MC Digital Daily 12.29.21

Michigan Chronicle Vol. 85 – No. 17 | Dec. 29, 2021 - Jan. 4, 2022

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2021

The Year in Review: Top Local, State, and National News Stories of 2021 Month-By-Month

By Donald James The year 2021, much like 2020, was filled with thousands of daily news stories about the devastation attributed to COVID-19 and the worst pandemic in more than 100 years. Across the United States and beyond, no sector of society has escaped the grip of the deadly virus. Coronavirus stories dominated the news outlets in Detroit and across Michigan. Yet there were other stories of interest that impacted Detroiters and Michiganians over the past 12 months.

January January was reported as the deadliest month for COVID-19 since the pandemic started in the early months of 2020. According to data provided by Johns Hopkins University, close to 80,000 coronavirus fatalities were recorded nationwide in the first month of 2021.

After perhaps the most contentious presidential election in American history, Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th U.S. President of the United States. At 78,

WHAT’S INSIDE

Biden, a Democrat, became the oldest person to hold the country’s highest elected office. Moments before Biden took his oath, Kamala Harris, a Democrat, was sworn in, becoming the nation’s first Black and first woman to hold the office of Vice President. On the new Administration’s first day in office, Biden signed 10 executive orders to fight COVID-19.

Baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron, and iconic actress Cicely Tyson, died six days apart. Aaron, 86, broke Babe Ruth’s home run record of 714 in 1974.

After retiring, Aaron served as one of Baseball’s first Black executives with the Atlanta Braves. Tyson, whose acting career spanned more than seven decades, was 96. She was nominated for an Oscar for her role in the 1972 film “Sounder.” Tyson was known for playing the roles of strong Black women.

February A National Black History Month Proclamation was signed and issued by President Joe Biden, calling on the American people to honor the history and achieve-

See 2021:

YEAR IN REVIEW page A2

Where is Kamala?

Residents Speak on the Public’s Perceived Inaction of VP Harris

By Sherri Kolade U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris has been in office for the past 11 months but what has she done?

Black and Thriving

Detroiters Take Over Paris and Pay Homage to Artist

City.Life.Style. B1

$1.00

That’s the question many throughout the nation have asked or thought of shortly after she made a historic step into the White House as the first woman to ever become vice president and the first person of Black and South Asian American descent entering into this role.

Since being sworn in in January, after Harris’ revolutionary-earned win, has the hype died down many months later? Some think so. Harris came off the heels of election season with high goals for her impactful role with promises in developing policies and priorities for the Biden administration while sending a heavy message about what’s possible for other women and people of color.

Some metro Detroiters delved into what they think of Harris, her work and if they stand by her (despite the unpopular opinions) in their unwavering support.

PHOTO: Shanelle Jackson

PHOTO: Sonjia Simpson-Gardner

PHOTO: Jacob Wynn

Former Michigan State Sonjia Simpson-Gardner, Jacob Wynn, chairman of Representative Shanelle a member of Progressive the Detroit-based Young Jackson.

Detroit Facebook group. Politician Committee.

Jacob Wynn, chairman of the Detroit-based Young Politician Committee, told the Michigan Chronicle that his organization, dedicated to supporting young Americans to pursue public office, said that it’s already a given that America’s current political system does not reflect ideals and interests of young Americans, so he created his organization that cultivates those voices as well as “galvanizing and empowering new leadership.”

Despite Harris’ efforts nationally, Wynn, who is a conservative, doesn’t mince his words, and gave Harris a “D” for her work in the Biden-Harris administration.

“She doesn’t know how to be an effective leader and she runs when there is turmoil,” he said. “This may be harsh to those who truly believe in her historic campaign of being the first

See WHERE

IS KAMALA page A2

Page A-2 • michiganchronicle.com • Dec. 29, 2021 - Jan. 4, 2022

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2021: Year In Review From page A-1

ments of Black Americans and reflect on the centuries of struggles that have brought all American people to this time of reckoning, redemption, and hope. Biden vows the Biden-Harris Administration “is committed to fulfilling the promise of equity for all Americans.”

In a CNN interview, Rep. Karen Bass, the African American Democrat Congresswoman from California, said that “systemic racism is playing a role in coronavirus vaccine distribution.” She tells CNN that while there is a vaccine hesitancy in Black communities, access is the number one problem. Bass points out that coronavirus vaccine registration is largely online, making it more difficult for African Americans to gain access.

She wants more accessibility for Black people to visit trusted community organizations, churches, and mobile sites to receive the vaccine.

March President Biden signs into law a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package. The bill offers a $1,400 check to many Americans, extends a $300 per week unemployment insurance supplement, expands the child tax credit, and places more funds into vaccine distribution efforts. Biden urges all 50 states to make all adults eligible for vaccinations by May 1.

Metro Detroit Black Business Alliance (MDBBA) officially launched.

Backed by $1 million from TCF Bank, the organization’s mission is to develop programs and advocate for policies that grow, support, and sustain Black businesses in greater Detroit.

April Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty on all three charges for the murder of George Floyd. The case generated intense interest across America and beyond. Chauvin, who is White, knelt on the neck of Floyd, a Black man in handcuffs, for more than nine minutes with Floyd pleading for his life. The video of the tragedy went viral and sparked thousands of protests across America and dozens of other countries.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, a native Detroiter, led the prosecution team.

Detroit City Council President Brenda Jones announced that she would not seek another term.

Jones has served on Council for the past 16 years, the last seven as Council President. Councilmember Raquel Castaneda-Lopez, the first Latina elected to Council, also announced she would not run for a third term.

May Detroit City Councilmember Gabe Leland resigned after pleading guilty to felony misconduct in office linked to accepting a $7,500 campaign contribution in cash.

Under a plea agreement, Leland will not serve time behind bars.

June President Biden signs a historic bill designating “Juneteenth,” a federal holiday. The law makes June 19 (Juneteenth) the 12th federal holiday. The holiday commemorates the end of slavery when on June 19, 1865, Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas. Yet, the Emancipation Proclamation to free slaves in this country was issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, two-and-a-half years before the news reached Texas.

July

Interim Detroit Police Chief James White announced that Detroit Police would implement Crisis Intervention Training across police precincts citywide.

White said mental health professionals would work alongside officers during critical incidents such as domestic violence and armed barricaded confrontations.

August City Councilmembers Scott Benson and Janee Ayers’ homes were raided by FBI agents executing search warrants. There have been no charges filed against Benson or Ayers as the year ends. Both individuals were up for re-election in the November 2021 election.

Ayers was unsuccessful in her bid for re-election (Council at Large).

Benson was re-elected to District 3.

Ty Garbin was sentenced to six years and three months in prison, according to court records, for his role in the plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2020.

September Detroit City Councilmember Andre Spivey (District 4) resigned after pleading guilty to bribery charges. He admitted to accepting more than $35,000 in connection with a proposed towing ordinance going before City Council for a vote.

Spivey, who served on Council for close to 12 years, is scheduled for sentencing in January 2022.

Detroit-based Real Times Media (RTM) partners with Black Information Network (BIN) to expand news impacting Black people across the United States. RTM publishes historic Black publications, including the Michigan Chronicle, Chicago Defender, Atlanta Daily World, Atlanta Tribune, Pittsburgh Courier, and Who’s Who in Black. RTM’s collaboration with BIN, a 24/7 national and local “all news” audio platform, will provide more digital platforms to reach African Americans with pertinent news and information.

Stellantis N.V. (formerly Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) and National Business League launched the nation’s first development program for Black-owned suppliers. Thirteen Black-owned suppliers entered into the pilot phase of The Stellantis-National League Black Supplier Development Program, created to present opportunities for Black businesses to gain more access to procuring contracts as suppliers with automotive companies.

City Council approved Interim Detroit Police Chief James White’s position to become permanent, following James Craig’s resignation as the city’s top police officer.

White was appointed interim chief

by Mayor Duggan.

Former Detroit Police Chief James Craig officially launched his bid to become Michigan’s next governor in 2022. Craig, an African American and Republican, joins a field of at least nine other GOP candidates headed to the August 2, 2022, primary election. In next year’s general election, the primary winner will face incumbent Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

October Colin L. Powell, the first Black U.S. Secretary of State and first Black Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, died from COVID-19 complications and a battle with cancer.

He was 84.

November Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan won re-election by a landslide over opponent Anthony Adams. Duggan

amassed 69,328 votes to Adams’ 22,373. The victory confirms that the people of Detroit have confidence in the direction Duggan is taking the city since becoming mayor in January 2014.

Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey won re-election to serve a fifth term. She garnered 71.4% of the votes to her opponent, Denzel McCampbell’s, 28.6.

Detroit City Council undergoes a major facelift based on general election results. The new councilmembers include Coleman A. Young, Jr. (Council At Large), Mary Waters (Council At Large), Angela Whitfield Calloway (District 2), Latisha Johnson (District 4), Gabriela Santiago-Romero (District 6), and Fred Durhal III (District 7). Returning councilmembers are James Tate, Jr. (District 1), Scott Benson (District 3), and Mary Sheffield (District 5 Pro Tem).

Three White men were found guilty of murdering Ahmaud Arbery, a Black man jogging on a Georgia street in February 2020.

