Michigan Chronicle Digital Edition 12.1.21

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Michigan Chronicle

Vol. 85 – No. 13 | December 1-7, 2021

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Omicron:

What to Know About the Latest COVID-19 Variant

By Sherri Kolade Another COVID-19 variant is here, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), who announced the update on Friday, November 26.

Councilman-Elect

WHO classified the new variant, B.1.1.529, as a “variant of concern” and has named it Omicron.

Coleman A. Young II

Ready to

No cases of this variant have been identified in the U.S. to date.

CDC is following the details of this new variant, first reported to the WHO by South Africa.

“We are grateful to the South African government and its scientists who have openly communicated with the global scientific community and continue to share information about this variant with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and CDC,” according to the CDC. “We are working with other U.S. and global public health and industry partners to learn more about this variant, as we continue to monitor its path.”

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said it is watching out for the omicron variant and telling residents that getting vaccinated should be made a priority (while receiving the booster shot if fully vaccinated) among other precautionary measures like mask-wearing and handwashing, according to a WDIV article.

“Ensuring that as many Michiganders as possible are vaccinated remains the best protection we have against COVID-19 – including variants of concern.”

Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, Michigan’s chief medical executive, said in the WDIV article. “We are asking Michiganders to continue to use critical mitigation measures, such as getting vaccinated and getting boosters when eligible, wearing a mask, and getting tested regularly. Increased transmission fuels the development of more variants of concern.”

Lead

PHOTO: Herbert Taylor

By Andre Ash

far not resulted in charges for Benson and Ayers.

ouncilman-elect Coleman A. Young II is weeks away from taking elected office, again. The former state senator will serve as an At-Large council member, representing residents from every cross-section of the city, rather than one particular council district as designed for six other elected seats.

Young won election night with 31 percent of the vote for the At-Large race. Mary Waters took 2nd place at 25 percent, both becoming new members of the council and unseating incumbent Ayers for the citywide seat.

C

In an interview with the Michigan Chronicle, Young says he believes Detroiters were fed up with corruption, his perspective on why voters wanted change at the table of the city’s legislative body.

“It reflects corruption; it will not be tolerated under any circumstances,” Young said. “I respect innocent until proven [guilty] and I respect due process but I think people wanted change.”

He is referring to the smoke of corruption investigations circling city hall. Former district 4 councilman Andre Spivey resigned in September after pleading guilty to bribery.

Former district 7 councilman Gabe Leland resigned in May following his guilty plea to felony misconduct in office. In recent weeks, the FBI raided the homes of council members Scott Benson and Jaynee Ayers in an on-going investigation into corruption related to towing, according to media reports. The criminal probe has so

“I think the first thing we need to do is get as many people vaccinated as we possibly can,” Young said. “I want to work with the community health corp. to make sure we can have vaccines that are available but also work with our private sector partners in order to make sure we have testing stations for people as well.” The soonto-be council member believes there needs to be an aggressive and creative approach to getting more people vaccinated for the good of public health and fully reopening the city’s economy.

He says he’s ready to hit the ground running on a number of issues, including crime. There are a number of program and policy ideas he has for tackling this issue that he sees as a major problem. “Whether it be hospital intervention programs, group intervention programs, hire more investigators so we can solve murders… and making sure there is a pilot for having officers walk the beat in high crime areas.”

Young says he is looking forward to working with his colleagues, police department and the police commis-

sion to accomplish the goal of reducing violence and improving overall public safety, including increasing the closure rate of homicide cases.

The council-elect also wants to be an advocate for the poor and is firm about being a fighter for addressing poverty in the city. One of the ways he wants to address the chronic problem is by instituting a pilot 18-month social program. He’s calling for guaranteed income of $500 a month for 125 Detroiters with low income and in the hardest hit areas of the city. “I want to work with the private sector to create public-private partnerships, our philanthropic community, our non-profit community, foundation community, but I’m also fine with working with city funds, state and federal grants available for this.”

Young is looking to mirror a similar program tested in Stockton, Ca., and bring to Detroit. “You have people right now who are making decisions between paying rent or ‘am I going to pay my prescription drugs?’ …this is just a supplement and I think this will help while they’re looking for jobs, while they’re looking for opportunities to get on their feet and survive.”

The former mayoral candidate lost in a landslide in his bid to unseat incumbent Mayor Mike Duggan during the 2017 election. Four years later, Detroit’s legislative government welcomes six new members to the

See COLEMAN

A. YOUNG II page A2

During a recent news briefing, President Joe Biden echoed similar thoughts and said that the new variant is a “cause for concern, not a cause for panic.”

“We’ll fight this variant with scientific and knowledgeable actions and speed, not chaos and confusion. We have more tools today to fight the variant than we

See COVID-19

VARIANT page A2

WHAT’S INSIDE

The Truth About Suicide

By Megan Kirk

Detroit Woman’s Black Dolls Spreads Cheer This Season and Beyond Roots. A3

$1.00

The weather is cooling down which means more time spent indoors. For those fighting seasonal depression, the winter months can pose a threat to mental health.

In the Black community, while mental health is becoming a more widely discussed topic, conversations around suicide remain taboo. (Talk about seasonal depression) Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), commonly referred to as seasonal depression or the Winter Blues, affects five percent of adults across the country. Lasting more than 40 percent of the year, SAD spells out an acronym that accurately describes those diagnosed with this type of major depressive disorder. Feelings of despair and worthlessness coupled with thoughts of self-inflicting harm are often the catalyst of acts of suicide. Though winter months have an effect on mental health and suicide, common misconceptions about the colder weather are causing misinformation.

“What we see from suicide rates is that rates are actually highest in the spring.

There is kind of a myth about suicides being highest in the winter months. We don’t see that fairing out in the data at the state level or national data,” said Corbin Standley, chairman of the board of directors for the Michigan Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

Still, more than 700,000 people die from suicide each year. African American populations saw a seven percent suicide rate in 2019 while risk factors for suicide remain the same across race and gender.

“In terms of risk factors, there are three major categories that we typically talk about when it comes to suicide and that’s health, environment and historical factors.

In terms of those, this includes things like mental health conditions such as depression, substance abuse issues or bipolar disorder, for example. It also includes physical health issues. Physical health conditions

can also impact risk for suicide,” said Standley.

With risk factors comes some signs that a person may be experiencing suicidal thoughts. With colder weather, isolation is easier for those living with depression. Supporters must stay vigilant for potential warning signs.

See SUICIDE page A2

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COVID-19 Variant

From page A-1

ever have before,” Biden said, adding that he does not anticipate any additional lockdowns.

CDC is continuously monitoring variants and the U.S. variant surveillance system has reliably detected new variants in this country. We expect Omicron to be identified quickly if it emerges in the U.S. “We know what it takes to prevent the spread of COVID-19. CDC recommends people follow prevention strategies such as wearing a mask in public indoor settings in areas of substantial or high community transmission, washing your hands frequently, and physically distancing from others,” according to a press release statement. “CDC also recommends that everyone 5 years and older protect themselves from COVID-19 by getting fully vaccinated. CDC encourages a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose for those who are eligible.”

Per the CDC, a presidential proclamation established restrictions on the entry of certain travelers into the United States to slow the introduction of the new Omicron variant of the virus that causes COVID-19. As of Monday, November 29, the United States banned travel by non-U.S. citizens from South Africa and seven other African nations.

With specific exceptions, this Presidential Proclamation suspends the entry into the United States, as immigrants or nonimmigrants, of noncitizens who were physically present within the following countries during the 14 days preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States. For a full list of exceptions, refer to the Proclamation.

Botswana Eswatini Lesotho Malawi Mozambique Namibia South Africa Zimbabwe

“I think it really is a big deal,” said Dr. Matthew Sims, the director of infectious disease research at Beaumont in a WDIV article. “Concern No. 1 is that it’s going to be even more contagious than delta. Concern No. 2 is that the vaccine and the antibodies may not work as well.”

Omicron is thought to be the strongest COVID variant yet, according to the article.

COVID-19 vaccine makers are investigating the vaccine’s protection against the new variant, according to WebMD. “The mutations in the Omicron variant are concerning, and for several days, we have been moving as fast as possible to execute our strategy to address this variant,” Stéphane Bancel, CEO of Moderna, said in a statement.

Pfizer added (per WebMD) that data about its vaccine’s protection against Omicron should be released in the coming weeks.

To date, not a lot is

Uninsured Drivers Urged to Take Advantage of Expiring Auto Insurance Amnesty Period With the January 1, 2022 deadline looming, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) Director Anita Fox, and Reverend Dr. Wendell Anthony held a press conference today to urge Michiganders to take advantage of the state’s uninsured motorist amnesty period, a key consumer protection that has already allowed more than 100,000 previously uninsured Michiganders buy penalty-free auto insurance.

“For years, Detroiters were burdened with the most expensive auto insurance in the nation,” said Mayor Duggan. “One of the most powerful aspects of the reforms the Governor and Legislature approved two years ago was to ability to allow previously uninsured drivers to purchase insurance without penalty or increased premiums. We are strongly encouraging any uninsured Detroiter thinking about purchasing auto insurance coverage to do it before January 1, 2022, the date the amnesty period runs out.”

“Prior to the amnesty period, drivers who had let their insurance lapse faced potentially expensive penalties and fees if they later tried to purchase an auto insurance policy,” said Director Fox. “The amnesty period ensures that those fees will not be charged if the driver applies for a policy before the January 1, 2022 deadline. After the deadline, those fees can once again be charged, so now is the time to take advantage of this important consumer protection.

With all these new protections, choices, and

Suicide

From page A-1 “There are three categories of those warning signs as well and they are: talk, behavior and mood. In terms of talk, a person might talk about feeling like they’re a burden on other people.

They may feel like they no longer want to live. They may be straightforward about that [or] they may be subtle about it.

Suicide is not exclusive to adults as a spike in children’s cases has been noted nationally. Particularly for Black children, economic, social and racial factors play into the rise in suicide cases.

As current as 2018, suicide is the second leading cause of death in Black children ages 10 to 14 and the third leading cause of death in Black

savings, there has never been a better time to shop for auto insurance coverage in Michigan.”

“The cost of insurance is a problem that has plagued Detroiters for years. Any effort to make insurance more affordable is indeed a welcome change for the people in this city,” said Reverend Dr. Anthony. “The Amnesty program provides an opportunity to eliminate financial penalties and unnecessary costs to folks already paying high costs for everything just to live. The Amnesty will expire on January 1, 2022. We encourage people to sign up today before this doorway to reduce the burden of high insurance costs is closed.

Too many Detroiters are still without insurance.

It is still not all that we want it to be. But it is certainly better than it used to be.”

“Under the old law, my auto insurance was more than $550 a month, despite my clean driving record, and I was willing to take the risk of driving uninsured,” said Krysten Jones, 35, of Detroit. “I knew I could sign up for coverage without paying fees or penalties, so I signed up for a policy at midnight when the new law went into effect, and my rates immediately dropped by nearly $400 a month. I was recently in an accident and I’m thankful that I was able to get this coverage before I needed it without paying fees or penalties. I encourage everyone to get covered as soon as possible.”

Before Governor Whitmer signed the bipartisan auto insurance reform law in 2019, an estimatadolescents ages 15 to 19, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

“A lot of those warning signs can be very similar [to adults]. We know that there are some things you need to do to talk to your kids and teens about suicide. Part of it is making sure they know you’re a safe person to talk to,” said Standley.

Nationally, the overall numbers have begun to show a decrease in suicides. In 2019, suicide rates fell causing the first national year over year decrease since 1999. For children and adults alike, it is essential to create a safe space where individuals with suicidal thoughts or tendencies can have open dialogue about their thoughts and emotions.

“The best thing to do is

ed 20% of Michiganders, and approximately 60% of Detroiters, were believed to be driving without insurance. The amnesty period gives those who have allowed their auto insurance coverage to lapse the opportunity to purchase a policy without facing penalties or increased premiums if they apply for coverage with a licensed insurance agent or insurance company before the January 1, 2022 deadline. There is no minimum amount of time you have gone without insurance to be able to take advantage of this program.

