Metro Times 04/16/2024

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Duggan blames I-94 sign disappointment on expectations set by unofficial Instagram post

Social media has been abuzz over a new welcome sign for Detroit erected on I-94 ahead of the NFL Draft, with lots of people claiming the finished product falls short of the grand “Hollywood”-style sign they were promised.

Even Mayor Mike Duggan admitted he was confused over what to expect, answering a question about the sign during a Thursday press conference about the NFL Draft.

“I gotta go over and take a look at it myself and experience it driving on 94,” Duggan said with a chuckle.

Duggan said the project was dreamed up by Brad Dick, the city’s “tremendously ambitious general services director.”

“He said, ‘I want to do something besides the boring Welcome to Detroit signs. I want to do this,’” Duggan recalled. “I said, ‘Sure, Brad. I’m more interested in you getting the trash up off the freeway.’”

The mayor said he didn’t really pay attention to the project until about a month ago when he saw what appeared to be a rendering of the sign on

social media.

“I saw a post on Instagram of a spectacular Hollywood sign and I called Brad and I said, ‘That’s terrific! I had no idea you were thinking that big,’” Duggan said. “He says, ‘That’s a fake post. Some guy on Instagram just made it up. That’s not our plan.’ I said, ‘Brad, you got a problem. People are gonna think the fake post is the real Detroit sign.’ He says, ‘No, no, you don’t really understand social media. People don’t confuse fake posts with real life.’”

Of course, people confuse fake posts on social media with reality all the time — a problem that is likely to only get worse with the rise of AI-generated images and “deepfake” technology.

Duggan said other officials were also fooled, adding that on Wednesday, he got an email from a procurement director in New Jersey who “[demanded] I fire the procurement staff because they didn’t get delivered the sign that we ordered.”

“They’re circulating the fake post under what we got and claiming that the city of Detroit didn’t deliver what

we promised,” Duggan said. “I guess Brad will learn something about being ambitious and trying to do something special, but I applaud the ambition of doing something a cut above the boring side,” Duggan added. “And I think if he hadn’t been judged against that extraordinary artist on Instagram, he’d have done fine.”

A number of unofficial renderings of a “Hollywood”-style sign began circulating on social media shortly after the project was reported in February, with one image showing big, blocky white letters towering over I-94. It’s unclear who is behind it, but it appears to have been created using generative artificial intelligence, which can create realistic images based on text prompts. Such images have flooded social media in recent months as the technology has developed and become more widely available.

While amusing, this whole ordeal is a warning that people will need to be ever vigilant in safeguarding against “fake news” and misinformation in the social media age. Stay woke! —Lee DeVito

Wayne County treasurer rejects moratorium on foreclosures

Wayne County Treasurer

Eric Sabree is defying demands to impose a moratorium on owner-occupied home foreclosures after a study suggested the city is illegally overtaxing houses worth less than $35,000.

In a statement to Metro Times on Thursday, Sabree said he will not pause foreclosures amid calls from the Detroit City Council and activists to do so.

“This year, the number of foreclosed properties is notably lower compared to previous years,” Sabree said. “This decline can be attributed to homeowners being given time to catch up over the past 4 years, alongside increased availability of assistance programs and community outreach in the Wayne County Treasurer’s Office.”

Last month, Detroit City Council unanimously passed a resolution calling on the treasurer to stop owner-occupied foreclosures on houses valued at less

A new “Hollywood”-style sign erected on I-94 ahead of the NFL Draft in Detroit has been the subject of plenty of social media chatter. CITY OF DETROIT, FLICKR CREATIVE COMMONS

than $30,000 because illegally overassessed property values would likely force many lower-income residents out of their homes.

According to a study by the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy, the city of Detroit is cheating lower-income residents by illegally and disproportionately overtaxing homes worth less than $35,000. By contrast, owners of the highest value homes in Detroit are far less likely to be overtaxed.

The study found that Detroit overassessed the value of 72% of the homes worth less than $34,700. A vast majority of the homes worth more than $35,000 were not overassessed, according to the study.

Activists for the Coalition for Property Tax Justice, a group that advocates for homeowners in Detroit, championed the call for a moratorium, saying the city “systematically overassessed” the lowest value homes.

Bernadette Atuahene, a property law scholar who has studied Detroit’s property tax foreclosure crisis, said Sabree’s failure to impose a moratorium will unfairly cost residents their homes.

“Treasurer Sabree is ignoring the demands of the City Council to cruelly foreclose on the homes of Detroiters who may be in foreclosure due to illegally inflated property taxes,” Atuahene told Metro Times in a statement. “The power of the County to take someone’s home is an enormous responsibility and should be wielded with extreme

caution. However, Treasurer Sabree has chosen to recklessly foreclose on hundreds of homes valued under $34,700 — a decision that is morally, economically, and legally irresponsible.”

The coalition has been behind a separate push to compensate an untold number of Detroit homeowners who were overtaxed for their homes more than a decade ago. Between 2010 and 2016, the city of Detroit overtaxed homeowners by at least $600 million.

The Michigan Constitution prohibits property from being assessed at more than 50% of its market value. Between 2010 and 2016, the city assessed properties at as much as 85% of their market value.

In his statement, Sabree said his office supports removing some homes from the list of foreclosures, but not because of the study.

“Some homeowners who face extreme financial hardships may be offered an opportunity to apply for City of Detroit exemption and property tax assistance and may be considered for foreclosure removal — we are requesting this through the courts,” he said.

The city council also called on Mayor Mike Duggan’s administration to reduce property taxes for low-value homes because of the study’s findings. But the city’s assessor, Alvin Horhn, called the University of Chicago study “utter nonsense” and “politically driven.”

Metro Times couldn’t reach council President Mary Sheffield for comment.

—Steve Neavling

Tattoo artist found not guilty of sexual misconduct

On Friday, a jury found metro Detroit tattoo artist Alex Boyko not guilty of three counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct after dozens of women in 2018 accused him sexual harassment or assault.

Witnesses who said that Boyko inappropriately touched them testified in the trial, detailing their encounters with the artist as his clients during tattoo appointments.

On Thursday, prosecutors said the people accusing Boyko were “looking for accountability,” while his lawyer called it “a smear campaign.”

Boyko was the subject of a 2018 Jezebel article about the tattoo industry’s #MeToo movement.

Boyko, 26, of Livonia, was arrested in Wayne County on a warrant for three counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct, charges that carry a maximum penalty of two years. The victim was identified as a 24-year-old woman from Redford Township who alleged “inappropriate sexual contact” from April to June 2015, according to a press release from the Wayne County assistant prosecutor.

Jezebel spoke to seven of Boyko’s accusers, who alleged the artist inappropriately touched, harassed, or assaulted them. He was also accused of allegedly soliciting nude photos under the guise of using them to draw tattoo outlines and sending unsolicited nude photos of himself.

Public defender sues judges for alleged bias against lowerincome people

A young public defender claims in a federal lawsuit that she was pushed out of her job at 35th District Court in Plymouth for passionately fighting on behalf of her lower-income clients.

Sundus K. Jaber filed a whistleblower lawsuit in U.S. District Court in late March, claiming she was prevented from representing indigent defendants in criminal cases in Judge James Plakas’s courtroom in retaliation for vigorously defending her clients.

Jaber, a Muslim who wears a hijab, says she was mistreated and harassed by judges and their staff at the expense of her clients.

On her first day as a public defender, Judge Ronald Lowe advised Jaber that she would be removed if she fights too much on behalf of her clients, saying she “needs to understand that 95% of the people she will represent are guilty,” according to the lawsuit.

Lowe then said, “If you contest more than 5% of cases, we will boot you out of here,” the suit alleges.

Lowe’s alleged remarks fly in the face of the 6th Amendment, which entitles criminal defendants to “effective assistance of counsel,” regardless of their income.

“The ability of a person charged in the criminal system to pay for counsel should not dictate whether they receive constitutionally-sound representation that is free from interference by the judiciary,” the lawsuit states.

Jaber, who became a licensed attorney in 2020, says the experience has been eye-opening and disheartening, but she won’t be deterred.

“It is hard to be a young lawyer trying to build her skills and reputation, and realizing how much power a judge has to influence your career and standing in the legal community,” Jaber tells Metro Times. “It has been difficult to stay working under these conditions and worry about whether my belief in providing a vigorous defense will hurt my career. But I know I’m doing the right thing.”

Numerous studies nationwide have shown that public defenders grapple with overwhelming caseloads, hindering their ability to offer adequate legal support to individuals charged with crimes.

Jaber filed her complaints with the Regional Managed Assigned Counsel Office (RMACO), which is a nonprofit that assigns public defenders to district courts in Wayne County. According to the suit, RMACO Director Teresa Patton, who originally recruited Jaber to serve as one of the two lead public defenders for the 35th District Court, didn’t take her complaints seriously and refused to meet with Jaber after she retained counsel.

On Feb. 13, Patton notified Jaber that she could only represent indigent clients in front of Judge Michael J. Gerou, one of three judges for the 35th District Court. The move cut “her workload and thus her income by half,” the lawsuit states.

Patton warned Jaber that if she filed a lawsuit over the issue, she would be removed entirely from the court system. The lawsuit alleges the judges and RMACO violated her First Amendment Rights, the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, and the Michigan Whistleblower Protection Act.

Jaber says her experience demonstrates the systematic mistreatment of indigent defendants at 35th District Court, which has a reputation among criminal defense attorneys of being unfair to defendants, especially those who cannot afford to hire their own attorneys.

“Wayne County has a difficult time recruiting a criminal defense attorney to accept appointments for indigent defendants at the 35th District Court because of the Court’s reputation among the bar as being generally inhospitable to public defenders who vigorously defend cases and generally allowing its staff to be extremely and inappropriately hostile,” the suit alleges.

Four defense attorneys told Metro Times on condition of anonymity that they try to avoid the 35 District Court because their clients often receive unfair treatment.

In 2023, Metro Times reported that Boyko was continuing to work in the Detroit area under the alias “Lee Knows How” and making light of the allegations against him in social media posts.

—Layla McMurtrie

After Jaber launched complaints that her indigent defendants were mistreated at the hands of Plakas, Lowe, and court staff, the judges asked for her removal.

“It is hard enough to be a defendant in this justice system, and I always wonder if you can ever get a fair shake,” Jaber says. “When a court and its personnel treat people like this, I know it makes defendants lose hope and faith that the outcome is unfair. Defendants represented by someone who won’t put the work into their defense can face potential life-changing consequences with longer loss of liberty or more seri-

City Winery aims for 2025 opening

Michigan’s first City Winery location is still headed to Corktown, the live music chain’s founder and CEO Michael Dorf tells Metro Times — but he says inflation and high interest rates have delayed the project.

“If I had — and this is a technical financing term — a shitload of money, I would start faster,” he says with a laugh. “But I don’t.”

Budgets are tight for many these days, even a national live music company that has, as Dorf describes, “become the largest independent music chain in the country, which is kind of cool.”

He adds, “But we’re still an entrepreneurial, independent company, without deep pockets.”

