BLAC Detroit Magazine August 2020

BLACdetroit.com

Black Life, Arts & Culture

DEFUND THE POLICE? Part I of our three-part series ‘Evolution’

Twist Twist

AUGUST 2020 / COMPLIMENTARY

With a

Detroit bar culture post-pandemic

AUGUST 2020

INSIDE 4

Online at BLACdetroit.com

FEATURES 18

BACK TO SCHOOL? Here’s what we know so far about plans to reopen schools in the fall

22

LAW AND ORDER Part I of our three-part series “Evolution” unpacks calls to defund the police

26

BAR CULTURE Considering Detroit’s nightlife in the age of COVID

DEPARTMENTS 8

DISCOVER Pro tips for plant parents, Neisha Neshae’s new project, the Jazz Fest goes digital and more

14

APPRAISED Darryl DeAngelo Terrell’s work explores gender identity and gentrification

16

DETROIT PROPER Packing firepower and prayers

29

ACCESS Your need-to-know rules of engagement by venue type

30

SEEN A stroll along the RiverWalk

SPONSORED

22

6

ZANETA ADAMS, DIRECTOR, MICHIGAN VETERANS AFFAIRS AGENCY

15

HOW MUCH SLEEP DO I NEED?

ON THE COVER: Photo by Lauren Jeziorski taken at The Griot, 66 E. Forest Ave., Detroit

BLACdetroit.com • AUGUST 2020 • BLAC 3

D LIFE

BLACdetroit.com

Online in August Visit BLACdetroit.com for web exclusives and to stay up on what’s happening in Black Detroit

Opinion Piece BLAC’s former editor Aaron Foley returns with a new monthly column.

The Show Must Go On Michigan Opera Theatre plans nontraditional

performances for its 2020-21 season

Get BLAC Mail Sign up for our weekly newsletter at BLACdetroit.com/BLACmail.

Jokes Aside What you should know about bipolar disorder

SEEN Galleries Check out the full digital gallery.

Did we spot you?

Fb.com/BLACdetroitMagazine 4 BLAC • AUGUST 2020 • BLACdetroit.com

@BLACMagazine

@BLACdetroitMag

CEO / PUBLISHER Billy Strawter Jr. SENIOR EDITOR Paris Giles CREATIVE DIRECTOR Kelly Buren SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Lindsey Lawson PHOTOGRAPHER Lauren Jeziorski DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR Meaghan Smith COPY EDITOR Kim Kovelle CONTRIBUTORS Desiree Cooper, Jasmine Graham, Jamilah Jackson, Sydney Kispert-Bostick, Sherri Kolade, Nick Pizana, Marquin Stanley PRINTER Calev Systems Miami Springs, Florida

CONTACT US 6200 SECOND AVE. DETROIT, MI 48202 313-312-1611 PUBLISHER: publisher@BLACdetroit.com SALES: advertise@BLACdetroit.com DESIGN: design@BLACdetroit.com EDITORIAL: editor@BLACdetroit.com CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS: calendar@BLACdetroit.com DISTRIBUTION: distribution@BLACdetroit.com BLAC Detroit magazine is published 12 times a year. ©2020 by BLAC Detroit. All rights reserved.

Any reproduction in whole or in part without the express written consent of BLAC magazine is prohibited.

BLACdetroit.com • AUGUST 2020 • BLAC 5

A year-long series featuring Detroiters who are driving positive change in their communities.

Driving Community Sponsored by Ford Motor Company Fund

Zaneta Adams, Director, Michigan Veteran Affairs Agency This veteran heads an agency that connects Michigan’s 600,000-plus veterans with crucial benefits and resources.

M ichigan Veteran Affairs Agency Director Zaneta Adams says the wealth of resources available to veterans that they just simply don’t know about is akin to having a $1 million inheritance deposited into your bank account – but never being made aware. The help exists.

MVAA’s goal is to first educate Michigan’s more than 600,000 veterans about the employment, education, health care and financial 6 BLAC • AUGUST 2020 • BLACdetroit.com

opportunities out there, and then connect them to the sources.

“Our job is to be the statewide coordinating center to connect veterans to state and federal benefits and resources,” Adams says. “One of the main things that I want to make sure that we’re doing is educating veterans on what’s available. Prior to the pandemic, one of my focuses was getting out there in front of veterans, giving them the informa-

tion and the tools to be successful.”

COVID-19 has forced MVAA to adapt their programming, but, she says, “It’s been a blessing in disguise in the sense that we have created some different initiatives to reach veterans, and I think we’re reaching a lot more of them.”

They’ve launched virtual coffee hours to address varied topics from workforce development to LGBTQ initiatives to mental health. Adams

reminds that suicide rates among veterans are higher than the general population, and the isolation forced

by COVID creates added cause for concern. MVAA’s Check on MIVet (pronounced “my vet”) initiative aims to help remedy that seclusion.

Veterans – or the friends and family of veterans – are encouraged to complete a form online to schedule periodic check-ins. Someone from MVAA or one if its partner organiza-

tions will call the vet and make sure they’re getting the help and information needed to thrive, and that they “have another human voice on the line that understands what they’re going through.”

In response to the financial burden, the agency has reallocated funds from the County Veteran Service Fund grant (already in place pre-COVID) to offer emergency relief for veterans – assisting with vehicle and home repairs, medical expenses, groceries and other necessities and facilitating education. Notably, MVAA partnered with Meijer to provide grocery vouchers. They’ll also be launching the CORE (Community Outreach Regional Engagement) initiative, which will create a team of players from different but related sectors working together to aid veterans. “So, you’ll have at least 10 to 14 people per region working as a team to meet veterans,” Adams says, add-

ing that they’ll work closely with the Department of Health and Human Services to address mental health, specifically.

Adams enlisted in the Army in 1998, and, while in the Army Reserve, “a space where they say, ‘Oh, you’ll never get called up,’ I got put up for Iraq.” But she never made it to Iraq. While preparing to deploy, Adams fell 10-plus feet from a “deuce and a half ” truck and injured her back severely. “I was in a wheelchair. I was told I may never walk again,” she says. “I went through the journey of being disabled, being in severe pain, nerve pain, all the time.”

While trying to manage the pain, depression and suicidal ideations, Adams says, she didn’t know where to turn for resources – or even what was available. After being medically discharged in 2006, it was her own battle to get the help and benefits owed to her that’s fueled her passion to make

sure her fellow veterans are better equipped.

“There are so many opportunities out there in many different spheres, whether it be mental health resources, recreational resources, educational resources or employment opportunities, that are out there just for veterans, but they don’t know about them,” Adams says. “And what that tells me is that people want to help.

There are people here in Michigan who want to help.”

To the civilian population eager to assist, she says, “Be OK with not necessarily understanding. Be OK with us not necessarily telling our story, but understanding that most people who signed up – especially those who signed up voluntarily, but also those who were drafted – who served their country want to continue to serve in some capacity. So, offering those opportunities where they can continue to serve is a big component.”

“Ford Fund believes that investing in the needs of our youth is an essential step toward empowering our communities for a promising future.”

Ford joins BLAC in honoring Zaneta Adams and Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency in their outstanding commitment to their mission to honor and expand support to our veterans. We are inspired

by Director Adams’ unwavering initiatives to educate veterans on lesser-known programs and connect them to state and federal benefits and resources.

