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Que the pipe Anqunette’s Journey With MS Q&A WITH DR. VITTI
A NEW VISION FOR DETROIT PUBLIC SCHOOLS
TEMPLE ANOINTING HEALTHY EATING
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Detroit Public Schools Community District Career and Technical Education (CTE) “Building A Better Future for OUR Students” Detroit Public Schools Community District offers hands-on training in more than 13 in-demand industry areas to prepare students for college and careers. High school students can earn up to 24 college credits, participate in student organizations, job shadowing and paid internships. Our program offers the opportunity to earn nationally recognized certifications, so that our students are prepared to enter high-paying career fields when they graduate.
Randolph CTC
Breithaupt CTC
Crockett CTC
Davis/Golightly CTC
(313) 494-7100
(313) 866-9550
(313) 494-1805
(313) 822-8820
17101 Hubbell Street
• Construction and Building Trades • Electrical • HVAC • Marketing and Entrepreneurship • Computer Aided Drafting (CAD)
9300 Hubbell Street
• Automotive Services • Collision Repair • Hospitality and Food Services • Cosmetology • Mechatronics/ Manufacturing
571 Mack Avenue
• Health Sciences
900 Dickerson Avenue
• Aeronautical Flight Training • Computer Networking • Graphics and Printing • Hospitality and Food Services • Welding and Cutting • Public Safety/ Law Enforcement
For enrollment information, call (313) 873-7638 For translations assistance call (313) 212-4312. DPSCD prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability and/or religion. Questions? Concerns? Contact the Compliance Officer at (313) 240-4377.
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Photo Courtesy of Pure Michigan
Editor’s Words
The time is Now, to tell the truth without sugar coating the many issues impacting our community. It’s time to showcase the many attributes Detroit has to offer!
For All Foodies
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Que The Pipe...
C ntents
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Temple Anointing
Blessing your Body by Eating Healthy
Movers & Shakers Today’s Young Artists, Making their Dreams Come True.
Paparazzi Pics Behind the scenes at Fuzion Magazines Re-Launch Cover Photo Shoot.
Anqunette Jamison discusses Balancing Life, Career and MS.
FUZION MAGAZINE
Fuzion Magazine will serve as the informational resource of choice for a public wanting to stay current on cultural events; social, economic, financial, parental, relationship matters, entertainment, fashion, legal and health issues. The common thread woven throughout our content is the concept of living a diversified lifestyle with ‘Fuzing’ our community together as one.
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Q&A with Dr. Vitti
Find out what the New Superintendant has in store for the Detroit Public School District.
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10th Anniversary of Concerts in Mansions, Historic Homes & Gardens in Detroit’s Palmer Woods
All concerts include locally prepared cuisine — delicious meals, beverages and desserts
Saturday, February 24, 8 pm Honoring Black History Month A. Spencer BAreField Sextet Saturday, March 24, 8 pm pAMelA WiSe World Music Sextet featuring Naima Shamborguer & 2018 Kresge Eminent Artist Wendell Harrison Sunday, April 29, 7pm eASon trio featuring 2017 Kresge Eminent Artist Harpist Patricia Terry-Ross Saturday, May 26, 8 pm latin Jazz: orqueStA lA inSpirAcion Friday, June 15, 8 pm plAnet d nonet Salute to Billy Strayhorn Saturday, June 16, 8 pm Father’s Day Tribute to Jazz Legend Harold McKinney GAyelynn McKinney McKinFolK Septet Presented by Palmer Woods Association and Creative Arts Collective with support from Be Well Medical Center, Blossoms, Barefield DesignWorks, City Living Detroit, DMC Sinai-Grace Hospital, DetroitPerforms.org, Michigan Chronicle, and WRCJ-90.9 FM
Tickets: palmerwoods.org • 313~891~2514
Tickets must be purchased in advance. Address of homes revealed to ticket holders. May and June concerts are held in a spacious tent in the gardens of a home; you may tour a portion of the home prior to the concert. If weather is severe, garden concerts will relocate to the art deco Detroit Unity Temple or other nearby venue. Free Concerts for Chlldren are presented with the February and March concerts.