Originally from Milwaukee, at 23 years old Dorf founded the Knitting Factory nightclub in New York City in 1986. In 2008 he followed that up with the first City Winery in Manhattan, explaining that he picked a genericsounding name with eyes on creating a chain that could work in other markets. He opened a second location in Chicago in 2012, followed by Nashville in 2014, and Atlanta in 2015. Now, there are 13 City Winery locations with more on the way; Dorf says he’s also looking into expanding to Toronto and Columbus.

The chain has found a niche in creating intimate concert experiences that seat around 300 attendees at cocktail tables, with a focus on singer-songwriters. “We’re being very consistent and deliberate with the size of our spaces,” Dorf says, adding, “You have the two 900-pound gorillas of Live Nation and

AEG. They go from about 1,000-capacity venues to the biggest arenas and stadiums, and then they have everything in between. So 300 really is a number that I like, because it’s below their radar.”

The dinner-and-a-show model is good for working people, he says, who might not have time to eat before or after a concert.

“At eight o’clock, you can have a great meal and the whole food and beverage and entertainment experience in one in one setting,” he says. “That is a real value for people.”

The model also allows one artist to do multi-night runs instead of having to scramble to the next city. It all ties into City Winery’s approach to live music which creates a better experience for both the artists and their fans, Dorf

Detroit Jazz Festival announces initial 2024 lineup

The Detroit Jazz Festival, dubbed the “world’s largest (and best) free jazz festival,” is returning to downtown Detroit from Aug. 30-Sept 2. The renowned Labor Day weekend celebration recently announced a partial lineup for this year during a recent livestream event.

“This year’s lineup reflects a very dynamic and eclectic combination of next-generation and legacy jazz musicians who reflect the diverse tapestry of jazz and its evolutions,” Chris Collins, president and artistic director of the

Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation, said in a press release. “We look forward to their energy and craftsmanship on our stages and seeing our faithful jazz fans in downtown Detroit on Labor Day weekend.”

The festival will take place in person at Hart Plaza and Campus Martius Park with a livestream option.

Initial acts include 2024 artist-inresidence Brian Blade, Billy Childs Quartet, Cameron Graves, Carmen Lundy, Charlie Sepulveda & The Turnaround Plus Special Guest, Chief

says.

“We’re creating a luxury concert experience where hospitality is really important,” he says. “We serve wine and cocktails in real glassware, not plastic cups. We’re just creating a better time for everybody.”

And yes, Dorf is well aware of the risks of mixing live music and glassware.

“We break a lot of glasses, disproportionate to our size of restaurants,” he says, adding, “Unlike most places, we can measure the success musically based on how much broken glass we have.”

In 2022, Crain’s Detroit Business reported that City Winery purchased a property south of Michigan Central Station for an estimated $2.343 million. Dorf says the planned Detroit City

Winery location will be new construction with no obstructed views of the stage.

A new rendering Dorf shared with Metro Times shows a stunning rooftop view of Michigan Central Station, which Ford Motor Co. has rehabbed for its new offices after the hulking ruin sat abandoned since the last train departed in 1988.

“You’re going to have the most beautiful shot of the old train station, which, to me, is maybe the single most iconic gesture or symbol of the rebirth of Detroit,” Dorf says, adding, “I love the property we bought and love the opportunity there. I’m excited about the market. I think it’s going to be a fantastic fit for City Winery and what we offer.”

—Lee DeVito

Adjuah (formerly Christian Scott), Christian McBride, Ghost-Note, Isaiah J. Thompson Quartet, James “Blood” Ulmer Music Revelation Ensemble, Joshua Redman Group, Kyle Eastwood, Marquis Hill, Melanie Charles, Mimi Fox Organ Trio, Monty Alexander DDay, Nate Smith, Pablo Ziegler Quintet, The Bad Plus, The Vibraphone Summit, and the Zig Zag Power Trio.

A day-by-day schedule of the lineup and more performers will be announced closer to the date of the festival. Information on VIP passes, artist submissions, sponsorship opportunities, and more can be found at detroitjazzfest.org.

The livestream event preview

included performances from 2024 Artist-In-Residence Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band, as well as the OneWorld Jazz Orchestra, a collaboration between the Berklee Global Jazz Institute and Wayne State University’s Jazz Program. The evening also featured a sneak peek at the new Gretchen C. Valade Jazz Center, scheduled to open to the public at Wayne State’s campus in the fall.

Valade has been a major sponsor of the Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation since 2005, supporting the organization’s year-long programming that highlights Detroit’s rich history of jazz music, anchored by the annual festival.

—Layla McMurtrie

A rendering of Detroit’s City Winery music venue shows a stunning view of Michigan Central Station COURTESY OF CITY WINERY

NEWS & VIEWS

Lapointe

Rashida Tlaib now has a Fox stalker

By Joe Lapointe

Along with verbal abuse locally over Detroit radio station WJR (760-AM), U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib now must endure her own national media stalker in the halls of Congress.

She is Hillary Vaughn of Fox Business Network who likes to chase Tlaib to ask questions that would seem to be none of her Fox Business Network’s business.

“Do you condemn chants of ‘Death to America?’” Vaughn asked last week, a rhetorical “gotcha” question designed to inflame.

“I don’t talk to Fox News,” Tlaib said. “Using racist tropes about my community is what Fox News is about and I don’t talk to Fox News.”

Tlaib is the only Palestinian-American in Congress. Her district (the Michigan 12th) covers part of Detroit’s west side and some of its western and northern suburbs. It includes many Muslims and people of Arabic descent.

In Dearborn recently, a few hecklers chanted “Death to America,” briefly interrupting a speaker at a rally. Vaughn seemed to demand an apology and a condemnation.

“Why are you afraid to talk to Fox News?” Vaughn said as Tlaib waited for an elevator. “Is chanting ‘Death to America’ racist?”

“Talk about you guys’ racist tropes,” Tlaib said. “You guys know exactly what you do. You guys are Islamaphobic.”

On October 7, Hamas in Gaza launched an attack into Israel that killed 1,200 people. Since then, Palestinians say Israel’s response against Hamas has killed more than 30,000 Palestinians, not all of them Hamas combatants.

In her October stalking of Tlaib, Vaughn said Hamas burned children alive and raped women in the streets and chopped off the heads of babies and demanded Tlaib respond. Then she conflated the terrorists with the entire Palestinian population, another rightwing, talking-point trick.

“Congresswoman, why do you have the Palestinian flag outside your office if you do not condone what Hamas terrorists have done to Israel?” Vaughn said. “Do Israeli lives not

matter to you?”

Closer to home, Tlaib frequently receives rude treatment on WJR radio, particularly from nationally syndicated screecher Mark Levin, who shouts and growls for three hours most weeknights. He has called Tlaib a “pig,” among other things, and frequently refers to Dearborn as “Dearborn-istan.”

In addition, local WJR morning host Tom Jordan has said that Tlaib “probably” supports multiple terror groups in the Middle East. “She is a staunch opponent of Israel,” Jordan said in October, adding ominously: “She should be gone.”

Will the Crumbley cases prove historically signifi-

cant?

History books of future centuries may view the sentencing of the Crumbley parents last week in Oakland County as a pivotal turning point for common-sense gun safety law enforcement in the gun-crazy United States.

Their son, Ethan, pleaded guilty

to murdering four fellow students and wounding seven other people at Oxford High School in November of 2021. He’s serving life in prison. His parents — James and Jennifer Crumbley — were convicted at trial of involuntary manslaughter.

Each will serve 10 to 15 years in prison because they failed to deal with their son’s homicidal warnings while allowing him access to a family gun they bought for what they thought would be good, family fun, something they could share.

It is the first time parents of a mass murderer in a school massacre have shared the legal blame. And it raises further questions like:

Does the gun store get any guilt for profiting from mass slaughter? What about the makers of hand-held murder machines that — when used as designed — kill innocent humans? The Crumbley precedent might give momentum to the gun-safety movement.

This, of course, assumes the Crumbley convictions withstand

appeal, however high that rises. No doubt, the American gun industry would challenge such a precedent before the U.S. Supreme Court, a zoo of kangaroos packed by former President Donald Trump.

This clique of religious fundamentalists — who voted “pro-life” in repealing the Constitutional right to abortion — might find “originalist” and “textualist” excuses to protect the greedy gun groomers and continue the carnage, as if this was what the Founding Fathers intended.

Michigan set template for abortion votes this November

Speaking of the abortion issue: Few people ever accuse former President Donald Trump of speaking too much truth. But he did so in 2016 when he first ran for the White House by vowing to abolish a woman’s right to choose abortion. His promise kept might bite him in the rear end.

When his right-wing appointees on the Supreme Court obeyed

U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib is the only Palestinian-American in Congress.

SHUTTERSTOCK

Trump in 2022, they took away a Constitutional right of nearly 50 years and delegated the volatile issue to each of the 50 states, thereby sparking bitter battles in courts, in legislatures, and in public debate.

The Court’s historic mistake has had a cascading effect in cases regarding in vitro fertilization, severe abortion limits, and even contraceptives sent through the mail. The issue may significantly boomerang against Trump and his red-hatted MAGAts.

In that Trump overplayed his hand on this issue, he spent last week double-talking with a forked tongue from both sides of his mouth. He tried to reassure his “evangelical” supporters that he is no baby-killer, at least not after 15 weeks or so of a fetus in the womb.

On the other hand, liberals and progressives find it hard to believe Trump’s vow not to sign a federal abortion ban if a Republican Congress were to send such a bill to his desk should he win a second term.

He might not have to worry about it if abortion brings more liberals and progressives to the polls this fall, the way it did two years ago in Michigan. This state set the template in 2022 when it immediately put on its ballot a state Constitutional amendment protecting abortion rights.

The amendment received 59% support and those liberal voters helped re-elect progressive Democrats like Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Attorney General Dana Nessel, and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. The blue team also took both houses of the state legislature.

With similar Constitutional amendments on the ballot in swing states like Florida and Arizona, even Sun Belt conservatives might be appalled by strict limits against abortion in these states and discretely fill in the blank for the pro-choice side.

With any luck, some might further take it out by voting against the large, loud, orange-faced, yellowhaired demagogue whose “right to life” promise became a double-edged sword, the appropriate metaphor when trying to cut a baby in half.

COVID and measles? Science as a matter of “choice”

With a perceptive essay in a recent issue of the New Yorker, Adam Gopnik reflected on the fourth anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic and how different people responded in conflicting ways to medical advice about stopping the spread of the fatal virus.

“People who wore masks and people who did not weren’t simply members of different clans,” Gopnik wrote. “The ones with masks were making a gesture toward social solidarity and signaling a reluctance to infect their neighbors; the ones without were affirming selfishness as a principle of conduct.”

That thought struck a chord again last week when an unvaccinated 4-year-old contracted the first known measles case in Detroit this year and the fifth in the state of Michigan.

Although measles is not a masking issue, it is a vaccination issue. The illness — once thought defeated — is reviving in part due to propaganda during the COVID-19 pandemic which cast doubt on almost all medical advice, including vaccinations. This spurred a backlash against science that lingers.