Consumers who have questions about the new law, including the amnesty period, should contact DIFS Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 877-999-6442 or by emailing autoinsurance@ michigan.gov. Consumers can also find a listing of frequently asked questions, tips for shopping for insurance, and an insurance locator to help find licensed agents by visiting Michigan.gov/AutoInsurance The mission of the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services is to ensure access to safe and secure insurance and financial services fundamental for the opportunity, security, and success of Michigan residents, while fostering economic growth and sustainability in both industries. In addition, the Department provides consumer protection, outreach, and financial literacy and education services to Michigan residents. For more information, visit Michigan.gov/ DIFS or follow the Department on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn show them you are a safe person to talk to, keeping those lines of communication open. It’s about having an honest conversation with somebody who might be struggling,” said Standley.

There is no one-sizefits-all solution to suicide. Staying diligent with friends who may be suffering is key. If the problem is internal, seeking additional support outside of close friends and family may help.

“I think it’s important to mention that it’s not necessarily a formula of a certain number of risk factors or a certain number of warning signs, or certain periods of time.

It’s about trusting your gut and reaching out to somebody who you think may be struggling and have a conversation with them,” said Standley.

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known about Omicron, including whether it could cause more severe illnesses than other variants (or what the common symptoms are), according to WebMD, says Leana Wen, MD, an emergency doctor and public health professor at George Washington University.

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WebMD added that what is known is that the variant is reported to have an unusually high number of mutations or changes in the virus’s genetic material.

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Early evidence also shows that the Omicron variant may spread easier than other COVID-19 variants, Wen says.

“That’s very concerning because Delta, which is the dominant variant here in the U.S. and around the world, is already extremely contagious. So, if this is even more contagious, it could displace the Delta variant,” says Wen.

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Coleman A. Young II From page A-1 nine-member body and interesting dynamics will be at play as Young will now deal with an administration he previously ran against. But, Young says, there is no bad blood between himself and Duggan.

“I respect the mayor wholeheartedly; he is the people’s choice and I respect the will of the people. I’m willing to work with him. I’m excited to work with him.

If it’s something that’s going to be in the best interest of the community that elected me and that will move the city forward and add value to the lives of our constituency then I’m more than willing to work with him.”

Young says he wants to have a professional working relationship with his council colleagues and with Mayor Duggan. He also states on issues that he sees may be harmful and not in the best interest of Detroiters, he “will fight like hell against it, and stand up for the people” who elected him.

Young hopes to be a good public servant. It’s not lost on him that he’ll soon serve in the municipal building that bears his late father’s name, former Detroit Mayor Coleman A. Young who served for 20 years. “I think about him all the time. When I think about entering a room or building named after my father and carrying that legacy and carrying that namesake. I have lived my entire life just trying to live up and be worthy of carrying that name. It is a humbling honor.”

Young says he is ready to live up to the challenge and represent everyone, an entire city whether they voted for him or not.

“I believe a public servant is not only what you’re doing for the constituency but helping those who can’t help themselves and giving back to those who can’t give anything back to you. My father was willing to give the shirt off his back so his constituency can have more. That’s the type of city I want to be involved in, a more inclusive city. My victory is as much my own as it is the people who elected me.”

The Economic Development Corporation of the City of Detroit is soliciting qualified Small Business Professional Services providers for Technical Assistance and Architectural Design & Engineering service providers for the Motor City Match Program. Motor City Match is seeking qualified firms that can provide services in the following categories: Technical Assistance Services: Legal Services Accounting & Financial Planning Marketing & Branding Business Planning Business Consulting Interior Design & Merchandising Technology & Web Services

Architectural Design & Engineering Services: Architectural Services Engineering Services Pre-Construction Services Project Management Building Condition and Feasibility Assessments

Request for Qualification packages will be available on or after Friday, December 3, 2021 via the DEGC website at www.degc.org and the Motor City Match website at www.motorcitymatch.com and https://www.bidnetdirect.com/mitn/detroiteconomicgrowthcorporation.

The deadline for this Request for Proposal will be Friday, January 7, 2022 at 11:59PM EST. Responses must be submitted via the Submittable Platform at the following links: Technical Assistance Services: https://apply.motorcitymatch.com/submit/d84ab6d0-f171-4033be2a-d50aec8a62ca/edc-issued-rfq-december-2021-small-business-professional-services Architectural Design & Engineering Services: https://apply.motorcitymatch.com/submit/3a12ce2e554e-406a-8395-9d3ab9091f85/edc-issued-december-2021-small-business-professional-services-rfqarchitectur Pre-bid conferences will be held on the following days and times: Technical Assistance Services: Monday, December 13, 2021 at 10AM via Zoom Conference: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86737660693 Architectural Design & Engineering Services: Tuesday, December 14, 2021 at 10AM via Zoom Conference: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88431409328 All submissions shall comply with the relevant federal funding guidelines, as described in the Bid Packet.

Each submission must demonstrate its ability to obtain Corporate Clearance from the City of Detroit as a condition of award ability.

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Roots.

| December 1-7, 2021

michiganchronicle.com

Flooding the City

By Megan Kirk

Flooding in Michigan has reached an all-time high this season. Heavy rains have caused damage to homes and cars and affected electricity across the state. In southeast Michigan, rains have caused flooding in homes resulting in the loss of food and personal property. Climate change could be the reason as to why certain areas of the state are seeing unprecedented amounts of rain and flooding.

Climate change has been at the center of controversy in recent years, the basis of political campaigns and the fight of environmentalists. From oil prices and adverse weather conditions, like hurricanes and tornadoes, to rising costs of fresh produce and higher levels of rain water accumulation, climate change is projected to affect several areas of everyday life. The results of climate change are costing states billions in relief efforts and excessive flooding now threatens to add to the state’s growing disaster relief efforts.

This summer, Southeast Michigan saw flooding in unforeseen amounts and damaged many homes. As of July 2021, FEMA had approved 51,723 individual assistance applications caused by flooding totaling more than $151 million dollars in disaster assistance.

Currently, residents living in Southeast Michigan can still receive disaster relief from FEMA for flooding and severe storms that occurred in late June.

“The first half of the equation is the change in weather patterns that we’ve been seeing. And I think the figure that sticks out to me the most is that, if you look at the top one percent of storms, the most intense one percent, the amount of rain that is falling during those storms have increased by over 40 percent from 1958 through 2016,” said James Clift, deputy director of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, known as EGLE. “That’s just the amount of water the system has to be designed to deal with. If you think about Southeast Michigan specifically, a lot of it was built in the 50’s and 60’s and 70’s. The storms we’re seeing today are almost twice as big in terms of the amount of rain falling.”

Black Soccer

New Push to Open Pathways to Soccer for Black Youth

By Andre Ash There is a united effort underway to introduce and involve more Black youth in the sport of soccer. For Soccer Ventures (FSV) recently announced the Black Star Initiative (BSI), a new program developed to help accelerate the growth of soccer in African American communities and to increase access and opportunity in the sport at the grassroots level, on and off the field.

As part of the program’s launch BSI partnered with Detroit City FC (DCFC) to host a weekend of community-based activities in Detroit at Keyworth Stadium and the Detroit City Fieldhouse in October.

“The goal of the Black Star Initiative is to facilitate every step of the soccer journey for aspiring Black soccer players, coaches and professionals while building community through the celebration and

amplification of the diverse Black soccer culture,” said Patrick Rose, director, Black Star Initiative. “Our aim is to introduce more Black Americans to soccer and reduce barriers to youth participation and coaching while engaging the soccer community, Black youth and their parents.”

BSI recognizes the factors which have contributed to the underrepresentation of the Black community in American soccer.

It has developed and designed programming aimed to address systemic racism in soccer, provide better access to soccer resources, facilitate educational and professional pathways, increase community awareness and credibility of the sport and inspire kids to play who have not yet been introduced to the game. “As a community richly rooted in Black history, we are excited that For Soccer Ventures is launching the Black Star Initiative in Detroit and with Detroit City FC,” said T.J. Winfrey, chief of partnerships, Detroit City

FC. “This is a monumental moment for the city of Detroit and of empowerment and soccer education for our community.

Part of our mission at Detroit City FC is to grow soccer in our region and it begins right here in Detroit.”

Founded in 2012, Detroit City FC, a grassroots organization, has established itself as one of the most talked about soccer teams in North America. It’s working to deepen its connection to the Detroit community and build partnerships that promote youth development in soccer.

Soccer is a global sport and one of the top sports in the world, yet Black Americans are under-represented in players, coaching and in business of the sport.

This reality is why Winfrey believes the new partnership between BSI and DCFC is critical. “This effort is to really show these

See SOCCER page B-2

Climate change is not synonymous with a region’s weather but rather the expected conditions over a period of time.

Changes in a region’s climate can cause shifts in weather such as precipitation and hotter weather. Michigan is a unique case as it is home to 21 percent of the world’s freshwater supply, thus surrounded by bodies of water for excessive rainwater to flow into. However, once full, water begins to back up and causes a nuisance with flooding roads and basements.

“Secondly, for a while there, this past year it had just been

See FLOODING page B-2

Detroit Woman’s Black Dolls Spreads Cheer This Season and Beyond

By Sherri Kolade After being confined to a wheelchair, a Detroit woman lost a bit of self-confidence after having to relearn how to practically do everything all over again after three near-death experiences she faced while dealing with lupus since a young age.

Sandra Epps, an inspirational author, artist and professional face and body painter, established Sandy’s Land in 2005 with the self-publishing her first children’s book, “Imani Has The Most Exciting Dream!” that introduced her young readers to the power of affirmation and explains (age-appropriately) lupus to a child, according to her biography.

“I was diagnosed with lupus at the age of 14. The disease had attacked my central nervous system, kidney and heart,” she told the Michigan Chronicle.

“I was confined to a wheelchair twice and had to learn to walk, talk and eat again. However, it was the negative impact the disease had on my self-esteem that changed my life.”

She added that after years of struggling with how she looked (due to hair loss and weight gain) she decided that she wanted to spend a full-time career

Photo courtesy of Sandy’s Land LLC encouraging women and girls to love themselves.

“With women and girls of color al-

ready being disproportionately marginalized...dealing with discrimination because of the hairstyles and skin com-

plexion, I wanted to do my part to remind them of their greatness,” she said.

Epps ensures that others know the power within them through her key message, “Love the Skin You’re In” according to her website. Through her entertainment service, Sandy’s Land LLC, she has a mission to ‘Party with a Purpose.’ After three near-death experiences due to her medical journey, Epps decided to make a full career of inspiring women and girls who look like her.

Sandy’s Land LLC holds art parties, sells inspirational books, accessories, apparel and hosts the annual Detroit Doll Show which is the largest doll show of its kind, according to her website.

The Detroit Doll Show, founded in 2011, attracts over 1,400 attendees. Previous shows climbed to over 2,000 visitors, including guests from around the world.

The Detroit Doll Show celebrates history, culture, self-love and diversity with the promotion of Black dolls. The Doll Show typically brings in up to 50 vendors that include doll makers and manufacturers from around the globe.

The Detroit Doll Show also includes children’s authors and fine artists with unique handmade items that provide products promoting positive Black im-

See SANDY'S LAND page B-2

Page A-4 • michiganchronicle.com •

December 1-7, 2021

Flooding From page B-1

raining year after year [sic]. We saw the five rainiest years on record for the Great Lakes region. What happens then is the lakes are higher and higher and that pushes all of the lakes’ levels higher. When a storm happens, the ground gets saturated and the water has nowhere else to go so we start seeing flooding occurring,” said Clift.

In October 2020, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced a $500 million investment to rebuild Michigan’s water infrastructures. Updates to the water system cannot occur all at once, but rather needs a systematic approach.

The Importance of Estate Planning

By Michael Caine Estate planning encompasses the processes of planning for death and planning for the possibility of diminished capacity before death. A frequent objective in the estate planning process for many individuals is to avoid probate court involvement. The estate planning document that most people are usually most familiar with is a Will. Many people are surprised to learn that a Will does not avoid probate and that an estate must be opened to admit the Will to probate.

Often, individuals think about probate court involvement at the death of a loved one. However, probate court involvement can arise when an individual has diminished capacity, and a need arises to appoint someone to make decisions regarding the individual’s care and custody (Guardianship), or a need arises to appoint someone to manage the individual’s assets and finances (Conservatorship). A properly drafted and implemented estate plan can assist in avoiding probate court involvement due to diminished capacity before death and avoiding probate court involvement at death.

