

Corktown has a very unique character to it, as it mainly consists of historic single family residences.

• Mexican Village – This area is located just outside of Corktown and houses some of the best Mexican restaurants in the city.

• Historical Indian Village – Occupied primarily by doctors, lawyers, and business owners, Indian Village is a Historic area that offers family friendly, upscale living with an urban twist. This tightknit community is filled with charming cafes and stores.

• Rosedale Park – Roughly bounded by Fenkell, Outer Drive, Grand River Avenue, Southfield Freeway, Glastonbury Street, Lyndon Street and Westwood Drive, Rosedale Park is a historic Detroit district where a fantastic community is driving values through the roof.

• Historical Sherwood Forest – The Sherwood Forest community was established in 1917 and contains 437 beautiful, architecturally stunning homes. Touted as one of the safest neighborhoods in Detroit, association fees include allocation for paid, private security patrols.

• Palmer Woods Historical District – The Palmer Woods Historic District is a residential historic district bounded by Seven Mile Road, Woodward Avenue, and Strathcona Drive in Detroit, Michigan. There are approximately 289 homes in this 188-acre district.

• University District – The University District, named for the University of Detroit Mercy, is a neighborhood located one mile west of Woodward Avenue, south of Seven Mile.

• Boston-Edison District – The Historic Boston-Edison District is located just a few miles away from Downtown and features some of the city’s most magnificent homes. The neighborhood is situated near several charter schools, and includes a number of family residences with children of all ages.

I firmly believe in the American Dream of homeownership and you should too. There is amazing power in owning a home, and then expanding on those boundaries with further community investment. The path to real estate success might be a hard-earned one, and every winner’s story might be different, but that success begins by seizing a momentous opportunity like the one our own city offers right now. Investors from around the world are already capitalizing on the tremendous potential in Detroit, but why should outsiders reap all the benefits?

Anthony O. Kellum, is president of Kellum Capital Group, LLC and Kellum Mortgage, LLC. He can be reached at 888-4-Kellum (535-568) or anthony@ kellummortgage.com. Connect with him. on Facebook at www.facebook.com/propertyispower. Kellum has financed or played a key role in transactions totaling over $650 million. He is committed to empowering distressed communities, disadvantaged youth, and investors with the knowledge and financial tools necessary to make the American Dream great for everyone. Serving underprivileged families and distressed communities remains his chief focus with the launches of his new “Property is Power” speaking series.

In celebration of the broadcast premiere of “This Old House-Detroit” on April 3, Detroit Public Television (DPTV) will hold a community conversation followed by a Toolkit Party on March 24 on the McNichols campus of University of Detroit Mercy, featuring the talent from the show — host Kevin O’Connor along with Tom Silva and Richard Trethewey, and a special visit to Detroit by PBS’ President Paula Kerger. More than 450 people have already registered to attend.

Earlier in the day, Kerger will address members and guests of the Detroit Economic Club in a speech to the Club, scheduled for 12:30 p.m. at the Townsend Hotel in Birmingham. Tickets to that event and more information are available at www.econclub.org.

Detroit is one of those opportunities. If you haven’t heard by now about how well things are going – how the city is not only rebuilding, but reinventing in itself – then take a drive downtown and see for yourself. According to Realty Trac’s data, the Anthony O. Kellum number one US market for rental real estate in 2014 is Wayne County. With a median sales price of just $44,900 and an average fair market rent of $1,124, Wayne County appears to provide an incredible return for rental property owners with an annual gross yield of 30 percent. There’s still time for you to become a stakeholder in Detroit’s comeback, so you can ride the next wave of real estate appreciation.

House” broadcast premiere airing on March 30 at 9 p.m.

At 8 p.m., guests will be invited to the Toolkit Party to meet “This Old House” talent and enjoy Detroit-made food and refreshments.

Funding for the event is provided by MASCO. For the first time in the history of the show, “This Old House” traveled to Detroit last summer to work with retired firefighter Frank Polk as he and his family renovate a classic brick home. The 1939 two-story property was one of thousands of abandoned structures owned by the Detroit Land Bank. The family recently purchased the Russell Woods neighborhood house at auction with the promise they would make improvements and move in.

Expected work includes a new roof, kitchen and baths, plus new mechanicals to replace vandalized equipment in the basement. The team will look to preserve historic details such as leaded stained glass windows and archways as the homeowners blend their modern aesthetics with the home’s historic details.

Leading up to the broadcast premiere of “This Old House” on April 3, viewers are invited to check out a special, “Detroit. One House at a Time” digital series and get to know the inspiring people, and city, behind TOH’s newest project.

Episodes are available on www.dptv.org/toh.

now

Page C-6 • THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE • March 15-21, 2017

Now Accepting Online Nominations

: M E 17 The Michigan Chronicle is now accepting nominations for the Men of Excellence induction Now in its seventh year, the Men of Excellence awards seeks to honor local, African American men who are visionaries in their given fields and inspire those around them to go beyond the norm and strive for the exceptional. They are entrepreneurs, community leaders, fathers, husbands, and inspirers. There is no shortage of negative publicity surrounding African American men, and here at the Michigan Chronicle, we know that there are more black men doing amazing things in business and the community than is being reported.

If you know a man who has defied expectations and changed the status quo, then submit your nominations for the Men of Excellence award by going online to the MichiganChronicle.com.

Nominations are due April 21, 2017.

Submit your nomination at www.michiganchronicle.com

www.michiganchronicle.com

#MCMOE2017

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March 22-28, 2017

michiganchronicle.com

SPOTLIGHT

Reflections

By Steve Holsey

What, no Oscar?

It is not possible for every deserving person to win a Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor or Best Supporting Actress Oscar at the Academy Awards, but it is still surprising, and in some cases just plain wrong, that some have not.

For example, Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne. They have given numerous Oscar-worthy performances, but they both deserved one for their work in “What’s Love Got To Do With It.”

Regina King

Giancarlo Esposito

Laurence Fishburne and Angela Bassett Regina King should have the gold statuette on her mantel for “Ray,” as should Debbi Morgan for “Eve’s Bayou,” Glenn Close for “Fatal Attraction,” and since he has appeared in over 100 movies, you’d think that by now Samuel L. Jackson would have picked up one.

Among the others who never won an Oscar — though numerous ones have been nominated — are Giancarlo Esposito, Alfre Woodard, Eddie Murphy (he was great in “Dreamgirls”), Loretta Devine, Robert Downey, Jr., Ethel Waters, Billy Dee Williams, Don Cheadle, Taraji P. Henson, Will Smith, Ruby Dee, James Earl Jones, Leonardo DiCaprio, Queen Latifah, Idris Elba, Tom Cruise, Danny Glover, Diahann Carroll, Ossie Davis, Cicely Tyson, Brad Pitt and Oprah Winfrey.