The men charged with nine counts are Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael, and William “Roddie” Bryan, Jr. Four students were killed by gunfire and seven injured at Oxford High School, 42 miles north of Detroit. Since the shooting, dozens of gun threats have been reported in school districts throughout the state, including Detroit Public School Community District. Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy has charged at least 30 juveniles since Nov. 30 for alleged threats to schools across the county.

Eight people were killed and hundreds more injured following a crowd surge and stampede at the Astroworld Music Festival in Houston. Rapper Travis Scott was performing at the time of the stampede.

December National news reports the state of Michigan is setting hospitalization records and leading the nation in new coronavirus cases per capita. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) expanded neighborhood testing sites to offer COVID-19 vaccines to children ages 5 through 11. MDHHS reports more than 5.4 million Michiganders 16 and older have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccines. Yet, as of December 20, Michigan has confirmed 1,434,837 cases of COVID19, resulting in 25,984 deaths.

Worldwide, Johns Hopkins University reports 273 million people have been infected, and more than 5.3 million have died.

President Biden announced new actions to protect Americans against the Delta and Omicron variants of COVID-19 this winter.

Biden’s plan includes booster shots for all adults, protecting kids and keeping schools open, expanding free at-home testing for Americans, protecting workplaces to keep businesses open, and dispatching rapid response teams to battle rising coronavirus cases.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the South African leader who ferociously fought against apartheid, has died. He was 90. Tutu was the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize winner and a close friend of Nelson Mandela.

In 1994, after Mandela was elected South Africa’s first Black president, he appointed Tutu, chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, a South African tribunal seeking to expiate the sins of apartheid. Former U.S. President Barack Obama presented Tutu with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009.

As the year closes we look ahead in next week’s edition on what Detroiters can anticipate in the upcoming 2022 year.

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Where is Kamala

From page A-1

woman vice president in America, which is amazing. However, looking at her time in office has been quite unsettling. ...

During her campaign she gained many of the Black Americans’ votes due to ethnicity. My question to those voters is what has she done for you lately?”

Harris, who spent the lion’s share of her career as a prosecutor before getting elected to the Senate in 2016, also ran for the presidency before she was named Biden’s running mate in the summer. Since being elected, voters have looked to the duo to address racial and gender disparities in the policies they brought to the forefront of their campaigns.

As of late, people have been wondering where is Harris?

The Hill reported that since Harris took office, she has not held one formal press conference, while other publications reported that it’s by design that she is out of the spotlight as to not upstage President Joe Biden. Article after article has noted, however, how she has fallen short of her promises and stayed out of the limelight for the most part.

The Boston Herald also reported that Biden and Harris have “dismal” re-election poll numbers with Biden at 22 percent and Harris at 12 percent in an I&I/TIPP poll. The Hill reported that vice presidential approval numbers haven’t been this low since early in the administration of Vice President Dan Quayle under George H.W. Bush.

CNN reported in an article, “What the Heck is Going on With Kamala Harris?” that an unusual “high turnover rate” has been noted within her administration, too.

One such staffer to leave is Symone Sanders, Harris’ chief spokesperson and senior advisor, set to leave the administration later this month, The National Newspapers Publisher’s Association (NNPA) wrote in an article.

“I’m so grateful to the VP for her vote of confidence from the very beginning and the opportunity to see what can be unburdened by what has been,” Sanders wrote in a letter to Vice President Harris’ staff.

In November, Ashley Etienne, who served as Vice President Harris’ communications director, also stepped down, according to NNPA. Prominent news reports hinted that major rifts have occurred between the White House and Vice President Harris’ staff, but officials have shot down these claims.

Former Michigan State Representative Shanelle Jackson (with 19 years

of public policy) told the Michigan Chronicle that despite all the naysayers and bad press that having a Black woman in politics in the room is still an indescribable opportunity.

“It’s everything -- we are a nation of laws and if we’re not in the room when policy is being discussed … our perspective is not in the room,” Jackson said. “Ultimately there are folks who don’t look like us and have not lived our experiences… who will impact our lives for generations to come.”

Jackson added that she feels that Harris has done an “excellent job” during her tenure.

“She is serving with class, with dignity,” Jackson said, adding that she met her once. “She [took extra care] to come and sit with me and talk to me about my future … because she saw another Black woman; to sow a seed of encouragement in my life. She leads with compassion and elegance.”

She added that Black women “absolutely” have her back.

“Black women have a desire to support her, and we want to be there,” she said, adding that Black women should be vocal about their support, too.

“We got to be vigilant and … being her backbone with our dollars, social media and any platform we are given.”

Sonjia Simpson-Gardner, a member of the Progressive Detroit Facebook group, told the Michigan Chronicle that she is “disappointed” at the comments that minorities are making about the administration.

“We just experienced four years with Trump, and I feel he got away with murder -- the things he did no one posted memes -- not as much. Now all of a sudden, we get a minority in the office, and ... they’re expecting the world from her.”

Simpson-Gardner said typically much isn’t heard about vice presidents and the work they do, but now people are complaining because they feel that nothing has been done yet.

“I will admit we have not seen a whole lot of the activity but not seeing activity doesn’t mean she’s not doing activity,” she said, adding that she is active behind the scenes.

“She is doing the best she can do.”

Simpson-Gardner, who is a fellow AKA with Harris, said that she feels the Black community (among those who support her) could be doing a “little more” to support her especially if she decides to run for re-election.

“I think if she was to run again, she would have the backing of the Black community to support her,” she said.

A3

| Dec. 29, 2021 - Jan. 4, 2022

How to Get a Head Start on New Year’s Intentions

Roots.

michiganchronicle.com

By Shanthi Appelö Registered Dietitian And Health And Wellness Spokesperson At Blue Cross Blue Shield Of Michigan

With this year winding down and 2022 just around the corner, it means it is nearly time for New Year’s celebrations – and a fresh batch of New Year’s resolutions.

While some people love the idea of starting the year off with a list of self-improvements, others seem to dread the calendar flip that traditionally ushers in a season of making changes. But there might be an easier solution. There are ways to get a head start on New Year’s intentions or resolutions.

Last year, nearly 65% of Americans set New Year’s goals or planned to make a lifestyle change when the ball dropped and 2021 began.

A lot of those resolutions revolved around losing weight, eating healthier, saving money and exercising.

But of those, about 80% of people saw their grand plans end without success, according to a report in Forbes. And many of those good intentions evaporated before the end of February.

Sudden changes can be tough to make, mentally as well as physically. There’s a better chance for success if people make gradual progress toward a goal. For example, if a heavy meat eater decides to become vegan at 12:01 a.m. on Jan. 1, a period of intestinal discomfort might await them as their body gets accustomed to all the servings of vegetables and beans on the new menu.

The same is true for the person who decides to take up running as part of their New Year’s plan: going from couch to 10K-ready is probably not going to happen overnight without some pulled muscles.

Dr. Shakira Tyler, board president of the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network (DBCFSN) and co-founder of the ­Detroit Black Farmer Land Fund (DBFLF), said that the land initiative is all about supporting local farmers in the city. Photo ­courtesy of Dr. Shakira Tyler

Black Farmers Dig Deep to Cultivate Land in Detroit

Here are some ways people can start now and ease into their New Year’s resolutions in hopes of seeing success in 2022:

By Sherri Kolade

Reduce debt. Being stressed financially can take a toll on mental health, and many have better financial health as a goal. But during the end-of-year holidays, many shoppers find themselves swiping credit cards at a dizzying pace, racking up more debt right as they head into the new year. Instead, try this:

African American author, educator, and poet Haki Madhubuti’s words resonate with three long-standing Detroit urban farming organizations who are building Detroit back up intending to put the land back into the hands of inter-generational Black farmers in Detroit.

• Set a budget for holiday shopping.

• Reign in December spending habits so January’s goal will be easier to meet.

• Consider putting a portion of any year-end bonus money toward reducing debt.

Exercise more. People who do few if any regular workouts might find it difficult to jump into a robust exercise routine. They should start paving the way for change. Once the New Year rolls around, increasing the intensity or frequency won’t seem too drastic. Always talk to a health care provider before beginning a new exercise routine. Some ideas: • Add one or two cardio session a week. This could be a trip to the gym, or an after-work walk with friends.

• Keep some hand-held free weights at home for a couple of sessions of shoulder and back exercises.

See RESOLUTIONS page B-2

“We can’t grow food on all this concrete.”

The Detroit Black Community Food Security Network (DBCFSN), Oakland Avenue Urban Farm, and Keep Growing Detroit developed the Detroit Black Farmer Land Fund on Juneteenth 2020, to fund Black farmer initiatives.

Dr. Shakira Tyler, board president of the DBCFSN and co-founder of the Detroit Black Farmer Land Fund (DBFLF), said that the land initiative is all about supporting local farmers.

“It is multi-layered. Reclaiming our connection to land intersects with multiple factors,” Tyler said. “Everything from food security, wealth building, neighborhood beautification, cultural identity, spirituality, whole-body healing and much more. It ultimately comes down to building power and the radical transformation of our realities.”

Tyler added that this topic has “always mattered.”

