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Volume 80 – Number 19

January 18-24, 2017

Bishop Jackson to deliver benediction at Donald Trump’s inauguration

By Donald James Special to the Chronicle

Bishop Wayne T. Jackson, senior pastor of Great Faith Ministries International in Detroit, made national and international news recently when he accepted an invitation to deliver the benediction at Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony. The event, which will be held on Friday, Jan. 20, will swear in Trump as the nation’s 45th president.

THANK YO U.

Jackson, who is also founder, owner and CEO of The Impact Network, the country’s only black-owned Christian television network, will join other national faith leaders and participants at the inauguration.

By Keith A. Owens Senior Editor

The truth? We can’t even begin to imagine how much we’re going to miss him as the leader of our nation. Yet. But we’re about to find out.

Bishop Wayne T. Jackson Joining Jackson are Rev. Franklin Graham (Samaritan’s Purse), Cardinal Timothy Dolan (the Catholic archbishop of New York), Pastor Paula White (New Destiny Christian Center), Rabbi Marvin Hier (dean and founder of the Simon Wiesenthal Center), and Rev. Samuel Rodriguez (National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference).

Jackson recently spoke with the Chronicle about his role at the inauguration.

MC — You’ve been invited by President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration committee to deliver the benediction at his swearing in ceremony. Describe what it means to you to have been invited to give the benediction.

WTJ — It’s a great honor

See JACKSON page A-4

WHAT’S INSIDE

JAZZ See page D-1

$1.00

Ultimately it will be up to historians, who tend to rely on actual facts and evidence, to determine an accurate ranking for President Barack Hussein Obama when compared to other great presidents who accomplished great things in their time such as Lincoln, FDR and Johnson.

But to suggest that Obama was anything less than a great president is to flat out ignore the facts, the evidence and reality.

The execution of Osama Bin Laden. The rescue of The Big Three auto companies. The rescue of the entire U.S. economy from meltdown. The historic passage of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare).

That’s just for starters, and all during his first term, but those four alone are enough all by themselves.

So no, not one of the greatest black presidents, because there were none before he showed up. President Obama was one of the greatest. Period. Maybe not the absolute greatest, but certainly he deserves to be counted among that relatively small number who will be remembered for the

outstanding contributions made toward the protection and betterment of America in the face of overwhelming odds. Please note this does not set him apart as anything close to a perfect individual, or as a president who did not make his share of mistakes. He certainly did, and some of them were not small.

But in the end, there was far more to be admired in the plus column than in the negative. Even with his mistakes, Obama’s intent was always to make this country

better for all Americans, which included those who hated him the most. He said it best during his farewell speech, delivered on Tuesday, Jan. 10, in his hometown of Chicago: “It falls to each of us to be those anxious, jealous guardians of our democracy, to embrace the joyous task we’ve been given to continually try to improve this great nation of ours. Because for all our

See THANK

YOU page A-4

Yes We Can…Yes He Did… The 44th President of the United States of America

The Barack Hussein Obama Story

By Donald James

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” — President Barack Obama Nov. 4, 2008 proved to be more than just another day of a presidential election in America. It was a historic, epic, an almost surreal day, one this country had never seen before. When national news outlets filed their respective stories pertaining to the presidential election, the entire world learned

See PRESIDENT

OBAMA page A-4

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THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

January 18-24, 2017

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Upcoming meetings for DDOT service changes effective Jan. 28, second phase of major service expansion DDOT will hold service change meetings next week to present final changes effective Jan. 28, 2017. These changes come as the second phase of a major service expansion which began in September of 2016. Additional enhancements will take effect in April.

The January service changes will affect five existing DDOT bus routes and three brand new direct/express routes will be added to service. In 2016, six major DDOT routes added 24-hour service, now three additional routes will add 24hour service this month. Those routes will include #25 Jefferson, #37 Michigan and #48 Van Dyke/Lafayette. DDOT also brought back express bus service last year with the addition of the #95 Ryan Express and the #96 Joy Express. This month, DDOT will expand on the direct/ express route concept with three brand new routes that allow for faster connections between neighborhoods and major

activity centers. The new routes are #80 Villages Direct, #89 Southwest Direct and #92 Rosedale Express.

Butzel Recreation Center – 7737 Kercheval, Detroit MI 48214

days

“Last year, we made tremendous improvements to service,” said Dan Dirks, DDOT Director. “We look forward to continuing those efforts in 2017 and beyond, as we make service more reliable and add new innovative routes.”

(#80 Villages Direct) The following list details the January Service Changes

24-hour service on all days

#22 Greenfield Earlier morning and later night service on all days

#48 Van Dyke/Lafayette Minor evening frequency improvements on weekdays #80 Villages Direct

The January service change meetings will be held on the following dates in neighborhoods along the new direct/ express routes:

More frequent evening service on weekdays

New route from East Jefferson, East Lafayette neighborhoods directly to DMC, Wayne State, New Center, Henry Ford Hospital

#25 Jefferson

Operates Weekday Peak Hours

24-hour service on all days

#89 Southwest Direct

Thursday, January 19, 2017

More frequent morning and mid-day service on weekdays #32 McNichols

New route from various Southwest neighborhoods directly to Wayne State, New Center, Henry Ford Hospital Operates Weekday Peak Hours

(Central Location)

Earlier morning service westbound and later night service eastbound on weekdays

#92 Rosedale Express

Thursday, January 19, 2017

#37 Michigan

5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

24-hour service on all days

New route from various Northwest neighborhoods to Downtown via I-96

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Rosa Parks Transit Center – 1310 Cass Ave., Detroit, MI 48226

Significant frequency improvements on all

2017-18 U-M CEW scholarship application deadline is Feb. 15 The U-M CEW Scholarship Application for the 2017-18 school year is now available online.

CEW Scholarship applicants must be attending the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, Flint or Dearborn campuses) during the year for which the scholarship is awarded.

Interested students can apply for admission to U-M and the CEW Scholarship concurrently. Eligible candidates include undergraduate, graduate, and professional students who are primary caregivers or whose education has been interrupted.

For complete eligibility criteria and more information, visit cew.umich. edu/services/scholar or email cew-scholarships@ umich.edu.

To apply, visit mcom-

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pass.umich.edu and search under the funding tab “CEW: Scholarship Program.” Awards range from $1,000 to $10,000, with some larger amounts awarded. Applications are due February 15th, 2017.

The CEW Scholarship Program, which today serves women and nontraditional students, was established in 1970 to honor the academic performance and potential of women whose education had been interrupted, and to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the admission of women to the University of Michigan.

Thanks to the generosity of individuals, organizations, clubs, and foundations, CEW has awarded nearly 1,700

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scholarships since 1970.

CEW Scholarship Awards are invaluable; they often make the difference between completing a degree or not for many students at the University of Michigan. CEW at the University of Michigan advances diversity and inclusion by serving as a resource, voice, and advocate to empower women and nontraditional students. CEW provides immediate and ongoing services and financial support needed to ensure educational success and degree completion. Women and nontraditional students are CEW’s primary constituency, but all students are welcome.

CEW also serves those who encounter education and career obstacles based on their non-linear paths to, and experiences within, the University community.

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For all news and calendar items: Deadline is two weeks prior to event.

Weeks that contain holidays, dead­line is Thursday prior to publication date.

Notice: Prevent Home Foreclosure. The Wayne County Treasurer’s Office 2017 show cause hearings are scheduled this January for all Wayne County property owners who have been notified of a pending foreclosure.

If you have received a show cause notice but are enrolled in a payment plan and have missed two or less payments, are current on your taxes, and will have your 2016 taxes paid by March 1, 2017, you do not have to attend.

For all others notified, you should plan to attend on the date and time provided in your notice. If you need more information, call 313-224-5990.

The show cause hearings will be held at the Wayne County Treasurer's Office, 8th Floor, at 400 Monroe in downtown Detroit.

The Wayne County Treasurer’s Office 2017 show cause hearings will be held January 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 24 and 25.

For more information, call 313-224-5990 or email us at info@waynecounty.com

Eric R. Sabree

Wayne County Treasurer

www.treasurer.waynecounty.com (313) 224-5950

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THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

January 18-24, 2016

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Detroit parents and educators reach settlement with school district Before the courts had a chance to rule, AFT Detroit, the Detroit Federation of Teachers, the Detroit Association of Educational Office Employees, and the Detroit Federation of Paraprofessionals), community members, parents and the American Federation of Teachers reached a settlement with the Detroit Public Schools Community District in a lawsuit filed last year over deplorable school conditions throughout the district. While not perfect, this agreement is the beginning of providing community residents, parents and educators with a fully accountable and transparent way to log and address building complaints and safety hazards.

“For almost a decade, students, parents and educators have been exposed to, and have fought, increasingly deplorable learning and working conditions in Detroit’s public schools. From rodents running across backpacks, to computer labs without access to the Internet, the students and families of De- Ivy Bailey troit have suffered enough at the hands of Gov. Rick Snyder and his handpicked emergency managers,” said AFT Randi Weingarten President Randi Weingarten. “Under this settlement and with the newly elected school board, the students and families of Detroit will finally have safe and welcoming public schools with the conditions necessary for learning,” Weingarten said. “It establishes a clear process to ensure health risks are identified, prioritized and remediated. This settlement is a result of parents, the community and AFT Detroit coming together and fighting for high quality public education.”

As part of the settlement, an oversight committee will be formed. This five-member committee — two members from DPSCD, one parent, one teacher and one nonteacher — will be responsible for enforcing the settlement agreement and will ensure that all building repair requests are handled promptly. The settlement provides a mechanism for enforcement that can compel the district to act on work orders logged by parents and educators. It also requires the district to generate a monthly maintenance report identifying every work order request received and the status of each work order.

“This agreement brings Detroit closer to the great public schools the Detroit Federation of Teachers has been fighting for,” said DFT Interim President Ivy Bailey. “Beyond just educating our students, we have served as building maintenance, plumbers, pest control, bricklayers and even painters for our classrooms and our decaying school buildings. This settlement will finally allow us to turn the page and devote our time to educating and enriching the lives of our students and their families.

“It will provide the accountability and transparency necessary for ensuring the Detroit Public Schools Community District becomes the world-class system it should be. Coupled with our newly elected school board and the removal of the state-appointed emergency manager, this settlement will give parents and educators the resources necessary to advocate for their students and the communities they serve.”

DAEOE President Ruby Newbold, an AFT vice president, said, “Our school buildings should be enriching students, not making them sick. This legal settlement will finally create a pathway to improve school conditions and return the joy of teaching and learning to the classroom.”

“It’s a beautiful feeling,” said Christopher Robinson, a DPSCD parent and a plaintiff in the case. “This settlement gives us a tool to address any conditions that would pose a threat to our students and their educators. Finally, we are one step closer to getting our students the world-class education they deserve.”

Larry Patrick, a champion of Detroit’s youth February 8, 1945 – January 12, 2017

Michigan Chronicle Staff

Larry Patrick, one of Detroit’s best and brightest, and known largely for his tremendous contributions to Detroit Public Schools and to the education of young people in general, died on Jan. 12 after a brief illness.

Lawrence Clarence Patrick, Jr. was born in Detroit on Feb. 8, 1945, to Bishop Lawrence Clarence Patrick, Sr. and Ada Deborah Patrick. He was the fifth of seven children and the first son born to this union.

His parents and sisters, Patricia McIntosh, Helen Gibson Smith and Lynette Bond preceded him in death.

Patrick was educated in the Detroit Public Schools and attended Alger Elementary School, Hutchins Junior High School and Cass Technical High School where he completed the challenging Chemical Biological curriculum and graduated in 1963.

He credited his experiences as a student at Cass Tech and its culture of excellence with setting the trajectory of his lifelong commitment to education, community service and leadership.

He began his undergraduate studies at Wayne State University. While managing community ties, business ventures, and working for the United States Postal Service in 1965, his son, Ronald Lawrence White, was born.

It would take only two years of studies at Wayne State for Lawrence to earn a bachelor’s degree in Speech and Psychology. He excelled at debate and received many awards and accolades for academic performance and leadership, including the David Mackenzie Honor Award for academic excellence and community service. But his greatest achievement — which would also prove to be the most profound experience of his time at Wayne State — was meeting his lifelong love, Raynona.

With his sights set on a career in law, Patrick started at Harvard Law School in 1972. He and Raynona were married on June 23, 1973, and moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts. While there, Patrick, along with his close friend and colleague, Joseph Smith, co-founded the Harvard Black Law Students Association. He won the Board

of Governors Scholarship and the Dwight D. Eisenhower Scholarship and graduated from Harvard Law School in 1975. He was admitted to the Michigan Bar the same year. He then began his career as an attorney at Honigman, Miller, Schwartz, and Cohn in 1975 and later started his own law firm, Patrick, Reid, and Lewis.

The Patricks moved back to Detroit with their newborn son, Lawrence III. One year and three days later, their second son, Joseph would be born, followed by daughters, Ayana and Goldi.

For more than 40 years, through public, civic and charitable service, Patrick was committed to improving and uplifting the lives of others. He was the vice chairman and the first black member of the Michigan Transportation Commission, following appointment by Governor William G. Milliken in 1979, where he served until 1984.

He also served as chairman of the Wayne County Social Services Board.

Patrick was elected twice to the Detroit Board of Education, first in 1988, as the ‘P’ in the HOPE Team, where he served as president for three years. As one of the founders of the charter school movement, his groundbreaking and innovative work in education contributed to the creation of many new schools and opportunities for the children of Detroit.

Patrick was recognized as a nationally acclaimed education reform expert and in addition to testifying before Congress, he was interviewed on CNN, “Good Morning America” and “Nightline,” among other programs. His writings and speeches have been published in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, USA Today and the Washington Post. A collection of documents pertaining to his school reform work was selected to be included in the Bentley Historical Library at the University of Michigan. A staunch advocate for parental choice and freedom for teachers and school leaders to make decisions at the school level, his ideas continue to shape the design of education policy and legislation across the country.

As a native Detroiter, Lawrence Patrick was always committed to his community.

He played a prominent leadership role in

a number of community organizations, including the Golightly Parent Organization, Booker T. Washington Business Association, Cranbrook Educational Community Board of Governors and Michigan Future.

He also served as chairman of many organizations throughout his long career of service, including Detroit 2000, Black United Fund, Northend CDC, Wayne County Social Services Board, the Wolverine Bar Association and the Harvard Law School Black Alumni Association.

Although he served in many groups during his lifetime, the organization that was most dear to his heart was the Cass Tech Alumni Association, evidenced by his longtime service as board chair and his role as founder of the CTAA Annual Golf Outing and the recently approved Male Mentoring Program. He was very proud of his alma mater and at every graduation was known for saying, “There are only two types of people in this world — those who graduated from Cass Tech and those who wanted to!”

Patrick was a remarkable leader in his family. Family always remained central in his life and this was illustrated by his close relationship to his siblings and extended family. He was a father figure to many, but had an especially close bond with his niece, Ada, whom he loved like a daughter.

In his own words, “My children represent my legacy. They, more than any other beings on this earth, reflect my values and beliefs. I must spend time with them, teaching them about themselves and about the living of life. A day should never pass that I do not remind them of my love for them and my belief in them.”

Lawrence Patrick died on Jan. 12, 2017, after a brief illness. To cherish his legacy and memories, he leaves the love of his life, wife Raynona; sons, Lawrence III and Joseph; daughters Ayana and Goldie; and son, Ronald Lawrence White; sister, Deborah Jean Blodger; brothers, Jerry and Harry; grandchildren, Ashley White, Catherine April Miller, Cadence S. Patrick, Lawrence IV, Joseph Patrick, Jr., Dejanah Patrick-Urrutia, and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Detroit selected as a Bloomberg Philanthropies Innovation Team city New multi-year grants will be awarded to help seven cities tackle tough issues and create better results for citizens Bloomberg Philanthropies has recognized the city of Detroit as a new member of its Innovation Team (I-team) program, which helps city halls drive bold innovation, change culture and tackle big problems to deliver better results for residents. Detroit was selected from a pool of municipalities with a demonstrated commitment to designing and delivering bold solutions to complex problems. Other cities selected for the global program include Be’er Sheva, Israel; Toronto, Canada, and Anchorage, Alaska; Austin, Texas; Baltimore, MD; Detroit, Michigan; and Durham; NC in the United States.

Currently in the third round of funding, the program will allow the City of Detroit to fund an in-house innovation team, or “I-Team,” to pioneer new ap-

gram is one of seven Government Innovation offerings at Bloomberg Philanthropies.

Government Innovation equips mayors and other city leaders with the tools and techniques they need to solve urban challenges and improve citizens’ lives.

Eligible cities with at least 100,000 residents and with mayors who have at least two years left in office were invited to apply for the current round of funding. proaches that improve the lives of residents. Innovation teams investigate complex local challenges, design solutions with clear goals, and rigorously measure progress to improve citizens’ lives.

“I am happy to welcome the Bloomberg Innovation team into our city to help create new ideas to better the lives of Detroiters across our city,” said Mayor Mike Duggan.”

Each city will be awarded up to $500,000 annually for up to three years. In addition to the grants, the city will receive robust implementation support and opportunities to exchange lessons learned and best practices with peers in other cities.

The I-Team will embark on their mission to design and deliver bold solutions for the city’s most challenging problems.

The Innovation Team pro-

More information about the Innovation Team program is available through the Bloomberg Philanthropies website.

Bloomberg Philanthropies' mission is to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organization focuses on five key areas for creating lasting change: public health, environment, education, government innovation and the arts.

news

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

January 18-24, 2017

Thank you

since he took office. That makes him the second best job creator, following Bill Clinton.

(The Balance, Jan. 2017)

From page A-1

Repealed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”: Ended 1990s-era restriction and formalized new policy allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military for the first time. (Washington Monthly, March/April 2012)

outward differences, we all share the same proud title: Citizen.

“Ultimately, that’s what our democracy demands. It needs you. Not just when there’s an election, not just when your own narrow interest is at stake, but over the full span of a lifetime. If you’re tired of arguing with strangers on the Internet, try to talk with one in real life.

If something needs fixing, lace up your shoes and do some organizing. If you’re disappointed by your elected officials, grab a clipboard, get some signatures, and run for office yourself.

Show up. Dive in. Persevere.

Sometimes you’ll win. Sometimes you’ll lose. Presuming a reservoir of goodness in others can be a risk, and there will be times when the process disappoints you. But for those of us fortunate enough to have been a part of this work, to see it up close, let me tell you, it can energize and inspire. And more often than not, your faith in America — and in Americans — will be confirmed.”

Increased Support for Veterans: With so many soldiers coming home from Iraq and Iran with serious physical and mental health problems, yet facing long waits for services, increased the 2010 Department of Veterans Affairs budget by 16 percent and 2011 budget by 10 percent. Also signed new GI bill offering $78 billion in tuition assistance over a decade, and provided multiple tax credits to encourage businesses to hire veterans. (Washington Monthly, March/April 2012) Passed Fair Sentencing Act: Signed 2010 legislation that reduces sentencing disparity between crack versus powder cocaine possession from 100/1 to 18/1. (Washington Monthly, March/April 2012) Provided Payment to Wronged Minority Farmers: In 2009, signed Claims Resolution Act, which provided $4.6 billion in funding for a legal settlement with black and Native American farmers who the government cheated out of loans and natural resource royalties in years past. (Washington Monthly, March/April 2012)

That sort of strength, grace, and optimism, exhibited after eight years of steady, non-stop resistance and hatred, much of it based solely on his race, is close to superhuman. Just so you know.

As a black man, only those of us who are black have any real clue of the kind of determination and miracle-working magic it took not only to get the job, and then to get the job done, but to keep that job.