Typical estate planning documents consist of a Medical Power of Attorney, a Durable (Financial) Power of Attorney, a Revocable Trust, and a Will.

A Medical Power of Attorney allows an individual to be nominated to serve as their patient advocate and communicate their wishes concerning their medical care and custody. A validly executed Medical Power of Attorney may assist an individual in avoiding Guardianship proceedings in probate court.

A Durable Power of Attorney allows an individual to nominate another individual to control assets (bank accounts, real estate, retirement accounts) that the individual owns when the individual experiences diminished capacity and can no longer manage their assets. Third parties in Michigan have discretion in deciding whether to accept a Durable Power of Attorney. Therefore, it may be helpful, even though an individual has a

Soccer From page A-3

Black kids that there are people that look like them in the game, there are people who look like them that teach the game. It creates an aspiration and some sort of visual.”

BSI began its initiative in Detroit and is hoping to spread to other cities across the nation and as it does so, the organization isn’t attempting to replace what soccer programming may already be in place.

In Detroit for example, the initiative is amplifying what year-round programming already exists.

Winfrey has been onboard at DCFC for a year, previously he was at Major League Soccer (MLS), and in his current role, he continues to build partnerships that enhance the sport to Black youth in Detroit.

Detroit City FC has recently formed a relationship with Detroit Public Schools Community District and Ally Bank. The financial institution is sponsoring an indoor winter soccer league which will run eight weeks for DPSCD students, free of charge. The opportunity will allow students wo may already be involved in soccer during the warmer months to now be able to play and train year-round.

The collective efforts and partnerships are one way of saying to Black kids and their families that there is a pathway to soccer in America both in recreation and professionally.

Durable Power of Attorney, an individual may not avoid Conservatorship proceedings in probate court.

The estate planning document that is used most frequently to avoid probate court proceedings is the Revocable Trust. The settlor (the person that establishes the Trust) generally serves as the initial trustee. Upon the settlor’s incapacity or death, the nominated successor trustee generally succeeds in controlling the trust assets. The Trust can assist an individual in avoiding probate court proceedings related to both Conservatorships and Deceased Estates.

The final document that is generally included in a typical estate plan is a Will. As previously mentioned, a Will does not assist an individual in avoiding probate court proceedings; however, it is still essential to have a Will in the event that the individual owns assets that are titled in the individual’s name at death that do not pass by beneficiary designation. The Will that is used in a typical estate plan is referred to as a “pour over” Will. The Will generally provides that the assets in the estate “pour over” to the Trust and are distributed under the terms of the Trust.

A well-crafted estate plan will consider various issues faced that may be unique to single individuals, married couples, individuals in second marriages, blended families, same-sex couples, special needs individuals, and in a variety of other family circumstances. Estate plans should also consider that individuals will likely experience diminished capacity before death.

“Our water infrastructure is in need of an upgrade and therefore we’re seeing system failures and all of a sudden, this pump isn’t working or this region of town is fine, but the region next to it is inundated. If we just had maybe some better pipes and pump stations to pump the water to a part of town that’s not getting as much rain, we could potentially be avoiding some of these flooding events,” said Clift. “I think a lot of effort going into right now is where are those corrections in the system that might take some pressure off the system overall or allow us to be a little bit more resilient and maybe we can move water from one part of town to another part of town in reference to southeast Michigan where we’ve seen a lot of flooding, but is clearly a problem we’ve been seeing throughout the state.”

Excessive flooding across the state is also affecting the cost of food. While southeast Michigan is not known for farming, there are locations in the state responsible for producing some of the region’s fresh produce including asparagus, cherries, black beans and grapes.

“In the spring is when the farmers are really impacted as they are trying to get out there and plant crops, but if their fields are saturated and muddy, they can’t get out there and do that work.

That sometimes delays them getting crops in the ground. They tend to lose a lot of topsoil during those major main events so it’s degrading the quality of their farmland in general,” said Clift. “As all those nutrients run off the fields, we see it run into Lake Erie and Lake Huron and we see those algae events that come from excessive amounts of nutrient pollution.”

As winter approaches, concerns of snowfall are also beginning to accumulate. In preparation, Governor Gretchen Whitmer is championing for the state, particularly Ionia, Washtenaw and Wayne Counties. She is appealing the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s denial to activate the Public Assistance Program in light of the summer’s downpour.

“I am going to fight for every available dollar to help communities across Michigan that were impacted by these historic storms,” Governor Whitmer is quoted as saying in a press release.

“This federal assistance is still critically needed to support the recovery of public entities in Ionia, Wayne and Washtenaw counties. We will continue to work with our federal partners to ensure they get that much-needed assistance.”

FEMA is allowing residents who were affected by the June 25 and 26 severe storms and flooding to continue applying for individual disaster relief.

Sandy's Land From page A-3 agery. This annual event has a program that includes a doll look-a-like contest, workshops, arts and crafts, photo doll box, panel discussions, hands-on games, photo booth, music provided by a DJ, and the Doll Legacy Award for individuals who have or are doing things to uplift people in their community.

NyRee Hardyway, a friend and fan of Sandy’s Land, told the Michigan Chronicle that their friendship has blossomed over time after her own personal tragedy.

“She’s one of my favorite people. Sandy wowed me with a shirt design ‘Images of Beauty’ in 2000. I had lost my mom and her shirt design was a perfect gift to give my sisters,” the Detroit native said.

“We’ve been fast friends ever since and now best sister friends. She continues to amaze me with her artistry and ability to organize the doll show which has given the largest platform to doll artist and collectors.”

Epps added that her work has power to help change.

“There is power in speaking affirmation and creating art. Both of these things, yet simple, can provide a huge impact with changing the dynamics of a person’s life.”

View Epps’ latest collection, visit sandyslandllc.com.

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So, having a properly drafted and implemented estate plan can aid in enjoyable living for both you and your loved ones.

Michael Caine is a member of the Wolverine Bar Association and provides legal guidance on probate, trusts, and estate matters. He earned a B.S. in Accounting from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University and his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School.

The United States along with Mexico and Canada will host the World Cup in 2026 and T.J. sees that moment as an inflection point and hopes to build continued momentum leading to the global event.

T.J.’s vision for what soccer could mean in Detroit is one built on continued partnerships and

one that creates positive impact. “My goal is to see kids playing soccer in this city at scale. My ultimate goal is to see Detroit the hub as Black soccer in America. We have the opportunity and population base to do so. When you have scouts looking for Black soccer players and talent, they need to come to Detroit and I see that for us.”

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#ShopSmallDetroit This Holiday Season

More important than ever to support Detroit’s small business community

By Kevin Johnson Now that the 2021 holiday season is upon us, it’s more important than ever to place Detroit small businesses at the forefront of every buying decision.

DEGC is encouraging support for our commercial corridors as well as online entrepreneurs throughout the city.

If there was ever a time for Detroit to “mean business,” that time is now.

Many of our small businesses are still feeling the bottom-line impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting gathering restrictions. Thanks to the efforts of our Small Business Services team, more than $15 million in grants were awarded to Detroit small businesses for help with payroll and expenses.

More than 70 percent of these recipients Kevin Johnson are minority-run businesses, and nearly half are women-owned and owned by City of Detroit residents. However, while grants, forgivable loans and other relief packages help businesses stay afloat short-term, the only true solution to business sustainability is customer revenue.

Shopping local not only drives sales to Detroit business owners, it pushes dollars back into our neighborhoods.

Each of us has the ability to make a difference by supporting local shops and restaurants. Our neighborhood businesses offer unique products and services that respect and reflect the rich culture of Detroit’s communities.

No matter what you’re looking for Detroit has it – unique gifts, holiday food items, venues to celebrate the season and services to make everything sparkle.

We invite you to join our staff and partners to #ShopSmallDetroit this holiday season, and all year round.

Here’s how you can support small businesses this holiday season: • Browse a list of businesses offering holiday specials, including retail, restaurants and service providers citywide, located on the DEGC website (degc.org/shop-small-detroit).

• Return to DEGC’s social media pages often for posts featuring Detroit small businesses, and be sure to like and share those posts with your own followers.

• Participate in a Bingo competition between Nov. 27 and Dec. 24 to promote #ShopSmallDetroit and enter for a chance to win a Spirit Card. Visit detroitmeansbusiness.org/bingo to learn more and to enter.

Employee Burnout What Companies Can Do to Help Relieve Workday Burnout

By Megan Kirk COVID-19 caused a record drop in employment in 2020 that continues to spill into 2021. Though a large number of Americans lost their jobs across the country, millions more worked steadily to keep the economy and essential businesses afloat. Now, the same employees who have been praised for their sacrifice throughout the pandemic are experiencing exhaustion on a different level. Employers are enlisting the help of organizations to navigate the new found land of post-pandemic employment and prioritize rest and recovery for this class of workers.

Janet Tyler has made a career teaching early-stage, start-up and mid-sized businesses how to manage stress and mitigate burnout in their workplaces.

As President of True Depth, a consulting and managing firm specializing in these areas, Tyler is leading the change and advocating for healthy employees.

Attend a Shop Small event such as Home(base) for the Holidays marketplace on W. 6 Mile, E. Warren Nights on E. Warren, New Center First Fridays, or Grandmont Rosedale’s Annual Shop Small Saturday Fair. A complete list of events can be found at detroitmeansbusiness.org/shopsmalldetroit.

“Burnout [occurs] essentially after long periods of sustained stress [when] challenges begin to feel insurmountable,” said Tyler. “What happens is we all feel stress, it’s healthy. It is temporary pressure because you have some adverse situations happening on the job. Unfortunately, what happened during the pandemic is people were extremely stressed out and didn’t have the time or opportunity, but maybe companies were leaning on employees a little too much during the pandemic that created this high stress situation.”

If we all shop small and shop safe, we can help ensure a very happy holiday season. Let’s all work together to make this a safe and truly special season for all Detroiters.

In 2019, the World Health Organization added burnout as an occupational phenomenon. Not to be confused with exhaustion caused by life, burnout is a term exclusively coined for exhaus-

• Remember to use the #ShopSmallDetroit hashtag when you post about the products and services you’ve purchased.

West Bloomfield Gets New Luxury Salon

By Megan Kirk West Bloomfield has opened its first Black-owned luxury hair salon and the buzz is spreading. With more than 20 years in the beauty industry, owner Talina Porter-Smith is shattering glass ceilings and not taking ‘no’ for an answer.

Her journey is one showing how tenacity can win opportunities that traditional measures may rule out.

D’Portier Beauty officially opened its doors in early November. The West Bloomfield salon and spa includes services like hair and makeup, body sculpting, massages, facials, waxing and more.

However, becoming the first and only Black-owned luxury hair salon in the area did not happen overnight. The own-

er, a Detroit native, began at home, but a later moved to the south which helped sharpen her skills and grow her base.

Attending cosmetology school fresh out of high school, it was in makeup that the budding entrepreneur found her niche. With a strong knowledge base of both hair and makeup, the artist hit the big leagues and worked for several top cosmetics brands throughout her career.

“I went to cosmetology school in hopes of being able to do makeup for tv, film, movies and things of that nature, but a different journey happened,” said Porter-Smith. “I worked for nine different cosmetics lines; I worked for 10

See NEW

LUXURY SALON page A6

tion due to the workplace. As defined

by WHO, burnout is: feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and reduced professional efficacy.

Employees experiencing burnout must create healthy boundaries to manage stress while being able to maintain job functions. According to Tyler, the time is takes to recover from a burnout increases the amount of time symptoms are felt.

Once employees begin to experience burnout, it may come in waves affecting multiple employees at once.

Burnout is a contributor to high turnover rates, resulting in jobs losing key workers during a time when they are needed most. Companies looking to avoid employee burnout must examine areas that could be eliminated to help relieve pressure from the day-to-day operations.

“It takes at least half as long to recover from burnout as how long it took you to become burned out. If you’ve been not resting after stressful work events, not giving yourself a break … for six months, it will take you at least three months to recover from that burnout episode,” says Tyler.

“Try to reduce excessive collaboration. For companies who are in-person during the pandemic, it may be easy to hop in a meeting. Now, people don’t have five minutes, they are so over-scheduled throughout the day,” said Tyler.

