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Michigan Chronicle

Vol. 84 – No. 34 | April 28 - May 4, 2021

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Separation and the Pandemic:

How It Is Affecting Relationships and Children

By Megan Kirk For over a year, families have been on lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak. During this time households have been able to spend more time together than pre-pandemic. Now, as life begins to function around a new normal, children are returning to school and parents are returning to work. With so much time spent together, will the continuing moved to the “new normal” cause a case of separation anxiety?

While children experience attachment from birth, according to the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, at around 18 months of age attachments to parents, particularly the mother, are established for most. It is during this time children learn safety and security.

With time as an indicator, one-on-one moments with parents, siblings or other household members can help to strengthen ties.

As COVID has caused families to stay on lockdown, the increase in family moments has, in some cases, created stronger bonds.

With coronavirus cases on the decline, thanks in part to vacDawn Clark cinations and social distancing, social anxieties caused by the pandemic may become the next hurdle to jump.

“Separation anxiety can stem from a lot of different things. Even adults can have separation anxiety. It stems from fear of what could happen when you are separated from that person. In terms of children, depending on the age, their thinking and cognitive skills are not necessarily fully developed,” says Dawn Clark, a licensed professional counselor and owner of DDC Counseling and Consulting. “There may be a fear that if the parent leaves the home we will never be together again, and something would happen.”

Since March 2020, children have had little to no interaction with individuals outside of their home. Although children have proven to be resilient during times of adversity, stress can manifest in children and display in their sleeping and eating habits as well as their everyday behavior.

“Not getting up on time, not wanting to get dressed and sometimes not sleeping and not eating can be symptoms of some type of distress,” says Clark.

Not all children will experience a separation issue post-pandemic. Some children are displaying signs, and verbally requesting, to return to school and social organizations. As the pandemic has made most adults anxious to return to normal, children have also experienced the push to be around friends and re-establish life as they knew it.

“A lot of kids are ready to go back to school. They want to be with their friends.

They want to see their teachers again. They missed that social interaction. Being at home in the virtual environment has been rather stressful for them,” says Clark.

See SEPARATION

New Black Business Alliance Aims To Empower

Black Entrepreneurs Charity Dean, president and CEO of Metro-Detroit Black Business Alliance

By Donald James Special to the Chronicle

As the COVID-19 pandemic rages in Southeast Michigan with no end in sight, excessive numbers of Black small businesses in Wayne, Macomb and Oakland counties face increasing challenges to remain profitable and, in far too many cases, stay in business. In countless instances, small Black businesses in the tri-county areas are only surviving, not thriving. Even before the pandemic began, Black small companies in the region were struggling due to little or no access to capital and other critical business tools such as information, resources, training and guidance.

To champion and advocate for Black small businesses in the region, Metro-Detroit Black Business Alliance (MDBBA) was unveiled on March 19, 2021. Backed by a $1 million gift from TCF Bank, MDBBA’s mission is laser-focused on creating and implementing platforms to support and elevate Black entrepreneurs in the region.

“Our mission is to create policies and programming that will result in driving Black-owned businesses in Wayne, Macomb and Oakland counties,” said Charity Dean, president and CEO of Metro-Detroit Black Business Alliance, at a recent Michigan Chronicle editorial board meeting. “We want to make sure that we are focused on closing the wealth gap which is really crucial to our goals.”

According to Dean, MDBBA will create several tangible resources to assist Black businesses in the tri-county area.

“On the programming side, we hope to launch within the next couple of months a Black Business Directory which will list all Black businesses in Metro Detroit on our website,” Dean told the editorial board. “We will also establish our Business Resource Center where Black-

owned businesses come to have coworking space, conference rooms and access to the internet. We are also going to launch one of our core programs called Capital Connect.”

Dean told the editorial board that Capital Connect would allow MDBBA to “deep dive” with Black-owned businesses to help ready them and ultimately connect them to grants, loans, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and other vital pools of funds to promote growth and sustainability. Dean said the number of Black businesses in the tri-county area that have received the SBAbacked PPP during the pandemic is dismal. She pointed out that MDBBA will conduct detailed surveys of Black businesses in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties to determine the levels of policymaking and programing needs for advocacy.

Asked by AJ Williams, Michigan Chronicle’s managing editor, about engagement in political arenas and elections across the region, Dean said, “We will be very immersed in what’s going on politically. However, we won’t be making any endorsements of candidates. But being born and raised in Detroit, what I’ve seen over the years is that when people want to run for political offices, a lot of times, they go on tours. They go see seniors and go to the churches. I haven’t seen the drive and necessity for political candidates to see Black-owned businesses. Our job at MDBBA is to ask candidates what their platform is for Black-owned businesses and inform politicians what Black-owned businesses need. We want them to know that we are a constituency that is valued, must be heard and must have a seat at the table.”

Dean said there is more than enough room at the table for other organizations with similar goals. She admits MDBBA alone can’t meet the massive needs of Black

See BLACK

BUSINESS ALLIANCE page A2

ANXIETY page A2

WHAT’S INSIDE

Death and Dying in Detroit: Black Women Speak Out

By Sherri Kolade

Janice Cosby Adams: Retirement and Life After Career

Money. A5

$1.00

They are Black women and children -- families in Detroit who are crying out for help. With over-taxation, evictions, gentrification and unsafe living conditions -- they are at the ends of their ropes with an ever-present threat of housing insecurities. This two-part series tells some of their stories and the people fighting on the frontlines with them.

This is the final part two.

Her grandmother came to Detroit in 1919.

Today, Geraldine Smith-Bey is fighting to get back the house her grandmother had in the family but lost due to over-taxation. In 2015 she lost the house to the city for only $1,211, according to the Detroit Eviction Defense.

The house on Fischer Street in

the city is one of many examples of how Black women and men are losing their homes in the city.

“This is part of my generational wealth -- Black homes matters, Black generational wealth matters,” Smith-Bey said during a press conference near her house held to discuss her plight. “We deserve stable housing. Unfair practices in the city of Detroit have been going on far too long.”

Smith-Bey said that housing insecurity impacts people and their body, mind, spirit and soul. “I experienced all of that … this is a fight that I am not giving up,” she said, adding that she needs a “serious contractor” that will come and do the work and stabilize her home.

“And help me continue to create generational wealth-- my sons, I

See BLACK

WOMEN page A2

Page A-2 • michiganchronicle.com • April 28 - May 4, 2021

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Black Business Alliance From page A-1 businesses in three big counties.

“There is absolutely no way that we can do this by ourselves, and we don’t actually want to do it alone,” Dean said. “We need to identify every single barrier that has presented itself to Black-owned businesses. There have to be other organizations to help Black businesses succeed.”

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Charlie Beckham, a retired city of Detroit powerbroker who served in executive roles for six Detroit mayors, agreed that Black businesses need all the help they can get. Beckham, however, felt that before MDBBA formed, its organizers should have had early talks with the National Business League, the 121-year-old historic Detroit-based organization. Such meetings, according to Beckham, could have produced one powerful voice to overwhelmingly advocate for Black businesses in Southeast Michigan.

MEMBER OF AUDIT BUREAU OF CIRCULATION

Separation Anxiety From page A-1

mission is “toOur create policies

Nevertheless, Beckham would still like MDBBA and NBL to find common ground as one powerful voice. Beckham gave several examples of how organizations have worked in harmony for the success of Black business owners and contractors in Metro Detroit.

and programming that will result in driving Black-owned businesses in Wayne, Macomb and Oakland counties.”

In 2011, Beckham said he and Bill Brooks founded the Michigan Black Chamber of Commerce (MBCC), which benefited Black businesses around the state. In 2017, MBCC morphed into the National Business League. Ken Harris is NBL’s president and CEO.

“I don’t know much about the new organization,” said Moss. “But looking at its Board members on its website, the new organization should be better than what we have now. And we have, or have had, organizations and associations created to support and help Black businesses, but our businesses are still not getting any help. Whatever has been done in the past is not currently effective.”

Moss continued.

“There are many Black businesses that on the front end are strong,” explained Moss. “But many are failing in operating businesses on the backside, like knowing how to run their books, knowing how to turn a profit consistently, knowing how and when to invest or reinvest in their businesses, knowing how to train people to represent brands for growth. Black businesses need training, need support, need resources and need access to capital.

A Black business advocacy association should exist for those purposes.”

Kevin Johnson, president and CEO of Detroit Economic Growth

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“I know Charity Dean and Kai Bowman very well. They are two sharp leaders in Detroit,” Beckham said. “The problem is that they started the organization when they both were mayoral appointees.

It was not a good way to start because what is needed is neutrality, to advocate for everyone without the appearance that it’s politically driven.”

Alisha M. Moss, founder and CEO of Detroit-based VM3 Consulting Corporation, a small, minority- and woman-owned strategic management consulting firm which provides services to architecture, engineering and construction industries, said she believes it’s too early to know if MDBBA can successfully advocate for Black businesses.

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Beckham also said MDBBA’s startup was problematic in a couple of ways.

Years earlier, Beckham formed A3BC to bring local and regional Black business organizations to the table to collectively gain greater access to the major corporate dollars available at the time. According to Beckham, such collaborations resulted in $1 billion worth of business for African American companies throughout the 1990s.

He believes there needs to be similar connectivity between MDBBA, NBL, and other like-minded entities. Although MDBBA and NBL are currently operating independently, Beckham would like to see a change.

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– Charity Dean, president and CEO of Metro-Detroit Black Business Alliance

Corporation, the city’s economic catalyst believes MDBBA has the potential to help Black businesses receive the support they need to prosper.

“The effort with MDBBA is intentional and specific about policy and programming advocacy and about information sharing and the like,” said Johnson. “I think that benefits many Black small businesses that would lean on that type of effort to help get them where they want to go from a business perspective.”

Johnson was asked if DEGC will work with MDBBA. “The people who are engaged in this new organization are people that I know, people that I have a lot of confidence in, that have a good heart in what they want to accomplish,” said Johnson. “And at such a time, if there is an opportunity for DEGC to be in a place of partnering with MDBBA – as we do with other organizations that are in the small business space – our leadership would expect us to take that partnership on.”

Like any new organization, especially one that can be a great assistance to helping Black small businesses in Southeast Michigan grow, prosper and sustain, Metro-Detroit Black Business Alliance has its work cut out. Yet, Dean said she is up to the challenge of leading MDBBA to succeed in its mission of advocating for policies and programming to empower Black businesses in Wayne, Macomb and Oakland counties. Dean told The Michigan Chronicle’s editorial board that she vows to do one other important thing.