Obama was — and is — proof positive that in most cases a black man still has to be able to run faster, jump higher and run through a series of burning buildings without even getting winded or warm before he will even be considered for the type of leadership position that someone like … well … Trump can get just by being rich, white

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and male.

Yeah, I said it. Because it’s true and you know it. The man had no leaks from his administration. No scandals. None.

He has a smile designed by a toothpaste commercial. A really good toothpaste commercial. He has a drop-dead gorgeous wife whom he adores and who adores him. And who also happens to be brilliant, probably as brilliant as he is, and is a Prince­ton graduate who also attended Harvard Law School

President Obama that, yes indeed, Barack Hussein Obama would become the 44th president of the United States of America. He was sworn in as president on January 20, 2009. Thus, for the first time since the birth of America in 1776, a black man would serve as commander-in-chief of the country’s highest office, and in the world’s most powerful position.

The Early Years Barack Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii on Aug. 4, 1961. His mother, Ann Durham, was white and hailed from Wichita, Kansas. His father, Barack Obama, Sr., was black and was from the Kenya, East Africa. The two met at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and soon married. They ultimately separated and divorced.

Obama’s mother would go on to meet and marry Lolo Soetoro, who was of Indonesian heritage. The couple, along with young Obama, moved to Indonesia where the future president attended grade school. The couple also gave birth to a daughter, Maya Soetoro-Ng. At the age of 10, Obama returned to the United States to live with his maternal grandparents in Hawaii.

After graduating from high school in 1979, Obama moved to Los Angeles where he enrolled at Occidental College.

Two years later he transferred to Columbia University in New York and majored in political science. He graduated in 1983, but not before his father was killed the year before in a car accident in Kenya. Obama’s mother died in 1995.

Following his days at Columbia, Obama worked as a research assistant for New York-based Business International Corporation, and as an activist with New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG), a consumer, environmental and government reform organization.

With the spirit of empowering the underserved taking a deeper root in his life, Obama accepted a job in Chicago as executive director of the Developing Communities Project. Through interfacing with local churches, Obama’s chief responsibilities were to organize job training programs, as well as fa-

and followed it up building a résumé that would make most folks gasp. Two beautiful, intelligent children. Great sense of humor. Extremely good-looking. Crazy charismatic. Oh yeah, and he was the first black president of the Harvard Law Review. Someone whom legal legend and Harvard Law School professor Lawrence Tribe once described as the best student he ever taught.

Etc., Etc., Etc. Name the last U.S. president

of your lifetime who can match that. Right. There are none.

Meanwhile, here are a few more accomplishments: International Climate Change Agreement: Obama led global efforts to reach the International Climate Agreement. It was negotiated in Paris on Dec. 12, 2015. (The Balance, Jan. 2017) Job Growth: Obama’s policies helped the country recover from the Great Recession.

He created 17.267 million jobs

It will be up to those of us who are willing to believe the evidence to fight for the preservation of President Obama’s legacy, and to protect it from the revisionists, because rest assured it will not be elevated to its rightful place on its own.

The preservation of Obama’s legacy will undoubtedly require a fight, especially if this country continues its steady slide over the cliff to the right.

But surely it is a fight worth waging.

From page A-1 cilitate tutoring and mentoring initiatives. Additionally, he was an advocate for tenant rights at the Altgeld Gardens Housing Project.

While Obama was making a positive difference in the Windy City, he felt that he could do even more powerful things to help the underserved. Thus, in 1988, he headed to Harvard Law School to become an attorney.

At Harvard, Obama served as editor of the Harvard Law Review and ultimately became its president. His ascension to president was the first time an African American had held the prestigious position since the publication began in 1887.

“The fact that I’ve been elected shows a lot of progress,” Obama said in a 1990 interview with the New York Times. “It’s encouraging, but it’s important that stories like mine aren’t used to say that everything is OK for blacks. You have to remember that for every one of me, there are hundreds or thousands of black students with at least equal talents who don’t get a chance.”

With Chicago always on his mind, Obama returned to the Windy City each summer, where he worked for a couple of local law firms, one of which was Sidley Austin. It was at Sidley Austin that Obama met his future wife, attorney Michelle LaVaughn Robinson. The two married in October 1992, a year after he received his JD degree from Harvard, where he graduated magna cum laude.

Mrs. Obama, a Chicago native, earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology with a minor in African American Studies, from Princeton University. She has a JD degree from Harvard Law School.

In the early 1990s, Barack Obama noticed the high number of unregistered voters in Illinois, particularly among African Americans. Therefore, he spearheaded a voter registration campaign that registered 150,000-plus black voters. Also, in the 1990s he accepted a position as a visiting law and government fellow at the University of Chicago Law School. He would later teach constitutional law at the school for more than a decade.

The Elected Years of Serving Illinois Continuing to look for ways in which to serve and empower the people of Chicago, Obama was elected to the Illinois Senate in 1996. He served two terms.

As State Senator Obama, he sponsored numerous bills that granted greater tax credits to low-income people. He also pushed welfare reform and health care regulations. He ultimately chaired the

Jackson

to participate in the highest ceremony of our nation. This ceremony will be the swearing in of the most powerful person in the world. I’m also taking great pride that someone from Detroit will be giving the benediction.

I’m humbled that people, not only from around this country, but from around the world, will be watching.

MC — Can you give a little insight on what your benediction will entail?

WTJ — The benediction is to bless the country and bless our new president, because like it or not, Donald J. Trump will be the president of the United States after he’s sworn in. The benediction will be a strong message of love, unity and healing. It’s my job as a minister, not as a Republican or Democrat, but as a minister, to pray for our leaders and pray for our country. So the benediction will be the last voice in the ceremony that people will hear.

MC — Last September, Donald Trump attended a service at your church, and was later interviewed by you for a later television airing of the interview on The Impact Network. His visit to your church caused some pushback from many people and organizations in Detroit’s African-American community, as well as from people and organizations representing other ethnic groups and religious sectors. Why did you invite Donald Trump to your church?

WTJ — His people reached out to us, because he was giving a lot of speeches about African Americans, but was giving the speeches in front of white audiences. After his people reached out and we accepted, we extended an invitation to Hillary Clinton’s camp and gave

Senate’s Health and Human Services Committee.

In 2003, Obama announced that he would run for U.S. Senate. Subsequently, in the 2004 primary election, he was victorious by a large margin. His victory made national news, since he was only the third African American to be elected to the U.S. Senate since Reconstruction.

See PRESIDENT

OBAMA page A-5

From page A-1 her the same opportunity as we gave to then-candidate Trump. It wasn’t about a Republican or Democrat preference, it was about getting the word out that African Americans needed to hear from both candidates. When then-candidate Trump came, we felt it was a great opportunity for African-American voters to hear his message and plans for black America, because he was running for president of the United States.

MC — Have you spoken directly to Donald Trump since he visited your church in September?

WTJ — He has called me several times since his visit to my church and has expressed his appreciation for the love he felt when he was there.

MC — After the presidential inauguration, do you think that you may have a future role as a spiritual advisor to President Trump and his administration?

WTJ — When he visited my church in September, he never promised me anything. What I did, I did it because it was right, and evidently, it must have touched him because I’m doing his benediction. I just let him know, and let his people know, that in my congregation I teach love.

MC — If President Trump calls you after the inauguration and asks for your help, will you be available to go to Washington, D.C.?

WTJ — I’m not an opportunist. I’m a man who is established and I’m a man who God has blessed. But, if God opens the door, and President Trump calls me and tells me he needs me in Washington to do something, I’m ready to serve, and ready to be a blessing to God’s people.

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THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

January 18-24, 2017

President Obama

From page A-4

As the only Senate member of the Congressional Black Caucus, Obama co-sponsored such bills as the Lugar-Obama, which expanded the U.S. cooperation to destroy conventional weapons, and increased the State Department’s ability to detect and interdict weapons and materials of mass destruction. He was a primary sponsor of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Relief, Security, and Democracy Promotion Act signed into law in 2006 by then-President George W. Bush.

who suggest that all Muslims must be banned from entering America. While some political foes have often called him a Muslim, Obama stands firm on his Christian grounds.

“I am a Christian, and I am a devout Christian,” Obama told Christianity Today in a 2008 interview. “I believe in the redemptive death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I believe that faith gives me a path to be cleansed of sin and have eternal life. In our lives, Michelle and I have been strengthened by our Christian faith. But there have been times where my faith has been questioned by people who don’t know me, or they’ve said that I adhere to a different religion, as if that were somehow a bad thing.”

Obama sat on Senate Committees for Foreign Relations, Environment and Public Works, and Veterans Affairs. Additionally, he served on such committees as Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Homeland Security and Government Affairs.

Life After the White House

There was no doubt that Obama was a rising star in the Democratic Party. Some members of his party and beyond even felt that he had the right qualities to become president of the United States, although such a feat was deemed almost impossible at the time based on the racial history of America.

Yet, with his strong body of work, and after the re-release of his memoir “Dreams from My Father – A Story of Race and Inheritance,” Obama seemed to transcend race, creed and color. His political star in the Democratic Party continued to soar, especially after he delivered an inspiring and memorable keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston.

In February 2007, Senator Obama announced that he would seek the office of president of the United States in the 2008 election. He vowed to push platforms to end the Iraq War, reform the nation’s health care system, and grow the economy and jobs.

While well-liked and respected, Obama’s quest to become the country’s first black president would not be easy. Standing in his way of even getting his party’s nomination was a field of Democratic candidates, including Senator Hillary Clinton. She eventually relented and backed Obama for president.

Running under the banner of “Yes We Can,” Obama and Joe Biden beat respective Republican presidential and vice presidential candidates John McCain and Sarah Palin to capture the White House. An estimated 250,000 people turned out on Nov. 4, 2008 to hear President-elect Obama’s victory speech in Chicago’s Grant Park.

On Jan. 20, 2009, millions of people representing many ethnicities and nationalities converged on Washington, D.C. to witness the historic inauguration of President Barack Obama. While his presidency was historic, America was also experiencing historic economic conditions that had not been seen since the Great Depression more than seven decades ago. According to many economic experts, the nation was losing 800,000 jobs each month.

Major Initiatives/Accomplishments as President Perhaps Obama’s signature and legacy trademark accomplishment as president has been his creation of universal health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (2010). The Act, also known as Obamacare, has covered more than 32 million uninsured Americans since its inception. While the incoming Republican administration has vowed to repeal and replace Obamacare, it will never change the reality that Obama accomplished what seven other American presidents before him could not, which was to create health insurance for millions of uninsured Americans.

Other accomplishments by Obama are, but not

Page A-5

On Friday, Jan. 20, 2017, President-elect Donald J. Trump takes the oath to become president of the United States. So, the question is, what will Obama do after he and his family leave the White House? Many believe that Obama will remain an advocate for civil and human rights. Additionally, it’s almost certain that Obama will continue to expand My Brother’s Keeper, the national organization he created to help inner-city at-risk boys and young men of color. limited to, the signing of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, which relaxed the statute of limitations for equal-pay lawsuits; injecting more than $62 billion in federal money to help stabilize and return General Motors and Chrysler to profitability, which ultimately saved the automobile industry in America; signing the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (2010); ending the war in Iraq and working to end the War in Afghanistan; taking down Osama bin Laden; and repealing and formalizing a new policy pertaining to gays serving in the military.

Additionally, there is Obama’s global leadership role in pushing for climate change; reopening diplomatic relationships between the United States and Cuba after more than 54 years of separation; and striking a nuclear deal, along with six other world powers, to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

Obama’s accomplishments also include creating the Race to the Top initiative to encourage and reward states for education reform; creating My Brother’s Keeper to empower at-risk boys and young men of color; implementing national security strategies to keep America and Americans safe through a stronger Homeland Security; appointing two females to the Supreme Court, Sonia Sotomayor (the first Hispanic Supreme Court justice) and Elena Kagan. Obama also signed a $105 billion national transportation bill to rebuild the country’s infrastructure.

Obama was the first American president to call for full equality for the LGBT community. His proactive efforts and support are believed to have been overriding factors in the Supreme Court’s 2015 landmark ruling that made same-sex marriage legal in America.

“Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law,” Obama said during his second inaugural address in January 2013, after defeating Republican opponent Mitt Romney.

Following the Supreme Court’s historic 5-4 decision on same-sex couples having the constitutional right to marry, Obama said, “Love won, because no matter who you are here in America, you’re free to marry the person you love in all 50 states.”

“That’s what My Brother’s Keeper is all about,” Obama said when he created the organization in 2014.

“Helping more of our young people stay on track and providing the support they need to think more broadly about their future. It’s about building on what works, when it works, in those critical life-changing moments.”

With an immense love for the game of basketball, a sport he played in high school, and even as the commander-in-chief, Obama has been linked to stories that the left-handed shooting president wants to own an NBA team.

“I have fantasized about being able to put together a team and how much fun that would be,” Obama told the Huffington Post in January 2016. As for First Lady Michelle Obama, many expect her to continue to be a strong advocate for change, as it relates to empowering the underserved, championing higher education and promoting healthy living for all Americans, especially youth. The Obama daughters, Malia and Sasha, are destined for greatness in almost any choice they decide to pursue.

In essence, the Obamas, a black family in the White House, a family with strong and pure African and American roots, have done what many thought was impossible. With slavery in America ending with the Emancipation Proclamation, just 146 years before the Obamas began their historic eight-year stay in the White House, the Obamas’ story is simply amazing.

President Obama’s life is an amazing and compelling story of vision, courage and overcoming obstacles to find hope, something he championed for in his eight years in office for all Americans. Perhaps President Obama’s Nov. 4, 2008 presidential acceptance speech in Chicago said it best, and has been a common thread through his two-terms as president of the United States of America: “There has never been anything false about hope.

For when we have faced down impossible odds, when we’ve been told that we’re not ready, or that we shouldn’t try, or that we can’t, generations of Americans have responded with a simple creed that sums up the spirit of a people, “Yes We Can.”

Obama has also spoken out against political foes

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January 18-24, 2016

Page A-6

The stars come out at night! A night at the Boys and Girls Club Charity Preview

Montez Miller photos

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Comerica Bank colleagues hosted former Detroit Mayor Dave Bing at a reception for the Bing Youth Institute Program, which helped recruit 20 young African-American professionals to support the Bing Youth Institute’s Boys Inspired Through Nurturing and Growth Opportunities mentoring program.

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Linda Forte, who served as Comerica’s senior vice president and chief diversity officer until her retirement last year, was awarded the Humanitarian Tribute Award from Steve Spreitzer, president and CEO of the Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion. The Michigan Roundtable’s Humanitarian Tribute celebrates those who bring together others to understand different points of view and then take action to overcome structural impediments to inclusion and equity.

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Building Stronger

Communities Comerica Bank Looks Back at 20 Years of the Comerica Charitable Foundation

Much has changed in Michigan over the last 20 years, most notably the continued revival taking place in Detroit. At the core of this revitalization are businesses, nonprofits and individuals coming together to inspire change and build a stronger community. These notions are deeply rooted in the culture of companies like Comerica Bank.

Every year for the past eight years, Comerica Bank has hosted more than 300 Detroit students at the Parade Studios prior to America’s Thanksgiving Parade. At the event, students have the opportunity to explore the Parade Studios and Comerica colleagues serve a traditional Thanksgiving dinner to the students. In 2016, ­Comerica introduced a financial education component to the program where students used “turkey bucks” to purchase experiences throughout their tour of the facility and learned the importance of saving for the future.

Comerica has a long history of giving back to the communities in which its colleagues live and work. The bank supported many important projects and programming focused on the preservation of African-American history, including stepping up as the first corporate donor to the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.

While Comerica had been providing contributions based on the requests of its customers and colleagues’ passions since its establishment, the bank wanted to do more and saw an opportunity to make a bigger impact through a more formalized giving program.

In 1997, the Comerica Charitable Foundation was established. Since then the Foundation has contributed nearly $74 million to organizations across Michigan, and millions more across other major markets like Texas, California, Florida and Arizona.

“Comerica had a desire to give an identity to the company’s passion and commitment to supporting the community,” said Janice Tessier, vice president and current manager of corporate contributions for Comerica Bank-Michigan. “The Foundation gave the bank an opportunity to put structure around its giving program across all markets to ensure its impact.”

The formation of the Foundation allowed Comerica

to continue its role in supporting the Charles H. Wright Museum as well as other major programs that support the city, such as Comerica’s $1 million contribution to support Detroit’s “Grand Bargain.”

This year, the Charitable Foundation celebrates its 20th anniversary. The milestone has given colleagues, like Caroline Chambers, the Foundation’s first manager of corporate contributions, a chance to reflect on her career with the bank and the Foundation’s efforts to preserve history, restore and develop infrastructure, promote diversity and empower people of all circumstances through access to education.

“When I first saw the job posting for the management position of a newly formed charitable foundation, I knew the job aligned perfectly with my passion for nonprofits and desire to work for an organization that was deeply committed to the city of Detroit and wanted to do good in its communities,” said Chambers, vice president and diversity and inclusion programs manager at Comerica Bank.

Early in its establishment, the Foundation identified a governance structure that helped to engage leaders from the bank and provide a firsthand look at the needs of Comerica’s communities.

“The Foundation’s board allowed our leaders to be personally involved with projects in our communities and help drive decisions about where Comerica made its investments,” said Chambers. “Engagement of our leadership was instrumental in fostering the strong culture of volunteerism and giving back that continues throughout our organization today.”

See STRONGER COMMUNITIES page B-2

Ten-year-old Carrington enjoyed learning about computer coding through the AccelerateKid software available for kids to try at the 2016 Maker Faire Detroit.

Comerica Bank supports numerous financial education programs, including the Junior Achievement Finance Park Program, which teaches basic budgeting to students of all ages. Comerica colleagues also volunteer with the JA Finance Park’s Business Finance Mentor program.

Comerica has long supported the Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program (DAPCEP).

For almost 40 years, DAPCEP has been partnering with universities, training programs and K through 12 school systems to provide students the best educational experiences in science, technology, engineering, math and medicine in Michigan. The bank’s most recent contribution will be used to support DAPCEP’s efforts to deliver more exciting and inspiring STEM programs to students.

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THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

January 18-24, 2016

Page B-2

Comerica Bank’s Michigan Index Ticks Up Comerica Bank’s Michigan Economic Activity Index grew in October, up 1.0 percentage point to a level of 128.4. October’s reading is 54 points, or 73 percent, above the index cyclical low of 74.1. The index averaged 123.6 points for all of 2015, five and four-fifths points above the index average for 2014. September’s index reading was 127.4.

Comerica Bank is an annual sponsor of the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History’s Ford Freedom Awards Luncheon, which celebrates African-American men of courage. At the event, Comerica colleagues have the opportunity to mingle with honorees, including Roberta Wright, wife of the late Dr. Charles H. Wright; Lt. Col. Alexander Jefferson, who served with the Tuskegee Airmen; civil rights activist Myrlie Evers-Williams and Kweku Mandela Amuah, the grandson of the 2014 honoree, Nelson Mandela.

Stronger Communities Over the years, the Foundation looked for opportunities to pair Comerica’s support for development campaigns with worthwhile programming. Chambers recalls one of the first major gifts she worked on after starting her role at Comerica — partnering with Henry Ford Health System to establish a school-based health clinic in Detroit Public Schools, providing both students and their families with access to health services they would have otherwise gone without. The Foundation’s history with Henry Ford Health Systems continues today, with the Foundation recently providing a grant toward their major neighborhood development project in Detroit.

Comerica also annually supports organizations like The Parade Company with unique ways that invest in civic outreach.

When the bank secured naming rights for Comerica Park, Chambers and her team worked with The Parade Company to develop a Comerica Park float to generate excitement for the new ballpark in Detroit.

a number of years, the bank worked with The Parade Company to develop a program for Detroit students to explore the Parade Studio, as well as experience a traditional Thanksgiving meal with their classmates,” said Chambers. “The program recently celebrated its eighth consecutive year by incorporating a financial education component to the students’ tour of the facility.”