“In this new world with hybrid [working modes] and many [of them] are remote, it is tiring. Really looking brutally at the scheduling, limiting, cutting unnecessary meetings and resisting the temptation to overwork your star employees [is key].”

As the pandemic has put a tight strain on many essential functions, more than one year since its discovery in the United States, there seems to be no end in sight. Communities are adapting to COVID-19, but some employers are behind on the curve.

“I’m seeing what I like to call a ‘high burnout culture.’ There are some things that companies could be doing, but there are things that the employees could be doing to mitigate burnout,” said Tyler.

Another contributing factor in burnout during the pandemic is race, diversity and inclusion. Examples of brutal slayings and racial tension across the country televised on the news and published in print laid the foundation for another layer of stress and burnout in the workplace. Now, corporations are working overtime to ensure a racially sensitive and inclusive culture for all.

This too could lead to burnout.

“When you are always feeling compromised or under the radar, if you’re constantly feeling in the minority, your brain, the load of that, can be exhausting,” said Tyler. “I’m not comparing and it’s not the same, but it would be like a woman working with a team of all men all the time or a Black person who worked with all white people all the time.”

Now, more than ever, companies are beginning to have conversations around burnout and implementing practices to protect their employees. The pandemic has afforded an opportunity for companies to shift the way the corporate work day is executed. They just need to take advantage of that opportunity.

Page A-6 • michiganchronicle.com • December 1-7, 2021

Financial Tips for Parents to Teach Their Children (Family Features) Children often dream of the day they can call themselves grownups, but few look forward to – let alone think about – the financial realities of independence. It’s never too early to start teaching your children how to save money and spend responsibly.

“As parents, our job is to set our children up for success,” Bank of America’s Head of Deposit Products Erin McCullen said. “Giving our kids a strong foundation of financial skills like budgeting and saving is a key part in ensuring they thrive as adults and can concentrate on the things they love.”

Consider these financial tips from McCullen: Establish a budget. Budgeting is a lifelong skill. Teaching young adults how to budget can help them plan spending, save money, create goals and address financial anxiety. According to a Bank of America survey, 52% of Americans said they didn’t start budgeting until they began their first full-time job.

If your kids are on the younger side, they likely don’t have a steady income, but you can still help them practice budgeting with allowances or gifts from relatives or friends.

Keep it simple: teach them to track the money they receive and separate it into spendnow and spend-later categories.

Later, when you’re helping your kids create an adult budget, you’ll need to expand those categories to track expenses like housing costs and groceries. From there, measure these categories against their total monthly income. Ideally, they should have more money coming in than going out. This process can help identify must-have vs. want-to-have purchases while highlighting areas to cut back on spending or finding room to save.

Save regularly and consistently. Making consistent, automatic contributions to a savings account can create a mindset that will be valuable as your children get older.

“It is never too early to open a savings account,” McCullen said. “Even if your children don’t yet have any bills or financial obligations, teach them to set aside some of the money from their allowance or even gifts from family or friends. Helping children learn to save early-on, even for a small purchase, can help them develop a consistent savings habit over time.”

Young adults should also consider programs like Keep the Change, which helps build savings automatically by rounding up debit card purchases to the nearest dollar amount and transferring the change from a checking account to a savings account.

world, one way to help them stay on track is to prepare a checklist of things to do before they graduate and start their jobs.

This list can include creating a budgeting and tracking strategy, opening a savings account to begin setting aside money from future paychecks or checking in with a financial planner to discuss transitions and what’s to come.

Taking time now to teach your children strong financial habits can help them develop lifelong financial skills and prepare them for their next adventure. The healthy habits they build today can help carry them to tomorrow and beyond.

Emphasize the importance of safe credit. Young adulthood is the right time to begin building credit because establishing good credit takes time. Building credit from a young age can help pave the way for major purchases and life moments, since credit impacts future living arrangements, the ability to purchase a car and even employment opportunities.

Teach your children about the steps they can take to start building credit like planning their credit card usage, never spending outside their means and paying off their credit card bills on-time and in-full. They can also earn rewards while spending by ensuring their credit card rewards their spending. An option like the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card offers flexibility to earn rewards in the category of your choice and can help maximize rewards while building credit.

Find more tips for teaching your children financial skills at BetterMoneyHabits.BankofAmerica.com.

Consider these ways kids can learn about money throughout childhood as recommended by the experts at Bank of America: Elementary School – Focus on basics like saving small change and planning how to spend it. As kids begin to learn fundamental math, you can introduce them to the concept of making a spending plan. Apply these lessons to toys or gifts they want and teach them to set aside money until they have enough to buy the toy of their dreams.

Middle School – Those early mathematical lessons around spending can be expanded to include real-life decision making and budget creation, including what should be accounted for and considered before making a purchase. Before children go to the mall with their friends, highlight the thought process involved in spending before they make impulse purchases.

High School – As adulthood begins to draw nearer, it’s worth exploring the fundamentals of credit scores, credit cards, investing, saving for retirement, homeownership and more so that, upon graduation, teens can start putting those lessons into practice.

High school seniors should also educate themselves on student loans, as debt often becomes a reality for those who attend college, and understanding the facts can help them make more informed choices.

Bonus tip: If your high schoolers have jobs, even if it’s just part-time, it can be helpful to discuss taxes and how to manage receiving consistent income. It can guide them in creating balanced and accurate budgets in the future.

College – Build credit by opening a credit card account to help achieve goals later in life, such as purchasing a home. With a career just a few years away (or less), college is also a smart time to begin reading into the basics of 401(k)s, starting an emergency fund or even learning the basics of investing.

New Luxury Salon From page A-5

years at MAC; NARS, Bobbi Brown, Fashion Fair, etc.”

A move to Atlanta would help lay the foundation for the D’Portier empire that is today. While working for a large cosmetics company, Porter-Smith began freelancing for a local photographer. What began as just makeup services extended to include hair as well.

“This photographer was also freelancing and trying to build up his book, so I would do makeup for his models, but the models would never have their hair done,” said Porter-Smith. “Because I was licensed, I started doing both and enjoying it.”

Using this as momentum, the consummate student returned to school to continue to hone her craft and quickly grew her base in Atlanta. Opening two studios in Atlanta’s most prominent neighborhood, the itch to grow the empire into Porter-Smith’s hometown of Detroit was inevitable. Relocating to West Bloomfield in 2016, a suburb of Detroit, the idea for D’Portier Beauty’s Michigan location was officially birthed.

“My husband and I moved back here [to Detroit] with our son and I wanted to make things happen in the state that I was from,” said Porter-Smith. “I’ve always had a vision of owning my own salon and spa and I noticed West Bloomfield didn’t have a Black salon here and that kind of bothered me.”

Falling in love with one location, securing the space presented a new challenge for Porter-Smith. Property owners were initially not willing to lease the space to Porter-Smith.

“I was told ‘no’ first because I didn’t have the capital that the owners were looking for.

I didn’t come from a rich family. I’m not a Kardashian or am just able to say a dream and make it happen. I didn’t come from money like that so everything I worked for, I built,” said Porter-Smith.

A no, would, however, then turn into a yes. Persistence helped secure the building. A heartfelt personal touch led owners to seal the deal on the salon’s new home.

“I went back to the drawing board because of the capital. I never changed my capital amount. I wanted the building really bad and I wrote a letter and asked my realtor to give it to the landlord. I poured my heart out into the letter. I wrote to them what I wanted the space for, why it was important to me to have this space,” said Porter-Smith.

The landlord’s approval of the space helped to create a shift in diversity not only for West Bloomfield but also for beauty and personal care.

“The strip plaza that I’m in, it hasn’t even seen a Black-owned storefront let alone beauty,” said Porter-Smith. “It wasn’t common.”

D’Portier Beauty now serves as a sign to the power of will and valiant effort. The salon is located at 6905 Orchard Lake Rd, West Bloomfield, MI.

DTW Make a finance checklist. Young adults have a lot on their minds at the end of their final semester at school. As they begin to transition from student life to the working

Financial Lessons at Every Age

From preschool through college, every stage of school is designed to prepare kids for life-long success, but learning about finances is one area that can be especially impactful for children in the long term.

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December 1-7, 2021 • michiganchronicle.com • Page A-7

Michigan Chronicle

UNAPOLOGETICALLY

BLACK The Michigan Chronicle is pleased to announce the 2021 Men of Excellence Honorees Through proven success and selfless dedication to the community, these exemplary men - community and business leaders, husbands, fathers and protectors - are lauded as role models for the next generation of excellence.

Adam Hollier Senator, State of Michigan Amin Irving Founder & Owner Ginosko Development Group Andre Johnson CEO, Detroit Recovery Project Angelo Glenn Chairperson, Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network B. Donta Truss Vice President for Enrollment and Development Grand Valley State University Bernard Parker, III Director, Government Relations, Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce Bill Grice Vice President & Executive Director, Minority Business Development Agency Brian Singleton Vice Chancellor for Student Services, Wayne County Community College District Brian McKinney Founder & CEO, Gayanga Caleb Rutledge President & CEO Goodwill's Green Works Christian Adams, Rev. Pastor, Hartford Memorial Baptist Church Coleman Young, II Councilman, City of Detroit Damany Head Chairman, Pontiac Regional Chamber of Commerce Daniel W. Jackson, FACHE CEO, DMC Sinai Grace Hospital Darrell X. Rounds Lead, North American EV Infrastructure Strategy, General Motors

Dexter K. Flemming, DDS Staff Physician, Michigan Center for Oral Surgery Dimitrius Hutcherson Executive Vice President First Independence Bank Dwane Casey Head Coach, Detroit Pistons Earl Newsome Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Cummins, Inc. Edward Ewell, Jr. Judge, Wayne County Circuit Court Jacob Keli Associate Vice Chancellor & District Director for Purchasing, Wayne County Community College District Jacques Mullin National Sales Director ACE Petroleum Jahquan Hawkins Dean of Student Services Oakland Community College James Williams Automotive Vertical Leader, N.A., CEVA Logistics James White Police Chief, Detroit Police Department James Heath Corporation Counsel Wayne County Jason Barnett Senior Vice President Invest Detroit John Harris Global General Counsel US & EU, VinFast Automotive John E. Johnson, Jr. Executive Director, Michigan Department of Civil Rights

David Akins Director, Wilson-Akins Funeral Home

Jonathan Jenning Vice President, Global Commodity Purchasing and Supplier Technical Assistance Ford Motor Company

Deola Animashaun, MBA Regional Executive, Bank of America

Kenneth E. Harris, Ph.D President, Ecumenical Theological Seminary

Dexter K. Flemming, DDS Staff Physician, Michigan Center for Oral Surgery

Kenneth Mathies Vice President, Chief Diversity Officer, AAA – The Auto Club Group

Lester Booker, Jr. Vice President, Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Communications Citizens Financial Group, Inc. Malik Yakini Executive Director Detroit Black Community Food Security Network Marcell Todd Director, Detroit City Planning Commission, City of Detroit Matthus Joshua Executive Director, Infotainment & Connectivity, General Motors Maurice Williams General Manager - Sales Support, US Operations General Motors Michael D. Williams Director of Financial Aid and Executive Team Member, Schoolcraft College Nathaniel L. Wallace Program Director Knight Foundation Paul C. Ajegba Director, Michigan Department of Transportation Reginald Scott Chief Financial Officer Detroit Land Bank Authority Ritchie H. Harrison Co-Director Great Lakes Leadership Academy, Michigan State University Extension Roger Williams Insurance Agent State Farm Agency Steve Bland Senior Pastor Liberty Temple Baptist Church Terrence Hicks Managing Principal Metro Strategies Thaddeus Irby Senior Manager Enterprise Technology, Lockheed Martin Corporation Thomas Seabron Senior Vice President Wealth Management, Global Financial Advisor, Morgan Stanley

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Page A-8 • michiganchronicle.com •

December 1-7, 2021

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“King Richard” Wins a Miami Film Fest Audience Award

By Dwight Brown NNPA News Wire Film Critic

“King Richard” has won the coveted Miami International Film Festival GEMS 2021 Audience Award, and it’s no wonder. It’s a crowd-pleaser!