WHEN THE marriage of Beyoncé Knowles and Jay Z (Shawn Carter) was announced, plenty of people thought they were mismatched, for more reasons than one, and that the marriage would be short-lived, but they were wrong. Next year, it will be 10 years, despite periodic rumors.

They no doubt have many private things in common that other people know nothing about.

Jay Z and Beyoncé They surely don’t need each other’s money — her net worth is said to be about $300 million, and because of his many business ventures, his is reported to be in the neighborhood of $600 million.

Jay Z and Beyoncé started dating in 2001. He says she was a southern girl who was attracted to someone charming and cool. He joked, “She was a good girl ’til she knew me. She’s gangsta now.” (If you’re a staunch Jay Z enthusiast, you will recognize those lines from one of his albums.)

THERE SEEMS to be an art to getting older with grace and style, and Clifton Davis obviously knows a lot about that.

It is not easy to believe that the actor, singer, songwriter and ordained minister is now 71 years old. He stayed Clifton Davis in shape and the white and gray hair adds distinction.

He is also a triple bypass surgery survivor.

Despite his many achievements in various areas, Davis will perhaps

See Reflections Page D-2

By Steve Holsey When Mahershala Ali won the Best Supporting Actor award at the 89th annual Academy Awards on Feb. 26 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood for his work in “Moonlight,” he was on his way to becoming a household name.

Trouble is, pronouncing “Mahershala” is more than a notion, and what a surprise to learn that it’s a nickname; his full name is Mahershalalhashbaz Ali. (The surname Gilmore was legally changed to Ali.) He was the first Muslim to win an Oscar… and surely the one with the long­ est first name.

Though a “newcomer” to some, Ali’s work actually dates back to 20012002 when he made his television debut as Dr. Trey Sanders in 19 episodes of “Crossing Jordan,” a series that aired on NBC. In 2003, he appeared on the big screen for the first time, in “Making Revolution.”

At the time of this writing, he is working on his 17th movie, “Alita: Battle Angel,” an animated science fiction film in which Ali voices two characters.

Prior to “Moonlight,” Mahershala Ali was more or less one of those actors whose face was familiar, but placing it with a name was another matter. Television viewers and mover-goers alike knew that they had seen him somewhere. Maybe in such movies as “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “Predators” and “Crossing Over.” Or on such TV programs as “NYPD Blue,” “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” or perhaps, more likely, “House of Cards,” the web (Netflex) television political drama in which Ali portrayed Remy Danton for 33 episodes.

Maybe it was all leading up to “Moonlight,” which also earned the Best Picture Oscar as well as an Oscar nomination for director Barry Jenkins. “‘Moonlight’ is a project that resonated with me more than anything else,” Ali said, perhaps with the realization that it is the kind of hard-hitting film that is “too much” for the sensitivities of some people, white and black.

Ali’s Academy Award acceptance speech is one for the ages. (Editor’s Note: For the sake of space consideration and full clarity, it has been short-

See MAHERSHALA ALI Page D-2

entertainment

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

March 22-28, 2017 Page D-2

MOTOR CITY ENTERTAINMENT

CALENDAR

MARSHA AMBROSIUS, Eric Benét, Sound Board at MotorCity Casino, March 30. Tickets sold at Ticketmaster locations.

To charge by phone, call 1.800.745.3000.

phone, call 1.800.745.3000.

BIG SEAN, Fox Theatre, April 1. Tickets sold at Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone, call 1.800.745.3000.

BRIAN McKNIGHT, Sound Board at MotorCity Casino, May 18. Tickets sold at Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone, call 1.800.745.3000.

CEDRIC THE ENTERTAINER, D.L. Hughley, George Lopez, Eddie Griffin, Charlie Murphy, Joe Louis Arena, May 13.

Tickets sold at Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone, call 1.800.745.3000.

GEORGE CLINTON and Parliament-Funkadelic, Sound Board at MotorCity Casino, May 25. Tickets sold at Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone, call 1.800.745.3000.

DETROIT HAIR WARS Exotic Hair Night, Ford Community & Performing Arts Center, April 2. Cash bar. Hot food. Free Parking. For more information, call 313.534.8318.

JERMAINE DUPRI, Fox Theatre, May 26. Tickets sold at Ticketmaster locations.

To charge by phone, call 1.800.745.3000.

KENNETH “BABYFACE” EDMONDS, Brandy, Masonic Temple, May 14. Tickets sold at Masonic Temple box office and Ticketmaster loca-

GUCCI MANE, Fox Theatre, April 14. Tickets sold at Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone, call 1.800.745.3000.

Gladys Knight

Chris Rock

tions. To charge by phone, call 1.800.745.3000.

MIKE EPPS, Sommore, Bruce Bruce, Arnez J, Felipe Esparza, Joe Louis Arena, March 31.

Tickets sold at Joe Louis box office and Ticketmaster locations. . To charge by phone, call 1.800.745.3000.

RACHELLE FERRELL, Sound Board at MotorCity Casino, Thursday, March 23.

Tickets sold at Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone, call 1.800.745.3000.

YO GOTTI, others, Masonic Temple, Saturday, March 25.

Tickets sold at Masonic Temple box office and Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone, call 1.800.745.3000.

DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES, Tears for Fears, Joe Louis Arena, May 17. Tickets sold at the Joe Louis box office and Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone, call 1.800.745.3000.

Sommore

ANTHONY HAMILTON, Sound Board at MotorCity Casino, June 1. Tickets sold at Ticketmaster locations.

To charge by phone, call 1.800.745.3000.

MYSTIKAL, Too Short, Uncle Luke, Ying Yang Twins, Lil Jon, Fox Theatre, May 27. Tickets sold at Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone, call 1.800.745.3000.

LEELA JAMES, Daley, Sound Board at MotorCity Casino, April 19. Tickets sold at Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone, call 1.800.745.3000.

CHRIS ROCK, Fox Theatre, April 28-29. Tickets sold at Ticketmaster locations.

To charge by phone, call 1.800.745.3000.

NORAH JONES, Fox Theatre, May 23. Tickets sold at Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone, call 1.800.745.3000.

RICKEY SMILEY & Friends, Sound Board at MotorCity Casino, April 20. Tickets sold at Ticketmaster locations.

To charge by phone, call 1.800.745.3000.

GLADYS KNIGHT, the Commodores, Fox Theatre, May 14.

Tickets sold at Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone, call 1.800.745.3000.

LIL WAYNE, Fox Theatre, May 11. Tickets sold at Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone, call 1.800.745.3000.

BILL MAHER, Fox Theatre, April 8. Tickets sold at Ticketmaster locations. To charge by

Mahershala Ali

From page D-1

ened, though not much.)

“Wow. I wanna thank my teachers, my professors. I had so many wonderful teachers. And one thing they consistently told me is that it wasn’t about you. It’s not about you. It’s about these characters. You’re in service to these stories, to these characters. I’m so blessed to have had an opportunity,” he began.