Like Zaneta Adams, Ford Motor Company has been committed to the welfare of veterans for many years. Since 1987, Ford Motor Company has donated over 215 vehicles to the nonprofit Disabled American Veterans to help transport more than 18 million veterans to their appointments.

In addition, Ford Fund has awarded nearly $1.2 million through the DAV Jesse Brown Memorial Youth Scholarship to young men and women who have generously volunteered their time and distinguished service to help disabled veterans. Ford Salutes Zaneta Adams and MVAA for being a beacon of light for those who have sacrificed the most to protect our country.

– Pamela Alexander, director of community development for Ford Motor Company

HELPING OUR VETERANS For more information on MVAA’s services, call 800-MICH-VET, visit michiganveterans.com or tune into their radio show Veterans Perspective, hosted by Adams and airing 3-4 p.m. Saturdays on WJR. BLACdetroit.com • AUGUST 2020 • BLAC 7

D LIFE

DISCOVER

By Paris Giles

PLANTS HAVE AN ALMOST DIVINE ABILITY TO BREATHE LIFE NOT JUST INTO A ROOM BUT INTO US.

Plant Positive 8 BLAC • AUGUST 2020 • BLACdetroit.com

Fill a hospital room with foliage and watch a patient bounce back more quickly. Maybe it was the prayers – but maybe it was the plants. For Alexis Sims, it was the plants that brought her back to life. Last year, Sims found herself divorced with a weeks-old baby and living in a house under construction. Her mom brought over a couple plants to warm up the space for the baby, but they also served to steady Sims. “Repotting them, watching them grow, cleaning off the leaves, pruning them, all of that just helped me stay in that moment versus having those anxious thoughts where you’re wondering what’s going to happen,” she says.

Caring for the plants proved therapeutic for Sims, and, in the year of the bizarre, she thought others may also be able to benefit – and so Leaf Me bloomed on Juneteenth. This online plant boutique responds to the increasingly intimate way in which people, especially young consumers, like to shop. So rather than a swipe-thank you-come again approach, Leaf Me’s plants are available to rent for photo shoots and events, and they also offer repotting and plant styling – which means they’ll show you how best to care for and arrange your new plant in your favorite space.

Sims currently sources most of her plants from nurseries in sunshiny states like Florida and California, taking care to consider which will thrive in the homes of her mostly Michigan-based clientele.

Though, she has plans to eventually grow her own plants and control the supply chain. “As Black people, we participate as consumers in all these markets, but we really don’t tap in on the business side. So, I thought this was a good opportunity to pay homage to my ancestors” – she says green thumbs run in her family – “and provide this therapeutic service.”

PLANT PARENTING TIPS • BOTHERSOME BUGS Sims says, “Bugs mainly come from overwatering. If the soil is too moist for too long, you can get all kinds of bugs.” Gnats, fruit flies and spider mites are common insects that can attack your plants. Also avoid letting dust collect on your plants. Dust often contains skin cells and pet hair, a nice snack for pesky pests. Wipe your plants down regularly. Dunking your plant’s leaves or spraying them down in a solution of slightly soapy lukewarm water can also help.

• SOIL SELECTION “There’s no one-fits-all for soil. Certain plants require certain kinds of soil. Succulents, for example, they like a lot of drainage, so sand or moss or things like that. Sometimes, you can sit a succulent in rocks, and it’ll be fine.” Sims recommends researching your plant and its needs before just using whatever’s around or grabbing an all-purpose soil.

• SOLAR POWER How much or little sunlight to give your little one will be specific to the plant, but in general, Sims says, “Most plants like sunlight.” She says south-facing windows typically get the best light, but follow your plant’s instructions and trust your instincts. And avoid sitting your houseplants outside – that’s often too much direct sunlight. “There’s a thin line between perfect and a burnt plant.”

• WATER LEVEL “A lot of plants lean over, droop a little bit when they’re ready for some water,” Sims says. “It does not mean they’re dead – it means they’re thirsty.” Browning leaves could also be a sign that it’s time to water, and remember, you’ll want to water more in the summertime than during the winter months. To avoid overwatering, watch for limp leaves and fungus gnats, or stick your finger an inch or so into the soil. Still moist? Hold the water.

• REPOTTING PLAN “The drainage hole is a good indicator of whether or not your plant needs to be repotted,” Sims says. “If you see roots in the drainage hole, that means it’s too big and it needs a bigger pot.”

Also watch for matted roots near the soil surface.

If you buy a plant still in one of those pliable plastic pots, it’s probably been in there a while and may need to be repotted when you take it home.

Otherwise, you’ll typically need to repot every year and a half or so once your plant reaches a mature size.

BLACdetroit.com • AUGUST 2020 • BLAC 9

D LIFE

DISCOVER

By Paris Giles and Marquin Stanley

MOVED BY MUSIC

VIRTUAL REALITY B

N

othing can stop a powerhouse like Neisha Neshae. Not even 2020, where a worldwide pandemic took hold, racial tensions seem to have reached a new high and the concert industry has completely fallen flat. Neisha remains committed to delivering new records to a devoted and constantly growing audience in and outside the Motor City.

Beginning with the release of the single “Never Know” in May, Neisha’s latest records perfectly align her signature R&B trap style with evolved life messages. “Never Know” finds Neisha motivating listeners to strengthen their relationships with loved ones. She says, “I wrote ‘Never Know’ the day after Kobe passed away. I was in a space where I realized there’s a lot of things that I don’t say to people. I just wanted to remind people to tap in with the ones that they love.” July single “Be Yourself,” produced by Coal Cash Blac and Ced Louie, serves to promote self-love. The powerful lyricism that surges through “Be Yourself” proves why the R&B songstress remains a respected figure in Detroit’s music culture.

Throughout this pandemic and time of increased racial tension, Black women in the music industry like Neisha have been a major sector of the voices that steadily uplift our community.

Being a true advocate for her people, Neisha continues to encourage her diverse fans to own who they are and to spread positivity. She wonders, “At what point do we all come together and realize that we are not each other’s opponents?”

– M.S. @neishaneshae 10 BLAC • AUGUST 2020 • BLACdetroit.com

eginning Labor Day weekend, the Detroit Jazz Festival will launch with a free virtual presentation of the annual show.

Presented by Rocket Mortgage, the four-day festival will be performed live on the indoor sound stages of the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center. Embodying the soulful experience of past years, the Detroit Jazz Fest will place artists on traditional stages featuring familiar lighting and sound structures.

In addition to being filmed with three cameras in high definition, the lineup – to be revealed in its entirety at a later date – will mainly consist of local musicians. Artists originally set to travel to the city for their performances, including Dee Dee Bridgewater, Gregory Porter and Herbie Hancock, may still pop up. Chris Collins, Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation president and artistic director, recently teased the possibility of virtual appearances during the program.

Collins says, “Working with city, state and federal authorities, we evaluated several contingency plans to ensure the health and safety of our extensive audience during the pandemic. After much consideration, it was decided to create a virtual performance environment that will duplicate the live performance experience.”

Along with connecting with Detroit audiences, the festival will now be accessible on a worldwide scale thanks to the digital transition. Music fans interested in watching the program can view the show in multiple ways: on Channel 22, the city’s new arts and entertainment station; the festival’s website; public radio and television; and the official app. VIP packages, which include personalized and up-close artist experiences, are also available for purchase on the festival’s website.