The spirit of the prescient planner, dreamer and barker Richard Williams, the work ethic and faith of his wife Oracene “Brandy” Price, coupled with the talent of Venus and Serena molded the Williams sisters into tennis icons. It’s a clear, self-empowering force that’s echoed in this inspiring, Oscar-worthy bio/film.

Once upon a time, in the low-income neighborhood of Compton, Los Angeles, a doting father and smart mother have a keen vision for two of their offspring: “Venus and Serena gonna shake up this world.” A non-traditional path leads them in, out and around the normal white bread, upper-class tennis system, ultimately helping them achieve monumental goals. It’s the American dream personified, and “King Richard” provides a visual roadmap others can follow.

Kimberly Marable and company in ““Hadestown”” North American Tour. – photo credit T. Charles Erickson

One of the smartest decisions the film’s producers made was hiring tennis-lover/screenwriter Zach Baylin (“Creed III”) to write and nurture a script that focuses on a segment of time, and not the entire Williams story. After some background plotting, this glimpse begins when Richard approaches coaches to get Venus on the junior circuit. Within this narrowly focused window, the screenplay thoroughly develops the characters as they face familial challenges, neighborhood bullies and a skeptical tennis world. The smaller, intimate canvas—fewer people and settings— solidifies the characters’ identities, thoughts and feelings, which are sometimes manifested in poignant often humorous dialogue: As Richard drives past a cemetery he says to his kids: “Say hi to the people that are gone.”

The bane of many tennis movies is that producers frequently hire actors who can’t swing a racquet like a pro.

The genius of hiring Saniyya Sidney (“Fences”) to play Venus and Demi Singleton (“Godfather of Harlem”) to portray Serena is that either they’ve played before, or someone showed them how to produce ground strokes exactly the way the real sisters do.

Open stance, lots of power. Many will cite the outstanding performances of Will Smith as Richard and the very talented Aunjanue Ellis (“If Beal Street Could Talk”) as Oracene as the foundation for this thoughtfully written, acted and directed film.

Tennis players, however, will point to the realistic serves, strokes and volleys and the exposure of some of the professional game’s most irritating quirks. e.g., taking strategic but unnecessary bathroom breaks during a match to disrupt your rival’s focus.

It’s frowned upon, but still legal.

Smith may gain an Oscar nom for his all-in performance in a very showy role about a goal-achieving yet imperfect man. He’s got the man-

“Hadestown” Takes Detroit Broadway Stage

By Megan Kirk

and rich lyrics.

Broadway in Detroit is in full swing with its latest production. Greek mythology will be center stage as “Hadestown” makes its way to Detroit’s Fisher Theatre.

“It’s pretty much sung through the music that is folk and jazz and New Orleans Second Line and blues. It’s really exciting. There’s some sexy songs in there too,” says Marable. “It’s really a wonderful story that you don’t have to know Greek mythology to know what’s going on.”

Based on the book by Anaïs Mitchell, “Hadestown” is a tale of the underworld, love and timely social issues that are still relevant today. The musical centers around characters Orpheus and Eurydice and Hades and Persephone and their interactions with the underworld.

Broadway great Kimberly Marable plays Persephone, The Lady of The Underworld, in this production of “Hadestown.” An actress in the original Broadway company of the show, Marable returns in a new role ready to lead viewers through the historic tale.

“When the opportunity arose for me to be able to play the role of Persephone, I couldn’t say no. The music is just really special and different from anything else you may have seen on stage, on Broadway or at the Fisher,” says Marable.

The tale of “Hadestown” is one that dates back hundreds of years and takes audiences on a ride through love and the afterworld. The show’s fan base and newcomers can expect to capture the haunting thrills of the story as they take a trip Hell-bound through the eyes of the main characters and feel the emotion as the story unfolds. ““Hadestown” is basically two intertwining love stories based on Greek mythology. This myth is about 3,500 years old. It’s an old tale with definitely some new kinks to it,” says Marable. “It is the story of Orpheus and Eurydice and in our version of the story, times are tough.

There is climate change, there’s famine.”

The show originally debuted in 2006 in Vermont to much fanfare going on to showcase in the United States as well as in London. The winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards® including Best New Musical and the 2020 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Theater Album. The show’s music lures watchers with deep rhythmic beats

More than a stage production, “Hadestown” features an array of African American actors. Show-goers will also have the opportunity to see a myriad of Black culture displayed.

“As a Black woman, I’m excited for them to see a lot of diversity on the stage. Unlike many pieces of theater, you will have a king and queen, god and goddess who are Black and very Black. What I love about our production in particular is that you have Black hair represented onstage. We are not trying to create a scenario where we are trying to be someone we are not,” says Marable. “There’s a line in the show that says ‘we want to see how the world could be,’ and I think that this production really does do that and actually displays how the world is.”

For many Black communities, theatre arts are not introduced as it is unavailable and often not practiced in inner cities. Detroiters have a unique opportunity with Broadway shows in their backyard housed at the Fisher Theatre. Encouraging each to bring another is the way to spread awareness for the arts as well as stage shows.

“Tell your mama, tell your auntie and bring your cousin too,” says Marable. “This is a rare opportunity where we are seeing ourselves on stage.”

Additional lead African American actors included in the production are Morgan Siobhan Green in the role of Eurydice and Kevyn Morrow as Hades. “Hadestown” and its full ensemble will run November 23 through December 5 at the Fisher Theatre. Tickets are currently on sale at their box office and Ticketmaster. All guests of the Fisher Theatre will be required to present proof of vaccination or proof of negative COVID test. Guests are also required to remain masked throughout the show unless eating or drinking.

See KING RICHARD Page B-2

The Detroit Ice Cream Co. Dishes Out Curated Experiences for the Palate

By Sherri Kolade It started with a tingly feeling that she turned into a sweet business venture.

The Detroit Ice Cream Co.’s bold founder LaKisha Burns began her company in 2013 after feeling uninspired at her previous occupation where she wasn’t using her gifts.

“I was miserable and directionless,” Burns told the Michigan Chronicle, adding that she found herself “spinning.”

“I had graduated from Howard University, feeling the weight of expectations and deferred dreams and I felt like I was doing nothing worth doing,” she said, adding that a chance trip changed everything.

Around that time, Harris visited Chicago, Ill., with her aunt (who recorded a live gospel album) to support her family, get some inspiration and get out of her head.

While there, she stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel after the recording with her aunt.

Photo by LaKisha Burns

See DETROIT ICE CREAM CO. Page B-2

Page B-2 • michiganchronicle.com • December 1-7, 2021

Motor City Industry Fest Hosts Its Inaugural Event

By Megan Kirk

other A-List markets between the start of 2022 and the middle of the year,” said Maples. “We’ll do it here in our hometown of Detroit annually so we’ll be back next fall with the second rendition”

Husband and wife media super team JT Maples and Randi Rosario Maples kicked off the inaugural Motor City Industry Fest with a weekend full of networking, insider information from various market professionals and supporting small Black-owned businesses.

More than a year after a hiatus caused by the coronavirus pandemic, The Capital Brand led by husband and wife JT and Randi Maples, set the city on fire with their first ever Motor City Industry Fest. Hosted in the TCF Center, the two-day extravaganza featured expert panelists including Detroit stylist Marv Neal and designer Front Paije, HuffPost Senior Front Page Editor Phil Lewis, Zeno Jones, manager to Detroit rap legend Big Sean and several other national and local influencers across music, media, technology, business and beyond.

Randi Rosario Maples is a globally recognized influencer and successful entrepreneur in her own right. Dominating social media and a best-selling author, Rosario Maples also heads an online radio broadcasting company, OhSoRadio.

The serial girl boss and co-producer of Industry Fest is leveraging her network to help grow Detroit’s professional community beyond the pandemic.

“We already had a concept;

While continuing to grow their brands, the couple also grew their family, welcoming a son. Branding and family may not come easy each day, but the couple continues to do it with grace.

“The hardest adjustment in motherhood is that you never really go back to being the old version of yourself. That old version is gone. You’re never going to get that person back.

You can be a doper version of that person, or a lamer version of that person; whichever you choose to do,” said Rosario Maples.

Media panel with Larry Spruill, Randy Wimbley, Erikka Yvonne Simpson, Alex Washington, Philip Lewis and Dr Darrius. bringing a festival-like event here. Then, COVID hit and shook everything up,” said Rosario Maples. “So, once we worked through what we were all going through with COVID; be it depression, be it anxiety, and refocusing and re-finding yourselves, we started to put together an event that we had to rework. We wanted it to make sense to what was going on right now.”

Staying true to that notion, the Maples developed a pro-

gram that featured a fashion show, concert of local talent and a display of vintage automobiles. The panels for the action-packed weekend included Black men’s discussion on mental health, fashion icons, female entrepreneurs and media professionals.

“I love Detroit. When I saw there was an event happening in the city and that they wanted me to come back and speak for it, I was like ‘absolutely.’ Anytime I can come back to Detroit

Detroit Ice Cream Co. From page B-1

“Following the recording, I was much more aware of what was happening around me and when I woke up the next morning, I noticed a book on the side table,” she said of the descriptive book about the city. “I will never forget opening that book and landing on a spread about an old school ice cream parlor. I got that weird and tangly feeling. I woke my cousin, who was sharing her room with me, up and said, ‘I think I’m gonna try and open up an ice cream parlor in the city. But like, a vintage one.’”

Burns said that at that time back then, there were no large-scale ice cream parlors outside of large chains and one small shop selling third-party ice cream in Detroit to her knowledge.

“The plan was to make the ice cream from scratch and to create these curated experiences around old school flavors and unique twists,” Burns said, adding that she was inspired by the history of the city. “I went to Cass Tech, and I would have to walk past the abandoned shops on my way to the bus stop. I always imagined that I would come back to the city one day and open a sweet shop of some sort in one of those buildings.”

King Richard From page B-1

nerisms and speech pattern just about right, but if you peek behind Richard’s curtain, there’s Will Smith pretending to be Williams. If Delroy Lindo had been cast, his skills, natural physicality and self-assuredness would have made his performance invisible. Ellis is quite endearing as the mom who demands r-e-sp-e-c-t. Sidney, Singleton and all the other young women who play the sisters at different stages melt into the scenery— it’s like watching kids in real time. Tony Goldwyn’s interpretation of the sisters’ first coach, Paul Cohen, is fine. Jon Bernthal (“The Punisher”), as their kinetic coach Rick Macci, is far more impressive in a pivotal role: Richard reminds the coach who is king: “You’re like a member of our family. But you work for us!”

Kris Bowers’ (“Bridgerton”) musical score tweaks emotions in all the right places. The Williams’ home looks lived-in, thanks to production designers William Arnold and Wynn Thomas. Costume designer Sharen Davis (“Dreamgirls”) gives the family clothes that look like they’re off the rack at TJ Maxx. Clean but not too flashy. All the tech efforts are artfully captured by cin-

Burns, as a kid, grew up watching movies like “Hoodlum” and “Harlem Nights.”

“All the action took place around a sweet shop of some kind. And as silly as that is, I saw the possibility of opening an ice cream parlor up as my love letter and contribution to the city for all that she has given me,” Burns said adding that her dream of opening a brick and mortar is not as easy as it looks. “The overhead on making ice cream from scratch, storing it and distributing it proved to be too high for the transitioning economy and landscape of the city over the past few years.”

Not one to give up and quit, Burns switched up her business model from needing a brick and mortar to an online parlor offering catering, pop-up, wholesale and drop-off services for customers, she noted.

“We were planning to open a pop-up shop in the Fisher Building in summer 2020 but then the pandemic hit in March, and it became clear that to survive, e-commerce would have to remain in place as our primary means of providing service to our customers,” she said.

Ice cream like Vernor’s inspired fla-

ematographer Robert Elswit (“There Will Be Blood”) and given a steady rhythm by editor Pamela Martin (“Battle of the Sexes”), which makes this 2h 18m chapter of a bigger life story move quickly.

Director Reinaldo Marcus Green (“Monsters and Men,” “Joe Bell”), with the classic against-the-odds script, heaps so many challenges on the family you’ve got to root for them. Green milks the drama out of the gangs that threaten Richard, the husband/wife strife and the tennis world ambivalent about opening its doors to interlopers. His direction is as moving as the performances and storyline. If there is one weakness in the production, it’s the language. “The Harder They Fall,” a recent rough ’em up gang style Black cowboy movie, didn’t use the “N” word. So, why does this “family movie” drop the “N” bomb? The real sisters don’t use that word. Why do children—especially Black kids— have to listen to this kind of language?