“After George Floyd was killed last year, and suddenly everybody cared about Black issues, lots of statements were issued about helping and supporting Black-owned businesses,” Dean said. “A big part of our role at MDBBA is to make sure those conversations will never

end.”

The statements were heard loud and clear by TCF Bank, a founding partner with the Metro Detroit Black Business Alliance. TCF promises its support of the advocacy organization through a $1 million gift over the next five years.

“This is precisely what corporations should be doing,” Gary Torgow, chairman of TCF Bank, said. “We are enthusiastic about this partnership and are committed and honored to continually serve and lift up Black-owned businesses in the region.”

For more information about Metro-Detroit Black Business Alliance, its membership and events, log on to www.mdbba.com.

For adults, the stress and uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus pandemic has sparked conversation ranging from prevention to fear-based narratives.

While parents continue to handle their own feelings of doubt, stress and worry, managing a child’s emotions simultaneously can no doubt add additional concern.

“I think some of it has to do with how the parent is handling that return.

Children often pick up on the stress and anxiety of the parent. So, if the parent is feeling some anxiety about allowing their child to go back to school then the child is going to pick up on that,” says Clark. “Understanding where the parent is and their readiness is key in this.”

Aside from children, relationships have also taken a hit during the pandemic. The National Law Review released information in 2020 showing a spike in divorces. In just one month from the start of the pandemic, divorces saw a 34 percent spike. Newlywed couples married five months or less saw a 9 percent increase in divorce rates from 2019 to 2020, rising from 11 percent to 20 percent.

The pandemic has helped to expose issues in various relationships and has caused some couples to put their cards on the table. With the increase in time spent together, creating a false narrative around a rocky relationship can prove detrimental for both men and women.

Black Women From page A-1

don’t deserve this, and my grandson doesn’t deserve this. When I tell you this has been hard on me, trust me it has,” she said near tears.

Grassroots activist and Detroit resident Beulah Walker has seen it all, too.

She started the non-profit organization Detroit Black Women’s Council because she has seen too many Black women struggling to pay bills and maintain their homes.

Walker said that she faced her own housing insecurity issues, and she was moved out of her apartment complex in the city due to gentrification years ago.

“We were told you have to buy your unit or you have to move,” she said, adding that she was homeless from May 2017 to May 2019 as a consequence.

“I lived with my mom on and off and I slept in my car,” she said. “In the meantime, I’m still going to school [and] on the job training.”

Walker added that she also faced bankruptcy and other financial woes but landed on her feet, and in late 2019 she was able to get an apartment where she now lives.

“I thought I was doing pretty good until we

Fair housing rights during the pandemic include the right to be treated equally.

Fair housing is your right!

Use it!

“If that relationship didn’t have a good foundation before the pandemic, to have expectations that this false incubation of the relationship is going to change anything may be setting someone up for failure,” says Clark.

While infidelity is not always the cause of a breakup, it can prove to be a difficult barrier to overcome. Wiley Library reports findings from the American Psychological Association stating 25 percent of married couples will experience a form of infidelity in their relationship. From rises in online dating profiles to social media flirtation, cheating may take on a new form in the midst of the pandemic but is still just as damaging.

“Just in terms of relationship, if the person was unfaithful before the pandemic there is nothing to say their behavior was going to change unless during that time, they worked on their relationship,” says Clark.

As the world continues to course through the financial and emotional effects of the pandemic, finding purposeful reasoning behind working through relationship anxiety, fears of returning to school and work and other mental stressors caused by COVID-19 will be key in moving the needle forward in the new normal.

“We were forced into a social isolation and now is the opportunity to be intentional about some of those connections. As we move back into the workplace or our new norms, we have to be intentional,” Clark says.

got another letter from the property saying that the rent is going up to $300,” she said of an incident last year. “Here I am again in 2020, back in the same situation.”

Walker said that this time around she knew how to fight back and she was able to speak with city officials about her issue.

“Next thing I know this magically disappeared,” she said of the rent increase. “Whatever they were going to do to us it went away -- I believe it had to do with me advocating on behalf of the 284 residents. I was the only one kicking up dust.”

Walker said that she has seen terrible cases where some women were not so fortunate and they struggled facing bills and a myriad of other problems that impacted their health. She said at the end of the day it’s about advocating -- even if you are not up on the chopping block with housing issues.

“People don’t understand it could be them,” she said adding that it’s everyone’s problem when someone has housing issues.

“I don’t understand how we got here as a society -- how did we come to this place where if it’s not me I don’t care?”

“I try to tell people you don’t know your power,” she said.

For more information find the Detroit Black Women’s Council on Facebook.

A3

| April 28 - May 4, 2021

Roots.

michiganchronicle.com

Lt. Col Harry Stewart Jr. served in World War II as a Tuskegee Airman. Photo courtesy of the Tuskegee Airmen National Museum

Newly Housed Tuskegee Airmen National Museum Inspires Black Youth to Soar

Erin Proctor’s popular fruit-topped cheesecakes are a hit with customers. Photo provided by RoNeisha Mullen

By Sherri Kolade As the first African American military aviators in the United States Armed Forces, the Tuskegee Airmen were a force to be reckoned with in the sky and on the ground during World War II and beyond.

With their bomber jackets, uniforms, bravery and megawatt smiles, they took to the sky decades earlier and flew throughout Europe and North Africa during their missions.

Young African Americans who wanted to become pilots back then, unsurprisingly, faced overwhelming challenges and racist notions that Black people could not learn to fly or operate sophisticated aircraft.

In 1938, with Europe on the edge of another war, President Franklin D. Roosevelt announced he would broaden the civilian pilot training program in the country.

Multigenerational Black Women Bakers Pass the Love on Down

By Sherri Kolade Do you want a slice of delicious sweet potato pie?

Maybe some mouth-watering oatmeal white chocolate cherry cookies? How about you dig into a decadent 7Up cake? Or a box full of homemade treats with grandma’s touch -- when you take the first bite it warms your soul from the inside out?

Don’t worry, they got you, baby, and your order, and then some. You’re in good hands with these local family bakers who take the cake on what it means to go the extra mile building an empire for the next generation while building up their communities and serving up something sweet.

Brian Smith, right, with Young Eagles program students. Photo courtesy of the Tuskegee Airmen National Museum That is where the activated Tuskegee Airmen came in and captivated the nation.

In even greater recognition of celebrating their heroic work more than 80 years later, the Tuskegee Airmen National Museum is now housed at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. The museum, which was previously in Michigan’s Fort Wayne, moved to the Coleman A. Young Gallery inside the Wright Museum recently. The gallery is named after Detroit’s first Black mayor who was a Tuskegee Airmen second lieutenant, bombardier and navigator.

Its virtual grand opening on March 22 featured speeches by Airmen Lt. Col. Harry Stewart Jr. and Lt. Col. Alexander Jefferson and a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Stewart, 96, of Bloomfield Township, spoke to The Michigan Chronicle about how as a WWII fighter pilot, he flew planes and escorted bombers to their targets in Europe.

“I spent seven years in Air Force flying fighters,” Stewart said, adding that he retired at age 63 and lived in Michigan the past 40 years but originally hailing from New York.

See TUSKEGEE AIRMEN page A-4

Vibrant ice cream sandwiches are one of the popular desserts at Auntie Rah Rah’s Cookies & Treats.

Photo provided by Toretta Pickens

Erin Proctor, 15, of Bloomfield Hills, is a baker in her own right. She’s been baking for about two years through her baking business called E Bakes Cakes.

“I started baking boxed brownies and cupcakes when I was about 11,” she told The Michigan Chronicle. “I started making cakes and cheesecakes from scratch about two years ago.”

Proctor said that orders are open to the public, but she can only take a certain number of orders at once because “I still have to focus on my schoolwork.”

Proctor said that she would always watch shows like “Cake Boss” and “Cupcake Wars” and thought it might be something she’d like to do.

“My mom really likes sweets, and one day she

Roneisha- Erin Proctor (left), is the owner of baking business, E Bakes Cakes and stands with her proud mother, RoNeisha Mullen. Photo provided by RoNeisha Mullen asked me to bake her a cake. She gave me a recipe to try, but it wasn’t great, so I changed it up and tried again. That was the first cake that turned out really good,” she said. “I like to give my friends and family members gifts for their birthdays and holidays. One year, I decided to give them a cake. They loved it and started asking if they could place orders.”

She added that she spends a lot of time with her grandmother “Gigi” who does a lot of baking for their family meals. She has an older cousin who has her own baking business, too.

“My favorite thing about baking is seeing the versatility and knowing that there are so many different recipes out there to try,” she said.

Proctor, who enjoys painting, drawing, design and cooking, typically bakes a 7Up cake, cheesecake with fruit toppings and banana bread.

“I’m not exactly sure what type of business [I’ll start] but somewhere in the creative space,” Proctor said.

Her mother, RoNeisha Mullen, 37, of Bloomfield Hills,

See SWEET THINGS page A-4

Black and Asian

The Intersection of Hate

Andrea Washington

By Megan Kirk

flurry of attacks against the Asian population.

Historically, many ethnic groups have been known to battle racial discrimination and some violent acts fueled by racism. For the African American community, generations of opposition, brutality and systematic racism, all spurred from the effects of slavery, have hung over the heads of Black people. From unequal treatment in the justice system to unfair lending practices, African Americans have borne the brunt of unjust practices.

The hashtag #StopAsianHate has made its rounds across several social media platforms in an effort to promote unity between non-Asians and the Asian community. However, despite efforts from celebrities, community activists and supporters, the hate against various Asians has ramped up.

Recently, social media has been abuzz as another racial group has been the target of violence and degradation.

The Asian community have been targeted, in part due to the hateful rhetoric surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. Former president Donald Trump and his administration targeted China as the cause for the pandemic launching a

Throughout their history, both Asians and African Americans have crossed paths in the fight for equality.

In the late 1800’s, African American scholar, former slave and proponent for democracy Frederick Douglass shot down the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 which served as a federal law banning the immigration of Chinese laborers.

As history progressed, Asians and African Americans have found themselves on the same, or very similar, side

of racial hatred. In the 1960’s during the height of the Civil Rights Movement, many Asian populations found both strength and inspiration from Black leaders fighting for equality. Joining in solidarity, Asian leaders began to emerge and band together with Black activists.

Currently, the fight continues for both groups. With the emergence of the Black Lives Matter movement, Asian Americans have once again taken their cue from Black organizers and began to demand equality and fight against violence. Since the start of the pandemic, over 3,000 cases of anti-Asian violence have been reported, including the most recent attack on Asian women in Georgia and California.