– M.S. Sept. 4-7 @detroitjazzfest detroitjazzfest.org

ADAPTABLE ART I

n years past, University Prep Art and Design has held an end-of-year student art exhibit, but the typical pop-up gallery wasn’t possible this past spring – and so they had to whip up a new plan. We’ll call it the COVID pivot from here forward. Instead of an in-person gathering, school officials, teachers and students created an online gallery, Night of the Arts, showcasing the students’ art and selling professional prints for as low as $20.

Art and Design chair Manal Kadry says they looked upon this would-be negative as a chance to get, well, creative. No, they couldn’t mingle in person, but the students could still be given the opportunity to display their work – for more than just one night and reach further than Detroit.

“We’ve sold over $4,000 worth of pieces,” Kadry says. “There’s been people from all over America buying pieces. It’s just been really amazing to see how people in different states are interested in seeing our students’ work.”

Sophomore Micah Sanders’ collection features images from her web comic Dark Zone, about Aiden, a boy who’s one of a gang of people who have gone missing over the last seven years.

Aiden mysteriously shows back up, “but he’s a little weird.” The 16-year-old’s portfolio consists of the prep work she did for the comic – character design, promotional art, background images. Micah says, “I thought, at first, that portfolios had to be specifically eight images that corresponded to one theme. And,

DRESS FOR SUCCESS

technically, this all is a theme, but it doesn’t follow the traditional portfolio format.”

You'll find that a lot of the student work in the Night of the Arts online gallery features, focuses on or otherwise relates to their environments. “A lot of our students were at home just like everybody else,” Kadry says.

“We found a way to get them to

be creative in a small space, in their own space. We’ve always believed that art is a way for students to express themselves creatively in a language that everybody can understand.”

– P.G. nightofthearts.com

F

or Detroit youth interested in retail or fashion merchandising, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan is launching its first Industry Club.

By teaming up with Bedrock Detroit, Ponyride and Détroit is the New Black, BGCSM is offering the opportunity to learn the business of fashion. “What we’re doing is embedding the youths inside of a true industry,” says Shawn Wilson, BGCSM president and CEO. “The whole goal of the club is to teach the kids the business cycle of the retail and fashion industry.”

The year-round program will operate primarily out of Détroit is the New Black and employ three “cohorts” per year, the first starting in September.

They’ll have their hands in everything from product design to marketing to sales. “Ultimately they’ll get a chance to see all of those different components at work in real time,” Wilson says. And, perhaps most importantly, the kids gain access to those connections and relationships that will prove invaluable as they venture out.

Registration is still open to youth enrolled in BGCSM. “When you look at most problems facing youths – whether it’s high incarceration rates, teen pregnancy, gun violence, etc., etc. – the core root of that is poverty,” he says.

“And so our goal is to really focus on and address poverty, and this program is an example of that. As with a lot of our programs, we hope it leads to our youths becoming career, startup and homeowner ready.”

– P.G. @bgcsem bgcsm.org BLACdetroit.com • AUGUST 2020 • BLAC 11

D LIFE

DISCOVER

By Jamilah Jackson

BURN BRIGHT B

rittani Brisker suffered from chronic migraines with no relief in sight. She began burning candles and saw results much quicker than any medicine she was prescribed. One day she read the ingredients on the candles she’d been using and was shocked. “I started to imagine that if a dirty, toxic-filled candle could give me some relief, then a clean candle could probably make me feel like Superwoman,” she says.

Brisker took her love for candles and started making her own – first for her health, but then the hobby evolved as her family and friends began requesting her products. After rave reviews, she eventually turned her part-time hobby into a full-time business, Whiff N Sniff, in 2019. Choose from 17 varieties of 10-ounce candles made in Detroit with pure soy wax, essential oils and cotton, lead-free wicks. Candles are estimated to burn up to 60 hours.

Visit the site for help on finding the right candle. Stressed? Try Brisker’s Destress and Decompress Collection. In the mood for something sweet? How about a banana split? Or sign up for the Whiffer Sniffer’s Club. The monthly subscription includes a new candle every month as well as introductory offers, free gifts and other surprises.

@whiffnsniff whiffnsniff.com

W

BLACK LIST 12 BLAC • AUGUST 2020 • BLACdetroit.com

hile major businesses and corporations are being outed for not supporting Black lives, Black-owned businesses are seeing an increase in customers as consumers of all types clamor to shop Black. NOIR Detroit is an online database of Black-owned businesses, resources and events in Detroit.

The user-driven community resource encourages visitors to submit their businesses for recognition, add their events to the calendar and also leave reviews for their favorite spots. With many Black business directories on the market, NOIR Detroit’s uniqueness is found in its easily searchable database and event reminders which can be sent via email or text message.

Launched on Juneteenth, co-founders Mardi Woods, Alicia Nails and Debra Sanders created the database because they say they were tired

of the often-troublesome search for Black businesses. Woods says, “It was frustrating to dig for information on the internet, and we wished there was a comprehensive site featuring all of Detroit’s Black businesses, upcoming events and informational resources.”

NOIRDetroit.com is up and running with dozens of businesses and events already listed.

The team hopes that as the site grows, NOIR Detroit will become one of the major sites for all things Black Detroit. This very magazine has long been a community go-to for Detroit’s Black businesses, events and resources – and we welcome NOIR Detroit to the space.

@noirdetroit313 noirdetroit.com

BLACdetroit.com • AUGUST 2020 • BLAC 13

D LIFE

APPRAISED

By Nick Pizana

IDENTITY POLITICS

D

arryl Terrell is a multifaceted Detroit-based artist, writer and curator who uses photography to explore gender, identity and the Black experience. Terrell’s practice began while studying photojournalism in college. As he began to explore photography as an artform, his photos moved from documentation to expression. During graduate school at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Terrell honed his focus on portraiture, particularly in finding “Dion,” Terrell’s alter ego and subject. Described by Terrell as a “fat, Black, femme, non-binary person,” Dion is a vessel for Terrell to rethink gender norms and explore the Black femme experience.

Earlier this year, one of Terrell’s photos as Dion was featured in a billboard erected by SaveArtSpace, the Brooklyn-born nonprofit that works to create urban gallery experiences.

His photography also earned him a 2019 Kresge Arts fellowship and a residency at Red Bull Arts Detroit, which has been pushed to 2021. In the meantime, Terrell is on a mission to photograph up to 200 Black and brown young people ages 20 to 30 from urban areas hit by gentrification, before he turns 30 himself. The goal of the project is to confront the gentrification that amplifies racial disparities and highlight the voices of those pushed aside. Terrell says, “You kick us out the hood, I put us on your white walls.”

@blkboyshine darryldterrell.com 14 BLAC • AUGUST 2020 • BLACdetroit.com

#Project20’s (15 of 200)

I Look Like My Mama (Self-Portrait 1980’s)

Documentation of Dion Being a Bad Bitch…Periodt

SPONSORED CONTENT

BLACdetroit.com • AUGUST 2020 • BLAC 15

D LIFE

DETROIT PROPER HIGHLIGHTING THE PEOPLE, PLACES, EVENTS AND ISSUES OF BLACK DETROIT

When Hope and Prayer Fail to Comfort, We May Need to Arm Ourselves with More than Just Black Power

BY DESIREE COOPER

W

hen I was about 10, my grandmother asked me to get something from her dresser.