Terry-Ross photo courtesy of musician / design & photos: ©Barbara Barefield
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Editor’s Words
FUZION MAGAZINE
Don’t call it a comeback, I’ve been here for years; I’m rocking my peers… LL Cool J. “Mama Said Knock You Out” Yes, it has been 12 years since my last issue, but knowledge is power! Over this period, we have witnessed the good, the bad and the ugly transpire, as well as many firsts. Our first African American President was elected into office, “two times.” The residents of the City of Detroit have elected Our first white Mayor in 40 years, “two times.” Marijuana has become legal in 30 states (Michigan) including the District of Columbia; Cell phones are the primary source of communication while Text Messaging and Social Media: Facebook, Instagram, and Snap Chat, etc. have pretty much eradicated that? The United States has gone Ass Backwards! Racism is at an all-time high. Russia was able to interfere with the electoral college infrastructure. Gun Control is Out-of-Hand, and we have a Twitter Tweeting, Real Estate, Reality Star, Running Our Country...WTF (What The Fudge)? Why now, many have asked? The economy is much better than it was 12 years ago. The City of Detroit has had a resurgence with a new demographical increase. The youth of today have no direction, and they are our future. And I ask why not? The time is Now, to tell the truth without sugar coating the many issues impacting our community. It’s time to showcase the many attributes Detroit has to offer! Many call this a comeback, but how can anything comeback when it never left? We are Fuzion, and We are Here to Fuze our Community into One! With a New look, New goals, New ambitions with New and exciting things to come…This is for You Detroit and we are sharing it with the World. We welcome all suggestions, comments, and concerns.
Publisher & Editor-In-Chief Coire D. Nichols Houston chouston@fuziondetroit.com Associate Publisher Deon Yates dyates@fuziondetroit.com Senior Editor Kimberly Allen Bradfield kabradfield@fuziondetroit.com
Assistant Editor Monique Guest-Schuh mgschuh@fuziondetroit.com Assignment Editor Kelly Terrell kterrell@fuziondetroit.com
Layout and Design Deon Yates dyates@fuziondetroit.com Web Development Norvell Molex Jr. nmolex@fuziondetroit.com Social Media Brieon Houston bhouston@fuziondetroit.com Photographers and Videographers Norvell Molex Jr. nmollex@fuziondetroit.com Michael Ragland mragland@fuziondetoit.com
Feel free to email me at chouston@fuziondetroit.com.
Mario Small msmall@fuziondetroit.com
With, Love, Peace, and Prosperity Always,
Advertising Sales Dawn Diaab ddiaab@fuziondetroit.com
Contributors
Darrell Dyer ddyer@fuziondetroit.com Operations Mechelle Dunbar mdunbar@fuziondetroit.com Deborah Oates doates@fuziondetroit.com
MONIQUE GUEST Monique Guest Schuh, is an English teacher at Martin Luther King High School in Detroit, MI. She is a mother of two talented daughters and is looking to expound on their careers and others by showcasing the talents of young adults in the Metro Detroit Area. Feel free to contact her at mgschuh@fuziondetroit. com.
TAMARA YATES
RACHEL ORANGE Rachel Orange, The Hippiediva was born well before her time. “All things are possible by God,” is her mantra and lives her life in that manner with healthy eating, exercising, inner peace, with spirituality encompassing her well being. Her Blog on Facebook offers various healthy food options as her column will provide a variety of your mind, body, and soul. She can be reached at rorange@fuziondetroit.com
With 30 years of Civil Service for the U.S. Government Tamara not only manages operations for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle family of vehicles for the Department of Army she also is the Co-Owner/ CFO for Family Circle Productions where she works with independent artists helping them expose their music to the world. You can email her at tyates@fcpmedia.org
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Printer R &L Color Graphics Inc 18709 Meyers Detroit, MI 48235 313-345-3838 www.randlcolor.com Fuzion Magazine-Detroit PO Box 21564 Detroit, MI 48221 Phone and Fax: 313-397-3118 www.fuziondetroit.com ISSN: 1552-7123 Advertising and Content Info@fuziondetroit.com Fuzion Magazine-Detroit is a Division of CDN Communications, LLC © 2018
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HIStory: African American & History Facts It’s February, the second month of the calendar year. Thanks to the founder of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, Carter Godwin Woodson, “Negro History Week,” was designated in 1926 with giving homage to the births of President Abraham Lincoln on February 12th and Abolitionist, Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey AKA Frederick Douglass on February 14th. Of course, we know that in February 1976, the shortest month of the year, officially became “Black History Month,” thank you very much, we appreciate ya! Also in February, on the 14th we celebrate our loved ones or in accordance to the Catholic church “courtly love.” This date is commemorative of the day Saint Valentine of Rome was sentenced to a brutal death with being, stoned, clubbed, decapitated and buried. Documents show that he was frequently imprisoned due to secretly marrying couples along with his ongoing efforts of spreading Christianity conversion. Ironically, he was one of three Saint Valentines, with the 3rd’s martyrdom taking place in what’s now known in Tunisia (go-figure). Funny, teaching the lineage of our people, as well as, showing appreciation to those whom we LOVE should be celebrated daily, on-going, year-round but oh well?