“It is getting more media attention because of the growing awareness of societal inequities and the precarious state of our food system,” Tyler said. “Many more people are tuning into not just how unjust the food system is but the fact that it dictates every part of our lives.”

That livelihood seeps into every facet

of Black farmers -- and the Detroit Black Farmer Land Fund -- is in its second year of funding and seeking to raise capital to support 40 more Black farmers in Detroit. Fifty-two donors have helped the multi-layered organization raise nearly $9,000 since its launch.

Tyler said that the movement is open to everyone in sustaining Black farmers.

“Everyone has a role to play,” Tyler said, adding that there are probably more Black farmers than people think, especially since not everyone considers themselves a farmer in the traditional sense.

Tepfirah Rushdan and Djenaba Ali, members of the Black to the Land Coalition, a Detroit-based coalition of Black people, among other people of color, aim to increase Detroit’s outdoor activity and teach survival skills.

Rushdan previously told the Michigan Chronicle it’s vital to ensure that Black and Brown folks are comfortable in those types of spaces, and Black to the Land helps Black people have a seat at the table when it comes to increasing outdoor leadership and advocacy.

Black Information Network (BIN) reported that a study commissioned by McKinsey & Company showcases the difficulties behind Black Americans in the agriculture industry.

The number of Black farm operators has dropped by nearly 95 percent over the last century, BIN reported. Due to those low numbers, just over one percent of farmers identify as Black today.

For the Black farmers that continue, economic challenges continue to stop them from succeeding. Typically, total sales

for non-Black-led farms are $150,000 higher than those of Black-led farms. In addition, the average net income of nonBlack-led farms is $156,500 higher than that of Black-led farms.

Also, the median household income of the average Black household is $45,438 while the median income for farmers is nearly $60,000, according to the article.

At the nationwide level, some policies have stopped Black farmers from purchasing land.

If these disparities were addressed, researchers believe it would provide a $5 billion economic boom for society overall. According to a study, the following actions can be taken to support Black farmers: • Increase capital and market access for Black farmers.

• Provide estate and planning support for Black farmers.

• Launch targeted agronomic training programs.

• Invest in broadband infrastructure along the Black Belt.

“We all have a role in the environment in Detroit and broadly,” Rushdan said previously adding that predominantly white people are heading up these conversations when discussing issues that impact the environments that typically Black people might be living in. “We want to make sure we are at those kinds of tables where we are talking about advocating for Black and Brown folks.”

Black Information Network contributed to this report.

For more information visit http://www. detroitblackfarmer.com/.

Midnight Golf Program Gets a Hole in One

By Sherri Kolade One doesn’t have to look far to see what miracles are happening in the everyday activities at the Midnight Golf Program (MGP) in Detroit.

MGP started as a safe streets’ initiative (along with the now-defunct Midnight Basketball program), and a renowned academic enrichment and professional polishing program that focuses on helping students in college, career development and beyond.

The game of golf is used to introduce discipline, strategy and career-boosting skills because being comfortable out on the course comes in handy when a young professional is networking to navigate their way to the top.

MGP’s very own founder, Renee Fluker, knows firsthand the work that the program and her team provide to youth who otherwise may have never been introduced to the sport.

A major component of Midnight Golf’s College Success Team is to assist students in finding the right college fit.

Annually, they take to the roads across

the nation and visit a number of colleges and universities in just a few days.

Winston Coffee, college success coach and college liaison at the MGP, assists and navigates high school and college students to and through their college careers, according to his LinkedIn profile.

about its plans to introduce students of color to accessible opportunities in the world of higher education. “Golf is a tool we teach young people. Most students of color don’t have access to [that] kind of thing. Golf can open up doors.”

Known as a networking sport, just simply knowing how to play Coffee told the Michgolf can lead to open igan Chronicle that doors, job opportunihe has been with the ties and rubbing shoulprogram since around ders with the who’s 2008 and he started as who.

This popular a mentor with the prosport, however, is still gram and transitioned dominated by white to working for the orgaMidnight Golf Program leader men primarily. CNN renization. ported that in the Unit“Building relation- Winston Coffee. Photo provided ed States, 82 percent ships with different in- by Winston Coffee of all golfers are white, stitutions around the while 25 percent of jucountry [helps] to create opportunities nior golfers (aged 6-17) were not white; for young people to land safely,” Coffee also, about 25 percent of people who said, adding that MGP is very intentional played on a golf course for the first time

in 2017 were not white.

Renee Fluker, founder and president of MGP, told the Michigan Chronicle that she started the organization 20 years ago, after being inspired by her son who played golf in high school.

“He would complain that no Black kids know how to play golf,” she said, adding that he asked her once while in college to come up with a way to help Black kids learn to play golf, which she did.

“The goal now is to teach them golf and get them in college and the thing now is ‘college career and beyond,’” she said, adding that about 100 students a night come to their programs held multiple times a week at Marygrove.

Coffee said that once the program’s youth learn the game’s soft skills (like communication, networking, sportsmanship) they are well on their way to incorporating their knowledge off the golf course and into college, finding internships, and more.

See MIDNIGHT GOLF PROGRAM page B-2

Page A-4 • michiganchronicle.com •

Dec. 29, 2021 - Jan. 4, 2022

Midnight Golf Program From page A-3 “[Students will] feel comfortable navigating talking to people,” he said, adding that years ago he did not see himself in this position, ironically when he was attending college.

“I didn’t have a Midnight Golf program to support my [vision],” Coffee said, adding that family support took him to a certain level. “They did the best they could with what they knew [but I] didn’t have the same type of access.”

Now, working with young people in the program, he can be a part of other people’s villages to help them along their way.

New Hub for Home Repair and Neighborhood Services Opens in Jefferson East

By Andre Ash Community leaders and stakeholders held a ribbon-cutting to announce the grand opening of the Neighborhood Resource Hub on Detroit’s far eastside. The renovated building at 14300 E. Jefferson is a part of Jefferson East, Inc. (JEI), and its year-long effort to provide support to homeowners and businesses near Jefferson Ave. and Chalmers.

The newly-renovated facility will anchor JEI’s Housing and Neighborhood Services staff to service area homeowners and renters annually.

“We’ve built a world-class housing organization that plugs residents into a range of resources,” said Josh Elling, chief executive officer, Jefferson East, Inc. “Having a central place allows us the access to work with residents to develop an action plan to keep their homes and improve their homes.”

JEI will use to the space to continue to foster its important work of building inclusive neighborhoods along the historic Jefferson corridor.

The Neighborhood Resource Hub will provide services to meet community need such as home repair loans, housing counseling, utility assistance, home weatherization readiness, rooftop funds, Wi-Fi and computer access and financial education.

“This organization has helped my mother and my family a lot,” said Debra Hall who attended the grand opening with her 82-year-old mother, Cynthia Campbell. Campbell has been living in her eastside home since 1969. Campbell described the assistance she received from Jefferson East after coming across home repair information online. Some time had passed that she

had forgotten she’d applied for assistance to fix the decaying structure of her front porch.

“The crews came out and immediately got to work,” said Campbell. “I feel so much safer and I’m not afraid anymore.” Campbell described having to once hold on to weakened guard rails due to the porch’s unstable foundation and would often need to warn mail carriers and guests before they approached her home. The completed repair is a gift she is thankful to have received thanks to the resources of JEI. “This was much needed help and the new porch; it adds something to the house.”

The Neighborhood Resource Hub project was made possible through grants and support from several entities including the Bank of America Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, AT&T, J.P. Morgan Chase, Invest Detroit, Penske Corporation, City of Detroit and the Michigan State Housing Development Authority.

“We contributed $100,000 last year to JEI to support this resource build,” said David Lewis, president of AT&T Michigan. “Jefferson East has the potential for so much growth. We’re going to soon put computer labs inside this space, Wi-Fi and fiber. We’re going to really help connect this area because it’s only going to grow from here.”

Redevelopment of the historic Kresge building was led by the East Jefferson Development Corporation, JEI’s development arm. The front-facing retail space of the new Hub will also house the second location for Detroit Soul, a Black-owned eatery serving traditional soul food.

chief development officer, East Jefferson Development Corp. “This building is one of four projects in phase one.

We have three groundbreaking developments that will happen at the top of the year and it is all driven by the community.”

The development sites in phase two of its projects will bring over $96 million in investment which will range from retail to new affordable housing and all led by community input.

“The most important work we do is keeping Detroiters in their homes,” said Mayor Mike Duggan. “While there are many great programs to help homeowners who may be struggling with their property taxes, making critical repairs, grant and loan assistance or other needs, they aren’t much good if residents don’t know how to access them. That’s why the opening of the new Jefferson East, Inc. Neighborhood Resource Hub is so important. Now, the residents of Jefferson Chalmers have a place in their own neighborhood where they can get connected to the help they need.”

Jefferson East Inc. has created impactful housing stabilization over the past several years. The organization has been a force for good in providing crucial residential services more than 4,500 homeowners and renters.

Campbell’s new front porch is made possible by the years-long grassroot and collaborative efforts by JEI, resulting in $1.6 million in home repairs after assisting 450 homeowners apply for 0 percent interest loans. Its new Neighborhood Resource Hub will be a beacon for continued housing stabilization and development and a blueprint on how to replicate similar efforts into neighborhoods citywide.