Pulling open the top drawer, I peeked into the luxurious mystery of womanhood: silky white slips, sturdy Playtex bras and delicate, sheer stockings. In the corner I spied a yellow King Edward Imperial cigar box and completely forgot my errand. Opening the treasure chest, I expected to find her best costume jewelry or her cherished Avon perfumes. Inside was a pair of her finest white gloves with pearl buttons that she wore on first Sundays. Next to them were several embroidered handkerchiefs. And among those items of devout femininity lay a black, snub-nosed pistol.

Slamming the box closed, I fled from the room. But for years, that discovery haunted me. Evidently, there were threats out there for which my grandmother’s prayers were not enough. Fast forward several years. My best friend Karen and I were teens rummaging through her aunt’s attic looking for Christmas decorations. Suddenly, there was a rifle.

“Wow!” I said. “Check this out!”

Before Karen could say anything, I had leveled the gun at her, put my finger on the trigger and pulled. When I heard that cold, metal click, Karen and I stared at each other in disbelief. I felt like vomiting; I’d expected the trigger to require more pressure. On that day more than 40 years ago, I could have killed my best friend.

These early experiences shaped my feelings about gun ownership.

They taught me that even docile grandmothers have reasons to be armed. And they taught me that guns can be lethal to those they were meant to protect, so if you’re going to get one, it had better be for a good, church lady reason. Now, I’m wondering if I’ve found that righteous reason. In this moment of astounding racial wokeness, Blacks are keenly aware that white backlash can be swift and violent. We remember that it was during Reconstruction when newly freed slaves were owning businesses and getting elected to office, that the popularity of the Ku Klux Klan surged and lynchings became the common tool of white terror.

Our fears are not imagined. According to a July Pew survey, 45% of Black adults say that it is more common for people to express racist views toward them since the coronavirus outbreak. For each vocal non-POC ally, there seems to be countless whites who are a hair trigger away from a racial war. If the appearance of armed white men protesting in Lansing didn’t confirm my fears, then Jillian “Smith & Wesson” Wuestenberg definitely convinced me. She’s the Orion

16 BLAC • AUGUST 2020 • BLACdetroit.com

Township woman who pulled a gun on a Black woman and her daughter outside of a Chipotle last month.

“I am not a gun owner and don’t want to be,” says my justice warrior friend Desiree Ferguson, an attorney and lifelong Detroiter. “But I am considering it now, because I feel like I need to be.”

When I ask Detroiter Julie Fields if her family owned a gun, she says, “We are about to! These people are arming for a war guided by the punk-in-chief squatting in the

from these overzealous white privilege ‘advocates,’” says Toni Russell, an entrepreneur born and raised on the west side. “Once my license arrives, I will be purchasing a shotgun for my home, a pistol for carrying and more classes and range time to improve my skills in handling both.

I can continue to pray for change and be the example of the change I want to see. But I also must be able to protect myself as the evolution – or the revolution – of change is in progress.”

“I can continue to pray for change and be the example of the change I want to see. But I also must be able to protect myself as the evolution – or the revolution – of change is in progress.”

White House.” Fields, who lives on the city’s west side, also says that as soon as the ink is dry on their license, they will be joining the National African American Gun Association, an organization that has more than 34,000 members in 75 chapters nationwide. In the 36 hours following the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis on Memorial Day, NAAGA reported an influx of 2,000 new members.

“The current climate has me feeling like I need to have another tool in my toolbox to protect myself

All of these women are also grandmothers. We have spent years hoping with our hearts and working with our hands to create a just world for our children and grandchildren. I haven’t decided what I’m going to do yet. But I’m reminded of the first lesson I learned about guns from my grandmother: There are times you must arm yourself with more than prayers.

DESIREE COOPER IS THE AUTHOR OF KNOW THE MOTHER.

Pandemic Pandemicwon’t won’tstop stop AARP AARPMichigan Michiganfrom from reaching reachingthe the50-plus 50-plus

BRENDA BRENDA PRICE, PRICE, AARPAARP Michigan Michigan Associate Associate StateState Director Director for Community for Community Outreach Outreach

II

t has been t has said beenthat saidnecessity that necessity is theismother the mother of invention. of invention.

Replacement,” Replacement,” featuring featuring an orthopedic an orthopedic surgeon; surgeon; “Tech“Tech Tips for Tips for The COVID-19 The COVID-19 pandemic pandemic has inspired has inspired AARPAARP Michigan Michigan to to Caregivers,” Caregivers,” led byled an by expert an expert with tips withand tipstricks and tricks for using for using your your explore explore new and newinnovative and innovative ways to ways reach to reach its members its members and and smartphones smartphones and tablets; and tablets; “Protecting “Protecting Yourself Yourself from from COVID-19 COVID-19 other other older older adultsadults with education with education and outreach and outreach programs programs Scams,” Scams,” “Understanding “Understanding Michigan’s Michigan’s New Auto New Insurance Auto Insurance Law,”Law,” and and ranging ranging from from fraud fraud prevention prevention and caregiving and caregiving to healthy to healthy eatingeating and and manymany other other virtualvirtual programs programs available available to members to members and the andgeneral the general homehome decluttering. decluttering. publicpublic simplysimply by clicking by clicking on a link. on a link.

After After closely closely monitoring monitoring COVID-19 COVID-19 developments developments and taking and taking In August, In August, AARPAARP Michigan Michigan and Wayne and Wayne State State University University precautions precautions recommended recommended by thebyCenters the Centers for Disease for Disease Control Control and and Department Department of Gerontology of Gerontology will partner will partner on a three on a three programs programs for for Prevention Prevention (CDC) (CDC) and local and public local public healthhealth agencies, agencies, AARPAARP has canhas can- caregivers: caregivers: celed celed all in-person all in-person eventsevents through through December December 31, 2020.

31, 2020.

• Aug.• 12 Aug. at 312p.m., at 3 p.m., virtualvirtual session session on difficult on difficult conversations conversations for for caregivers. caregivers.

• Aug.• 21 Aug. at 10 21 a.m., at 10 program a.m., program on how onto how keep to your keep loved your loved ones ones from from beingbeing financially financially exploited. exploited.

• Aug.• 26 Aug. at 26 11 a.m., at 11 click a.m., in click forin a presentation for a presentation on how onto how manage to manage someone someone else’s else’s money. money.

To find Tothe findlink thetolink these to these programs, programs, go to go thetoAARP the AARP Michigan Michigan web web page at page aarp.org/mi at aarp.org/mi and click and on click AARP on AARP Michigan Michigan Virtual Virtual Events.

Events.

If youIfknow you know of an of elderly an elderly person person who would who would be interested be interested in anyin any of these of these eventsevents but lacks but lacks technical technical skills,skills, consider consider scheduling scheduling time to time to view the viewprogram the program with them. with them.

OtherOther upcoming upcoming eventsevents include: include: • Aug.• 5Aug. at 105 a.m. at 10aa.m. virtual a virtual session session on decluttering on decluttering your home your home in in the Learn the Learn a Latte a Latte series.series.