Over the last 20 years, the Foundation has taken special interest in supporting programs targeted toward youth education, including mentorship programs through organizations like the Bing Youth Institute, music education with The Sphinx Organization, scholarships through the Michigan Colleges Alliance and other educational programming such as the Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program (DAPCEP) and Junior Achievement Finance Park Program and hosting Summer in the City students at Maker Faire Detroit.

“We hope by reaching children at an early age through various educational programming and providing access to education they may not otherwise have, we will help them lead successful lives and become economically self-sufficient,” said Tessier.

Over time, the Foundation and its leadership saw the need to spread its resources more broadly across organizations, so the Foundation’s efforts evolved to support smaller projects and programming with Further supporting education initiagreater impact on individuals.

CBP-6100-12 CRE Ad-MM.pdf 1 8/3/16 10:07 AM tives, as well as supporting diversity in the “After sponsoring floats and balloons for community, the Foundation has provided

“The Comerica Bank Michigan Economic Activity Index increased in October, breaking a three-month slide that started last July. Gains were visible across most indicators, with seven out of eight index components either improving or staying even in October. The gainers were nonfarm payrolls, state exports, unemployment insurance claims (inverted), housing starts, auto production and hotel occupancy.

Home prices were unchanged, as they were in August and September. Only state sales tax revenue declined in October. Ford Motor Company announced that they are canceling plans to build a new plant in Mexico; instead, they will invest $700 million in the Flat Robert A. Dye Rock assembly plant,” said Robert Dye, Chief Economist at Comerica Bank. “Ford’s decision will add support to Michigan’s economy and increase their employment base in Michigan by 700 workers.”

From page B-1 extensive support to Wayne State University through the development of a student academic success center and the Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights. The Foundation also annually supports organizations like the Michigan Roundtable for Diversity & Inclusion, New Detroit and the Urban League of Detroit, helping to further their missions related to recognizing minority leaders in the community and promoting racial equality.

Support for impactful programming has also evolved nationally. While Comerica’s support of the United Negro College Fund started in the Michigan market, primarily focused in the Detroit area, Comerica expanded its reach to fund a national scholarship program for students who aspire to attend colleges and universities and reside in one of Comerica’s primary markets across the U.S. “The legacy of the Foundation makes me proud to work at Comerica Bank,” said Chambers.

The Michigan Economic Activity Index consists of eight variables, as follows: nonfarm payrolls, exports, hotel occupancy rates, continuing claims for unemployment insurance, housing starts, sales tax revenues, home prices, and auto production. All data are seasonally adjusted, and indexed to a base year of 2008.

Nominal values have been converted to constant dollar values.

Index levels are expressed in terms of three-month moving averages.

Comerica Bank, with one of the largest banking center networks in Michigan, is a subsidiary of Comerica Incorporated (NYSE: CMA), a financial services company headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and strategically aligned by three business segments: The Business Bank, The Retail Bank, and Wealth Management. Comerica focuses on relationships, and helping people and businesses be successful. In addition to Michigan and Texas, Comerica Bank locations can be found in Arizona, California, and Florida, with select businesses operating in several other states, as well as in Canada and Mexico.

To find Comerica on Facebook, please visit www.facebook.com/ComericaCares.

In looking toward the future, Tessier says the Foundation will continue to explore support for organizations and programming that helps those most in need to lead successful lives.

Follow us on Twitter at @Comerica_Econ.

Let’s grow, right now.

When it comes to business, timing is everything.

MEMBER FDIC. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY LENDER. Comerica Bank NMLS ID: 480990 *Comerica ranks first nationally among the top 25 U.S. financial holding companies, based on commercial and industrial loans outstanding as a percentage of assets.

Data provided by SNL Financial, June 2015.

CBP-6100-12 08/16

And, with historically low rates, there’s never been a more opportunistic time to expand your business with a commercial real estate loan from Comerica. As the leading bank for business*, we’ve been financing business expansion for nearly 150 years. Whether you need to build or purchase, expand or refinance, it’s the right time. Are you ready?

Call 800.705.2387, stop by a Comerica banking center or visit comerica.com/cre.

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THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

January 18-24, 2017 Page B-3

Eastern Market: A 125-Year Tradition in Detroit

By Daphne Hughes Lafayette Park residents are just a short drive or bike ride from Detroit’s Eastern Market. Located just northeast of downtown, this ever -expanding commercial district has been operating since 1891. Just like Lafayette Park, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

“We’re finishing up celebrating our 125th year in business, so it’s a longtime Detroit institution,” said

Dan Carmody, president of Eastern Market Corporation, the non-profit that manages and promotes the popular site. “Its connection to people over the decades has been a large part of its legacy. It’s been a place where people have come to get started in the economy. The history of the market is filled with stories of new immigrants coming off the boat or plane and getting a start by renting a shed and starting on the American Dream. It’s a place that’s still

authentic. It’s a working food district and it’s one of those places in Detroit where everybody feels welcome.”

Carmody and his team are working to preserve the authenticity, diversity and traditions of Eastern Market, while still meeting the changing needs of the city and its residents.

In addition to providing healthy, affordable and fair food choices for everyone, the Market has diversified its offerings to include support and assistance to budding food entrepreneurs.

“We now have an inventory of 170 or so companies that make a food product, and they come from throughout the metropolitan area,” said Carmody. “There’s a much higher percentage of people of color and a much higher percentage from Detroit than our farmer base. And, to further get Detroit participation, in 2013 we started building a network of shared use kitchen spaces where Detroit-based entrepreneurs especially could get access to low cost, commercially licensed production space.”

The Market is open year-round, and during the busy summer months it attracts as many as 50,000

visitors a week. In addition to the farmers market on Saturday and Tuesday, there is also a seasonal Sunday market dedicated to non-food entrepreneurs who showcase their artwork, jewelry, music and more. Future plans include growing Eastern Market’s footprint.

“We’re trying to expand the Market district to the east and to the north and to land that’s been largely depopulated,” explained Carmody. “We have a lot of our manufacturing and food processing businesses that need to expand. They want to stay in Detroit. There are 1,500 jobs here at risk.

There’s an opportunity to add another 1,200 jobs, so 2,500-3,000 jobs could be either here or not here. So, we’re working with the city trying to figure out how to expand the Market in a way that makes sense and a way that keeps those jobs close and available for Detroit residents.”

For more information on Eastern Market, visit www.easternmarket.com

Focus on Lafayette Park, a national historic landmark

By Daphne Hughes Detroit is a city rich with history. From pioneering advances in the automotive and music industries to playing a major role in World War II’s Arsenal of Democracy, Detroit has influenced the world.

Similarly, the city’s historic residential architecture has become internationally renowned.

One example of this distinguished style can be found in Lafayette Park on the city’s east side, which contains the world’s largest collection of buildings designed by noted architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. The neighborhood is listed on the National Regis-

ter of Historic Places and features eight separate residential developments of varying styles.

“I’ve lived in Lafayette Park since 1967,” said Janet Jones, a resident of 1300 East Lafayette and owner of Source Booksellers in Detroit’s Midtown district. “This is my third residence in Lafayette Park. It’s been a very comfortable and easy neighborhood to live in because of its design.”

Lafayette Park was the first planned urban renewal project in the country. The buildings were constructed between 1956 and 1965 and feature the minimalist use of

steel, glass and concrete — Mies van der Rohe’s signature style.

“At the time, the Mies van der Rohe architectural ideas were very prominent,” explained Jones. “So, Detroit was able to capture that here, and the result is a historical installation that has worked over the last 50 years or more as a place of residence where people liked living and want to live. The design was through the Bauhaus school of architecture, of which Mies van der Rohe was the leading architect of that time in what became the Mid-Century Modern tradition.”

In addition to the unique architectural history of Lafayette Park, its physical location is also steeped in history.

Located between downtown Detroit and Chene Park, the community encompasses 78 acres of land in an area once known as Black Bottom, a predominantly African-American neighborhood in the early- to mid-1900s that got its name from the rich, dark soil and low elevation.

“Lafayette Park was actually built on Black Bottom, which was destroyed after the 1943 uprising or riot — whatever you want to call it,” said Jones. “It was about 1950 or 1953 that the houses

started being built on that property. There’s a whole history of the demolition of that area, and I think when people move in they have to know what kind of shoulders they’re moving in on.”

The location offers easy access to major roadways, and popular venues like Eastern Market, the RiverWalk, Belle Isle and the Cultural Center are only a short bike ride away via the recently added Dequindre Cut Greenway. Walking paths, a spacious 19-acre park, an elementary school and a neighborhood shopping center

round out the amenities in Lafayette Park.

Prior to moving to the high-rise 1300 East Lafayette Cooperative, Jones had lived in both a two-story townhouse and a one-story courthouse in Lafayette Park.

“This building offers a different amenity, because I’m up high and I love to be able to see the sunrise every morning and look at the river,” she said. “So, it’s a different kind of look. I’ve moved from living under the trees to living over the trees.”

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Discrimination at DPD underscores need for civilian oversight

By Ken Coleman African-American police officers endure discrimination from white superiors and are intimidated and retaliated against, according to a report released last week by the Detroit Police Department.

The news, as serious as it is sobering, comes more than 40 years after the city’s first black resident, William Hart, was appointed chief of police and local residents elected an African-American mayor, Cole- Ken Coleman man A. Young, and approved the formation of a civilian commission to review police policy as well as investigate allegations of brutality, race discrimination and inappropriate treatment.

The report was released to the Detroit Free Press after the daily newspaper requested it in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act. Following is some of what the document cited, according to the Freep: “In certain units of the department, white officers were given preferential treatment when it came to training opportunities and in advancement such as appointment to the rank of detective.

The report said the alleged discrimination happened in units not staffed through seniority, including task forces on crime analysis and gang intelligence, which it said have been largely segregated and historically dominated by white male officers.”

Police Chief James Craig, an African American and former DPD officer who was hired in 1977 during a period when former Mayor Young sought to make the racial composition of the department better reflect the composition of the city, put together a committee to create the report. It included rank and file officers and officials. It interviewed and surveyed the department and the report landed on Craig’s desk last August.

“Our research revealed numerous in-

cidents which involved some direct or indirect involvement of command staff members in discriminatory practices, which included intimidation and retaliatory behavior,” it reads. “The committee therefore determined that there were enough incidents to conclude that the department has a growing racial problem.”

Following is a taste of the findings as reported by the Freep: “Command staff would call white officers on their personal cell phones to alert them to training or advancement opportunities, sometimes while black officers were present. If black officers complained about preferential treatment, they faced retaliation such as denial of leave time requests or transfers.

“Black officers reported retaliation if they complained about seeing bias in appointment of officers to the rank of detective, with some white command officers ‘blatant in their attacks against black officers who voiced their dissatisfaction’ with advancement examinations, or who sought redress through collective bargaining.”

The report further suggests that the department offer more cultural diversity, more standardized access to training opportunities, and more department-sponsored events to promote a team approach and bolster morale.

Equally important, the report suggests that the committee become permanent and that it serve in an advisory role to the police chief.

I’m not surprised by the document findings. In fact, as a member of the elected Detroit Charter Revision Commission from 2009 to 2011, I fought with vigor to retain civilian police oversight in the city’s framework document, in part, for this very reason. During my commission tenure, however, I remember a veteran black police officer lecturing me that it’s the 21 century, that Detroit’s a black city now, and that a civilian police commission with oversight power is a waste of time.

He was as wrong as Walter Budzyn and Larry Nevers, the white police officers who fatally beat Malice Green, a black man, in 1992.

Why we must defend Obama’s Every Student Succeeds Act

By Edward Gaston

(Florida Star/NNPA Member)

When President Barack Obama signed the Every Student Succeeds Act in 2015, policymakers and educators saw this as an opportunity to invest in new methods for student success, contrary to the No Child Left Behind Act. But what about parents and community leaders?

Starting with next school year (201718), all provisions of ESSA will go into effect. One critical aspect is that it requires local and state school leaders to create standards that will yield acceptable — and in some cases, exceptional — student academic outcomes, based on specific solutions for their schools.

For the community as a whole, supporting everything education is just plain ole common sense.

Without hesitation, educators are professionals who care for the minds, bodies, and spirits of our greatest treasure, our children. Public education remains a game changer for so many parents and students facing the challenges of everyday survival. ESSA requires all hands on deck for each community and with the Every Student Succeeds Act we can conquer problems within the education system. Participating in the process to encourage every student to succeed is an ongoing necessity and investment that must be made by each of us in order for there to be a harvest of success.

So what do we do?

We, community leaders, must stay engaged, provide insight, question and oversee the local and state selection of the administrators for ESSA initiatives.

We, parents, must listen to teacher recommendations on improving learning experiences and keep a special note on our phones or in a folder with feedback.

Educators want to teach, they want to guide. We must use ESSA to leverage their desire to see students succeed by having a respectful line of communication, which can include texting, emailing, phone messages and in special situations, face to face.

Use those responses to push for more resources to come into schools from ESSA and community investors. In fact, every school must be supported with every resource available. From making education a priority for taxpayer revenue to churches conditioning their congregations that every adult working in

a school should be applauded, respected and invested in. Local businesses should contact the principal of the community school and request a calendar of the school year. The business should choose to sponsor a breakfast or lunch on teacher planning days and take a moment to explain services and products and offer the educators discounts. Every parent can go beyond the PTA and participate as a judge in the science fair or sign up to volunteer as a chaperone for field trips or reading to the students.

Children can never have too many supplies, resources or praise, so the school staff will appreciate the support.

The push against public education must stop.

Public education is a treasure, so are our children and teachers. In the past, too many standardized tests have proven to be ineffective in validating school success. ESSA changes this. Not having to constantly teach to the many tests, will allow educators to teach in a common sense straightforward method, ensuring students are ready to compete.

ESSA presents a balanced approach to holding the local school district accountable by encouraging testing managed on the state level. Community leaders, parents, and educators must participate in the state’s process for fairly measuring progress in each school. In some cases, this will include selecting the superintendent, and in other cases, it will involve creating or approving test questions, changing curriculum, or adding arts programs.

Votes and voices can now take center stage as local and state officials take a more active role in determining the state of public education. Staying engaged is necessary and essential for choosing the best team of educators who will implement ESSA strategies necessary to propel our children forward. Supporters of public education must require that committed educational leaders offer clear plans that they will execute immediately in order to conquer education problems and position all schools to succeed. The plans should be constantly communicated to the community and measured with sensible, infrequent standardized tests.

President Obama’s Every Student Succeeds Act brings public education back into the national forefront where it belongs.

Trumpism and white tribalism cannot prevail

By Askia Muhammad The Washington Informer/NNPA Member

On the eve of the new Trump era of leadership, danger lurks.

Emboldened by Trump’s win and a series of stunning other victories in recent elections by the “alt-right,” tea party, conservative and ultra-conservative movements, in this country and in Europe, white tribalists are openly advocating the most dangerous ideas since the days of Wisconsin Sen. Joe McCarthy in the 1950s.

Trump and some of his inner circle of advisors speak in the most coarse and insensitive language, to put it mildly.

Carl Paladino, an advisor to the president-elect, is typical. When asked what he would like to happen in 2017, he said he hopes President Barack Obama “catches mad cow disease” and dies after having sexual relations with a Hereford cow.

What?!

When asked what he would like to see go away, Paladino, a former Republican New York gubernatorial candidate, said he wanted First Lady Michelle Obama to “return to being a male and [be]l et loose in the outback of Zimbabwe where she lives comfortably in a cave with Maxie the gorilla.”

Really! That is reprehensible.

Paladino’s comments were in response to a survey by weekly magazine Artvoice, according the Washington Post’s Abby Phillip. Paladino last met with the president-elect in early December at Trump Tower in New York City.

Trump is no slouch, rhetorically or Twitter-wise. His personal strategy may be what one historian calls Richard Nixon’s “Mad Dog” technique. Nixon wanted it known that he might do anything, like a mad dog, including the use nuclear weapons, in order to intimidate concessions out of the U.S. adversary in Vietnam.

Russia? China? Arms race? Bring it on, Trump says. But that rhetoric is irresponsible.

Sadly, people who yearn for the Trumpian “Ozzie and Harriet” world of white comfort within white privilege don’t take into account that what they wish for is wicked and cannot stand. It was wicked in the “Ozzie and Harriet” days when this country was destabilizing governments in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

In fact, all that Founding Fathers stuff is just stuff. They were slave owners, whose very presence in slave quarters struck unspeakable terror in the hearts of their victims. There was no social media to alarm the public. No. The offending murderers and lynchers would sometimes stake the heads of the victims as a warning to other slaves not to rise up against their masters.

Despite the frequent disavowals of the incoming Trump administration, I don’t believe Trump and his crew even have good intentions for the future, for world peace or for national security.

Askia Muhammad says that people who yearn for the Trumpian “Ozzie and Harriet” world of white comfort within white privilege don’t take into account that what they wish for is wicked and cannot stand. Photo taken during a speech at the 2013 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland. — (Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons)

Which brings us to this moment.

Even before taking any of the belligerence of Trump into account, a group of cynics, philosophers and other intellectuals who publish “The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists” say that human life as we know it is just minutes from oblivion, according to their “Doomsday Clock.”

The Doomsday Clock is described by its creators as “an internationally recognized design that conveys how close the world is to destroying its civilization with dangerous technologies of their own making,” including nuclear weapons, climate-changing technologies, biotechnologies and cybertechnology that could “inflict irrevocable harm…to our way of life and to the planet.”

“The probability of global catastrophe is very high,” the scientists said. “And the actions needed to reduce the risks of disaster must be taken very soon.

That probability has not been reduced.

The clock ticks. Global danger looms.

Wise leaders should act immediately.”

But this country’s greatest liability is the sins of its bloody past. Millions off people kidnapped from Africa and made slaves. Their three centuries of free labor made this country rich. That slave trade and its aftermath constitute a “crime against humanity.”

And then there is the genocide committed against the native people whose land the European settlers and slave traders stole. That unconscionable act constitutes genocide. Those crimes were stopped before. They will not prevail in the 21st century, no matter what Donald Trump and whatever combination of four-stars and billionaires he can assemble around himself.

White tribalism, profit, comfort and ease at the expense of non-white people of the earth cannot prevail.

Rep. John Lewis Senate testimony in Sen. Sessions Confirmation Hearing (in part) Chairman Grassley, Senator Leahy and members of the Committee, thank you for inviting me to testify today. Millions of Americans are encouraged by our country's efforts to create a more inclusive democracy during the last 50 years, or what some of us call the Beloved Community, a community at peace with itself. They are not a minority. A clear majority of Americans say they want this to be a fair, just, and open nation. They are afraid this country is headed in the wrong direction. They are concerned that some leaders reject decades of progress and want to return to the dark past, when the power of law was used to deny the freedoms protected by the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and its Amendments. These are the voices I represent today.

We can pretend that the law is blind.

We can pretend that it is even-handed.

But if we are honest with ourselves, we know that we are called upon daily by the people we represent to help them deal with unfairness in how the law is written and enforced. Those who are committed to equal justice in our society wonder whether Sen. Sessions' call for "law and order" will mean today what it meant in Alabama, when I was coming up back then. The rule of law was used

to violate the human and civil rights of the poor, the dispossessed, people of color.

I was born in rural Alabama -- not very far from where Senator Sessions was raised. There was no way to escape or deny the choke hold of discrimination and racial hate that surrounded us.

Segregation was the law of the land that ordered our society in the Deep South. Any black person who did not cross the street when a white person walked down the same sidewalk, who did not move to the back of the bus, who drank from a white water fountain, who looked a white person directly in their eyes could be arrested and taken to jail.