“Offer insight, information in spaces and ways I wish I had it,” he said, adding that the program and golfing overall for minorities is picking up steam. “In general, there seems to be more [people playing golf in the] past two or three years.”

He added that during the early days of the pandemic playing golf was still acceptable because it could be played outside with social distancing – and when exposure and opportunity meet for students, greatness is attainable.

“At Midnight Golf that is what we hang our hats on – putting young people in front of opportunities you don’t know … it opens your mind into what else is possible -- what other things you can aspire for and achieve as far as being exposed to something new and different,” Coffee said.

Resolutions From page A-3

• Take one yoga or Pilates class to learn basic stretching moves.

Eat healthier foods. A December full of holiday parties, buffets and cookies tends to move people in the wrong direction if eating better is their January goal. To make this feel like less of a cold-turkey switch, gradually start phasing in better eating habits in the last few weeks of the year.

Here are some approaches to try: • Add one meatless meal into the week.

• Start swapping two glasses of soda or juice each week for a carbonated, flavored water.

• Eat one extra piece of fruit or vegetable per day.

• Trade a nightly dessert for a square of dark chocolate.

Over time, small changes can make a big difference. Achieving goals takes consistency – so finding ways to make new habits less intimidating is a good place to start.

DTW “This is just the start in five phases of development,” said Derric Scott,

Shanthi Appelö is registered dietitian and health and wellness spokesperson at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. For more healthy living tips and ideas, visit AHealthierMichigan.org.

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A5

Money.

| Dec. 29, 2021 - Jan. 5, 2022

The Future of Workforce:

michiganchronicle.com

City of Detroit Gets Creative with Talent Recruitment

By Sherri Kolade 12,865.

That’s how many jobs are available in the City of Detroit as of Wednesday, December 22.

From healthcare and information technology to manufacturing and hospitality, the City of Detroit is looking for a talented workforce to fill those thousands of jobs.

The State of Michigan also has its eyes on workforce development while forging ahead as the COVID-19 virus, omicron variant and economic uncertainty loom ahead.

“As Michigan’s economy rebounds, employers have a significant need for talent to solidify continued growth,” said Greg Handel, vice president of education and talent at the Detroit Regional Chamber, who oversees the Let’s Detroit initiative said in a press release. “ Given the strong economic rebound, some concerns are still evidently felt by Michiganders. The Detroit Regional Chamber released findings in mid-December from a recent statewide poll of registered Michigan voters. The survey offered insight and data on Michiganders’ perceptions of the economy, how inflation has impacted their assessment, ongoing challenges with COVID-19, and more as it relates to job growth and security.

“Two years into the global pandemic, the Chamber continues to go inside Michigan households and businesses to assess how voters feel about the state’s health, economy and political situation,” said Sandy K. Baruah, president and chief executive officer of the Chamber. “The polling shows a growing disconnect between personal consumer behavior and concern over inflation. Voters, while confident of their own job security and finances, are pessimistic about the overall state of the economy in large part due to inflation, which many have never experienced in their lifetimes.”

Jobs keep being created though, especially in the City of Detroit. A new 450-job Lear auto parts supplier plant, slated to open on Detroit’s East Side in mid-2022, will produce parts for GM’s Factory Zero Assembly Facility. Lear made it a priority to hire Detroiters who will play a major role in demolition, blight removal, and construction of the new facility The $48 million industrial building is expected to open in mid-2022 and produce parts for new electric vehicles being produced at GM’s Factory Zero Assembly Plant. More than 15,000 jobs have come to Detroit in the past few years from major employers including Ford, FCA/Stellantis, GM and their suppliers, along with Amazon. There is a second phase of this project, which will provide room for another tenant and hundreds more jobs.

Detroiters will have priority status for the Lear jobs, as part of an agreement made by the company,

See WORKFORCE page A6

Lewis & Munday, P.C. founders. Photo courtesy of Lewis & Munday, P.C.

Lewis & Munday, P.C. Share Their Secret for Success

By Sherri Kolade

Founded in 1972, Lewis & Munday, P.C. is a trailblazer as one of the oldest and largest firms founded by African Americans, especially in Detroit. The firm is very intentional about building upon its legacy particularly while celebrating its 49th anniversary.

Reginald G. Dozier, its president & CEO and former chair of the firm’s Litigation Practice Group, said that the company has more than four decades of experience providing efficient, creative and comprehensive legal services in the areas of public/municipal, corporate, real estate law and litigation to the metro Detroit area.

“The company started off small 49 years ago,” Dozier said, adding that there were about five attorneys at the beginning. “They had a vision to work to represent corporations and governments in civil matters as opposed to representing individuals and criminals [in] defense matters. And over time, it grew... I think that there were at least 40 attorneys at one point.”

Early on, the firm became known for changing the face of the “mainstream” practice of law under the leadership of David Baker Lewis, Richard T. White and the Honorable Eric Lee Clay. Reuben A. Munday became a partner in 1977.

Dozier, 63, said the firm now has a mixture of experience and historical knowledge of Detroit and the surrounding areas, along with new and vibrant emerging talent.

“We’ve done a lot with the city of Detroit,” he said, “We want to expand around the state and do more work nationwide and with Fortune 500 companies.” The firm also has offices in Washington, D.C., Connecticut, and New York, NY. Now with about 15 attorneys and headquartered in Detroit, Lewis & Munday, P.C. continues to commit to its clients, the communities it serves, and diversity in the city and beyond. The firm’s prac-

tice is national in scope and includes matters in both the public and private sectors. For a firm of its size, Lewis & Munday offers expertise in a wide variety of legal disciplines.

“Lewis & Munday, P.C. has represented the City of Detroit … we represented basically all the major corporations [Ford Motor Company, Pepsi, DTE, AT&T] those are just naming a few,” Dozier said, adding that the law firm has extensive experience in handling major bankruptcy dealings and real estate development work and more. “Over the last 45 years, we’ve been involved in some shape or form as counsel to the city or one of the authorities or something.”

Dozier said the company celebrated its anniversary during a recent virtual event.

“We enjoy [our] rich history -- we look forward to a great future where we can do even greater things over the next 50 years,” Dozier, who joined the law firm 21 years ago, said despite low nationwide statistics of fellow Black law firms.

According to the American Bar Association (ABA) National Lawyer Popula-

tion Survey, as of January 1, 2020, there were over 1.3 million active lawyers in the United States, up roughly 10 percent in the past 10 years. The statistics add that only five percent of all lawyers are Black, the same percentage as 10 years ago, while 13.4 percent of the U.S. population is Black.

Dozier said that Lewis & Munday, P.C. is continually striving to stand in the gap and represent where needed -- whatever it takes.

“What keeps us going is the desire to provide quality legal services in an area that is not overly saturated by Black lawyers, that is primarily it,” he said, adding that their legal footprint is still making a significant local, and national, impact.

“The need for representation … has not really changed over the course of years.”

Dozier added that he is encouraged and inspired to continue in helping bring along those next in line. “[We] give advice and pointers … we want to help groom the next generation,” he said. “It is encouraging to help groom the next generation of attorneys to go out and make their own.”

Has Your Side Hustle Stalled While Working in Person?

By Sherri Kolade

grocery delivery companies (Shipt and Instacart) has allowed her the financial gains she needed to keep her stream of income going.

Retail. Food. Consulting. Scientific and technology services.

“When the pandemic started I did it because I had some things I wanted to pay down and I had a lot of free time,” she said, adding that doing the delivery jobs allowed her to have flexibility with her work schedule and primary 9-to-5 job. “I can make my own hours and that was very important to have the freedom to come and go.”

Many alternative career paths sprang up in 2020 to meet new needs that the pandemic subsequently created as trailblazing entrepreneurs and professionals took chances while working (or navigating employment loss) last year and even now.

Bloomberg reported that the pandemic made people more adaptable and agile in incorporating new technological components into their job duties, too. Working from home (for some population segments) allowed many Americans – and those abroad – to pick up a side hustle or two or create a new career path for themselves altogether.

The article noted that more job growth was visible in the fields of retail, food and science and technology services in Texas, Georgia and Florida compared to New York and California.

Bloomberg also noted that the number of new business applications from the U.S. Census is up 38 percent compared to 2019.

Even locally, 2020 was dubbed the year of the entrepreneur – and it still is,

CNBC reported that millions of Americans like Andrews started a side hustle to supplement their income.

especially as Black women represent 42 percent of new women-owned businesses—three times their size of the female population—and 36 percent of all Black-owned businesses, according to a Forbes article. Even those taking on already-created jobs are still shining and navigating amidst economic uncertainties.

Moonlighting on Her Terms Redford resident Khristian Andrews, who works for a local real estate investment firm, decided to take on a side hustle during the pandemic to earn extra income for herself.

As a mother to a college student, Andrews said taking a side job working for

Forbes reported that everything from freelance writing and online music teaching to social media management and even food delivery has grown in popularity for side job options. Forbes added that even driving for Uber can be a lucrative side hustle, too, earning upwards of $500 a month.

Andrews said that while she can work from home with her primary job, she chooses to go to the office because she can get more done as opposed to when she is at home. When she figuratively clocks out, she gets to work on her other jobs and works on the weekends, too.

