Michigan Chronicle Digital Edition 2.24.21

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Michigan Chronicle

Vol. 84 – No. 25 | Feb. 24 - March 2, 2021

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Black Health Matters:

Racial Disparities in Healthcare Still Exist During COVID

By Sherri Kolade Deborah Gatewood. Dr. Susan Moore.

We remember their names and untimely COVID-19-related deaths that took them both close to the start of the pandemic and also in December last year.

These were Black women, medical professionals, influencers in their own right and COVID-19 victims who were denied treatment from the very healthcare systems to which they belonged.

Gatewood worked at Beaumont Hospital in Farmington Hills and was turned away four times trying to receive treatment, according to a Fox 2 news report. Moore was a Black doctor from Indiana. Their stories are similar, yet distinct, on how they came down with COVID-

Is Relief In Sight?

What New COVID-19 Relief Bill Means For Detroit

By Whitney Gresham President Biden’s American Rescue Plan, also known as his $1.9 trillion COVID Relief bill, is quickly winding its way through the Senate and is expected to be voted on within the next two weeks or so.

Monike Thomas, pictured center (with her children) survived COVID-19 after not giving up and continuing to seek medical assistance after being turned away two times from local health facilities last March. - Photo provided by Monike Thomas

State and local officials insist it’s still too early to know definitively how much Michigan and Wayne County will receive because possible amendments may be negotiated.

19 last year and sought medical intervention but died from the denial of care.

However, Michigan was awarded $5.6 billion as its share of the $900 billion COVID relief bill combined with an $1.4 trillion omnibus government spending bill, known as the Consolidated Appropriation Act of 2021, signed into law on Dec. 27 by then-President Trump.

Dr. Moore knew what to ask for as she was being treated for coronavirus and strongly felt she was not receiving the best treatment.

Of that total amount, Wayne County received 12 percent and Oakland County eight percent; the first and second-largest portions doled out by the state.

Dr. Moore, who died on December 20, said in a video she posted online days before that “this is how Black people get killed when you send them home and they don’t know how to fight for themselves.”

A local official said on background that one could extrapolate from Michigan’s cut of the $900 billion relief in December what the state’s portion from the passage of the American Rescue could be.

And as weeks turn into months and months add up to almost a year, COVID-19 is still rearing its ugly head along with the equally ugly racial disparities in the healthcare system.

The counties only began to receive their money from the state around two weeks ago, with much of it still held by Republican partisan politics in the state legislature. Importantly, none of the money in the Trump relief bill was allocated specifically to help state and local governments. That means the money, which came from various federal agencies, is dedicated to specific projects and programs. State and local officials have little discretion to shift money to cover other human non-COVID emergencies no matter how urgent they may be. That includes extra money for schools, public

For Monike Thomas, 50, of Farmington Hills, the racial disparities with COVID-19 hit a little too close to home.

Thomas told The Michigan Chronicle that mid-March of 2020 she, too, was turned down twice at

See BLACK

HEALTH page A2

WHAT’S INSIDE

safety or the salaries of public servants who have been laid off as fallouts from the pandemic.

Critically, the Biden American Rescue Plan has proposed $350 billion in state and local aid to be used at their local discretion. It would be a rich source of additional funding for state and county officials. Most importantly, it provides far more flexibility when it comes to prioritizing their budgets.

“President-elect Biden understands that to build our economy back better we must join forces to end the COVID19 pandemic. His American Rescue Plan will help us do both. I have been calling on the federal government to pass crucial funding for state and local governments for months, and I am glad that the incoming Biden Administration has heard those calls,” Governor Gretchen Whitmer said in a recent television interview.

Of the money allocated to Michigan, $574,827,340 came from CDC Funding targeted for COVID-19 testing and another $90,239,771 from the CDC for COVID19 vaccination activities, a spokesperson for Sen. Stabenow stated in an email to The Michigan Chronicle. She pointed out that Sen. Stabenow secured an extra $19.9 million for five Detroit-based community behavioral health organizations to meet the growing need for mental health and addiction services.

A large portion of the $5.6 billion allocated to Michigan is held up from distribution by Republicans in the state legislature. They are demanding Governor Whitmer relinquish much of her emergency powers in exchange for them releasing all of the money to help Michigan’s cities and towns struggling under the burden of the deadly pandemic. It includes hard-hit communities like Detroit, Flint, Saginaw and other urban

areas.

Sen. Stabenow not only insists all funding be released by the state legislature as intended, but her Republican colleagues in Washington are working with her for the swift passage of the American Rescue Plan.

“More than 10 million Americans are out of work, and millions more are worrying about how they’ll pay the rent or mortgage, keep the lights on and provide food for their families. Democrats know that American families and communities need a bold plan to combat the pandemic, address the economic crisis they face and get our children back to school safely. We are ready to pass the American Rescue Plan and get our country back on track,” said Sen. Stabenow in a statement to the Chronicle.

President Biden has emphasized his actions are part of a comprehensive effort to provide relief to millions of American workers who have lost their jobs and had their hours or wages slashed through no fault of their own.

Biden said they will help working families feed their children and keep a roof over their head ensuring that unemployed Americans no longer have to choose between paying their bills and supporting themselves and their families. They will also help more unemployed workers pay for training and college to find better jobs and succeed in an increasingly competitive job market.

This all-of-government effort will: • Address the growing hunger crisis facing 29 million Americans — and as many as 12 million children – by asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture to consider expanding and extending federal nutrition assistance programs.

See COVID-19

Black Trauma: There are Gifts in the Darkness and Healing in the Light

By Sherri Kolade

UpNext: Chase Cantrell Wants Black Detroiters to Buy Back the Block Money. A5

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Trauma. We know what it is in the Black community.

Whether it’s a physical injury or a deeply hurtful, lasting experience -- personal trauma and collective pain are not new phenomena, unfortunately.

But what is a person to do when life keeps going but their world stops with, seemingly no outlet?

Detroit-based Marie Ganaway, of Autumn Experience Life & Spiritual Coaching, said that as a person who experienced trauma in the past, she is now at peace and able to help others deal with unresolved trauma that cuts deep and potentially stunts their growth. “(When) making a decision to go into therapy or not, what

soul searching and self-reflection can work wonders on their journey to healing, especially if therapy is not in the cards.

For more information visit www.autumnexperience.com.

Robert Warmack, Detroit-based counselor at L.E.C. Counseling (Love, Empathy & Compassion), said that unresolved secondary trauma can have a major impact, too.

Detroit-based life coach Marie Ganaway encourages self-reflection on the healing journey. – Photo provided by Marie Ganaway I’ve found with a lot of the people I work with, the Achilles heel, is the fear of the unknown -- that is number one,” she said, adding that people

don’t always understand what might happen if they face their darkest fears and the things of the past.

Ganaway added that some

Secondary trauma can occur when being exposed to people who themselves have been exposed to trauma.

“We know historically from [slavery] through Reconstruction, from Jim Crow through the Civil Rights movement -even up unto modern day with

See BLACK

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Rodney King and police brutality -when we are talking about secondary trauma, we, as African Americans, have read about all these things historically. We’ve seen interviews on television. We have experienced the trauma historically through our ancestors,” Warmack said. “We as Black folk can experience the trauma and actually have symptoms of PTSD based on secondary trauma. That is one thing that is unreported, [that,] and how it can impact us.”

“That trauma has manifested itself in fear and apprehension in the Black community [concerning] the vaccination,” he said.

Warmack encourages people to take little steps and relax their minds and bodies. One suggestion to turn off the news well before going to bed so more negative and trauma-related information doesn’t go into their psyche before going to bed.

“Ultimately, it will allow you an opportunity to have a good night’s sleep,” he said.

Rev. Dr. Ronné Wingate Sims, an ordained Baptist minister, speaker, teacher and activist, develops “culturally relevant healing spaces” for individuals working through intergenerational and ongoing trauma.

She is executive minister at Imani Community Church in her hometown of Oakland, Calif. She also has a Healing Trauma meditation on the free meditation app, HealthyMinds Program.

The special meditation in honor of Black History Month focuses on healing intergenerational trauma.

The meditation practice helps people make room for strong emotions by getting curious about them through insight and by leaning on gratitude.

Wingate Sims told The Michigan Chronicle that over time the wounds left behind from traumatic events can lead to issues such as depression, anxiety, addiction or other challenges to mental health

Black Health From page A-1

local healthcare facilities in Dearborn and West Bloomfield when she came down with COVID-19 symptoms after a trip to the grocery store.

She had just come from Atlanta (where her college-aged twins attend school) and while leaving the store after shopping her body felt strange.

“I kept going through the store (and) I felt sick. I felt like I couldn’t walk,” Thomas, who shopped without a mask at the store at the early stages of the pandemic said. “Then I walked out -- I could barely walk.”

She then drove herself to Henry Ford in Dearborn and after asking her a series of questions they told her to self-quarantine after ensuring her low-grade fever wasn’t out of control.

Three days later her symptoms (roller coaster chills, fever and loss of taste) became worse. She went to West Bloomfield Hospital and they took her temperature and encouraged her to self-quarantine again after they thought it wasn’t too serious.

Finally, the third time she went to a drive-up COVID-19 screening where a screener asked for her name and she couldn’t get it out.

“I couldn’t say it, they immediately rushed me to the hospital,” she said where she was put on oxygen. “I felt like my heart was about to bust out my chest. I was crying. ... it was really, really bad.”

Ten days later she made a full recovery after trusting her doctor who gave her medication and a steroid shot to break her fever and improve her health.

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Black Trauma

He added that even pre-pandemic, with Black cultures, the gaps in healthcare and education have been there. And now there is firsthand trauma dealing with COVID-19 and potentially receiving the vaccine.

“We have had such a storied history of mistreatment by the dominant culture we experience fear, apprehension, fear and anxiety from that trauma we experienced.

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Rev. Dr. Ronné Wingate Sims promotes positive behavior, finding healing after trauma. – Photo provided by Rev. Dr. Ronné Wingate Sims and wellness.

“A person can begin to lean on unhealthy behaviors as coping mechanisms to soothe their pain but oftentimes find themselves feeling worse,” she said, adding that unresolved trauma can negatively impact the day-to-day with physical health implications. “[It can reduce] the quality of our relationships, can hinder creativity and the ability to find joy in ordinary activities like work and play,” Wingate Sims said. “The shame around certain kinds of trauma can prevent people from engaging in daily life with their full selves in subtle and sometimes powerful ways.”

Wingate Sims added that as a pastor she’s seen unresolved trauma, particularly wounds suffered in childhood, “show up in the pews and even in the pulpit quite often.”

“Stigma around seeking mental health treatment is one of the greatest barriers to seeking help,” Wingate Sims said, echoing Warmack’s thoughts. “This persists largely because the American medical establishment has not always been a trustworthy institution for us. Additionally, [some religious people] believe seeking treatment is incongruent with their spiritual life even though the holy books of Christianity, Judaism, Islam and other faiths indicate seeking counsel is not only acceptable but a godly endeavor.”