The forces of law and order in Alabama were so strong that to take a stand against this injustice, we had to be willing to sacrifice our lives for our cause.

Often, the only way we could demonstrate that a law on the books violated a higher law, was by challenging that law, by putting our bodies on the line, and showing the world the unholy price we had to pay for dignity and respect.

It took massive, well-organized, non-violent dissent for the Voting Rights Act to become law.

community

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

January 18-24, 2017

Page B-5

Finalists chosen from a pool of more than 4,500 applicants Michigan Chronicle reports

Mack Lot: A New Kind of Gathering Place by MACC Development (submitted by Ezekiel Harris): Bringing people of different backgrounds together by transforming a vacant 8,000-square-foot lot into a meeting space that will include a performance stage, a playground, rain gardens, public work spaces and space for food vendors.

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation today announced 144 finalists, including 21 in Detroit, in the third annual Knight Cities Challenge, a national call for ideas to make the 26 communities where Knight invests more vibrant places to live and work.

Open to innovators of all types, the Knight Cities Challenge asked applicants to answer the question: What’s your best idea to make cities more successful?

More than 4,500 applicants answered the call and proposed a wide range of ideas to make cities more successful, from technology and other solutions that better connect local government with the public and increase voter engagement, to creating public spaces – parks, trails, pools, and even treehouses – that connect people from diverse backgrounds and contribute to economic growth. Many of the projects also address pressing community challenges, proposing ideas to break down racial divides, repair blighted neighborhoods, and address social and economic inequities.

Submissions came from many nonprofit and government organizations, as well as design experts, urban planning organizations and individuals focused on making their cities more successful. Each of the ideas focuses on one or more of three drivers for city success: Talent: Ideas that help cities attract and keep talented people; Opportunity: Ideas that expand economic prospects and break down divides; Engagement: Ideas that spur connection and civic involvement.

A full list of the finalists is below.

Winners, who will receive a share of up to $5 million, will be announced in spring 2017.

“The finalists use creativity and inventiveness to tackle community challenges and realize new opportunities, proposing ideas that are unique to their city, but also hold lessons and inspiration for civic innovators across the country,” said George Abbott, Knight Foundation director for community and national initiatives.

Applicants have to follow only two rules: 1) A submission may come from anywhere, but the project must benefit one or more of 26 Knight communities; and 2) The idea should focus on one or all of three key drivers of city success, talent, opportunity and engagement, as outlined above.

Mine Your Own Business by Michigan Women’s Foundation (submitted by Carolyn Cassin): Offering education, mentorship and capital for aspiring women entrepreneurs through business accelerators at neighborhood churches.

Now in its third year, the challenge is part of a three-year, $15 million commitment that Knight Foundation launched in the fall of 2014. Since then, the Knight Cities Challenge has named a total of 69 winning ideas over its first and second years.

Knight Cities Challenge — Detroit Finalists 2017 Detroit: Atwater Beach by Detroit RiverFront Conservancy (submitted by Jan Shimshock): Further activating the Detroit waterfront by creating an inviting, urban beach along the city’s Atwater Street.

Better Buildings, Better Blocks by Building Community Value (submitted

by Chase L. Cantrell): Fostering talent in Detroit, and providing a pipeline for minorities into real estate jobs, by teaching the fundamentals of small-scale property development and providing initial project financing.

Bus Stoplets by Southwest Detroit Business Association (submitted by Greg Mangan): Improving the commute for transit riders by creating inviting bus stops that have the feel of an intimate city park.

Crossing Trumbull by Woodbridge Neighborhood Development Corp. (submitted by Angie Gaabo): Bringing together the residents of Woodbridge, often divided geographically and socio-economically, through adult walking and youth biking clubs.

City Asset Map: Mapping Mobility in Motown by Detroit Experience Factory (submitted by Matt Chung): Fostering connection and civic involvement in Detroit by creating a map that highlights cultural, educational and mobility resources, such as libraries, health centers, museums, educational spaces, bike infrastructure and parks.

Design Center in a Box: A Place for Informed Community Exchange by City of Detroit Department of Planning (sub-

mitted by Maurice D. Cox): Promoting civic engagement by creating “pop-up” city planning offices where residents can connect with city planning staff and others to exchange ideas and become informed about the design and planning work happening in their neighborhood and the city at large.

Detroit Youth Council of Urban Explorers by Bleeding Heart Design (submitted by Rebecca Bucky Willis): Helping the next generation advocate for good city planning by sending Detroit teenagers to pioneering cities to learn best practices they can execute back home.

Dip ’N’ Dive Detroit by City of Detroit Planning and Development Department (submitted by Maurice D. Cox): Creating spaces where residents can meet, connect and share experiences by creating pop-up swimming events at a temporary “River Pool” at the Detroit River.

The Discovery Place by Detroit Future City (submitted by Allandra Bulger): Activating open spaces in Detroit as meeting places and libraries run by and for residents who otherwise lack these amenities.

Green Culture Shift by Detroit Future City (submitted by Alex Kellogg): Creating innovative, experiential tools that change how Detroiters think about planning and transforming green spaces in urban neighborhoods.

Happy 18th Birthday! Local Citizenship Kit by CitizenDetroit (submitted

by Sandra Stahl): Celebrating Detroiters becoming eligible to vote by sending them a local citizenship kit in the mail on their 18th birthday.

Las Luces de la Noche by Invest Detroit (submitted by Michael R. Smith): Making Clark Park, a neighborhood recreation hub, a safer place for residents to come together through new public lighting and programming.

Motor City Matchbox by Detroit Economic Growth Corp. Small Business/ Motor City Match (submitted by Helen Broughton): Making it easier to launch pop-up business and art events in the city’s vacant buildings – and demonstrate what could happen in disinvested areas – by creating a mobile how-to toolkit.

Neighborhood Voice: Increase Civic Engagement by Equipping Community Connectors (submitted by Garlin Gilchrist II): Improving ways to obtain feedback from neighborhoods by supporting the best connected people – such as barbers, bartenders and baristas – to get and share feedback through technology, tools and training.

Reaching Across the Border: Detroit and Grosse Pointe by Mash Detroit (submitted by Marlowe Stoudamire): Inspiring residents near the border of Detroit and Grosse Pointe to collaborate on reimagining their common public spaces by offering mini-grants to teams of residents from both areas.

Shovel Share by Michigan Community Resources (submitted by Lydia Rae Levinson): Sparking neighborhood revitalization by providing community groups with the tools and resources they need to maintain and revamp their neighborhoods.

Sign ON by Grandmont Rosedale Development Corp. (submitted by Martha Potere): Enlivening Grandmont Rosedale by pairing local artists with small business owners to create a “gallery of signage” that treats commercial signs as public art.

Slow Roll – The Power of 25,000 by Detroit Bike City LLC (doing business as Slow Roll) (submitted by Jeff Herron): Exploring why 25,000 Detroiters joined a cycling movement and sharing the learning with other cities so they can replicate the model.

The Table (submitted by Orlando P. Bailey): Giving people a voice in what happens next in their neighborhoods by convening them regularly to share ideas that can move the city forward.

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community

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

COMERICA IN THE COMMUNITY

January 18-24, 2016

Page B-6

COLLEAGUE SPOTLIGHT Patricia McCann

Patricia McCann, vice president and national employee volunteer program manager, Comerica Bank, is responsible for managing the bank’s national corporate volunteer program. Her passion for volunteering began in school, when she enjoyed spending time volunteering with her friends. Now, it is not just something she does; it is part of who she is.

Patricia McCann, co-chair of Comerica Bank’s Veterans Initiative, (right Cindy Croft, co-chair of the Comerfront) helped lead the volunteer effort with her colleagues to remember ica Bank Veteran’s initiative, lays a wreath on a veteran’s grave. fallen veterans and honor those who serve.

Comerica honors veterans on Wreaths Across America Day

Comerica Cares volunteers were privileged to help pay tribute to the lives of our veterans on National Wreaths Across America Day. Volunteers called out the name of each fallen U.S. veteran as they laid wreaths on their graves at Romulus Memorial Cemetery in honor of their service and to keep their memories alive.

McCann’s 27-year career has been focused on service to the community. She began her career at United Way for Southeastern Michigan, where she was responsible for fund allocations to more than 130 local charities and nonprofits served by the organization at that time. Her knowledge of the many organizations dedicated to improving the Metro Detroit community led to her being named the director for United Way’s volunteer center, where she worked with a variety of corporate volunteer programs Patricia McCann and managed United Way’s corporate volunteer council, which was designed for corporations to share their best practices and help corporations interested in starting or growing volunteer programs.

That experience led to McCann joining Comerica, where was hired to help unify the bank’s corporate volunteer program; identify projects underway in one of Comerica’s primary markets of Michigan, Texas, California, Arizona and Florida that may translate nationally and be expanded to other markets; and develop a more refined system to track the bank’s volunteering impact. While Comerica had an extensive history of engaging with its communities through volunteering, the bank’s volunteer programs had been implemented by market and never organized nor tracked nationally.

Patricia McCann and her son volunteered at the North-End Youth Improvement Council’s AdoptA-Child program at Cobo Center and spent time with the family they adopted during the holiday season. Volunteering is a family affair for the ­McCanns.

Comerica Cares volunteers joined the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office for its annual Benefit for the Disabled, which helps children with disabilities shop for gifts for their families. Among the Comerica Cares volunteers lending a hand that day were (clockwise from upper left) Nancy Heaston, vice president and HR consultant for Comerica Bank, Nickey Smith of Comerica’s I-75-Baldwin banking center and Heaston’s daughter, April. More than 100 children attended the event which gives children with disabilities and financial hardship the chance to share in the joy of giving. The children, ranging from ages 5-15, were each given $50 to shop for Christmas gifts. After shopping, each child had their photo taken with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Comerica colleagues helped the South Lyon Area Youth Assistance organization with wrapping gifts at their annual Shop with a Hero event. Local law enforcement and fire department personnel helped children shop for presents for their families, which were then wrapped by volunteers. The Shop with a Hero event is coordinated by the Oakland County Sheriff's Office and helps strengthen ties within the community.

With a national volunteer tracking system in place, Comerica Bank’s recorded volunteer hours grew from 16,000 hours in 2008 to 73,000 volunteer hours in 2016 across the bank’s five primary markets. McCann also helped establish corporate branding for the volunteer program, which had been operating under different names within each market.

After a national employee vote to name the program, Comerica Cares was adopted nationwide. Now Comerica Cares volunteers can be recognized in Arizona, California, Florida, Michigan and Texas wearing their blue Comerica Cares shirts.

McCann’s efforts have helped expand certain programs that Comerica colleagues volunteer for such as TutorMate, an online tutoring service for children, to other markets.

McCann and her team are quick to recognize which programs will work in each market and, more importantly, which will not. As she says, “local knows what local needs” and her work helps ensure Comerica’s volunteer efforts are focused on those programs that provide the highest impact possible in each community.

What do you consider to be your greatest achievement at Comerica?

“My most memorable accomplishment is really being an instrumental part in the cultural shift in Comerica’s volunteer program,” said McCann. “I take pride knowing that through collective action, my colleagues and I are making a difference in the communities we serve.”

What kind of education and experience is needed for a position like yours?

“I’m a graduate of Michigan State University (MSU) and am also certified in corporate community involvement by Boston College. It’s also important to be involved internally and externally. I currently serve as a leadership council member of Comerica’s African American Network (CAAN), which is one of our employee resource networking groups, and I also co-chair Comerica’s Military/Veteran Initiative. Externally, I’m a board trustee of the Metro Health Foundation, a member of MSU’s College of Social Science Executive Women’s Leadership Group, a board member of CISV and co-president of the Divine Child High School band boosters.”

Comerica’s Customer Contact Center colleagues made the holidays brighter for one family who they adopted through the Lighthouse of Oakland County. Pictured above are some of the gifts purchased for the family.

For more information on how Comerica colleagues are giving back to our community, visit

www.facebook.com/Comerica.

Marva Banks, manager of Comerica’s Fort-Military banking center, had an opportunity to meet the student she’s tutoring online through Innovations for Learning’s TutorMate program.

Banks was one of more than 20 Comerica colleagues who recently gathered at Roberto Clemente Academy in Detroit to meet the students they’ve been tutoring in the 2016-2017 school year.

TutorMate helps primary school teachers increase their effectiveness in teaching students to read.

Volunteers are paired with a student for a 30-minute tutoring session once a week. During the session the tutor and student read stories together online and play games that build student word knowledge.

Recognizing that the need for food and other basic needs increases around the holidays, Comerica’s Purchasing colleagues volunteered at Focus: HOPE last month.

Founded almost 50 years ago, Focus Hope has been working to bridge the racial and economic divide in Southeast Michigan with programs that address food and basic needs, workforce development and education, and community development.

SECTION C

BUSINESS Powered by Real Times Media

michiganchronicle.com

January 18-24, 2017

Narrow Way Cafe LLC, 19331 Livernois, $45,000 grant winner – Alisha Dixon photos

Vice president visits Detroit for Motor City Match grants ceremony

By Alisha Dixon Last week, Vice President Joe Biden came to Detroit to celebrate Detroit’s economic growth as Motor City Match awarded grants ranging from $10,000 to $75,000 to 15 local business owners grants to open or grow their businesses.

“Vice President Biden and the Obama administration have been tremendous friends and supporters of the city of Detroit, so it’s great to have the vice president in our city one more time to participate in this great event,” said Mayor Mike Duggan.

Bernard Bentley of LoveLifeSwagger, 277 Gratiot Ave., $30,000 grant winner

Launched in 2015, Motor City Match has given over $3 million in grants to more than 60 local businesses and has helped more than 570 entrepreneurs in the past five rounds. For this round, the sixth, the award totaled $600,000, the largest to date.

The normal amount for each round is $500,000, said Rodrick Miller, president and CEO of the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, but the overwhelming interest inspired the DEGC and Motor City Match to increase the award.

“The Motor City Match program is just one example of how federal support is helping Detroit to grow its economy by supporting its entrepreneurs.”

During the past eight years Vice President Biden has visited Detroit many times in support of the city’s development.

“It’s normally a half a million, but this time there such demand and there were so many great companies and we really had to find a way to stretch it and get it to $600,000,” Miller said.

Vice President Joe Biden

“It’s great to be back,” he said. “You know, one of the things that the mayor and I have in common is that I really share his views.

“He has a deep-seated belief in ordinary people.

Ordinary people can do extraordinary things if you give them a chance. This is a great city (and) beautiful in the distance from the air,” Biden said.

Kira Kessler and Glen Urquhart of the Detroit Artist’s Test Lab, 14616 Mack Ave., $65,000 grant winner

Federal funding has been a vital part of sustaining Motor City Match. The program has received over $7 million from federal grants in addition to funds approved by the Detroit City Council and local foundations.

“This is an important city, an iconic city it’s known the world over because of the automobile industry. It’s part of the heart and soul of America. America owes you for helping get back our soul. One of the things I'm most proud of is this city, like the rest of the country, has come back.

You're back, and it’s not just automobiles anymore.”

“I think this is monumental for the city of Detroit. It’s monumental for the program. It’s monumental for DEGC. I think it speaks volumes to the resilience of the city and I think it speaks volumes to the creativity of Detroit­ers.

“You will notice that the winners are from all over the city and from all types of races and backgrounds. The winners had a variety of businesses ranging from things in the medical field to restaurants to you name it.”

MCM has been committed to helping diverse businesses. Since 2015, of the businesses that been awarded grants, 76 percent are owned by

See MOTOR CITY MATCH Page C-2

Bishop Wayne T. Jackson, Impact Network expand national programming on Comcast Xfinity

By Donald James

Dr. Beverly Y. Jackson, has grown from reaching 15 million homes, to now reaching more than 75 million houses on a series of television platforms, such as Dish Network, Time Warner Cable, Bright House Cable (owned by Charter Spectrum), DirecTV, and Comcast Xfinity. Such platforms make it possible for The Impact Network to reach, via cable and satellite, not only households across the United States, but also in Africa and the Bahamas.

Special to the Chronicle

The Impact Network, the nation’s first and only AfricanAmerican owned and operated Christian television network, recently expanded its vast programming on Comcast Xfinity. Adding to its already major affiliation and distribution agreements with Comcast, the Detroit-based Impact Network now has significant viewership in the country’s northeast and western regions.

The northwest region includes such states as New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, as well as eight others in that sector of the country. Washington, D.C. is also included.

The western region includes Arizona, Washington, California, Utah, and five other states.

“We are now everywhere,” said Bishop Wayne T. Jackson, The Impact Network’s founder, owner and CEO. “We have total national distribution. We are thrilled with the commitment of diversity to all communities by the entire Comcast Communications organization. Comcast Xfinity has shown its power, support and commitment to minorities, women and the Af-

Asked about any reservations to stepping out on faith to start The Impact Network seven years ago.

Bishop Wayne T. Jackson and wife Beverly Y. Jackson rican American community by T.D. Jakes, Dr. Creflo Dollar, offering The Impact Network to Pastor Paula White, Pastor Rod Parsley, Bishop IV Hilliard, its customers."

Bishop Charles Blake, Bishop The Impact Network’s misStanley Williams, Bishop Paul sion is to impact the spirit, Morton, Pastor Joel Osteen, soul and body of its viewers, Juanita Bynum and more. which he said includes airing Jackson’s own ministry, “Miragood preaching, good singcles Do Happen” and his origing, and good educational proinal program, “Impact Today,” grams, such as on parenting, are also featured on The Impact health and exercise, social Network, along with other origiissues, managing money, and nal programs. more. Yet, the core impact of Since its inception in 2010, The Impact Network’s lineup is powered by some of nation’s The Impact Network, the brainbest preachers, inclding Bishop child of Jackson and his wife,

“God told me to start The Impact Network, and He gave me the wisdom and guidance to make it grow,” said Jackson.

“There were never reservations on my part that The Impact Network wasn’t going to work. I knew it would work, because I’m a man of great faith. Mark 9:23 is my favorite Scripture and it reads, ‘If thou can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.’”

In addition to The Impact Network, Jackson, since 1985, has served as senior pastor of Great Faith Ministries International Church, located on Detroit’s west side. His wife, Dr.

Beverly Y. Jackson is co-senior pastor. While The Impact Network is Christian centered, Jackson said being an African American owned network gives him great pride and honor.

“We are Christians, but we at The Impact Network are also African Americans, so we take pride in what we are doing because this network is for the empowerment of our community,” Jackson said.

“This network is for our community, because it gives our community hope. We want to continue to be an inspiration to our communities, and for them to know that if God did this for us, he can do great things for others in our community.”

Generating inspiration in the community was tested last September, when The Impact Network and Great Faith Ministries International made national and internationally headlines. The news centered on then-Republican presidential candidate Donald J. Trump visiting Great Faith.

While Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton was also invited to the church’s Saturday worship service, only Trump attended. He also agreed to a taped television interview

See IMPACT Page C-2

business

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

January 18-24, 2017

Motor City Match people of color, 54 percent are owned by women of color, 68 percent are women owned and 62 percent of are owned by native Detroiters.

Alisha Dixon photo

Microsoft promotes STEM to local girls

By Alisha Dixon

Microsoft recently hosted young women of color from the Detroit area at its Southfield headquarters for the “Launch, Learn and Code: Girls EmPOWERED!” event to expose girls to careers in STEM. “We are excited to work with women who are making great strides in the area of STEM education,” said Shy Averett, community development and event specialist for Microsoft Store Somerset Collection. “Not only is it important that students have access to quality educational software tools and resources, but they must also be exposed to professionals and leaders they can learn from.”