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que the pipe
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ll hell broke loose for Fox 2 Morning Anchor Anqunette Jamison Sarfoh in 2013. Admittingly to never having the best memory, COIRE NICHOLS HOUSTON
Things became questionably scary when she was unable to remember previous conversations, and following the teleprompter (for reading the news). With her hands and feet falling asleep or going numb while in motion to her legs giving way, falling out on her kitchen floor, was the just some of the first indicators that something was not mechanically right physically. Remaining uncertain as to what was happening, it was watching an interview with a contestant on the Fox Show, “So You Think You Can Dance,” who dropped out of the competition after being diagnosed with MS (Multiple Sclerosis) that prompted her to act. “I looked over to Sherry (Margolis, Fox 2 Anchor) and said you know this sounds so much like me. Then I immediately took a WEB MD Do You Have MS Test, online,” she says. With a score of 8 out of 10 Sarfoh, contacted a local MS doctor made an appointment, (a two-month wait) took some tests, had an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) and told that she did not have MS. Multiple Sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that attacks the central
nervous system of the bodies brain and spinal cord. Mayo Clinic.org states: “Multiple sclerosis signs and symptoms may differ significantly from person to person and over the course of the disease depending on the location of affected nerve fibers. They may include: • Numbness or weakness in one or more limbs that typically occurs on one side of your body at a time, or the legs and trunk • Partial or complete loss of vision, usually in one eye at a time, often with pain during eye movement
women from the Northern Hemisphere from colder climates with possible genetic components. It could be a climate trigger, it could be an environmental trigger, and no one knows, but it’s not hereditary. No one in my family has it.”
• Prolonged double vision • Tingling or pain in parts of your body • Electric-shock sensations that occur with specific neck movements, especially bending the neck forward (Lhermitte sign) • Tremor, lack of coordination or unsteady gait • Slurred speech • Fatigue • Dizziness • Problems with bowel and bladder function
Unfortunately, there are no cures. However, symptoms and treatments are manageable. How MS is contracted remains unknown she explains, “It’s typically common with white
Anqunette was born and raised in Gary, Indiana most notable is the birthplace of the Jackson Family. Affectionately named “Q,” short for Anqunette, growing-up in Gary reminds her so much of Detroit with it being majority African American with many bluecollar workers. She comes from humble beginnings with one parent working in a steel mill and the other as a custodian. Always fascinated with reading and writing in school at the ripe age of 7 was when she set her mind to becoming a television journalist. “I
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used to look at TV, and I was intrigued with knowing that people could get paid to tell stories. I loved English in school, and I knew that this was what I was going to do,” says Q. Well on her way with her mission being accomplished Q graduated from Butler University in Indianapolis, IN and started interning at local ABC and Fox affiliates. Thus, began her “Market Hop,” to various stations working as a reporter in South Bend and West Lafayette, IN, Las Vegas, NV, finally landing a news reader position at Fox’s Boston 25. Who knew that Q, was instrumental with the inauguration of all the Foxaffiliated station’s program “Let it Rip?” “When I was on the morning show in Boston, we had to come up with all different kind
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of show ideas, and we launched Let It Rip. The Fox network liked it and gave all the stations the option to have Let It Rip as part of their programming. We had people from different stations from across the country come and watch our show then they took the idea (made adaptations) to do it a different way. I was a newsreader, and the team was all white I was the only black (woman) on the show.” She goes on to share, “I didn’t like the way we did it in Boston, with just the local newscasters (in a round table setting) discussing politics and things happening locally (versus) Detroit that brings on local people in the community. I’m appreciative that I was given the opportunity to provide an opposing viewpoint. You know a few months ago I got a message on Facebook (that brought me to tears to me) from a white guy who remembered me from Boston and told me I how (impacted him) when I used to explain “White Privilege” delicately. It’s people like that ten years later when you think your talking into a lens, and you get confirmation that someone heard you. And that’s nice!”