Because of these major issues of inequity, many healthcare and health-based entities are stepping up to the plate in a major way.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan COVID-19 Task Force on Racial Disparities released a 24page interim report in December detailing the strides Michigan has made in protecting communities of color from the spread of COVID-19.

The Task Force is chaired by Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II and consists of government, health care and community leaders.

“From the beginning, our administration has listened to medical experts and taken a fact-based approach to eliminating COVID-19 in our most vulnerable communities, and we have seen significant progress,” said Whitmer in a press release.

“Lieutenant Governor Gilchrist and the leaders on the Task Force have been crucial in helping us dramatically reduce the number of cases, hospitalizations and deaths in communities of color by expanding testing and providing crucial support to community organizations. Our work is far from over, and cases and hospitalizations are still rising statewide, but this team remains dedicated to working with medical experts and protecting our communities, frontline workers

Unresolved Black trauma can transcend generations, but seeking help sends powerful messages intergenerationally.

“Wounds from traumatic events can get in the way of a parent fully showing up emotionally for their children,” she said. “But a parent who engages in mental health care sets a powerful example for their children and can demonstrate what healing can look like. When we take time to heal, we heal our, too.”

There’s help though, she said, when therapy is not always readily available including: • One-on-one talk therapy for working through trauma • Group therapy — talk therapy with a small group of others with similar concerns and led by a licensed therapist • Guided meditation • Making or listening to music, particularly African drum circles • Acupuncture can alleviate some of the symptoms of depression and anxiety • Regular physical activity — walking, running, dancing or other exercise.

She added that while “we are survivors,” people don’t have to stay in survival mode forever.

“Caring for one’s mental health is a critical step to move from surviving to thriving,” she said. “Mental health is wealth.” and small businesses. Our immediate focus now is holding our progress, flattening the infection curve and remaining vigilant with mask wearing and social distancing.”

Brenda J. Jegede, manager of the Office of Equity and Minority Health at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, told The Michigan Chronicle that systemic inequities are not new.

“Racial and ethnic minorities are more likely to experience social, economic and environmental inequities and racial and ethnic minorities have less access to healthcare,” she said. “Historically there has been mistrust in relationships between racial and ethnic minorities and the healthcare industry.”

She added that racial and ethnic minorities experience more discrimination and bias in healthcare.

“The mission of the Office of Equity and Minority Health and its main responsibilities are imperative to monitoring disparities in health outcomes and in identifying and implementing policy and strategies that support community-driven practices to address systemic inequities and social determinants of health,” she said.

For more information visit https://www.michigan.gov/.

COVID-19 Relief Bill

From page A-1

• Ensure equitable and effective delivery of direct payments by asking the Treasury Department to consider changing its delivery structure and focusing on getting relief to the 8 million Americans who still have not received the financial assistance they are entitled to.

Thomas, who was emotional about her experience during parts of the interview, said as a community “we still have a long way to go” in the country regarding health.

• Help approximately 2 million veterans maintain their financial footing by asking the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to consider pausing federal collections on overpayments and debts.

“As a Black woman we already go through so much but to try to prove (you have COVID-19 symptoms) it’s like at what point do you just {get} help?” she said. “It is important that we hold folks accountable and get the service we deserve.”

• Help ensure that unemployed Americans no longer have to choose between paying their bills and keeping themselves and their families safe from COVID-19 by asking the U.S. Department of Labor to consider clarifying that

workers who refuse unsafe working conditions can still receive unemployment insurance.

• Enable effective and equitable distribution of government assistance by establishing an interagency benefit coordination structure.

“Once again, President Biden has proven that he will work around the clock to end the COVID-19 pandemic and build our economy back better. I’m proud to have a partner in the White House who will help us get things done for Michiganders,” Whitmer said.

Regardless of politics, the American Rescue Plan is expected to pass mostly intact. And that can only be good news for Michigan and Wayne County whose officials may find themselves in the strange position of being flush with money, for the first time in a very long time.

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STATE OF MICHIGAN BEFORE THE MICHIGAN PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION **** NOTICE OF HEARING FOR THE GAS CUSTOMERS OF DTE GAS COMPANY CASE NO. U-20940 • DTE Gas Company requests authority to increase its rates, amend its rate schedules and rules governing the distribution and supply of natural gas, and for miscellaneous accounting authority.

• BASED UPON THE $195 MILLION REQUEST, A TYPICAL RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER’S AVERAGE NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION BILL MAY INCREASE BY ABOUT $7.00 PER MONTH. CURRENT MONTHLY BILL INCLUDES 2021 INFRASTRUCTURE RECOVERY MECHANISM (IRM) CHARGE AND PROPOSED MONTHLY BILL INCLUDES 2022 IRM CHARGE. • The information below describes how a person may participate in this case.

• You may call or write DTE Gas Company, One Energy Plaza, Detroit, MI 48226, (800) 477-4747, for a free copy of its application. Any person may review the documents at the offices of DTE Gas Company.

• A pre-hearing will be held:

DATE/TIME:

Thursday, March 11, 2021 at 9:00 AM

BEFORE:

Administrative Law Judge Sally Wallace

LOCATION:

Video/Teleconferencing

PARTICIPATION: Any interested person may participate. Persons needing any assistance to participate should contact the Commission’s Executive Secretary at (517) 2848090, or by email at mpscedockets@michigan.gov in advance of the hearing.

The Michigan Public Service Commission (Commission) will hold a pre-hearing to consider DTE Gas Company’s (DTE Gas) February 12, 2021 application, as amended on February 15, 2021, requesting the Commission for authority to increase rates, amend its rates schedules and rules governing the distribution and supply of natural gas and for miscellaneous accounting authority; and to approve: 1) additional annual revenues of approximately $195 million based upon a January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022 test year with new rates effective as soon as possible on or after January 1, 2022; 2) recovery of DTE Gas’s proposed new rates effective no later than January 1, 2022; 3) acknowledge that DTE Gas has satisfied all of the directives of the Commission Order in Case No. U-20642, which were required components of its subsequent general rate cases; 4) DTE Gas’s recovery of the requested infrastructure related capital and the associated infrastructure recovery mechanism; 5) DTE Gas’s capital structure and return on investment; 6) the recovery of DTE Gas’s projected Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP) expenses; 7) the continuation of and changes to DTE Gas’s Low Income Assistance credit pilot and Residential Income Assistance Service Provision credit including regulatory asset and liability treatment for low income assistance customer credits applied greater or less than those approved in rates; 8) DTE Gas’s proposal for an Uncollectible Expense True up Mechanism (UETM); 9) DTE Gas’s proposal for a Shared Asset Deferral Mechanism; 10) DTE Gas’s proposal to amend certain customer rate schedules and proposed tariff changes; and 11) DTE Gas further, additional relief.

All documents filed in this case shall be submitted electronically through the Commission’s E-Dockets website at: michigan.gov/mpscedockets.

Requirements and instructions for filing can be found in the User Manual on the E-Dockets help page. Documents may also be submitted, in Word or PDF format, as an attachment to an email sent to: mpscedockets@ michigan.gov. If you require assistance prior to e-filing, contact Commission staff at (517) 284-8090 or by email at: mpscedockets@ michigan.gov.

Any person wishing to intervene and become a party to the case shall electronically file a petition to intervene with this Commission by March 4, 2021. (Interested persons may elect to file using the traditional paper format.) The proof of service shall indicate service upon DTE Gas Company’s attorney, Paula Johnson-Bacon, One Energy Plaza, Detroit, MI 48226.

The prehearing is scheduled to be held remotely by video conference or teleconference. Persons filing a petition to intervene will be advised of the process to participate in the hearing.

Any person wishing to participate without intervention under Mich Admin Code, R 792.10413 (Rule 413), or file a public comment, may do so by filing a written statement in this docket. The written statement may be mailed or emailed and should reference Case No. U-20940. Statements may be emailed to: mpscedockets@michigan.gov. Statements may be mailed to: Executive Secretary, Michigan Public Service Commission, 7109 West Saginaw Hwy., Lansing, MI 48917. All information submitted to the Commission in this matter becomes public information, thus available on the Michigan Public Service Commission’s website, and subject to disclosure. Please do not include information you wish to remain private.

For more information on how to participate in a case, you may contact the Commission at the above address or by telephone at (517) 284-8090.

Requests for adjournment must be made pursuant to Michigan Office of Administrative Hearings and Rules R 792.10422 and R 792.10432.

Requests for further information on adjournment should be directed to (517) 284-8130.

A copy of DTE Gas Company’s application may be reviewed on the Commission’s website at: michigan.gov/mpscedockets, and at the office of DTE Gas Company. For more information on how to participate in a case, you may contact the Commission at the above address or by telephone at (517) 284-8090.

The Utility Consumer Representation Fund has been created for the purpose of aiding in the representation of residential utility customers in various Commission proceedings. Contact the Chairperson, Utility Consumer Participation Board, Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, P.O. Box 30004, Lansing, Michigan 48909, for more information.

Jurisdiction is pursuant to 1909 PA 300, as amended, MCL 462.2 et seq.; 1919 PA 419, as amended, MCL 460.54 et seq.; 1939 PA 3, as amended, MCL 460.1 et seq.; 1969 PA 306, as amended, MCL 24.201 et seq.; and Parts 1 & 4 of the Michigan Office of Administrative Hearings and Rules, Mich. Admin Code, R 792.10106 and R 792.10401 through R 792.10448.

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COMMENTARY

AARP COVID Vaccine

By Paula D. Cunningham State Director, AARP Michigan

Michiganders began receiving their inoculations several weeks ago after two vaccines were made available. AARP Michigan is pleased that our state’s leaders followed the science and prioritized older adults. While we understand the frustration over getting vaccination appointments, our leaders have been transparent and responsive about where and how vaccines are being given.

Nationally, Americans over the age of 50 account for nearly 95% of all COVID deaths. Here in Michigan, more than 15,000 people have died, with older victims and their families hit hard by the virus – about 90% of deaths are among people age 60 and older.

The situation in nursing homes is particularly dire. Residents and staff of nursing homes account for nearly 40% of all Paula D. Cunningham COVID deaths, though they are less than 1% of the population. Tragically, the latest release of AARP’s Nursing Home COVID-19 Dashboard shows that the crisis in these facilities in Michigan continues, despite incremental improvements in the number of deaths and recent reductions in new infections. Numbers of cases and deaths remain well above where they were in summer and early fall.

We need to ensure residents and staff of long-term care facilities continue to receive vaccinations as soon as possible to prevent further loss of life.

And then there are our hospitals, which are under tremendous strain. According to the CDC, people ages 50 to 64 with COVID are four times more likely to end up in the hospital than their younger counterparts, and worryingly, at 30 times greater risk for death. If you are 65 and older, the risks are even higher.

Clearly, states vaccination plans must prioritize the most vulnerable. That includes older Michiganders who are at much higher risk of death to COVID. In this state, those age 65 and older have been prioritized for vaccinations for several weeks, but many have not been able to schedule appointments due to a shortage of vaccines.