It’s a flaw that could have been fixed in post-production.

It’s easy to enjoy this classic, disarming American saga. Easier to watch the father, mother and daughters shake up the stodgy world of tennis. Expect audiences—in theaters or their living rooms—to applaud everyone’s efforts.

Richard knew his family’s day would come: “I’m in the champion building business.” Yep.

and impart wisdom, I will definitely do it,” said Philip Lewis.

The brainchild of husband JT Maples, the Motor City Industry Fest is just the beginning. The duo exclusively shared with Michigan Chronicle their upcoming plan to bring the largescale event to other metropolitan cities across the country.

“This event is the Motor City Industry Fest, but the overall production is the Industry Fest.

Starting in February, we’ll be on tour so we’ll be in five to seven

vor, Cass Tech (Baked Apple Pie with Salted Caramel), and Cookies & Cream flavors are the company’s most popular along with Penobscot Pralines and Cream.

“But my personal favorites are Tump’s Blackberry Cobbler named for my father and the connection we have to devouring Mr. FoFo’s blackberry cobbler in the 80s and King’s Browned Butter,” she said. “I love the simplicity of each flavor. You can taste the love and care that goes into each. The flavors take longer to develop and leave you with a nostalgic experience.”

Amber Wimberly, who has worked at the company for the last six years, said that she enjoys serving the customers just as much as she enjoys eating the ice cream and bonding with her inspirational boss.

“LaKisha has been a huge inspiration in my life as a boss and a friend. She be-

The couple hopes attendees will leave Industry Fest with a new sense of drive and passion.

Stoking the flames for each annual event, the Maples are ready to make Industry Fest a staple in the community.

“People want to attend events again. Our job is to make these events meaningful and worth their time,” said JT Maples. “The goal is to produce a weekend-long series of impactful conversations, connections and of course live concert performances that the city, state and region will enjoy and anticipate for next year.”

lieves in everyone and will always push you to do your very best,” she said, adding that her job comes with some intangible perks. “We have serviced parties of all sizes and we do it with the biggest smiles on our faces because as long as our customers are happy, we are happy.”

Burns said she would encourage others to discover their own path to success.

“Never give up. You will make mistakes. Mistakes that seem insurmountable but if you believe that God gave you a vision, write it and work it,” she said.

“It has taken years of false starts and restarts for me to understand that everything has an appointed time. With each lesson, our business has grown and has been fortified. This path has been winding and bumpy, but it has been worth it.”

For more information visit https:// www.thedetroiticecreamco.com/.

Keeping You Informed Away or at Home.

michiganchronicle.com

December 1-7, 2021 • michiganchronicle.com •

Page B-3

Yoni Steams and Things

By Megan Kirk The most precious part of the female body is becoming big business for the beauty industry. In recent years, salons have begun to implement special services curated for the love below and the ladies are loving it.

Crystal Mitchell is the owner of Sitting Pretty Spa in Southfield that offers a host of beautification services including vaginal steaming. Commonly referred to as a ‘Yoni Steam,’ the practice is quickly gaining popularity and has become a leading service for some women.

“Yoni steaming is an old natural remedy that cleanses the vagina, detoxes, helps with fertility, increases your sex drive [and] regulates [your] menstruation cycle. It can also aid in helping with cramps and heavy cycles,” said Mitchell.

Women are placed on a throne while gentle steam, infused with herbs for healing and relaxation, are streamed toward the area. For this salon owner, a personal tragedy led her to open a business offering steaming.

“Two years ago, I lost my daughter to a tragic accident and I chose to get a Yoni Steam for meditation purposes. I was able to go through every range of emotion and the best part about it is that I left all of my grief and sorrow in the room as I detoxed my body, my mental as well as my spiritual feelings,” said Mitchell.

If you are not quite ready to indulge in steaming, a gentle entrance into the science of taking care of your special parts may be the best approach. Minique Rice owns The Sugar Parlor in Berkley, metro Detroit’s first sugaring hair removal studio. An alternative to traditional waxing methods, sugaring uses the same technique, but subs wax for sugar! Talk about a sweet treat.

Currently working to revamp branding and product lines amid the pandemic, The Sugar Parlor offered vajacials. This service acts like a facial for the skin surrounding your pretty parts. Now, the owner and operator is encouraging her clientele and women to engage in the practice at home.

“The purpose of it is to promote and maintain skin health in the outer bikini and vulva area,” said Rice. “It involves a cleansing, an exfoliation, an extraction of ingrown hairs, if necessary, a mask catering to the skin type and then a moisturizer and serum.”

Though current and new clients to The Sugar Parlor will no longer see this service offered, the owner is still advocating for its practice and even offers a take home product clients can purchase to begin their journey.

“It’s all about helping our clients to help themselves. We have to get the clients in the practice of cleansing themselves in that area, creating a routine that promotes skin health in this area because a lot of people forget about certain parts of the body if it’s not the face,” said Rice. “If you’re experiencing certain skin issues, then that means more attention needs to go into that and that involves a consistent routine.”

As more vaginal care services are offered, it provides women the option of full body services.

Taking spa services to a new level, the increased interest in keeping the vagina healthy is allowing a new lane for entrepreneurs.

“I think that self-care is important. There are a bunch of hair salons and nail shops. I think it’s time to focus on our lady parts and detoxing and rejuvenating your vagina. I think it helps to build confidence and it even restores relationships,” said Mitchell.

For regularity, moderation is the name of the game with care to the vagina. Each owner offers their personal take on the services they offer.

“Although you can steam weekly. I would suggest getting a Yoni Steam once a month,” said Mitchell.

Because vajacials can be best practiced at home, the ability to execute can be more frequent.

However, it can also serve as a relaxing measure periodically.

“If you’re experiencing actual ingrown hairs, discoloration, in extreme cases I would say once a week, but if you’re just trying to maintain your skin in that area, I would say one to two times a month,” said Rice.

Holiday Single Survival Tips 102

By Megan Kirk Silent night has taken on a whole new meaning for singles everywhere. The holidays are upon us and for some singles, this season can be one of the worst to be solo. From engagement to baby announcements, the holidays bring a sense of wonder and excitement in relationships, but if you are single, it can all be mundane.

Hold the mistletoe! Now that the drafts and preseason are over, the holidays are the official start to cuffing season. Now that it is officially in full swing, there are some players who did not make the cut.

Colder weather has settled in and while there may be some stranglers, survival tips to beat the chill outside and inside your bedroom are available.

1. Heated weighted blankets: if these are not already in your home, now would be the time to purchase a heated and weighted blanket. The two-in-one can help keep you warm while the weight is just snug enough to feel like a hug. Cuddle up on the couch or in the bed and saddle up for a long night of Netflix and chill, the singles edition.

2. B.O.B: if you are looking for something to slay your bells, your battery-operated boyfriend will always show up on time and get the job done. Made for solo adventures, adult toys can help relieve some

tensions in preparation for another family dinner. Now, if you combine a heated weighted blanket to this mix, your body would never be able to tell that you are single.

3. Mental health checks: the holiday season is hard for many reasons. With a year of loss, families are still grieving during this time. Having mental health check-ins with a trained professional or another reliable source can help process heavy feelings sometimes associated with the colder months. Winter Blues is not an uncommon phenomena, but is one that could worsen pre-existing issues or create new difficulties to bear.

4. Friends until the end: a supportive network of friends can make snowy days bright. Going shopping, catching coffee, having dinner or simply spending quality time with friends is what the holidays are all about. Spreading good cheer to all who are near helps make your season merry and bright. Friendsgiving is a common concept combining friendship and fellowship. Groups can order in, choose a potluck style or prepare meals together.

Another holiday favorite is a Secret Santa exchange amongst friends. It will give each person something to look forward to as the days inch closer while keeping with the traditions of the gift-giving holiday.

5. Don’t cheat yourself: this may sound

cliche, but this is the perfect time to treat yourself extra special. Aside from the holidays, there’s something about a package on your doorstep. Gifting yourself always boosts the mood. Self-care is also key during this time. Massages, manicures and pedicures and other forms of indulgence should be dialed up. The time to relax is now because once love enters, it can be a whirlwind.

6. Date: single doesn’t mean you can’t actively date. Subscriptions for dating apps are at an all-time high since the start of the pandemic as singles look for a safe way to interact with other singles. Pick your favorite dating app, or subscribe to a few, and date. This may not end in happily ever after, but it will occupy your time while discovering what you may want long term.

7. Internal work: through the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, moments of solitude emerge. This is the time to work on personal shortcomings. Coming to the realization there is no perfect person, there is work we can all do to improve as dating singles.

Beyond the colder months, love may not be around the corner for all singles.

Alternatively, others take comfort in the autonomy being single has to offer. No matter which side, love eventually finds us all.

Pour Some Sugar on Me

By Megan Kirk

Hugh Hefner was known for his iconic Playboy mansion with blonde bunnies adorning his arm. Before he was deemed an eternal playboy, Hefner was one of the most famous sugar daddies in modern society. Impacting popular culture even after death, Hefner and his lifestyle laid the blueprint for the emergence and social acceptance of mutually beneficial relationships.

The saying goes that girls are made of sugar and spice. Now, take that sugar and add a dash of no strings and you may have the perfect recipe for a sugar baby.

To establish a sweet working relationship, babies and their daddies have to first explore various sugar relationships.

1. Sugar dating is the most common form of sugar relationships known. Combining elements of friendship, intimacy and sex, sugar dating exchanges time for money or lavish gifts. Most women in these arrangements receive an allowance or monthly stipend to ensure outward appearance is always on point.

2. Ladies new to being a sugar baby will need to be taught the game and must first be coached by a seasoned sugar daddy. A form of pruning, experienced sugar daddies are able to guide new babies through their careers in companionship.

Specifically geared towards women looking to immerse themselves in the life, the sugar in mentorship allows men to feel empowered and women to land their next catch.

3. Some men are unconcerned with the aspect of sexual gratification. Similarly, there are babies who have no desire to share their sweetness. In these instanc-

es, friendship and companionship are the name of the game. Daddies who are looking for a particular level of closeness enlist the help of babies who can be on call when daddies are up for additional company.

4. Jetsetters can rarely stay in one place for too long and traveling is made more fun with a partner. Sugar daddies can seek women who they wish to exclusively travel alongside. In these arrangements, babies are wined and dined at exclusive resorts and vacation villas across the world.

5. Sex is not an official prerequisite for sugar relationships, which is what separates this dating style from prostitution.

Some participants may require it of one another at some point in the relationship.

Sugar relationships that are exclusively for sexual satisfaction are another common form and one of the most widely discussed.

using the World Wide Web to create distance and virtually cheat on a significant other. This is sometimes the case in online relationships. It is one of the safer ways to explore having a sugar relationship as there is never an opportunity to meet in person. There is, however, intimate phone conversations, photo exchanges and potentially webcams.

6. “50 Shades of Grey” provided insight into the world of dominants, submissives and bondage. It also allowed viewers to witness a live-in arrangement between a sugar daddy and his baby. Covering living expenses and personal finances, sugar daddies provide their babies with access to no-stress living while footing their bill.

To find a sugar daddy is not as easy as it may seem, but there are websites dedicated to the task. Similar to classic dating sites, searching for a sugar daddy can be as easy as swiping right on the best candidate. Miss Travel, a site dedicated to sugar daddies who are seeking a travel companion, boasts that more than 680,000 vacation partners have been paired with the help of the website and 77 million miles traveled.

7. Similar to sugar babies needing mentorship, daddies have to learn and earn their way around a sugar relationship.

If sugar is too sweet, Splenda Daddies have also entered the chat. This title is reserved for men who are aspiring sugar daddies, but don’t have the means to sustain. Babies are not gifted as often and their companionship may earn them less.

8. With the introduction of the internet, cyber cheating has become a method of

The relationship between sugar babies and sugar daddies is a delicate relationship of fun and friendship. While the relationship between a sugar daddy and a sugar baby is one mostly etched in convenience, there is a multifaceted layer to the relationship that may be lost in translation and confused with illegal sex work.