See SIDE

HUSTLE page A6

Page A-6 • michiganchronicle.com • Dec. 29, 2021 - Jan. 5, 2022

Workforce From page A-5

similar to that made by FCA/Stellantis, which has resulted in the hiring of more than 2,100 Detroiters so far at the new Jeep assembly plant on Mack Avenue, according to a press release.

“Major employers understand that Detroit has a deep pool of talented workers eager to work,” said Mayor Mike Duggan. “Thanks to our partners at Lear and NorthPoint, another vacant eyesore in Detroit has been removed and will be replaced with a center of opportunity for Detroiters.”

In addition to Lear’s agreement to hire Detroiters for permanent jobs at the new facility: Inner City Contracting, LLC, a certified 51 percent minority-owned, Detroit-based and headquartered contractor, led the $6 million demolition of the century-old plant.

51 percent of the construction workers building the new facility are required to be Detroit residents, under Executive Order (EO) 2021-2. Any contractor that fails to meet that goal must make a financial contribution to the city’s workforce training fund to prepare more Detroit residents for in-demand construction jobs.

“As one of Michigan’s largest employers, Lear is excited to be opening a new state-of-the-art facility in the City of Detroit where we have had a manufacturing presence for many years,” said Ray Scott, Lear president, and CEO. “This just-intime plant will create hundreds of new jobs and supply seats for the battery-electric and autonomous vehicles that will be built nearby at GM’s Factory Zero in Detroit-Hamtramck. This facility is just another example of Lear providing innovative, quality and on-time products while helping our customers achieve their sustainability goals.

We are pleased to be working with the City of Detroit, the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC), NorthPoint Development and GM, and appreciate their support on this project.”

Detroit at Work, the City’s employment and training agency has been secured to recruit employees for the Lear jobs, which Detroiters will be given preferential hiring based on qualifications.

“Two years ago, the focus in the city was getting people out of poverty,” said Nicole Sherard-Freeman, group executive of jobs, economy,

and Detroit at Work. “Today we are working towards getting Detroiters trained and ready for middle-class jobs and middle-class careers, like those here at this new facility. We’ll be working closely with Lear to make sure they have a robust list of Detroit candidates to choose from first in their hiring process.”

Bringing new talent to Detroit comes in waves, including the recent hiring of Tim Slusser as chief of mobility innovation, whose job is to focus on vehicle electrification and renewable energy. Slusser will lead mobility initiatives across multiple sectors of city government.

In his new role, Slusser will work across multiple city departments to coordinate cleaner, more accessible and more equitable mobility solutions for Detroit residents and visitors alike.

Before joining the City of Detroit, Slusser served as director of smart mobility initiatives for NextEnergy.

“Detroit has been a leader of innovation for well over a hundred years. Both the Detroit Center for Innovation and Ford’s Michigan Central Station campus are going to create a whole new range of opportunity for the talent we have in our city,” said Duggan. “Tim joining the administration couldn’t have come at a more exciting time as we work to build on our history of mobility innovation and to provide more equitable access to these opportunities.”

“This opportunity brings together my passion for accelerating mobility solutions with my desire to create lasting impact in my local community,” said Slusser. “I’m honored to serve the City of Detroit in this role and inspired by Mayor Duggan’s vision for the future of Detroit.”

Kevin D. Johnson, president and chief executive officer for the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC), the city’s leading inclusive economic development driver, told the Michigan Chronicle that the DEGC takes an interest in bringing economic opportunities to the city and it’s “critically important” to pique the interest of future employees.

“A trained workforce is a backbone,” he said of communities, adding that investment opportunities won’t come to a place where people aren’t trained though. “We have a pretty strong mechanism for training through our partners throughout Detroit at Work. … To be ready to go to work on day one gives us unique competitive advantages in the City of Detroit.”

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Side Hustle From page A-5

“I never stopped working,” she said, adding that she uses a physical calendar to keep up with her work and coin-making ventures.

“I never had a break, but I saw an opportunity to really generate money coming in and pay off some debt.”

Prepared to Pivot Caroline Sanders, a Washtenaw County Commissioner - District 4 representing Pittsfield Charter Township, held her own, too, as during the pandemic she was furloughed for one day a week for several months and was able to run for public office during the pandemic -- all while maintaining her full-time job.

“My side job is as a Washtenaw County Commissioner,” she told the Michigan Chronicle. “In my primary position, I serve as the interim, assistant director of community relations and engagement for a Michigan public university.”

tions juggling multiple responsibilities can be done all while complementing one’s fulltime job.

“Capitalize on the increased exposure that you receive as your career options expand by promoting your skills, education and talents. Recognize and welcome the new opportunities and connections that you become acquainted with,” Sanders said.

She added that while the COVID-19 pandemic had “many devasting results” overall, it has also opened a “plethora of opportunities” for individuals who were forced to pivot.

“I was blessed to be a person who was unintentionally prepared to pivot,” Sanders said.

Sanders, who still works remotely (and was practically working remotely before the pandemic), did return to the office in September as needed.

Sanders also noted that she found that her side job is in reality is a full-time job being done on a part-time basis.

“There are some areas that could use greater attention,” she said of her work, adding that she has a lot of responsibilities including mandatory meetings, responding to constituents and more.

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Sanders added that with the right inten-

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Congratulations to the 14 winners of the 2021 Knight Arts Challenge Detroit, sharing over $1.2 Million to bring their best arts ideas to life.

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Dec. 29, 2021 - Jan. 4, 2022 • michiganchronicle.com • Page A-7

14th Annual

Michigan Chronicle

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BLACK

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Hon. Adam Hollier Senator, State of Michigan

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Dwane Casey Head Coach, Detroit Pistons

Andre Johnson President & CEO, Detroit Recovery Project

Earl Newsome Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Cummins, Inc.

Angelo Glenn Chairperson, Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network

Hon. Edward Ewell, Jr. Judge, Wayne County Circuit Court

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

Jacob Keli Associate Vice Chancellor & District Director for Purchasing, Wayne County Community College District Jacques Mullins National Sales Director ACE Petroleum Jahquan Hawkins Dean of Student Services Title IX Investigator Oakland Community College James Williams Vice President & Automotive Vertical Leader, N.A. CEVA Logistics

Malik Yakini Executive Director Detroit Black Community Food Security Network Marcell R. Todd, Jr. 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, PE Director, Michigan Department of Transportation Reginald B. Scott, II Chief Financial Officer Detroit Land Bank Authority

Brian McKinney Founder & CEO, Gayanga

Chief James White Police Chief, Detroit Police Department

Caleb Rutledge President & CEO Goodwill's Green Works

James Heath, Esq. Corporation Counsel Wayne County

Rev. Charles Christian Adams Senior Pastor, Hartford Memorial Baptist Church

Jason Barnett Senior Vice President Invest Detroit

Hon. Coleman A. Young, II Councilman, City of Detroit

John Harris Global General Counsel US & EU, VinFast Automotive

Rev. Dr. Steve Bland, Jr. Senior Pastor, Liberty Temple Baptist Church; President, Council of Baptist Pastors of Detroit & Vicinity

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

Thaddaeus Irby, Ph.D. Senior Manager Enterprise Technology, Lockheed Martin Corporation Adjunct Professor, Mike Ilitch School of Business, Wayne State University

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City ity.. Life ife.. Style.

B1 | Dec. 29, 2021 - Jan. 4, 2022

Where City Meets Life and Life Meets Style

michiganchronicle.com

Winter Hair Wonderland

By Megan Kirk Winter months can be brutal on haircare. For Black hair, naturals or chemically processed, including relaxers or bleach color treatments, a routine is essential to maintain hair moisture and retain length despite the cold weather. A local stylist is dishing on everything you need to know to keep your mane in check no matter the weather.

Jasmere Waller owns and operates Studio Lush in Southfield.

From a lineage of cosmetologists, Waller knew early on what her life’s work would be. Beginning braiding at seven years old, the emerging stylist enrolled in cosmetology school during high school and began doing hair on neighborhood porches. Now, specializing in color transformation, particularly blonding, Waller is showing Black women blondes do really have more fun.

Detroit residents take up intentional space on the streets of Paris in late November.

Jasmere Waller, owner of Studio Lush.

“I love the challenge of blonding dark, textured, kinky curly hair.

That’s what I’m known for. I like to dispel the myth that you can’t have healthy and color-treated hair,” said Waller.

Each season comes with its own set of rules to maintain Black hair.

Winter months can make hair dry, brittle and susceptible to breakage.

To help combat this, Waller suggests adding and retaining moisture is the name of the game all season long.

Black and Thriving

Detroiters Take Over Paris and Pay Homage to Artist

By Sherri Kolade “There are decades where nothing happens. There are weeks where decades happen.”

For scores of Black people in Detroit, change is happening for them today because the change was within us all along, says Detroit native Lauren Hood, visionary and urban planning strategist extraordinaire who leading impactful community efforts as the founder/director for a non-profit organization, Institute for AfroUrbanism.