• Aug.•19 Aug. at 10 19 a.m. at 10on a.m. getting on getting a pet for a pet companionship for companionship and health. and health.

• Sessions • Sessions later this laterfall thisonfall healthy on healthy eating,eating, what what to do to until do the until the But the Butviral the outbreak viral outbreak will not willkeep not AARP keep AARP Michigan Michigan from from reaching reaching paramedic paramedic comescomes and housing and housing solutions solutions when when you can’t you can’t live alone. live alone. out with out relevant with relevant programming programming for the for50-plus. the 50-plus.

We are Wenow areoffernow offerPast events Past events will bewill linked be linked on theonvirtual the virtual eventsevents webpage webpage at aarp. at aarp. ing virtual online ing virtual online eventsevents and opportunities and opportunities for members for members and the and the org/mi, org/mi, and they and will theyalso willremain also remain on Facebook on Facebook and YouTube. and YouTube. general general publicpublic that will thattake willthe takeplace the place of theofusual the usual in-person in-person events. events. Take aTake looka at look what at what else iselse coming is coming up later up this lateryear thisat year aarp.org/ at aarp.org/ July featured July featured “Everything “Everything You Need You Need to Know to Know AboutAbout Total Total Hip Hip mi - and mi -beand sure beto sure check to check back for back updates! for updates!

CHECK CHECKOUT OUT

THETHE FRAUD FRAUD WATCH WATCH NETWORK NETWORK AT AT

aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork BLACdetroit.com • AUGUST 2020 • BLAC 17

LESSON

PLANS Purchased kicks and fresh ’fits for the kids?

Check. New school supplies and melanin-heavy character backpacks on deck for 2020-21? Double check! Had a conversation with school officials about COVID-19 reopening plans and heightened racial tensions, and how that might impact your child this fall? Not yet? OK, no worries. Let’s chat.

BY SHERRI KOLADE

18 BLAC • AUGUST 2020 • BLACdetroit.com

A

s a wife and mother raising two young Black boys (one elementary-age), I am praying every day that God helps keep us. Like other parents, I’m busy working remotely, helping manage our house, preparing my son for school, and – not to mention – doing all this during a pandemic that’s revealed major societal inequities and left me wanting to shield my children from the world. But. I. Can’t.

Especially when my young son asks me why the police are killing innocent people whose skin color looks like his? And he asks poignant questions about the coronavirus, too. But what are schools doing? Do I even want to send him back into all this? Yet, what’s a parent to do?

Let’s take a deep breath. We’re going to get through this, together. And before we get too far down our kids’ back-toschool list, here is the rundown on what some schools are doing before their doors reopen to welcome our children back. Here’s a hint: You might breathe a bit easier when you see those plans. I did.

SCHOOL’S OUT?

In mid-March, schools across the United States closed their doors for what was initially thought to be a few weeks to slow the spread of the coronavirus. As positive cases and tragic deaths swept the nation, days turned to months. Now plans to reopen schools in the fall are being tossed around to the dismay of many parents – and to the relief of others – who are seeing a continued surge in cases. But with many schools being encouraged to open at the behest of President Donald Trump, they’ve come up with creative solutions to safely comply with ever-changing rules.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s MI Safe Schools: Michigan’s 202021 Return to School Roadmap, released in late June, is a 63-page plan that lays out the steps for going back to school based on the status of the pandemic geographically in the state. Highlights of the plan include tentative options such as full-time, in-person learning, remote learning, hybrid learning, social distance recommendations and more. Also of note: Students kindergarten through fifth grade are not required to wear a mask (unless they are away from their desks) in school.

Students sixth through 12th grade are required to wear masks.

“We will continue to put safety first, leveraging science, data and public health evidence to inform the decisions we make to serve each and every student in Michigan well,” Whitmer writes in the plan’s introductory letter.

Some other Roadmap highlights: Staff and teachers are required to always wear face masks.

It is recommended that student desks are stationed six feet apart.

The plan recommends that most meals be served inside the classroom or outdoors, along with staggered mealtimes and social distancing in the cafeteria if it’s in use.

Indoor assemblies with students from multiple classrooms would not be allowed.

Schools would need to work with local health departments on screening protocols.

MEDICAL

INTERVENTION Denise Fair, the Detroit Health Department’s chief public health officer, says her department is working with schools on their reopening plan. “Since the beginning of the pandemic, the DHD has collaborated with Detroit

“We will continue to put safety first, leveraging science, data and public health evidence to inform the decisions we make to serve each and every student in Michigan well.”

Public Schools Community District to ensure students’ safety.

“More recently, I was tapped to chair a public health work group as part of the state’s Safe Start Plan for reopening schools,” Fair says, adding that the work group is part of Whitmer’s COVID-19 Return to Learn Advisory Council, created to ensure a smooth and safe transition back to school. “As chair of the work group, the health department will certainly be involved in decisions to ensure students’ and educators’ safe return to class.”

As far as health concerns, Fair says it’s important for parents and educators to know that individuals – including children – can be asymptomatic carriers. “Which means anyone including those who are immune-compromised are at risk, whether at home or

BLACdetroit.com • AUGUST 2020 • BLAC 19

LESSON

PLANS

school,” she says. “That’s why it’s important that parents have good information and choice and that appropriate protocols are in place to protect students and educators when they do return to school.”

She adds that she believes that Whitmer and DPSCD superintendent Nikolai Vitti have the students’ education and interests at the forefront in all they do. “We all are committed to ensuring that when students do return to school, they will be able to do so as safely as possible,” Fair says.

ONE EDUCATOR’S PLAN

Randy Liepa, superintendent for the Wayne Regional Education Service Agency, which encompasses 32 school districts (includ-

ing DPSCD) with a K-12 student population of 275,000 in Wayne County, says that the safety of students and staff is the most important factor.

Liepa says, “School districts are really focusing on safety measures they can put in place like social distancing in schools, wearing masks to make sure kids are safe in school, and that parents feel comfortable sending their kids back to school.” He says school districts are working with local health departments like the Wayne County Health Department to ensure a safe and successful school year.

He encourages parents to visit their children’s school district websites for regular updates, and Wayne RESA plans to communicate with parents on more finalized

20 BLAC • AUGUST 2020 • BLACdetroit.com

fall plans in early August. Liepa says he thinks school districts have a strong preference to have students in school as much as possible. But they are also preparing for some parents who won’t want to send their kids to school, and so there may be an online option.

Regardless of all the safety protocols in place, reopening will depend on how Michigan is doing with regard COVID-19 cases.

“Schools are going to really listen to what the governor says and look to what the trends are in the state, and be very nimble to be able to change their plans if they need to,” he says. “Parents ought to be – as much as they can be – prepared for changes in the school year.”

Liepa says that given heightened racial tensions in the country, inequality is on the minds of proactive officials. “They are always reviewing where they are at in regards to making sure that (schools) have a friendly, welcoming environment,” he says, adding that districts are even more aware and concerned about the issue.

“When we talk about safe environments for students, it’s about having students being treated appropriately in school, also.”

A MOTHER’S MOMENT

Robyn Wilson, a 30-something Southfield mother of two, says that she’s raising her Black daughters (20 months and 7 years) to know as much as she thinks they need to know about race in America, proceeding with caution.

