Michigan Chronicle 6/26

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Michigan Chronicle

Vol. 82 – No. 42 | June 26 - July 2, 2019

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DTE Energy board of directors elects Jerry Norcia as CEO Gerry Anderson elected executive board chairman DTE Energy President and Chief Operating Officer Jerry Norcia will become president and chief executive officer beginning July 1. Norcia succeeds Gerry Anderson, who will serve as executive chairman of the board and continue as a full-time employee of the company.

The DTE Energy board of directors elected Norcia to the post June 23.

Jerry Norcia

"Jerry Norcia and I have worked closely together for more than 15 years. He is a great business leader with a big heart for our people and our communities. One of the most important responsibilities of a CEO is to, at some point, hand off the job to a great successor at the right time. I'm confident I'm doing that," said Anderson.

Norcia has served as DTE Energy president Gerry Anderson and chief operating officer since 2016, responsible for strategic oversight and operations of the electric and gas utilities, and the two large non-utility businesses.

He joined the company in 2002 as president of the Gas Storage and Pipelines business. He has also held the positions of president of DTE Gas and DTE Electric prior to his current role. As president and COO, Norcia assumed increasing responsibility for key business functions over the last few years.

"I'm grateful for the confidence that Gerry and the Board have in me to lead this company through such an exciting and transformative time in the energy industry," said Norcia.

"DTE's top priorities remain the same: to be a great energy company, to continue to foster a world-class employee engagement culture, to drive customer service excellence, to be a force for good in our communities and to deliver distinctive shareholder returns.

"I also want to thank Gerry for his mentorship and support since joining DTE Energy. In his decade leading DTE, Gerry transformed our culture, drove a highly-successful growth agenda, and put us on a path to reduce carbon emissions more than 80 percent in a way that also supports customer reliability and affordability. He readied DTE for long-term success, and I look forward to building on the strong foundation he's set," Norcia added.

Anderson joined DTE in 1993 and held various senior executive lead-

See NORCIA page A2

WHAT’S INSIDE

New Auto Insurance Reform Law Offers Relief and Concern for Detroit Drivers

By Trevor W. Coleman Mackinac Island - For the past 50 years, Michigan legislators and governors from both political parties have been promising auto insurance reform for Michiganders in general and Detroiters in particular, desperate for a break from the highest rates in the nation.

But, as with so many other promises made in Lansing, they have habitually failed to deliver.

This year, however, after intense negotiations, last-minute wrangling and arm twisting, the legislature came up with a a bipartisan bill that was acceptable to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. And in a signing ceremony during the annual Detroit Regional Chamber’s Annual Mackinac Policy Conference, she signed a bill its supporters predict could save Michigan drivers as much as 40 percent on their current monthly rates depending on the option they choose.

The new law goes into effect July 1, 2020, and allows motorists to completely opt out of buying Personal Injury Protection if their health insurance covers auto injuries. Medicare-eligible senior citizens will be able to opt out of PIP coverage ending what critics call a situation where seniors “double pay” for medical coverage from auto injuries.

The law also requires insurance carriers to reduce PIP premiums by an average of 20 percent for the $500,000 plans, 35 percent for the $250,000 plans and 45 percent rate cuts for Medicaid recipients who qualify for $50,000 of PIP coverage.

“This bipartisan law does a number of things,” Whitmer said. “Number one, it guarantees lower rates for every Michigan driver for eight years. It protects people’s ability to make a choice and to pick their insurance level and their coverage options” “And it strengthens consumer protection by banning discriminatory non-driving factors like zip code and FICO scores, gender, marital status, occupation, educational level, and homeownership,” she said. “The change will help Michiganders from Detroit all the way up to the Peninsula.”

And, apparently, not a moment too soon. A March 2019 policy brief the University of Michigan found that Michigan has the most expensive automobile insurance in the United States, with an estimated annual premium of $2,610, almost double the national average.

The report noted, however, that the burden was not equally distributed across zip codes. In fact, with an average annual premium of $5,414, researchers said Detroiters face the most expensive car insurance rates in the country, and other low-income Michigan communities are subject to extreme rates as well.

“In turn, a large proportion of Michigan residents drive uninsured, leaving themselves and others open to financial risk, especially in lower-income communities. Altogether, this means that the cost of auto insurance has become a major barrier to mobility from poverty in Detroit and across the state,” the report stated.

Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey (R 16) said legislators from both parties understood the urgency of the moment.

“After nearly 50 years of demanding action on auto insurance and patiently waiting for it, residents in Branch, Hillsdale, and Jackson counties — along with drivers across the state — are finally getting the relief they deserve.