Ali, 43, was born in Oakland, California but raised in Hayward, California in the San Francisco Bay Area. Perhaps what was to be his chosen and much-awarded career — he also has a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award and a Critic’s Choice Award in addition to the Oscar — was in the blood because his father was also an actor.

He entered St. Mary’s College of California on a basketball scholarship, but graduated in 1996 with a mass communications degree. By graduation, Ali’s interest in acting had fully taken hold. He

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landed an apprenticeship at the California Shakespeare Theater, which led to enrolling in the acting program at New York University, earning a master’s degree in 2000.

Although he loves acting, there is a part of the filming process that is nothing to derive pleasure from. As he candidly stated, “There’s nothing fun about 30 people standing around watching you. Nothing exciting about it, believe me.”

Mahershala Ali, who by the way, is also a rapper, said his dream role would be to portray Jack Johnson, the first African-American heavyweight boxing champion (1908-1915), despite the blatant and rampant racism of those times.

Reflections always be best known for the five seasons he portrayed Rev. Ruben Gregory on the TV series “Amen.” And not everyone is aware of the fact that Davis wrote one of the Jackson 5’s biggest hits and best songs, “Never Can Say Goodbye,” later remade by Isaac Hayes.

RUSSELL THOMPKINS, JR. & the New Stylistics, Ford Community & Performing Arts Center, Saturday, July 22. Call 313.943.2354 for tickets and more information.

753 921 168 229 068 321 245 2948 3128 826 23 30 33 43 64 12 YOUR AD

KEKE WYATT, Angela Winbush, Avant, Terrell “T-Rex” Simon, Masonic Temple, April 8. Tickets sold at Masonic Temple box office and Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone, call 1.800.745.3000.

Then he brought it all home.

“And lastly, I wanna thank my wife, who was in her third trimester during awards season. We just had a daughter four days ago. I just wanna thank her for being such a solder through this process, and really carrying me through it all.”

KEITH SWEAT, K-Ci & JoJo, 112, Fox Theatre, April 15.

Tickets sold at Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone, call 1.800.745.3000.

PICKS 547 117 362 932 034

TEMPTATIONS REVIEW featuring Dennis Edwards, Ford Community & Performing Arts Center, Saturday, April 1. Call 313.943.2354 for tickets and more information.

“It was just such a wonderful experience. Thank you, Barry Jenkins…I have so many people to thank who’ve got me here. My manager, thank you so much, and to the rest of the cast who did wonderful work — any one of them could be up here right now holding this trophy.

It’s such a gift getting to work with you and to be inspired by you and the performances that you all offered up. Thank you, Academy, I really appreciate this.”

DAVID SPADE, Sound Board at MotorCity Casino, April 27.

Tickets sold at Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone, call 1.800.745.3000.

37

WEEK’S BEST LOTTERY

From page D-1 Dennis Edwards has been a member on three separate occasions, and a gentleman by the name of Ricky Owens only lasted two performances. He just couldn’t deliver what was expected.

COMBINED, the memoirs of former president Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama will cost Penguin Random House a reported $60 million — and 10 million copies will have to be sold just to break even. To put things in perspective, Bill Clinton was paid $15 million and Hillary Clinton, $8 million.

MEMORIES: “Knock on Wood” (Eddie Floyd), “25 Miles” (Edwin Starr), “When Will I See You Again” (the Three Degrees), “(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher” (Jackie Wilson), “Love on a TwoWay Street” (the Moments), “I Just Want To Be” (Cameo), “Hangin’ on a String (Contemplating)” (Loose Ends), “My Love is Your Love” (Whitney Houston), “Silly” (Deniece Williams), “Slip Away” (Clarence Carter).

A highly placed source in the publishing industry, Michael Cader, believes there is

BLESSINGS no reason for Penguin Barack Obama and Michelle to Fannie Tyler, GorRandom House to wor- Obama don Camp, Karen ry, saying, “With Barack Dumas, Glen Cross, Obama, you have somebody who al- Rosetta Hines, Vickie Thomas, Cliff ready has a track record as an author, Russell, Willie Williams, Craig Strong, and Michelle Obama is enormously Luther Keith, Horace Boyington, Bud popular, so it’s not a ridiculous num- McQueen and Ken Coleman. ber.”

WORDS OF THE WEEK, from The hugely popular Mr. Obama’s previous books, “The Audacity of Hope” and “Dreams From My Father,” sold well.

Oscar de la Renta: “Fashion is about dressing according to what’s fashionable. Style is more about being yourself.”

BETCHA DIDN’T KNOW…that 24 different men have been a member of the Temptations. Otis Williams, of course, has been there from the start.

At Your Finger Tips!

Let the music play!

Steve Holsey can be reached at svh517@aol.com and PO Box 02843, Detroit, MI 48202.

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THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

March 22-28, 2017 Page D-3

Noted poet and literary giant Mari Evans passes at 93

By Herb Boyd Special to the Michigan Chronicle

An impressive 30-foot mural of Mari Evans is at the center of downtown Indianapolis, but it only approximates the height of her poetic acclaim and majesty. Evans was among the leading literary lights in the sixties and thereafter, establishing herself as a gifted wordsmith, critic and editor.

She was 93 when she died earlier this month in her hometown of Indianapolis.

Photo credit: Robert Ascroft

The huge painting by Michael Alkemi Jordan is just one of several forever moments for the famed writer. Her vis- Mari Evans age stares out from Ugandan and Ghanaian stamps, and she is one of 12 African American writers to be so honored.

In addition to Shorter’s sets, there will be hundreds of other performers, ranging from well-respected and recognized artists to up-and-coming talent, student ensembles and late-night jam sessions. Shorter will kick off hisfestival activities with a one-set performance with bandmate Danilo Pérez at the Dirty Dog Jazz Café in Grosse Pointe Farms on April 20. Limited tickets are available. Additional details will be posted to www.detroitjazzfest.com as they become available.

Evans was born July 16, 1923 in Toledo, Ohio. A product of a traditional Black family, she attended the University of Toledo. She began teaching in various schools in the mid-west, including Indiana University, Purdue, and later at Spelman College. Along with her literary achievements—and she was also a playwright—Evans wrote, produced and directed “The Black Experience,” that appeared on local television in her hometown.

Detroit Jazz Festival announces Wayne Shorter as 2017 artist-in-residence The Detroit Jazz Festival, the world’s largest free jazz festival, is pleased to announce legendary jazz saxophonist and composer Wayne Shorter as its 2017 artist-in-residence. Through this role, Shorter will act as an ambassador for the festival, support the Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation’s efforts to enhance year-round jazz music education opportunities, and thrill music enthusiasts with three powerful performances over Labor Day weekend.

A master sax innovator and composer, Shorter has 10 Grammy Awards in five different categories, and has earned accolades throughout his career, including the Polar Music Prize and being named Jazz Master by the National Endowments of the Arts. Shorter will join the esteemed list of jazz stars who have held the artist-in-residence title in past years, including Ron Carter, Pat Metheny, Joshua Redman and others.