maintain her MS became more challenging with constant headaches while remaining nauseated all-day long. Her doctors gave her two options for medications either a pill or an injection. She noted that there are more drugs available for MS that there were 20 years ago and now there are 15 that slow the process. The pill format had a side effect that has a fatal brain infection, with a 90 percent death rate. If you happened to come down with any virus the doctors would take you off that, so she opted to have the injections every other day. “It had a safe profile and worked well for me. (Laughing) It came with the most beautiful packaging and I asked my doctor, how much is this drug (Copaxone)? She said, “Oh about $91.000.00 a year.” and I said, “I have to be on this for life? The other drug was about $67,000.00
a year. I sat there in tears.” Keep in mind that this was just to sustain the overall effect of her MS. In total, she was taking 8 to 9 nine drugs just for the side effects from the Copaxone. Enough was enough. Coming home every day would require a call to her doctor with another symptom. Of course, there was a pill for this and a pill for that, so on and so forth. It got to the point that she finally asked were there any other drug options? In 2016 she resigned from Fox 2 and had not looked back since. “I did everything by the book, and I was miserable. I would have vomiting bouts of (that would happen) 10 times for 2 hours. I spent time and time again in the hospital. One morning my mother spent her birthday with me in the hospital because I couldn’t stop throwing up. Every 10 minutes I was
In December 2008 she was presented with the Morning Anchor position here at WKBD Fox 2 Detroit and the rest is history. Working fulltime while trying to
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throwing up. Another time Richard (her husband, the love of her life) and I were on our way to the hospital, and before we could get there, I had him pull on the side of the road. He looked at me and said, “Maybe you need to smoke a joint!” After having her first puff just like magic, everything stopped! “I kid you not within :60 to 1:20 seconds nausea and headache, gone. Both were gone. I was like, all this time all I had to do was hit a joint? I mean it was instant, it just shut-it-down!” In 2018, she is proud to Que the Pipe, with her vape in hand. “I use every day! Marijuana has gotten me off all my drugs. I can sleep, the nausea is gone, and it gives me energy, so I can function and get things done.” The biggest component of choosing to use marijuana has been weaning herself off of Adderall (used for
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sleeping disorders and attention deficits. A highly addictive drug.) “I was up to 80 milligrams. I just had no idea that cannabis can give you energy. That was an unexpected a pleasant benefit.” With a most eloquent reply to getting high she said, “For medicinal purposes, yes, all of my ailments have been taken away. I equate it to just like any other drug having a side effect. What’s wrong with cannabis having a side effect of euphoria and pleasantry; of giving you elevation and making you feel good. Yes, I do have a slight pschoactive experience. Yes, I am slightly high, but I don’t overdo things, (going into a catatonic state) I can hold a conversation, I can get work done. Insomnia is one of the biggest problems with MS patients, and (marijuana)
it helps me get through the night. What’s wrong with having a giggle fit before I go to sleep?” Currently, she is an active member National Multiple Sclerosis Society, on the government relations society counsel. They meet annually in efforts toward getting the legislature to pass a tax credit of up to a million dollars (capped) to help people modify their homes for handicapped access. “Every year we meet in Lansing (Michigan State Capital) to try to get our lawmakers to pass this. It hasn’t happened yet, but we identify with the legislature with having the ability to add our voices for people with MS or those with the same (neurological) conditions.” Most of their efforts about legalizing
marijuana focus on the many benefits of giving people access to different types of medication by exposing the day and the life of MS patients. “Cannabis is a plant, and while medicine and has antiinflammatory capabilities, people tend to roll their eyes because it’s about medicine and giving people alternative options to medication, that will (naturally) benefit them. I get so tired of hearing about addictions to marijuana. What about the addiction to alcohol that will kill you, the addictions to opioids will kill you. Cannabis is a plant, and it will not kill you! You don’t ever hear about banning alcohol?” Let me digress for one moment if you will. Who stands to lose should “The
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Reefers,” become legal nationally? This month Attorney General Jeff Sessions has decided to revoke President Obama’s “Cole Memorandum” that says in states where the voters have elected to authorize the use of medical marijuana, local federal prosecutors should use discretion when dealing with legitimate businesses (dispensaries) that distribute the marijuana for medicinal purposes. However, it does not offer a get of jail free card to those who sell illicitly. Sessions’ upheaval is due to in theory with attributing the use of marijuana to the opioid epidemic; a joke as it pertains to the black community.
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There is an amendment that protects the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the Department of Justice from going after dispensaries that passed in 2014 (under the Obama Admin) called RohrabacherFarr. The amendment provisions the federal prosecution of legal growers, distributors and medically approved patients throughout the US. Most importantly it elliminated the use of spending federal monies for cannabis-related prosecutions nationally. Those with pre-existing conditions; multiple scoliosis, epilepsy, cancer, arthritic patients and those with numerous ailments benefitting from the use of marijuana are at risk. Hence the attempted elimination of Obama Care. As DJ Quick’s song goes, “If it Don’t make Dollars it Don’t make Cents?” The bottom line is that the cost of growth and sales of cannabis is substantially less than pharmaceutical (the creators of opioid) drugs. Continued support and ongoing legalization will eventually put “Pharma” companies out of business allowing the average Joe or “Q” to capitalize on this everevolving industry.