Last week, the Free Press reported: “In Michigan, immunization rates (for measles) have fallen to 66% among Michigan toddlers — the lowest point in more than a decade for recommended childhood immunization,” according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

This year’s cases are Michigan’s first since 2019, before the pandemic. Governed as we are in the Great Lakes State by mostly rational elected officials, we at least try to heed the medical science. Not so in places like Florida, a land of faith healing.

During a February measles outbreak at a South Florida school, the state’s surgeon general, Dr. Joseph Ladapo, sent a memo to parents granting them permission to send unvaccinated children to school. His department, he said, “is deferring to parents or guardians to make decisions.”

He is an appointee of Gov. Ron DeSantis, who turned vaccine and mask mandates during COVID into a divisive political issue. Ladapo’s predecessor — former Florida Surgeon General Scott Rivkees — responded that measles “is not a parental rights issue.”

In agreement with him was Rebekah Jones, a scientist removed from the Florida health department in 2020 in a dispute over COVID statistics.

“I think this is the predictable outcome of turning fringe, antivaccine rhetoric into a defining trait of the Florida government,” she said. Should Florida’s quackery go contagious over state borders, we’ll have to build a wall.

Michigan communities are raking in the benefits of legalized weed

BY STEVE NEAVLING

As cannabis sales continue to hit new highs in Michigan, communities that embraced legal weed are reaping the rewards with an influx of jobs, tax revenue, community benefits, and renovated buildings.

The cannabis industry has seen tremendous growth since the state’s first adult-use dispensaries opened in December 2019, with sales hitting unprecedented levels year after year.

In 2023, licensed dispensaries rang up a record $3.06 billion in sales, a 25% increase over 2022.

The surge in demand for legal weed has not only transformed the landscape of the state’s economy but also revitalized communities that have allowed recreational cannabis businesses to open.

One of the most significant impacts is the cascade of tax revenue from cannabis sales. With a 10% excise tax on recreational cannabis sales, hundreds of millions of dollars have gone to local governments, schools, and roads since 2020.

The state recently sent more than $87 million to 269 municipalities and counties as part of their share of excise taxes in 2023. That includes 99 cities, 69 townships, and 71 counties.

The communities and counties each receive more than $59,000 annually for every licensed cannabis dispensary and microbusiness located within their jurisdictions.

For cities that have embraced the industry, the revenue turned into a windfall.

The city of Detroit, which is bouncing back from bankruptcy, leads the state with the most adult-use dispensaries at

33. The state sent the city a $1.95 million check for excise taxes last month.

The predominantly Black city is taking a progressive and unique approach in how it spends the funds. While some cities are using the money to supplement their general fund budget, Detroit is planning to finance initiatives aimed at addressing “the negative impact resulting from disproportionate enforcement on Detroiters during the years cannabis was illegal,” says Kim James, director of the city’s Office of Marijuana Ventures.

Abundant studies have shown that marijuana prohibition has overwhelmingly targeted Black communities with stiff jail sentences and excessive fines. One of the most detrimental impacts of marijuana convictions is the loss of employment opportunities.

The city is focusing on using the money for business development opportunities for marginalized groups, entrepreneurial programs for young people, and housing development for people affected by prohibition.

In Hazel Park, which received more than $590,000 for 10 dispensaries last month, city officials say the influx in revenue prevented a cut in services. As recreational marijuana sales were becoming legal, the city’s pension bill was rapidly rising, like those in other communities. The city used the excise tax revenue to help meet its pension

With a 10% excise tax on cannabis sales, hundreds of millions of dollars have gone to local governments since 2020.

obligations.

“If we weren’t able to offset some of those increased costs from cannabis monies, we would have had to make cuts in services or pass those costs on to taxpayers,” Hazel Park city manager Edward Klobucher tells Metro Times. “It’s a huge benefit. It absolutely preserved services.”

With 26 dispensaries, Ann Arbor received $1.54 million in excise tax revenues last month. Lansing got $1.42 million with 24 dispensaries, and Grand Rapids received $1.36 million in 23 dispensaries.

In addition to new tax revenues, cities also have reached agreements with cannabis businesses to provide community benefits — a perk that no other industry provides.

In Detroit, the city launched the “Good Neighborhood Plan,” a benefits initiative that all adult-use licensees are required to take part in. The plan focuses on ensuring that cannabis businesses are supporting Detroiters by doing things like ensuring that at least 50% of their full-time staff is Detroit residents or have a prior controlled substances record, purchasing and displaying a Detroit-based resident-owned brand, donating to a Detroit-headquartered nonprofit organization, or helping fund the Homegrown Social Equity Fund, which is aimed at initiatives for people from communities that have been disproportionately impacted by marijuana prohibition.

So far, the city has raised more than $250,000 for the Homegrown Social Equity Fund to provide business grants to social equity cannabis entrepreneurs.

“Detroit has made sure that ownership of recreational dispensaries is diverse, but support for the social equity businesses is a continuing prior-

ity because the competition is intense, so we are invested in making sure these businesses can thrive,” James tells Metro Times

In Hazel Park, a city that is becoming increasingly popular among young professionals and families, dispensaries donate time and money for a variety of projects. One of the most popular is the Hazel Park Promise Zone, which provides college scholarships to all students who attend the city’s public school district. Cannabis businesses have become a major donor to this initiative.

“There is no reason for someone who goes to Hazel Park schools not to go to college when they are done with high school,” Klobucher says.

Dispensaries are also a major funding source for the Hazel Park Junior Vikings, a program that enhances recreational opportunities for students.

When a young girl was recently sick with cancer, cannabis businesses came through with “significant donations,” Klobucher says.

“They have been some of the best partners around,” Klobucher says of the cannabis businesses. “We hope to continue with their level of success. It’s good for the city of Hazel Park.”

In addition to providing new tax revenue and community benefit agreements, cannabis businesses are also occupying previously abandoned buildings, contributing to the elimination of blight.

“Once in a while we hear criticism in the community that the last thing we need is another dispensary,” Klobucher says. “When those dispensaries come in, they invariably occupy a vacant, often blighted building, or an underused building, and they have definitely helped to improve the appearance of the city.”

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Dispensaries, growers, and processing plants are also providing a lot of good-paying jobs.

STIIIZY, a popular cannabis brand with dispensaries in Ferndale, Kalamazoo, and Battle Creek, made headlines when it hired about 200 laid-off Burger King workers last year after a franchise owner closed 26 restaurants, mostly in metro Detroit. The workers started at $16 to $17 an hour at STIIIZY’s manufacturing facility in Orion Township, where the company makes a popular line of vape pods, infused blunts, and pre-rolls.

Those wages are typical at cannabis businesses.

“At STIIIZY, we mean it when we say we give to grow,” Daysi Garcia, social equity and impact specialist for STIIIZY, tells Metro Times. “That’s why, in 2023, STIIIZY partnered with five different Michigan nonprofits that serve communities disproportionately impacted by prohibition and enforcement. To date, we have committed $5,000 thus far, and these investments have extended to Kalamazoo and over eight counties in south Michigan.”

This month, STIIIZY hosted two virtual hiring events and interviewed more than 75 candidates on a single day.

The company, like many other cannabis businesses in Michigan, also donates money and food to communities.

In November 2022, STIIIZY partnered with Forgotten Harvest, a nonprofit that donates and grows food for lowerincome people in metro Detroit, and served more than 200 families through a pop-up-style pantry.

In April 2023, the company teamed up with the South Michigan Food Bank to assemble, box, and sort pantry items that were distributed across eight counties.

In the summer of 2023, STIIIZY joined Sisters in Business and Black Wall Street Kalamazoo, two groups focused on business opportunities for people of color, to provide two $5,000 grants for people to attend the Black Entrepreneurship Training Academy (BETA), a five-month program to help Black entrepreneurs.

Puff Cannabis, which has 10 dispensaries in Michigan, focuses on giveaways. At each location, the Madison Heights-based company distributes about 250 turkeys for Thanksgiving.

For Christmas, Puff Cannabis has an annual giveaway called “Jackets for Joints.” Every person who brought in a new children’s coat for people in need received a five-pack jar of infused Jeeter prerolls, which is valued at $50. Some of the stores each gave away as many as 300 coats, says Nick Hannawa, a partner and chief legal counsel for Puff Cannabis.

“It makes a huge impact,” Hannawa tells Metro Times

Puff Cannabis also donates to numerous veteran organizations and gives money to each city where they have a dispensary to “use for whatever they deem necessary,” Hannawa says.

In the summer of 2022, the cannabis company donated money to resurface basketball courts at Grant Park in Utica.

In addition to its giveaways, Puff Cannabis is helping communities by renovating ramshackle buildings to use for its dispensaries. Some of the renova-

ziness. It’s not ‘reefer madness.’ People are welcoming it. City councils are saying we would rather have a dispensary that is giving back to the community and renovating buildings. They are seeing the benefits.”

The Greenhouse of Walled Lake, the first adult-use dispensary in Oakland County, is credited with helping transform the small community where it’s located.

“Thanks to Greenhouse of Walled Lake and the two other dispensaries in our city, we are able to supplement both our police and fire departments,” Walled Lake city manager Dennis Whitt says. “The dramatic improvements in downtown Walled Lake are benefiting the residents and businesses, in addition to very cool recreational activities, which improve Walled Lake families’ quality of life in our wonderful community.”

In addition to donating to veterans and Aim High School, an alternative school for students with special needs, The Greenhouse of Walled Lake has also been responsible for revitalizing the area around its dispensary. The owner, Jerry Millen, helped renovate the nearby Banks-Dolbeer-BradleyFoster farmhouse, an 1833 landmark in Walled Lake that served as a depot on the Underground Railroad to help enslaved people reach freedom.

For three consecutive summers, The Greenhouse of Walled Lake hosted its Summer Kickoff Park, which features Oakland County’s largest fireworks display, barbecue, animal adoptions, and other entertainment. This summer, Millen plans to include a concert. Millen also set up a tent to help a local Girl Scouts troop sell cookies outside the dispensary.

In May 2023, The Greenhouse of Walled Lake hosted a free event with rapper-turned-country singer Jelly Roll, which drew about 5,000 people.

Without a place to buy good coffee in town, Millen also built a coffee shop with freshly made doughnuts using a vintage-style French LeMont truck.

tions cost up to $300,000, Hannawa says.

“We’re taking buildings that are in bad shape, fixing them up, and making them brand new,” Hannawa says. “That makes a huge impact in a city because you are raising taxes and fixing up the buildings.”

Hannawa says residents and municipalities that were scared of legalized marijuana are starting to come around because of the benefits that dispensaries are bringing to other communities.

“I think it’s changing people’s minds,” Hannawa says. “People understand we are not bringing all this crime and cra-

“I’m trying to bring businesses back to Walled Lake,” Millen tells Metro Times

At Christmas time, The Greenhouse spent between $30,000 and $40,000 on gifts for children in need. Millen even dressed up as Santa.