Throughout the day, the young women participated in coding classes, tech-talks, group discussions and a panel discussion with women who work in diverse areas within STEM. Panelists included Jill Ford, head of Innovation and Entrepreneurship for the City of Detroit; Dr. Sibrina Collins, chemist and executive director of The Marburger STEM Center at Lawrence Technological University; Tatiana Woods, General Motors software developer; Miesha Williamson, engineer and founder of STEM Girl Social Network; and Ashley Jones, captain of the Mercy Education Project’s Midnight Storm Robotics.

Impact

During the panel, hosted by WDIV Local 4 reporter Paula Tutman, the girls asked panel guests questions about their careers, education, work ethic and motivations. One of the common messages expressed during the panel was that hard work and resilience are essential in order to be successful.

“Doing something hard makes you better,” Williamson said. “I believe it is those very obstacles that have made me better and have set me apart from many of my peers, some of whom have doubted me because of my gender and race.”

Doubt, Ford said, comes with the territory and she believes it should be used as motivation to be the best. “You should never doubt yourself. There are always other people who will do that for free,” she said.

After the panel discussion, the young women had the opportunity to work in small groups with panelists and other STEM professionals to discuss STEM careers.

The students ended their day by viewing “Hidden Figures” at the AMC Star Southfield as a way to reinforce the importance and necessity of black women in STEM. Avail Services, in partnership with the Microsoft Store in the Somerset Collection, sponsored the event.

From page C-1

conducted by Jackson, and would air at a later date on The Impact Network.

Trump’s appearance at Great Faith caused pushback from many black people and organizations in Detroit’s African American communities, as well as from other ethnic, religious, and social change groups and organizations.

“Some didn’t like that then-presidential Republican candidate Donald Trump attended service at my church,” recalled Jackson. “So some people came into the church and caused disruption. However, I felt what I did was right, which was give Donald Trump a vehicle to speak to African-Americans voters about his plans for us, if he became president. I felt that black people needed to hear

“I think the fact that it’s being recognized on a national level and being imitated in other places and the fact that it’s being recognized by the highest office in the land, that of the vice president.

“Him coming here and to come here and recognize the good work and the resilience of the city, that’s really monumental,” said Miller.

Awards for round six were given to businesses in categories that include a youth empowerment center, artist’s incubator, restaurants and cafés, custom furniture and housewares manufacturer, a metalsmithing and jewelry making studio, a bookstore and massage therapy center.

19331 Livernois, $45,000 grant winner SavannahBlue, 1427 Times Square, $50,000 grant winner Rocco's Deli, 3627 Cass, $50,000 grant winner Montgomery Psychological Services PLLC, 2835 Bagley, $55,000 grant winner Detroit Artist's Test Lab, 14616 Mack Ave., $65,000 grant winner

Loose Massage Therapy Plus LLC, 19485 Livernois, $30,000 grant winner

As for The Impact Network’s future, Jackson is highly encouraged and optimistic about where it’s heading.

Mutual Adoration, 14500 Kercheval, $35,000 grant winner

“We’re still growing,” said Jackson.

“We are looking to cover the world, and we are in the process of doing that. The Impact Network endeavors to be the foremost innovative faith-based television network locally, nationally, and abroad.”

Casting de Khrysopoeia, 4719 16th St., $35,000 grant winner

To watch Impact Network programming, Michigan viewers should turn to Comcast Xfinity’s Channel 400. For more information on The Impact Network, log on to www.watchimpact.com.

Eastern Market Brewing Company, 2515-2519 Riopelle St., $40,000 grant winner

Nicks Detroit, 16807 W. Warren, $40,000 grant winner

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what he said he would do, and The Impact Network needed to get what he said on record.”

Application details are available at www.MotorCityMatch.com.

If you are interested in the Motor City Match, applications are available on the first day of each financial quarter. The

People Skate Shop, 2000 Michigan Ave., $10,000 grant winner

LoveLifeSwagger, 277 Gratiot Ave., $30,000 grant winner

From page C-1 next application window for building and business owners to apply to Motor City Match will be open from March 1to April 1, 2017.

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Following is the complete list of round six winners in the Motor City Match program.

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January 18-24, 2017

Our voice for peace and justice is still heard: Detroiters reflect on Dr. King’s legacy

By Scott Talley Special to the Michigan Chronicle

“I submit to you that if a man hasn’t discovered something he will die for, he isn’t fit to live.”

-- Martin Luther King Jr., speech in Detroit, June 23, 1963 True to these words, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would eventually sacrifice his life due to his unquenchable desire to advance humanity despite the harrowing opposition he faced.

As this edition of the “Best of Young Detroit” was being prepared, events were taking place across our city to honor Dr. King. It is often easy for history books and school lessons to summarize Dr. King’s life in a neat, convenient package.

The package usually includes Dr. King emerging as a leader at the start of the Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955); fighting desegregation in Birmingham (1963); reciting his dream of racial harmony during the March on Washington (1963); becoming the youngest person at that time—age 35—to receive the Nobel Peace Prize (1964); marching for voting rights in Selma, Alabama (1965); and finally, lying dead from an assassin’s bullet on a motel balcony in Memphis (1968).

However, Dr. King’s life represents so much more than a listing of highlights. The “Best of Young Detroit” was blessed to learn about and experience some of the days of service and special commemorative events that took place in our community, including the Eighth Annual Martin Luther King Legacy March. The event began bright and early Monday morning at Martin Luther King High School, which had been transformed by the students into a vibrant museum and showcase, which not only honored Dr. King, but also told the story of African Americans in the United States and Detroit through the 20th century to present day. Michael Joseph, a media and communications specialist for the UAW-Ford Department, who also was a co-chair of the Legacy March, told the audience: “I love these young people—they inspire me.” And needless to say, all of the young people involved showed their love for Dr. King and their community on what was a truly “momentous occasion,” as Joseph declared.

It was only fitting that our community celebrated Dr. King’s life in meaningful ways, given his special connection with the city of Detroit. Roughly a month before the historic March on Washington in 1963, 200,000 marchers joined Dr. King in downtown Detroit for “Walk For Freedom,” stamping Detroit as one of the nation’s focal points in the human rights movement. And more than 50 years after that march – as the following words from our youth and people who are dedicated to our youth reflect – Dr. King’s work and dreams have not been silenced.

William Malcolm, fashion designer and director of the Dream Kings (a student group at Frederick Douglass Academy For Young Men): “I keep the legacy of Dr. King continuing through my work, by mentoring and dream directing young men of color.

Often times our society does not encourage, celebrate or promote the dreaming of young people. I often use Dr. King as an example to the young men that I work with that it is okay for African American men to dream. More importantly, I utilize Dr. King as a testament of the strength, courage, commitment and faith that African American men and all persons working towards a dream must embody.”

Andre Harris, senior, Frederick Douglass Academy For Young Men: “Martin Luther King Jr. dedicated his life to the nonviolent struggle for racial equality in the United States. Many of the same problems he fought for we are fighting today. Any man who chooses to dedicate his life to fight for the equality of others will always be strong, brave, and encouraging. I feel like I knew him personally because his actions have influenced the world for the better.

His integrity for mankind still resonate louder than his words, which makes him a hero in my life.”

K’Ron Lynell Grimes, senior, Frederick Douglass Academy For Young Men: “Martin Luther King is a man I look up to. He was an activist and civil rights leader—a man with such power, but he only enforced peace. A man who wanted everyone to be equal. A man that stood not only for African American people but people as a whole. He has inspired so many people in so many ways to unite as one. My favorite quote from him is: ‘We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.’…I personally would love for a day to come where people can truly live in unity.”

Tarae Harris, junior, Frederick Douglass Academy For Young Men: “Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King had a dream and part of his dream came true, we have had our first black president. There are now laws and penalties for segregation and the mistreatment of people. Dr. King’s legacy challenges citizens to engage in volunteer service in their communities. He has inspired me to continue helping the senior citizens in my community, as well as to provide lawn and home care to my neighbors within my community.”

Travion Stafford, senior, Frederick Douglass Academy For Young Men: “The legacy of Dr. King means so much to me.

He was one of the greatest persons ever to walk this earth.. He used words instead of violence, as he talked his way through the long treacherous road he had to go down. He always stayed true and loyal to everyone that came to him for help. He never criticized or judged others. Dr. King is the father of the Civil Rights Movement and his legacy will never be forgotten and always appreciated.”

Dennis Keith Pearson III, sophomore, Frederick Douglass Academy For Young Men: “Dr. King’s legacy to me is not the dreamy one, but when he woke up and said in May 1967: ‘I fear I may have integrated my people into a burning house.’ I am a resident of that house—Laquan McDonald, Philando Castile, Walter Scott and me. Any of us could sit wherever we want on the bus, but where is it taking us?”

Da’ijion Longmire, University Prep Science & Math High School junior and aspiring architect: “Dr. King wanted everyone to come together so we could all achieve something great together. If we could all come together we can all do special things, and make the world a better place, instead of having people my age going to jail for things they shouldn’t be doing.”

Isaiah Yanish, fifth grader, University Prep Science & Math Elementary: “Dr. King’s legacy means that because of him segregation has ended, so in the future I live in a world where whites and colors are able to sit together. I thank Dr. King for what he did for everyone.”

Kelton Isaiah Graham, fourth grader, Foreign Language Immersion and Cultural Studies School (FLICS): “Martin Luther King is a hero because he sacrificed his life to stop the mistreatment of Blacks. He was also a great church pastor and I wish he hadn’t died.”

Jarvis-Larue Brown, Detroit Program coordinator for Usher’s New Look Foundation: “These are trying times now, but even more so then, so I personally thank Dr. King for making that sacrifice that ultimately helped us as a race. And he didn’t just impact African Americans, he impacted all cultures and races. He was and is a phenomenal person.”

Kevin Fite, founder of the Detroit City Chess Club and community outreach coordinator for UAW-Ford, which was a driving force behind the Eighth Annual Martin Luther King Legacy March in Detroit: “Dr. King was all about fairness, in terms of working for civil rights and trying to make African Americans on the same level as everyone else. And then when he made progress in those areas, he went about addressing issues like fair wages for Blacks and Whites, so that everyone could be on the same playing field. I think the lesson for kids is that Dr. King represented fairness, equality and courage—everything you would want your child to have.”

Tahira-Chandra (TC) Yanish, customer solutions analyst at Compuware, Detroit City Chess Club volunteer: “Dr. King’s legacy to me was about walking in your purpose.

His ability to stand against adversity during segregation, while showing compassion for his fellow man, shows his strength during

times of oppression in the world. We were designed for a purpose and to know this we must have hope that increases our compassion; faith that reaches beyond our understanding; and, love, which brings about the patience to unite as one voice! Like Dr. King, we must try to make the world a better place for us, and generations to come.”

Ajaneece Johnson, third year student at Santa Fe University of Art & Design and a gifted Detroit singer, who has performed at the Ford Freedom Award event: “MLK Day means more than just the day off from work.

It’s a symbol of hope; it’s a symbol of freedom.

We may watch videos of his marches and we may see videos of his speeches, but the impact of viewing them at this current time shows his forward thinking and willingness to compromise for the betterment of all people was purely phenomenal! He had a movement of non-violence and that movement affected the lives of every person involved. He is the true definition of a trendsetter and leader; a man willing to die for his beliefs not for his personal gain, but to benefit the human race. Martin Luther King Jr.’s tenacity and love of people gives me hope and the desire to exert tolerance and togetherness.”

LaNesha DeBardelaben, senior vice president of Education & Exhibitions, Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History: “Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. lived life to the fullest. He did all the good he could in his 39 brief but robust years of life.

He was a scholar, having attained the highest academic degree known to man. He was a Baptist pastor, shepherding both a local flock and leading an international freedom movement. He was a father, a husband, a brother, an uncle, a son, a friend, a fraternity brother, a student of philosophers and theologians, and a man of the people.

He never stopped learning and growing personally…He was everything we needed then and everything we need now – his words, spirit, and life are timeless. And he still provides for young people a model, an example of what it means to have a plan, stay hungry, and live for something bigger than self.”

Michael Stone, executive director, Pupil Population Management, Detroit Public Schools Community District: “I can remember being 13 years old in the eighth grade when Dr. King was coming to Detroit and we were so excited, everybody in the school, and me and all of my boys went downtown…We couldn’t get into Cobo Hall because there were throngs and throngs of people, so we stood outside and you could hear his voice projecting from speakers and it made the hair stand up on your head to hear him talk. He was talking about going to the Mountaintop and that he had seen the Promise Land, and that was his speech he later gave, and Detroit was one of the first places he gave it. We walked back and there was a whole spirit of calmness and peace, and everyone was feeling inspired and uplifted.

And if we could have carried that spirit out from then on things probably wouldn’t be the way they are now because it was just amazing.”

UAW-Ford’s Best of Young Detroit

January 18-24, 2017

Page C-4

DETROIT PRIDE Following are some of the top performers during recent basketball games involving Detroit PSL teams: BOYS Jovan Golson, Denby, registered 12 points and nine rebounds in 57-44 victory against Delta Prep on Jan. 13.

Tonato Tutt, Denby, scored 12 points against Delta Prep.

Ronald Hooten, Delta Prep scored 13 points against Denby.

Kelly Broadus, Frederick Douglas, scored 20 points in a 50-40 victory against Cody on Jan. 13.

Jarnard Smith, Frederick Douglass, scored 15 points against Cody.

Antonio Green, Henry Ford, scored 21 points in a 72-69 victory against Western on Jan. 13.

Deontae Ulmer, Henry Ford, scored 18 points against Western.

Anthony Roberts, Western, scored 25 points against Henry Ford.

Rayvon Simpson, Western, scored 23 points against Henry Ford.

Jesse Scarber, Martin Luther King, registered 14 points and seven steals in a 41-37 victory against Edison Academy on Jan. 13.

Treveon Orr, King, had 13 rebounds against Edison Academy.

Kemon Bassett, King, scored 11 points against Edison Academy.

Jordan Peterson, CMA, scored 17 points against Cody.

Donovan Watson, Denby, registered 18 points and six assists in a 70-63 victory against Frederick Douglass on Jan. 10.

Kalen Rudds, Denby, scored 14 points against Frederick Douglass.

Kelly Broadus, Douglass, scored 29 points against Denby.

Gregory Elliott, East English Village, scored 33 points in a 89-69 victory against Edison Academy on Jan. 10.

David DeJulius, East English Village, scored 27 points against Edison Academy.

Drayon O’Neal, Edison Academy, scored 20 points against East English Village.

Deontae Ulmer, Henry Ford, scored 19 points in 59-52 victory against Renaissance on Jan. 10.

DeJuan Seals, Pershing, scored 22 points in a 73-69 victory against Osborn on Jan. 10.

James Lloyd, Osborn, scored 27 points against Pershing.

Cody Currie, Southeastern, registered 20 points and 10 rebounds in a 69-47 victory against West Side Academy on Jan. 10.

Scott Nelson, West Side Academy, scored 33 points against Southeastern.

GIRLS Caprice Brown, Denby, registered 12 points and 10 rebounds in a 39-37 victory against Southeastern on Jan. 12.

Armonee Felder and James Lloyd, Osborn, each scored 15 points against East English Village.

Kendal Taylor, Denby, registered 11 points and five assists against Southeastern.

Greg Elliot, East English Village, scored 23 points against Osborn.

Erica Pruitt, Southeastern, scored 14 points against Denby.

Tariq Shepherd, East English Village, scored 14 points against Osborn.

Vantane Garrett, Communications & Media Arts, registered 21 points and eight steals in a 44-24 victory against West Side Academy on Jan. 12.

Marcel Wilkins, Southeastern, scored 15 points against Davis Aerospace.

Edwen Stewart, Davis Aerospace, scored 27 points against Southeastern.

Quavon Young, Cody, scored 14 points in a 56-47 victory against CMA on Jan. 10.

This

Jamiya Owens, CMA, had 12 rebounds against West Side Academy.

Tierra Earnest, Shardaye Yarbrough and Damaria Polk, Mumford, each scored 14 points in a 74-11 victory against Western on Jan. 12.

Dalyn Henderson, Renaissance, scored 14 points in a 63-12 victory against Osborn on Jan. 12.

Victoria Wright, Renaissance, scored 10 points against Osborn.

Jermaine Jackson

“Best of Young Detroit” salutes Bacari Alexander and Jermaine Jackson

Chandler Turner, Renaissance, scored 17 points against Henry Ford.

Ken Holloway, Osborn, registered 26 points and 10 rebounds in a 75-69 victory against East English Village on Jan. 13.

Jaleel Perkins, Southeastern, registered 10 assists and eight points in a 44-42 victory against Davis Aerospace on Jan. 13.

Bacari Alexander

Dr. Antoine Garibaldi

Longtime PSL fans are accustomed to seeing boys transform into strong young men over the course of a varsity sports journey. In many instances, these strong young men go on to emulate their coaches and become leaders of young men themselves, and that can definitely be said for Bacari Alexander and Jermaine Jackson.

Products of Southwestern (Alexander) and Finney (Jackson) high schools respectively, Alexander and Jackson teamed up at the University of Detroit Mercy during the late 1990s and were a part of magical times at Livernois and McNichols.

Teams they played on, coached by a Detroit PSL legend, Perry Watson, made two consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, where the Titans upset mighty St. John’s and UCLA in consecutive years.

Fast-forward to Friday, Jan. 13, and Alexander and Jackson were once again creating magic for the Titans— this time as coaches—as UDM pulled a nationally televised road upset against Oakland University in the latest edition of the Metro Series. Alexander, in his first season as the Titans’ head coach, and Jackson—a UDM assistant coach and recruiting coordinator—were working the sidelines hard down the stretch of the thrilling 93-88 victory. Praise also should be given to the leadership of the University of Detroit Mercy—which includes university president Dr. Antoine Garibaldi and athletic director Robert Vowels— for providing Alexander and Jackson an opportunity to rebuild and restore the glory at the only Division 1 basketball program in our city.

During the press conference following the game, Coach Alexander said: “I couldn’t be more proud of this Detroit Mercy team.” And the “Best of Young Detroit” and PSL fans across the city no doubt feel the same way about Alexander and Jackson.

Week in PSL

(All games 4 p.m. unless noted)

BOYS

GIRLS

Friday, Jan. 20

Wednesday, Jan. 18 Mumford at Cass Renaissance at Western Osborn at King Pershing at East English Village Central at CMA Detroit International Academy (DIA) for Young Women at Southeastern West Side Academy at Cody Delta Prep at Detroit Collegiate Prep at Northwestern Davis Aerospace at Denby

Mumford at Cass Renaissance at Western Henry Ford at Edison Academy (5 p.m.)

Osborn at King Pershing at East English Village Central at Communications and Media Arts (CMA) Frederick Douglass at Southeastern West Side Academy at Cody Delta Prep at Detroit Collegiate Prep at Northwestern Davis Aerospace at Denby Tuesday, Jan. 24 Mumford at Henry Ford Renaissance at Cass Western at East English Village King at Pershing Edison Academy at Osborn Cody at Central West Side Academy at Detroit Collegiate Prep at Northwestern Davis Aerospace at Frederick Douglass CMA at Denby Delta Prep at Southeastern

Thursday, Jan. 19 Mumford at Henry Ford Renaissance at Cass Western at East English Village King at Pershing Cody at Central West Side Academy at Detroit Collegiate Prep at Northwestern Davis Aerospace at DIA CMA at Denby Delta Prep at Southeastern Monday, Jan. 23 Pershing at Osborn King at Mumford Henry Ford at Renaissance Western at Cass Detroit Collegiate Prep at Northwestern at Central Cody at CMA Southeastern at West Side Academy Denby at DIA Delta Prep vs. Davis Aerospace (at King)

Source: Detroit Public Schools Community District Athletic Department Office

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Corey Wheeler

Darrell Davis

Romari Ennis

Brailen Neely

Anthony Cannon

Karmari Newman

As temperatures dip outside, the play in college basketball arenas and gymnasiums across the country is starting to heat up and student-athletes from Detroit high schools are more than holding their own. Following are some recent performances: Corey Wheeler, Albion/Renaissance, the junior guard stuffed the stat sheet with 20 points, four rebounds, two assists and one steal in the Britons’ 67-59 loss against Adrian on Jan. 14.