BotaniQ (pronounced Botanic a derivative of Botany, the study of plants) is Q and husband Richard’s new business. The dispensary will offer more than various strains (varieties of the plant-based off of potency) of cannabis plants. She prides herself on being quite the baker, “I have a granola bar right here on my nightstand that I eat all the time. BotaniQ will have the bars, of course, brownies, cookies, and candies. For Q this is personal, and she has done extensive research on finding the perfect location to having a board of doctors available as well as, lots of parking with a building that is handicapped accessible. Its one thing to prescribe marijuana use but it takes
a medical professional, with research to determine the type of cannabis that’s beneficial to the patient. She explains “For example, Purple Urkle and Granddaddy Purple signafies an indicia strain and would work for the senior patient that has arthritis in perhaps an edible format versus smoking.”
BotaniQ, located off of Rosa Parks Avenue near I-75 is scheduled to open sometime this spring. Fuzion will certainly follow-up with the Grand Opening. Until then Smoke on My Sister, with wishing the Sarfoh’s many Pots of Gold! Fashion/Styling provided by Rufus Bartell owner of Simply Casual
Q knows her plants, as she and Richard also have a “Grow House,” located in Warren, MI specifically used for growing and nurturing their babies (plants).
Clothing.Cover photo by Norvell Molex of Molex Photography. Offical Photoshoot, “living her life through the lens,” provided by International Photojournalist, Monica Morgan.
“The Cannabis plant is beautiful and offers so many flowering buds in a variety of colors. The color of the bud signifies the type of strain of plant. Some are mild, while others are stronger, and we will determine what is most befitting for the patient’s ailment.”
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BLUEPRINT 2020 Our Strategic Plan for Rebuilding Detroit's Public Schools
PRIORITIES
MISSION We educate and empower every student, in every community, every day, to build a stronger Detroit.
VISION All students will have the knowledge, skills and confidence necessary to thrive in our city, our nation, our world.
CORE VALUES STUDENTS FIRST Make decisions that are in the best interest of students. Use every resource strategically so that we can meet students’ individual needs.
EXCELLENCE Be relentless in your pursuit of greatness. Be bold and innovate. Learn from your mistakes. Hold yourself and others to high standards.
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT Dramatically improve the academic experience of all students to ensure they are college and career ready. TRANSFORMATIVE CULTURE Transform our culture so that students, families, community members, and staff feel safe, respected, and connected.
WHOLE CHILD COMMITMENT Champion a whole child approach that unlocks students’ full potential.
INTEGRITY Do the right thing, even when no one is looking. Be honest. Be trustworthy. Be accountable.
EQUITY Diversity is an asset that makes us stronger. Advocate for the needs of others. Ensure that all members of our community have access to the tools and resources they need to be successful.
SERVICE Listen. Empathize. Respond. Own problems and help to solve them.
TENACITY Embrace hard work and persevere in the face of challenges. Follow through on your commitments and strive to do your best, no matter what.
EXCEPTIONAL TALENT Build an excellent team of dedicated staff to serve our students.
RESPONSIBLE STEWARDSHIP Manage and deploy our resources responsibly, transparently, and equitably to support our students’ success.
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Question and
Answer... Fuzion Magazine sat down with Detroit Public Schools Community District Superintendent Nikolai P. Vitti for a little Q&A.
Fuzion: Give us a little background information on yourself and how you came to head up Detroit Public Schools. Dr. Vitti: I was superintendent in Jacksonville for about five years, and before that, I was the Chief Academic Officer in Miami. Before that, I ran the State Department for school improvement and accountability in Florida. Before that, I was a principal in Miami and then was on the Cabinet in Miami, and then before that, I was the Dean of discipline in the Bronx and a teacher in the Bronx. So, all of that said, over the last 15 years I have moved the needle, changed learning outcomes for students at the school level, district level and state level into the most extensive urban school district in the country. So, when Detroit moved to have an un-empowered elected board, it caught my attention. I was called by their search firm, and they knew my background and my connection to Detroit, and they asked if I would consider the job. I said I would but only if the board was serious about change. Fuzion: You were born here, in Dearborn Heights correct? Did that have any influence on your decision to accept the position? Dr. Vitti: In many ways, I think this is full circle for me. I’ve been doing this work in larger school districts for over 15 years. I took the job because I have always believed that public education is the best vehicle and often the best vehicle to create social change, allow social justice to be realized and to enable equal opportunity to become a reality. I don’t think this country has ever adequately funded, supported or advocated for public education at scale. So, the impact of that falls on our most vulnerable students who are struggling with socioeconomic challenges. My life’s work has always been