Wilson recalls painful racist experiences growing up and is helping her children be prepared in more ways than one, especially

with her eldest when it comes to going back to school. Wilson says at the end of this past school year, she and her daughter were talking about an assignment where the students had to write about white and black cars, and how the white cars wouldn’t let the black one cross a bridge – as a way to broach the issue of racism.

“Her school is teaching them about discrimination in a way that they would understand, so that kind of initiated the conversation with us,” Wilson says. In this tense racial climate, she appreciated the gesture. “It was the first time we had any conversation about it. I don’t know how to talk to a 7-year-old about this. But she is as prepared as I think I want her to be – I don’t want to scare her.”

Wilson says her daughter’s metro Detroit charter school is discussing safety options for returning. From smaller class sizes to virtual learning, she says that it will be difficult for her daughter not to share crayons with her friends or hug them when they return to a school she’s been at for over four years.

“You can’t make 7-year-olds wear masks all day. I would be more comfortable with her probably not going back to school and doing online learning if that is an option,” Wilson says. “We will see when the fall comes.”

SHERRI KOLADE IS A METRO DETROIT-BASED FREELANCE WRITER.

BLACdetroit.com • AUGUST 2020 • BLAC 21

PART I OF III

EVOLUTION:

POLICING 22 BLAC • AUGUST 2020 • BLACdetroit.com

Amid the tumult of the last few months, we’re forced to consider an important question: Where to next? The status quo is no longer safe.

In Part I of our three-part series ‘Evolution,’ we consider policing – namely the calls to ‘defund the police.’

D

“

efund the police” is a particularly awful rallying cry, right up there with South Dakota’s “Meth. We’re on it.” It lands on the ears in a splat so ridiculous that it’s easy to misconstrue the message, especially by those determined to misunderstand. “These people want to abolish the police and erect a lawless society!” the detractors yell. It’s true that “defund” literally means to stop providing funds, and police departments need money to operate, so it’s confusing. And a handful of radicals do indeed wish to do away with policing altogether – and so, those outliers introduce interference that further fuzzies the picture. It’s bad branding.

But it only takes a little bit of digging to figure that what most commonsense groups and lawmakers are calling for is not a dissolution of law enforcement, but rather, a proactive, nuanced approach to crime reduction and policing. Hurt people hurt people, and oppressed people break things, steal things, join gangs, do drugs and sell them, too. Maybe what the hood needs isn’t more cops, but more attention and money. Money that can facilitate better education and increased opportunity that would certainly lead to less crime in the long run. Defund the policers say those funds should come from the nation’s police department budgets.

Money talks That police departments have too much money, power and not enough respect isn’t

a new idea, but it’s been reignited in the aftermath of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Rayshard Brooks. In New York City – where the size and intensity of protests and the resulting skirmishes with police have regularly made headlines in the last couple months – the police department operates with a $6 billion annual budget. At the end of June, city officials agreed to an upcoming plan that shifts roughly $1 billion away from the department. And in late July, the Minneapolis City Council also approved cuts to its police department’s budget. In the city where Georg Floyd died, council members approved an amendment to move $1.1 million of the department’s $193 million budget to the Health Department to fund civilian violence “interrupters,” Minnesota Public Radio reports.

But Detroit Police Chief James Craig says what may work for other cities won’t necessarily play here at home. Craig calls the proposal to defund the police an “extremely flawed kneejerk reaction to the issue.” He reminds that this is a countrywide campaign, and says, “There’s no one-size-fits-all. If you talk to the average Detroiter, they don’t want fewer police. They want more. But I do understand the importance of looking at those social programs that should be supported, but not off the backs of law enforcement – at least not here.”

Detroit’s annual budget is higher than Minneapolis’ but much more modest than New York’s.

It was about $321 million in 2019, and they’re projecting a $10 million bump in this new fiscal year. “Anywhere from, I don’t know, 75 to 85% of the police department budget is personnel costs. So, invariably, you would have to lay off

and reduce the number of staff,” Craig says.

It’s true that in order for New York to cut its police budget so significantly, the city had to halt a nearly 1,200-person class of recruits planned for this month, a move opponents say is counterproductive in a city where crime is skyrocketing. “As I indicated, people who are spewing ‘defund the police,’ are they really speaking to Detroiters? Have they even tried to understand what Detroiters want?”

Rooted in race What to do then? Because police brutality, especially against Black and brown Americans, is a widespread problem. Advocates say that it’s not enough to bob for “bad apples” but, instead, that overhauling an entire system rooted in racism is necessary. “I (patroller’s name), do swear, that I will as searcher for guns, swords, and other weapons among the slaves in my district, faithfully, and as privately as I can, discharge the trust reposed in me as the law directs, to the best of my power.

So help me, God.” This is the oath that slave patrollers took in North Carolina in 1828. The first slave patrols were created in the Carolina colonies in 1704, tasked with chasing down runaways and preventing slave revolts.

During the Civil War, the military most frequently enforced the law in the South, but during Reconstruction, local sheriffs – with the help of the Ku Klux Klan – adopted a role akin to those early slave patrollers, enforcing BLACdetroit.com • AUGUST 2020 • BLAC 23

PART I OF III

EVOLUTION: POLICING

“If the mentally ill person demonstrates violent tendencies, then that’s clearly a police problem. You segregation and keeping those formerly enslaved in their inferior places. Historians trace a line from slave patrollers to Reconstruction-era officers to modern-day police.

It’s worth noting that the first formal, publicly funded police force was created in Boston in 1838 to protect property and safeguard the transport of goods that came in through the port of Boston, and not the sin of slavery.

The Washington Post’s analysis of on-duty police shootings since 2015 found that Black Americans are killed by police at a rate more than twice that of white Americans, at 31 per million compared to 13 per million. Of course, more than just race factors, but videos like the one showing George Floyd being killed under the knee of a white officer or 12-year-old Tamir Rice being shot and killed in a park – had the officer taken just a few seconds to assess the situation he would’ve discovered that young Tamir wielded a harmless toy – makes the community wonder whether Black lives matter to the boys in blue.

They also make some wonder whether white officers with little to no connection to the community should be allowed to police Black neighborhoods. After all, there’s something to be said for understanding the way a community breathes, the way it moves and speaks. Chief Craig likens that suggestion to the way Black officers were disallowed from policing white communities in the early and middle parts of last century and says to bar white cops from Black neighborhoods would be equally discriminatory.

“Every officer who is out in the field – white or Black or brown – is out there putting their life on the line,” Craig says. “We don’t say anything though about the white officers who come into a largely African American community in an effort to save someone’s life, and they make the ultimate sacrifice.” He says rather than an emphasis on race, he prefers

problem. You can’t redirect that to someone who’s not trained to deal with a violent mentally ill person.”

It does beg some questions: What happens when a situation starts off manageable but turns violent midway? Should police accompany these civilians on calls – or be on standby? Does that defeat the purpose of fewer interactions with police? Can we expect overzealous cops to stand back and let a drug addiction counselor, for instance, take charge?

TBD. Craig says if this new way of vigilance is adopted, even when police do need to step in, he thinks there’s still room for social workers or counselors to follow up after the fact – in instances of domestic disputes particularly – to combat “the cycle of violence.”