Page B-4 • michiganchronicle.com •

December 1-7, 2021

Photos courtesy of Getty Images

A

FAMILY FEATURES

s temperatures drop, the risk of illness – including cold and flu – rises. It can be easy to mistake the flu for a common cold since many of the symptoms are the same, but muscle aches, cough, fever, headaches and sore throat are some of the more common signs you may be suffering from the flu, which tends to come on quicker than a cold.

In fact, a random, double-opt-in OnePoll survey of 2,005 Amer­icans commissioned by Mucinex found sore throat pain to be one of the top three most debilitating symptoms along with fever and migraine.

While there’s no way to ensure you and your family members won’t get sick, there are steps you can take to reduce the chances.

Get a Flu Shot The flu spreads differently than colds and can be transmitted before symptoms even arise. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends all people older than 6 months of age get the influenza vaccine, or flu shot, annually to help protect against the strains of flu expected to be the most common during the current flu season. The injection, which does not contain a live virus, goes into the arm muscle to generate antibodies that protect against future flu infection about two weeks after receiving the vaccine.

Practice Self-Care

While important year-round, maintaining regular self-care practices can go a long way toward maintaining your health during cold and flu season. Eating a well-balanced diet of fruits, vegetables and lean proteins can help strengthen your immune system, as can working out moderately each day. Regular exercise also helps reduce inflammation.

In addition, proper hydration can help maintain many important body functions, and getting the National Sleep Foundation-recommended 7-9 hours of sleep can help keep antibodies strong and build a defense against illnesses.

Prepare for Symptoms

As one of the common symptoms of the flu, sore throat pain can flip your life upside down with the constant nagging, disruptive pain and irritation. However, 55% of those surveyed said they were likely to “power through” a sore throat and continue working, going to school and completing other tasks while dealing with sore throat pain. To make powering through easier, the Mucinex InstaSoothe line includes lozenges and sprays designed to numb, soothe and relieve sore throat pain.

“What separates these lozenges from others is they’re clinically proven to numb sore throat pain fast,” said Dr. Omid Mehdizadeh, MD, otolaryngology, and head and neck (ENT) surgeon. “Both lozenge varieties contain Hexylresorcinol, a local anesthetic for topical use on the mucous membranes of the throat and mouth. As a lozenge dissolves in the mouth, it starts to deliver a local ‘numbing’ anesthetic effect directly to the throat within seconds, lasting up to two hours. For those needing relief from a sore throat and cough, the Mucinex InstaSoothe Sore Throat + Cough Relief Lozenges also contain the active ingredient Dextromethorphan HBr to provide cough suppression.”

Stock Your Medicine Cabinet

Be ready before cold and flu hit your household. Take inventory of your medicine cabinet, get rid of any expired medicines and make note of any you need to replace and replenish. Make sure you have pain relievers, fever reducers, decongestants, antihistamines and cough syrups that can be used to help fight cold and flu symptoms. In addition, think

about other supplies you may need to have on hand such as tissues, cough drops, hand sanitizer, anti-bacterial soap, a thermometer and a humidifier.

Disinfect Household Surfaces

Cold and flu viruses can live outside the human body on hard, non-porous surfaces such as metal, plastic and wood for hours, and sometimes even days. Regularly cleaning often-touched household surfaces such as doorknobs, light switches, remote controls, faucet handles and countertops with a disinfectant spray or wipe can help kill germs that cause the viruses. Look for Environmental Protection Agency-approved disinfectants containing bleach, alcohol, pine oil, sodium hypochlorite, citric acid, hydrogen peroxide or quaternary ammonium compounds for best results.

Remember Healthy Habits

One of the easiest ways to help avoid getting sick is to practice proper hygiene. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth as much as possible, as these are areas where cold and flu germs can most easily gain entry into your system. Remember to cough and sneeze into a tissue or into your elbow if a tissue is not readily available. Frequently wash your hands with

warm water and anti-bacterial soap for at least 20 seconds, especially after using the restroom, before eating and after touching surfaces in public places. A good rule of thumb is to sing “Happy Birthday” twice to judge the time. Using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer can also suffice when a sink isn’t within close proximity. Also avoid sharing items like utensils and cups, even with family members, to help avoid spreading germs.

Have a Plan for Sick Days During cold and flu season, you or one of your family members may become ill and need to miss work or school. If you typically work in an office space, check to see if working remotely is possible and verify your office’s policies about sick time. Saving sick time or a couple vacation days for the season can help avoid having to take unpaid time off if you need to stay home for any reason. Also consider enlisting the help of friends or relatives to help with sick children in the event you’re unable to take time off from work, and coordinate with your children’s teachers to ensure your little ones receive any schoolwork they may have missed while home sick.

Find more self-care remedies and tips for managing cold and flu season at Mucinex.com.

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December 1-7, 2021 • michiganchronicle.com • Page B-5

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REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL The Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) is soliciting RFPs for Labor Negotiator Consultant Services, Control No. 22-3507. RFP forms may be obtained beginning December 1, 2021, from http://www.mitn.info. RFPs are due by 3:00 PM ET, December 22, 2021.

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Issued: November 23, 2021

The Mayor’s Workforce Development Board (MWDB) is directly responsible and accountable to the State of Michigan, Labor and Economic Opportunity-Workforce Development (LEO-WD) for the planning and oversight of talent development programs in the City of Detroit. Designated by the MWDB, Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation (DESC) serves as the fiscal and administrative entity that provides workforce services to job seekers and employers. DESC’s primary funding streams include Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) that funds Michigan’s PATH (Partnership. Accountability. Training. Hope.) employment program, Food Assistance Employment and Training (FAE&T), Wagner-Peyser Employment Services (ES), and other public and private funding. The Corporation enters into contracts with qualified entities to provide workforce development programs and services to job seekers and employers. American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and Center for Disease Control Foundation (CDC) funding may support contracts resulting from competitive bid process.

DESC is seeking proposals from qualified individuals, organizations and/or firms.

Bid package for this RFP is available for download at this DESC website:

https://www.descmiworks.com/opportunities/rfps-and-rfqs/.

Mayor’s Workforce Development Board Cynthia J. Pasky, Co-Chairperson David E. Meador, Co-Chairperson

Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation Board Calvin Sharp, Chairperson Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation Terri Weems, President

An equal opportunity employer/program. Supported by the State of Michigan, Labor and Economic Development, Workforce Development (LEO/WD). Auxiliary aids and services available upon request to individuals with disabilities.

1-800-285-WORK. TTY: 711.

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DETROIT WATER AND SEWERAGE DEPARTMENT NOTICE

PUBLIC HEARING – PROPOSED RATES

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Jalen Rose Leadership Academy Notice isseeks hereby bids given that Detroit (“JRLA”) for the HVAC and Water andUpgrades.

Sewerage Department will hold Window The due date for submissions January 5, 2022, at athe Public Hearing onis Wednesday, April 15, 4PM located 15000Police Trojan 2020atat JRLA 6:00 p.m. at theatDetroit Street Detroit, Michigan 48235. JRLA Department 7th Precinct located at 3501 will not accept or consider late bids. The Chene Street Detroit, MI 48207. bids will be opened and read aloud at a public meeting scheduled for January 7, 2021 at 3PM at JRLA. A mandatory preWeston Preparatory Academy, bid meeting and walkthrough will take A Tuition-Free Public 10th School place on December at Academy 2pm. All bids shall beitsaccompanied by a period sworn Announces Open Enrollment and notarized statement disclosing any for the 2020-2021 school year for grades familial relationship may that be exists between K-8. Applications picked up at the owner or any employee of the bidder the school, 22930 Chippewa, Detroit, MI and any member of the board of directors 48219, www.westondetroit.com (313)or the chief executive officer of the public 387-6038, during Open Enrollment perischool academy.

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Legal Notice ADVERTISEMENT TO BID George Washington Carver Academy MT. ELLIOTT STREET RECONSTRUCTION FROM CONANT STREET TO DODGE Attention: Employee Leasing Companies STREET IN THE CITY OF DETROIT George Washington Carver Academy is requesting proposals PW-7026 The for employee leasing services.

21CJ18122 Vendors and/or their representatives may submit proposals to:

Proposals for this project will be received the ORACLE e-Procurement system until 2:30 P.M. Detroit time, Washington Carver Academy December 22, 2021. The bidding documents, which must be used in submitting aGeorge proposal, are available via invitation or c/o Provision Business Solutions request for invitation on Negotiation Abstracts. The bids will be opened, on December 22, 2021 at 3:00 P.M. via Zoom Attention: Mrs. Alma Hollins Communications at https://cityofdetroit.zoom.us/j/81713197531, 17336 W. 12 Mile – Suite 200 Southfield, MI 48076

Meeting ID: 817 1319 7531. Please dial in at:

The George Washington Carver Academy Board of Education reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals or to accept the proposal that is in the best interest of the school district.

Dial by your location +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 267 831 0333 US (Philadelphia)

All proposals must be submitted between 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. on April 1, 2020. RFPs may be requested from Alma Hollins at (248) 440-7318 or at alma@provision4solutions.com. All proposals should be delivered sealed envelope George SCOPE OF WORK: The Mt Elliott project is a reconstruction of Mt Elliott Street fromin aConant Streetandtoaddressed DodgetoStreet, Washington Carver Academy and be clearly marked: Employee approximately 2,900 feet, in the City of Detroit, Michigan. The reconstruction of Mt Elliott will encompass the reconstruction Leasing Proposal.

+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)

of the full width with concrete pavement, reconstruction of sidewalks and ADA ramps, minor drainage improvements, traffic signal replacement at the Miller Road intersection, and replacement of street signs and permanent pavement markings.

DETROIT WATER AND SEWERAGE DEPARTMENT NOTICE

A Mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting to answer any questions relative to the work orPUBLIC contract documents willMAIN be held on Tuesday, HEARING FOR WATER REPLACEMENT December 7, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. via Zoom Communications at https://cityofdetroit.zoom.us/j/81774313442.

Meeting ID: FY21 DRINKING WATER REVOLVING FUND (DWRF) PROJECT 817 7431 3442.

The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) announces a Public Hearing regarding its Project Plan for proposed Water Main Replacement in the City of Detroit. DWSD will be seeking low +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) interest Drinking Water Revolving Fund (DWRF) loan assistance for +1 267 831 0333 US (Philadelphia) FY2021. The project is comprised of replacing aging water main in the Jefferson-Chalmers area of the City of Detroit. Construction +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) will include excavation of existing water mains, installation of new pipes, rehabilitation of pipes, replacement of lead service lines Contractors are encouraged to be on time. As those arriving after thebetween administrative portion themeter, meeting willtesting, not the water main and theofwater pressure be allowed to sign in and deemed ineligible to bid. For additional information onright-of-way. the Pre-Bid Meeting, contact Carla L. backfill, and The impact of the project will be improved customer must satisfaction and safe, reliable service delivery of potable Brown at 313-628-2099. Questions concerning the specifications or drawings be submitted through the ORACLE to customers. temporary impactp.m. of construction activities e-Procurement system on or before the question deadline date/time ofwater December 13,The 2021 at 12:00 will be minimized through mitigation measures specified in the documents.

Adverse impacts on historical, Bids are solicited only from qualified contractors regularly engaged in thecontract required construction work and havingarchaeological, adequate geographic, or cultural areas are not expected. This project is work experience to successfully complete work of the described size and scope.

The successful low bidder must necessary to ensure that DWSD will consistently and attain reliably necessary clearances and provide bonds and insurance within 10 days of the bidhigh date. provide quality potable water to the residents. The Project Plan consists of a single project in critical need of water main replacement No proposal once submitted may be withdrawn for at least 120 days after the actual opening the bids.

The City of estimated Detroit or rehabilitation.

The totalof cost of this project is currently reserves the right to waive any irregularity in any bid, or to reject any or all bids should it $20.8 be deemed in its best sought interest. at approximately million; which is being through the DWRF program. The Water Main Replacement/Rehabilitation Each proposal must be accompanied by a certified check, bank draft, irrevocable of credit, or athe satisfactory surety project is bank eligibleletter for participating under State of Michigan low DWRF loanfor program. bond in an amount not less than 5% of the total bid price as a guaranteeinterest and security the acceptance of the contract.