Darrell Davis, Dayton/Frederick Douglass, the junior guard contributed six points, two steals and two rebounds in the Flyers’ 76-57 win at Duquesne on Jan. 14.

Romari Ennis, Adrian/Loyola, the freshman guard registered nine points and four steals in the Bulldogs’ 67-59 victory at Albion on Jan. 14.

Brailen Neely, Oakland/Western, the freshman guard contributed six points and two steals in the Golden Grizzlies’ 93-88 loss against Detroit Mercy on Jan. 13.

Anthony Cannon, Adrian/Martin Luther King, the sophomore wing registered 12 points and three rebounds in the Bulldogs’ 68-54 loss to Trine on Jan. 11.

Karmari Newman, George Mason/East English Village, the freshman guard scored 10 points in the Patriots’ 75-67 victory at Saint Joseph’s on Jan. 10.

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

Men’s college basketball edition

CityWide Poets applications available The “Best of Young Detroit” wishes to inform students and parents that applications are available for CityWide Poets (CWP), an award-winning after-school program for high school youth interested in spoken-word performance and publication. Groups meet with local professional poets and engage in workshops that challenge students to discover a new life through writing and build relationships with Detroit’s arts community. CWP is a program of the InsideOut Literary Arts Project (iO). To obtain an application and learn more, please visit insideoutdetroit.org.

business

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

January 18-24, 2017

Page C-5

Sapodilla Skincare: Paying it forward “Using childhood tragedy as the catalyst for change one product at a time”

By Alisha Dixon Since her childhood, Tessa Alexander, a single mother and native of Grenada, has had a love for making natural products.

She initially made them for herself and her family. It wasn’t long before friends took notice and encouraged her to sell her products. Officially launched in 2015, Sapodilla Skincare was created by Alexander as a way to give back.

“I started Sapodilla because I wanted a way to give back to the orphanage I was raised in. The name of the orphanage is Sapodilla Home. I figured I would make these products and every time I sold something, I would give back to orphanages, women’s homes and shelters,” Alexander said.

Sapodilla Skincare offers natural skin and hair products made from natural ingredients with its line of over 24 handmade natural products. Sapodilla offers everything from body oils and body butters to body scrubs and men’s beard butters.

Alexander’s favorite product, she said, is the

brands first and number one selling product, the Coco Chai Body Butter.

greasing the skin,” the Sapodilla Skincare founder said.

“People just love it!

They keep coming back for it!”

Expanding her business, she believes is an important step to helping others and she hopes to see Sapodilla Skincare sold in big box retail stores in order to promote the brands’ message of charity on a national and eventually international scale.

Alexander credits a turbulent childhood for the inspiration for her desire to help others.

“I was taken away from my parents because they were negligent So, I was put into an orphanage when I was four,” Alexander said. “I think that my childhood has shaped everything, because my goal has always been to give back and that keeps me humble because of the upbringing I had. I put being a mother first and foremost because that is what I didn’t have.”

While growing up at Sapodilla Home, one thing that remained consistent for Alexander was her morning routine which consisted of using natural products to clean and moisturize her skin.

This routine is the reason she chose to start a skincare line as a way to raise funds for her philanthropic efforts.

“For me, growing up

“In the next five years, I see Sapodilla growing and allowing me to give back by being in stores like Target and Whole Foods. Being able to appeal to large companies who want to sell natural products is important.

Target, especially, because the have a program for women-owned and minority-owned businesses. Overall, I just want to make enough to help,” she said.

Tessa Charles in the islands, a big part of our day and regimen

was to make sure our skin looked nice after we

Upcoming meetings for DDOT service changes DDOT will hold service change meetings next week to present final changes effective Jan. 28. These changes come as the second phase of a major service expansion which began in September of 2016. Additional enhancements will take effect in April.

The January service changes will affect five existing DDOT bus routes and three brand new direct/express routes will be added to service. In 2016, six major DDOT routes added 24-hour service, now three additional routes will add 24-hour service this month. Those routes will include #25 Jefferson, #37 Michi-

gan and #48 Van Dyke/Lafayette.

DDOT also brought back express bus service last year with the addition of the #95 Ryan Express and the #96 Joy Express. This month, DDOT will expand on the direct/express route concept with three brand new routes that allow for faster connections between neighborhoods and major activity centers. The new routes are #80 Villages Direct, #89 Southwest Direct and #92 Rosedale Express.

as we make service more reliable and add new innovative routes.”

“Last year, we made tremendous improvements to service,” says Dan Dirks, DDOT Director.

“We look forward to continuing those efforts in 2017 and beyond,

Thursday, Jan. 19

The January Service Change Meetings will be held on the following dates in neighborhoods along the new direct/express routes: Thursday, Jan. 19 11 a.m. to noon Rosa Parks Transit Center at 1310 Cass Ave. 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Butzel Recreation Center at 7737 Kercheval

showered. That’s how you start your day. You take a shower and make sure your body looked nice and clean ... you did that if you did nothing else, you had that. We call it

“I want people to know that no matter where you come from or how small you are, we all have something that we are supposed to do in this world and remembering that struggle and a bad past don’t have to determine your future. It’s okay to trust your journey and be comfortable with things that happen because that is going to take you where you’re going to end up.”

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Page C-6 • THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE • January 18-24, 2017

Now Accepting Nominations Submission Deadline January 27, 2017

The Michigan Chronicle is now accepting nominations for the 2017 Women of Excellence MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

awards. For the past ten years, the Michigan Chronicle has recognized local African American women who continue to break the mold and affect change in their professions and community.

These women are visionaries in their given fields and inspire those around them to go beyond the norm and strive for the exceptional. They are champions of our economic empowerment and diversity, the backbone of our religious and educational organizations, and driving forces in politics and community service. These women will join the exclusive society of 450 professionals who have previously received this distinction.

Submit your nominations today. www.michiganchronicle.com

#WOE17

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SECTION D

January 18-24, 2017

michiganchronicle.com

Reflections

By Steve Holsey

The fountain of youth Some people age so slowly that it seems unreal.

Case in point: Pharrell Williams.

The famed producer-songwriter (and more) happens to be 43 years old and looks like he’s no more than 23, if that.

Too bad he can’t package and market his “youth gene.” For some, boyish looks are forever.

And Pharrell brings to mind musician-composer-singer Patrice Rushen.

Back in the ’80s, when she had big hits like “Haven’t You Heard” and “Forget Me Nots,” she was a grown woman but

Miles Davis

Patrice Rushen

Pharrell Williams

looked like a teenager. Today — believe it or not — she is 62 years old and still looks exceptionally young.

By the way, Pharrell’s middle name is “Lanscilo.”

NO SURPRISE that “Empire” was renewed for a fourth season. There is something intriguing about the show, and I loved Phylicia Rashad on it at the end of last season.

“Empire” is, of course, not everyone’s cup of tea.

When people criticize it in my presence, more often than not I understand their feelings — but every Wednesday night I Phylicia Rashad am in front of the on “Empire.”

TV watching “Empire.” In some ways, it’s a guilty pleasure.

Betty Carter

By Steve Holsey Dianne Reeves

The music should have far more radio outlets, but like blues, another historic black contribution, it survives. Thanks to new musicians who understand and love the music.

Thanks to jazz festivals. Thanks to the easy availability of classic and new jazz recordings, on CD (Amazon.com and the Melodies & Memories record store in Detroit, for example) and YouTube.

Ahmet Ertegun, the famous businessman and songwriter best known for co-founding Atlantic Records, once made a statement that zeroed in on a record industry truth: “I’ve yet to have worked with an artist who took responsibility for a commercial failure.

The fault is always with the label.”

Ever heard of someone being so in awe of a singer that they developed a temporary rash? Solange Knowles revealed recently that she attended a Diana Ross concert and was so excited that she “broke out in some hives.”

Although jazz may not have ever been appreciated to the extent it deserves, it will never become a nonentity. The genre, one of the most monumental achievements in the history of African Americans, is woven into the fabric of America and the world.

Saxophonist Joshua Redman, one of the younger jazz practitioners, remains optimistic, saying, “Jazz is alive and well and as active and creative as it’s ever been.”

Ahmad Jamal

Redman and others, like Gregory Porter, Christian McBride and Leslie Odom, Jr., are among those preserving jazz traditions while adding new elements.

Jazz superstar Wynton Marsalis, master trumpeter, composer, educator and Pulitzer Prize winner, shares that enthusiasm.

“There’s plenty of us out here swingin’ and we gon’ keep on swingin’,” he assured.

Wow.

There was a time, though, when jazz was threatened, due in large part to so many young musicians not following in the footsteps of jazz greats like Louis Armstrong (the jazz world owes a debt of gratitude to Armstrong for the magic

EN VOGUE, the top female vocal group in the early to mid ’90s until Destiny’s Child arrived and ascended to the throne, is alive, well and working consistently although the personnel is a bit different.

See JAZZ Page D-2

Dizzy Gillespie En Vogue Original members Terry Ellis and Cindy Heron-Braggs now sing with Rhona Bennett. When the other two original members, Maxine Jones and Dawn Robinson, left, it was not on pleasant terms.

Louis Armstrong

To avoid group drama, Cindy Heron-Braggs says the key is keeping the mind set on the bigger picture — that is, the group.

“If you continue to nurture your base, there will always be open doors for individuals to do their own thing, and then always for the group to come back together and continue to do what they do.”

Ellis added, “This is what we love to do, a driving force, our passion. We respect the craft and each other.”

STEVEN IVORY, veteran music journalist and social commentator known for his straightforward style, got it right when he said of Donald Trump: “A shameless money grab and absolute power crave, rife with cronyism and nepotism. The new administration

See Reflections Page D-2

Wynton Marsalis

Jon Hendricks

Grover Washington, Jr.

entertainment

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

Jazz

From page D-1

he made in New Orleans so many decades ago), John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Dexter Gordon, Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey, Cannonball Adderley, Charles Mingus, Ahmad Jamal, Lester Young and iconic musician-composer-orchestra leaders such as Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Lionel Hampton.

I recall a Miles Davis concert at Masonic Temple in the ’70s, by which time he had introduced jazz fusion with his amazing 1970 album “Bitches Brew.” The audience was about 75 percent male, and overwhelmingly young and white (27-37).

Which brings up another issue, the fact that most jazz appreciation today comes from people who are not black. They are making a lot of the music too. For proof of that, one need only peruse the jazz sales chart in Billboard magazine. At any given time, at least half of the artists are white. But God bless ’em for making the music they enjoy and thereby playing a role in keeping the music alive.

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Instead, they opted for something else — let’s face it, something more lucrative, like R&B. It should be noted, too, that by far the majority of solid jazz appreciation has always come from males. Reason being, women have a strong preference for songs with words, and most jazz numbers are instrumental.

January 18-24, 2017 Page D-2

LOOKS

has known, that our indigenous music — gospel, blues, jazz and R&B — is the heart and soul of all popular music, and that we cannot afford to let this legacy slip into obscurity.”

The roots of jazz can be traced to New Orleans in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Pure black in origin, but as time progressed, there were influences from outside of the black experience.

This country owes so much to African Americans, culturally and otherwise, certainly in the arts.

Jazz could never be restricted to instrumentals because the history of jazz includes many fine vocalists, everyone from Jon Hendricks, Mel Tormé, Johnny Hartman, Al Jarreau and Nat “King” Cole to the legendary ladies — Ella Fitzgerald, Betty Carter, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, Carmen McRae and a singer on her way to that kind of status, Dianne Reeves.

Not mincing words, the iconic, multifaceted Quincy Jones said, “I hope that one day, America will recognize what the rest of the world already

“Jazz” is a difficult word to define because so many elements go into making it what it is, and the music itself is more than 100 years old, and

a lot can happen in such a lengthy period of time, and it has.

There have been many jazz spinoffs, among them ragtime, swing, bebop, Dixieland, Latin, avant-garde, Afro-Cuban, soul jazz, smooth jazz and jazz funk.

Miles Davis brought something radically different to the table with an album in 1969 titled “In a Silent Way,” which has been recognized as the first jazz album to embrace electric instruments, a move that generated more than a small amount of controversy.

But that is the way it always is when there is a musical breakthrough.

And Davis, who was enthralled by artists like Sly & the Family Stone and Jimi Hendrix, was unfazed, going on create the landmark and highly influential “Bitches Brew.”

Just as it has given the world so much in R&B, gospel, rock, blues and hip-hop, Detroit has produced an amazing number of top-flight jazz artists, such as Yusef Lateef, Marcus Belgrave, James

MOTOR CITY ENTERTAINMENT

CALENDAR

ANDIAMO Celebrity Showroom, the Temptations, Jan. 27-28; the Whispers, Feb. 12.

Tickets sold at Ticketmaster locations, the Andiamo box office and by calling 586.268.3200.

BOBBY BROWN, Kelly Chris Tucker Price, Dru Hill, Next, Alise King, Masonic Temple, March 4. Tickets sold at the Masonic Temple box office and Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone, call 1.800.745.3000.

RACHELLE FERRELL, Sound Board at MotorCity Casino, March 23. Tickets sold at Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone, call 1.800.745.3000.

DOUG E. FRESH, Al B. Sure, Slick Rick, Big Daddy Kane, Jalil and Ecstasy of Whodini, Force MD’s, Hi-Five, Cherrelle, Fox Theatre, March 17. Tickets sold at Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone, call 1.800.745.3000.

“MARRIED But Single Too,” starring Bill Bellamy, Lisa Raye and Wendy Raquel Robinson, Music Hall Center, Feb. 16-19. Tickets sold at the Music Hall box office and Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone, call 1.800.745.3000.

Carter, Kenny Burrell, Tommy Flanagan, Harold McKinney, Barry Harris, Dorothy Ashby and Paul Chambers.

Also, Donald Byrd, Sir Roland Hanna, Alice Coltrane, Roy Brooks, Milt Jackson, Geri Allen, Ron Carter, Earl Klugh, Elvin Jones and Charles McPherson, among many others.

GOOD IN PRINT Place your classified or display ad in the

Still fondly remembered, and much missed, is WJZZ-FM. A few people no doubt still have the famous WJZZ rainbow bumper sticker, a “must have” item at the time.

One article could never tell the whole story of jazz. Still, we would be remiss to not mention such names as Ramsey Lewis, Thelonious Monk, Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, Stanley Turrentine, Wes Montgomery and Herbie Hancock.

Call (313) 963-5522

As well as Horace Silver, Ornette Coleman, Fats Waller, Grant Green, Earl “Fatha” Hines, Wayne Shorter, Bobbi Humphrey, Clark Terry, Lonnie Liston Smith and Grover Washington, Jr., among a myriad of others.

Were it not for jazz, the American and world music landscapes would be far different.

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

CHRISETTE MICHELE, Ro James, Vivian Green, Fox Theatre, Feb. 14.

Tickets sold at TicketVanessa Williams master locations. To charge by phone, call 1.800.745.3000.

MOTOR CITY Blues Festival, featuring Willie Clayton, Shirley Brown, Bishop Bullwinkle, Sir Charles Jones, T.K. Soul, Bigg Robb, Fox Theatre, March 11.

MUSIQ SOULCHILD, Fox Theatre, Feb. 25.

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

CHRIS TUCKER, Fox Theatre, Saturday, Jan. 21. Tickets sold at Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone, call 1.800.745.3000.

VANESSA WILLIAMS, Sound Board at MotorCity Casino, March 9. Tickets sold at Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone, call 1.800.745.3000.

CHARLIE WILSON, Fantasia, Johnny Gill, Solero, Joe Louis Arena, Feb. 17. Tickets sold at Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone, call 1.800.745.3000.

MAZE FEATURING FRANKIE BEVERLY, Sound Board at MotorCity Casino, Jan. 27.

Reflections will do little for the people and everything to line the pockets of Trump and his patently unqualified collective.”

To which I add, after the outstanding eight-year tenure of Barack Obama as president of the United States, we are going from class to trash.

Sorry to hear about the passing of Sylvester Potts, one the founding members of the Contours, known for Motown hits like “Do You Love Me?” (their signature song), “First I Look at the Purse,” “Shake Sherry” “Can You Jerk Like Me?” and “Can Sylvester Potts You Do It?” Unfortunately, he and fellow founding member Joe Billingslea had some sort of falling out years ago, resulting in there being two Contours groups.

Just as there are two Dramatics groups today, one featuring L.J. Reynolds, the other Willie Ford. In 1975, the situation was similar — the Dramatics featuring Ron Banks and the Dramatics with Wee Gee (William Howard).

From page D-1 BETCHA DIDN’T KNOW...that Diana Ross’ superhits “Upside Down” and “I’m Coming Out,” written and produced

by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards (of Chic), were originally presented to Aretha Franklin, but she turned them down.

MEMORIES: “Knock on Wood” (Eddie Floyd), “Stop to Love” (Luther Vandross), “I Don’t Want Nobody Else (To Dance With You)” (Narada Michael Walden), “Just Don’t Want To Be Lonely (the Main Ingredient), “Lovin’ on Next to Nothin’” (Gladys Knight & the Pips), “Do Me Baby” (Meli’sa Morgan), “Casanova” (Levert), “Band of Gold” (Freda Payne), “Overjoyed” (Stevie Wonder), “A Mother For My Children” (the Whispers).

BLESSINGS to Karen Dumas, Mike Wimberley, Tamela Jones, Chuck Young, Leni Sinclair, Lester Bryant, Patricia Holsey, Ann Jamerson, Mike Duggan and Misha Helvey.

WORDS OF THE WEEK, from Martin Luther King, Jr.: “The time is always right to do what is right.”

Let the music play!

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

UNIVERSAL PICTURES PRESENTS A BLINDING EDGE PICTURES/BLUMHOUSE PRODUCTION AN M. NIGHT SHYAMALAN FILM “SPLIT” JAMES MCAVOY ANYA TAYLOR-JOY BETTY BUCKLEY PRODUCED EXECUTIVE

BY M. NIGHT SHYAMALAN PRODUCERS STEVEN SCHNEIDER ASHWIN RAJAN KEVIN FRAKES WRITTEN AND JASON BLUM MARC BIENSTOCK DIRECTED BY M. NIGHT SHYAMALAN A UNIVERSAL RELEASE © 2016 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS

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entertainment

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

January 18-24, 2017 Page D-3

Five local entrepreneurs selected to perform at first-ever Startup Story Night Five local entrepreneurs have been selected to perform at the first-ever Startup Story Night, a free event taking place Thursday, Jan. 19, at the new Planet Ant Hall in Hamtramck. The event will be emceed by National Public Radio personality Glynn Washington, whose “Snap Judgment” program can be heard weekly on over 400 NPR stations and is downloaded over two million times every month.

startups would succeed.

More than 55 entrepreneurs from around the region submitted their stories, representing everything from tech startups to food businesses to mom-and-pop shops. A local committee of small business owners, media members and storytellers reviewed each submission and selected five entrepreneurs to perform at the Jan. 19 Startup Story Night event. They are:

a platform to share with one another and the public. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

In November, Southeast Michigan Startup and the New Economy Initiative (NEI) asked local entrepreneurs to submit stories about challenges they have overcome to grow their businesses, moments when they realized they needed to take a different direction, and “a-ha” breakthroughs when they realized their

Jan Akervall, SISU Alexandra Clark, Bon Bon Bon

About Glynn Washington

Julie Hyde-Edwards, re-Contour Victoria Roby, The Natural Market

Startup Story Night is presented by the New Economy Initiative and Southeast Michigan Startup, in partnership with WDET 101.9 FM, Entre-Slam, Final5, Planet Ant Hall, and Axle Brewing.