Walled Lake officials were so impressed with Millen’s civic pride that they appointed him to serve on the community’s Downtown Development Authority.

“Now that we’ve been successful, it’s been great to give back,” Millen says. “Making a kid smile or helping a father out, it means a lot. It’s the coolest feeling when you can go out and help.”

JARS Cannabis recently opened a dispensary in Hazel Park. COURTESY OF JARS CANNABIS

What’s happening in Detroit on 4/20?

BY LAYLA M c MURTRIE

For cannabis enthusiasts, April 20 marks one of the best holidays of the year, justifying indulging in marijuana from dusk until dawn. Fortunately, this year, 4/20 falls conveniently on a Saturday, and in metro Detroit, a plethora of exciting events are already planned for the day. While not all are specifically tailored to the 4/20 theme, the variety offers opportunities to embrace the spirit of the day as you see fit.

4/20 Block Party

From 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Pure Options, 125 N. Clippert St., Lansing; pureoptions.com

Festivities include on-site cannabis consumption and musical performances by Sean Kingston, Desmond Jones, and more. No cover.

4/20 Blunts and Brunch

From noon-2:30 p.m.; 9427 Joseph Campau Ave., Hamtramck; eventbrite.com

Bring a loved one to this event to enjoy two mimosas, two prerolls, and a great meal by a private chef.

4/20 Drag Brunch

From noon-2 p.m.; The Emory, 22700 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; eventbrite.com

Ferndale’s No. 1 drag brunch is hosting an event with comedy, food, and drinks. Smoke before the event so you’re ready to eat lots of good food with local queens.

4/20 Fest

Starts at 5 p.m.; Lager House; thelagerhouse.com

The Pleasant Underground presents 15 bands on two stages, featuring FinalBossFight!, Easy Beach, Former Critics, Dad Caps, Kick Brass, Tried, Star Student, Cult Therapy, Shindig Machine, G Terms, Harper, Frost is Rad, Bitch Kraft, Hail Alien, So Did We, and more.

4/20 Learn and Sesh

From 6-10 p.m.; location TBD; urwellnessllc.com

Detroit’s ganja clergy, Nydia Kishar, is hosting this welcoming event for anyone to come learn how to consume marijuana, roll up some weed, or smoke a bowl. This is an opportunity for those who are cannabis curious to learn fundamental knowledge about the plant and its safe consumption from experienced members of the local community.

4/20 Puff and Paint

From 1-7 p.m.; 12511 Woodward Ave., Highland Park; eventbrite.com

Smoke, chill, and get creative with a painting. No experience is necessary and supplies are provided.

4/20 Weekend Buzz Banger

Starts at 7 p.m.; Ziggy’s, 206 W. Michigan Ave., Ypsilanti; facebook.com

Warhorses, Royal Sweets, Angel Of Mars, and Along With Ghosts will be performing.

A Dinner Party with a Twist

From 6-10:30 p.m.; location TBD; eventbrite.com

Detroit-based Cooking with Chef Meech is hosting a dinner on 4/20 including eight dishes infused with cannabis, plus infused cocktails, a smoke bar, a comedy show, and more. The location will not be revealed until 48 hours beforehand.

Cannabana Music Festival

From 2-9 p.m.; White Star Night Club, 9819 Conant St., Hamtramck; eventbrite.com

This large indoor festival will feature three floors of performances, vendors, food, and 4/20 fun.

Detroit Symphony Orchestra performing the music of Pink Floyd

From 8-10 p.m.; Orchestra Hall, 3711 Woodward Ave., Detroit; dso.org

Imagine an epic orchestra and rock band teaming up to play Pink Floyd’s

Nicki Minaj

Starts at 7 p.m.; Little Caesars Arena, 2645 Woodward Ave., Detroit; ticketmaster.com

We never thought we’d be spending 4/20 with Nicki Minaj. The “Anaconda” rapper announced the dates of her 2024 “Pink Friday 2 World Tour” in December, after teasing the tour on social media along with the release of her new album Pink Friday 2

Record Store Day Fair and Swap

From noon-6 p.m.; Spot Lite, 2905 Beaufait St., Detroit

Detroit Electronic Quarterly is holding a record fair and swap on 4/20. There will be tons of local vendors, brunch from Glady’s Nite, and coffee from Cairo Coffee, as well as a podcast release of an interview with the late Detroit musician Amp Fiddler.

Sweet Honey in the Rock 50th Anniversary Celebration

Starts at 7 p.m.; Christ Church Cranbrook in Bloomfield Hills; eventbrite.com

Cranbrook’s annual Sacred Jazz Concert will feature the Grammy-nominated vocal quartet Sweet Honey.

Sweet Spot Burlesque

biggest hits. This mashup will be a reality when the Detroit Symphony Orchestra performs the music of Pink Floyd in Detroit’s Orchestra Hall. We’re not encouraging anyone to get high and go to the DSO given the date… or are we?

High Fashion at Not Sorry Goods

From 1-6 p.m.; Not Sorry Goods, 22963 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; instagram.com

Ferndale’s stylish retail shop is hosting an event featuring a stoner snack bar, pop-up vendors, and freebies from local dispensaries. The first 20 guests will get a free 4/20 iron-on patch. The event is free to the public.

Mi-Sci After Dark

From 6-11 p.m.; Michigan Science Center, 5020 John R. St., Detroit; misci.org

The Michigan Science Center’s “After Dark” 21+ event returns with a “Space Love” theme, offering access to the museum, plus science fiction-themed activities, performances, and specialty cocktails. It will also include a special planetarium show, “Stories in the Sky,” where visitors can hear the stories behind constellations, presented by MiSci’s staff astronomer Paulette Epstein. Guests can also experience Mi-Sci’s aviation exhibit, “Above and Beyond,” and a Bad Bunny laser show. Additionally, the Tom Everett Experience will provide music for the evening paired with drinks from Precisely Pour’d.

Starts at 6 p.m.; Garden Theater, 3929 Woodward Ave., Detroit; eventbrite.com

This high-energy, heart-pumping burlesque stage production celebrates sexiness in over 30 cities and will luckily for us be in Detroit on 4/20. The event features poets, burlesque dancers, live music, and comedy for a great night and a great way to celebrate any occasion.

The Sh*t Show Open Mic

From 11 p.m.-1 a.m.; The Independent Comedy Club, 2320 Canniff St., Hamtramck; eventbrite.com

By the end of 4/20, you will probably be ready to sit down and see some comedy or you will have turned into a comedian yourself. So, this is the perfect spot to get on stage and make a fool of yourself for a great end to the night, or enjoy a great show.

The pARTy Fashion Show

Starts at 9:45 p.m.; Tangent Gallery; instagram.com

This nonprofit music and art festival will end the weekend with a fashion show on 4/20. There will be music from local DJ Raedy Lex alongside looks by local designers.

The Vision Open Mic

From 5:30-8:30; The Commons, 7600 Mack Ave., Detroit; eventbrite.com

While there’s no smoking allowed inside, this free monthly community open mic just happens to fall on 4/20. You can sign up to perform, make some art, or just chill and enjoy a great show.

Local dispensaries are hosting events on April 20. COURTESY OF JARS CANNABIS

WHAT’S GOING ON

Select events happening in metro Detroit this week. Be sure to check venue website before events for latest information. Add your event to our online calendar: metrotimes.com/ AddEvent.

MUSIC

Wednesday, April 17

Charles Wesley Godwin, Kashus Culpepper 7 p.m.; The Fillmore, 2115 Woodward Ave., Detroit; $33-$63.

Flint Under the Stars: Rock Heat

Above & WestFall 7-8:30 p.m.; FIM Capitol Theatre, 140 E 2nd Street, Flint; free with registration.

Saint motel, Steinza 7 p.m.; Saint Andrew’s Hall, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit; $28.

Woodbridge Pub & The Preservation of Jazz Presents Just Jazz & Blues Every Wednesday Night 7-11 pm; Aretha’s Jazz Cafe, 350 Madison St., Detroit; no cover.

Thursday, April 18

Benjamin Tod & Lost Dog Street Band, Resonant Rogues 7 p.m.; Saint Andrew’s Hall, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit; $27.

Chrisette Michelle, Conya Doss 8 p.m.; Sound Board, 2901 Grand River Ave., Detroit; $41-$54.

Emo Orchestra featuring Escape the Fate 8-9 p.m.; FIM Capitol Theatre, 140 E 2nd Street, Flint; $40-$85. Carbon Leaf 7 p.m.; Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; $30.

The New Divas 7:30-9:30 p.m.; The Music Hall, 350 Madison Ave., Detroit; Raven, Vicious Rumors, Lutharo, Wicked 7 p.m.; Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff St., Hamtramck; $23.

Nate Topo, Phil Hale, Sam Melkonian 8-11 p.m.; Baker’s Keyboard Lounge, 20510 Livernois Ave., Detroit; $15. Wiki 8 p.m.; Parts & Labor, 17993 Allen Rd, Melvindale; $20.

DJ/Dance

Liebknecht, Access To Concrete 7 p.m.; Small’s, 10339 Conant St., Hamtramck; $12.

Friday, April 19

Hannah O’Brien, Grant Flick 8 p.m.; Wiltsie’s, 21 N. Main St., Clarkston; $15-$25.

Herman’s Hermits 8 p.m.; Andiamo

Celebrity Showroom, 7096 E. 14 Mile Rd., Warren; $35-$72.

Human Fly Radio’s 420 Weekend

BUZZ BANGER: Cherry Drop, Winds Of Neptune, Stormfeldt, Velvet Snakes 7 p.m.; Ziggy’s, 206 W. Michigan Ave., Ypsilanti; $10.

Infinity & Beyond - Journey Tribute with Special Guests Used Cars 8 p.m.; Emerald Theatre, 31 N. Walnut St., Mount Clemens; $25-$1,000.

Magic Bag Presents: Mega 80’s: Prince Remembrance 7 p.m.; Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; $20. Movements, Tigers Jaw, Webbed Wing, Paerish 6:30 p.m.; Saint Andrew’s Hall, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit; $28.

Orchestra Sono Presents ‘Playing It Forward’ 7-9 p.m.; Bloomfield Township Public Library, 1099 Lone Pine Rd., Bloomfield Hills; no cover.

Rod Williams Quartet with Marion Hayden, Tariq Gardner and Marcus Elliot 8-11 p.m.; Trinosophes, 1464 Gratiot Ave., Detroit; $20.

See You Next Tuesday, Mutilatred, Moral Pollution, Everything Evil, Pain Divine 6 p.m.; Pike Room, 1 S. Saginaw, Pontiac; $18.

Sematary and The Haunted Mound, Hackle, Buckshot, Anvil and appearance by Oscar18 8 p.m.; Magic Stick, 4120 Woodward Ave., Detroit; $30.

SIDEPIECE, Botez 9 p.m.; Magic Stick, 4120 Woodward Ave., Detroit; $25-$30.

TOED, Graystation, Boy Blue 8 p.m.; The Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; $10.