“Over the course of my career, I have had the pleasure of performing at venues across the world and playing with some of the greatest jazz artists of our time,” said Shorter. “Performing at the Detroit Jazz Festival is something I’ve received the opportunity to do on several occasions, and each time it’s combined a phenomenal atmosphere with immeasurable talent, which is why I keep coming back. I am extremely honored to expand my festival participation this year by becoming the Detroit Jazz Festival’s artist-in-residence.”

As artist-in-residence, Shorter will occupy the opening Friday night slot, officially kicking off the 38th annual Detroit Jazz Festival, which runs Sept.

1-4, 2017, on four stages in downtown Detroit. In addition, festival attendees will be treated to a special performance, the Wayne Shorter Quartet with the Detroit Jazz Festival Orchestra perform “Emanon.” This piece, inspired by Shorter’s lifelong love of science fiction and mythological superhero adventures, will make its North American debut at the festival. Shorter’s other weekend performances include: • Wayne Shorter Quartet featuring Danilo Pérez, John Patitucci and Brian Blade • Quintet: Wayne Shorter, Geri Allen, Leo Genovese, Esperanza Spalding and Terri Lyne Carrington

“The Detroit Jazz Festival is about celebrating the overwhelming amount of unique and distinct sounds that jazz offers. We are thrilled to feature Wayne Shorter as artist-in-residence to help carry on that legacy,” said Chris Collins, president and artistic director of the Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation. “With a unique perspective and penchant for interaction, Mr. Shorter has spent the last half century revolutionizing jazz composition, saxophone and group improvisation. We can’t wait to share this generational talent with festival-goers – for free.”

Perhaps her most notable contribution to the African American canon is “Black Women Writers—1950-1980, A Critical Evaluation” that she edited in 1984. It featured assessments of such notable writers as Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, and Margaret Walker. In the Preface of the book, after thanking Marie Brown for her indispensable vision for the project—Evans said her goal for the anthology was to bring together “thirty-nine African American writers and critics for the single, serious purpose of discussing the creative works of contemporary African American women.”

Born in 1933, the Newark, New Jersey native has created many jazz music innovations in a career that spans 50 years. He earned his bachelor’s degree from New York University in 1956, and then was drafted into the United States Armed Forces in 1957. While in college, Shorter played tenor saxophone with the Nat Phipps orchestra, and upon graduating, worked briefly with Johnny Eaton and his Princetonians earning the nickname, “The Newark Flash,” for his speed and facility with the tenor saxophone.

This year, to ensure jazz enthusiasts don’t miss a performance by Shorter or any of the other talented musicians taking the stage over Labor Day weekend, the Detroit Jazz Festival has brought back the Detroit Jazz Fest LIVE! app.

The app will provide live streamed performances to festival-goers and out of town fans that are unable to attend the event, in addition to festival schedules, maps and more. Register for the app at https://live.detroitjazzfest.com or download it from the Google Play Store.

North End arts project goes global

By Ken Coleman What does the funk music of Parliament-Funkadelic and Detroit’s North End have in common?

A taste of each is currently on display in France — 4,000 miles away from East Grand Boulevard.

Duminie DePorres, a local guitarist who has been inspired by the funk genre and has performed with Parliament-Funkadelic front man George Clinton, and DJ Los, a hip-hop artist and son of P-Funk percussionist Carl “Butch” Small, are participating in Saint Etienne Design Biennale.

Wendell Harrison and Pathe Jasse (Credit: ©Barbara Barefield)

Jazz master saxophonist/clarinetist Wendell Harrison performs this weekend in Palmer Woods Music in Homes series

Michigan Chronicle Staff Report

Jazz master saxophonist/clarinetist Wendell Harrison has played with everyone from Hank Crawford to Sun Ra, Marvin Gaye to Grant Green. He’s a living legend who has performed all over the world, but considers Detroit his home base. Detroit is where he has launched recording labels, a magazine, musicians’ collectives, and numerous ensembles. For nearly five decades, he’s been a leading innovator, educator and creator in Detroit’s music scene.

On Saturday, March 25, Harrison shares his talents at Palmer Woods Music in Homes for a world music concert that will bridge the music of Senegal to Detroit.

Harrison joins African bassist/vocalist Pathe Jassi, pianist/2016 Kresge Arts Fellow Pamela Wise, guitarist Jacob Schwandt and drummer Louis Jones III to explore jazz and its African

Of course, Evans is among the writers evaluated, particularly for her poems and children’s books. One of her most memorable poems was dedicated to Malcolm X and included in a volume edited

by Dudley Randall and Margaret Burroughs. It was entitled “The Insurgent,” and began “Give me my freedom/lest I die/for pride runs through my veins/not blood/and principles support me so that I with lifted head see liberty….not sky!

For I am who dares to say I shall be free, or dead…today.”

There is a passage in “Black Women Writers” that is vintage Evans as she defines the essence of African American poetry and literature. “I insist that Black poetry, Black literature if you will, be evaluated stylistically for its imagery, its metaphor, description, onomatopoeia, its polyrhythms, its rhetoric. What is fascinating, however, is that despite the easy application of all these traditional criteria, no allegation of ‘universality’ can be imposed for the simple reason that Black becomes catalyst, and whether one sees it as color, substance, an ancestral bloodstream, or as lifestyle— historically, when Black is introduced, things change.”

Things changed when Evans, endowed with a roomful of plaques and an honorary doctorate, focused her genius, lifted her pen to paper, and began to ruminate, to articulate the expressive nature of her people’s prose and poetry.

At the Broadway United Methodist Church, Evans was an active and energetic member, recalled the Rev. Mike Mather, the church’s pastor. “She was always feisty and smart,” he said. “She was insightful and interesting…and she wasn’t afraid to share her opinion, and like most thoughtful people, she chose her words very carefully.” And this thoughtfulness was something she shared with this writer and the world.

In one of her poems, “The Rebel,” she reflected on her death and how people will come and gawk just to see if she was really dead “or just trying to make trouble.”

Yes, there will be thousands at her funeral or memorial services should they occur, and she will present no trouble to the multitude her loved and respected her.

rhythms, as they perform original compositions, as well as music from Senegal, the Caribbean, and New Orleans.

The concert will contrast the different approaches to expression of black life, and also define and illuminate rhythms from the three music idioms — blues, reggae and samba — which tell stories of African linkage and various cultures of the African diaspora.

The concert, which will be held in a spacious 1921 historic Palmer Woods home, includes a meal that will reflect the theme of the music. The series continues each month through June.

Tickets for all concerts, $45-$70, with discounts for groups of 10 or more, can be purchased at palmerwoods.org or by calling 313-891-2514. The address of the concert home in Palmer Woods is revealed when tickets are purchased.