“As the winter months come in, the weather is colder and drier. I would say the biggest thing is you have to retain your moisture,” said Waller. “A lot of times, people take their summer/spring routine over into the winter time. Using hydrating products, detoxing shampoos and conditioners, steam treatments, all the types of regimes to keep the moisture in the hair would be the biggest shift.”

As an AfroUrbanist, Hood creates opportunities for Black folk to positively hold space for their own narratives in Detroit and abroad.

During a recent trip to Paris, Hood and a handful of other Black Detroiters went beyond sightseeing – but planting seeds of purpose and intentionality.

Through the Institute for AfroUrbanism’s “Black Thriving Global Expedition: Paris,” Hood led the trip for Black creatives, photographers, and community stewards who invest in Detroit in more ways than one.

The group went to see legendary entertainer Josephine Baker, who received France’s highest burial honor on November 30 and was officially reinterred at the Panthéon in Paris, Black Information Network reported.

A sign of individuality and expression, Black hair undergoes many different styles in a quick amount of time. Most recently, vibrant rainbow and pastel hues have become a norm for Black hair. To achieve this look, stylists must lift the natural hair color to a light blond for the color pigment to adhere to the hair. This process is stressful on the hair.

“The higher you lift from your natural color, the more damaging it

See WINTER HAIR Page B-2

Photo courtesy of Tafari Stevenson-Howard

Baker, an entertainer, activist, and war hero is only the sixth woman to be buried at the national monument and the first Black woman and first US-born person and performing artist to be buried there. Born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1906, Baker rose to fame during the 1930s as a singer, dancer, and entertainer. She traveled to France and performed there before becoming a French citizen in 1937.

Lauren Hood is an ambassador of building up all things that empower Black residents in Detroit and abroad. Photo courtesy of Lauren Hood

During World War II, Baker joined the French Resistance and led clandestine operations to support the country’s efforts. She even used her star power to carry coded messages across country lines and refused to perform for Nazis who occupied France at the time.

See DETROITERS IN PARIS Page B-2

Into the Rabbit Hole One Bunni’s Fight to Sexual Freedom

By Megan Kirk For some children in orphanages, abuse is a reality they know all too well. Numbers are hard to assess as cases often go unreported leaving children to bear the brunt of the emotional and mental traumas of the abuse. For one survivor, a Phoenix would rise from the ashes and create a movement that creates healthy thoughts around sex and breaks the chains of stigmatization.

Jessie Beld Elliott has what some may consider a perfect life. Aside from beauty and brains, the 52-year-old entrepreneur and mother has traveled the world and indulged in some of the finest luxuries life has to offer. Under the surface, a childhood trauma was looming.

Raised in an orphanage, a young Elliott was sexually abused by a member of the clergy.

“I was molested as a child and throughout [my time at] the orphanage. The classic Catholic priest molesting their kids in the orphanage,” said Elliott.

Bad Bunni Life owner and CEO Jessie Beld Elliott.

Elliott was adopted by white parents and brought to Grand Rapids at age 12. Born to a Korean mother and African American father,

race was another point of contention growing up.

“Me being half-Black was always an issue as well in Korea. Being mixed usually is,” said Elliott.

After marrying and having children, struggles with sex continued throughout adulthood.

Bounded by the past sexual assault, engaging in sexual expression would prove to be an ongoing mental, physical and emotional battle.

She would go on to marry again, this time, to an affluent name in the automobile industry, but remained silent about her sexual trauma.

“All this time, my sexuality was also something that carried on me like an albatross. Like most children that are abused or sexually assaulted, not only once, but throughout childhood. When you grow up like that, you look at sex under a different pattern than somebody who hasn’t. I don’t know what normal is,” said Elliott. “I’m 52 [years old] now, it’s taken me until I met my [birth] father at the age of 50. It was the first time I’ve met a man, aside from my son, who it wasn’t some sort of sexual energy between us.”

See BAD BUNNI LIFE Page B-2

Page B-2 • michiganchronicle.com • Dec. 29, 2021 - Jan. 4, 2022

Detroiters In Paris From page B-1

“The impetus for the journey around Josephine Baker being inducted into the Panthéon (was a) very big deal,” Hood said of the distinction.

Hood added that putting a Black woman in this “high-privileged place” brought out more thoughts surrounding how France honored her while simultaneously still struggling with a “decolonization mentality.”

She said that many people simply think of Baker as a “scantily-clad” singer but the activist was more than the stereotypes, similar to Black Detroiters who are at times undervalued.

Hood said that the group had conversations with people across the Black diaspora in France on what it takes to thrive and what those needs look like in France.

Redford resident Tafari K. Stevenson-Howard posted on his Instagram page numerous pictures of his experiences in Paris. From breaking bread with other melanated-brothers and sisters to dripping in African-styled ‘fits -- Stevenson made his mark on the City of Life.

“It’s a good day to be Black in Paris,” he noted in his post.

Hood, who holds an undergraduate business degree and a Master’s Degree in Community Development, both from the University of Detroit Mercy, said that the 11 Detroit participants are thriving influencers who intersect the arts, culture, and community development. They shared their own backgrounds (through an interview process) of hardships and how they’re shaping their narratives for a better present and future outcome.

The trip and interviews are part of a launch for the Institute for AfroUrbanism’s citywide research study “Black Thriving Index,” which will include a total of 50 interviews on what is the source behind why Black people are thriving and how to replicate that for other Detroiters. Those particular findings from the 50 interviews will be released next spring (once the remaining 39 interviews are complete).

Studio Lush reception space.

Winter Hair

After the initial Index’s release, a citywide interview will kick off with (thousands of residents being interviewed) and the results of a yearlong study will be released in spring of 2023 on what the Institute found out from these conversations, Hood said, adding that the ideology around Black folks is typically negative and that “we don’t have anything to work with.”

From page B-1

can be. A general rule of thumb is if you stay within three levels of your natural color, it’s going to be lower maintenance,” said Waller.

“What I’m trying to do is change hearts and minds and get people to a place (where) we all have within us a capacity to thrive,” Hood said. “We have something to work with. … I work with community development//urban planning … we have a lot to work with build it and grow it.”

Although achieving these colorful looks will require bleaching the hair, Waller said there are ways to keep color treated hair healthy through winter hats and chilly nights.

Hood added that where people feed their energy grows.

“The key to keeping colored hair healthy is hydrating products. Color breaks the hair when it becomes dry, so keeping the cuticle intact and using moisturizing products, those are the things that will keep your hair from breaking off and that’s how you can keep a healthy head of color-treated hair,” said Waller.

In addition to color treatments, cool weather gives naturals the opportunity to let their tresses flow.

Silk presses allow naturally kinky or curly hair to be straightened.

However, heat on virgin hair can cause damage if not managed properly and hair can revert to its natural state if not cared for.

“Always make sure you’re sleeping on satin or silk; you want to wrap your hair up every night. While in the salon, you want to make sure your stylist is using hydrating shampoos and conditioners. The foundation is the key,” said Waller.

Using moisture-based products before blow drying will help to lock the moisture deep into the hair

“Let’s grow the conditions of thriving for Black folks,” Hood said adding that she’s been having the same stuck conversations and she’s ready for something new. “Having conversations about Black people thriving raises the energy.”

Inside look into the Studio. shaft. When adding moisture to the hair, some make the mistake of using excessive oil which can weigh hair and styles down. Contrary to popular belief, oils are unable to add moisture to the hair, according to Waller.

“I actually prefer moisture creams over oils. The oil is going to be your sealant. Oil can never moisturize your hair, only lubricate,” said Waller.

Haircare professionals can help to maintain hair health, however for those who are not able to make it to their favorite stylist regularly, taking precautions at home can help maintain hair until the next salon trip.

“Every head of hair is different.

It really depends on your starting texture, density or porosity,” said Waller.

Foods to Boost Skin Health

By Megan Kirk

While we all know the age-old adage ‘Black don’t crack’ skin tips for melanated skin are different from that of other skin types. Black skin is able to absorb the sun without getting easily burned, yet may retain more oil. Luckily, there are foods that can help with elasticity, collagen and overall skin health.

For those looking for a brighter and more radiant skin tone, tightening up on food habits and dietary choices can be the first step to clear skin. Collagen is naturally produced by the body and helps in not only skin, but bone, cartilage and muscle. Aside from water, consuming these foods will help restore your skin’s natural glory.

1. Fruit lovers may have noticed citrus fruits are beneficial for the skin. Rich in vitamin C, consuming citrus fruits can help the body naturally produce more collagen. Vitamin C is also great for the immune system helping to fight viruses and germs. Lemons are especially good for the skin as they help to naturally lighten blemishes and darks marks on the skin. Be sure to dilute the lemon to avoid acidic burns to the skin.

2. Continuing with producing vitamin C, berries are a great component to add to the diet to improve skin health. If blackberries are your thing, just one cup provides half of the recommended amount of daily vitamin C. With several options in the berry family, mixing options to create an assorted salad can add variety.

3. Since collagen is a type of protein, foods rich in protein can ultimately lead to the additional production of collagen. One food that is known for its rich protein content is eggs.

Focusing on the whites of the eggs, amino acids are abundant and are essential tools to producing collagen. Omelets and scrambles are a great way to combine multiple collagen-building foods for consumption.