On July 10, 20-year-old Hakim Littleton was shot and killed by a DPD officer near San Juan and West McNichols. Craig and the officers involved contended that the shooting was justified, providing details to the press shortly following the incident. Still, inaccurate accounts of what happened rang out across social media, and hundreds of protesters gathered on McNichols on the city’s west side to condemn the police and the shooting.

Dashboard and bodycam footage was released which appears to show Littleton brandishing a weapon and firing on officers at close range before being shot by officers. Civil rights groups are calling for an independent investigation into the shooting and the subsequent clashes between protestors and police.

Craig says the argument that the propagation of false information and the rush to judgement was warranted because of the heightened tensions between the public and police doesn’t hold up. “OK, well, does this help the situation at all?”

can’t redirect that to someone who’s not trained to deal with a violent mentally ill person.”

24 BLAC • AUGUST 2020 • BLACdetroit.com

an insistence on quality, integrous officers. “It doesn’t mean that I don’t believe that it’s important that we have a police department that reflects they city. That is important.”

Alternative methods Maybe the answer is to narrow the scope of responsibility to limit the interactions with officers. Police are expected to be too much to the community. After six months of concentrated training, they strap a deadly weapon to their hips and the protection of qualified immunity to their backs – which makes it nearly impossible for government officials to be sued for misconduct – and then head out to act as social workers, psychologists, drug addiction counselors, negotiators and whatever else the shift calls for.

Minneapolis’ “Cure Violence” model aims to funnel funds from the police department toward the use of well-trained, unarmed community responders known as “interrupters.”

Alternative forms of traditional policing are being proposed all over. Couldn’t experts trained in mental health, family matters or addiction step in instead?

Craig says redirecting the handling of a person in mental duress or a nonviolent domestic dispute to others beside police makes sense, but, “If the mentally ill person demonstrates violent tendencies, then that’s clearly a police

PARIS GILES IS BLAC DETROIT’S SENIOR EDITOR.

CONTRIBUTORS

WA N T E D !

Are you a freelance writer connected to the culture and looking for new opportunities?

Introduce yourself and email a few of your published clips to editor@BLACdetroit.com.

Prior journalism experience and an attachment to Detroit is strongly preferred. Remember, your best shot at getting assigned a story is to

✓ ☐

pitch a great idea!

G E T PA I D C O M P E T I T I V E LY

✓ ☐

BUILD WORKING R E L AT I O N S H I P S

✓ ☐

GAIN MORE EXPERIENCE

BLACdetroit.com • AUGUST 2020 • BLAC 25

Last Since this pandemic started, bars and nightclubs have been among the first up to the chopping block. With good reason. Few other situations force us to get so up close and personal with strangers. Though there’s something about a bar at 1 a.m. on a Saturday night that blurs the thick line between stranger and friend. For 20and 30-somethings, especially, there’s nothing like a summer night that starts with cool drinks and ends in a hot bar. Things look a lot different now. With cases on the rise and social distancing measures still in place, will Detroit bar and club culture ever be the same?

T

BY JASMINE GRAHAM • PHOTOS BY LAUREN JEZIORSKI

he night life in Detroit takes you on a ride through hole-in-thewall bars at the Eastern Market to fancy rooftops overlooking downtown to hustle clubs with the finest ballroom dancers. And, in the end, you may wind up at a coney island with your crew discussing the events of the night. During summertime in Detroit, the party scene never stops. Millennials, especially, start their Saturdays with brunch that leads to day parties that bleed into nights at the bars and clubs that spill into the street.

But, this summer, things are a little different – to say the least.

In January, the first case of 26 BLAC • AUGUST 2020 • BLACdetroit.com

COVID-19 was confirmed in Washington state. At that time, we had no idea how serious it would become. By early March, there were at least 1,000 confirmed cases in the U.S., and the first few cases of COVID-19 or “The Rona” were confirmed in Michigan. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency. Under the Michigan Emergency Management Act, the state is able to help local governments “to save lives, protect property and public health and safety or to lessen or avert the threat of catastrophe in any part of the state.” Whitmer went to work signing a series of executive orders including temporarily shutting down businesses, closing K-12 schools and colleges, and

Call? limiting the number of people who could gather.

Detroit party promoter Dan Austin remembers this time all too clearly. Before the virus hit, Austin had three club residencies – Fridays at Trust Nightclub in downtown Detroit’s financial district, Saturdays at The Bosco in Ferndale and Sundays at 3Fifty Terrace, a rooftop club in downtown Detroit. Austin says he heard about “COVID popping (its) head in Michigan here and there.”

But in February, the city had just lost beloved DJ Slick B to gun violence, and people wanted to celebrate and honor his life. So it was necessary, Austin says, that “the show go on.”

On March 16, Whitmer hit the people of Michigan with something they could have never prepared for. With 54 confirmed COVID cases in Michigan and two huge party days approaching – St. Patrick’s Day and the Detroit Tigers’ Opening Day – Whitmer ordered the closure of bars, dine-in restaurants, gyms, movie theaters and basically any place where social gatherings take place. Despite her efforts, the cases continued to increase.

Jamila Boswell, part owner of The Griot Music Lounge in Midtown, says, “We found out via news we had to shut down. It was just as sudden for us as it was for everyone.” The Griot is a lounge with a “little hole-in-the-wall type of vibe.” The atmosphere is dim

mood lighting with antique-esque furniture. The artwork of important African American musicians who impacted the culture line the walls and is rotated every month. In Africa, a griot is a storyteller that carries on the traditions of African culture. While both relaxing and inviting, Boswell says, “We are very secluded, but for the people who do know about us, they are loyal.”

On March 23, Whitmer issued the first stay-at-home order, meaning just that: Michiganders were not to leave their homes except for essential business. On this day, confirmed cased of COVID-19 had reached 1,328 and 15 people had died. The order was only supposed to stay in effect through April 13.

Austin started throwing parties in high school and, by college, he was being booked to host parties at Central Michigan, Saginaw Valley, Ferris State and elsewhere.

After graduating college, he said to himself, “‘Now that I have these skills and a crowd that will follow me, I have to bring that vibe to Detroit.’ It became a part of my personality.” During the first month of the closures, Austin fell into an emotional funk. His sources of income and part of his identity was cut off, and there was nothing he could do about it. He found himself going to the liquor store more often to “ease the pain.”

By May 7, there had been over 45,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and over 4,000 deaths in Michigan, and Whitmer extended the stay-at-home order for the

third time. Michiganders were getting antsy. Zeno Hadadean, owner of Trust Nightclub, says he and his team received countless calls, texts, emails and DMs about the multiple events they had lined up. Before COVID, Trust was a “hype vibe” club known for birthday celebrations, elegant décor and floor-to-ceiling wraparound booths. Hadadean says they have a large variety of people that come to party with them, from those in their early 20s on Friday nights to 80-year-olds in wheelchairs on “grown and sexy” Sunday nights.

On June 1, the stay-at-home order was lifted and, week by week, more businesses were allowed to open back up. The Griot reopened their doors and were ready to serve their customers in a new way.

While they were closed, loyal customers would send words of encouragement along with Cash App payments to their favorite bartenders to let them know they were supported. They updated their food license and cut off their indoor dining. Under Whitmer’s guidelines, ordering at the bar is disallowed. They use disposable cups and, when each table leaves, it is disinfected – along with the menus. The guidelines aren’t negatively affecting the culture at The Griot because, in the summertime, patrons usually want to sit outside and enjoy the beautiful greenery and landscaping.

