Mother Bernice Has Her Eye on Detroit Roots. A3
Financially Fit For Fall Money. A5
Michigan Chronicle
Vol. 85 – No. 10 | November 10-16, 2021
Powered by Real Times Media | michiganchronicle.com
Black People Are Tired of Gerrymandering By Sherri Kolade What is gerrymandering to the Black man and woman in the state of Michigan? Some say it’s presently an unfair method in which the majority comes out on top, again. Gerrymandering, which allows politicians to draw up maps to cast favor or manipulate to one political party -- or for election results they want -- has been around for decades and is nothing new. The term is named after Gov. Elbridge Gerry -- eighth governor of Massachusetts – who in 1810, redrew districts in Massachusetts to boost his own party. The phrase was also added to Webster’s Dictionary in 1864, according to Smithsonian.com. Gerrymandering is typically faulted for the American political system’s present-day divisiveness. The reasoning is that incumbents typically are more extreme if their districts are gerrymandered because when they’re guaranteed to win the general election they’ll focus on appealing to the more extreme members of their base in order to prevent a primary challenge. As many know, the U.S. House of Representatives elects just one member from each district. With this system in place it possibly can make it difficult for Black people (among other minority groups) to gain representation. Previously, many in the United States have made this an intentional result to create maps to make sure whites would win every district. That’s a process known as racial gerrymandering, according to a VOX article. The federal government discussed this in the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which made it illegal to draw districts that “intentionally dilute the voting power of a protected minority” according to the article to ensure “they aren’t unnaturally designed to disenfranchise minority voters.”
Connecting Us All:
Knight Foundation & EII Invest to Provide Internet for North End Residents
By Sherri Kolade
The Detroit Equitable Internet Initiative (EII), a wireless-based Internet provider, recently received a huge technological boost from The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation to assist in their mission to help the local community stay digitally connected to the world. In late October on International Internet Day, October 29, the non-profit organization received an investment of $750,000 (over the span of three years) to provide North End neighborhoods with free high-speed connection for employment opportunities, education, health care, news and information, among other things. With countless Detroiters – among others around the nation – still without proper internet connection – EII is making its mark for hundreds of families in Detroit’s historically underserved, predominantly African American North End and nearby neighborhoods.
Rick Blocker, chairman of the 14th Congressional District, is “sick and tired of being tired” when it comes to racialized gerrymandering and Black people being typically left out of the equation. “I think we have to push hard to get the number of Black people in each district up,” Blocker said. Blocker said that having majority-minority districts (an electoral district, like the United States congressional district) around the country helped level out the playing field where the majority of the constituents in the district are racial or ethnic minorities. “I hope it doesn’t go backward -- we can’t allow it,” Blocker said of redistricting. Also, according to the VOX article, on the flip side, racially based gerrymandering could benefit minority groups. This is done by drawing districts in unique ways to make sure that specific
See GERRYMANDERING page A2
WHAT’S INSIDE
Former NBA Player Brings Hibachi-Style French Fries to Detroit City.Life.Style. B1
$1.00
The Knight Foundation partnered with EII to impact the digital divide in the city, which is described as one of the Rev. Joan C. Ross. Photo courtesy of Rev. Joan C. Ross least connected cities in the U.S. Joan Ross, director of Detroit-based social justice organization North End Woodward Community Coalition (NEWCC), told the Michigan Chronicle that NEWCC helps oversee the Ell initiatives that implement technological advances to an area that greatly needs it. The Knight investment will add more wireless technology allowing free high-speed internet to be beamed to 215 homes in the North End and nearby neighborhoods, where more than 40 percent of households have no highspeed internet. “It’s unacceptable that so many North End residents are missing out on critical lifelines because they don’t have access to high-speed internet,” said Nate Wallace, Knight’s Detroit program director. “This disparity was
See KNIGHT
FOUNDATION page A2
Members of the Knight Foundation install technological infrastructure in a recipient’s house for the grant.
Detroit Residents Awarded $60M In Eviction Prevention Funds Detroit residents at risk of eviction have been awarded $60 million in Covid-19 Eviction Rental Assistance (CERA) Funds since Mayor Mike Duggan launched the Detroit Eviction Assistance and Prevention Program earlier this year. The $138 million fund was created to help renters behind in their rent and facing possible eviction following the end of the federal moratorium and evictions for nonpayment of rent resumed.
Who is eligible for financial assistance?
So far, $60 million in funding has been approved to help Detroiters prevent eviction and stay up to date on their utility bills, with another $16 million awaiting final approval. That means there is still time to apply for the remaining $62 million in CERA funds to avoid evictions and get
Your family suffered COVID-related financial hardship, such as reduced income or increased expenses.
Eligibility for receiving CERA funding is based on income and COVID-19 hardship. Detroiters are eligible for CERA funding if: They are in a low-income household. For example, if you are a single-person household and earn less than $44,000 per year or a family of four earning less than $62,000 per year, you’re eligible.
current on rent and utilities. Working with its partners in the state Legislature, the City anticipates additional funds will be coming to Detroit, however residents are urged not to wait.
They can apply for help www.detroitevictionhelp.org or call 866313-2520. Renters do not have to wait until they have an eviction notice to get help with back-rent and utilities.
Detroiters do not have to have an active court case to apply for CERA. The City encourages
See FUNDS page A2