about expanding equal opportunities and making public education live up to what it should be doing, and I can’t think of a better place to do that work than in Detroit. Fuzion: The Detroit Public School system has been in pretty bad shape for several years. Many say it is among the worst in the country. So do you specifically fish for the worst districts to take on? Dr. Vitti: It’s always been about overcoming challenges, being the underdog and proving people wrong. Admittedly, having a chip on my shoulder at times, I think that only made me work harder and be more focused and that obviously has helped children indirectly or directly. But yes, I’ve always tried to go to the place where everyone thought it couldn’t happen, so I could prove people wrong about myself but also and more importantly prove that our children can do great and wonderful things when they have the right leadership. Fuzion: You have worked in the Bronx, Miami, and Jacksonville. With the many different school districts, you’ve worked in, what would you say has been your most significant success? Dr. Vitti: I think about that a lot then I don’t think about it all! I just do the work. I don’t know; I have a lot of success that I look to. You know being in Jacksonville and I would say seeing hundreds of students graduate in four years that would never have graduated had I not put in the systems and processes to look at the students graduate in four years, probably now seeing those numbers and then coupled with that college readiness by the ACT or the SAT or in Florida it’s called the college placement test, and that data that allow students when they go to college to
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avoid taking remediation classes is to see hundreds each year of students that statistically based on performance before I became superintendent. Those same students would not have graduated in four years and not have been college ready. And what a proud moment for me when you look at that data is that you see the difference in numbers for students with a disability. Here we call them special education students. But in Florida, they’re called students with exceptionality. And then looking at African-American graduation rates in particular here where the vast majority of our students are African-American. In Jacksonville, they were the largest group of students but still considered a minority and not always looked upon with the right kind of expectations and focus. And so, for me to move the needle the way I did for thousands of students for all students but then to look at African-American students, students with disabilities, English language learners and Hispanic students move to graduating in four years and being college ready was probably where I have the most pride because those in education we often use language and jargon and no one really knows what we’re talking about. But when kids graduate in four years and their parents know they can go to college and avoid a remediation class, that’s probably what I’m most proud of. Fuzion: You mentioned that some of the programs you put in place in other school districts had helped minorities as well as a student with special needs. You have two children at home with disabilities. Does your personal experience help you come up with ways to help serve that population of students better? Dr. Vitti: I have four children. Two with disabilities, they both have dyslexia. I have a third child that had speech challenges like I had when I was young (but maybe still do). For me to see their challenges, it was eye-opening for my wife and me. It also allowed us to think differently
about how we support students with special needs, public education and again what was right for them is suitable for all children. So, I feel like as we advocated for them, we improved outcomes for all children and I’ve been fortunate to be recognized nationally for some of that work and to be able to speak truth to assist them in a process that often doesn’t differentiate an individualized the experience for individual children. I’ve been able to talk about reality for a lot of parents that have been frustrated on the outside and educators that I think have wanted to do more with students with special needs. But didn’t always have the right leadership to do that. Fuzion: Besides being the superintendent of the district, your children attend the Detroit Public Schools, and you’re facing a lot of the same difficulties with educating your children at home. Dr. Vitti: A lot of people come up to me and say thank you for putting your children in the public school district. A lot of teachers say that a lot of principals say that too. So, I think a lot of people know that I wouldn’t say everyone knows that obviously, but I would say those in the school district remember that. And so I think that, for me, it creates more credibility. Fuzion: You’ve been here since September of 2017. What can we expect to see going into 2018 and what changes have you made thus far? Dr. Vitti: I think people see a difference internally. People see a discrepancy in the sense of urgency that we address issues and challenges with individual schools systemically. I think people see a difference as far as a comprehensive vision and approach to reforming the district where people inside the area have only seen the fragmented type of reform or addressing the emergency rather than offering a broader view of what an active and
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14 visionary district. I do think people see a change in that. As Superintendent, I’m offering someone with experience and a vision of what we should be doing. We have almost 100 initiatives, some very large, some small that will start to roll out this spring into the summer. We’ve actively engaged the community around where we are, what’s working, what’s not and what we need to do differently. I think those are all changes, but I would say that the most concrete changes outside of the infrastructure are our diagnostic system and our intervention process for students in kindergarten, first, second, and third grade. We are starting to train all of our teachers on the new State and Common Core standards in literacy in math. We’re starting to pick master teachers to support new and struggling teachers at every school in literacy and math. We’ve reduced central office staff and moved funding to schools so that we can build out new school programs at every school starting next fall. I think those are some concrete examples of changes. I would probably also add that we’ve increased teacher salaries for the first time in over a decade. So we’ve reduced the number of vacancies across our district as compared to last year. Those are some definite steps in the right direction. Fuzion: Over the last few years, several schools in the district have closed. Moving forward, do you envision any more school closings? Dr. Vitti: There’s a couple of things that need to be reviewed before we get to that point. One is just seeing differing enrollment trends. One thing that I would say that we’re excited about is that we see an increase in enrollment from last year to this year. So that’s a