Tickets are free but limited.

Glynn Washington

Joe Spencer, Louisiana Creole Gumbo

the opportunity to hone their storytelling skills at a private half-day workshop led by Washington.

Prior to the public performance on January 19, each performer will have

“Storytelling is such an important part of being an entrepreneur,” said

Pam Lewis, director of the New Economy Initiative.

“We’re really excited to help local entrepreneurs polish their skills with a renowned storyteller like Glynn and give them

Detroit Institute of Arts’ Friends of African and African American Art presents 25th annual Alain Locke Award to Michael D. Harris and Mahogany Jones Literary Arts Project, an adjunct instructor at the Detroit Institute of Music and a lead facilitator for Yunion, a nonprofit countering negative cultural influences that misdirect the lives of youth, and as well is a member of the Foundation, a Detroit women in hip-hop collective.

Jones, a 2016 Kresge Arts Fellow, is a recording and performance artist, educator and activist who uses music to uplift the spirit, body and soul as a means to educate people. She has released three albums and performed with Gil Scott Heron, India Arie and The Roots, among others. As a hip-hop activist, Jones launched A PURE Movement to empower women and girls and confront violence against women.

Alain Locke (1886– 1954), a distinguished African American intellectual of his generation, was the leading theoretician and interpreter of the artistic and cultural contributions of African Americans, often referred to as the “father” of the Harlem Renaissance. Locke graduated from Harvard University and was the first African American to win a Rhodes Scholarship. He earned a doctorate in philosophy from Harvard and taught at Howard University. As

for

Jones is a facilitator Detroit’s InsideOut

About Alain Locke and the Alain Locke Award

a professor of philosophy, his theory of "cultural pluralism" valued the uniqueness of different styles and values available within a democratic society.

The New Economy Initiative (NEI), a special project of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, is the largest philanthropy-led economic development initiative in the U.S. working to build a regional network of support for entrepreneurs and small businesses. Through 2015, NEI’s grants have built a network that has directly supported over 4,400 companies, which in turn have created over 17,000 jobs and generated nearly $3 billion in real output.

Museum Hours and Admission 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Tuesdays–Thursdays, 9 a.m.– 10 p.m. Fridays, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. General admission (excludes ticketed exhibitions) is free for Wayne, Oakland and Macomb county residents and DIA members. For all others, $12.50 for adults, $8 for seniors ages 62+, $6 for ages 6–17. For membership information, call 313-833-7971.

HELP WANTED

DATA/GIS MANAGER GENERAL JOB SUMMARY The Data/GIS Manager for the Detroit Building Authority (DBA) will define and document data requirements as the foundation for database design, data extraction, analysis or cleansing. They will also determine and document data mapping rules for movement of data between applications or for population of new databases.

The GIS / Data Manager will be responsible for gathering and analyzing information to help management make decisions, as well as implementing technology-based solutions to business needs.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES • Lead the data team • Investigate and resolve data issues across applications, including discrepancies of definition, format and function for various programs • Gathering, developing, processing and maintaining a range of tabular and spatial data to contribute to an organizational data warehouse • Quality assurance/quality control data and share output with partner groups to ensure accuracy and consistency • Assist in development of reports, providing content and writing of key observations • Represent the DBA at meetings with the City of Detroit or partner agencies • Manage multiple projects (long term and short term) concurrently • Prioritize and monitor project progress relative to timeline and scope • Establish collaborative relationships with departmental subject matter experts and become an expert in one or multiple lines of programs • Facilitate meetings with departmental subject matter experts to document and review requirements for programs • Maintain Salesforce and other internal property management data through bulk uploads and piecemeal updates • Maintain property data on website • Support the entire DBA or other City of Detroit agencies with data analysis, general mapping inquiries • Troubleshoot and diagnose data systems and assist with creating improvements • Perform other related duties as requested or assigned

As an artist, Harris has been a member of the artist collective, AfriCOBRA since 1979 and has shown his work all over the United States, the Caribbean and Europe. His work is in the collections of Morehouse College, Howard University, the University of North Carolina, the City of Atlanta, the Hampton University Museum, Dillard University, the David Driskell Center at the University of Maryland, College Park, the Paul Jones Collection at the University of Alabama, the Atlanta airport and many private collections.

As an artist, Harris has been a member of the artist collective, AfriCOBRA since 1979, and has shown his work all over the United States, the Caribbean, and Europe. His work is in the collections

Southeast Michigan Startup is an online publication focused on the entrepreneurial economy in Metro Detroit.

The DIA auxiliary Friends of African and African American Art established the Alain Locke Award in 1992 to honor individuals who are dedicated to the promotion and understanding of African American culture.

Harris is an artist, scholar, curator and author who is currently an associate professor of Art History and African American Studies at Emory University in Atlanta.

He has contributed to or co-authored a number of articles or chapters in books, journals, exhibition catalogues and a textbook on African art.

His book “Colored Pictures: Race and Visual Representation” won two national awards.

QUALIFICATIONS

AMBLIN ENTERTAINMENT AND RELIANCE ENTERTAINMENT PRESENT IN ASSOCIATION WITH WALDEN MEDIA A PARIAH PRODUCTION A FILM BY LASSE HALLSTRÖM “A DOG’S PURPOSE” BRITT ROBERTSON KJ APA JOHN ORTIZ EXECUTIVE ALAN BLOMQUI ST MARK SOURIAN LAUREN PFEIFFER WITH DENNIS QUAID AND JOSH GAD PRODUCERS PRODUCED BASED ON SCREENPLAY

BY GAVIN POLONE THE NOVEL BY W. BRUCE CAMERON

BY W. BRUCE CAMERON & CATHRYN MICHON AND AUDREY WELLS AND MAYA FORBES & WALLY WOLODARSKY DIRECTEDBY LASSE HALLSTRÖM A UNIVERSAL RELEASE © 2016 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS AND STORYTELLER DISTRIBUTION CO., LLC

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ALL.DPP.0118.MICHCHRONICLE

MR

#9

• Bachelor of Science/Arts degree in Computer Science, Math, Engineering, Urban Planning or another technical major, OR equivalent demonstrated analytical and technical ability • 3+ years’ of professional experience in data management as a Data Analyst or Database Administrator • Experience creating, testing and optimizing data tables • Comprehensive experience working in a large data warehouse environment • Ability to work with technical and non-technical partners, designing solutions that meet the needs of both • Self-directed and able to proactively manage complex projects unsupervised • Must have strong organizational, analytical, diagnostic, and problem-solving skills • Proven track record of working in a highly dynamic and fastpaced environment • Proficiency with the following software: Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Outlook), Adobe version 10 or greater, ArcGIS • Knowledge of the Salesforce database platform 3 COL. (4.94") X 10.5"

As part of the Alain Locke Award program, Harris will give a talk on artist Alison Saar, who uses cultural relics in her work to elicit strategies for healing and transformation useful to black women. Harris will connect Saar’s work to larger issues of cultural expression potentially disconnected from racial categorization but rooted in culture and experience.

Glynn composed mu-

MICHIGAN CHRONICLE (DETROIT)

“In addition to being a world-renowned artist, Michael Harris is among the few African American scholars to hold the highest academic degrees in studio art, African American Studies and art history. His contributions to our knowledge and understanding of African and African American art are extraordinary,” said Salvador Salort-Pons, DIA director. “Mahogany Jones, recording artist, performer, writer and activist, is a passionate advocate of empowering girls and women. Even with her busy schedule, she makes time to give back to the community through her involvement in Detroit literary and music nonprofits. We are very excited to honor Michael and Mahagony.”

of Morehouse College, Howard University, the University of North Carolina, the City of Atlanta, the Hampton University Museum, Dillard University, the David Driskell Center at the University of Maryland, College Park, the Paul Jones Collection at the University of Alabama, the Atlanta airport and in many private collections.

WED 1/18

The Detroit Institute of Arts’ auxiliary group Friends of African and African American Art will honor artist and scholar Michael D. Harris at its 25th annual Alain Locke Award in the international category and recording and performance artist, educator and activist Mahogany Jones in the local category. The event is Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017 at 2 p.m. in the DIA Lecture Hall and is free with museum admission. A reception will follow in the FJC Dining Rooms.

A Detroit native and current resident of Oakland, California, Glynn Washington is the host and creator of Snap Judgment (Storytelling, with a BEAT), heard weekly on over 400 NPR stations nationwide and downloaded over two million times every month. Before “Snap,” Glynn worked as an educator, diplomat, community activist, actor, political strategist, fist-shaker, mountain-hollerer and foot stomper.

sic for the Kunst Stoff dance performances in San Francisco, rocked live spoken word poetry in Detroit, joined a band in Indonesia, wrote several screenplays, painted a daring series of self-portraits, released a blues album, and thinks his stories are best served with cocktails.

COMPENSATION The starting salary range for this position is $75,000 to $85,000, with highly qualified candidates eligible for higher compensation. This is a contractual position with no benefits.

APPLICATION Candidates must send their resumes via e-mail to Tim Palazzolo at tpalazzolo@detroitbuildingauthority.org on or before 5:00 p.m. on Friday, January 20th, 2017.

Classified PERSONAL SERVICES MRS. LINN

BORN GIFTED READER The 7th Daughter without asking you a single word. I will tell you what you want to know. Tell your present, past and future. Tell you who your friends and enemies are.

Why you’re so unlucky. If your loved one is true or false.I will advise you all problems of life, such as love, marriage, business and health, etc. Why suffer, you can be free from all troubles. I guarantee Sucess where others failed. I am superior to any other reader you have seen.

Don’t let distance keep you away from Health and Happiness. Hrs. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Daily and Sunday.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS MacDowell Preparatory Academy, 4201 W. Outer Drive, Detroit, MI 48221.

Applications for the 2017-18 school year for grades K-8 are being accepted from Jan. 23 thru Feb. 24, 2017. Should applications exceed available space a lottery will be held on March 14, 2017 at 6:00PM at MPA. Applications are available in school or online at www.macdowellprep.com .

The Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan (RTA) has issued Request for Proposal #2017-001: External Communications Consulting Services.

Electronic copies of proposals must be submitted with the RFP title and number referenced in the subject line to Ms. Tiffany J. Gunter at tgunter@rtamichigan.org by 4:00 PM EST on Wednesday, February 1, 2017.

The RFP with specific instructions is available on the RTA’s website at www. rtamichigan.org or by calling Information Services at (313) 402-1020. The RTA adheres to all DBE guidelines.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL OVERHEAD DOOR REPLACEMENT CENTRAL FACILITY SHOEMAKER FACILITY GILBERT FACILITY PROJECT NO. T-1602 The City of Detroit, Department of Transportation (DDOT) along with the Detroit Building Authority request sealed proposals for the OVERHEAD DOOR REPLACEMENT. The Sealed proposals must be received by the Detroit Building Authority, 1301 Third Street, STE # 328, Detroit, MI 48226 on or before 10:00 a.m. (EST) February 02, 2017.

A Pre-Proposal Conference and site walk-thru is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. (EST) January 18, 2017 at the DDOT Central Facility, 1301 E. Warren Avenue, Detroit, MI 48207.

Proposals are to be submitted in accordance with the DDOT Request for Proposals (RFP) dated January, 2017 which includes a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) goal of 5%. Proposals received after 10:00 a.m. (EST) February 02, 2017 will be returned to the sender unopened. No proposal, once submitted, may be withdrawn for 120 days after the due date.

The successful proposer will be required to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations. This includes, but is not limited to, all applicable Equal Employment Opportunity laws and U.S. Department of Transportation Disadvantaged Business Enterprise regulations as outlined in the RFP. The City of Detroit, Department of Transportation and the Detroit Building Authority reserves the right to postpone, accept or reject any or all proposals, in whole or in part, at its discretion, subject to the rules and regulations set forth by the City of Detroit, the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Transit Administration. Firms or individuals whose names appear on the U.S. Comptroller General’s list of ineligible contractors will not be considered.

The City of Detroit, Department of Transportation and the Detroit Building Authority affirmatively assures that no proposer will be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, sex, age, disability, religion, ancestry, marital status, national origin, place of birth or sexual orientation.

Written questions related to this project must be submitted to the Detroit Building Authority office no later than 12:00 p.m. (EST) January 25, 2017. Questions can either be emailed to the Detroit Building Authority to RiceD@ detroitmi.gov or faxed to (313) 224-4998.

Copies may be obtained, at the bidders cost, from Hernandez Blueprinting Services, Inc. 1401 Vermont, Detroit, MI 48216 - (313) 9622900. Contract Documents will be available January 10, 2017.

WWW.MICHIGANCHRONICLE.COM

January 18-24, 2017

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January National Glaucoma Awareness Awareness Month

PEDIATRIC ENDOCRINOLOGISTS University Pediatricians seeks Pediatric Endocrinologists to work in Detroit, MI. Will evaluate & treat pediatric patients (inpatient & outpatient) w/endocrine disorders. Take call & round & cover inpatient consults.

Must have a Medical Degree or foreign acad equiv. Must be Board Certified in Pediatrics & have completed 36 months of Fellowship in Pediatric Endocrinology. Must have or be eligible for a Physician License in State of MI. Applicants submit resumes to: HR Director, University Pediatricians 4201 S. Antoine, Suite 6D Mailbox 244 Detroit, MI 48201 or fax (313)966-6121

MISC. THIS CLASSIFIED SPOT FOR SALE! Advertise your EVENT, PRODUCT, or RECRUIT an applicant in more than 130 Michigan newspapers!

Only $299/week.

To place, Call:

800-227-7636

IT PAYS TO ADVERTISE IN THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

System Safety Engineer Warren, MI. General Motors. Plan &execute safety cases &dvlp system level safety requirements, technical &functional safety concepts using ISO 26262 functional safety process for fail operational vehicle architectures incldg semi-autonomous/autonomous vehicles with safety critical embedded controllers, sensors, actuators &serial communication incldg CAN, LIN, Flexray &Ethernet. Evaluate, adapt and/or dvlp new safety anlys techniques &provide assessment on advanced technology concepts for higher levels of automation such as Levels 2, 3, &4 per SAE J3016 standard. Ensure systematic &latent failures are detected by designed safety mechanisms to meet the diagnostic coverage anlys criteria for both hardware &software. Master, Electrical or Mechatronic Engineering. 6 mos exp as Engineer planning &executing safety cases &developing system level safety requirements, technical &functional safety concepts using ISO 26262 for fail operational vehicle architectures incldg semiautonomous vehicles with safety critical embedded controllers &serial communication incldg CAN, LIN &Flexray. Mail resume to Alicia Scott-Wears, GM Global Mobility, 300 Renaissance Center, MC:482-C32-D44, Detroit, MI 48265, Ref#42160.

HELP

Senior Design Release Engineer Warren, MI, General Motors. Design, define, &refine (during vehicle lifecyle) driveline components such as halfshafts, intermediate drive shafts, propshafts, power transfer units, rear differential modules reqmts for vehicle programs. Evaluate &improve internal &supplier mfg processes &ensure half shaft machining processes include proper forging &heat treatment of housings, inner races, cages, axle bars &boot seals. Ensure mechanical properties of materials such as hardness &case depths. Ensure reliability, robustness &durability of constant velocity joints. Define vehicle driveline components parameters, duty cycles, packaging, mfg reqmts &component durability life reqmts for future psgr vehicle programs. Bachelor, Mechanical or Mechatronics Engineering. 12 mos exp as Engineer in job offered or related.

Mail resume to Alicia Scott-Wears, GM Global Mobility, 300 Renaissance Center, MC:482C32-D44, Detroit, MI 48265, Ref#2083.

Design Release Engineer

Warren, MI, General Motors. Dvlp and lead/coordinate vehicle exterior trim parts such as spoilers, LPA, body side moldings, hood vents, fender vent, to meet global vehicle development process (GVDP). Use Teamcenter to administer parts math data, &UGNX &Visualization tools to lead design reviews and improve parts. Attend and/or host product design team meetings with GMKorea, ShanghaiGM &local/global suppliers via web conferencing. Deliver math data to suppliers using TURfusion. Lead suppliers to analyze engrg issues and improve the parts, handle parts at GVDP critical time points after math release (P2 release). Master, Mechanical Engineering. 6 mos exp as Engineer dvlpg & coordinating vehicle exterior trim parts such as spoilers, LPA, body side moldings, hood vents, fender vent, to meet GVDP, using UGNX and Visualization tools to lead design reviews and improve parts. Mail resume to Alicia Scott-­Wears, GM Global Mobility, 300 Renaissance Center, MC:482-­C32-­D44, Detroit, MI 48265, Ref#720.

WANTED

The CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF CLINTON ACT 78 POLICE & FIRE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION will be testing for the position of FIREFIGHTER to create an Eligibility List for future employment opportunities.

To apply and schedule a test for this position, go to the website https://www.empco.net and follow the instructions. There is a fee to take the examination, but results of this one test will be accepted by all participating fire departments in Michigan. You must apply and pass the test by 4:00 p.m. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2017.

Detailed qualifications are available on our website at www.clintontownship-mi.gov Excellent working conditions, fringe benefits, opportunity for advancement.

CLINTON TOWNSHIP FIRE AND POLICE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION

WWW.MICHIGANCHRONICLE.COM

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

PLANNING & PROCUREMENT SPECIALIST GENERAL JOB SUMMARY The Planning & Procurement Specialist position is intended for a recent college graduate with minimal professional experience who is looking for an historic opportunity to work with the largest blight elimination program in the nation. The Detroit Demolition Program is a cornerstone in Mayor Duggan’s effort to revitalize the City of Detroit, and this position will serve an integral function in the Program.

The Planning & Procurement Specialist will report to the Planning & Procurement Manager and will assist the Planning & Procurement Manager with all tasks related to the identification of demolition targets, the completion of any necessary due diligence and the procurement of contractors for the Detroit Demolition Program. Qualified candidates will possess a basic understanding of city governance and knowledge of Detroit’s history, neighborhoods and planning environment.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES • Assist the Planning & Procurement Manager in identifying and prioritizing demolition targets • Verify legal authority for demolition; • Create Request for Proposals (RfP) or Request for Qualifications (RfQ); • Track the execution of contract and issuance of Notice to Proceed, as necessary; • Prioritize work for DTE service disconnection; • Manage Supportive Services (removal of excess debris, dewatering flooded structures, etc.) for demolition; • Work with Detroit Water and Sewerage Department to calculate hydrant permit fees and coordinate service disconnections, as necessary; • Ensure proper notification of demolition to property owners, as necessary; • Track all relevant data points regarding project planning and procurement activities; • Organize and maintain all documentation related to planning and procurement activities for demolition targets; • Perform other tasks, as directed QUALIFICATIONS • Bachelor’s Degree in any discipline • Associates Degree in any discipline with two years of professional experience in working with a local unit of government.

• Advanced communication (oral & written) skills; • Intermediate to advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite; • Basic knowledge of database management tools/systems; • Valid State of Michigan Driver’s License; • Ability to conduct field investigations, as necessary; • Knowledge of procurement procedures, preferred COMPENSATION The starting salary for this position will range from $40,000 - $45,000.

This is a contract position with no benefits.

APPLICATION Candidates must send their resumes via e-mail to Tyler Tinsey at tinseyt@detroitmi.gov on or before 5:00 p.m. on Friday, January 20th, 2017.

Creative Designer – Color &Trim

Warren, MI, General Motors. Define global car brand strategy, design &propose directions for portfolio. Create &execute in program Color, Material &Finishes visual concepts (incldg automotive woven fabric, automotive leather &MIC plastic for each trim level (walk up) &color combination, of interiors &exteriors for production programs. Request &respond to Change Requests &Decision Notifications.