4. For this next food, while the benefits may be worth it, it can cause an upset tummy. Beans are rich in protein and amino acids, but are also very good for skin health. Beans are a great way to boost collagen production as the body is able to use and combine proteins from multiple sources to produce collagen. By providing the body with an energy source, proteins are able to be used to give a kick to collagen production. Keratin, a protein for healthy hair, can also be aided with amino acids.

5. Zinc is another way to help the body build collagen. A diet rich in nuts is a great source of zinc. There is no limit to the type of nut, so grab a pack of your favorites and turn them into a trail mix snack complete with dried berries and citrus fruits to really pack a punch.

6. Fish and other seafood are essential to brain health.

Omega-3s are vital to many aspects of overall health but also help protect skin membranes. While this may not directly help in the production of collagen, seafood and skin health are a perfect pair as fish and other shellfish are a great source of fatty acids. This helps skin retain its youthful appearance. It also helps skin maintain its elasticity and its bounce.

7. T omatoes are another major source of vitamin C. While considered a part of the fruit family, tomatoes are sometimes labeled as a vegetable. No matter its distinction, tomatoes are full of the antioxidant lycopene. This antioxidant provides the body with benefits including promoting good oral health, bone health and balancing blood pressure.

8. Salad eaters can rejoice if they are looking to give their skin a natural glow. Spinach, lettuce, romaine and any other leafy green have everything needed for the body to build collagen. Considered a superfood, leafy greens can also help in digestion, weight loss, and providing the body with a high dosage of daily vitamin nutrition.

Model shows off Bad Bunni Life hoodie.

Bad Bunni Life From page B-1

Soon, Elliott would feel something she had notedly never felt: freedom. The emergence of Bad Bunni Life was the culmination of acceptance, healing and a reclamation of sexual liberty.

“Bad Bunni was playing around in my head after I went out with friends in a mask and a wig on Halloween where nobody knew me and I got to just be myself. I got to dance and be crazy and be silly.

I didn’t do anything crazy like that, but it was the first sense of freedom I’ve ever had,” said Elliott.

Bad Bunni Life helps to bring awareness to sexual abuse while also fostering a positive shift towards healing. Featuring a line of CBD products for use during adult pleasures as well as fashion merchandise like hoodies and jackets, the lifestyle brand is hoping to teach women an alternative way to counter the trauma.

“The whole Bad Bunni brand is so much more than CBD products for sex. It’s more than just talking about sex, period. It’s about sexual trauma to sexual freedom and putting things on your body that feel good, that make you look good,” said Elliott.

Adding breast cancer survivor to her resume, Elliott aspired to be more than what her beauty beheld.

“Whenever people talk about the way I look, I always say ‘how I look is the least interesting thing about me.’ It’s the least amount of contribution I’ve made in the world,” said Elliott.

A mission for Bad Bunni Life is re-establishing enjoyment in sex despite the abuse. Moreover, it is a declaration of power and femininity. The movement is for all women across the spectrum to feel safe in their bodies.

“I want to leave a legacy where women and girls are okay with being themselves regardless of what happened to them. Bad Bunni Life, our mission is that regardless of what sexual trauma you’ve suffered, you get to enjoy sex,” said Elliott. “There’s freedom in sex that’s not in anything else. When your sexual being is whole, the rest of your life kind of falls in line.”

Dec. 29, 2021 - Jan. 4, 2022 • michiganchronicle.com •

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Dec. 29, 2021 - Jan. 4, 2022

Change the Narrative, Change Your Life

By Sherri Kolade Are you happy with where you are in life? If the answer is no, what are you doing to change the trajectory of your own story?

“Every little victory counts,” someone once said.

Which victory is yours today?

Psychology Today reports that to change your story to live a happy life requires some fundamentally radical aspects of thought-pattern changes that begin with you: To change one’s life, one should first start with realizing who they are and what they are.

Then, dive deeper beyond the superficial, and “the stories about yourself that others have told you,” and connect with your own story.

Then, start to rewrite your story through “narrative reconstruction.”

“The crafting of one’s personal narrative provides individuals the sense that their lives possess some degree of unity and purpose,” according to The Narrative Reconstruction of Psychotherapy.

Psychology Today reported that many people don’t have proper boundaries of themselves to know where their responsibilities begin and end, which can, at times, be very difficult as arguments, interactions or conflict arise and they feel stuck in their ways of overreacting or not acting at all.

The mental health publication suggests answering simple questions: what are you beyond your

biological makeup and who are you beyond your name?

“You may view yourself as a person who is good-looking, outgoing, confident, charming and successful. This would be an answer to ‘who’ you are. But these are just ideas and stories that you have learned to tell yourself,” according to the article, which added that, on the flip side, others might feel unattractive, a loner, too emotional or too angry.

These descriptions are part of who individuals are but not the whole story.

“These stories, or narratives, are likely to be ones that you have told yourself for so long that they become automatic, unchallenged and just matters of fact. But the story is not you. It is the recounting of an experience, the meaning you derived from it, and how you think it relates to other people and the world,” according to the article. “But depending on how you answered the ‘what’ question, your core remains pure and intact.”

As the article suggested, a person is shaped through a story, a narrative surrounding their life and from programming starting in early childhood.

Parents, not surprisingly enough, help shape that narrative teaching children the ways of the world, which could be interpreted as safe or scary.

“This early programming formed the base of your personality,” according to the article.

Around middle childhood, individuals then steer

the ship a bit more and begin writing their own story; during teenage years, the youth quickly decide what is not for them as music and style choices.

Into adulthood, people, seemingly stuck in their ways, feel that they cannot change who they are as a person – but not so fast.

Through narrative reconstruction people can begin to do the work which looks like: 1. Recover (remember or reassemble) the story that your people (and the world) gave you in childhood. a. Write out a timeline with key events and memories that stand out to you chronologically. b. Take a look back at core beliefs of “who you are and what experiences related to your life mean.” c. Imagine talking with yourself when you were a child and give the child another way of interpreting events and the related core beliefs put into you then.

2. Do not give your story over to others and “let there be more weight of your own story of who you are.”

3. Develop and write a personal moral code, for example: “I am rigorously honest even when it hurts me. I stand up in appropriate ways for the rights of people [including me]. I am bold and determined.”

Begin to write your own story today.

Get Out of Your

Own Way

By Sherri Kolade

on a personal level of awareness, according to the article.

Self-sabotage.

“An example of conscious self-sabotage is deciding to eat cake, despite a goal to eat healthy,” Wilson said. “Unconscious self-sabotage happens when a personal goal or value has been undermined but not initially recognized. Someone with a fear of failure might wait until the last minute to work on an important project, unconsciously avoiding the prospect of advancement.”

What is it and why do some people undermine their own success? Is it fear of failure or nervous of self-fulfilling prophecies yet to be fulfilled?

According to positivepsychology.com, author Christina R. Wilson said in an article that self-sabotaging and delaying potential success is a common human trait that has occurred since back in the day – way back in the day; think Babylonian times.

24 Self-sabotage behaviors

Since during that era, people have attempted to make goals – and keep them -- but have failed time and time again. As many know, New Year’s resolutions are set, but not necessarily kept. Annually, by the beginning of February, around 80% of new goals have been abandoned, according to the article. Although putting a goal on the back burner, or completely leaving it alone altogether, when doing this on a consistent basis it can become a negative pattern with bad results.

People from all walks of life sabotage themselves by letting negative thoughts spiral out of control, and this is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg (Berg, 2015).

“Chronic self-sabotage can lead to destructive outcomes in our personal and professional lives,” Wilson said, adding that pretty much everyone experiences some form or another self-sabotage.

“Self-sabotage is more prevalent than we realize.

Abraham Lincoln, Fred Rogers, Michelangelo, John F. Kennedy, and George Washington all experienced some aspect of self-sabotage before they made history.”

Some mindless distractions include binge watching TV, surfing the internet, scrolling through social media, video game obsession, and internet shopping.

Self-Sabotage is when people “deliberately hinder” their own success and wellbeing by “undermining personal goals and values. But why? It stems from negative mindsets, according to the article.

Avoiding behaviors keep us stuck in negative and self-destructive cycles. Common avoiding behaviors include procrastination, chronic tardiness, giving up when things get rough, and lack of assertiveness.

Self-sabotage (also described as behavioral dysregulation) can be conscious or unconscious based

Rational fears are essential for safety and perpetuation. However, when fears become imbalanced,

Self-sabotage is rooted in counterproductive mindsets including negativity, disorganization, indecisiveness, and negative self-talk. Perfectionism and imposter syndrome are also forms of self-sabotage.

An insidious and ubiquitous form of self-sabotage is mindless distractions that prohibit goal attainment.

Besides counterproductive mindsets, we engage in counterproductive or destructive behaviors. Some common behaviors include overeating, excessive drinking or drug abuse, pornography, smoking, gambling, self-injury, and overspending.

they hold us back from progress in careers and personal life. Some common ungrounded fears include fearing commitment, the unknown, change, failure, and losing control.

Other forms of self-sabotage can be because of some factors including: 1. Approach–avoidance conflict includes setting goals and avoiding the goals -- a perceived threat-- to reduce potential problems.