As we move forward with the real time distribution of vaccines, we must ensure that our state’s plans are implemented smoothly and efficiently. The first weeks of vaccine distribution got off to an unsteady start in Michigan, and all across America. Every day, residents of Michigan have questions about when and how they can get a vaccine. We need our federal government, state officials, and the private sector to work together to be much more clear about when and how to sign up to be vaccinated and to efficiently manage the processes to administer the vaccines.

To help our members and all Michiganders, AARP has published a guide to Michigan’s distribution plans, explaining how distribution will work, eligibility, the timeline, vaccination locations, and other key details. The state guide is available at www.aarp.org/mivaccine and will be updated throughout the year as new information is available.

Breaking the Generational Curse: How Education Impacts Poverty Levels Locally

*The Michigan Chronicle is discussing generational poverty in Detroit, and its history, in this four-part series during Black History Month. In this second story, we delve into how education can help be a part of the solution. Stay tuned for the third and final part to read about poverty’s impact on finances, business barriers, gentrification, and how we could move forward.

By Sherri Kolade Finding solutions to poverty-related problems isn’t solved in silos by individual people. They say it “takes a village” and finding solutions needs to employ that same take.

One route to fixing the mammoth issue that is poverty in and around Black Detroit could be done through education and exposure, helping one generation get a leg up -- along with providing a plethora of resources to bolster families in need, experts say.

Providing a nurturing learning environment for schoolage children and beyond is another key element that leads to success according to local.

Chardae Caine, Youth Workforce Development fellow, University of Michigan, is working on steps to reduce poverty in Michigan through her work. – Photo

Karen Thomas-Brown, a professor of Education at the College of Education, Health and Human Services, University of Michi- provided by Chardae Caine gan-Dearborn, focuses her teaching on multiculturalism and related areas of diversity, equity and inclusion.

She said that intergenerational poverty comes from the notion that “some people are born poor and come from several generational poverty cycles.”

Thomas-Brown added that at the same time the idea is that others become poor during their lifetime.

“One seeks to answer questions of whether poverty at birth makes it more challenging for one to work their way out of it,” Thomas-Brown commented. “If this is the case, should someone who is born poor be blamed for their existence?”

Thomas-Brown said that often intergenerational poverty is seen as the result of a breakdown in the nuclear family structure.

“However, this type of poverty extends beyond the simple explanation of being born poor as the home and family are not the only intergenerational poverty determinants.

Governance, policy and delivery failure increase the likelihood of chronic and intergenerational poverty,” she said, adding that some influencing factors on poverty include family structure, unemployment or underemployment, the number of children in the home, parenting quality and more.

Some societal factors many know could contribute to generational poverty are from lack of opportunities including high-quality education in facilities similar to what is offered in middle-class neighborhoods. Also, lack of education that teaches critical life skills like maintaining good credit, how to budget, how to save and more, she said.

Chardae Caine, Youth Workforce Development fellow at the University of Michigan is responsible for creating research products and data dashboards to help Detroit’s youth workforce development community identify vided by Nicole McKinney gaps in the network, and plan for future initiatives.

She also identifies best practices and guidance to Poverty Solutions.

Nicole McKinney, executive director of Friends of the Children-Detroit, talks about poverty realities that everyday families face and how this organization is helping them overcome. – Photo pro-

Caine said that her work with Poverty Solutions is geared toward ultimately breaking the barriers people are facing.

“In my role, I often reflect on the big picture. Meaning, what are the things that need to take place before we can even consider the actual step of getting out of poverty,” she said. Housing, food, transportation, child care, and more, are only some of the factors that can impact a person’s abil-

See EDUCATION page A-4

HBCU Pride: Why More Students Should Consider Historically Black Colleges

By Megan Kirk Famously portrayed in Black family sitcoms and movies of the 1980s and 1990s, Historically Black Colleges and Universities were on display on mainstream tv helping to influence Black students nationwide. “A Different World” and its infamous Hillman College put Black college experiences in the forefront painting a real-life picture of college life and shaped classes to come. Filmmaker Spike Lee also helped to make HBCUs mainstream with the Black film cult classic, “School Daze” and set at fictional Mission College.

“I grew up watching ‘A Different World’ and ‘The Cosby Show’ as a teenager. This coupled with the fact that I have HBCU alumni in my family ranging from my great-great-grandfather and great grandmother, to my dad, further stimulated my curiosity in attending an HBCU,” Peter Boykin, graduate of Hampton University and Howard graduate school says.

Aside from its portrayal in fictional works, Historically

Black Colleges and Universities have housed a rich history and sense of pride in Black communities since 1837 with the first of its kind, The Institute for Colored Youth. Now, with the foundation of 101 colleges and universities across 19 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands, HBCUs are home to over 200,000 students.

Previously the only institutions that would accept African American students, HBCUs have offered Black students a place to call home while in pursuit of higher education.

“Hampton was my first choice and I had been going to Homecoming since I was seven years old,” Boykin says. “By the time I stepped on the yard in August 1994 for Freshman Orientation, I felt like I was on cloud nine and had gone to heaven.”

Despite being Black institutions, enrollment is not exclusive to African Americans.

According to a 2018 report released by the National Center for Education Statistics, HBCU

enrollment for non-Black students make up 24 percent of total HBCU enrollment.

“We are very globally diverse,” Sean Rouse, president of Detroit’s HBCU Network, says. “There’s always this misconception that because it’s a predominantly Black school it’s not diverse enough. That is just the opposite. Our HBCUs

are probably more diverse than most colleges and universities. Because you have smaller classroom sizes, you get to see that diversity.”

Though HBCUs are not exclusively for Black students, the predominately Black institutions create a home-awayfrom-home atmosphere. HBCUs help to create networks

of Black graduates and professionals across various fields.

Forming ties with professors and other faculty members often aid in a student’s success and sense of achievement.

“It was important for me to be taught by African Americans and see people who look like me in power positions of all kinds whether that be the president of the university or the dean of the school of business.

This was motivation that if they can do it so can I,” says Salinah Stringer, a Detroit native and 2018 graduate of Kentucky State University.

Being prepared for life after graduation is the goal for any higher learning institution.

However, for Black colleges and universities, the idea that HBCUs do not prepare students for the “real world,” thus leaving its graduates as at disadvantage, is highly speculative.

“Whether you go to college or not, the real world is still there. It does not stop,” Rouse says. “No school can fully prepare you for the real world,

See HBCU PRIDE page A-4

Page A-4 • michiganchronicle.com •

Education From page A-3

ity to get out of the system. “Past traumas and trauma-informed care is also a major consideration in the needs of Detroit residents”.

She said when considering how to break the cycle and what is needed, it’s crucial to start with the things that matter most, the basic needs. Like in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, physiological and safety needs need to be not only met but solidified before one can really take the (undefined) steps that follow.”

Caine said that educational institutions can offer support and understanding to help students who face poverty.

“At all levels of education, someone who can assist with those basic needs would be beneficial.

Although it is often thought that education is the one and only way out of poverty, basic needs either hinder students from continuing on the education pathway or stop them before they reach graduation because the barriers take precedence over paying next semester’s tuition,” she said. “If students have to choose between supporting their families by getting a job or signing up for classes, family - the only thing they have known their whole life - will more than likely come first. Ensuring that the basic needs of students are being met is a necessity.”

Caine added that it’s an allhands-on-deck situation for solving poverty and “it is our responsibility” as leaders, businesses, education institutions and organizations, to develop and execute the plan, and make adjustments based on data-driven impact.

“The next generation can have more opportunity, experiences and impact if we do the necessary work now,” she said.

For more information visit poverty.umich.edu.

Executive Director Nicole McKinney of the non-profit organization Friends of the Children-Detroit, has similar ideas about the community working together as a whole to end poverty.

Portland-based Friends of the Children launched a Detroit chapter just last year. It took $1.5 million in seed money to start the organization here and it relies on the community’s help to sustain it, she said.

McKinney said that this unique nonprofit model has a specific fo-

Feb. 24 - March 2, 2021

cus to end generational poverty and the organization is complementary to other local nonprofits. And, ultimately, resources need to be pulled together to accomplish the overall goal: “A better future for our children.”

McKinney said that the organization is trying to increase community awareness about its role, which includes supporting families who are low income. Friends of the Children- Detroit supports Black clients a majority of whom are living in Detroit and Wayne County at large.

“All of our children have experienced some adverse childhood experience,” she said of the young clients dealing with homelessness, being in foster care, having an incarcerated or teen parent and more.

The organization serves four- to six-year-olds in cohorts of 32 children. Their first cohort was introduced last year; they plan to have a second this spring. They support not only children in various aspects of their lives but caregivers, too, with a “two-generation approach.”

“Typically, what happens is it has a residual effect on the entire community,” she said adding that their funding comes from grants, local foundations, and other contributions.

The organization is not an educational center but they do have

HBCU Pride From page A-3

that’s false advertisement, in my opinion.”

Historically, some HBCUs have been met with pressing fiscal and institutional challenges resulting in loss of program accreditation and dips in enrollment. Some believe supporting Black institutions is the way to curb enrollment lows and generate additional revenue.

“For starters, we can simply support them like we support the BIG 10. There are over 100 HBCUs. We have the power to empower. We can encourage our children, cousins, nieces and nephews to attend them.

We can encourage top athletes to attend them,” Stringer says. “We can represent them in our creative expressions. We can create scholarships for future HBCU students to encourage them to go where the money takes them. We can do a five-minute Google search to learn about how our ancestors fought to provide these places for us to learn

an educational component, a longterm mentoring program.

“We match each child with a paid (college-educated) professional mentor,” she said, adding that the ultimate goal is to make sure by the time the children graduate high school they are on the path toward success. “The beauty of our model is every dollar someone invests here is a $7 return.”

This return comes in the form of saving society the cost of uprooting a child and placing them in juvenile detention or helping prevent teen pregnancy.

This model has been around for almost 30 years but is new to Detroit.

McKinney added that her organization can “put a face” to poverty and the children she encounters through the program are survivors and resilient.

“Children can become products of their environment. Unfortunately, some of our children, they struggle with housing, are in foster care bouncing from house to house -- sometimes it is hard to stay focused in an environment like that.

But if you have someone with you that can provide stability, guidance and structure, that can help the child have a better outcome,” McKinney said.

For more information https://friendsdetroit.org/.

visit

when we were not welcome anywhere else.”

HBCUs could soon see an increase in enrollment as newly elected Vice President Kamala Harris is a graduate of Howard University in Washington D.C. The first HBCU grad to ever hold such a high office, Harris’ accomplishment is laying the groundwork for other alumni to follow.

“For those who doubt that HBCUs don’t prepare you for the real world, now you can look at our new vice president who’s a graduate of Howard University, but there were several key players in getting her elected who were also HBCU graduates,” Rouse says, The importance of carrying the legacy of HBCUs has been met with support from several sources including the White House. Releasing an initiative aimed at providing high quality education, enrollment increases and improving the competitiveness of Black institutions, the U.S. Department of Education’s program will focus on three areas; programs, policies and projects to help these institutes excel.