All concerts include receptions with delicious cuisine that reflect the musical themes.

Saint Etienne Design Biennale is an annual worldwide conclave for the arts and design community. This year’s theme is “working promise.”

DePorres and DJ Los are joined in France by a local firm called Akoaki, which is led by Anya Sirota and Jean-Louis Farges. The quartet is part of a cultural collaborative called Oakland North End Mile Project. Other partners include Detroit Afrikan Music Institution, Oakland Avenue Urban Farms Detroit, and Detroit Cultural Council.

“We are excited to be a part of the Saint Etienne Design Biennale representing Detroit,” said Sirota, an assistant professor at the University of Michigan Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning. “Our exhibit, ‘Out of Site,’ is a set of three design installations that show how form and form-making can signify something meaningful in an urban space.”

“Our exhibition is a collaborative effort between our partners that includes a design sculpture that represents the once prominent Detroit African-American music venues the Phelps, Apex Bar, and Blue Bird, transformed into a hybrid shape and showcase in an urban farm landscape,” Farges explained.

Phelps Lounge and Apex Bar were popular institutions nestled on Oakland Avenue, the North End’s main business thoroughfare. The Blue Bird Inn, which was located on the city’s west side on Tireman Road, was a hot spot for jazz.

Although their doors were open longer, each venue’s heyday was during the 1950s and 1960s.

“Out of Site’s” second exhibit is

known as “Mothership,” which is a futuristic designed spaceship inspired by George Clinton. Mothership is a “symbol of mobility, transformation, and a catalyst for social change in the North End community,” Sirota said.

The third exhibit is a “triumphal institutional arch” made of interlocking pieces of local architecture, elements of contemporary arts, famous costumes, and flora.

For more information about O.N.E. Mile Project Detroit’s Oakland North End Mile Project: www.onemile.us and Akoaki www.akoaki.com

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March 22-28, 2017

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

Faith is the first factor in life devoted to service.

Whitout it, nothing is possible. With it, nothing is impossible..

-Mary McLeod

Bethune

HELP WANTED

Social Media Teachers are increasingly communicating with students and parents over social media, whether it is tweeting updates about today’s lesson or field trip or using Pinterest to share ideas and student work.

Seventy-one percent of teens use more than one social media site already, according to recent Pew research. However getting comfortable using these tools in a more formal capacity can have real world implications for students, as more industries and professions require social media proficiency.

Making Music Students and teachers of music know the varied benefits of a high-quality arts education. Learning music can help develop math and pattern

Seeking

Seeking

Tutoring Center

Student Affairs

University Technology Services – Network Support

Two positions available – These positions will improve support of student learning, persistence and success through the programs offered in the Tutoring Center.

Minimum qualifications: Positions require a Bachelor’s Degree or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience.

Each position requires a background in teaching/instructing preferably in an academic area in a higher education setting.

At least 2-3 years’ experience working in a post-secondary academic support center.

Salary commensurate with education and experience.

Refer to online posting for additional qualifications and requirements. First consideration will be given to those who apply by March 30, 2017.

Must apply on line to: https://jobs.oakland.edu

Research, implement, support, and maintain divisional systems and software. Identify, document, and develop process improvements within the Division of Student Affairs. Oversee operations of the Student Affairs Helpdesk and ensure proper training of student staff as directed by Student Affairs IT Director.

Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems, Information Technology, Computer Science, Business or equivalent work experience. One year experience in IT helpdesk operations installing and maintaining computer hardware, software or related equipment. Demonstrated ability to learn a variety of technical tools to achieve outcomes. Salary is commensurate with education and experience.

Refer to online positing for additional position requirements. First consideration will be given to those who apply by March 27, 2017.

Must apply on line to: https://jobs.oakland.edu

WWW.MICHIGANCHRONICLE.COM

recognition skills, increase coordination and foster left brain development, according to the National Association for Music Education. Be sure your tools of the trade are up to the task.

For students learning to play a keyboard, be sure their instrument features the same sound quality as a traditional piano, but with the additional benefits a higher-tech option brings.

For example, the Privia PX-160 from Casio, an 88-key digital piano that boasts the sound of a 9-foot concert grand, features left and right audio outputs, making it easy to connect to other devices for external amplification or recording purposes. Additional features include dual headphone jacks, 18 authentic piano tones, duet mode, a USB port and a two-track recorder. Whether you are outfitting a home or a classroom with musical instruments, additional information can be found at CasioMusicGear.com.

Noise Canceling Headphones Peace and quiet are not always available during crunch time, particularly for students with many siblings, or college students living in a dorm room. Help scholars achieve greater serenity with a good set of noise canceling headphones that don’t compromise the quality of the audio.

Classroom Revamp Many schools are looking to go green and save some money while upgrading technology. By combining a laser and LED light source, Casio’s LampFree projectors are a unique, high-brightness, mercury-free tool that uses half the amount of power per unit than its traditional lamp-based counterparts. They save educators time and money because they require minimal maintenance and eliminate the cost of replacement lamps, as they have a 20,000 hour lifespan.

The XJ-F210WN model features Intelligent Light Control, which senses ambient light in the room and automatically adjusts the projection brightness accordingly. This can be particularly beneficial to teachers, who may be using their projectors in classrooms with a lot of natural sunlight.

You can help make the school year feel new again with educational tools that revamp learning.

cooking, all gardening projects require some aftercare. So, if you have a busy schedule, choose crops that will tolerate less watering and feeding.”

Flower Arranging While your flower garden is likely a beautiful work of art in and of itself, you can spread the joy by harvesting your flora and bringing the beauty indoors. Floral arrangements add vitality to any interior space.

“For me, every arrangement starts with the container. Think about what mood or style you want to evoke, and remember, anything can be a container as long as it can be made watertight,” says Rachel Siegfried,” author of “The Flower Book: Natural Flower Arrangements for Your Home,” which explores 60 flowers, bloom-bybloom in portraiture, including quick-reference profiles and tips.

Siegfried recommends that, when selecting flowers for your arrangement, pay attention to shapes, textures and colors to achieve good balance. Start with a primary focal flower and build out with a couple of secondary focals, a final flourish, and foliage.

For her part, she relies on instinct. “I get a ‘buzz’ when I find a good combination,” she says.

From flowering bouquets to spicy pepper plants, apply creativity to your gardening this spring.

NETWORK ENGINEER I AT OAKLAND UNIVERSITY

SYSTEMS & DATA ANALYST AT OAKLAND UNIVERSITY

PROGRAM COORDINATOR AT OAKLAND UNIVERSITY

Creative gardening tips for the spring season (StatePoint) Gardeners often focus on the science of their hobby: how much water and sunlight their plants need and how to improve soil quality and keep pests at bay. But there can be a lot of artistry behind the craft as well -- from how you harvest and enjoy flowers to how you convert unused spaces of your home into a viable indoor edible garden.