But Sam Riddle, the host of the popular afternoon radio show “Riddle at Random” on 910 AM Superstation and a Senior Fellow of the Pulse Institute, a Detroit think tank that focuses on anti-poverty initiatives, was much more circumspect about the impact of the law on Detroit residents.

Referring to the new law as “casino auto insurance” he criticized it as a political quick fix that maintains some of the same discriminatory elements that created an extra burden on African American drivers in Detroit, Flint, Saginaw and Benton Harbor.

“It is casino auto insurance because you are gambling with your very life if you don’t have adequate catastrophic protection and then you will be a burden on all the taxpayers in the state,” Riddle said.

He speculated that in the long run, the new law may cost consumers more than the old law.

“I believe the new insurance plan devalues black life. The racist redlining will still be in effect; not by zip codes but by territory. That means the Detroit, Flint, Saginaw I-75 corridor and Benton

In a statement to the media, Michigan

See INSURANCE page A2

State of Michigan to help returning citizens land well-paying jobs LARA and MDOC partner to reduce recidivism and eliminate unnecessary barriers to professional licenses

By Patreice A. Massey

2019 ROCK THAT! Photography Conference Returns To Detroit

City.Life.Style. C1

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successfully completed a MDOC Career Technical Education (CTE) program.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer recently announced an interdepartmental partnership that will help individuals currently incarcerated rejoin the workforce as licensed professionals and earn a second chance. A partnership between the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) and the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) will increase employment in licensed professions for individuals with felony records, rehabilitate offenders and improve public safety.

As part of the partnership, a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between the departments to establish responsibilities and procedures for assisting former offenders in meeting initial licensure requirements for professions regulated

by LARA.

“We look forward to working closely with the MDOC to provide licensing resources to individuals currently incarcerated,” said LARA Director Orlene Hawks.

“This cooperation will allow former offenders to contribute to their local Michigan communities and build successful careers.”

“Increasing employment opportunities for returning citizens reduces recidivism and improves public safety. These measures are crucial as we make our state a home for opportunity for all Michiganders,” said Whitmer.

“This partnership creates a path

forward for incarcerated individuals to find gainful employment as licensed professionals who can help grow our economy.”

Under the partnership, LARA will review license applications submitted by individuals currently incarcerated who have

The types of careers needing state licenses the MDOC will focus on initially under this agreement include cosmetology, building trades, plumbing, electrical, masonry and barbers.

Prisoners in these programs will be prescreened to ensure there are jobs available in those fields in the communities where they plan to return.

“This partnership with LARA will help prisoners earn the

See WORKFORCE page A2

Page A-2 • michiganchronicle.com •

June 26 - July 2, 2019

DETROIT SEVEN-DAY FORECAST PM T-STORMS

MOSTLY SUNNY

PM T-STORM

WED. JUNE 26 84°/66°

THUR. JUNE 27 85°/68°

FRI. JUNE 28 85°/67°

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TUE. JULY 2 79°/64°

SUN. JUNE 30 79°/60°

EPA Announces $400,000 in Funding for Michigan’s Downriver Community Conference

By Patreice A. Massey MANAGING EDITOR

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that the Downriver Community Conference is receiving an additional $400,000 to help clean up and redevelop brownfield sites. Since 2008, EPA has awarded the Downriver Community Conference more $12.6 million for its Brownfields Revolving Loan Program (RLF).

The Downriver Community Conference will use the funds to continue its progress in reusing vacant and abandoned properties and turning them into community assets such as housing, recreation and open space, health facilities, social services, and commerce opportunities.

EPA announced a total of $9.3 million in supplemental funding to 24 recipients across the country that have demonstrated success in using their RLFs. “This Brownfields supplemental funding will provide additional resources to 24 communities with a proven track record of success

so they can continue their progress revitalizing their local economy and improving the health and wellbeing of their community,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “We are proud to report that a majority of communities receiving these supplemental funds have Opportunity Zones within their jurisdiction, which means we are reaching communities most in need.”

Recipients of EPA’s Brownfields RLF funding provide low-interest loans and sub-grants to carry out cleanup activities at brownfields sites. When loans are repaid, the loan amount is returned into the fund and re-lent to other borrowers, providing an ongoing source of capital within a community. To date, EPA’s RLF grantees across the country have completed 694 cleanups and attracted approximately 42,000 jobs and $8 billion in public and private funding.