Happy 104th birthday

Mrs. Lillie Mae Posey Alexander!!!

Lillie Mae Posey Alexander was born on February 27, 1917 in Shady Oak Community; Collins, MS and currently resides in Detroit, MI. Her parents were the late Joseph and Ethel Posey.

Mrs. Alexander was one of nineteen children, five brothers and thirteen sisters who were all raised by their parents on a farm located in Taylorsville, MS. Of her 18 siblings, a total of sixteen lived until adulthood.

Mrs. Alexander later married Fred D. Alexander and together they raised five children in Detroit, MI where she still lives today as a blessing to many.

Mrs. Alexander has been a faithful member of Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church for over 50 years. In her early years, she was known for her many smiles and was lovingly called “the hat lady.” As a Missionary Circle member, she was called upon to make her delicious cakes and fried chicken.

Mrs. Alexander has helped to raise many children over the years including her own children, grandchildren, and children her neighborhood.

Truly a blessed woman, Mrs. Alexander is the last living Posey from her siblings. She enjoys life with her five children and their spouses, her grands, great grands along with many family and friends.

She said recently as a centenarian, “I’m still taking care of children; my grandchildren are not taking care of me.”

We know that God has taken care of Mrs. Lillie Mae Posey Alexander and we celebrate her long life and special birthday…

A5

Money.

| Feb. 24 - March 2, 2021

michiganchronicle.com

Merit Brand Clothing Land In Detroit Meijer Locations

By Megan Kirk

A local Detroit clothing brand is announcing a new partnership with Meijer and helping community kids get real world experience and hands-on industry knowledge from high school through college.

Merit Goodness, founded in 2012 by David Merritt, is a clothing line with a message and a goal of sending underprivileged children to college. Dedicating a percentage of its sales to scholarships for its students through the brand’s philanthropic arm, Give Merit’s F.A.T.E program, the for-profit business is shattering the myth that businesses cannot positively impact the community.

“On the fashion end we love style we love design, and we use produce to drive social impact by donating 20 percent of our company profits to our non-profit work and then the brand also acts as a backdrop for a youth development program we have with Detroit students,” says Merritt.

Supporting about 130 kids from Detroit, the F.A.T.E. program is a four-year cohort program for Detroit high school students where they can earn a scholarship for college. The program gives students a hands-on opportunity to learn and grow while also offering mentorship. The program is also extended to college kids who have completed the four-year F.A.T.E. program.

Shop Local: MEDC Urging Citizens to Continue to Shop Small Business

By Megan Kirk Now that the holiday season is over, Detroit’s small business community is seeing another decrease in sales.

From the start of the pandemic, the city’s small businesses have been hit hard and, as a result, forced to either close or dramatically shift their business plan. The holidays brought a bit of respite as shoppers turned to the city’s unique stores for gift needs, but how will they fair the first quarter of the new year?

“Since the start of the pandemic, the MEDC has launched 23 separate COVID relief programs. We continue to roll out new programs as we get resources,” Wildman says.

Small businesses across the city have struggled during the pandemic.

However, the stretch of Detroit businesses along the Avenue of Fashion were hit with a one-two punch. They were first ravaged by a large construction project which impacted access to the stores and then they were hit next

“We follow them through their high school graduation and also hopefully their college graduation and the brand provides year-long capstone projects for the students to get real life experience, even in high school,” says Merritt. “If our students go through the four years and maintain the standards we set for them, we guarantee them at least a $5,000 scholarship to go to school.”

As a part of the F.A.T.E. program, tenth-grade students are asked to produce a product collection. With Meijer’s support, Merit Goodness will bring to life a design created exclusively by the F.A.T.E. program’s youth and sold at select store locations. This is a part of a larger initiative by Meijer to address racism and discrimination.

“We’re excited to share our partnership with Merit Goodness. Merit Goodness is one of 23 partner agencies that we’ve invested $5 million to address racial inequities in our communities.

We’re also proud to carry, for the first time, student-designed Merit Goodness apparel in two of our Detroit-area stores.” says Rick Keyes, President & CEO at Meijer in a recent social media post.

Available at just two Detroit Meijer locations in the city, one on West 8 Mile and the other on Grand River, fans and supporters of Merit Goodness will not only be able to stop in and buy merchandise exclusive to Meijer but support the dreams of the city’s youth and celebrate their accomplishments, it will also help to provide financial assistance on their road to higher learning.

“This partnership means everything to us and it means everything to the Detroit youth we work with. Imagine being a teenager going to your local Meijer store and seeing one of the products that you helped create front and center, being purchased by Detroiters! It gives you the confidence that you can create the future, and that’s what Meijer is helping provide for our young people,” says Merritt.

To date, the organization has funded over $130,000 dollars in scholarships in the last four years. In addition to the 90 high school students the organization supports, there are also 40 college-aged students in the program at this time.

The first partnership of its kind, the Good Merit founder is hoping sales lead to additional opportunities to design and curate select items for Meijer brand.

“Hopefully we can sell through enough to where they’ll order more items and we can design more items,” Merritt says.

While the collection is now available, there is no set time frame for the items to be removed from shelves. Customers are strongly urged to shop the collection while supplies last.

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is an organization geared towards establishing Michigan as a place to do and build business.

With the help of over 100 economic partners, the organization also helps existing businesses in the city grow their company and execute their business plans. During the pandemic, the organization has also implemented programs and initiatives to provide aid to establishments struggling to survive the economic hold caused by COVID.

More than supporting the local economy, buying local also helps to support budding neighborhoods and keep employment opportunities for the community.

“Shopping locally helps the local economy. It allows small businesses to be able to retain their employees. It highlights the local untapped talent within the community that often goes unnoticed. It allows the business owners the ability to invest into their buildings and surroundings thus making a more beautiful city scenery,” Hasan says.

According to a recent report from the Michigan Retailers Association, 47 percent of small business owners in the city reported an increase in sales during the month of December; this due to the large influx of last-minute shoppers. Now, local Detroit organizations are pleading with residents to continue to shop, eat and buy local.

“We have been working to encourage Michiganders to shop local,” says Michele Wildman, senior vice president of community development for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

“I know we did a lot of that during the holiday. We are trying to impress upon people to continue to shop local.”

continuing to shop at smaller businesses and choosing the smaller retailers as opposed to shopping with the larger retailers. Spread the word with family, friends and people in your local community about your positive experiences while shopping at the smaller businesses,” Hasan says.

by the coronavirus pandemic. With foot traffic at almost a standstill, businesses along this illustrious portion of the city are coping with the changes.

Dhafir Hasan, co-owner of Krispy Addicts Clothing Boutique, has had a moderate flow of business since the end of the holiday season. Opened to help combat social issues through creativity and fashion, the business is encouraging the city’s residents to support Black-owned businesses to help them make it through the pandemic and beyond.

“Residents can help small businesses during the pandemic and beyond by

Encouraging residents to not only support small businesses, but to also support Michigan business as a whole, the MEDC is asking shoppers to rethink how their dollars are being spent. By adjusting a portion of purchasing made elsewhere, residents can help create a large amount of in-state revenue.

“If we all switch just one out of ten out-of-state purchases to an in-state purchase, we could generate up to $1.2 billion dollars in economic activity,” Wildman says.

By shopping local, residents not only support small businesses, but the community at large. Keeping money in the neighborhood allows for continued building projects, new businesses and community roots for generations to come.

UpNext: Chase Cantrell Wants Black Detroiters to Buy Back the Block

By Alan Hunt II UpNext is an editorial series highlighting eight burgeoning business and real estate developers who are impacting the economic mobility of Detroit. Presented by the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, the series highlights Detroit professionals who are leaders, innovators, and influencers in their industry and community.

This week’s UpNext profile is Chase Cantrell. Cantrell is the founder and executive director of Building Community Value (BCV) which helps Detroiters bring the built environment back to life in our neighborhoods.

Initially, Cantrell practiced corporate and real estate law, helping complete complex deals at a firm, but he felt the need to do more.

“Money and influence was flowing on these big projects, they were led by white developers. They were all white men,” said Cantrell. “It hit me really hard that I’m in this Black city; most of my colleagues at the firm don’t look like me, but also most of our clients don’t look like me. Essentially, over time, I realized I had to do something that gave more power to us.”

Cantrell left his six-figure job and started his nonprofit, BCV, in 2016.

“The premise has been simple. We respond to the aspirations of Detroiters. Detroiters want to build in their community. They want to rehab properties. They want to build generational wealth, and there’s no lack of vision in our neighborhoods.”

BCV’s signature resource program,

so that’s what we’re trying to provide… technical assistance to help mostly Black and Brown Detroiters.”

While Cantrell is excited for those accessing BCV, he recognizes the difficulty of turning their passion into a viable project. He cites lack of capital being a major roadblock.

“Unless there is a true unlocking of federal or state dollars or a shift in priorities from the Duggan administration, we are likely headed to a period of economic stagnation, especially around real estate development.”

He says there are two levels capital needs to come from.

Chase Cantrell Better Buildings, Better Blocks, is a 6-week training course that teaches the nuts and bolts of small-scale real estate development to Detroit, Hamtramck, and Highland Park residents.

In 2017, it was awarded a $150,000 grant through the Knight Cities Challenge. Additionally, 300 people have completed the course, and a quarter of them have gone on to start development projects in their neighborhood.

“Most of them are native Detroiters who have seen their neighborhoods evolve in really challenging ways,” said Cantrell. “They want to roll up their sleeves and put in the work and capital to bring these neighborhoods back,

“One is government, and that can be a community push in terms of where we put our limited budget dollars. The trickier level where this works is the banks. There aren’t that many financial products, especially for folks who are doing small-scale development. Part of what government can do is to push and demand that the banks change policy.”

Short term, Cantrell, a native Detroiter, aims for his work to establish platforms for Black people to transform and take agency over their own communities.

“Long term, the goal is for Detroit to become a beacon of Black culture and Black innovation in community ownership and development…As Black people we need to own the narrative that Detroit’s renaissance isn’t going to come from white millennials. The innovation that is happening now, much of it is from Black people.”

Page A-6 • michiganchronicle.com • Feb. 24 - March 2, 2021

The newly redesigned 2021 Hyundai SANTA FE. A bold reimagining with family fun in mind.

In sunshine, snow, and rain, the redesigned SANTA FE puts all other SUVs in its class to shame. Comfort and safety aside, this tech-forward SUV offers a bold design with a premium and sophisticated interior and exterior that showcases a stylish, rugged elegance. With available features like in-dash Blind-Spot View Monitor, Safe Exit Assist, Ultrasonic Rear Occupant Alert, HTRAC All Wheel Drive and a 10.25-inch full-touch infotainment screen, you can relax, knowing your family is covered and so is your style game, in or out of the city. It’s so much better, together.