Put your creativity to good use this spring season by gardening with style.

Indoor Gardening For those who don’t have an outdoor garden or yard, the dream of enjoying your own freshly picked fruits and vegetables may seem out of reach. However, the nooks and crannies of your home can be creatively rendered into productive growing zones. And experts say that nearly all homes can support indoor gardening.

“Whatever the size of your home, there will be a selection of edible plants you can grow indoors, as long as you have some natural daylight filtering in,” says Zia Allaway, author of “Indoor Edible Garden: Creative Ways to Grow Herbs, Fruit and Vegetables in Your Home.” “The areas where plants will grow can be windowsills, beneath a skylight or even in a dark, unlit area if you install grow lights.”

In “Indoor Edible Garden,” a highly visual guide full of practical tips and stylish ideas, Allaway offers step-by-step directions for everything from creating suspended shelves and hanging jars for growing herbs to mounting edible orchids onto bark and displaying them on walls.

She points out that those embarking on indoor gardening should first evaluate the level of time they can commit.

“Just remember that unlike other projects in the home, such as decorating and

HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

Seeking

Mid-Year motivation for students and educators (StatePoint) The school year can seem long for students and educators alike. However, a mid-year infusion of new technology and tools can provide just the motivation needed to ace the rest of the year.

Here are several tools and technologies that can pave the way to better, more enthusiastic learning at home and in the classroom.

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Join an experienced network team in this exciting opportunity to gain experience as a Network Engineer. University Technology Services supports wired and wireless data and voice networks for the entire campus. This position provides support for the operation of the University’s data and telecommunications network.

Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Telecommunications, Networking, or closely related field, or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience. Some experience in troubleshooting or installing network configurations on local computers or network devices.

Willingness to be flexible in work schedules.

Salary commensurate with education and experience.

See on line positing for additional position requirements. First consideration will be given to those who apply by March 27, 2017.

Must apply on line to: https://jobs.oakland.edu

PROFESSIONAL HELP WANTED

Seeking

ADMINISTRATIVE SECRETARY (PART-TIME) AT OAKLAND UNIVERSITY Development & Alumni Relations

Provide responsible secretary services and operational office assistance. Minimum Qualifications: High school graduation or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Three years progressively responsible secretarial experience. Ability to select, assemble and organize data & edit reports, perform general bookkeeping/ clerical accounting. Ability to effectively interact with the public, students, faculty, and staff. Ability to compose routine correspondence and to use a personal computer for intermediate word processing, spreadsheet and data base applications.

This is a part-time position working 20 hours per week. Salary is $19,847.00 annually.

See online posting for additional position requirements. First consideration will be given to those who apply by March 31, 2017.

Must apply on line to: https://jobs.oakland.edu

PROFESSIONAL HELP WANTED

Senior Software Engineer Connected Car General Motors, Detroit, MI. Gather reqmts, perform, &execute full lifecycle Vehicle Service Mgmt System &Over the Air (OTA) reflash applications dvlpmt incldg vehicle modules &feature functionality on passenger vehicles, using Java/J2EE, Oracle, Mysql, AngularJS, &Ajax. Perform software, code &reqmts analysis, software review, identification of code metrics, system risk, software reliability &OOPS analysis, &aspect oriented programming.

Mentor younger dvlpmt teams, &review software being dvlpd to ensure the highest standards in code qlty, performance, security, &overall delivery to reqmts.

Collaborate with Software Architects to contribute to multilayered software solution architecture &drive design framework alignment. Dvlp, design &unit test software applications. Master, Information Technology, Computer Science, or related.

6 mos exp as Software Developer, Computer Programmer, or related, gathering reqmts &executing &supporting full lifecycle vehicle diagnostic data collection sys &OTA reflash applications dvlpmt, using Java, Oracle &Ajax. Mail resume to Ref#2875, GM Global Mobility, 300 Renaissance Center, MC:482-C32D44, Detroit, MI 48265.

Group Leader, Body in White (BIW) Shop

Group Leader, Body in White (BIW) Shop, Warren, MI, General Motors. Supervise, validate &execute manufacturability of new BIW Shop prototype assembly processes &material flow, tooling (such as stamping &machining), eqpt (such as weld guns, hemming dies, self-piercing rivets, &flow drill screws), &fixtures (such as BIW assembly &subassembly mfg fixtures), cell layouts, &manpower capabilities &reqmts, &to create a safe &ergonomic work environment, for current &future global passenger vehicles &architectures. Follow prototype production schedules, assist in executing business plan for pre-production area. Supervise &train group of 33 bargaining unit employees producing prototype bodysides, &framing underbody structures with body side panels, in low volume pre-production environment.

Supervise assembly &implement flexible robotic cells (framer processes) for full BIW sys in prototype pre-production low volume assembly line. Use qlty reports to improve &solve parts dimensional qlty issues to meet high qlty standards at integration prototype phase &support qlty execution teams in processes &product design changes decisions. Bachelor, Mechanical Engrg, Manufacturing Engrg or related. 12 mos exp as Manufacturing Engr or related, engrg &executing BIW Shop prototype assembly processes, tooling (stamping &machining), eqpt (weld guns), &fixtures, &manpower capabilities &reqmts, for new vehicles. Mail resume to Ref#45929, GM Global Mobility, 300 Renaissance Center, MC:482-C32-D44, Detroit, MI 48265.

IT PAYS TO ADVERTISE IN THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

WWW.MICHIGANCHRONICLE.COM

Storage Engineer

Warren, MI, General Motors Company.

Perform operational support for 10PB storage allocation, resolving storage incidents, evaluating team member scripts, reporting on storage hardware, &performing regular capacity planning.

Execute scripts for storage allocation on hardware such as EMC Vmax, Vplex, XtremIO, DMX-­4/DMX-­3, CX3-­80 using symcli &Unisphere, create hyper mapping Luns, Lun masking, &configure RAID groups on Clariion LUN. Configure Zoning &troubleshoot storage &host related issues. Engr storage hardware for capacity to ensure storage provisioning, efficiency &maintenance. Desg SRDF/S (Symmetrix Remove Data Facility Synchronous) &Timefinder Clone/Snap on production sys for disaster recovery meeting RTO (Recovery time objectives) &RPO (Recovery Point Objectives) for SAP. Master, Computer Science, Information Systems, or related. 6 mos exp as Storage Administrator, Storage Engr or related, executing scripts for storage allocation on hardware such as EMC Vmax &Vplex using symcli &Unisphere, &creating Lun masking, or related. Mail resume to Ref#3493, GM Global Mobility, 300 Renaissance Center, MC:482-­C32-­D44, Detroit, MI 48265.

Battery Lifecycle Manager

Warren, MI, General Motors Company.