DJ/Dance

STRANGELOVE - The Depeche Mode Experience 7 p.m.; District 142, 142 Maple St., Wyandotte; $18. Karaoke/Open Mic

LIVE BAND KARAOKE w/ Eastside Still Alive + DJ Mike Ross 9 pm-1 am; Bowlero Lanes & Lounge, 4209 Coolidge Hwy., Royal Oak; no cover.

Saturday, April 20

Live/Concert

420 Fest: FinalBossFight!, Easy Beach, Former Critics, Dad Caps, Kick Brass, Tried, Star Student, Cult Therapy, Shindig Machine, G Terms, Harper, Frost is Rad, Bitch Kraft, Hail Alien, & So Did We 4:30 p.m.; Lager House, 1254 Michigan Ave.,

Detroit; $10-$15.

Human Fly Radio’s 420 Weekend

BUZZ BANGER: Warhorses, Royal Sweets, Angel Of Mars, Along With Ghosts 7 pm-1 am; Ziggy’s, 206 W. Michigan Ave., Ypsilanti; $10.

Rod Williams Quartet with Marion Hayden, Tariq Gardner and Marcus Elliot 8-11 pm; Trinosophes, 1464 Gratiot Ave., Detroit; $20.

Detroit Symphony Orchestra performs the music of Pink Floyd 8 p.m.; Orchestra Hall, 3711 Woodward Ave., Detroit; $39.

Flint Symphony Chorus: Choral Masterworks IV 7:30-9 p.m.; St. Christopher’s Church, 9020 S Saginaw Rd, Grand Blanc; $10 or free for students.

Hollywood Casino @ Greektown Present The Stylistics & The Spinners 8 p.m.; The Music Hall, 350 Madison Ave., Detroit; $30-$70.

Jim Bizer CD Release Concert 7:30 p.m.; MAMA’s Coffeehouse at the Birmingham Unitarian Church, 38651 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills; $17.00 ($15 student/senior).

Kings X 6:30 p.m.; The Token Lounge, 28949 Joy Rd., Westland; $35.

Major Dudes on Grosse Isle 7-10 p.m.; VFW Post 7310, 8840 Macomb St, Grosse Ile; $15.

The Marshall Tucker Band 8-9:30 p.m.; FIM Capitol Theatre, 140 E. 2nd St., Flint; $40-$95.

Nicki Minaj, Monica 8 p.m.; Little Caesars Arena, 2645 Woodward Ave., Detroit; $59.50-$299.50.

Post Imperial Jazz Band, DJ Tony Drake noon-1 am; Bowlero Lanes & Lounge, 4209 Coolidge Hwy., Royal Oak; no cover.

Randy Bastards, Roots Vibration, Superdot 7 p.m.; The Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; $10.

Spanish Love Songs, Oso Oso, Sydney Sprague 6 p.m.; Saint Andrew’s Hall, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit; $23.

Sweet Home Alabama - A Tribute To Lynyrd Skynyrd & Southern Rock 8 p.m.; Emerald Theatre, 31 N. Walnut St., Mount Clemens; $25-$1,000.

The Black Crowes: Happiness Bastards Tour ‘24 7 p.m.; The Fillmore, 2115 Woodward Ave., Detroit; $57.50-$147.50.

Marshall Charloff and the Purple Xperience 8 p.m.; Andiamo Celebrity Showroom, 7096 E. 14 Mile Rd., Warren; $35-$69.

Tim Barry, Fishgutzzz, The Picassos 7 p.m.; Small’s, 10339 Conant St., Hamtramck; $17.

DJ/Dance

Bonnie X Clyde, Gina Maria, PRIM 9 p.m.; Magic Stick, 4120 Woodward Ave., Detroit; $15-$20.

Spring Break Music Video Rewind Party featuring DJ Marquis 8 p.m.; District 142, 142 Maple St., Wyandotte; $10.

Sunday, April 21

A Evening with Todd Rundgren 7:30 p.m.; Sound Board, 2901 Grand River Ave., Detroit; $49-$64.

Atlantic Starr, Evelyn Chmpagne King, The SOS Band 7:30 p.m.; The Music Hall, 350 Madison Ave., Detroit; $50-$75.

Surf Trash, Parrotfish, Moravian 7 p.m.; Lager House, 1254 Michigan Ave., Detroit; $15-$18.

Omarion 5:30 p.m.; Detroit Masonic Temple Library, 500 Temple St, Detroit; Uli Jon Roth, Most Wanted, Second Hand Mojo 5 p.m.; The Token Lounge, 28949 Joy Rd., Westland; $25-$160.

Waxahatchee, Good Morning 7 p.m.; Magic Stick, 4120 Woodward Ave., Detroit; $35.

Winter Brunch and Concert: Dave Bennett, Jazz Clarinet 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.; The War Memorial, 32 Lake Shore Drive, Grosse Pointe Farms; $75-$90.

Monday, April 22

The Preservation of Jazz Monday Night Music Series “Tributes”, The Nina Simone Tribute performed by Faye Bradford 7 p.m.; Aretha’s Jazz Cafe, 350 Madison St., Detroit; $35.

Meatbodies, Population II, Solar Drip 7 p.m.; Lager House, 1254 Michigan Ave., Detroit; $15-$18.

Prof, Grip, Futuristic 7 p.m.; Saint Andrew’s Hall, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit; $27.50.

DJ/Dance

Adult Skate Night 8:30-11 p.m.; Lexus Velodrome, 601 Mack Ave., Detroit; $5.

Tuesday, April 23

Cherubs, Heet Deth, Balm, Stubborn Assholes 7 p.m.; Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff St., Hamtramck; $15.

Cypress Hill, The Pharcyde, Souls of Mischief 7 p.m.; The Fillmore, 2115 Woodward Ave., Detroit; $34-$84.

First To Eleven, Daytona 2000, Brooke Surgener 8 p.m.; Lager House, 1254 Michigan Ave., Detroit; $20-$70.

Johnny Shoe 6:30-7:30 p.m.; Alpino, 1426 Bagley St, Detroit; $10.

Magic Bag Presents: The Skatalites, Detroit Riddim Crew 7 p.m.; Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; $25.

Taylor Acorn, World’s First Cinema 7 p.m.; The Shelter, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit; $20.

DJ/Dance

B.Y.O.R Bring Your Own Records

Night 9 p.m.-midnight; The Old Miami, 3930 Cass Ave., Detroit; no cover.

THEATER

Performance

Detroit Repertory Theatre Annabella in July; $25 in advance, $30 general admission; Fridays, Saturdays, 8-10 p.m.; Saturdays, 3-5 p.m.; and Sundays, 2-4 p.m.

Marygrove Theater Strung; $30; Thursday, 7-9 p.m.

New Lab @ Michigan Central Detroit Sonnet Slam; no cover; Monday, 5:30-7 p.m.

Planet Ant Theatre TurboTeen: Live and Reloading; $20-$25; Friday, 7-8:30 p.m.; Saturday, 7-8:30 p.m.; and Sunday, 2-3:30 p.m.

Tipping Point Theatre The Squirrels; $39; Wednesday, 2 p.m.; Thursday, 8 p.m.; Friday, 8 p.m.; Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m.

Trenton Village Theatre Phantom of the Opera; $14-$18; Friday, 7-10 p.m.; Saturday, 7-10 p.m.; Sunday, 2-5 p.m.

Musical Mamma Mia Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.; Fisher Theatre - Detroit, 3011 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit; $77-$187.

Rain: A Tribute To the Beatles (Touring) Thursday, 7:30 p.m.; Fox Theatre, 2211 Woodward Ave., Detroit; $25-$65.

COMEDY

Improv

Go Comedy! Improv Theater Pan-

demonia The All-Star Showdown; $20; Fridays, Saturdays, 7:30 & 9:30 p.m.

The Temple Theatre Whose Live Anyway?; $49-59; Friday, 7:30-10 p.m.

Stand-up

District 142 A Night of Comedy With Michael Winslow; $25; Sunday, 7 p.m.

The Fillmore Daniel Sloss: Can’t; $37.50-$65.50; Friday, 6:30 p.m.

Fox Theatre Motor City Comedy Festi-

val; $59-$175; Friday, 8 p.m.

Magic Stick Reality Gays Podcast; $35$75; Saturday, 7 p.m.

Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle Josh Blue; $35; Thursday, 7:30-9 p.m.; Friday, 7:15-8:45 & 9:45-11:15 p.m.; and Saturday, 7-8:30 & 9:30-11 p.m.

Royal Oak Music Theatre A Night of Laughter with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.: Rob Schneider, Dave Landau, Heather Jay, Mike Binder, Tre Stewart, Erica Rhodes, and more; $125 comedy show, $500 or $1,000 preferred seating and after party; Sunday, 7:30-11 p.m.

DANCE

Dance performance

Chelsea High School Auditorium

Cinderella Presented by Ballet Chelsea; $30; Saturday, 7 p.m. and Sunday, 2 p.m.

FILM

Screening

Motor City Cinema Society Mystery Movie Monday; 6:30 pm.

ARTS

Artist talk

Celebrating the Art of BasBlue with PASC Thursday, noon-1:30 p.m.; BasBlue, 110 E. Ferry, Detroit; no cover.

Art Exhibition

Posterity Art Gallery Artist Exhibition; artist reception; Thursday, 4-8 p.m.

Continuing This Week

Ford Hall Gallery Breaking Boundaries: Senior Exhibition.

PARC Art Gallery The Nature of Art Exhibit; no cover; Through May 6.

Stamelos Gallery Center, UM-Dearborn Andy T’s Urban Vision 2001-2024

University of Michigan Museum of Art Unsettling Histories: Legacies of Slavery and Colonialism

WELLNESS

Self-care

Self Care Sunday; no cover; 2-7 p.m.; New St. Mark Family Life Center, 24331 W. Eight Mile Rd., Detroit.

Block party

Dr Greenthumb’s Detroit Meet and Greet with B Real of Cypress Hill; no cover; Monday, 4-6 p.m.

Teen HYPE celebrates 20th anniversary with stage play

Teen HYPE is a nonprofit organization that helps Detroit’s youth by curating programs focused on preventing teen pregnancy and substance abuse while also educating youth on HIV and sexually transmitted diseases. This year marks its 20th anniversary.

CEO and co-founder Ambra Redrick is reflective of the journey. “It’s a little surreal,” she says. “There are over 59,000 nonprofits in Southeast Michigan, many of which are underfunded and don’t have staff. To be a Black-founded and -led organization in Detroit that is thriving most days feels like a miracle.”

Teen HYPE services over 2,000 youth yearly and in 2023 they received a portion of $68.5 million in funding that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) allocated to 53 organizations as a part of its Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) program.

“We also just completed a three-year project to develop a city-wide action for youth,” Redrick adds. “The Detroit Youth Action Plan is the first of its kind and we’re just getting started. We aim to change the narrative about adolescence in our city.”

Redrick feels Teen HYPE has grown and progressed simultaneously as the city of Detroit has sought to redefine itself. She’s made it a point to make sure the plight of Detroit’s youth stays a concern.