Preproduction model with optional features shown. Hyundai is a registered trademark of Hyundai Motor Company. All rights reserved. ©2021 Hyundai Motor America.

Feb. 24 - March 2, 2020 • michiganchronicle.com • Page A-7

Starting at a Black Newspaper,

Dana White Is the First Black Woman to Run Comms at a Major Automaker

Dana W. White began her professional life helping her grandfather run an African American newspaper. (Carol Larsen/Zenger)

By Troy Schulz Zenger News

As Hyundai North America’s first black chief communications officer, Dana W. White knows what it is like to have two feet in two worlds.

“Growing up I always knew about the power of communication, the power of words,” she said, talking about her childhood in Charlottesville, Virginia. “My grandfather, who was born in 1896, founded the oldest black newspaper in the state. I used to cut ad sheets every month and write copy and process black-and-white photos [at the paper]. The entrepreneurial spirit runs deep in me and my family.”

While the weekly black newspaper, the Charlottesville-Albemarle Tribune, is gone, the family’s entrepreneurial spirit lives on.

“The environment I grew up in, my family, was that there was never just a pot of gold waiting for me at the end of the tunnel,” she said. “It’s in my DNA – to make it happen for yourself.”

Dr. Ben Chavis runs the trade group for African American newspaper publishers.

“The National Newspapers Publishers Association salutes Hyundai for its decision to elevate an African-American woman leader to the position of Chief Communications Officer. In this year where the focus is on the empowerment of all women, Dana White represents and embodies the best of Black America,” he told Zenger News of White.

She studied hard in college, taking the toughest courses on purpose even if they were scheduled early in the morning and required long walks across Chicago windchilled campus. Those courses included learning to read, write and speak Mandarin, the mostly widely used of the Chinese-language dialects. She majored in Chinese history at the University of Chicago.

After college, she moved to Washington, DC without a job and worked as an intern and a temp to pay the bills while she applied for jobs on Capitol Hill.

Now Dana White runs North American communications for Hyundai Motor Company, a South Korean car maker that builds more than half of its vehicles at its plant in Alabama and employs some 25,000 people in the United States. She joined the Zenger

News advisory board in 2019.

White sees herself as a cross-cultural bridge. At Hyundai Motor North America, she is the Chief Communications Officer—a first for Korean automaker in the U.S. She oversees communications for Hyundai Motor North America headquarters and all of Hyundai’s North America Affiliates including Canada and Mexico, Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama, Glovis (Hyundai’s Logistics Operations), Mobis (Hyundai Parts Operations), Hyundai Capital and the Washington, DC Office. White also has strategic oversight of Hyundai’s luxury automotive brand Genesis, the first SUV for the industry’s newest luxury brand.

“When I joined Hyundai a year ago, I knew I needed someone who understood decision making at the highest levels, storytelling and how to work across cultures seamlessly to deliver results. So, I called Dana,” said Jose Munoz, Global COO of Hyundai Motor Company and Pres. & CEO of Hyundai Motor North America. “It’s rare to find one person with all the skills, talents and experiences that she has. And she has proven track record of success. In few short

months, Dana has already made a big difference in how we operate, communicate and tell the Hyundai story.”

Ultimately for White, she said her passions are education, excellence and empowerment. “I can still hear my grandfather’s gruff voice saying, ‘Mouse, I want you to be a smart little girl. Learn everything you can.’ I think about everything he survived, all the limits placed on his life and how if he could see me now—a man who was proud to put pictures of my nursery school graduation in the paper—I know he’d say…’So, Mouse…what’s next?’”

“The thing about me is that I’m propelled by history and obsessed with the future. I’m passionate about ideas and a mission. I want to see people move forward—know their past and explore their future,” she said. “It’s in my family—this spirit of perseverance. I feel like they handed me a baton. They ran hard and ran fast. They carried the baton as far as they could go.

Now, it’s my turn to run faster and farther and pass the baton to the next generation.

I say, ‘When you stand on the shoulders of slaves, there’s no slouching.’”

Hyundai recognizes the value of community. Learn more at HyundaiDiversity.com.

Art by Ronnie Phillips. RonPhillipsArt.com.

Hyundai Celebrates Black Excellence The journey and societal contributions of African Americans is an epic tale worthy of retelling time and again. Their traditions and rich heritage combine for a legacy to remember. Hyundai is proud to join in on the celebration of Black History, this month and all year long. We salute contemporary Black artists like Ronnie Phillips, who firmly believes that children are the future, stating, “I like the idea of connecting images of present-day Black children to their past as a way of honoring the continuity in our culture.” Hyundai and Ronnie Phillips, building upon the past together while constructing a better future for all.

Hyundai is a registered trademark of Hyundai Motor Company. All rights reserved. ©2021 Hyundai Motor America.

Page A-8 • michiganchronicle.com •

Feb. 24 - March 2, 2021

This shouldn’t be how we say hello...or goodbye.

It’s our reality right now. But it won’t be if we do what it takes to beat COVID-19. Vaccines are coming, but until enough of us are vaccinated, we all still need to wear our masks, stay at least six feet from others, and avoid indoor social gatherings. The more we slow the spread, the faster we’ll return to normal hellos … and fewer goodbyes.

Learn more about vaccines and slowing the spread at cdc.gov/coronavirus

Brought to you by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

City ity.. Life ife.. Style.

B1 | Feb. 24 - March 2, 2021

Where City Meets Life and Life Meets Style

michiganchronicle.com

Detroiter Derek English recently launched an online coffee company, Faust Haus Roasting Co., with his daughters, Alyssa, 25, and Sophia, 14. MochaBox co-owners and native Detroiters Harlin Thomas, left, and Floyd Sartin, right, celebrate coffee and culture with their cup o’ joe. Photo provided by MochaBox Photo provided by Derek English

Black Coffee:

Black Entrepreneurs Brewing Up Coffee and Beer

By Sherri Kolade

Whether it’s coffee or beer -- these Black-owned companies are bringing the liquid goods that we have been waiting for, so let us sip on for the culture.

“We are getting closer to being solely entrepreneurs with MochaBox, but for now it does allow balance,” Thomas says.

Detroit resident Derek English, 43. owner of Faust Haus Roasting Co., a newly launched online coffee company, wants to bring Ethiopian flavors a little closer to home.

“At the very least, we are setting up generational wealth. … We want to have a legacy,” Sartin said. “We have seen our business pick up; in fact, 2020 has been one of the best years for us.”

“It’s an exciting time, we are just getting started,” English said. It started, he added, because for a while he’s been making his own coffee. Then, one day a family friend tasted it and said, “Oh my God, you all should share this.”

MochaBox offers single-origin coffees with original flavors that are all locally roasted in Prince George’s, Md.

Throughout 2020, English “put in the plans” and created his business led by himself and his two daughters, Alyssa, 25, and Sophia, 14.

“We started putting our daily family recipe together and equipment in order so we could start,” he said. “We just started this month opening up our coffee for sale. We’ve been through a bunch of trials and tastings and the feedback has been great. We’re encouraged in starting this … it’s been good so far.”

The online-based company is selling on Instagram under the handle: FaustHausRoastingCo. Their website is slated to launch soon in time for their coffee subscription-based service they have brewing.

The coffee company uses traditional Ethiopian spiced recipes and infuses the beans with flavors of ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, and turmeric.

“That lends itself to very distinct flavors in our coffees -- our coffees are unique in flavor profile and spiced coffees,” English said, adding that it’s not just about the taste.

A significant portion of their proceeds goes toward charities around the world, including helping Ethiopian refugees in crisis.

“The big thing with us and what we are doing is we want to create a company that has an impact in the world and community,” English said.

Over 10 years ago, Floyd Sartin and Harlin Thomas, hailing from the eastside, attended Western Michigan Univer-

culturally relevant coffee terminology.

A grey crew neck reads “come through drippin’” with a coffee pot pouring out.

They also still have full-time jobs that help fund MochaBox.

Customers can select 12-ounce resealable packages or whole bean, medium, or coarse grind. MochaBox’s signature coffee is Colombiana, a medium roast with hints of cherry and sweet pecan. Dark sugar sweetness and caramel aromatic spices are in their Black Bottom coffee, named after the historical Black neighborhood in Detroit.

Black Calder Brewing Company co-owners and -founders Jamaal Ewing, left, and Terry Rostic are about building community and dope beer. Photo courtesy of Black Calder Brewing Company sity together when one New Year’s Eve, they decided to develop a business.

Through their different ventures, Thomas landed on the idea of selling coffee.

Sartin and Thomas started MochaBox Coffee Company in 2015 and got in at the right time.

“We stayed because we stood out— we knew we could be special in this industry,” Sartin says.

MochaBox pulls its name from the place in Yemen where coffee was first traded. At first, customers received a monthly trio sampler from growers within the U.S. After trying their own hands at roasting coffee, Thomas was convinced that he and Sartin could learn to cut out the middleman. From there, they purchased equipment to roast their own coffee. The coffee entrepreneurs grew in the coffee game.

There were Black coffee brands available then, but friends and business partners felt they could “champion the industry” in the D.C. area where they now reside.

“You have to drink the coffee to know what you’re getting in your cup. “We’re not coffee snobs,” Sartin said. “But we can tell the difference between a good cup and a bad one.”

Not long after that, the duo attended a coffee convention—Coffee Fest in New York. That is when they discovered that they were one of the very few Black people at the event.

According to the International Coffee Organization, the annual growth rate of global coffee is about 1.3 percent.

Millennials fuel the coffee culture. A Bloomberg report shows that this age group consumes 44 percent of all coffee in the United States.

They both like their coffee black.

Over the last five years MochaBox has developed into a full micro-coffee company, offering online commerce to consumers and wholesale to businesses. They also sell merchandise. Some of their most popular shirts combine

“People love it. They say they can smell it in the mail and get really excited,” Sartin shares.

Sartin and Thomas are hoping to solidify a partnership with a major grocery retailer in 2021. Sartin said that having an important partnership comes with playing off of one another’s strengths.

“We know that this is a blessing to have a relationship, a brotherhood like this where we’re able to do something and build this business that we’re doing,” he said.

Follow Sartin, Thomas, and MochaBox on social media and find them at https://www.mochabox.com/.

Their motto, they will tell you, is simple, “Make Dope Beer for Dope People.”

And co-owners and -founders Terry Rostic and Jamaal Ewing continue to be dope pioneers with Michigan’s first Black-owned brewery, Black Calder Brewing Company in Grand Rapids.

“I’ve been thinking about starting a brewery for a long time,” Rostic said.

“I’ve been homebrewing ... since 2010 or so, and I would support local breweries.”

See COFFEE AND BEER Page B-2

Asbury Park: Local Filmmaker to Release Movie About Urban in Detroit

By Megan Kirk

came outside to see what we were doing,” Williams says. “A few of the youth mentioned they always wanted to be in a movie. I talked to their parents, and they were able to have a small part in the film. I was happy to provide the experience and give them some inspiration.”