Releasing a statement, the organization Stop AAPI Hate says in part: “The reported shootings of multiple Asian American women today in Atlanta is an unspeakable tragedy — for the families of the victims first and foremost, but also for the Asian American community, which has been reeling from high levels of racist attacks over the course of the past year.”

For a portion of the community, indi-

See BLACK AND ASIAN page A-4

Page A-4 • michiganchronicle.com •

Sweet Things From page A-3

said that she is always encouraging her daughter to put out her best products and try new recipes to expand her business.

“She’s really quiet, so I’m always coaching her on being more vocal to enhance her customers’ experiences,” Mullen said. “We also spend a lot of time together analyzing her cost and ways to improve her margins.”

Mullen added that as a child she can remember her grandmother baking sweet potato pie and pound cakes for holidays.

April 28 - May 4, 2021

thing they make.

Sisters Etta Espy and Jennifer Thomas, who are helping run the business in different capacities, have stepped into the spotlight of their parents’ company that started as a love story between Jeffrey and Cassandra Thomas.

“When we started in 1987 my daughters were five and six years old,” Cassandra Thomas told The Michigan Chronicle. “They’ve been involved in the business ever since in different capacities. As children, they were in the van with me when I was delivering to different accounts.”

Cassandra Thomas started in the kitchen at home and was able to find a commercial kitchen she could rent and do her baking.

Etta Espy said that it is “super important” to her and her sister to carry the legacy of the business.

“Our mother and father created this business -- we try to do our best to keep it going,” Espy said. “Over the last several years my sister has added other recipes and things to this bakery.

She makes chocolate cake, orange velvet cake, even our great aunt Everlina -- she makes her cream cheese pound cake.”

Espy said that there are a “lot of different levels” to their business and how they create this legacy over the generations.

“(We) grew up with legacy and traditions being very important and it seemed only right and fitting that we did our best to continue what our mom and dad started -- not always easy,” she said, adding that Jennifer Thomas also puts a lot of work in and everything passes Auntie Rah Rah’s Cookies & Treats Owner To- through her hands first before it retta Pickens (top right), her daughter Tatyana becomes the final product.

Pickens (left) and her niece, Hailey Smith. Photo Jennifer Thomas said that provided by Toretta Pickens she wanted to fill a need by baking when a long-time employee “I come from a pretty big family. None was unable to. of us really got into baking until recent“I stepped into the role,” she said, ly though. I have a cousin who started adding that she asked her great aunt Benson Street Bakery about five years ago, and then my daughter started bak- about how to make pound cakes to get ing about two years ago,” she said. “I’m the taste right for their business.

“I loved her pound cakes,” she said. extremely proud of her … She’s proactively thinking of ways to grow and imCassandra Thomas did the same prove her business. I feel like not only thing years earlier with her family memis she learning how to bake, but she’s bers. learning a lot of life lessons in the pro“I’d been trying a lot of different pie cess.” recipes,” she said, adding that older For more information or to place an family and female relatives threw down order, email ebakescakes2@gmail.com. in the kitchen and were inspirations to You can’t talk about sweets and bak- the sweet potato pie that she perfected. ing in Detroit without mentioning long“We don’t just serve sweet potato time family-owned and -operated bakery, pie,” Espy said, adding that they bring Sweet Potato Sensations. It’s a business the family love to their establishment that’s got a lot of people, especially fam- that gets poured out to customers. “We ily, bringing the heart and soul to every- serve memories, tradition. You can buy

Tuskegee Airmen From page A-3

He added that the museum’s move to the Charles H. Wright Museum is a good one.

“I think it has become what you call a Class A museum, and I think it represents very well what the Tuskegee airmen have done during WWII,” he added.

“I think all of this coalesces to become an excellent legacy and example for our youth in the area here.”

The National Museum of the Tuskegee Airmen represents the culmination of the efforts of many people. It provides a space not only to record the contributions of Americans to the defense of the country during a period in its history when they were not thought of as equal to other citizens but a place where all of the youth of America may come to gather knowledge, inspiration, counseling and assistance in achieving excellence in their own educational and career pursuits.

ple.

Smith said that today, there are fewer Black pilots in commercial and military aviation than there were combined during WWII. “We are trying to increase the numbers of what we call underrepresented people in commercial aviation and military aviation,” said Smith, also an adjunct professor at Wayne County Community College.

The Tuskegee Airmen Museum has replicas and artifacts housed at the Wright Museum -- part of the museum is also at the Detroit City Airport with airplanes that are museum quality, Smith said, adding that the “historic aircrafts” that flew with the Tuskegee Airmen help educate and tell an important story.

A plane that flew during WWII from Lake Huron will be recovered, too, sometime this summer and restored to add to the airport museum.

“The Tuskegee Airmen came to Selfridge National Guard Base (in Harrison Charter Township near Lake Huron) to complete their training,” Smith said. “Flights over terrain and the area here in Michigan was a good simulation for areas in France and Italy. They practiced coming in over the water up onto land and attacking targets like coastal radar stations [which looked for enemy ships].”

Smith said that two Tuskegee Airmen came here to train and crashed and perished over Lake Huron during WWII.

Inside the new Tuskegee Airmen National Museum Smith also teaches aviainside the Charles H. Wright Museum. Photo cour- tion-related classes at Carver

STEM Academy in Detroit and said that students are exposed early to aviation. Other programming through the museum teaches fifth-graders to college freshman how to become a pilot.

“We try to send our kids to college,” Smith said of helping students obtain a pilot license in the various programs.

“We have programs here that teach youth and young adults how to fly an airplane -- get them their pilots’ certificates.”

He added that in keeping with the times, flying drones, and obtaining a drone certificate, is also a lucrative and ever-increasing field.

“Drones are used in movies, law enforcement, fire departments,” he said, adding that real estate agents and the military use drones, too.

Smith said that the Tuskegee Airmen Museum and its partners encourage underrepresented people, in particular Black students, to think about a career in the field of aviation and not just as a pilot, but as air traffic controllers, electronic technicians and beyond.

tesy of the Tuskegee Airmen National Museum “We’re honored to have this important display of American and African American history here in the heart of Detroit,” Pamela Alexander, director of community development, Ford Motor Company Fund. “Ford Fund has been a long-time supporter of the Tuskegee Airmen and we are proud to continue to preserve and celebrate their legacy.”

Brian R. Smith, president, and CEO of the Tuskegee Airmen National Museum, is helping keep the legacy going. Under the tutelage of Tuskegee Airman Ralph Mason, he learned how to fly as a pilot and started flying in 1996.

He added that it is not very often that people meet a Black pilot and he’s hoping to change that trajectory.

“You rarely see Black pilots in uniform – flying for the Armed Forces or commercial airlines,” he said.

Smith said that while the museum does “a lot” the most important work they do is education with young people, especially underrepresented young peo-

“I am here to make physics real for

Business is a family affair for Jennifer Thomas (left), Cassandra Thomas (second from left), Jeffrey Thomas and Etta Espy Thomas (right).Photo provided by Etta Espy Thomas the pie anywhere.”

For more information or to order visit https://sweetpotatosensations.com.

Detroit resident Toretta Pickens is the owner of internet-based bakery Auntie Rah Rah’s Cookies & Treats, LLC. Pickens operates the business which she started several years ago lockstep with her daughter, Tatyana Pickens, 27.

Toretta Pickens, who has held some corporate jobs, was laid off during the economic crash in 2009.

“When it didn’t look like I was going to be able to go back to work I went to school for nursing and I didn’t like it -- I was almost 40 years old at that time,” she said, adding that she was down about not having a job, and after reluctantly attending a purse party, she brought with her some white chocolate cherry cookies that she made.

“I put them in the young lady’s kitchen and in a minute they were all gone,” she said, adding that some of the ladies put them in their purses to go because they couldn’t get enough.

Toretta Pickens said that she sold her first couple of dozen cookies after some ladies at the party requested them.

“That is exactly how it happened,” she said of developing her company. “I posted it on Facebook one day and all of a sudden a bunch of people started asking me to make cookies and it snowballed.”

After that, she went back to corporate jobs here and there but around 20172018, when she left corporate America completely, she opened her company.

Toretta said that her daughter and her 14-year-old niece are following in her footsteps, and that is very important, especially with temporary health limitations that are impacting her ability to lift heavy objects.

“To continue to keep the business going … I was going to have to step up completely,” her daughter said. “It’s taken up a lot of time but I’m enjoying learning how to do things on my own.”

Tatyana Pickens said that baking and the business of baking is becoming second nature, and teaching her cousin has been a great experience, too.

She added that her mother is a genius baker with great ideas that come easily to her. Her mother’s snickerdoodle is her favorite cookie.

She also said that growing up, her grandmother baked bread and many other delicious items.

“I remember being little and watching her baking on holidays or for the family and how much time and dedication she had to put into it and how long it took,” she said. “Just recently I got her recipes for bread so that I can start learning how to make bread from scratch.”

Toretta said that she never thought her business was going to be a generational thing but when they realized how lucrative it was and how close it made them, they bonded over baking all the more.

She added that down the line she wants to teach young people in the community about baking and life lessons, especially those who need a little extra love.

“Baking is a time to slow down and learn in the kitchen about life. Everything is passed down in that arena -- in that space when you’re with your mom or grandma, aunties or whoever,” she said. “We want to touch more lives and have generational wealth at the same time. My niece is definitely going to be the next Rah Rah. Who knew that all this was going to occur?”

For more information or to order visit https://auntierahrahscookies.com/.

Brian Smith, above, with ACE Academy students. Photo courtesy of the Tuskegee Airmen National Museum the students and apply it to everyday life and let them know their ancestors the [enslaved] knew physics -- physics is all about how you do work the faster,” Smith said.

Smith was inspired by his father, Rothacker Childs Smith Jr., who served his country as a medic and was a WWII prisoner of war. Smith, who was fea-

tured in The Michigan Chronicle in the mid-1940s for his service and returning home, lost his battle to COVID-19 in January.

“My dad fostered my love of flight,” he said.

For more information on the museum and aviation programming visit www. tuskegeemuseum.org.

Black and Asian

within the Black community are expressing concern for their children in a world that dislikes their heritage.

viduals who are both Asian and African American are catching a double dose of hatred. Through historic Black discrimination and emerging Asian hate, biracial offspring are looking for ways to support, celebrate and fight for their race.

“Personally, it’s put some fear in me going out. I may not talk about it to my friends but all of the random acts of violence scare me. I also fear that something could possibly happen while I’m out with my daughter,” says Christine Agustin, who is Filipino, but a mother to a Black and Filipino daughter.