Dvlp overall battery lifecycle strategies incldg root cause analysis of returned material, advanced service strategies, refurbishment for vehicle &non-vehicle use &recycling logistics &technology. Assign 2 engrs daily work tasks to design, build &test technologies to enable use of large format automotive lithium ion batteries in non-automotive applications to extend useful life. Apply DFSS to design robust battery control systems. Engr, refine &continuously improve electronic Battery Management Systems (BMSs) incldg controls, wiring &circuit protection, to use in stationary applications. Analyze battery system safety applying DFMEA, hazard analysis based on ISO26262, electronic creepage &clearance, circuit protection analysis. Program data analysis tools in MATLAB allowing telemetry data from energy storage units to be processed.

Mentor engineers in high voltage battery safety procedures &practices. Create refurbishment processes, procedures &engrg reqmts that allow returned battery material to be repaired, updated &placed back into service. Master, Electrical or Electronics Engrg, or related Interdisciplinary Engrg. 12 mos exp as Engineer, engrg, refining &continuously improving electronic BMSs incldg controls, wiring &circuit protection, to use in stationary non-automotive applications.

Mail resume to Ref#3493, GM Global Mobility, 300 Renaissance Center, Mail Code 482-C32-D44, Detroit, MI 48265.

Senior Big Data Engineer

General Motors, Detroit, MI. Use Hadoop platform &Kafka, HBASE, Hive &Spark to perform Big Data analysis incldg complete vehicle prognostics &diagnostics. Design, &optimize infotainment Customer Relationship Mgmt, Provisioning &Vehicle Diagnostics Systems, &Billing &Revenue mgmt business processes. Mentor, train &lead internal customers &colleagues in dvlpg &deploying emerging technologies for business use cases. Perform Data Mgmt using InfoSphere Information Server Product Suite (incldg Information Governance Catalog) for automotive telematics platforms. Perform Data Replication using Oracle Golden Gate &InfoSphere Change Data Delivery. Use large scale database platforms such as Hadoop, Teradata, IBM Big Insights, &Oracle ExaData. Dvlp BI reports using Cognos for automotive telematics platforms. Install, configure Information Server suite on Redhat, Suse &Oracle Enterprise Linux servers. Master, Computer Science, Computer Science &Engrg, or Information Systems. 36 mos exp as Sr Application Architect, Solution Architect, Big Data Engr, or related, performing Data Mgmt using InfoSphere Information Server Product Suite for automotive telematics platforms, &Data Replication using Oracle Golden Gate &InfoSphere Change Data Delivery. Will accept bachelor’s or foreign equiv degree, in Computer Science, Computer Science and Engineering, or Information Systems, followed by at least 5 yrs of progressive exp in the specialty, in lieu of required education &exp. Will also accept any equally suitable combination of education, training, &/or experience which would qualify applicant to perform job offered.

Mail resume to Ref#2251, GM Global Mobility, 300 Renaissance Center, MC:482-C32-D44, Detroit, MI 48265.

praise connection The Power of Prayer

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

March 22-28, 2017 Page D-5

Eddie Lou Nathan Ciers Services for Eddie Lou Nathan Ciers were held on Saturday, Feb. 11, at Hartford Memorial Baptist Church with Dr. Charles G. Adams officiating. Mrs. Ciers passed away on Feb. 6, 2017.

By Dorma McGruder All of us are not called to the same thing. But we are all called to something! Listen to the conversation God is having with you. Don’t seek justification, approval, permission for what God gives you to do. In ministry, business, academics, personal choices, counsel is valuable, but don’t let it remove your vision.

Use your prayer power to invite God’s counsel and strength. He gifted and called you to do that very different thing that He wanted only you to do.

Eddie Lou Nathan Ciers was born on Nov. 22, 1916 in Dayton, Alabama, the fourth of the seven children of Richard and Lula Banks Nathan. She graduated from Linden Academy School.

While visiting a relative in Birmingham, Alabama, she met Isaac Ciers and they married in June of 1944, moved to Detroit, and had five children, Isaac, Jr., Margaret Katrina, Shirley Ann, Beatrice and Don Collous.

Mrs. Ciers, who was very active in the community, received a two-year certificate from the Institute of Labor and Industrial relations, and a social worker license from the State of Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulation. She subsequently worked for the City of Detroit on the Mayor’s Committee for Human Resources Development.

I learned that my calling is not wrong because it is different from what others see or hear. God gave mine to me just like He gave yours to you. You have the right to stand alone with God and know you will accomplish your purpose. When this happens do your best and keep your mind on your walk and purpose. When you get to a place where you are uncertain, Prayer Power! My personal experiences proved those who condemn me need and benefit the most from what God called me to do.

Daniel, Deborah, Nehemiah, Peter, Justice Thurgood Marshall, President Obama, Dr. Mae Jemison, parents, teachers, poets, artists, musicians, writers, inventors, were all called to something never done before. We need all of it and reap the benefit of their courage. I challenge us to do this week what we know God has called us to do, ignore those who say it can’t be done then watch the blessings.

Dorma McGruder 313-282-3382 www.dormamcgruder.com

Mrs. Ciers, a devoted Christian and church-goer, was a kind, loving person and made an impact on many lives.

Cherishing the memory of Eddie Lou Nathan Ciers are her children, Isaac Ciers, Jr., Margaret Katrina Cunningham, Shirley Johnson, Beatrice Clark and Con Collous Ciers; two adopted sons, Richard Kendred and Raymond Kendred; and many other relatives and friends.

New Salem Missionary Baptist Church 18th Pastoral Anniversary In top photo, standing from left are Pastor Kevin Johnson, First Lady Deborah Johnson and Linda E. Swanson, vice president, Swanson Funeral Home. Seated is Dr. Helen Hines Johnson. In bottom photo, seated are Julia Heney (left) and Lynese Davis. Standing from left are Pastor Kevin Johnson, First Lady Deborah Johnson and Linda E. Swanson.

principals, and police were quick to bring out a switch, paddle, and billy club to put fear to any thoughts of saying another word. And if you risked saying another word the reaction was often, “You don’t have a say in the matter,” even when the matter was about you.

Churchfolk were quick to whip out a Scripture to put you in check, particularly the one that reads, “Obedience is better than sacrifice.”

At some point in my SpiritRealm/Love Journey, I began to ask from

Spiritually Speaking:

Faith is a verb

By James Washington The Dallas Weekly

Interment took place at Woodlawn Cemetery.

Gene Curtis Jones, Sr. was born in Mogg, Kentucky on Dec. 27, 1927, the third of the six children of Ester Jones and Willie L. Jones.

He was raised in Nashville and moved to Detroit.

Lt. Commander (RET) USN Chaplain Corps

Growing up in a fundamentalist, Jim Crow North (unspoken, invisible signs of segregation), and the aftermath of the World War II and post Great Depression environment, parents,

Services for Gene Curtis Jones, Sr. were held at Corinthian Baptist Church with Rev. Wayne B. Little officiating. Mr. Jones passed away on Jan. 27, 2017.