A local Detroit filmmaker is releasing a new movie aimed at mental illness and police brutality while giving the city’s youth a chance to appear on the big screen. Filmed throughout the city, including titled street Asbury Park, the movie tells the story of four Detroit kids growing into adulthood and the challenges they face in the inner city.

Intent on giving back, the creator wanted to share the chance of a lifetime with Detroit’s youth to give them an opportunity to see art at work. Fostering a workspace where the young actors would see Black excellence in film, Williams led sessions where the kids would have time to meet with the A-list actors for guidance, representation and a firsthand account of celebrity.

Legend Williams always had dreams of making films. Growing up on Asbury Park, the film’s writer, director and producer wanted to bring a new point-of-view to film. Through the eyes of children, viewers will get a unique standpoint while navigating the film’s core themes.

“I would like viewers to put themselves in the shoes of the characters and get a broad, yet intimate, perspective of what life is like for many inner-city youths. This film does not show the glorification we might see in a lot of movies,” Williams says. “My film shows a truthful story through the eyes of the youth. I wanted to give a voice to the voiceless. The viewers will have the opportunity to understand the reasons why some questionable decisions are made while humanizing the characters

in the film without judgment.”

Starring heavyweights like Glen Plummer, known for his roles in “Menace II Society” and “South Central,” as well as Jamal Woolard who played rapper Biggie Smalls in biopic “Notorious,” the movie mixes fresh talent with Hollywood veterans to deliver a story meant to hit home for so many. Despite an offi-

cial casting call, the budding actors and Hollywood giants were joined by neighborhood kids who also wanted in on the action.

“We had traditional casting and while we were filming, the kids were homeschooling due to the pandemic and quarantine last year. As we were filming, some of the neighborhood kids

“I’m a kid that grew up on Asbury Park who dreamed of being a filmmaker, but I knew I never had the means to get there, so I didn’t even pursue it that hard. I knew I couldn’t afford film school. When I got the opportunity, I wanted to create as much opportunity for these Detroit kids as possible,” Williams says.

As the film began production in September 2019, the cast was unknowingly approaching a roadblock that would cause a snag in filming. With the death

See ASBURY PARK Page B-2

Page B-2 • michiganchronicle.com • Feb. 24 - March 2, 2021

Asbury Park From page B-1 of an original cast member, the crew stopped production, but resumed filming during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

MochaBox co-owners and native Detroiters Harlin Thomas. left, and Floyd Sartin, right, want to change the face of the coffee business where even more Black proprietors are in the mix. Photo provided by MochaBox

Coffee and Beer From page B-1

Rostic said that he loves the atmosphere of breweries and “loved the people making some really cool beer” with great stories that went along with them.

“I would always think the stories around certain beers were tastier than the brews,” he said, adding that in his support of the breweries he didn’t see a lot of diversity, and he wanted to change that narrative.

“That is how the seed got planted -how the hop got planted,” he said laughing.

Rostic met Ewing, both based in the Grand Rapids area, in 2017 at a minority subcontractor workshop where at the time Rostic worked at a large construction company in the diversity, equity and inclusion realm.

After the meeting, Rostic went up to him and asked him if he wanted to start a brewery together.

“I didn’t know him, never met him before,” Rostic said, adding that Ewing looked at him strangely for a second and said without missing a beat, “‘Why did you ask me that; because I do.’”

Black Calder Brewing Company co-owners and - founders Terry Rostic, left, and Jamaal Ewing, right, are about building community and dope beer.

Photo courtesy of Black Calder Brewing Company

“At the time, Hollywood was shut down. Even though the desire was there to get the project done, safety was always first,” Williams says. “So, we went over and beyond to have safety protocols in place to ensure everyone was okay.

Fortunately, we made it through our whole shoot with not one case.”

Tackling mental health head on, the film explores a taboo topic for most Black families. Exposed to the rigors of experiencing Blackness in urban neighborhoods, the community is far too familiar with violence and poverty and the toll it takes on mental health. For the filmmaker, urban traumas and silence keep the issue of mental health muted.

“From a mental health standpoint, like in the hood, most people don’t go to counseling. We experience death on a regular basis. We experience tragedy on

Looking to provide relief to families and open dialogue, a part of the movie’s proceeds will be donated to local nonprofit, Caleb’s Kids, to help families cope with mental illness and suicide.

“Mental illness is a big issue in our community with both adults and kids.

With suicide on the rise among African American children, it is important to bring awareness to an issue that is not discussed openly.

Although the movie touches on mental illness and suicide, I wanted to do my part to bring more awareness in the film as well as support an organization that is working hard with local families and kids to help give them the proper resources,” says Williams.

The film is set to hit theaters February 27 with screenings at the Emagine Royal Oak and the Ford Wyoming DriveIn in Dearborn. The film will be available to stream online through VIMEO the following day.

Becoming a homeowner could be $10,000 easier.

Rostic said what’s next up is their February 19 release of a Bougie Sweet Potato Pie Stout, in honor of his grandmother’s classic sweet potato pie.

“You’re going to taste subtle sweet potatoes, vanilla, a little ginger, cinnamon -all of those flavors hit your palate,” he said.

Rostic added that beer connects people in a special way, because a glass of milk never truly brought anyone together.

“What we want to try to do and what we want to be known for [is] making great beer and connecting folks, Over time, they that is what I want honed their business our narrative to be at plan, which Rostic Faust Haus Roasting Co. sells the end of the day,” says garnered positive coffee, cups and other things. he said. He added that reception, including also introducing peosupport from Detroi- Photo provided by Faust Haus ple to Black culture ters (who have driven Roasting Co. and history while makto west Michigan to ing great beer -- “you can’t really ask for purchase their beer) and local brew- something better.” ers, among others. “I didn’t realize how For more information find them at many people were wanting something https://blackcalderbrewing.com/. like this.”

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a regular basis, but no one talks about it because they’re too busy trying to make it to tomorrow,” Williams says. “We talk about it amongst each other, but we don’t talk about it publicly.”

Jumping the Broo oom m

We always love helping homeowners. With our new MI 10K DPA, you may qualify for a down payment assistance loan of up to $10,000 to cover the down payment, closing costs, and prepaids. Learn more at Michigan.gov/Homeownership.

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PP-MSHDA-21948B Trim: 5" x 5.25" Bleed: 21948 NA Death at aLive: FuneralNA 4/C 1/8 Pagel 02.15.21

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Introducing a new, first-of-its-kind channel endorsed by the African American Film Critics Association, where you choose what’s on. Just say, “Black Experience,” into your Xfinity Voice Remote to instantly enjoy the best in Black storytelling, only on Xfinity.

Visit xfinity.com/blackexperience to learn more.

Restrictions apply. Not available in all areas. Requires Xfinity Internet and/or Xfinity TV with X1. Access for Xfinity Internet customers via the Xfinity Stream app. Lakeview Terrace © 2008 Screen Gems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Death at a Funeral © 2010 Screen Gems, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Jumping the Broom © 2011 Stage 6 Films, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Watch these titles and more on Xfinity On Demand. Celebrity endorsement not implied.

Feb. 24 - March 2, 2021 • michiganchronicle.com •

Page B-3

Tomorrow is a New Day:

Find Your Purpose Reimagined Well Beyond January 1st

By Sherri Kolade Eighty percent of New Year’s resolutions fail by mid-February, according to experts.

But Baron Warren wants you to get up and try it all over again anyway, even if you gave up on those resolutions several weeks ago.

Go out and achieve those yet-fulfilled dreams, write that book, lose that weight, finally dig deeper into your spiritual journey that you started a while back -- or whatever your New Year’s resolutions were.

last year due to having a hip replacement, she continued to be mindful, even into this year. She hired a personal trainer to ensure she was staying on track.

“I kept up my momentum by hiring a personal trainer for weight lifting, invested in a Peloton bike that I use, and continue to run at least 100 miles a month,” she said, adding that the advice she would give to people looking to lose weight (or accomplish another goal) is to keep the target in sight, especially with the world opening back up soon.

Warren, owner of life coaching company Cuts and Coaching in Metro Detroit, is a motivational speaker, published author and life coach who helps males (primarily in Detroit) in their journey to manhood -- and women, too.

Warren said that “everyone has some type of gift or calling in their life” that people have been put on this earth to do.

Warren prides himself in holding others accountable with the way he speaks, lives his life and carries his calling.

He said that he is a good speaker and it would do him “no good” sitting in his home office alone. Instead, Warren tries to find ways every day figuring out how he can “share that gift with the world.”

“We do have set-backs, we do drop the ball; miss the mark -- that doesn’t change the possibility. My gift still has responsibility,” Warren said, adding that there will be good days and bad days, and that is okay, as long as people wake up with the mindset the next day that, “I have something to offer to the world.”

Baron Warren, owner of Cuts and Coaching in Metro Detroit, encourages proactivity when finding your purpose even after missing the mark. Photo provided by Cuts and Coaching

“It is my personal belief you have to give your ability your responsibility. If you have a goal of starting a business, losing weight, mentoring somebody -- if you have a goal of being the best plumber -- if that is your gift to the world … the world needs that gift. You have to give that ability a responsibility.”

Native Detroiter Maria Beth Stanfield, an avid runner and ambassador for Black Girls Run! (BGR) keeps up with her goals of staying healthy by holding herself accountable, even when no one is looking.

Stanfield said that even being unable to run

“The secret to keeping your eyes on the prize is to remember that at some point we will be going back into the community and you want to look your best,” she said, adding that someone’s mindset is just as important as the investment, and that with “hard work you can achieve anything that you set out to achieve.”

She added that there is power in a village and BGR helped her and vice versa.

“Since I am an ambassador for BGR I have to consistently support and motivate others. Being active is a way that I model the expectations of our members and hold myself accountable,” she said.

icant others, sons, and other men in their lives.

He added that he wants males and females to discover their potential this year.

“I want them to understand that whatever you did yesterday is no longer your potential. Your potential is everything you can do or what you haven’t done yet,” Warren said. “Find out what that assignment is so we can maximize our potential.”

For more information visit www.baronwarren. com.

Warren added that his company, Cuts and Coaching, is run on living a life of integrity, which removes fear.

His philosophy of “helping males become men of integrity” is done by showing them positive behaviors and examples that they live out every day.

“I often tell males that I deal with you don’t become a man on your 21st birthday. You don’t become a man with having four to five baby mammas -- you become a man when living a life of integrity. You can become a man at 13 or stay a little boy at 55.”

Warren said that he is fearless when he leaves the house and beyond.

“I’m fearless when I operate in my craft ... as a father I’m fearless,” he said, adding that he wrote a book, “Five Steps to Manhood,” which encourages males how to be men. He added that women have read the book more than men to help understand their signif-

February 25, 2021 PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE DRAFT 2020 MICHIGAN CONSOLIDATED ACTION PLAN EVALUATION REPORT AND MODIFIED 2021 CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN Prior to submission of the Michigan Consolidated Action Plan Evaluation Report (CAPER) to the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Office of Community Planning and Development, Michigan is required to publish the document for public review and comment. The Consolidated Plan proposes an action strategy by which those needs will be addressed and the CAPER reflects activities undertaken between July 1, 2019 - June 30, 2020. The annual action plans are funded by five formula programs covered in the Michigan Consolidated Plan (HOME, Community Development Block Grant, Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDs, the Emergency Solutions Grant, and the Housing Trust Fund). The Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) is responsible for preparing the Michigan CAPER and soliciting comments from the public regarding the outcomes tied to the plan on an annual basis.