“I think as a city we have been busy, ‘fixing, revitalizing, and creating,’ and as a collective I think we forgot to prioritize the needs of young people,” Redrick adds. “In a city where we have created safe and supportive spaces for teens, we have been that for thousands of kids.”

As part of celebrating its 20th anniversary, Teen HYPE is presenting

the stage play Strung, a production centered on the manipulative layers of social media and how they affect self-esteem, addiction, and parental relationships. The play debuts on Thursday, April 18 at Detroit’s Marygrove Theatre.

“Our goal was to create a production that spoke to youth and Teen HYPE always makes sure that every story that we tell raises awareness for some issue that youth face,” says Mallory Childs, a participant and youth advisory council president for Teen HYPE.

The play centers around two teens. First there is Aaliyah, a teenage girl who watches her mother use social media to define her beauty standards.

“She [Aaliyah’s mom] has a lot of cosmetic surgery and eventually the cosmetic surgery hurts her,” says Childs. “She sees her mom hurting herself just so she can look like someone that she’s not.”

For the teenage boy lead character, social media acts as an inner voice that’s constantly nudging him into making bad decisions.

“We see Rob and his negative influence is ‘X,’” Childs says. “‘X’ is basically like a walking problem; he causes problems wherever he goes. He makes Rob do all these crazy outlandish things.”

The production comes at a time when social media platforms have been receiving more scrutiny for their impact on the mental health and morale in children.

“During the beginning process we realized that social media can really attack the minds, souls, and body of our youth,” adds Childs. “And we realized that it attacks people in different ways depending on what your gender is, depending on your socioeconomic class.”

—Kahn Santori Davison

Starts at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 18; Marygrove Theater, 8425 W. McNichols Rd., Detroit; givebutter.com/strung. Tickets are $30.

Strung examines the impact of social media on young people.

KAHN SANTORI DAVISON

MUSIC

Cypress Hill’s love for Detroit runs deep Playing shows in the Motor City reminds the West

Coast stoners of simpler days

It took three decades, but Cypress Hill’s love for Detroit has come full circle. In 1991, the Latino hip-hop stoners dropped their debut album and landed a slot on Lollapalooza the next summer. Motown was the third stop on the tour, and the group wasn’t sure how people outside of California would respond live. Or if they’d even show up.

Detroit showed up.

“They’ve always shown this unwavering love and support for us,” Senen “Sen Dog” Reyes says by phone. “Which is all you could ask for as a musician.”

To help celebrate 4/20, Cypress Hill — rounded out by nasally MC B-Real, percussionist Eric Bobo, and this tour’s scratcher, DJ Lord — is playing a show Tuesday at The Fillmore. They’ll be joined by fellow West Coast legends the Pharcyde and Souls of Mischief.

Above all else, a performer’s job is to win over the crowd. Standing on stage and saying a given room has been

By Timothy J. Seppala

the best night of the tour, or that the current city has purchased the most albums, are a few ways to do it. So when Reyes gushes about his reverence for Detroit, it might come off like lines he says to reporters to help move tickets. It goes deeper than that. It’s genuine. Being here takes Reyes back to his childhood. He loves coming in the spring and summer when the Tigers play, and if their schedules line up he’ll go to a game. One regret?

“I wish I could’ve gone to old Tigers Stadium because that’s what I used to see growing up,” he says.

When Cypress was first here, Reyes reconnected with a childhood friend who’d relocated to the city from his block on Cypress Avenue in South Gate, East L.A. He got a tour of the city, a glimpse of its history. Before this, his only exposure to Detroit was via sports. He grew up playing little league and watching Bill Whitaker, Lance Parrish,

and Alan Trammel play for the Tigers on NBC’s Game of the Week

He’s got nothing but respect for the Detroit Bad Boys, either. At the time, Reyes hated watching them and hoped his L.A. Lakers would rough up the Pistons but, well, that wasn’t the case. That respect took a while to form.

“I came to appreciate what they did because basketball doesn’t play like that anymore,” he says. “It was a game for men at that point.”

He loves Barry Sanders, and especially seeing the Lions do what they did last season. Reyes noticed the turnaround three years ago with GM Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell and saw promise. Sure enough, he was right.

Reyes loves an underdog story and admires how diehard Lions fans are. The type who will tattoo the logo on their cheek during the Harrington years, for instance.

“People should pay attention to [Detroit] when it comes down to supporting a team and sticking with them for life like I do with my Raiders,” he says.

You could even draw a connection between the loyalty of Detroit’s sports fans to the loyalty of Detroit’s Cypress Hill fans. Thirty years on, Cypress has released 10 studio albums (four RIAAcertified platinum) and played no fewer than 15 shows in the metro area.

“You gotta bring your A-game to Detroit,” Sen says. “We appreciate the love and we’ve never forgotten what an important role [Detroit] has played in our careers.”

Prior to this, their most recent stop was 2019. One Saturday last summer, B-Real’s Dr. Greenthumb weed chain took over a Ypsilanti dispensary and the good doctor himself headlined the inaugural Spark in the Park festival that night.

“There’s no time that I’ve gone

As a member of hip-hop group Cypress Hill, Senen “Sen Dog” Reyes has been advocating for cannabis for decades. EITAN MISKEVICH

to Detroit and been disappointed,” Reyes says. “It’s always the same: 100% energy... It’s hard to compare to other cities.”

On 2022’s Back in Black, that energy manifested in a different way — Detroit’s Curtis “Black Milk” Cross produced the entire album, front to back. Versus prodigal founding member DJ Muggs’s layered, trippy, and textured beats on 2018’s Elephants on Acid, Back in Black is back to basics: classic boombap by way of Dilla’s hometown.

Reyes wasn’t familiar with Cross prior, but was quickly impressed by how chill and easy to work with he was. Cross’s open mind and collaborative nature — even working remotely — unlocked a type of collaboration Reyes and B-Real hadn’t experienced in ages. On the album, the two MCs share the mic on all but one song.

“He took us all the way back to our days on the block where we would just rhyme for the fun of it,” Reyes recalls. “When our original plan for the group was for B-Real and I to be on every song together. It reminded me of the late ’80s when we were just out there trying to get by and learn what we wanted to do.”

Each time they sent a WIP track to Cross, he’d get inspired by what the two had done lyrically and change the beat up to match. Reyes said when they got something back it was always markedly better than what they’d submitted. He didn’t name names, but it’s clear that not every working relationship has been like that. When they finally met in person, Reyes was impressed by Cross’s humility despite his reputation.

“A lot of respect goes to Black Milk and his openness for whatever we wanted to do lyrically,” Reyes says.

Collaborating with Cross gave Reyes a new type of appreciation for Detroit. Growing up his older sister was super into Smokey Robinson, and to this day Reyes still listens to him.

“Just knowing, just being able to work with somebody from that area gives you perspective of, ‘A lot of great music has come from the area where this guy is from,’” he says. “Very proud musicians have been able to claim the city. I’m definitely proud that part of our legacy goes back to [Detroit].”

The last time Cypress played Detroit was supporting Elephants on Acid in 2019. Even before the lights went down, the biggest cloud of weed smoke I’ve ever seen hung heavy over the audience. Not even the sold-out crowd for stoner metal pioneer Sleep’s 4/20 show in Albuquerque a few years ago could compare.

“That’ll show you who lives in [Detroit],” Reyes says. “They’re there, the 4/20 people. That’s one of the reasons we keep coming back.”

At one point, B-Real came out smoking a 14-inch joint. He congratulated the congregation on legalizing recreational cannabis. Since then, Detroit voters have decriminalized entheogenic plants and mushrooms and there are seemingly two dispensaries on every block, eager to sell to anyone 21 or over.

While our highways are haunted by billboards emblazoned with bad puns and Mark Savaya’s mug, it’s easy to forget the patchwork quilt of states across the country where marijuana is still illegal. Hell, even on this tour dubbed “We Legalized It” there are four states where you’ll break the law for sparking a bowl in your own home.

“It makes you feel like the struggle isn’t over, the fight isn’t over,” Reyes says, adding, “There’s still minds to open” — referencing the Back in Black track “Open Ya Mind.” It’s a song about the hypocrisy of California fully legalizing marijuana and the hassles of that not being the case federally. And it’s applicable anywhere marijuana has been legalized, not just the Golden Coast.

For Reyes, the tipping point will be when a state in the South allows cannabis for adult use. Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi all have medicinal marijuana, but half haven’t decriminalized yet. That’s not to say you can’t find weed there — people just have to be a little more secretive about it.

“It’s not as open as California, Colorado, or Nevada,” he says.

Still, progress is progress. Medical is usually the first step, and there’s no way southern states can ignore the taxes recreational states are pulling in for much longer. Last year Michigan marijuana tax revenue was $87 million.

“A lot of time the biggest step it takes is to have that first door open up, and then see what that develops into,” he says.

When Cypress started 30-some years ago, Reyes didn’t know if he’d live to see the day when California went fully legal. Rumors persisted for years, Reyes says. But it took until 2016 for Proposition 64 to pass.

“That gives me hope for the rest of the country,” he says. “It’s not just about getting stoned.”

It’s about the agricultural benefits of hemp and taking direct action about the overcrowded prison system in the U.S., too.

“We try to make people understand this is a win-win for everybody involved,” Reyes says.

Cypress Hill performs with the Pharcyde and Souls of Mischief on Tuesday, April 23 (doors at 7 p.m.) at The Fillmore; 2115 Woodward Ave., Detroit. Tickets are $43-$162.

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CULTURE

Arts Spotlight

Ivan Montoya ponders how the past informs the present

By Randiah Camille Green

We are born as seeds in soil fertilized by the experiences of our ancestors. For Detroit-based painter and muralist Ivan Montoya, the fertile soil we inherit from our familial lineage is like being given a canoe on open water without a map.

To steer the canoe into safe territory — a place that feels most aligned with the highest version of ourselves — we must inspect and understand how the lives of our ancestors have shaped our present.

That’s what Montoya is trying to get viewers to do with his solo show Sonde{a}r

at Ferndale’s M Contemporary Art. The show opened on March 22 and is on view until April 20.

“In the birth state of this body of work, I was in Mexico City for a month with my wife and I was going to a lot of museums, learning about the colonialism of Mexico and the blending of cultures, but also the obliteration of some of the culture through the colonization,” he tells Metro Times.

Montoya has both Spanish and Indigenous Mexican ancestry, which he says gave him conflicting feelings about his heritage.

“There’s so much complexity in the lineage and heritage aspects of the blending of cultures,” he says. “And that got me thinking, how else do I relate to my relatives [and] my ancestors… what responsibility [do] we have to learn about our relatives and the emotional battles that they dealt with? How should we honor them?”

Sonde{a}r is a morphing of the word “sonder” and the Spanish “sondear.” Sonder is the realization that every person you will ever meet or see in passing is living a life as complex as your own. In Spanish, “sondear” means to investigate or inquire and is “often used to explore the depths of actions, emotions, thoughts or the unknown,” Montoya writes in his exhibition statement.