sign that our district is healthier because more parents are opting in or staying in the district. We need more time to look at enrollment. I would say enrollment is coupled with residential rates. Some neighborhoods are growing in residential scale, some are stagnant, and some are declining. Looking at performance, and then lastly looking at facility needs in those schools and then looking at those three points engaging the community authentically with what the problem is, what the opportunity is, letting them own the recommendations and maybe modifying those recommendations so if we eventually do move into closing schools, the community and parents genuinely know what’s in front of them and how the district is exploring options but with their voice clearly part of that process. Fuzion: As a parent looking in, as well as the Superintendent, what expectations do you have of the parents and what kind of assistance do you need from them? Dr. Vitti: I had always said even in the days when I started as a teacher that it is our responsibility as a school district and as individual schools, to lift children up from whatever point parents give those children to us. I don’t try to spend time blaming someone for where our children are. I just put my head down and try to create a culture of putting our heads down and getting to work. Our responsibility is again wherever that child is that at the end of the school we see improvement in that child’s behavior and academic performance. All that said, that work becomes easier and we can accelerate that progress when we have parents doing their part to support that work so you know we can think about this often as far as a contract or compact that needs to be better solidified and understood on the school side and on the parents side because if parents are doing certain things such as making sure children are
going to bed at a good time, that they’re being read to, that questions are being asked in the home, homework is being checked to make sure that it’s done, that regardless of where children live that there’s a quiet corner, a quiet space for children to read and study and to think. Those are things that we need to see happen. We also need to see that children go to school every day unless they’re sick. Those are things that have to happen more on a regular basis and at scale. We have to also be sensitive to the reality that our parents face because of their socioeconomic backgrounds and the challenges that they face day to day. But I think regardless we need to see improvement in children, but that can be accelerated when we have more parental support. And that’s one of the reasons why we’re building a Parent Academy in Detroit so that we can develop the capacity of our parents and rely on the confidence of our parents to do more of those things that I just talked about. My mother dropped out of high school because she was a teenage mother and then went back to get her GED. I always look back now, thinking about how my mother interacted with me and the conversations we’ve had, she still felt uncomfortable demanding that I get good grades because she thought if she did that she’d be a hypocrite even though she didn’t do well in school and she wanted me to do well in school she felt hypocritical in doing that. The Parent Academy is developed based on my own experience at home but it also the skills that I’ve seen with the students that I’ve had the fortunate opportunity to work with as a teacher in different areas. The academy is all about building the capacity of parents, and we’re going to start rolling that out in the spring and scaling it in the summer. Fuzion: Will the Parent Academy courses be open to all district parents, is this something that they will physically be able to attend? Dr. Vitti: The Parent Academy will be offered where parents are, so we need to go to them and not expect them to go to us. We will provide classes at churches, where parents live in housing complexes, we will go anywhere where parents are. We will offer courses at schools but not only at schools because we know to go back to my earlier point a lot of time for parents, but schools can also be intimidating places, or they just haven’t always been treated with a high level of respect. We need to think differently about where we offer these classes, so they will sometimes be provided in the morning in the evening on Saturdays and Sundays wherever we feel like we can get an active audience that’s where we offer the classes. The classes will be face to face not online. There is power with parents talking to one another and hearing their experiences and learning from each other, and then down the road, I think we’ll find District staff, teachers, principals learning from parents which is an untapped resource. It looks like the Detroit Public Schools may have a leader who can bring about real change. With a proven track record and a myriad of programs and plans, Dr. Vitti seems equipped to lead and usher in much-needed reform. The future looks promising.
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Transcribed by: Tamara Yates
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16 TEMPLE ANOINTING | EATING HEALTHY
F or all oodies
Temple Anointing Welcome to Temple Anointing! Being a healthy eater seems to be becoming a fad, rather than making conscientious food choices. Many food commercials portray people skipping through lush green fields, chewing on granola bars, lacking any knowledge of food quality or it’s medicinal properties. In my monthly column, I don’t choose to slight or pick a fight with those who prefer to eat meat or enjoy a sweet chocolate treat. My choice is to introduce the fruits of the seeds planted into my wellbeing, while possibly making them applicable to your own needs. We face a
mountain of dietary concepts that stand before us; they embark on our separate paths. We are all seeking to obtain the pinnacle of good health; with the intentions of navigating upward resulting with many taking a downward spiral. As a result, we challenge this vast, beautiful mountain called Life. If you slipped or slid through your journey, there are no worries; today is a new and bright beginning! Don’t give up. This mission requires one’s inner spiritual strength. The physical will surely follow, keep climbing. Seek, and ye shall find. Remember quitters never win, and winners never quit.