The comment period will commence on February 25, 2021 and end on March 12, 2021. The primary focus will be 1) to receive comments regarding the draft CAPER report and 2) modified draft of the Citizen Participation Plan which will formally include the addition of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Recovery Housing Program in order to incorporate this new program into future Consolidated Plans, Annual Action Plans as well as future CAPER submissions.

Copies of both the CAPER report and the draft 2021 Citizen Participation Plan may be downloaded free of charge from the MSHDA website at www.michigan.gov/mshda.

All interested parties are invited to submit written comments to the attention of Tonya Young, 735 East Michigan Avenue, P.O. Box 30044, Lansing, MI 48909. Written comments must be received no later than March 12, 2021. Comments can also be submitted electronically to the MSHDA Consolidated Plan Coordinator via e-mail to hidmailbox@michigan.gov.

Special Assistance: Feedback is encouraged from mobility-challenged individuals. Persons with disabilities needing accommodations for effective participation should contact Housing Initiatives at 517.335.2524 to request mobility, visual, hearing or other assistance.

Our commitment to equality.

TCF is proud to celebrate Black History Month, and our commitment to equality doesn’t stop there. We believe in creating stronger and more diverse communities. We are investing $1 billion in a credit-based initiative for minority and women-owned businesses to grow and thrive over the next five years.

See our pledge to invest in diversity at tcfbank.com/thrive

All loans are subject to credit approval. ©2021 TCF National Bank. Member FDIC. Equal Opportunity Lender

Native Detroiter Maria Beth Stanfield, an avid runner and ambassador for Black Girls Run!Photo provided

by Maria Beth Stanfield

Page B-4 • michiganchronicle.com • Feb. 24 - March 2, 2021

T

FAMILY FEATURES

he new year provides an opportunity to re-evaluate different aspects of your life, and that includes your budget and savings habits. Planning for emergencies by building – or rebuilding if the COVID-19 pandemic required making a withdrawal – a savings account to withstand the unforeseen can increase confidence in your overall financial health and reduce worry that a significant life event will negatively impact your finances.

“Our research shows having emergency savings is the foundation for long-term financial health,” said Chandni Ohri, program lead in savings and financial health with BlackRock’s Emergency Savings Initiative.

“The start of a new year is a good time to make a savings plan, which can consist of putting a little bit of money away regularly.”

Even before the pandemic began, 4 out of 10 Americans had a hard time finding even $400 to cover an emergency, according to a report from the United States Federal Reserve.

However, if you don’t think you have money to save, consider the majority of people who were able to save for an emergency for the first time in 2020 earned less than $60,000, according to research from BlackRock’s Emergency Savings Initiative, a group of nonprofit experts, corporate partners, and providers. Changes in spending due to the pandemic plus government stimulus packages helped many individuals create much-needed cash buffers.

Consider these tips to build your emergency savings account and create a buffer of cash for when emer­gency strikes.

Start a Savings Habit While it’s less important to have a specific dollar amount in mind, getting into the habit of putting some money in savings with each paycheck can help protect you should an emergency arise. While one good rule of thumb is to set aside enough to cover roughly six weeks of living expenses – housing, food, transportation – take a look at what it would cost to cover unexpected issues with your car, a trip to the hospital, a leak in your home or the replacement of a major appliance and start there.

Even a small amount, such as $50 in your savings account when it’s the day before payday and you’re running on fumes, can save you from an overdraft fee, having to resort to using a credit card, borrowing from a loved one or taking out a loan. However, research from the AARP Public Policy Institute found having a cash buffer of approximately $2,500 can help prevent financial hardship over the longer term. If you lose your job, for example, your emergency account could

help pay for necessities while you find a new position, or the funds could supplement any unemployment benefits you may receive.

Automate Your Savings Because an emergency can strike at any time, it’s important to have easy access to your funds. However, the account should also be sep­arate from your checking account so you’re not tempted to dip into your reserves.

Pick a free savings account with no minimum balance requirements and link it to your everyday account to quickly move money over if you need it.

Look for ways you can automatically save such as enabling roundups from your checking account to be transferred to your savings with each purchase or having your employer split your paycheck and automatically deposit a portion into savings each payday.

If you’re planning to stash funds away for months or years that can serve as both an emergency fund and long-term savings, consider a high-yield savings account.

Look for Ways to Cut Back While you may have already made changes to your spending habits amid the pandemic, periodically shopping for competitive rates of recurring bills, such as cable and internet, cell

phones insurance policies and other utilities, can be a simple way to save some money each month. Start by asking your current providers about any special rates and promotions that may be available to loyal customers then check with alternative providers to see if they can provide the same or better offerings at a reduced cost. Sometimes returning to your current provider with a more competitive rate from elsewhere can be extra incentive to work out a deal to keep a longtime customer.

Also look at any subscription services you use, or potentially don’t but still pay for, and see if they offer a cheaper plan that still meets your needs or if you’re able to cancel subscriptions you no longer use frequently.

Other expenses such as dining out or buying new clothing and accessories could also be scaled back if you find you’re splurging too much. Avoid completely cutting spending for leisure activities from your budget but look for reasonable tweaks that can allow you to set more money aside for unforeseen expenses.

Take Advantage of One-Time Opportunities to Save

Assuming you expect to receive a tax refund, this provides an easy way to boost your emergency fund if circumstances allow you to save all or a portion of the return. If you’re able, consider having your

Photos courtesy of Getty Images

refund directly deposited in your emergency account. The same strategies can be applied to any government aid checks you may receive, such as a second round of stimulus money that could be distributed to eligible citizens in 2021 to help reinvigorate the economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

There may also be other times throughout the year when you receive one or more cash gifts, like your birthday or holidays, that can help provide a nice cushion to your emergency fund if you can avoid the temptation to spend it.

Replenish What You Use

Remember to review and adjust your savings plan as needed, whether you’re able to contribute over a longer period of time without dipping into the account or if an expensive life event pops up that requires using all or a portion of the funds.

Should you need to dip into the savings, do your best to make replenishing the account to a level you’re comfortable with a primary goal in case any additional unexpected expenses arise. Alternatively, if your saving is going well, consider increasing the amount you’re saving each paycheck so you’re better protected against any major life changes or able to finance a large-scale purchase down the road.

Find more information and tips for building your savings at savingsproject.org.

COMMUNITY ENERGY CENTER

Prioritizing innovations, smart policies and pandemic recovery... that’s energy leadership!

To learn more about how energy helps your community, visit CommunityEnergyCenter.org

The Community Energy Center, a cooperative with the National Newspaper Publishers Association and National Association of Hispanic Publications Media, will provide information and perspectives on the integral role of the energy sector in daily life for American families in a wide range of communities.

Classifieds

Feb. 24 - March 2, 2021 • michiganchronicle.com • Page B-5

ANNOUNCEMENTS

PROFESSIONAL HELP WANTED

Request For Proposal

Advanced Planning Analyst – Global Customs

The Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) is soliciting RFP for No. 21-3347 for TPA Drug and Alcohol testing.

RFP forms may be obtained beginning February 24, 2021 from http://www.mitn.info. RFP is due by 3:00 PM ET, March 16, 2021.

Request For Proposal The Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) is soliciting RFQ for No. 21-3297 for Propane auto gas for connector fleet. RFQ forms may be obtained beginning February 24, 2021 from http://www.mitn.info. RFP is due by 3:00 PM ET, March 15, 2021.

Request For Proposal The Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) is soliciting RFQ for No. 21-3267 Rim Clam Tire Changers. RFQ forms may be obtained beginning February 24, 2021 from http://www.mitn.info. RFQ is due by 3:00 PM ET, March 12, 2021.

Request For Proposal The Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) is soliciting RFQ for No. 21-3123 for Roof Inspection, Maintenance & Repair Service. RFQ forms may be obtained beginning February 24, 2021 from http://www.mitn.info. RFP is due by 3:00 PM ET, March 10, 2021.

City of Royal Oak, Michigan Advertisement Notice to contractors:

Sealed proposals will be received by the finance department (City Hall) of the City of Royal Oak, Michigan, up to 1:00 p.m., local time, March 9, 2021 at which time all proposals will be publicly opened and read aloud for the “2021 CDBG – Franklin Park, Lawson Park & South End Diverter Improvement Contract CAP2160.” The meeting will be held virtually via a Zoom conference call. Bidders shall receive an email meeting request for the bid opening after submitting their proposal.

Electronic proposals shall be submitted through Michigan Intergovernmental Trade Network’s (MITN). Plans and specifications will be available on or after February 23, 2021.

This is a federally funded project.

BID ANNOUNCEMENT The Economic Development Corporation of the City of Detroit is soliciting competitive not to exceed general contract bids for the Sherwood Street Reconstruction Project. The deadline for this Request for Proposal will be Friday, March 16, 2021 at 3PM EST. Responses must be submitted via email to ­­orobertson@degc.org.

Request for Qualification packages will be available on or after Tuesday, February 23, 2021 via the DEGC website at www.degc.org and https://www.bidnetdirect.com/mitn/ detroiteconomicgrowthcorporation.

A Pre-bid conference will be held on Thursday, February 25, 2021 at 11AM via Zoom Conference: https://zoom.us/j/93497689623.

All Bidders shall comply with the prevailing Equal Opportunity and Labor Standard Provisions of the City of Detroit, as described in the Bid Package. Each B ­ idder must demonstrate its ability to obtain Human Rights Clearance from the City of D ­ etroit as a condition of award ability.

HELP WANTED

SeekingAssistant SeekingMedical Office Seeking AssistantII II OFFICE ASSISTANT III at Oakland University at Oakland University

General Motors, Detroit, MI. Review of Plan of Record (PoR) for future psgr vehicles, commercial vans/buses, electric &autonomous vehicles at major gates of Global Vehicle Dvlpmt Plan (GVDP) to assess main markets of sale for 192 countries, emphasizing 47 countries, &U.S. &global countries psgr vehicle production, &assure best strategy from customs perspective.

Analyze applicability of special customs regimes such as U.S. Duty Drawback; BRZ RECOF; ARG RAF, MEX Deposito Fiscal; 9958; &CHN FTZ, for accurate forecasts of import duty costs on importation of cmpnts for psgr vehicle mfg.