A young family is making a voyage through deep, green waters towards the sunrise in a canoe in Montoya’s piece “Dawn Chorus.” While the male figure

steers the boat forward and the woman looks on, a young boy sits at the back of the boat, cradled by a protective jaguar. A bouquet of calla lilies, orchids, and tulips bloom behind the parents, representing their memories as the little boy clutches a cactus with a tiny bloom popping out from the top. His life experience has just begun to flower.

“Each individual on that ship has their own experience,” Montoya explains. “The younger one is being taken care of by something other than the people on the ship… they’re looking for guidance elsewhere because the other figures are busy steering that generational ship.”

The painting has both a melancholy and hopeful feeling as the family treads through an ominous, deep ocean toward a sunnier horizon.

Montoya is a first-generation immigrant, born in Chihuahua, Mexico, who moved to the U.S. when he was 5 years old. He says melancholy and hope coincide to represent change, which is something he got used to as an immigrant. As a child, he didn’t quite understand why his family left his birthplace, leaving him with feelings of being from nowhere.

“I am neither from here nor from there,” he says. “I was raised here, so I don’t necessarily feel a huge sense of belonging there. But I do feel a huge connection with my culture — my family, how we speak, our jokes, our food, everything — is from there. When I went to school here, I learned to socialize. I learned how to become myself here… It’s this weird battle.”

Going back to the young boy in “Dawn Chorus,” Montoya says, “That’s the melancholy for me, is having to find other guides, other feelings of support elsewhere while the relative steering the ship has a sight that’s beyond what I understand. I think that happens a lot with the children of immigrants. We don’t understand why we’re being brought into these big changes, but it’s all in the hopes of better — better opportunities, more safety, more comfort.”

The whole show takes us on Mon-

toya’s journey of mounting a generational shift with each piece representing a different mindset on the path towards becoming. For example, “Grown” shows us a time when Montoya felt he had outgrown his life circumstances with a figure inside a shelter that’s too big for him as he cradles a water lily. “Aislada (Landlocked)” is for when he felt content, not worried about where he’s going or where he’s been.

No matter where we are on the journey, Montoyta reminds us, that our ancestors (both human and non-human) are always there to help. In “Levantate, Mija (Rise, Child)” a pair of herons pull a sleeping woman from shallow water with a fishnet.

“She was maybe lost in her journey, and the herons in this image for me are her ancestors. The people in her lineage that she relates to are reminding her of who she is and are helping her,” Montoya says. “‘Mija’ is an endearing term

for daughter, and ‘levantate’ means rise. So it just feels like a comforting phrase like, ‘rise, you’re gonna be fine. We’ve got you.’ And I think that kind of realization happens sometimes when people do decide to look into the emotional battles that their relatives have had. I think maybe sometimes we’re faced with feelings that we don’t know where they’re coming from, like anger, or this deep sadness, but then you hear stories of like, ‘Oh, my grandmother had depression, they just didn’t have a name for that then.’”

He adds, “I would hope for the audience to maybe think about where they fit in [their] lineage and what kind of responsibility they feel like they have to that lineage, if any, at all.”

Sonde{a}r is on display at M Contemporary Art until April 20; 205 E. Nine Mile Rd., Ferndale; mcontemporaryart. com.

Ivan Montoya.

RANDIAH CAMILLE GREEN

CULTURE

Film

A violent, fractured America that lacks specifics

By Cliff Froehlich

Civil War

Rated: R

Run-time: 109 minutes

Reflecting the division in the country whose internecine conflict it vividly depicts, Alex Garland’s Civil War splits unevenly in two, alternating brutally effective and disturbing sequences of violence with caesuras of conversation and uneasy respite. The former, with their amped-up urgency and ratcheting suspense, display an impressive filmmaking mastery, but the latter strive for a level of sociocultural insight that they regrettably never quite reach.

Garland deliberately withholds the backstory that would explain how a near-future U.S. descends into warring factions, and he provides only the barest hint of what’s transpiring in most of the country. We’re briskly informed that the Western Forces — an eyebrow-raising union between Texas and California — are making a final push toward Washington, D.C., with the federal government in imminent danger of collapse. Civil War implies that multiple groups (with perhaps opposing goals) are actually engaged in battle — a Florida Alliance is referenced, and armed, uniformed soldiers with unspecified affiliations and unknown intent periodically appear — but, again, Garland refuses to clarify, preferring to keep his audience lost in the fog of war.

Civil War unfolds over a few wildly eventful days, following a quartet of journalists as they set off from New York on a circuitous road trip to reach the capital before it falls. Writer Joel (Wagner Moura) and storied war photographer Lee (Kirsten Dunst), a reporting team from Reuters, are in pursuit of an interview with the president (Nick Offerman) — an ambition that seems, given the rapidly deteriorating situation and the administration’s enemy-of-the-people attitude toward the press, both impractical and suicidal. Joining the pair on the jour-

ney are aging New York Times reporter Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson) and aspiring freelance photojournalist Jessie (Cailee Spaeny), who provide, in somewhat pat fashion, the contrasting perspectives of the skeptical veteran and the wide-eyed naif.

As noted, Garland and cinematographer Rob Hardy — a longtime and essential collaborator — stage Civil War’s action sequences with stunning brio and verisimilitude, uncomfortably immersing us in chaos. The film features two adrenalizing battles in which the journalists embed with attacking troops. One is the climactic assault on the White House, but Civil War’s undeniable centerpiece is an agonizingly protracted confrontation with soldiers dumping a truckload of bodies into a mass grave. Shortly after the journalists encounter a pair of colleagues on the road, Jessie and one of the new arrivals are taken captive and threatened by this squad of apparent malefactors, and Lee and Joel attempt to negotiate their rescue.

Joel makes what seems an eminently reasonable argument: “There’s some kind of misunderstanding here. We’re American.” But the coolly menacing soldier who interrogates them (an extraordinary but unbilled Jesse Plemons) remains unmoved and even amused. Balefully gazing at the journalists from behind disconcerting red sunglasses, he pointedly asks: “OK, what kind of American are you?” The reply to that maddeningly opaque, ultimately unanswerable question will

determine life or death. It’s a scene that boils the film’s admonitory theme down to its essence: If we continue to turn up the heat to eliminate impurities, everything will evaporate, leaving nothing but the scorched-black bottom of a no longer usable melting pot.

Garland has said that he intends Civil War as a companion piece to Men (2022), which offers a critique of toxic masculinity and the ways in which one bad man births another (quite literally, in the film’s fantastical body-horror conclusion). Civil War is less abstract and metaphorically inclined than Men, but in its lack of grounding particulars, the movie wants to offer the same kind of universal message rather than limit its applicable lessons to the United States. Although I understand the impulse — our country is clearly not alone in sorting its occupants into us and them (red state and blue state, rural and urban, Black and white, patriot and traitor, immigrant and native-born, and on and on) — the sketchy nature of its world-building muddies interpretation. Most problematically, Civil War suggests that the president is a Trumpian autocrat — for example, it’s mentioned almost in passing that he’s serving a third term, which would indicate a defiance of the 22nd Amendment. Is the insurrection therefore an effort to restore democracy? If so, that would seriously complicate our attitude toward the rebels.

As much as I appreciate the film’s heroicizing of journalists — the media can certainly use the positive press!

— Civil War also provides an oddly conflicted and almost cartoonish view of the profession. Lee laments that her celebrated combat-zone photography, which she hoped would harshly illuminate war’s devastating effects, had no persuasive impact on the current conflict. She appears weary, utterly defeated. What then is her purpose now? Is there value in her pictures beyond the aesthetic? Especially ludicrous is Lee and Joel’s pursuit of a presidential interview. Beyond the implausibility of securing an audience, what possible news do they think will result? And what would prompt a newbie photojournalist like Jessie to shoot on film rather than digitally in the midst of conflict? She would need a substantial supply of expensive, difficult-to-obtain film stock, and changing rolls under fire and on the run would seem a pointlessly high hurdle for a novice.

These complaints, however, don’t diminish Civil War’s legitimate ability to provoke. Garland says that he wants the film to prompt conversation, and by not making explicit what either side of the conflict represents, he perhaps allows for at least a tentative reach across the yawning divide. But even if we stay warily siloed in our respective bunkers, Civil War’s grim vision of a riven America provides a sobering look-what-can-happen warning. Sadly, like Lee’s photos, Garland’s film will no doubt prove ineffectual despite its considerable power. We’ll know as early as November.

Filmmaker Alex Garland says that he wants his film to prompt conversation, and leaves things intentionally vague. MURRAY CLOSE

CULTURE

Savage Love

Priced Out

By Dan Savage

: Q My boyfriend wants my permission to see sex workers. He did this quite a bit before we were together. He goes to Canada, where it’s legal and supposedly safer. He says he’s just trying to be open and honest about his desire for variety and that I should be glad he doesn’t want to cheat. To me, that sounds like a thinly veiled threat to cheat with or without my permission. He says it’s not like that. Ideally, he — a 53-year-old man — would prefer a sexually open relationship, while I — a 46-year-old woman — would prefer more of a monogamish situation.

We were friends for twenty years before we started dating, we have great sex (though not as much as I would like), get along great otherwise, and have a wonderful time together. This is definitely our biggest issue. Am I being closed minded, and prude to deny him the variety he desires? I consider myself pretty open minded, but I am extremely triggered by this. I’m not completely closed to adventures. I’m open to threesomes, sex parties, etc., but those are scenarios where we are doing something together. I’ve been in non-monogamous relationships in the past — consensual ones — but I don’t have the energy for that at this point in my life.

Safety concerns aside, I have moral hang-ups around sex work. All I can think is, “What self-respecting woman would put up with this?” The other thing is that he has a long history of dating

much younger women, sometimes as much as twenty years younger. I may be the first “age-appropriate” girlfriend he’s ever had. While I know I am still very attractive and sexy and I get hit on all the time, the reality is that I will never be young and firm again. The ones he hires are both of those things. What do you think, Dan? Are we doomed? Can we both find fulfillment in this relationship? Or should we let each other go?

—Verklempt In Vermont

A: A particular phrase came to mind as I read your letter, VIV, but not one that will come as a comfort: irreconcilable differences. You can’t reconcile yourself to your boyfriend seeing sex workers; your boyfriend can’t reconcile himself to monogamy and/or the kind of non-monogamy you might be willing to explore… if you were interested in exploring non-monogamy… which it doesn’t sound like you are. While sex parties, swinging, threesomes, and other forms of non-monogamy where the couple plays together appeals to you in theory, VIV, it doesn’t seem to hold much appeal in practice. And if you told your boyfriend what you told me — you don’t have the energy for non-monogamy anymore — he may fear the promised sex parties and threesomes may never materialize. So, for variety’s sake, he’d rather get your permission to make something happen for himself (seeing sex workers on business trips) than wait on things that might never happen (attending sex parties with you). It’s also possible your boyfriend prefers sex oneon-one — with you and other partners over the kind of group play you might be willing to indulge him in. Which means you two are at an impasse. Your boyfriend needs a particular thing to be happy — a permission slip from his partner to see sex workers — and you need the opposite thing: not

just a promise from your partner to refrain from seeing sex workers, but ideally a partner with no interest in having sex outside the relationship at all.