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Checks shall be made payable to the treasurer, City of Detroit. Bonds shall be issued by a guaranty or surety company The Public Hearing will present a description of the recommended licensed to do business in the State of Michigan. project, estimated costs, as well as the cost per household impact for customers. The typical residential customer bill in the City of

In determining the low bidder, Detroit-based firms will be given an equalization credit by over firms in Detroit ispercentage expected to increase not non-Detroit more than approximately accordance with Ordinance 19-86.

1.13% assuming that low interest loans can be obtained through

the DWRF loan program. The purpose of the hearing is not only to

Please Note: Respondents must be registered in ORACLE to receive invitations Respondents shall inform, but tofor seekthe and RFP. gather input from people that will beprovide affected. notice to take exception to any requirements of the Request for Qualifications.

Suchand exceptions may negatively Comments viewpoints from thereflect public are encouraged.on the evaluation of the Submittal. The City of Detroit does not guarantee a response to questions not submitted before the question THE MEETING WILL BE HELD ON: deadline.

DATE: Wednesday, Aprilby15,State 2020 of Michigan funds.

The City of Detroit does not discriminate on the basis of handicap. This contract is financed

City of Detroit Richard Doherty, City Engineer City Engineering Division Department of Public Works

PLACE: Detroit Police Department 7th Precinct 3501 Chene Street Detroit, MI 48207 TIME: 6:00 p.m.

Information on the Project Plan will be available for review after March 15, 2020 at the following locations:

Ron Brundidge, Director Department of Public Works Boysie Jackson, Chief Procurement Officer Office of Contracting & Procurement Office of the Chief Financial Officer

City Website: detroitmi.gov/dwsd OR Detroit Water and Sewerage Department Water Board Building 735 Randolph, 1st Floor, Permitting Detroit, Michigan 48226 If you have questions or want to submit written statements for the Public Hearing Record, call or write:

od April 14, 2020 through April 30, 2020 during school hours as well as April 16th from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and AprilWANTED 18th from 9 PROFESSIONAL HELP a.m. to 12 noon.

Vehicle Benchmarking If enrollment applications exceed the number of Technical available Specialist spaces, a random Warren, MI, General Motors. Work cross selection drawing will be held at Weston functionally to utilize benchmarking resources to Preparatory Academy on May 12, 2020 understand &rationalize competitor designs &strategies &product lifecycle. Partner w/ at 2:00 p.m.

Competitive Intelligence &other resource groups to share knowledge in easily usable ways.

Collaborate w/ R&D to identify &establish benchmarking information for new technologies.

PROFESSIONAL Set Architecture Framing Initiation to Vehicle HELP WANTED Program Initiation vehicle dvlpmt timeframe. Lead discussions &partner w/ Benchmarking Engrs to complete vehicle benchmarking anlyss &studies, & to dvlp tools &data usability. Dvlp &publish Senior Software Developer technical benchmarking reports based on Connected Core Apps teardown observations, industry reports, SAE papers, patent filings, &technical guides.

General Motors, Detroit, MI. Dvlp, unit test, Coordinate &manage vehicle benchmarking debug, execute, validate, &publish psgr vehicle &lessons learned activities. Lead &maintain plan U.S. &global mobile &in vehicle customer facing for benchmarking teardowns, workshops, core apps in Android OS, to ensure secure app &studies. Own content &documentation of vehicle exp, &to provide services (Terms &Conditions benchmarking processes ensuring smooth Privacy Statements, voice recognition (VR), coordination w/ propulsion specific benchmarking Bluetooth &Bluetooth Low Energy, maps, smart processes.

Master, Mechanical, Automotive, trailering, Smart &AppShop) &user Aerospace Engrg,Connect, or related.

12 mos exp as interfaces for Android Auto &CarPlay, &improved Engineer, Project or Program Manager, leading or Vehicle to Back Office &Vehicle to Mobile managing complete product lifecycle incldg commun.product for vehicle infotainment sys &mobile concept, dvlpmt, launch &lessons phones,or in related.

Java &Android languages, in Agile learned, Mail resume to Ref#1601, methodology, using 300 Git, Junit, Gerrit, Bitbucket, GM Global Mobility, Renaissance Center, Jenkins CI, Artifactory, Android Studio, TFS, MC:482-C32-C66, Detroit, MI 48265.

Gherkin, MS Project Management, SONAR, Visual Studio, &Atom tools. Dvlp VR &in vehicle map apps, &implement RESTful web-services.

Senior Softwaretesting, Engineer Dvlp SW apps Mobile using regression UAT Testing &production build testing to deliver General Detroit, MI. Perform technology effectiveMotors, products.

Bachelor, Computer Science, evaluation spikes (design, Computer &design Engrg, Electrical Engrg, orinvestigation, related. 60 exploration, exercises).

Engr, mos exp as&prototyping Developer, System Designer, design, &optimize mobile apps for Android Consultant or Engineer, gathering reqmts, features for EVs, EREVs, &conventional designing, &dvlpg sys, working in Java &Android passenger vehicles incldg charging stations info, environments, or related. Mail resume to range efficiency, vehicle diagnostics, remote Ref#38372, GM Global Mobility, 300 commands executed over communication Renaissance Center, MC:482-C32-C66, Detroit, channels such as HTTP &Bluetooth Low Energy, MI 48265. road assistance, navi, park location, maps services, &heavy trailering. Dvlp Android native SW apps for new features in mobile devices &connected cars, such as at myBuick, Flash Programming myCadillac,ECU myChevrolet, myGMC, &OnStar Project Engineer RemoteLink. Collaborate w/ design &dvlpmt team to define the UI/UX reqmts for Android apps.

Warren,localization MI, General engr, Support to Motors. translateDesign, GM apps to &dvlp conventional, semi-autonomous languages of NA, EUR, Middle East &Asia. &autonomous functional Perform dvlpmt psgr tasksvehicle using IDE such astechnical Xcode, specs level reqmts &interfaces using IBM Android Studio, RubyMine, &IntelliJ using Objective-C, Swift, Ruby, Java, TypeScript Synergy & DOORS for OTA flash &JavaScript languages.

Master, Computer programming of embedded ECUs to support Science, Computer Engrg, Software Systems, vehicle infotainment &telematics syss Electrical or related.

6 mos exp as features.Engrg, Engr, analyze &improve vehicle Developer or Engineer,OTA developing apps in electrical &electronic capablemobile ECU syss Android &performance optimization, or related. &update Infotainment (programming master, Mail resume to Ref#50859, GM Global Mobility, w/ low &high radio, Bluetooth, navigation, 300 Renaissance Center, MC:482-C32-C66, climateMI control &satellite radio syss); Central Detroit, 48265.

Gateway Module controlling CAN &Ethernet traffic in ECUs in Instrument Panel Clusters, Body Control Modules, Electronic Climate Control, External Control Module, &Vehicle Global Product Process Integration Integration ControlManufacturing Module; &Telematics Compartment Engineer Control Unit, such as OnStar.

Perform Electrical Team DFMEA on functional technical specs. Dvlp Warren, MI, General Motors. Ensure cmpnt &implement HW &SW for automotive product designs manufacturability, compliance w/ components applying GMW3110 &IS014229 mfg reqmts &vehicle assy plant General Assy service routinesforover in-vehicle BEV (GA) strategies conventional, communication networks, CAN, LIN, &autonomous vehicle multi-branch wiring &Automotive Ethernet, supportingconnectors, ECU flash harnesses, incldg wire, terminals, programming applications.

Bachelor, coverings &attachments, using Tc VisMockup, Electrical, Computer, Electronics E2, Engrg Change Request, &Auros tools.

Analyze low voltageEngrg, harnesses, high voltage &Communication or related.

60 mos cables, cables, active Specialist, &passive safety exp asbattery Engineer, Technical Tech control modules, Panel electronic Lead, or related,Instrument dvlpg automotive embedded cmpnts, body interior &exterior control modules, SW, of which 36 mos exp must include dvlpmt infotainment syss, &overhead of embedded SWswitches, for future clusters psgr vehicle consoles, power seat controls, vehicle audio syss, instrument panel cluster display system, or crash mitigation sensors, electric drive unit related.&battery Mail resume Ref#14383-D, controls ECUto modules.

Check GM mfg Globalfor Mobility, 300 Renaissance Center, reqmts high voltage cmpnts incldg propulsion MC:482-C32-C66, Detroit, MI 48265. energy storage batteries, vehicle charging inlets, high voltage control modules &low voltage 12-V battery. Conduct virtual studies &assessments thruout vehicle dvlpmt process to determine manufacturability &GA issues. Perform GA mfg planning studies for new psgr vehicles, MY changes, production volume changes, EWOs, &implementation of new standards of machinery &equipment &updates to BOPs, line balancing activities to meet productivity targets, &development &implementation of plant productivity proposals. Bachelor, Industrial, Mechanical, Electrical, Mechatronics Engrg, or related. 12 mos exp as Industrial Engineer, Mfg Engineer, or Process Engineer, assisting plant w/ line balancing activities to meet productivity targets, dvlpg &implementing plant productivity proposals, or related. Mail resume to Ref#2930, GM Global Mobility, 300 Renaissance Center, MC:482-C32-C66, Detroit, MI 48265.

“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”

— James Baldwin

(313) 964-9269 Monica Daniels Detroit Water and Sewerage Department 735 Randolph, 7th Floor Detroit, MI 48226

5 Tips to Ease the Pain of Holiday Shipping (StatePoint) Holiday plans may look different again this year. Some families will choose to host small gatherings, while others may celebrate from the comfort of home instead of traveling.

If you won’t be spending the holidays with loved ones—and if this season is anything like 2020— you’ll likely be shipping gifts. Here’s how to ensure a timely, damage-free arrival.

Be Aware of Shipping Deadlines Each year, the United States Postal Service and other major shipping companies release deadlines to help people plan timely delivery of packages during their busiest season of the year. Whether you’ll manually ship gifts or order them online, prioritizing these deadlines is key.

Give yourself ample time. Aim to have packages shipped about 10-12 days before the holiday. The USPS recommends no later than December 15, 2021 for ground shipping.

Invest in a Quality Box

ents (or even for storing décor until next year).

Duck Max Strength Packing Tape offers premium Written While it may be tempting to use any old box comments will be accepted at the above address if quality and tough adhesion, to keep boxes and received prior to 1:00 p.m. EST, Wednesday, April 15, 2020. you have hanging out in the garage, worn-down packages secure during shipping. Stronger and boxes are much more likely to crumple in-transit. more Water durable ordinary tapes, this packing City of Detroit, andthan Sewerage Department Additionally, if the package is too big for its contape is designed to seal even the heaviest boxes Gary tents, you risk things rolling or shaking; if it’s tooBrown, Director safely and securely to help prevent items inside small, you risk tearing and breaking. from being damaged during delivery.

With this in mind, consider investing in new, Add an Extra Layer of Protection. Handle quality boxes, like Duck Brand Kraft Box. They fragile packages with extra care by including the are cost-effective, made from recycled, durable all-important layer of bubble cushioning. BUBmaterials, and are available in a variety of sizes, BLE WRAP brand cushioning easily conforms all of which meet postal regulations, so you can around treasured objects and helps prevent shifts pick the best fit that protects from damage, while and damage during shipping. The product’s Air keeping shipping costs down.

Lock Technology maintains consistent, light-as-air Pick Proper Packing Tape. If you’re going to cushioning while filling empty voids in boxes, so invest in shipping supplies, don’t forget to include items stay put. For best protection, make sure the a strong, easy-to-use packing tape. Lower-quality bubbles are facing your gift to cushion impact. options may lead to splitting or tearing, which is Personalize the Package. If you prefer a greena recipe for disaster when shipping holiday preser option, Flourish Brand Kraft Paper is protec-

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tive, versatile and sustainable. Made from 100% recycled material, the shipping paper can be easily added to standard curbside recycling bins.

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Plus, it makes it easy to wrap up and ship out large boxes, and can be used to fill packaging voids, so items stay in place. Or, as a fun indoor activity throughout winter, kids may enjoy using Kraft Paper to create customized, DIY wrapping paper. Other special touches to your long-distance holiday delivery could be including a thoughtful note or adding a drop of essential oil to the ribbon.

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• michiganchronicle.com • December 1-7, 2021

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