From page A-3

“Both communities have historically been discriminated against. We can name all of the wrongs that come to the Black community: slavery, Jim Crow, ongoing anti-blackness,” says Andrea Washington who is of Black and Japanese heritage. “But the wrongs against the Asian community are not as well known. Japanese internment camps, the Chinese Exclusion Act, the idea of ‘yellow peril’ and that Asian immigrants were bad for the United States, and many other examples.”

While both groups are full of history and tradition, expressing pride in both can prove difficult for some.

“I love being Black. I love being Japanese. There are so many fun and beautiful things on both sides. I express pride daily in being Black by just walking out the door and being me. It’s visible,” says Washington. “I’m learning to show my pride in my Asian side. I wish that I looked more Asian to other people. I know what my Asian features are.”

Moreover, women who have dated

Differences aside, both communities share a lot of commonalities. For both races, food is an expression of love and respect is a condition of upbringing.

“As a Filipino, our traditions make me very happy and I take much pride when participating in them. Our food is also another language that I love to share with family and friends. The culture of the Black community is what I love the most. Having my daughter as a half Black little girl, she can see two different worlds combined into one,” says Agustin While hate crimes continue against Asian and Black communities, members of both racial groups hope that more allies step up and speak out against the brutality and unfair treatment.

“I think if people could just speak up when they see something wrong and not be silenced. Just to have someone’s back when nobody is there for them. The act of caring and being kind could possibly have a ripple effect,” says Agustin.

A5

| April 28 - May 4, 2021

Money.

michiganchronicle.com

Pancakes and Politics 2021:

CEO Roundtable Talks Business, Diversity and Moving Forward

By Megan Kirk Real Times Media’s Chief Executive Officer, Hiram E. Jackson, opened the second Pancakes and Politics forum of the year to introduce the series’ latest installment.

Featuring top CEOs from some of Detroit’s most prominent business avenues, this installment merges corporate with politics while still delivering the thought-provoking conversations the roundtable is known.

Hosted by President and CEO of Ignite Media Group, Dennis Archer Jr., the conversation for this forum centered around businesses and their responsibilities to the community, investment in Black and brown initiatives, and how their corporations lead the charge.

A leading topic in recent months, the fight for social justice has become vitally crucial with countless murders of unarmed Black men and women. Some corporations have made the conscious decision to become more involved in issues surrounding racism and oppression in its midst and continually made steps in social reform, equality, and inclusion. With the current civil, social, and political unrest, diversity at the corporate level is becoming essential.

“Diversity, equity and inclusion are near and dear to me because as a person of color, and a woman and a mom, I think I check every box that exists,” says Audrey Gregory, CEO at the Detroit Medical Center. “We’re intentional about making sure that leadership and our team represents the community that they serve.”

Throughout COVID, Black businesses have faced hardships on a different scale.

Already facing issues with access to financial capital, affordable and viable land for brick and mortar, and knowledge of programs aimed at business education, Black small business owners have seen an added obstacle with the pandemic in their pursuit of economic opportunity. As a result, institutions like Flagstar have stepped in to provide grants and other financial resources essential for survival.

“What we’re trying to do is help educate people. Financial literacy is very important whether it’s kids in school or mature people they are looking to start or improve their businesses, education is really important. We’re trying to be a leader in that regard,” says Alessandro Dinello, CEO at Flagstar Bank.

For Detroiters and the high unemployment rate in the city, access to high-paying jobs and employment opportunities are few and far between. Despite new facilities and corporations bringing business to Detroit, proving the necessary employment documents is challenging for residents because of dated record processes.

“As we started digging into the data, things like verification of high school diploma from Detroit Public Schools became an issue that we had to center on,” says Jeff Donofrio, CEO for Business Leaders for Michigan. “For Detroit Public Schools, because of its long history, because of some of the challenges it had around management and organization, it was taking two to three months, if not longer to get verification of a high school diploma.”

The responsibility of Black CEOs in predominantly white-male-driven business spaces is often called into question.

Black CEOs are torn between two worlds and pressured to perform for their positions and extend grace and opportunities

See PANCAKES

& POLITICS page A6

Janice Cosby Adams: Retirement and Life After Career

By Megan Kirk

Vincent Hospital, Indiana would not be able to hold her talents for too long.

Janice Cosby Adams is a lot of things: wife, mother, mentor and communicator extraordinaire. Recently announcing her departure from Ascension Health after serving several years as the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Adams is ready to start a calmer chapter of life and live it on her terms.

“I was there for almost two years and then I moved back to Michigan and became Vice President of Marketing and Communications for McLaren,” says Cosby Adams. “It was Mount Clemens General Hospital at that time.”

Healthcare was not the first avenue of her career. Right out of college an internship with a foreign car company introduced her to the corporate world.

Although eventually choosing another path, the internship would lay the foundation that would lead to career decisions in healthcare.

“It taught me what I wanted to be involved in and what I didn’t want to be involved in and what career paths I wanted to take,” says Cosby Adams.

Landing her first leadership role in healthcare communications in Pontiac, the rising star worked there for over 10 years, establishing roots.

Seeking new opportunities, Cosby Adams moved on to work as the Director of Marketing and Communications for Sinai Grace Hospital.

The path to Ascension Health would require a move across the state to Indiana. There, the relationship between the Christian-based healthcare corporation and the budding leader began to flourish. As the Executive Director of Communications for St.

Continuing to grow and move to higher heights, Cosby Adams accepted one additional position before taking the role that would lead to retirement.

“I went to St. John’s Hospital and Medical Center, which is a part of Ascension and I became the Vice President of Marketing and Communications and a few years later became the Chief Marketing Officer for all of our hospitals within the state,” says Cosby Adams.

Officially stepping away from Ascension Health on July 1 after 31 years, Cosby Adams is preparing to pass the torch and pivot away from the communications world. Although no longer serving in any official capacity, the lessons learned and grace shown are lifelong gems.

“I think one thing I’ve learned is to be sensitive to what people don’t say.

You never know what a person is going through and you really have to be sensitive to that in the healthcare environment. It just makes you very sensitive,” she says.

With more time on her hands, the marketing maven is looking to finish

an upcoming project, an inside look at the author’s life and accomplishments. Also, as a newlywed, having married just under three years ago, the next chapter will be focused on family and love.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do next. I’m working on a book about my life, I’d like to really finish that up,” says Cosby Adams. “I just want to take some time with my husband -- I’m still a newlywed.”

A consummate professional, Cosby Adams leads by example and hopes to also use her newfound spare time giving back to the community.

“Life isn’t promised. You don’t know how long you’re going to be on this planet,” she says. “So, while I’m healthy and still a little vibrant, I just want to spend that time and also try to give back and do as much volunteer work as I possibly can.”

For those chasing a career, no matter the avenue, Cosby Adam suggests being big and bold. Always working to inspire, encourage and influence those coming up, the mentor offers these words of wisdom: “Take risks. Put yourself out there.

Be willing to move to another state. Me moving to Indiana and taking that first role with Ascension totally changed my career and it introduced me to Catholic healthcare. If I hadn’t taken that risk in moving to Indiana, I would never have had this career.”

We Lead: Michigan Chronicle’s Women of Excellence Continue the Distinction

By Sherri Kolade The Michigan Chronicle’s newest class of Women of Excellence (WOE) is on its way May 6.

While the works of local African American women in the business field will be celebrated soon, we’re with a leading up by highlighting past WOE and getting some worthy shine.

On Thursday, April 22, a virtual panel discussion was held with past winners led by Dr. Geneva Jones Williams.

The past winners inspire others with their visionary leadership, exceptional achievements and participation in community service; the future winners will be part of an elite group of the area’s most influential women.

“Each year in character, in manner and in style The Michigan Chronicle celebrates phenomenal women who have demonstrated exceptional courage, unwavering conviction and extraordinary grace,” said

Kimle Nailer

Sanya Weston

Hiram E. Jackson, Publisher of The Michigan Chronicle.

“For 13 years The Michigan Chronicle has recognized the brilliance, high quality and extraordinary leadership and service of Black women in this city,” Jones Williams said.

(These) business Women of Excellence … have great stories to tell and lessons to share.”

nette Abraham, president and CEO of JMA Global, was recognized for her 32-year career at GM and as a majority partner at a multimillion-dollar manufacturing company. The company was founded in 2001 and procures, warehouses, and distributes fasteners and more. Abraham said that her company stands for her initials and the company is 100 percent hers.

A past WOE recipient, Jea-

“I’m so proud to be able to

say that -- not many people had an opportunity to be progressive,” she said adding that she thanks God for the opportunity to use her wonderful relationships that she has established over the years.

this skill ...we can recreate the middle class ... teach the trades, remove the blight, increase city services,” she said. “Instead of waiting for a contract create the contract… we build it into what we manifest.”

“I try to maintain a sense of balance, knowing I have an esteemed relationship with God that helps guide my steps,” she said, adding that there is an obligation to share her story and give back.

Other past winners include Sanya Weston, CEO of Your Premier Travel, who has 35 years of experience in the tourism industry and is a third-generation business owner and native Detroiter. Also, part of the stellar group was Sharon Madison CEO of Madison Madison International.

Kimle Nailer, president and a leader in the construction industry at her company Nail-rite Construction, Inc., focuses on inspiring Black women to pursue careers in skilled trades and becoming the next generation of leaders.

“The construction industry offers this wealth transfer,” she said adding that she changed from her 20-year career as a business analyst to the construction industry.

“We lead change and make things happen -- if we can learn

“This is a roundtable of excellence we got here for you today,” Jones Williams said.

“It is an honor to be here,” Weston said. “It is amazing that African Americans are continuing to strive.”

2021 HONOREES Crystal Bailey, Founder and CEO, Walk Fashion Show

See WOE

HONOREES page A6

Page A-6 • michiganchronicle.com • April 28 - May 4, 2021

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENT: POSITION OPENING CampusGENERAL Dean (two positions available) ANNOUNCEMENT: POSITION OPENING Campus Dean (two positions available)

WORK LOCATION: GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENT: POSITION OPENING Oakland Schools Technical Campus – Northwest WORK LOCATION: 8211 BigOakland LakeSchools Road Technical Campus – Northwest Campus Dean (two positions available) 8211 Lake Road Clarkston MIBig48346 Clarkston MI 48346

Pancakes & Politics From page A-5 to their community. Despite the constant tug, minority CEOs prioritize how they work and their impact in their communities while emphasizing practicing authenticity.