And he’s not that guy.

If I may paraphrase Maya Angelou: when someone starts dropping unambiguous hints about who they are, take the hint the first time. While your boyfriend didn’t explicitly say he’s incapable of honoring a monogamous commitment, he made it pretty clear that he’d rather not make one. I think the tell here, VIV, is that he said seeing sex workers with your permission was a better choice than cheating while failing to include not seeing sex workers on his short list of possible options.

So, is this relationship doomed? It sounds like you crazy kids have a lot going for you: a long history, good sex (if not enough), and a lot of affection. But one of you is gonna have to give in one of you is going to have to pay the price of admission — to make this relationship work. And if your boyfriend agrees not to see sex workers in exchange for a promise from you to have some threesomes someday, you’re going to feel pressured to do things you may not wanna do, VIV, and verifying he’s not cheating on you is gonna be tricky. You’ll either have to take him at his word or never let him out of your sight. And the fact that you already feel like he’s making veiled threats to cheat is a bad sign — unless you’re willing to set your fears aside and/or suspend your disbelief and/or embrace tolyamory.

P.S. Alexander Cheves — author, writer, memoirist, and sex worker walked into the café in Berlin where I was working on my response to your question, VIV. Since Cheves writes a sex-advice column himself, I asked him to take a look at your question and share his thoughts.

“First, not all sex workers are women,” Cheves said, “and sex work isn’t just supposedly safer where sex work is legal, it is safer. And I guess I’d say to VIV that the fact her boyfriend is being transparent makes him a good potential partner. He’s laid out his ‘price of admission,’ as you call it, Dan, and now VIV has to decide if that’s a price she can pay. In general, I think people have too many dealbreakers, but not wanting the same kind of relationship — not wanting monogamy or not wanting the same versions of nonmonogamy — is often a sign that, yes, a relationship is doomed.”

: Q I’m a slightly bisexual but mostly gay man. Recently, thanks to diabetic medication, I lost a significant amount of weight (without meaning to) and I find myself unexpectedly interested in dating, companionship, and SEX for the

first time in years! I haven’t been in a relationship in twenty years and haven’t had sex in at least fifteen years. With testosterone replacement therapy and improved sexual function in addition to my improved general health, I am ready to reconnect sexuality. But I haven’t pursued dating since before the turn of the century! Technology has changed, dating has changed, and my physical abilities have changed so much that I am unsure of how to proceed. I’m even a little nervous and scared. Hiring an escort service — bespoke sex for compensation — sounds like a good option. I am also open to encounters that include physical affection without sex. I am so overwhelmed by new choices and lack of knowledge about choices, I feel frozen. Any advice on how to defrost would be greatly appreciated.

—Back On Top

A: “BOT has already answered his own question,” said Cheves. “He has an idea that an escort would be helpful and I think one would be helpful — and he’s talking about taking baby steps as he eases back into sex and intimacy. And taking those small, manageable baby steps with someone you trust rather than diving in headlong is a good idea he’s already giving himself the kind advice I would give him if he’d written to me.”

So, take some good and accurate pictures, create a profile, and thank your lucky stars that you’re getting back out there at a moment when everyone seems to want a hot daddy. And in addition to booking some time with an escort or two, look into hiring a gay life coach. Just as there are guys out there who make a living taking dick, there are guys out there who make a living helping other gay men learn how to navigate gay life, hookup apps, etc.

“Learning how to communicate online, learning how to make emotional connections, and learning how to tell sex and romance apart — some lessons he needs to learn, and some he may have forgotten and needs to relearn. Also, he should bear in mind that, even though he’s older, there’s gonna be knowledge and experience gaps between him and his partners, even if they’re younger than he is. He’s going to have to learn a new language — communicating on the apps — and he’s going to make mistakes. He’s also going to have a few unrequited crushes and he might get his heart broken. And while those experiences are painful, they’re essential to the process.”

Got problems? Yes, you do. Send your question to mailbox@savage.love! Podcasts, columns, and more at Savage. Love.

CULTURE Free Will Astrology

By Rob Brezsny

ARIES: March 21 – April 19

I suspect two notable phenomena will coalesce in your sphere sometime soon. The first is a surplus supply of luck. I’m not sure why, but the fates will be sending surges of good karma your way. The second phenomenon is this: You might not be entirely alert for the potential luck flowing in your direction, and it may not leap out and grab you. That could be a problem. Fortunately, you are reading this oracle, which means you are getting a heads-up about the looming opportunity. Now that you realize you must be vigilant for the serendipitous blessings, I’m confident you will spot them and claim them.

TAURUS: April 20 – May 20

You will be wise to summon extra love and rapport as you ruminate on your vivid upcoming decisions. Wouldn’t you like to bask in the helpful influences of smart allies who respect

you? How nurturing would it feel to receive healing encouragement and warm appreciation? I suggest you convene a conference of trusted advisors, good listeners, sunny mentors, wisdom keepers, and spirit guides. Maybe even convene a series of such gatherings. Now is an excellent time to call in all your favors and get the most inspirational support possible as you navigate your way to the next chapter of your life story.

GEMINI: May 21 – June 20

If you drink alcohol, don’t operate a forklift or backhoe. If you gamble, protect yourself with safeguards and have a backup plan. If you feel called to explore altered states of consciousness, consider doing meditation, dancing, or chanting holy songs instead of ingesting drugs. If you have an itch to go hang-gliding or sky-jumping, triple-check your equipment. And if you have the urge to try to walk on the water, don a lifejacket first. But please note, dear Gemini: I am not advising you to timidly huddle in your comfort zone. On the contrary. I highly recommend you stretch your limits. Just be secure and smart as you do.

CANCER: June 21 – July 22

— maybe as many as four. Synchronicities are coming! You have entered the More-Than-Mere-Coincidence Zone.

VIRGO: August 23 – Sept. 22

Psychologists J. Clayton Lafferty and Lorraine F. Lafferty wrote a book called Perfectionism: A Sure Cure for Happiness. It’s based on their work with clients who damaged their lives “in the illusory pursuit of the unrealistic and unattainable standard of perfection.” In my observation, many of us are susceptible to this bad habit, but you Virgos tend to be the most susceptible of all. The good news is that you now have an excellent chance to loosen the grip of perfectionism. You are more receptive than usual to intuitions about how to relax your aspirations without compromising your competence. As inspiration, consider these words from author Henry James: “Excellence does not require perfection.” Leadership expert R. R. Stutman adds: “If perfection is an obstacle course, excellence is a masterful dance.”

LIBRA: Sept. 23 – Oct. 22

feelings like these suggest you may be under the enchantment of influences that are cramping your imagination. The next step is to go in quest of experiences, people, and situations that excite your imagination, rouse your reverence, and raise your appreciation for holy mysteries. Life will conspire benevolently on your behalf if you connect yourself with magic, marvels, and miracles.

CAPRICORN: Dec. 22 – Jan. 19

Luther Burbank (1849–1926) was a practical artist. Using crossbreeding, he developed over 800 novel varieties of vegetables, fruits, grains, and flowers. Among his handiwork was the russet Burbank potato, a blight-resistant food designed to help Ireland recover from its Great Famine. My personal favorite was his Flaming Gold nectarine, one of the 217 fruits he devised. I propose that Burbank serve as your role model in the coming weeks. I believe you have the power to summon highly pragmatic creativity.

Do you know how to make a Napoleon Napalm? ‘I do not’ How about a Canadian Campfire? A Kosher Pig? A Skinny Brando? ‘Is there a Fat Brando?’ ‘I do love Streetcar, STELLA!!’…. A Harvey Wallbanger? ‘That one I know!!’

I plotted out my usual astrological reckonings for your current destiny. Then I slipped into a meditative trance and asked the spirits to show me future scenes that correspond to my assessments. In one prominent vision, I beheld you partying heartily, navigating your avid and inquisitive way through convivial gatherings. In other scenes, I saw you engaged in lively discussions with interesting people who expanded your understanding of the meaning of life in general and the meaning of your life in particular. I conclude that intelligent revelry will be a main theme for you. Productive excitement. Pleasurable intrigue. Connections that enliven and tonify your imagination.

LEO: July 23 – August 22

The theory of synchronicity proposes that hidden patterns are woven into our lives. Though they may ordinarily be hard to detect, they can become vividly visible under certain circumstances. But we have to adjust the way we interpret reality. Here’s a clue: Be alert for three meaningful coincidences that happen within a short time and seem related to each other. I predict the emergence of at least one set of these coincidences in the coming weeks

“Everyone is a moon and has a dark side which they never show to anybody,” wrote author Mark Twain. I agree that everyone is a moon and has a dark side. But it’s important to note that our dark sides are not inherently ugly or bad. Psychologist Carl Jung proved to me that our dark sides may contain latent, wounded, or unappreciated beauty. To be healthy, in fact, we should cultivate a vigorous relationship with our dark side. In doing so, we can draw out hidden and undeveloped assets. The coming weeks will be a favorable time for you Libras to do this.

SCORPIO: Oct. 23 – Nov. 21:

Your current state has metaphorical resemblances to idling in your car, waiting and waiting and waiting for the red light to change. But here’s the good news: I expect the signal will turn green very soon — maybe even within minutes after you read this horoscope. Here’s more good news: Your unlucky number will stop popping up so often, and your lucky number will be a frequent visitor. I’m also happy to report that the “Please don’t touch” signs will disappear. This means you will have expanded permission to consort intimately with influences you need to consort with.

SAGITTARIUS: Nov. 22 – Dec. 21

I think it’s time to graduate from your lessons in toxic kinds of enchantment and launch a new experiment with healthy kinds of enchantment. If you agree, spend the next few days checking to see if any part of you is numb, apathetic, or unreceptive. Non-

AQUARIUS: Jan. 20 – Feb. 18

L. R. McBride wrote the book

The Kahuna: Versatile Mystics of Old Hawaii. He describes the role of the kahuna, who is a blend of sorcerer, scholar, and healer. At one point, a kahuna gives advice to an American tourist, saying, “You have moved too fast for too long. You have left part of yourself behind. Now you should slow down so that part of you can catch up.” I’m offering you the same advice right now, Aquarius. Here’s your homework: Dream up three fun things you can do to invite and welcome back the left-behind parts of you.

PISCES: Feb.19 – March 20

In the course of my life, I have heard the following three statements from various people: 1. “Everything would be better between us if you would just be different from who you are.” 2. “I would like you more if you were somebody else.” 3. “Why won’t you change to be more like the person I wish you would be?” I’m sure you have heard similar pronouncements yourself, Pisces. But now here’s the good news: I don’t think you will have to endure much, if any, of such phenomena in the coming months. Why? First, because you will be more purely your authentic self than you have ever been. Second, because your allies, colleagues, and loved ones— the only people who matter, really — are likely to be extra welcoming to your genuine self.

Homework: Enjoy free articles and audios from my new book: bit.ly/lovelifegifts

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