2. Modeling Self-sabotaging incidents could stem from childhood ideas and patterns (like a parent who lacked confidence to achieve greater). The parent who also tells their child to always be careful while playing might cause the child to think that the world is not safe and risks should not be be taken.

3. Adaptive to maladaptive behaviors “We adopt behaviors that are initially considered adaptive for surviving challenges; however, behaviors can become maladaptive when they continue long after the challenge has passed,” Wilson said.

Self-limiting beliefs and insecurities are also common traits for people who result to self-sabotage.

“Insecurity originates from the inner critic that tells us we can’t accomplish a certain task or aren’t good enough,” she said. “These remnants of the past deplete our self-confidence and compel us to create dysfunctional habits that serve to protect us from the pain of failure.”

Wilson added that people repeat self-sabotage because of potential subconscious factors.

“Simply put, what gets rewarded gets repeated.

Sabotage fills a need or void of some kind. To stop the cycle of destructive behavior, we need to discover the void and learn new behaviors,” Wilson said.

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coordinating procedural business or service activities for a complex program area involving2col. processing, x 4.75 implementing, advising on, and reporting specialized subject matter. Minimum Qualifications: High school graduation or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Four years progressively responsible office experience, including direct experience in office coordination, i.e., prioritizing work assignments, maintaining work flow to meet deadlines. This is a full time, clerical-technical position. Salary is $43,718.00 annually.

See online posting for additional position requirements. First consideration will be given to those who apply by March 23, 2020.

Must apply online to: https://jobs.oakland.edu

buildings. The individual, with direct electrical and plumbing installations and RTM’s Michigan Chronicle. The ideal candidate should be a selfsupervision from PlantofMaintenance, will and specified framework procedures have ability to perform repairs on these starter to champion our advertising and sponsorship offerings to be called upon to perform painting tasks, systems. Competence to repair equipmentregulations, to serve as an information-agencies and brands in the Detroit area and have a minimum of and other duties as assigned. Minimum in a professional manner. Ability to read, 5 years of successful media related sales.

Qualifications: Bonafide journeyman’s card understand, interpret, and follow blueal source within the clinic in addition A background in digital and/or print advertising, premium event in the painting trades and proof of 6 years prints, sketches, job specifications, layoutto maintaining the role as a medical of full-time job related experience dealing sponsorships, or cross-platform media sales strongly preferred. piping, directions, safety labels, equipment assistant in the Minimum Qual-The Ideal candidate has worked preferably in the Detroit market specifically with clinic. commercial/institutional manuals, etc. is required. Aptitude and painting. Demonstrated working knowledge skills necessary to operate a personalifications: High School graduation or– and is familiar with the required dedication for fast paced/ of surface preparation, paint application, computer is also needed. Applicant mustan equivalent combination of educa-multi-tasking duties and thrives on providing effective marketing equipment usage and proper clean up. solutions for clients. be available to work weekends, holidays Experience and working knowledge of spray exexperience.

Three years’ and evening shifts as needed and respondtion and * The Integrated Marketing Representative works closely within a equipment (airless & pressure), latex and to emergency calls. Applicant must haveperience as paints, a medical assistant oil based epoxy application, and or insmall team and reports directly to the General Sales Manager. the physical ability to perform the full range speckled (Zolotonefield type) paint related withapplication. experience* Integrated Marketing Representative - Job Responsibilities: of proposed job duties and capability toa directly Ability to paint in a professional manner.

• Sells and understands all facets of media products and services tolerate high levels of heat and noise. Thisin medical clerical functions.

Ability tooffice clean & make minor repairs Exbeing offered individual must be able to work without in equipment.

Ability to work without in venipuncture and obtain-• Approaches potential clients through new leads, cold calls, supervision. Candidate must communicateperience supervision. Ability to use and work on effectively with supervisor, students, staff,ing basic patient information existing relationships, promotional events, or other means scaffolding and ladders.

Ability to including wear/ faculty and visitors. A Valid Michigan vehicle use pressure, appropriate safety equipment. Valid • Details pricing and negotiates costs when necessary blood electrocardiograph operator’s license and a driving record Michigan vehicle operator’s license, and a • Travels to see clients, and/or participate in industry events or acceptable to the university are required.measurements and urine specimens. driving record acceptable for coverage by trainings See online posting for additional position the university insurance carrier.

Successful a part-time clerical-technical po-• Deliver a skilled sales pitch to potential/existing clients, to secure requirements. Salary is $33.40 per hourThis is verification of above requirements through after 90 days/$29.69 per hour probationary.sition, working reference checks.Monday-Friday, See online posting for10:00 the sale Oakland University offers an excellent additional position requirements.

Salary a.m. – 5:00 p.m., 30 hours per week.• Trains in various sales tactics and approaches approved by the benefit program including a comprehensive is $29.67 per hour after 90 days/$26.38 company is $30,973.00 annually. medical plan with low contribution amountsSalary per hour probationary. Oakland University See • Explains the benefits and potential audience of specific media for our employees, dental and vision plansonline offersposting an excellent benefit programposifor additional offerings to potential clients at no cost for our employees, generous including a comprehensive medical plan tion requirements.

Must online• Facilitates successful sales by collecting client information and paid time off, University contributions to with low contribution amountsapply for our our 403(b) retirement plan after eligibilityto: https://jobs.oakland.edu providing order information to the company employees, dental and vision plans at no is met, tuition assistance for employees cost for our employees, generous paid • Adds notes to records for each client call or meeting and dependents after eligibility is met, time off, University contributions to our • Maintains excellent relationships with all clients in the executive’s free access to our Campus Recreation 403(b) retirement plan after eligibility is portfolio Center and workout facilities, and flexible met, tuition assistance for employees • Meets clients outside of normal business hours when necessary work schedules and wellness programs. and dependents after eligibility is met, These are current benefit levels subject free access to our Campus Recreation We offer a competitive benefits package which includes to future changes. Must apply on line to: Center and workout facilities, and flexible commission, health, dental, paid vacation, and personal https://jobs.oakland.edu. work schedules and wellness programs. time as well as a 401K. These are current benefit levels subject Candidates should send resumes to to future changes. Must apply on line to: https://jobs.oakland.edu. careers@realtimesmedia.com

2col. x 4.75

2col. x 4.75

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5 Easy Ways to Enhance

Digestive Health

(Family Features) As your social schedule picks up steam and you attend more social gatherings and celebrations, you may find yourself with an unexpected issue: digestive troubles. Problems like this can have a negative impact on your overall wellness, so it’s important to make healthy digestion a priority.

According to Ayurveda, the ancient Indian science of how to live long and be healthy, the health of the digestive system is the core of optimum health.

Ayurvedic medicine asserts the digestive system is based on the strength and balance of its Agni (fire), which enables the body to absorb, digest and assimilate food. The teachings suggest an imbalanced Agni creates undigested residues, which form toxins that create imbalances and can lead to disease.

Some of the dietary guidelines for healthy digestion and strong Agni include: • Allowing 4-6 hours between meals • Avoiding eating between meals • Avoiding foods with cold, wet and heavy qualities • Drinking ginger tea or hot water to stimulate the Agni • Starting a meal with pungent (hot), sour and salty flavors • Consuming a small amount of bitter taste before a meal to increase the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach Take steps to protect and nurture your digestive health with these tips: Add Fiber to Your Diet Plant-based foods that are high in fiber fill you up faster, so you’re less likely to overeat, and they also help with digestive regularity. Increase your intake of high-fiber foods like fruits, vegetables, whole

grains, beans, lentils, nuts and seeds. Take a gradual approach to avoid upsetting your digestive tract and bump up your water intake as you go since fiber will absorb it and decrease the likelihood you experience gas or cramping.

Stay Hydrated Keeping your body well hydrated is like making sure your car’s engine is well lubricated. It keeps all your moving parts in sync and operating for top performance. Some fluids can also help with detoxification, which can be especially beneficial when your social calendar is full and your opportunities to overindulge are greater.

An option like Buddha Teas’ Detox Dharma contains detoxifying herbs that stimulate your digestive system. Strengthening and soothing herbs are also incorporated into this balanced formula resulting in an effective yet gentle detox tea. For another solution, Turmeric Ginger Tea contains enough black pepper to make curcumin (the active ingredient in turmeric) bio-available in hot water, helping build healthy Agni.

your body more time to process food. You’ll give your brain more time to communicate with your stomach and be more aware of when you’ve satisfied your hunger.

Start Exercising If you need one more reason to get moving, your digestive health could be it. Regular physical activity promotes better digestion. However, if you jump into a workout too quickly after eating, you could actually do the opposite. Eat light before exercising then have a protein-rich balanced meal for recovery afterward.

Manage Stress

Eat Slower

Too much stress can manifest multiple physical problems, including interrupting your digestion.

Try mindful meditation or another method of relaxing and relieving stress. Getting plenty of rest can also help keep stress in check. If you’re looking for a good night of sleep, consider Buddha Teas’ CBD Sleepy Buddha Blend. Herbs for calming and relieving stress are paired with organic, water-soluble, THC-free CBD to leave you feeling restored and rejuvenated.

In today’s busy world, it’s easy to scarf down a meal in record time. However, slowing down gives

Find more solutions for enhancing your digestive health at buddhateas.com.

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