“I will say there is an authenticity that is required when you are a leader and I think highly more so when you are a person of color serving in a large organization,” says Audrey Gregory, CEO at the Detroit Medical Center. “I think it’s important for us to own who we are.”

As Black men and women move higher up

WOE Honorees

the corporate ladder, the responsibility and pressures of being a minority amongst the majority continue to mount. Leading with heart and integrity for all is the path these CEOs are taking.

“People have to understand you’re not the CEO of a piece of a company or a piece of the employee body, but your job is trying to ensure the prosperity of the company you serve,” says Wright Lassiter III, CEO of the Henry Ford Health System.

The CEO roundtable is available for viewing on the Michigan Chronicle’s Facebook page.

Please stay tuned for a special one-on-one interview with Pancakes and Politics host Dennis Archer III and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and the upcoming newsletter available May 1.

Denise Z. Fair, Chief Public Health Officer, Detroit Health Department

Stephanie Jones, Lead Counsel, Electric Vehicle Growth Operations, General Motors

Dr. Kristen Barnes-Holiday, Faculty, Wayne County Community College District

Tia Finney, Supervisor of Medical Testing, Wayne State University School of Medicine

Rev. Katrese Kirk, Pastor, Smith Chapel AME Church, Inkster, MI

Melanie Bender-Ivery, District Controller and Associate Vice Chancellor, Wayne County Community College District

Tatiana Grant, Principal, 2050 Partners, Inc.; Cultivate MI Solutions

From page A-5

Saranna Berger, General Dentist, Michigan Center for Oral Surgery T. Jann Caison-Sorey, MD, MBA, Medical Director, Clinical Quality & Network Management, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Katrenia L. Camp, Executive Director, Project Dream, Inc. Robin Cash, President, Founder and CEO, Robin Cash, P.H.D. LLC Consulting Karen Clark-Sheard, Gospel Artist/Preacher, Karew Records Cali Crawford, Director of Athletics, Schoolcraft College Tanisha Davis, Attorney-at-Law, Tanisha M. Davis, Attorney at Law, PLLC Jasmin DeForrest, Director of Community Sponsorships, Rocket Community Fund Laura Dickerson, Region 1A Assistant Director, UAW

Dr. Shekitra Green, Principal, Detroit Public Schools Community District Audrey Gregory, Chief Executive Officer, Detroit Medical Center Sabrina Groshek, Director of Engineering – Induction, Controls, Exhaust and Active Thermal Management (ICE-T), General Motors Dion’trae Hayes, Supervisor, The Charter Township of Lansing Jerry Hebron, Executive Director, Northend Christian CDC Tiffany Jackson, Chief Operating Officer, Ignition Media Group Eunice Jeffries, Chair of Board of Regents, Eastern Michigan University Paulina Johnson, Ford Global Account Manager, ArcelorMittal NA Desiree Jones, Chief Compliance and Revenue Officer, The Children’s Center

Amy McClain, Vice President of Client and Community Relations Director, PNC Bank Krista McKinney-King, Principal, Randolph Career and Technical Center Robyn Moore, Pastor, First Baptist Institutional Church Jacqueline Munson-Gaines, President and CEO, JMG Connects Monique Owens, Mayor, City of Eastpointe Juliana Perry, Relationship Manager, Vice President, Fifth Third Bank Corp.

OaklandOakland Schools Technical Campus – Southwest Schools Technical Campus – Southwest 1000 Beck WORK LOCATION: 1000 Road Beck Road Wixom MI 48393 Wixom MI 48393 Oakland Schools Technical Campus – Northwest SALARY: 8211 Big Lake Road SALARY: Annual range of $96,408 to $111,803 with a potential of up to $120,400 based on annual step Clarkston /MI 48346 position work year a potential of up to $120,400 based on Annual increases range ofExempt $96,408 to/ 12-month $111,803 with IN THIS ROLE: annual step increases / Exempt position / 12-month work year Oakland Schools Technical Campus You will serve as the instructional leader and manager–ofSouthwest the Technical Campus providing direction inROLE: the successful delivery of career focused education to Oakland Schools’ students.

IN THIS 1000 Beck Road MI 48393 will supervise day-to-day activities of assigned including of hiring, coaching,Campus YouWixom willYou serve as thetheinstructional leader and staff, manager thetraining, Technical evaluating performance, and when necessary disciplining staff. You will serve as a leader to providing direction in the successful delivery of career focused education families, school personnel, parent and constituent groups, community agencies, professionalto Oakland organizations Schools’ students.and businesses and will promote career technical education programs and related SALARY: educational course content to all stakeholders.

YouAnnual will supervise activities of assigned staff, including training, based on rangethe of day-to-day $96,408 to $111,803 with a potential of uphiring, to $120,400 You will also oversee the procurement of all educational resources ensuring expenditures are coaching, evaluating performance, and when necessary disciplining staff. You within the approved budget as well as oversee the maintenance of student records, preparation of will increases serve as reports, a /leader to families, personnel, parent and constituent groups, Exempt position 12-month work year related and provision of dataschool to/student, parents and sending schools. community agencies, professional organizations and businesses and will promote You will create and promote a positive and cooperative atmosphere that encourages and IN THIS ROLE: career technical education related educational course content to all motivates students and staffprograms ensuring rulesand are fairly and consistently administered. stakeholders.

YouInwill serve as the instructional leader and manager of ofthe Technical Campus p addition you will participate in the development, implementation and management campus goals, objectives, policies and procurement standard operating procedures.

Youinwill also oversee the of all educational ensuring the successful delivery of career focused educationresources to Oakland Schools’ studen expenditures areNEED: within the approved budget as well as oversee the maintenance WHAT YOU of student records, preparation ofrelated related reports, and data to student, hiring, train You• will supervise the day-to-day of provision assignedofstaff, including Master’s Degree in Education or field.activities •and Two or more years of building administrator experience. parents sending schools. evaluating performance, and when necessary disciplining staff. You will serve as Youfamilies, will createschool and promote a positive and and cooperative atmosphere thatcommunity encouragesagencies, p personnel, parent constituent groups, | 248.209.2000 | 2111 Pontiac Lake Rd., Waterford, MI 48238 andorganizations motivates students staff oakland.k12.mi.us ensuring rules fairly andcareer consistently administered. andand businesses and willare promote technical education program educational content all stakeholders.

In addition you willcourse participate in thetodevelopment, implementation and management of campus goals, objectives, policies and standard operating procedures.

You will also oversee the procurement of all educational resources ensuring expen WHAT YOUthe NEED: within approved budget as well as oversee the maintenance of student record related reports, provision of data to student, parents and sending schools.

• Master’s Degree inand Education or related field.

• Two or more years of building administrator experience.

• Valid Michigan Administrative Certifi cation. and cooperative atmosphere that encourag You will create and promote a positive • Five or morestudents years teaching at theensuring secondaryrules level.are fairly and consistently administere motivates and staff

WHAT WE PROVIDE: In addition you will participate in the development, implementation and manageme Oakland offers policies companyand paidstandard coverage operating for life insurance, short and longgoals,Schools objectives, procedures. term disability, well-being benefits and leave days. In addition, Oakland Schools offers comprehensive medical coverage or cash in lieu benefit, dental, vision, additional YOU NEED: life WHAT insurance, health savings account, flexible spending accounts, pet insurance, legal collegeDegree savings plans, tax-sheltered annuityfield.

(TSA) plans and the Office of • plan, Master’s in Education or related Retirement retirement • TwoServices or more years ofplans. building administrator experience.

CLICK BELOW TO APPLY!

https://ats4.atenterprise.powerschool.com/ats/app_login?COMPANY_ID=JA000529 oakland.k12.mi.us | 248.209.2000 | 2111 Pontiac Lake Rd., For questions regarding this position please contact Shelly Wolski at 248.209.2230.

Oakland Schools does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, religion, height, weight, marital status, sexual orientation (subject to the limits of applicable law), age, genetic information, or disability in its programs, services, activities or employment opportunities. Inquiries related to employment discrimination should be directed to the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, Personnel Management and Labor Relations at 248.209.2429. Title IX complaints should be directed to the Manager/Supervisor, Career Focused Education at 248.209.2160. For all other inquiries related to discrimination, contact the Executive Director of Legal Affairs at 248.209.2062. All complaints may be addressed to 2111 Pontiac Lake Road, Waterford, MI 48328-2736.

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by a person assigned to this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties that may be performed by a person so classified.

Incumbents may be asked to perform additional duties as required by his/her supervisor.

Nancy Quarles, Oakland County Road Commissioner, Oakland County Government Deadra Rahaman, Vice President of Brand Planning, HUGE, Inc Rev. Cindy Rudolph, Senior Pastor, Oak Grove AME Church Lauren Sanders, Founder, The Elevate Project Inc. Trina Scott, Chief Diversity Officer, Rocket Companies Casandra Shortridge, UAW President’s Office, Administrative Assistant, International UAW

oakland.k12.mi.us | 248.209.2000 | 2111 Pontiac Lake Rd., Waterford, MI 48238

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENT: POSITION OPENING Campus Dean (two positions available)

“Detroit Medical Center (DMC) has a long and storied legacy of caring for Detroit residents and expends great effort to engage with our ministerial community. I commend DMC for its profound passion for wanting to make a difference in the lives of those they serve.”

WORK LOCATION: Oakland Schools Technical Campus – Northwest 8211 Big Lake Road Clarkston MI 48346 Oakland Schools Technical Campus – Southwest 1000 Beck Road Wixom MI 48393 SALARY:

“As always, when the community is in need, DMC has been there to support our residents. From the beginning of the pandemic, DMC’s partnership to provide COVID tests to now vaccinating the community around their hospitals demonstrates the compassion Detroiters need in a challenging time like this.”

Annual range of $96,408 to $111,803 with a potential of up to $120,400 based on annual step increases / Exempt position / 12-month work year IN THIS ROLE:

You will serve as the instructional leader and manager of the Technical Campus providing direction in the successful delivery of career focused education to Oakland Schools’ students.

You will supervise the day-to-day activities of assigned staff, including hiring, training, coaching, evaluating performance, and when necessary disciplining staff. You will serve as a leader to families, school personnel, parent and constituent groups, community agencies, professional organizations and businesses and will promote career technical education programs and related educational course content to all stakeholders.

You will also oversee the procurement of all educational resources ensuring expenditures are within the approved budget as well as oversee the maintenance of student records, preparation of related reports, and provision of data to student, parents and sending schools.

You will create and promote a positive and cooperative atmosphere that encourages and motivates students and staff ensuring rules are fairly and consistently administered.