Assess trends on foreign trade policy in countries of mfg globally to report possible risks &opportunities to Global Product Devlpmnt Finance. Review sales strategy for foreign markets to ensure best use of Free Trade Agreements (FTA). Execute risk assessment of FTA for future vehicles, engines, transmissions, batteries, chassis, body stampings, &injection molded plastic parts incldg bumpers, internal door covers, &guards, in light of required rules of origin &country compliance reqmts. Bachelor, Finance, Business Admin., Law/Legal Studies, Intl Trade, or related. 24 mos exp as Customs Analyst, Planning Analyst, Customs Compliance Analyst, or related, reviewing of PoR for future psgr vehicles at major gates (milestones) of GVDP to assess country markets of sale, &global or regional countries of vehicle production, &assure strategy from customs perspective, or related.

Ref#2146, GM Global Mobility, 300 Renaissance Center, MC:482-C32-C66, Detroit, MI 48265.

HELP WANTED Technical Project Lead; 1 Pos: Novi, MI; Analyze cust req & create test case on specs. trace req to test case. Dev automation FW to perf testing on Harman Infot P’forms & write test scrip, test inter & cust specs both unit & sys level info feat. Work with engineers validating/qualifying SW mult infot prod for var car manufacturers. Sys validation on infot module vehicle & bench setups Vehicle I’face, Multimedia, BT-WiFi & connect feat.

Validate Phone Proj Carplay & Android Auto feat. Build test setups func test & auto test on Info modu. Create simulation CAN tools to replicate vehicle envi. infot safe feat test critical chimes, collision detect & emer calling using simula/tools. simul modu & test ADAS feat like Collision warn, Lane sens, Auto-park, cross traffic alerts. test rep errors with supp trace, log files & excel descri. Repro defects, ver fixed/resol issue. test scenarios func & busn req, create & mntn test case. Create rep for validation/automation test res, pub to cust & project teams. Coordinate with cust team mem for status update, unblock issue & ensure timely deliver.

Req: Bachelor’s deg (or foreign equal) in CompSci, Eng, IT, Elect/Telecom or rel & 5 Yrs of exp in IT. Alt: Master’s deg (or foreign equal) in CompSci, Eng, IT, Elect/Telecom or rel & 3 Yrs of exp in IT. Exp req: funct & non-funct SW test, STLC, test meth, tech & tools for infotainment. CAN protocol, CAN analyzer & CAPL scrip. test on Android P’form, Android Apps. analyz prod req from cust. automation with CAN, infot test automation, script lang. Exp program with Python with Automotive & Infot dom. Unit test of APIs. test case dev, test exe, test mgmt, test status rep. defect mgmt tool. GIT, Gerrit, Jenkins, continuous automation integ, Shell, Batch script. log tools. Tools & tech req to perform the job: MS Office, Android test, Wi-Fi, BT, CAN, Neo VI, Vehicle Spy, CANoe. Apply: send CV’s to Harman Connected ­Services, C/O Mahesh G M; (Job Code - TPLHCS-M-02); to 2002 156th Ave NE Suite 200 Bellevue, WA 98007.

How and Why to Improve the Fit of

Your Mask (StatePoint) As more Americans get vaccinated against COVID-19, you may find yourself out and about more. Whether you’re returning to the workplace or just getting a haircut, mask requirements may be in place in certain venues you frequent.

New Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations highlight the importance of snugly fitting masks.

The good news is that innovations are helping people secure the fit of their masks, and, at the same time, solve some of the most common complaints they have when wearing them.

“As we began to wear masks in 2020, we found ourselves frustrated by things like fogging glasses and slipping masks. Our team has extensive experience solving health-related challenges and thought there had to be a way to address this,” says Dave Franchino, co-founder at MaskTite, a company that makes a medical-grade, double-sided tape designed to adhere to the inside of a mask for a more secure fit.

Franchino, with his background in medical product design, set to work with his team to design a way to give people of all face sizes and shapes a fast and easy way to make every mask fit better. Made of skin-safe, medical-grade, adhesive tape, MaskTite strips eliminate common mask problems like gaps, fogging glasses and slipping, and are sized for adults and children.

Here Franchino explains how to solve some of most common mask woes, some of which you’ve likely experienced: • Loose fit and slipping masks: Readjusting your mask when it starts to slip is not always possible, whether it’s because you have your hands full of groceries or work tools or you simply want to avoid touching

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Energy Advisor I – Jackson, MI Energy Specialist II – Detroit, MI Energy Engineer – Detroit, MI Executive Assistant – Detroit, MI IT Manager – Detroit, MI IT Helpdesk Technician II – Detroit, MI Business Development Manager – Detroit, MI Marketing Manager - Detroit, MI For a full list of qualifications please visit https://wmenergy.com/careers-2/ **Please note the location of the position when applying.**

Student Affairs & Diversity AT OAKLAND UNIVERSITY Graham Health Center

of Medicine To provide School specialized office assistance, Coordinate theprocedural clinical processing in a coordinating business or 2col. x 4.75 clinic byfor performing a variety Tomedical provideactivities specialized office assistance, service a complex program ofarea multi-step processes according to a or coordinating procedural business involving processing, implementspecified framework procedures and ing, advising on,forandaofreporting specialservice activities complex program regulations, to matter. serve as an informationized subject Minimum Qualifiarea involving processing, implementing, alcations: source High within the clinic in addition school graduation or an advising on, and reporting specialized toequivalent maintaining the role as medical combination of aeducation subject matter.

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• Foggy glasses: The warm air of your breath escaping from the top of your mask can quickly make glasses foggy, causing a new hazard -- an inability to see. While it can be tough to find a mask that fits securely enough to eliminate fog, applying a solution like MaskTite to the inside of your mask means you can get a proper fit and better visibility, no matter what mask you’re using.

• Irritating straps: A tight-fitting mask is great in many respects, but the straps can put a strain on the backs of one’s ears.

Plus, there are times when mask straps can simply be in the way, such as when you’re getting a haircut. Securing your mask to your face with tape means you can go strap-free.

Waterproof and hypoallergenic, MaskTite strips can improve mask fit in a variety of environments, including healthcare, schools, retail and restaurant settings, salons, offices, manufacturing and more. Packaged in a resealable, plastic pouch that’s easy to throw into a pocket, purse, backpack or briefcase, they are currently available for sale through Amazon. MaskTite is made in the U.S. from U.S. materials. Learn more at MaskTite.com.

“From fogging glasses to slipping, nearly every issue that stems from wearing a mask is related to the mask’s fit. For those spending a lot of time in a mask, at school, work or elsewhere, a good mask-wearing experience can make all the difference,” says Franchino.

5 Health Benefits of

To coordinate clerical processing Schoolthe of Medicine Coordinate the clinical processing in a for a specialized function by performclinic by a variety Tomedical provide specialized office processes assistance, ing a variety of performing multi-step ofaccording multi-steptoprocedural processes according to a or a specified framework coordinating business of procedures, regulations and precespecified framework of procedures and service activities for a complex program dents; and to serve regulations, serve as asan aninformational informationarea involving processing, implementing, High alsource. source Minimum within theQualifications: clinic in addition advising on, andthe reporting specialized graduation or an toschool maintaining role as aequivalent medical combination of Minimum education and experisubject matter.

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Three years’ exis years aand full time, clerical-technical position.

Four progressively responsible office perience as a medical assistant oron-in Salary is $42,123.00 annually.

See experience, includingfield direct experience in a line directly related with experience ­ posting for additional position office coordination, i.e., consideration prioritizing work inrequirements. medical office clerical functions. ExFirst assignments, maintaining work flow to meet will be given to those who apply by perience in venipuncture and obtainMarch 4,patient 2021.

Must on line to: deadlines. is a full time,apply clerical-technical ing basicThis information including https://jobs.oakland.edu blood pressure, electrocardiograph position.

Salary is $43,718.00 annually.

measurements urine specimens.

See online postingand for additional position This is a part-time clerical-technical porequirements.

First consideration will be sition, working Monday-Friday, 10:00 given thosep.m., who30apply March a.m. to – 5:00 hoursbyper week.23, 2020.

Salary is $30,973.00 annually. See Must apply posting online to: https://jobs.oakland.edu online for additional posiSeeking Seeking Office Assistant IIIII Seeking Medical Assistant tion requirements.

Must apply online OFFICE ASSISTANT III at Oakland University to: https://jobs.oakland.edu at Oakland University Office of theUNIVERSITY Registrar ATGraham OAKLAND Health Center

your face. Keeping the mask affixed to your face with tape can eliminate slipping when it matters most, and achieve a tighter fit, supporting the latest CDC recommendations.

Please visit our website for more classified ads. www.michiganchronicle.com

Oranges Beyond Vitamin C (Family Features) Healthful eating starts with the ingredients you use, so it’s important to use fresh, seasonal ingredients that pack a nutritional punch. One of the easiest ways to meet your daily nutrient needs is to eat a variety of whole foods like fruit (which about 80% of the U.S. population doesn’t get enough of, according to the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans), because they provide a unique mix of beneficial nutrients that can’t always be found in a supplement.

Consider an option like delicious California Navel and Cara Cara oranges, which are in season and available nationwide, offering a wide variety of health benefits. Oranges are best known as an excellent source of vitamin C to support a healthy immune system, because one orange can offer 70-100% of the recommended daily value of vitamin C depending the varietal. However, oranges also offer other important nutrients your body needs to stay healthy, including: • Phytonutrients (benefi- Orange Moscow Mule Mocktail cial compounds produced Recipe courtesy of Gina Homolka of “Skinnytaste” by plant foods) like flaServings:1 vonoids, which can help mitigate cell damage and 1 California Cara Cara orange support brain and heart 1 cup ice health.

1 bottle (6.8 ounces) light ginger beer • Citrus is the only type of fresh mint leaves, for garnish fruit packed with hesperidin and naringin, two fla- Slice orange in quarters then cut 2-3 slices for vonoids that offer anti-in- garnish and set aside. Juice rest of orange and flammatory properties. place in copper mug (or any glass). Fill glass to • Potassium, which the top with ice. Add ginger beer and garnish with body can’t produce on its orange slices and mint leaves. own, supports cell function, healthy blood pressure levels, bone health and hydration.

• California Navel and Cara Cara oranges are good sources of fiber, which supports gut health.

• Oranges are good sources of folate, which is particularly important to consume during pregnancy because of its role in cell growth, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Oranges are a versatile fruit, making them an easy addition to both sweet and savory dishes as well as beverages. Try incorporating oranges into your weekly meal plan with dishes like a lighter version of orange chicken or drinks like this Orange Moscow Mule Mocktail. To help maximize the flavor profile and nutritional benefits of California oranges, consider these tips: • Numerous parts of citrus can be consumed, including the flesh, juice, zest and peel, meaning a single piece of fruit can go a long way.

• Next time you use citrus in a beverage or as part of a meal, bring it to room temperature before cooking to help ensure you get the most juice.

• Because vitamin C is water soluble, it’s important to eat it fresh. When using as part of a recipe, use as little water as possible and avoid overcooking.

• For storage, it’s often best to keep oranges refrigerated to help them last longer and ensure freshness.

Visit californiacitrusgrowers.com to find more information.

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• michiganchronicle.com • Feb. 24 - March 2, 2021