Boswell says, “It’s a staple for the community, and no one wants it to go away. We want to make sure the essence (of The Griot) stays and never goes anywhere.

The worry of not being able to come back from the pandemic BLACdetroit.com • AUGUST 2020 • BLAC 27

Last Call? is not an issue for us. We are actually doing great, and we are grateful. In a predominantly Black city, we should have spaces where we feel safe. With The Griot, that’s what we strive to have – a space to feel safe.”

The Trust team was just as excited to reopen their doors with limited capacity at the end of the June. “We went overboard with our process. We wanted our patrons to see we are just as concerned with health and safety as they are,” Hadadean says. “We taped off the sidewalks, we cut our capacity, we offered free masks for patrons as they entered, we had mandatory hand sanitizer and temp checks as they came in.” Management required employees to provide medical clearance. Trust tasked a team member with nothing but sanitizing door handles, bar tops, ATMs and whatever else was frequently touched. “We got great feedback,” Hadadean says. “No pushback from our customers – they appreciated it.”

Although Trust took every precaution, a few days later, on July 2, Whitmer announced that traditional bars, nightclubs and strip clubs were to close again.

The decision came after a large number of confirmed COVID cases were traced back to an outbreak at Harper’s Restaurant & Brewpub in East Lansing.

Hadadean was frustrated with the closing, but he understood it.

He says, “By definition, the nightclub is entirely the opposite of social distancing. People go to the nightclub for personal interaction and for that personal experience that you can only get by talking to people face-to-face, and dancing and feeling each other’s energy closely.” Under one of the biggest COVID guidelines of staying six feet apart, how could you social distance in a “normal” nightclub?

While struggling with an internal battle over whether to open the club, Hadadean and his team were carrying the business operations during the initial lockdown out of pocket. He concluded that, “People are going to celebrate and party no matter what. Rather they do it in a parking lot, a park or somebody’s backyard. They are going to get together, drink and party.” He adds, “The governor saying no nightclubs isn’t going to stop people from partying – it’s just going to force people to party in an uncontrolled setting.

I thought if we reopened and offered a proper controlled setting.

We could do it in a way where we don’t become a part of the problem.”

When we speak, Trust was preparing to reopen on July 31 under restaurant and lounge guidelines, coining it the Supper Club Party edition and adhering to strict guidelines. No more than 10 people to a booth. Masks must be worn outside of the booths. And partygoers can no longer dance on the dance floor, only inside of their booths. In order to provide the patrons with a more special

Photos taken by Lauren Jeziorski at The Griot, 66 E. Forest Ave., Detroit. The Griot is open for patio service only at time of press Thursday-Saturday, 4 p.m. - 2 a.m.

Pictured on previous page: Left Melanie xxx; Right Marv Neal.

28 BLAC • AUGUST 2020 • BLACdetroit.com

experience, Trust has invested in new entertainment like unique bottle presenters, major projector screens to display music videos and more.

Party promoter Austin says this summer’s party scene is nothing like last year. “Last year, people were free and open, and this year, people are standoffish and they aren’t as engaging as they usually are.” He says, “We haven’t even swag surfed in the club yet.” He notices people are sticking to the crowd they came with and aren’t branching out to meet new people. Austin had to switch up his moves, too. He says the owner of The Bosco in Ferndale wasn’t comfortable having events, and so he is now at Society Detroit on Saturdays. In the clubs, Austin says, “Everything is lounge-based.

I can’t go into the crowd to get them hype and dancing. I have to meet them where they are – in their seats.” On Sundays at 3Fifty Terrace the dance floor is closed completely, and you have to rent a booth to gain entry.

Although summer nights look a little different in Detroit than we are used to, Detroit is a city known for making lemonade out of lemons. Austin says, “Now that things are starting to get back to whatever this is, I can say COVID opened my eyes and refocused me.” Boswell says, “It hasn’t been too bad. A lot of people took the time to regroup, step back, relax.

It was so important for people to take time to be still.” We are in a global pandemic, but birthdays are still happening, graduations are still being held, celebratory moments have not stopped. What will come of the rest of the summer?

Hadadean says, “The proof is in the pudding, so we will see.”

JASMINE GRAHAM IS A DETROIT-BASED FREELANCE WRITER.

access DETROIT | AUGUST 2020

S

outheast Michigan remains in Phase 4 of the state’s reopening plan with the governor threatening to bump us back a step if we don’t wear the damn masks. Most of us are anxious to get out and about as much as we can, so let’s go over the current need-to know rules of engagement (again). We recommend calling ahead or checking the website of the spot you’re looking to visit for specifics before heading out.

PARKS & REC • Campgrounds, state parks and recreation areas, including overnight lodging, are open.

OUTDOOR POOLS

REOPENED AT 50% CAPACITY

• Suspended during quarantine, the Recreation Passport is now required for entry into state parks, recreation areas, state forest campgrounds and most boating access sites and state trailheads.

• Most amenities like bathrooms, picnic areas and concessions are open.

• Detroit recreation centers remain closed.

• Groups of 100 or less are allowed to gather outdoors with social distancing.

• Outdoor pools are allowed to reopen at 50% capacity. Indoor public pools remain closed.

BARS & RESTAURANTS • Restaurants and bars have been allowed to reopen at 50% capacity, with six feet of separation required between groups.

• After being allowed to reopen, traditional bars, nightclubs and strip clubs have been ordered to end indoor service again. Brewpubs, distilleries, vineyards and bars with outdoor patios are able to remain open.

• Most restaurants will require that you wear a mask any time you’re not actively dining, so while being escorted to your table or heading to the restroom.

• Waiting areas are closed. You may be required to wait for your table in your car or outside the eatery.

• Self-serve food and drink options like buffets, salad bars and drink stations remain closed.

• Many restaurants have adopted contactless ordering in lieu of traditional menus. You may be asked to scan a QR Code stamped on your table with your phone to be directed to an online menu.

• Libraries and museums have been allowed to reopen. The Detroit Public Library is on Phase 2 of its own reopening plan, allowing for drop box returns and curbside pickups of preordered material at its main branch.

RETAIL & ENTERTAINMENT

• Retail stores have been allowed to reopen at 25% capacity for stores with less than 50,000 square feet of customer space.

• Indoor theaters, cinemas and performance venues remain closed. Drive-in theaters are allowed to open.

• You may be asked to adhere to alternative order systems in lieu of traditional lines at certain retail shops.

Sources: detroitmi.gov/departments/parks-recreation, detroitpubliclibrary.org, michigan.gov BLACdetroit.com • AUGUST 2020 • BLAC 29

D LIFE

SEEN

Photos by Sydney Kispert-Bostick

Sunday Stroll on the RiverWalk On Sunday, July 19, we caught up with folks bathing in some morning glory along the RiverWalk in Detroit.

Venice Hogan, Charla Showers Tamorrah Walker, Travis Butler

Jerry Jones, Heather Jones

Terrisena McCants

Jeffery Williams, Rita Williams, Dwayne Williams

Harlee Skyy Mitchell, Warren Jackson Donte Driver

Charles Dandridge 30 BLAC • AUGUST 2020 • BLACdetroit.com

James Glanton

Rodney Densin, Lashawnda Densin, Alexandra Densin