In addition you will participate in the development, implementation and management of campus goals, objectives, policies and standard operating procedures.

Rev. Jim Holley, Ph.D. Pastor The Historic Little Rock Baptist Church

“The presence of the DMC in our community has supported the advancement of healthy living since the founding of Harper University in 1863. The DMC has continued to grow over the years, successfully expanding their outreach efforts and making healthcare accessible to all. The legacy of care and compassion exemplifies an atmosphere of respect and professionalism.”

WHAT YOU NEED: • •

Master’s Degree in Education or related field.

Two or more years of building administrator experience.

Hakim Berry Chief Operating Officer City of Detroit

oakland.k12.mi.us | 248.209.2000 | 2111 Pontiac Lake Rd., Waterford, MI 48238

“During a year of true uncertainty, one thing was as strong as ever – the dedication of DMC to fight for the health of all moms and babies.”

Bishop J. D. Sheard Pastor Greater Emmanuel Institutional Church of God in Christ

Committed to caring for our community no matter what.

The DMC is standing strong and committed to compassionate, high quality and safe care. Working together with the support and collaboration of our community partners, we strive to make lives better for each patient, yesterday, today and tomorrow. We are committed to caring for our community - no matter what.

Jamie Mitchell Associate Executive Director March of Dimes

April 28 - May 4, 2020 • michiganchronicle.com • Page A-7

Our community is our future.

You can distance and still be social.

Get vaccinated when it’s your turn.

COVID can’t keep us from connecting. Vaccines are here.

But until enough of us are vaccinated, we still need to mask up, keep 6 feet apart, and avoid crowds and indoor gatherings. We can stay close – even when we’re miles apart.

Confidence comes with every card.®

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network are proud sponsors of the Michigan Chronicle’s 2021 Pancakes & Politics forum. Our shared commitment to strengthen local communities is a great reason to be confident in the future of Michigan.

Learn more at cdc.gov/coronavirus

Brought to you by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network are nonprofit corporations and independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

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April 28 - May 4, 2021

When people pull together, every day is a giant leap forward.

Proud Sponsor of Michigan Chronicle 2021 Pancakes & Politics for driving the change that makes each day better than the one before.

Contact Amy McClain VP, Client & Community Relations Director Amy.McClain@pnc.com

©2021 The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. All rights reserved. PNC Bank, National Association. Member FDIC BT PDF 0321-0120

City. Life. Style.

B1 | April 28 - May 4, 2021

Where City Meets Life and Life Meets Style

michiganchronicle.com

Comcast Debuts New Channel Featuring Documentary on Sorority

By Megan Kirk For decades Black Greek letter organizations have served as one of the cornerstones of Black college life.

Established at various HBCU’s across the south, what is known as The Divine Nine, these Black fraternities and sororities have a long-standing legacy and impact in the community.

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, the first African American sorority, was founded at a male-dominated Howard University in 1908. The organization has celebrated 113 years of service, sisterhood and influenced the community and beyond. To showcase the sorority’s creation, Comcast NBCUniversal has debuted a new film both created and narrated by wellknown members of the organization and celebrates over 300,000 members worldwide.

“Twenty Pearls: The Story of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®” gives viewers an inside look into the organization’s founding through narration, interviews and rarely seen archival materials. Envisioned and erected by nine women, their desire for sisterhood and social impact made its mark on history and Black culture.

Detroit’s Black Roller Skate Culture Glides On

By Sherri Kolade He can still hear it.

The growing thunder-like sounds of the hundreds of roller skates rhythmically gliding over the smooth floors of his home roller rink. The people wearing those roller skates move like silk on wheels over the dance floor with as much Detroit flair and style that, well, never goes out of style in the city.

Motown Roller Club LLC instructor Edward Reese is incorporating the old-school skating moves with new-school skaters.

Those sounds are like nothing else to River Rouge resident Anthony Miles.

The documentary will also explore the sorority’s role in some of history’s most pivotal moments such as World War II and NASA, its importance in Civil Rights, Women’s Rights and Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

“Telling our own story is essential to preserving our history and uplifting the culture,” says Dr. Glenda Glover, Alpha Kappa Alpha International president and CEO. “Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated’s remarkable 113-year journey which began on the campus of Howard University is punctuated by stories of history makers, ceiling breakers, public servants and ordinary women who have changed the course of American history. Through this beautifully written and narrated odyssey, this film highlights in undeniable ways the vision, courage, tenacity, determination and power of Black women while putting to bed the age-old questions about the relevance of Historically Black Colleges and Universities and the Divine Nine sororities and fraternities.”

The film comes from award-win-

See DOCUMENTARY Page B-2

“I started skating at 14 years old,” Miles said during an interview with The Michigan Chronicle. “I started getting tips from a cousin who helped me out and I took over from there. … My favorite [memories from skating were] the contests they had during the ‘70s and ‘80s...it took me years later to win a contest.”

Miles, who is in his 50s, has been roller skating for the past 35 years and can practically skate in his sleep.

Miles, an old-school vibe skater, hasn’t missed a week at his home rink, RollerCade Detroit 2130 Schaefer Hwy, in the past three decades until COVID-19 hit.

Photo courtesy of Motown Roller Club LLC

The family rink opened in 1955 after his grandmother got the idea to start her own roller rink when her children were restricted to attending a skating rink during certain times in River Rouge during the 1950s because of the color of the skin.

Miles glided on the rink on April 5 and showed Detroit-style skating techniques on the same rink he met his wife decades earlier.

Miles’ cousin, Kyle Black, was also there at the rink, which he’s owned since 2012.

Black, 29, talked inside his office/DJ booth. It was decorated with colorful roller-skating parts, well-worn pictures with old-school signage adding to the vibe and the steady hum of the pop machine going in the background.

That’s before the booming music begins and sets the mood for skating.

Black said that his grandmother’s skating rink is the oldest and only Black-owned skating rink in the city. She had to covertly open it back in the day with the help of her husband and a white business associate.

“It still blows my mind,” he said. “Days I’m in awe -- is this a dream? Am I really living this life? I can’t fathom that I’m even really here in this position because of what my grandmother did … it is still almost shocking to me.”

His grandmother, Johnnie Mae Folks, had four children during the ‘50s and her husband wanted to retire from Ford Motor Company before they opened the rink.

“They had about $15,000 saved in the ‘50s -- a lot of

See SOUL ROLL Page B-2

Find Your Mom Tribe During the Pandemic It’s been a year into the pandemic -- moms how are you holding up? Good? Meh? Could be better, we know. That’s why now it’s still more important than ever to find your mom tribe and continue to make new mom friends -- they need it, too.

We know that the pandemic has shifted things, including how friendships are formed and bonded over time through meeting and catching up or lamenting over childhood milestones and relatable stressors.

According to a Parents article, moms can rejoice, however, with knowing that deep-rooted friendships are still a priority and even new ones can be formed safely.

“These are built-in opportunities for making friends, having conversations and feeling connected to people going through life in the same way as you,” says Francyne Zeltser, Ph.D., a family and child psychologist in the article. Even if some of these acquaintances might not have been chosen friends, it doesn’t mean they

aren’t genuine. Because you’re sharing an experience, like raising kids the same age, you have a common denominator that binds you.

“With mom friends, there is a real sense of camaraderie. A sense that we are all ‘in it together’ since we are all going through it, the ‘it’ being parenting,” says Dr. Zeltser.

Pre-pandemic, these kinds of relationships “filled up your friendship bucket” so to speak.

They provided women with empathy, comfort, compassion, mentorship and fun, explains Jaime Gleicher, a psychotherapist and family counselor with Hartstein Psychological Services in New York City. Without them? We’re missing out on a lot.

The good news is there are ways to get around the obstacles social-distancing presents (while still social-distancing) when it comes to making new friends.

Here’s what mothers all over America can do to find their tribe:

Reach Out to Old Friends (and Ditch the Bad Ones) “If you have 20 minutes, it takes the same effort to strike up a conversation with your cubicle buddy than it does to reach out to a friend you haven’t spoken to in a while,” says Dr. Zeltser. Sometimes that’s all it takes to make a “new” friend right now.

Call your long-lost cousins, childhood friends, coworkers, classmates and college buddies who you might have put on the back burner of your life.

Dr. Zeltser also stresses that now is the time to shed any friendship that you may have felt was toxic. “You have an easy excuse, you’re not socially obligated to meet up with an acquaintance who you would be seeing to keep social peace, like the mom of a friend of your daughters who you don’t really mesh with,” she says.

The bottom line? True friendships will prevail, better ones will get better, and the bad ones will likely fall apart.

Get to Know Your Neighbors “Now that we’ve all been through almost a year of living through a pandemic, there are inconsistencies and variations between what different people feel comfortable doing and what socializing safely means to them,” explains Dr. Zeltser in the article. Friendships might grow out of what she calls “COVID comfort” situations, or spending time with people who share similar beliefs and prac-

tice safety strategies that align with yours.

Don’t Shy Away from Virtual Friendships Think of it as a safe testing ground for the real thing to eventually blossom. Find these new, potential friends through mom groups, Zoom meetings, breastfeeding clubs and beyond. Make small talk, share stories and before you know it a friendship is formed.

Page B-2 • michiganchronicle.com • April 28 - May 4, 2021

Soul Roll From page B-1

money -- and she was able to acquire a loan,” he said. “By 1955 they had this entire building built.”

Black, who recalls skating before he knew how to walk, said that the Detroit skate culture is like a “whole underground world.”

“Detroit has a very rich skating history, [which] as far as I know, goes back to ‘50s, ‘60s,” he said, adding that it had become more popular in ‘70s and ‘80s and is “really starting to build back up.”

Black said that the skating culture has grown over the past six years and is still growing. He also said that people were tired of doing the same old activities and wanted to switch things up. Also, now with COVID-19, people are picking up activities that they might have not thought about before, like roller skating.

“We’ve been rolling ever since and never missed a day since COVID,” he said, adding that he was closed most of last year and his online store, www. rollercadedetroit.com, pulled in “some good numbers.” They’ve had to reduce capacity at the roller rink but they still sell out weekly.

“Skating is like life -- therapeutic,” he said. “Nothing matters but the music and the wheels. It’s energetic.”

Black added that skating is a fullbody workout with lots of benefits. People don’t even know they are working out when they are gliding with R&B, rap, new and old school music and more playing in the background.

Black also made clear that the best Detroit skate move of all time is a style that is a Detroit classic “a move you have to know” if you are roller skating in the city.

The move is complex to the untrained eye and involves pivoting, a back kick, eagle spread and more.