BY RACHEL ORANGE
As it says in scripture, “They that endure shall surely conquer.” I Rachel Suyin Orange, The “Hippiediva,” with the heart and soul of me, have deemed this combined spiritual and physical journey as a self-proclaimed “organized freedom.” Feel free to venture on to other paths familiar and completely unfamiliar it could be somewhat unusual, as a result, new & healthy friendship may very well bloomsome and flourish. The first metaphor was the high mountain. Now let’s picture an energetic fountain, sit down beside it, close your eyes and absorb the cosmic
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vibrations in your mind’s eye concentrate, contemplate, meditate, read & write, eat, sleep, exercise, daydream have fun, enjoy the who you are! Steer clear of self-defeat, feed your heart, mind, soul, and actions with peace and love from within and without. Let no one or nothing reduce your power claim it, own it; It belongs to you! Visit my Facebook page “Eaters, Cheaters, Inquiring Stomachs…All Foodies Get On Board,” where we take a mouthwatering food excursion together by displaying your unique palatal flair!
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MOVERS & SHAKERS: Today’s Young Artists, Making their Dreams Come True Monique Guest-Schuh
What is a dream but an emotion that occurs during sleep that sometimes invokes a feeling or an idea that is so profound that it sends a dreamer wondering if they can make this dream a reality? That is what Terri Schuh says about her music, “It makes people happy. I want my music to be heard and enjoyed by all. Music to me is like breathing; I can’t live without it.” Terri is what most would call a legacy. She is the granddaughter of the late William Guest of Gladys Knight and the Pips. She inherited her vocal quality and ear for music from her grandfather. In 2015 Terri was approached to attend “LAUNCH,” an annual 3-day showcase that takes place in Chicago, IL. An invitation-only event, LAUNCH gathers artists nationally in efforts to promote and nurture the best aspiring new talent in front of entertainment industry professionals all under one roof. The concept is very similar to likes of of American Idol or The Voice, but on a smaller and condensed scale. Excited Terri shares, “I wasn’t expecting to win this award with the chance to record my music in a real studio!” It was the collaborative efforts of LAUNCH and the Dare2Dream (established to honor the life of Keisha Michelle MacDonald, who until her sudden demise aspired of stardom) Foundation that provided her a professional recording session to have a song that she wrote and composed produced. Marshall Block and Nick Trevisick of Real II Real production studios in Mid-Michigan, offers the awardees mentorship, and expertise in music production to include a professional session. With a roster of clients ranging from India Arie to Martina McBride, this is sure to be one of many opportunities to come for Terri. Many days when not studying or doing homework, she is recording and collaborating with other young people working toward attaining the same goal. They are the dreamers of today that are making their dreams come true. These young people are no longer waiting for the industry to snag them off the street, they are writing,
recording and building their fan base that in earlier years could not have been done without the help of a big record company. Technology has enabled those who want to record and present their music by posting their music to the internet through websites such as SoundCloud, YouTube, and iTunes, to name a few. It has also given them the opportunity to collaborate with another artist that they may not have had a chance to meet if they had not posted their music or Tweeted about it on Twitter. Some of these innovative young artists are Lindsey Freedman and Cullen Williams. Music is what drives them and gets them through the day. As far as she can remember, Lindsey has always had a song in her heart. She says, “My sister and I used to dance around my living room as babies and put on concerts for my parents.
Lindsey Freedman
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18 When it comes to music, it has never been a question for me; it’s more of an answer. It’s how I express myself and release stories and emotions that get trapped inside; music is my everything.” She goes on by saying, “I’ve always felt as if music was calling to me to join its’ ranks. I have a special relationship with how I connect to music.”
Looking for places to get exposure, recording, and finding the time to market their music is what these young people see themselves doing whenever they have an opportunity. Asking for a spot on the program of entertainment to sing at a gala someone is hosting, finding an open mic somewhere to get some practice singing in front of a crowd, can be exhausting but it’s what they live and breathe every day. “Music is my happy place, my safety net; it’s where my mind always runs to when it decides to wander away from reality. It’s a fragile gift from God that is meant to be shared, says Williams. Many people want to sing and be stars but it takes focus, determination, and most of all courage to take a leap of faith, to make your dream a reality. Taking rhythms and melodies, building a sound while adding pure emotions to the words that create a song that will resonate with others because they understand your words. Your words, are their words because they have been where you are, and they formulate those words and make a song.
Terri ends by saying, “God has given me this gift of song and my Pap’s would not want it any other way. He’d want me to do what he did and continue his legacy. I miss him every day, but he taught me not to be scared, just get up there and do it, and I live by those words. Thanks, Papa!”
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Time to go to work!
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