Chaplain Pj “Wisdom” Anderson, D.Min.

You may think that the situation is hopeless, but God gives us more grace when we turn away from our own interests. That’s why Scripture says, God opposes the proud, but He pours out grace on the humble.

Swanson Funeral Home handled the arrangements.

Gene Curtis Jones, Sr.

This is the year of spirit holy presence and awareness James 4:6 The Voice (VOICE)

your behavior, your obedience, your principles and integrity must shine through. Perfection may be impossible, but serious effort is not only possible, it’s mandatory.

You’ve got to give it your best shot each and every day. You can and will fall short, but it shouldn’t be for lack of effort. I forget who said, if you try you might fail. But if you don’t try, you’re guaranteed to fail.

Please note that God requires effort.

Scripture says you should live your life in such a way that those around you can see the Jesus in you. “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16) I know that sounds good.

But what does it really mean?

The only explanation that works for me is the one that Allow me to talks about testify about service, i.e. James Washington what I know to doing something in the be true. My Bible says the name of the Lord. I still closer we come to Jesus, believe faith is a verb. the more we experience We all know no one the blessings of God. And can live a perfect life. But why wouldn’t we? After it shouldn’t take a district all, those are Jesus’ footattorney’s cross-examina- prints in the snow. The tion to figure out where path to righteousness is a person is coming from. clear. The goal is simple.

The man who professes Be in right relationship to love Jesus shouldn’t with God. “But seek first be okay with cheating on His kingdom and His his wife, be content with righteousness and all a life of crime, or rational- things will be given you ize illicit sex, drugs and as well.” (Matthew 6:33) satanic rock and roll. If This “seeking” to me has so, then the Lord cannot always meant working be your leader, nor Christ in some capacity. Jesus your example. We’ve all said, “As long as it is day, done it to some degree, we must do the work of but at some point in your Him who sent me.” (John supposed walk with God, 9:4)

Chaplain Pamelajune Anderson within, “Who did the writing, what is the culture or persuasion of the writer, what was going on in their community, how does it apply to today’s community of faith, does all Scripture apply to every community for all times?” I discovered that God appreciates and is open to our inquiries.

Never has God said to me, “Because I said so.”

As important as the afterlife may be, what seems more important is to understand the relationship between divinity and humanity in the here and now, between the letter of the law and the spirit of the law.

I marvel at God’s grace.

And, by God’s grace, I

ceased repeating somebody else’s theology. Instead, I continually listen to hear what Spirit Holy is saying today, in today’s language, in today’s context. We have no turtle doves, livestock or grain with which to negotiate the balance between obedience and sacrifice. The goal is to be obedient to daily walk the walk, meditate day and night, pray without ceasing, and seek first God-rightness.

By this obedience God promises beauty for ashes. By this obedience you shall walk and not be weary. You shall run and not faint. By this obedience no weapons formed against me can prosper.

By this obedience “do justice, love mercy, walk humbly before God.” By this obedience call things that be not as though they are. By this obedience…

Mr. Jones served four years in the U.S. Army, and later married Florence Drumwright. They were blessed with two children, Gene Curtis Jones, Jr. and Jewell M. Jones. He worked in several small factories as a crane operator and was also employed as a truck driver for Usher Oil and retired as a public school bus driver.

Cherishing the memory of Gene Curtis Jones, Sr. are his wife, Florence; children, Albert Jones, Curtis Jones and Jewell M. Jones; a sister, Floretta Washington; and many other relatives and friends.

Swanson Funeral Home handled the arrangements.

Interment took place at Grandlawn Cemetery.

Julia Mae McQueen

Services for Julia Mae McQueen were held on Thursday, Feb. 23, at St. John’s Christian Methodist Episcopal Church with Rev. Dr. Claude A. Bass officiating. Mrs. McQueen passed away on Feb.14, 2017.

Julia Mae McQueen was born in Greenville, South Carolina on Sept. 8, 1913 to Florence Evans and James Davis Kerns. In 1927, she relocated to Detroit.

She had her own hand laundry business and additional employment came due to her cooking skills. Mrs. McQueen was very active in the church.

She married William James McQueen in 1959.

Cherishing the memory of Julia Mae McQueen are many relatives and friends.

Swanson Funeral Home handled the arrangements.

Please for veterans, American and coalition service members, their families and especially their children Join us on Facebook at LifeinSpirit and Space for Grace Fellowship United Church of Christ.

Teretha Maria Moore

On Saturday, March 11, services were held for Teretha Maria Moore at Glad Tidings Church of God in Christ with Dr. Robert D. Taylor, Sr. officiating. Mrs. Moore passed away on Feb. 25, 2017.

Teretha Maria Moore was born on Sept. 4, 1941 to James Sr. and Dessie Mae Allums McDay in Miden, Louisiana, the sixth of eleven children. After graduation from Webster High School, she attended college for a while.

She later married J.D. Moore and they were blessed with two children, Jarvis D. Moore and Shewanna P. Moore. They moved to Detroit in the early 1960s.

A devout Christian and churchwoman, Mother Moore was known for her warm and giving spirit and she touched many people with love throughout her lifetime. In addition to her spiritual activities, for 13 years she served as a nurse’s assistant.

Interment took place at Gethsemane Cemetery.

Shirley Mae Reed

On Wednesday, Feb. 22, services for Shirley Mae Reed were held at Bethel Church of the Apostolic Faith with Elder John M. Lucas officiating. Mrs. Reed passed away on Feb. 15, 2017.

Shirley Mae Reed was the second child born to Hargie and Omie Mulligan on Sept. 29, 1936 in Detroit. She was married to Sebren Reed, Jr. for 57 years and they were blessed with three children, Darrell, Jacqueline and Anita.

Mrs. Reed graduated from Eastern High School in1953 and was employed in the medical industry for many years, retiring from the Detroit Medical Center.

She enjoyed cooking, watching old cowboy movies, listening to music, traveling and going to the casino.

Cherishing the memory of Shirley Mae Reed are her children, Darrell A. Reed, Jacqueline C. Reed and Anita J. Reed; siblings, William Mulligan and Naomi Mitchell; and many other relatives and friends.

Swanson Funeral Home handled the arrangements.

Interment took place at Forest Lawn Cemetery.

The memory of Teretha Maria Moore are being cherished by her husband, J.D. Moore; children, Jarvis D. Moore and Shewanna P. Moore; three sisters, Dorothy J. Dixon, Gertrude Smith and Sandra K. Reddrick; and many other relatives and friends.

Arrangements were handled by Clora Funeral Home.

Interment took place at Roseland Park Cemetery.

PRAISE

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PRAISE CONNECT Contact us at: 313.963.5522

Page D-6 • THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE • March 22-28, 2017

2017 Installation Service for Rev. Dr. DeeDee Coleman of Russell Street Missionary Baptist Church