His cousin Miles, who said he thinks about falling last not first, did the move effortlessly.

Black said that skating is all about having confidence and getting up and falling and getting back up again.

“You fall, get up, that’s the lesson,” he said plainly. “Don’t quit. What do you gain?”

Westside resident Edward Reese is an instructor and member of Motown Roller Club LLC. The club does not have a roller rink but they host events, along with marketing and promotional events for the rinks in the Detroit and metro Detroit area.

The club recently started lessons with Reese on Wednesdays and Sundays at the Skatin Station 2 in Canton. They primarily post their lessons and events at www.facebook.com/motownrollerclub.

Reese said that the skating culture is “really starting to flourish.”

“It’s going from one era to the next era, which is creating a melting pot full of skaters,” Reese said, noting that 10 to15 years ago it was just one culture, just one way of skating. “I’m in the process of trying to bring back the oldschool vibe with new style skaters.”

Reese, 45, said that he started skating in the late ‘90s when he was 23.

“When I started skating it was mainly like we skated to a lot of ‘70s, ‘80s music -- a lot of old school solid gold music, and our Detroit style is so structured -only one way to do it. And once you go outside that realm it is considered not right.”

Reese said that he is in the process of bringing the new generation of skaters “back on track” to learn the fundamentals of proper skating while letting them do what they want.

His students are primarily Black women, which he called a “good thing.”

RollerCade Detroit in the 1970s was jamming as it still is today.

Photo courtesy of

RollerCade Detroit © 2021 JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Black said that with spring here and things opening back up, people are passionate about skating indoors and outdoors -- and he’s all for it.

Reese added that he’s glad to be at the forefront of the Black skating culture in the city and a part of its resurgence.

“The camaraderie, the friendships you gain, stuff like that -- the whole vibe of it is a different world than what people know of,” Reese said.

INVESTED IN DETROIT’S FUTURE Since 2014, JPMorgan Chase has committed $200 million to Detroit’s economic comeback and helping Black Detroiters achieve economic RollerCade Detroit welcomes all skaters ready to perfect their skating skills and have fun.

Documentary From page B-1

ning filmmaker Deborah Riley Draper, produced by Coffee Bluff Pictures, and is narrated by Phylicia Rashad. Known as one of the most regarded and wellknown Black female organizations, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, has many prominent members such as Vice President Kamala Harris, Coretta Scott King, Maya Angelou and filmmaker Ava DuVernay.

“This is an extraordinary time to look back at our past to serve our future,” says Draper. “A future where Black women are centered. Helming this documentary love letter to the founders of Alpha Kappa Alpha, the generations of women that followed in their footsteps and to all Black women everywhere is an honor. This is an important history for all of us to know and understand.”

Airing on the newly-launched Black Experience on Xfinity, “Twenty Pearls” will be a part of a new effort to promote Black content. Endorsed by the African American Film Critics Association, the world’s largest group of Black film critics that gives annual awards for excellence

in film and television, the channel will feature Black entertainment, movies, TV shows and news while entertaining, educating and uplifting. Displaying Black actors, writers, producers and directors, the channel will be investing millions of dollars in fostering and showcasing emerging Black content creators.

“We’re thrilled to work with award-winning filmmaker, Deborah Riley Draper, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority to bring this exclusive premiere to the Black Experience on Xfinity channel, furthering our company-wide mission of investing in and showcasing authentic Black stories and culture,” says Keesha Boyd, executive director, multicultural video & entertainment for Xfinity Consumer Services. “We launched this channel to help facilitate the discovery of stories like ‘Twenty Pearls,’ while providing a platform for emerging Black content creators.”

The channel is available to Xfinity customers at no additional cost. Customers can view the documentary and other content on X1, Flex, and on-thego with the Xfinity Stream app. “Twenty Pearls: The Story of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®” is now available for streaming.

Fair housing rights during the pandemic include the right to be treated equally.

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mobility — from boosting minority-owned small businesses, creating and preserving affordable housing and improving access to home ownership and job training to prepare residents for the future of work. Beyond our capital and philanthropic investments, our employees are applying their skills and expertise to help ensure that the city’s economic turnaround creates lasting opportunity for its residents. We know there is much work to be done, but we’re as committed as ever to Detroit’s success.

We proudly sponsor the Michigan Chronicle’s Pancakes & Politics series.

jpmorganchase.com/detroit

#investinDetroit

April 28 - May 4, 2021 • michiganchronicle.com •

STRONGER TOGETHER

The DTE Energy Foundation has dedicated more than $21 million to support COVID-19 relief efforts in Michigan. Now more than ever, the Foundation is helping power communities by supporting programs that meet human needs – with specific support for children and seniors. And we’ve provided personal protective equipment and technical assistance to small businesses statewide because strong local communities are the basis of a healthy, thriving Michigan.

Page B-3

Page B-4 • michiganchronicle.com • April 28 - May 4, 2021

Stay Connected.

Keep Informed. michiganchronicle.com

Classifieds

April 28 - May 4, 2021 • michiganchronicle.com • Page B-5 ANNOUNCEMENTS

ANNOUNCEMENTS

PUBLIC NOTICE

ATTENTION QUALIFIED CONTRACTORS

Notice is hereby given that the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) has prepared the FY 2022 Annual Operating and Capital Budgets. The total estimated budgets include the following programs: 5307 Formula ($29,673,839), 5307 LETC Governor’s Apportionment ($2,299,826), 5339 Formula ($2,902,649), 5339 LETC Governor’s Apportionment ($92,971), CMAQ ($5,351,861), 5310 SMART ($3,212,714), 5310 Monroe and NOTA ($616,615), 5311 Nonurban JARC ($710,092), Act 51 Operating ($44,405,000), 5311 LETC Operating ($151,000) and Other State Subsidized Services (Operating) ($922,294).

SMART ensures that the level and quality of transportation service is provided without regard to race, color, or national origin in accordance with the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

For more information regarding our Title VI obligations or to file a complaint, please contact us at the below address.

The proposed Capital and Operating budgets are on SMART’s website (https://www.smartbus.org/About/Our-Organization/Financial-Reports). If you are unable to access the budgets electronically, they are on file at SMART, Buhl Building, 6th floor 535 Griswold Street, Detroit, MI 48226 and may be reviewed from Tuesday, April 27, 2021 through Wednesday, May 26, 2021 by appointment only. To reserve an appointment, please call, 313-223-2149, or email a request to publichearing@smartbus.org.

Written comments regarding the budgets must be received by Wednesday, May 26, 2021 at SMART, Buhl Building, Attention: Manager of Capital and Grant Programs, 535 Griswold Street, Detroit, MI. 48226 or, at the following email address: publichearing@smartbus.org A public hearing on the Operating and Grants budgets will be held during the regularly scheduled SMART Board of Directors meeting on Thursday, May 27, 2021, at 2 pm to allow public comment and the reading of written comment on the FY2022 Capital and Operating Budgets.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL The Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) is soliciting RFP for No. 21-3387 for Wide Area Network. RFP forms may be obtained beginning April 28, 2021 from http://www.mitn.info.

RFP is due by 3:00 PM ET, May 20,2021.

PROFESSIONAL HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

Lead Cost Engineer-Infotainment Engineering Design & Development (ED&D) Warren, MI, General Motors. Analyze, create, &validate current &new ED&D cost models &targets for Purchasing budgets &negotiations, of conventional &BEV (incldg semi-autonomous &autonomous) psgr vehicle syss &cmpnts design, testing &validation; engrg CAD/CAM/CAE tools incldg firmware; testing tooling, fixtures &gauges; EWOs &Engrg Change Requests, for current &future U.S. &global high &low volume vehicle assy &cmpnt mfg plants, for Electrical Function Systems, Infotainment &Control Syss, using TC Vismockup, &TC Product Cost Management (GMCO$T) tools, &Excel-based calculators.

Analyze &interpret GM Vehicle (VTS), Subsystem (SSTS), & Component Technical Specifications (CTS), GMW Engrg Standards, Corporate Guidelines &eSORs, to create ED&D cost models &targets of Electrical Function syss &Infotainment &control syss. Analyze, create, evaluate &validate ED&D costs for IP Clusters, Heads Up Displays, Auxiliary Info. Electronics, Vision Enhancement, Window Lift/Seat/Multi-Function Column/Lighting/Ignition/Accessory Switches, Silver Box &Integrated faceplate (radio), Audio Sys (speaker, amplifiers, microphones), Remote Receivers, Consumer Electronics Interfaces, ICS faceplates, radio &Navi Displays, Entertainment Modules (Rear Seat Entertainment), Antenna Assy, vehicle Telecommunication &electrical cmpnts. Bachelor, Electrical, Electronics &Communication, Mechatronics, or Automotive Systems Engrg, or related. 24 mos exp as Engineer, analyzing &interpreting Electrical Function sys, Infotainment or radio SSTS, CTS, &eSORs, to create ED&D cost models &targets for negotiation w/ suppliers, or related. Mail resume to Ref#585, GM Global Mobility, 300 Renaissance Center, MC:482-C32-C66, Detroit, MI 48265.

Published Every Wednesday

MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

313 963-5522

Please visit our website for more classified ads. www.michiganchronicle.com

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Join Our Team Walker-Miller Energy Services is hiring!

Several Positions Are Ready to be filled by Extraordinary Individuals!

Direct Installer – Lansing, MI Energy Advisor I – Grand Rapids, MI Operations Analyst – Detroit, MI Administrative Assistant – Detroit, MI Accounts Payable Specialist – Detroit, MI Financial Analyst – Detroit, MI IT Manager – Detroit, MI IT Helpdesk Technician II – Detroit, MI

Quality Engineer General Motors, Detroit, MI. Perform qlty validation of GM “myBrand” Mobile apps incldg myChevrolet, myBuick, myCadillac, myGMC, OnStar Europe &OnStar UK, &dvlp automation test scripts for the GM “myBrand” mobile app SW using Java &Objective C languages, shellscripting, &maven, Perfecto, Jenkins, Git, XCode, &Android Studio tools. Test &validate iOS &Android my brand mobile apps in React Native framework. Test &validate connected car features for GM OnStar features for N.A./KOR/UK &EUR markets. Adhere to SDLC, testing standards &best practices to manage testing activities. Act as domain expert in connected car, telematics &Infotainment syss &enrolling vehicles in lower environments, &set up test accounts for validation. Participate in test estimation, scheduling, reqmts traceability, execution &reporting results to various audiences such as internal persistent teams, back office teams &GM business sponsors from N.A./S.A., EUR &AS Regions. Dvlp Web Services (API) automation scripts using REST Assured, IDE (IntelliJ), GitHub, GitBash, Jenkins, Gerkins, Postman tools. Bachelor, Computer Sci. /Applications/Engrg, or related. 36 mos exp as Engineer, Developer, Consultant, Analyst, or related, validating mobile apps for iOS &Android devices, &dvlpg automation test scripts for mobile app SW using Java &Objective C languages, &Perfecto, Jenkins, Git, &Android Studio tools, or related. Mail resume to Ref#2285-204, GM Global Mobility, 300 Renaissance Center, MC:482-C32C66, Detroit, MI 48265.