Collaborate with design studio, creative styling, engrg, material qlty, &marketing teams to understand vehicle goals.

Interpret line, form vocabulary, surface dvlpmt &color theory. Create renderings of interiors for each trim level (walk up) &color combination, incldg color, finish &grain harmony, using Adobe Creative Suite &VRED. Use freehand sketching, pen, pencil, paint, other mix media to illustrate designs. Bachelor, Industrial or Textile Design. 12 mos exp as Creative DesignerC&T or C&T Designer in job offered. Mail resume to Alicia Scott-Wears, GM Global Mobility, 300 Renaissance Center, MC:482-C32-D44, Detroit, MI 48265, Ref#3053.

NOTICE APPLICATION FOR FIREFIGHTER

John Russi, Chairman Raymond Glime, Commissioner Bethany Pryor, Commissioner Kim Meltzer, Secretary

HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

Page D-4

Creative Designer

Warren, MI, General Motors. Design future SUV &truck interiors incldg seating systems incldg instrument panel, center stack, floor &overhead consoles, seats, door trims, gearshift levers, A/B/C/D pillars garnish, sills, rocker panels, lock pillars, headliners, trunk garnish, lift gate trim, &dome lamps, &vehicle architectures, using Photoshop CS, Alias Studio Tools, Autodesk showcase, &VRED. Sketch &propose concepts &mockups of vehicle architectures &functions such as airbags, screens integration, seating system, &ergonomic positions &knee room, foams, trim, cut &sew, &decoration, IP/console, door trim, garnish &trim. Study ergonomic of Human Machine Interface (HMI) &displays systems. Use VRED to generate photorealistic pictures. Work with 3D CAD sculptors &physical modelers bldg ergonomically suited interior proposal models for reviews. Bachelor, Product or Transportation Design or Mechanical Engineering. 12 mos exp as Automotive Designer proposing concepts &mockups of vehicle architectures &functions such as airbags, screens integration, seating system, &ergonomic positions &knee room, foams, trim, cut &sew, &decoration, IP/console, door trim, garnish &trim. Mail resume to Alicia Scott-­Wears, GM Global Mobility, 300 Renaissance Center, MC:482-­C32-­D44, Detroit, MI 48265, Ref#2011.

Component/Subsystems

NOW HIRING!

www.oakgov.com/jobs Senior Compartment Integration Design Engineer

Warren, MI, General Motors. Design engrg criteria using NX CAD soft. Dvlp Vehicle Gral Arrangement &Occupant position for psgr car, crossover &SUV Center Module. Evaluate Class A Surface feasibility &integrate instrument panels &consoles. Responsible for FMVSS 201 Upper Interior Component Head Impact Protection, incldg engrg, validation, &release of vehicle upper interior trim layouts, &determining critical head impact points to eliminate occupant injury through head impact under 15 mph. Bachelor, Mechanical Engineering, Production Process Engineering or related. 12 mos exp as Engineer, responsible for FMVSS 201 Upper Interior Component Head Impact Protection, incldg engrg, validation, &release of vehicle upper interior trim layouts, &determining critical head impact points to eliminate occupant injury through head impact under 15 mph. Mail resume to Alicia Scott-­Wears, GM Global Mobility, 300 Renaissance Center, MC:482-­ C32-­D44, Detroit, MI 48265, Ref#48862.

Cost Estimate Specialist

Warren, MI, General Motors. Analyze &coordinate material cost estimates during arch &vehicle dvlpmt process &implementation for psgr vehicles in N.A./Chinese markets. Coordinate program cost books working with cross functional team members to dvlp material cost estimates &maintain up to date data in cost books with goal posts. Use Teamcenter Vis Mockup sys &ensure that cost books are buildable vehicles. Create cost comparisons of BOM &global purchasing sys contracts for buildable tracking model compared to cost book at every update after BOM is complete. Understand &ensure material cost estimates &books reflect program content, volumes, tracking model definitions, mfg footprint, sourcing footprint &powertrain (full engine/transmission/engine dress) costs.

Analyze cost book from part level up to vehicle level. Bachelor, Business Administration or Finance. 12 mos exp as Cost Engineer, ensuring that all cost books are buildable vehicles, &material cost estimates &books reflect program content, volumes, tracking model definitions, mfg footprint, sourcing footprint &powertrain (engine/transmission/engine dress) costs.

Mail resume to Alicia Scott-Wears, GM Global Mobility, 300 Renaissance Center, MC:482-C32-D44, Detroit, MI 48265, Ref#45252.

Product Interface Engineer

Warren, MI, General Motors. Verify that Global General Assy Center Mfg Strategies Bill of Process (BOP) &Vehicle Set Strategy (VSS) reqmts &protocols are executed properly during new vehicle launch at vehicle assy plant &Intnl Operations Engrg Homerooms (China/Korea). Use VisMockup to conduct virtual vehicle &tooling studies/assessments throughout vehicle dvlpmt process. Evaluate, monitor, track &anticipate impact on new tooling, conveyors, fixtures, &eqpt, tryout, testing &implementation, for future high volume psgr car assy. Document process, specialized tooling, features, gauges &reqmts for regional execution &ensure compliance by executing assy plants. Assess impact of IO Engrg decisions on North America Vehicle Assy &act as point of contact for Global/Regional Mfg to Product Engrg. Participate in Based Engineering Content reduction &PFMEA workshops. Bachelor, Mechanical, Electrical or Electronics Engineering. 24 mos exp as Manufacturing Engineer, verifying that Global General Assy Center Mfg Strategies BoP &VSS reqmts &protocols are executed properly for new vehicle launch at vehicle assy plant; documenting process, specialized tooling, features, gauges &reqmts for execution &ensure compliance by executing assy plant. Mail resume to Alicia Scott-Wears, GM Global Mobility, 300 Renaissance Center, MC:482-C32-D44, Detroit, MI 48265, Ref#18240

Design Release Engineer

Warren, MI, General Motors. Validate safety critical telematics Emergency Calling, AACN, Vehicle Slowdown Content/Theft Alert, &Turn by Turn Navigation features software &hardware subsys &components for foreign markets, using VehicleSpy &neoVi to monitor automotive serial data bus message, &Mocha to monitor MOST bus message across different infotainment systems. Dvlp LADV/GVBR component test plans. Dvlp &execute electrical subsys/sys test programs at vehicle level on multiple new safety critical features, setting supplier test reqmts for thermal cycling, shock, humidity &salt mist tests, &leakage, &reviewing supplier reports for EMC, radiation &wireless performance. Generate &release test procedures based on GM SSTS automotive systems reqmts. Bachelor, Electrical Engineering. 12 mos exp as Engineer, validating safety critical telematics AACN, Vehicle Slowdown Content/Theft Alert, &Turn by Turn Navigation features software subsystems, using VehicleSpy &neoVi to monitor automotive serial data bus message, &Mocha to monitor MOST bus message across infotainment systems. Mail resume to Alicia Scott-­Wears, GM Global Mobility, 300 Renaissance Center, MC:482-­C32-­ D44, Detroit, MI 48265, Ref#5604.

Warren, MI, General Motors. Dvlp global BIW (underbody &upper structures, closures, &exterior trim panels) architectures for cars, SUVs, &crossovers.

Initiate dvlpmt to start of regular production. Define body structure performance according to cmpt technical spec, sub-sys technical spec, vehicle technical specs &certification compliance with US, Europe, &Emerging Market regs defined by FMVSS, ECE, NCAP crash &durability standards, &IIHS ratings.

Perform studies using DFSS to balance business imperatives (product mass tracking/control, &cost reduction proposals) &project efficiency incentives for body structure to recommend program direction.

Improve BIW load path topology of front rails/reinforcements, &underbody cross members, app of AHSS, UHSS &PHS with appropriate mfg process definition hot stamping &rolled form. Bachelor, Mechanical Engineering. 12 mos exp as Engineer, dvlpg global BIW (underbody &upper structures, closures, &exterior trim panels) architectures for cars incldg defining body structure performance according to cmpt technical spec, sub-sys technical spec, vehicle technical specs &certification compliance with US, Europe, &Emerging Market regs defined by FMVSS, ECE, NCAP crash &durability standards, &IIHS ratings. Mail resume to Alicia Scott-Wears, GM Global Mobility, 300 Renaissance Center, MC:482-C32D44, Detroit, MI 48265, Ref#13869.

Validation Engineer

praise connection

January 18-24, 2017 Page D-5

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

Moral courage is standing up for what is right Sen. Booker and Rep. Lewis break tradition, testify against Sen. Sessions

By Marian Wright Edelman

not avoid the fact that there is a systematic, deliberate attempt to destroy the advances of civil rights in this country and take us back to a period when America declared its greatness on one hand, but fostered the worst kind of racial discrimination on the other.”

(NNPA News Wire Columnist)

Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable. Even a superficial look at history reveals that no social advance rolls in on the wheels of inevitability. Every step towards the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle . . . This is no time for apathy or complacency. This is a time for vigorous and positive action. - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. On Jan 11, Senator Cory A. Booker (D-NJ) and Representative John Lewis (D-GA) joined the list of speakers testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee against the nomination of Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) for Attorney General of the United States. Both were assigned to a panel at the very end of the hearing process, a slot fellow panelist Representative Cedric L. Richmond (D-LA), the head of the Congressional Black Caucus, called “the equivalent of being made to go to the back of the bus.”

Several Senate committee members who have already publically supported Sen. Sessions left before Sen. Booker’s and Rep. Lewis’ important testimony began. But that didn’t deter them from speaking out against the threat they see to the civil rights progress our nation has made if Senator Sessions becomes Attorney General.

Congressman Lewis noted that he was born in rural Alabama too, not far from where Sen. Sessions grew up, but as a black child he inherited a far different society: “There was no way to escape or deny the choke hold of discrimination and racial hate that surrounded us.” He said, “A clear majority of Americans say they want this to be a fair, just, and open nation…They are concerned that some leaders reject decades of progress and want to return to the dark past, when the power of law was used to deny the freedoms protected by the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and its Amendments. These are the voices I represent today. We can pretend that the law is blind. We can pretend that it is even-handed. But if we are honest with ourselves, we know that we are called upon daily by the people we represent to help them deal with unfairness in how the law is written and enforced.

Those who are committed to equal justice in our society wonder whether Sen. Sessions’ call for ‘law and order’ will mean today what it meant in Alabama, when I was com-

Marian Wright Edelman says that she’s deeply grateful to Senator Booker and Rep. Lewis for their extraordinary testimony and moral leadership during Senator Jeff Sessions’ confirmation hearing on his Attorney General nomination. ing up back then. The rule of law was used to violate the human and civil rights of the poor, the dispossessed, people of color.”

In additional written remarks, Congressman Lewis was even clearer about some of his current fears: “Some people argue that the 48 years of a fully-operational Voting Rights Act simply erased hundreds of years of hate and violence.

This is not ancient history; the scars and stains of racism are still deeply embedded in our society.

This is proven by the thousands of pages of evidence submitted to Congress which verify continued voting rights discrimination across our nation and in the Deep South.

Representing Alabama on this Committee, Senator Sessions had an opportunity to lead. Instead, the Senator turned a blind eye to the persistent and consistent efforts to make it harder and more difficult for minorities, the poor, the elderly, and others to exercise the right to vote…after the Shelby v. Holder decision [the 2013 Supreme Court decision striking down key provisions of the 1965 Voting Rights Act], minorities were in mourning as Senator Sessions was celebrating.

He declared the decision was ‘good news for the South.’ Alabama and other states immediately adopted voter ID legislation — making it harder for minorities to execute their right to vote. We must face the truth. We are a multi-racial, multi-ethnic country… and we can-

Sen. Booker, born after the Civil Rights Movement, made it clear that he feels personally indebted to heroes like John Lewis who were attacked and some even killed during the struggle to make America a more just nation — and equally resolute against moving backwards. He took the courageous step of being the first sitting Senator to testify against the confirmation of another. In his prepared remarks he said, “I want an Attorney General who is committed to supporting law enforcement and securing law and order. But that is not enough.

America was founded heralding not law and order, but justice for all.

And critical to that is equal justice under the law. Law and order without justice is unobtainable.

If there is no justice, there is no peace. The Alabama State Troopers on the Edmund Pettis Bridge were seeking law and order. The marchers were seeking justice, and ultimately the greater peace.”

I’m deeply grateful to Sen. Booker and Congressman Lewis for their extraordinary testimony and moral leadership. At the end of his statement Congressman Lewis said, “Leadership is not easy. You are expected to make tough decisions — to do what is right, what is just, and what is fair for all the people of this nation who rely on you to speak up and speak out on their behalf.”

They spoke on behalf of the majority, millions of Americans, who are afraid of a new onslaught of attempts to push the arc of our nation away from justice — and seek leaders vigilant and determined to keep fighting every step of the way to make America a better and fairer nation. As we prepare to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day we all should find the courage to honor him by standing up for what is right to stop a senator who has fought against racial justice over a lifetime from becoming the nation’s chief law enforcement voice. That’s like putting the fox in charge of the chicken coop.

Marian Wright Edelman is the president of the Children's Defense Fund whose Leave No Child Behind®

Spiritually Speaking: The Devil is a liar

By James Washington The Dallas Weekly

I’m sure at one time or another, you’ve heard the phrase, “the devil is a liar.” I’ve said it here many times. Satan specializes in deceit. You know the drill. Harden not your heart, when you hear the Word of God. More often than not, that small voice you hear at difficult times, when your faith is really challenged, is that of Satan. Be careful when it happens to you, because according to the Bible, you are indeed in dangerous waters. One of my favorite passages of scripture is, “Some people are like seed along the path where the Word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the Word that was sown in them.” (Mark 4:5). My point is that recognition is a most powerful attribute to have.

If you could only recognize when you’re being fooled, used, manipulated or lied to by someone or something hell-bent on destroying you, then possibly you might be able to handle it accordingly. I have a pastor friend that reminds me that the devil does not want to just hurt you. He wants you dead.

Emotionally, we all have responded vehemently when recognition affords us the opportunity to see when we’re being made a fool of by someone else. For the perpetrator, it is not a pretty picture. In Satan’s case, he doesn’t always show his hand in a manner obvious to us. The devil is a liar and specializes in presenting situations and circumstances that never reveal his hand in your life as the reason that everything is going to Hell in a hay basket. “And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising then, if his servants masquerade as servants

James Washington of righteousness…” (2 Corinthians 11: 14-15).

So, it is my speculation, using what I hope is my sanctified imagination, that Satan is hard at work in your life, when you are most likely trying to be true to your faith. The Bible says watch out, because it is at these times that “so-called” supporters, advice givers and yes, even friends and family show up to help us, comfort us, guide us in a way

that on the surface, appears to be consistent with our efforts to hear and follow the Word of God. In truth, if we could see the devil at work, then it would be fairly easy to make the right decisions and the right choices. But the devil is so cunning that at that moment of truth, he sees to it that we blame others, rationalize our actions, defend sin and otherwise fault life for what we ought to know that God has total control over.

In the name of everything but Satan, we can explain away all those things that will virtually insure us a ringside seat in Hell. Rarely do we permit ourselves the time and thought to recognize this is the devil doing his best to win your soul as his ultimate prize. Rarely, if ever, will we give him his due for all that we regret doing on the morning

after. Rarely do we consider him or his agents the night before the morning after. If we did, then the Word of God would emerge out of our chaos and light our paths to peace as in peace of mind.

At this point, how we live becomes second nature to why we live. When one understands the why of life, the how becomes pretty easy. “Be careful then, how you live, not as unwise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” (Ephesians 4:15-18). The key to all this, I believe, is recognizing the difference between God’s Word and the devil’s whispers. It’s those whispers and who’s in your ear that’ll getcha every time.

Marc Gregory Edwards

Services for Marc Gregory Edwards were held on Monday, Jan. 16. Mr. Edwards passed away on Jan. 3, 2017.

Marc Gregory Edwards was born on June 1, 1954 in Detroit to Margaret Louise and James Alvin Edwards. In 1976, he married Mary Wilkerson and was the loving father of son Mario and daughter Ellisa.

Mr. Edwards will be remembered an energetic person full of ideas and a hard-working man who loved the physical challenges of life. He had a passion for sports and embraced the spirit of competition.

In addition to his wife, children and siblings, Marc Gregory Edwards leaves behind to cherish his memory four grandchildren (Desia, Chardai, Gada and Jaquin), two nieces and host of aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

Final arrangements were entrusted to James H. Cole Funeral Home.

Grace Pauline Davis Services for Grace Pauline Davis were held on Dec. 8 at New Liberty Baptist Church with Rev. Curtis Collins officiating. Mrs. Davis passed away on Nov. 29, 2016.

Grace Pauline Davis was born on Dec. 1, 1910 to Richard Hill and Sally Johnson in Warfield, Virginia. She moved to New York in 1929. In June of that year, she married Arthur Davis and they were blessed with three children, Arthur Davis, Jr., Ruth Hawley and Dorothy Johnson.

Mrs. Davis was a devoted Christian and church-goer who was also a foster grandparent for many years. In addition, she raised her granddaughter, Sherry Johnson.

She enjoyed listening to religious music, sewing and watching baseball on television.

Cherishing the memory of Grace Pauline Davis are her daughter, Dorothy Johnson, and many other relatives and friends.

Swanson Funeral Home handled the arrangements.

Interment took place at Detroit Memorial Park.

George Smith Services for George Smith were held on Dec. 10 at New Grace Church with Pastor Julius E. Hope officiating. Mr. Smith passed away on Dec. 2, 2016.

George Smith was born on Jan. 18, 1945 in Lee County in Albany, Georgia to Henry Sr. and Ocie Lee Smith, the fifth of six children. He was educated in the Detroit Public Schools and graduated from Northwestern High School.

He was employed by General Motors at the Hydromatic Transmission Plant in Inkster.

After 43 of service as a die setter, he retired in 2006. He had also earned a real estate license.

Mr. Smith, a devout Christian, enjoyed cooking, watching the History Channel, going to the casino, “simulated flying” of his Air Force jets and watching movies.

Mr. Smith had three children from a previous marriage and in 1995 married Belinda D. Tate. They had and enjoyed a combined family with seven children.

Cherishing the memory of George Smith are his wife, Belinda; two sons, Tony and Michael; five daughters, Kelli, Tiffani, Kimberly, a second Kelli and Jessica; two sisters, Thelma and Mamie; three brothers, Henry, Jr., Eddie and Aaron; and many other relatives and friends.

Swanson Funeral Home handled the arrangements.

May God bless and keep you always.

Interment took place at Woodlawn Cemetery.

Goldie Mae On Dec. 10, services for Goldie Mae were held at Historic Little Rock Missionary Baptist Church with Rev. Dr. Jim Holley officiating. Mrs. Mae passed away on Nov. 28, 2016.

Goldie Mae was born on Feb. 2, 1941 in Cairo, Illinois to James Lee and Ida Mae Abbott.

She was outstanding in high school and graduated with honors from Southern Illinois University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Education. For a number of years, she taught in Benton Harbor and Pontiac.

She later went on to earn a Master’s in Guidance and Counseling from Wayne State University.

In 1973, she made a career change to social work, employed by the State of Michigan as a child protective service worker and then as an adult protective service worker. She retired in 2011 as a supervisor for adult protective services.

Mrs. Mae was an active church member.

Cherishing the memory of Goldie Mae are her daughter, Traci Clark; two brothers, Darrell Abbott and Johnnie Abbott; and many other relatives and friends.

Swanson Funeral Home handled the arrangements.

Interment took place at Mt. Hope Memorial Gardens.

Page D-6 • THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE • January 18-24, 2017

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