Bid packets are available from: ELMHURST HOME INCORPORATED 12010 Linwood St., Detroit, MI 48206, (313) 867-1090, or via email by sending a request to mailroom@egiarchitects.com. You must call first to arrange for bid packet pick-up. Contact Sarina Oden at (313) 333-0039, or at soden@ehinc.org with questions regarding project specifics as found in the bid packet.

A non-mandatory pre-bid meeting and examination of the premises will take place at the project site 12007 Linwood St., Detroit MI 48206 on Friday, April 30, 2021 at 2:00 PM. Sealed bids will be accepted until 4:00 PM on Tuesday, May 18, 2021 at ELMHURST HOME INCORPORATED 12010 Linwood St., Detroit MI 48206. No bids will be accepted after this time. All bids must be submitted by trade and line item.

All bids will be publicly opened on Tuesday, May 18, 2021 at 4:00 PM at ELMHURST HOME INCORPORATED 12010 Linwood St., Detroit MI 48206. All interested parties are invited to attend. ELMHURST HOME INCORPORATED will award a contract to the lowest, most responsive and responsible bidder – however, ELMHURST HOME INCORPORATED reserves the right to waive any irregularity in any bid or to reject any or all bids should it be deemed for its best interest.

The successful bidder is required to furnish payment (Labor and Materials) and performance bonds in the amount covering the faithful performance of the contract and the payment of all obligations arising thereunder, in the amount of 100% of their contracts, executed by a surety, which is licensed to do business in the State of Michigan.

Seeking Seeking Senior Seeking Medical Assistant II OFFICE ASSISTANT III at Executive Secretary at Oakland University ATGraham OAKLAND UNIVERSITY Oakland University Health Center

School of Medicine CoordinateAcademic the clinicalAffairs processing in a Provide clinic a specialized high by levelperforming of executive asupport variety Tomedical provide office assistance, a confiprocesses dential nature, requiring ofofmulti-step according to a or coordinating procedural business independent judgment and planning, specified framework of procedures and service activities for a complex program for the Executive for regulations, to serveVice as anPresident informationAcademic Affairs and Provost.implementing, Minimum area involving processing, al Qualifi source within the clinic in addition cations: Associate’s degree or advising on, andthe reporting specialized toanmaintaining role asof aeducation medical equivalent combination subject matter.

Qualifications: assistant in the Minimum clinic.

Minimum Qualand experience.

Five years secretarial ifications: School or High school High graduation orgraduation an complex equivalent experience.

Ability to manage scheduling.

Excellent ancalendars equivalent combination educacombination ofandeducation and ofexperience. communication skills Three with the ability tion and progressively experience. years’ exFour years responsible office to interact the public, perience as effectively a medicalwith assistant or in experience, including experience faculty field anddirect staff.

Ability to in a students, directly related with experience work well with management and on office coordination, i.e., prioritizing work inhighly medical office clerical functions.

Exconfi dential matters.

Ability to assignments, maintaining work flow to meet perience in venipuncture and obtainwork flexible hours. This is a full time, deadlines.

This isassistant a full time, clerical-technical ing basic patient information including confi dential position.

Salary blood pressure, electrocardiograph is $49,935.00 annually.

See online position.

Salary is $43,718.00 annually. measurements urine specimens. posting for and additional position See online posting for additional position requirements. consideration This is a part-timeFirst clerical-technical porequirements.

First consideration will will beworking given toMonday-Friday, those who apply by be sition, 10:00 given to those whoMust apply March May 2021. applybyon line to: 23, a.m.

– 11, 5:00 p.m., 30 hours per week. https://jobs.oakland.edu 2020.

Salary is $30,973.00 annually. See Must apply posting online to: https://jobs.oakland.edu online for additional position requirements. Must apply online HELP WANTED to: https://jobs.oakland.edu

Insurance: General Liability and Auto Liability with ELMHURST HOME INCORPORATED and The City of Detroit named as Additional Insured. Workman’s compensation insurance is also required.

Bidders are required to furnish a bid guarantee equal to (5%) of their bid. The Bid guarantee shall be in the form of either a bid bond or a certified check, made out to ELMHURST HOME INCORPORATED.

Design Release Engineer Warren, MI, General Motors. Engr, design, dvlp, validate, release &improve conventional gasoline &diesel psgr vehicle multi-branch wiring harnesses, incldg wire, terminals, connectors, coverings &attachments, from prototype to production, using TC VisMockup, Engrg Change Request, Auros &ECM tools. Use PRTS, GVDP processes, &CAD techniques, &apply GD&T, Bill of Design, CAE, DFM/DFA, DFMEA, DRBTR, Red X &DFSS processes, to design &validate wiring harness branch points for multi-branch harnesses, pin level, cavities, size, &thermal resistance specs &reqmts. Dvlp, execute &evaluate psgr vehicle PSDS designs at Component, Subsystem and Vehicle Technical Specs levels incldg anlys, dvlpmt &testing.

Master, Electrical, Mechanical, or Electronics Engrg. 12 mos exp as Engineer, conducting or supervising dyno testing for engine mapping or HW dvlpmt, &verifying tests to ensure compliance w/ powertrain sys functional objectives, or related.

Mail resume to Ref#5583, GM Global Mobility, 300 Renaissance Center, MC:482-C32-C66, Detroit, MI 48265.

Contractors desiring to bid shall demonstrate the following qualifications: At least 5 years’ experience in their relative trade, licensed as required by state and/or local law.

The contracts will be executed under the Neighborhood Opportunity Fund administered by the City of Detroit Housing and Revitalization Department, Community Development Division. The successful contractor(s) will be required to comply with federal laws governing Section 3 regulations, equal employment opportunity, with the prevailing wage requirements of the Federal Labor Standards Act, which also incorporates Davis- Bacon Act requirements; will have to be cleared and approved by the City of Detroit; and comply with: Executive Order No. 1124-6.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) is soliciting RFP for No. 21-3381 for Paratransit Scheduling and Dispatching Software. RFP forms may be obtained beginning April 28, 2021 from http://www.mitn.info.

RFP is due by 3:00 PM ET, May 26, 2021.

ELMHURST HOME INCORPORATED is seeking qualified contractors to perform construction work in its facility located at 12007 Linwood St., Detroit MI 48206. Work includes exterior window replacements, stand-by generator installation and a local ventilation unit installation for the 31,000 square foot facility.

For a full list of qualifications please visit https://wmenergy.com/careers-2/

TUTORING

Wear a mask.

Save lives.

Wear a mask that fits well with no gaps

Stay at least 6 feet from others Avoid crowds and poorly ventilated spaces Get a vaccine when it’s available to you General public health information

The contractor will be required to comply with the federal government Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Section 3 Act (24 CFR Part 135). All contracts (subcontracts) shall include the “Section 3 Clause” found on the City of Detroit’s website, https://detroitmi.gov/departments/housing-andrevitalization-department#Hud-Programs-and-Information.

You will find this link near the bottom of the page.

WALTER E. WATSON JR. Walter E. Watson Jr. lost his battle with cancer and passed away peacefully on April 15, 2021 at the age of 72. His devoted wife of 49 years Vicki, son Kevin, sister Sharon, and brother Ronald were able to comfort him on his last day. Walt graduated from Cass Technical High School and pursued an electrical engineering degree at Wayne State University and Lawrence Institute of Technology.

He was a typical engineer, serious, determined and detailed by nature. He seldom smiled and you dare not talk to him in the morning. Although he had a gruff exterior, people who knew him knew he was kind, caring, a devoted husband, father and a faithful friend. He would uncharacteristically light up like a Christmas tree whenever he talked about or had an opportunity to interact with his grandson Shane.

Walt and his Partners founded W-3 Construction Company in 1987 and it continues to be a successful premier minority owned company, providing high quality work to multiple clients in the metropolitan Detroit area.

He built solid relationships, which created trust, respect and credibility with his employees, subcontractors and suppliers. He was generous in giving to churches, community organizations, charities and family.

Walt had a great sense of humor, especially when he was with his Sunday Headsmen golf buddies. My would the “zingers” fly – and he bested everyone. It was rare that any of the guys would try to compete with him. He will be truly missed by family, friends and business associates.

A celebration of his life was held in a private ceremony by the James H. Cole Funeral Home in Detroit on April 24, 2021.

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Page B-6

• michiganchronicle.com • April 28 - May 4, 2021

Moving forward together

in Detroit

Over the past year, we’ve all been challenged in one way or another by this health crisis — physically, emotionally, financially. And while questions remain about what lies ahead, we know one thing for certain: The only way to move forward is together. To that end, Bank of America remains fully committed to supporting the health and economic recovery of our clients, communities and teammates.

We know that small businesses, so critical to our local economy, have been greatly impacted. Through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), to date we’ve delivered 478,731* PPP loans — totaling nearly $34.5 billion* in funding — to help our clients continue to operate and pay their employees. Importantly, more than 99% of those loans went to companies with fewer than 100 employees.

Partnering with local nonprofits, we’ve distributed more than 27 million masks for vulnerable populations as part of our ongoing efforts to address health-related disparities accelerated by the coronavirus.

We’ve offered new and expanded benefits to help our employees balance family and work, including over 3.7 million days of back-up child and adult care. That’s an investment of more than $370 million in child and adult care reimbursement.

I’m so proud of the way our community has come together to help those who need it most. And I’m certain that Detroit has the power to be stronger than ever as a result.

Helping Detroit move forward: • Delivered PPP funding to over 7,666 of our small business clients in Michigan for more than $675 million in relief • Distributed 410,600 masks through our local partners including: – United Way for Southeastern Michigan – Detroit Means Business • Expanded benefits for our employees to include additional child and adult care services plus virtual medical and behavioral health consultations at no cost

Matt Elliott President, Bank of America Detroit

Go to bankofamerica.com/community to learn more about the work we are doing with our incredible partners.

*PPP data as of 04/04/2021 Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC. Equal Credit Opportunity Lender. © 2021 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.