A majority of the communities receiving supplemental funds have census tracks designated as federal Opportunity Zones within their jurisdiction. An Opportunity

Insurance From page A-1

Harbor on the western side of the state will continue to be discriminated against,” Riddle said Sandy Baruah, president, and chief executive officer of the Detroit Regional Chamber said more reasonable insurance rates in Detroit will have multiple ripple effects because the extreme rates for auto insurance in Michigan has been a detriment not only to Detroit’s economic growth, but population growth too.

“We have a lot of people living in Detroit, who, for car insurance purposes claim they don’t live in Detroit,” he said. “So, when the census comes along, when people fill out the census, they might say that they live in Birmingham instead of Detroit because their car might be registered at their parents’ house. That undercounts Detroit in terms of the census and that’s a very bad thing. And the high rates also are an inhibitor for people to move, not just to Detroit, but to Michigan.”

With more affordable rates, more people will be willing to identify them-

Norcia

From page A-1 ership roles throughout the enterprise until being named president in 2004, CEO in 2010 and chairman in 2011.[Read Gerry Anderson's full bio here.]

As executive chairman, Anderson will serve as an advisor to Norcia on business issues and will focus on DTE's community, political and broader industry roles. He will continue his leadership in the Detroit Regional CEO Group, the recently created Detroit Regional Partnership, the Detroit Economic Club, Business Leaders for Michigan (BLM) and the Edison Electric Institute. Anderson also chairs several non-profit organizations.

"This change is part of a multiyear succession plan and we are unanimously confident in Jerry Norcia's leadership and vision," said Ruth Shaw, lead independent director of the board. "On behalf of the board, I thank Gerry for leading us through such a transformative decade and congratulate Jerry on his new role."

About DTE Energy DTE Energy (NYSE: DTE) is a Detroit-based diversified energy company involved in the development and management of energy-related businesses and services nationwide. Its operating units include an electric company serving 2.2 million customers in

Zone is an economically distressed community where new investment, under certain conditions, may be eligible for preferential tax treatment.

Background A brownfield is a property for which the expansion, redevelopment or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant. There are estimated to be more than 450,000 brownfields in the U.S. Grants awarded by EPA’s Brownfield Program provide communities across the country with an opportunity to transform contaminated sites into community assets that attract jobs and achieve broader economic development outcomes while taking advantage of existing infrastructure. For example, Brownfields grants have been shown to: Increase Local Tax Revenue: A study of 48 brownfields sites found that an estimated $29 million to $97 million in additional local tax revenue was generated in a single year after cleanup. This is two to seven times more

selves as Detroit residents, which could have a positive effect onthe census count. It will also make the city more attractive for businesses considering relocating to Michigan, Baruah said.

“I mean when people find out that our car insurance rates are so silly, high, I don’t care if you’re moving to Detroit, Grand Rapids, or Grosse Pointe, you know, they’re going to say, well, wow, geez, if my car insurance rates are going to be double what they used to be, you know, I’m not sure I can afford to move to Michigan,” he said. “So, it has been a detriment to economic growth.”

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than the $12.4 million EPA contributed to the cleanup of these sites.

Increase Residential Property Values: Another study found that property values of homes near revitalized brownfields sites increased between 5% and 15% following cleanup.

As of May 2019, under the EPA Brownfields Program, 30,153 properties have been assessed and 86,131 acres of idle land have been made ready for productive use. In addition, communities have been able to use Brownfields grants to attract 150,120 jobs and more than $28 billion of public and private funding.

The 2019 National Brownfields Training Conference will be held on December 11-13 in Los Angeles, California. Offered every two years, this conference is the largest gathering of stakeholders focused on cleaning up and reusing formerly utilized commercial and industrial properties. EPA cosponsors this event with the International City/County Management Association (ICMA).

For more on EPA’s Brownfields Program: http://www.epa.gov/ brownfields For more on Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund Grants: https:// www.epa.gov/brownfields/ types-brownfields-grantfunding 2019 National Brownfields Training Conference: https://brownfields2019.org/

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Feeding the Veterans & Homeless July 4, 2019, from 11 AM-3 PM @ Cass Park, across the street from the Masonic Temple. The Masonic Temple address is Masonic Temple 500 Temple St. Detroit, MI. 48201.

We need volunteers, as well as donated food & monies!

We usually feed one hundred to three hundred fifty people, with hot food right off the grill. Such hot dogs, sausages, Hamburgers, fresh fruits & vegetables,; as well as clothes, shoes etc.

I Rev. Michael C. Jones, the program founder and since that time 29 yrs ago, I have 2 regular sponsors.

The Detroit Writers Guild, which was formally known as The Detroit Black Writers Guild & Christ the King Catholic Church Detroit.The program started because a hungry veteran was refused food because of his appearance.

I stood up for him and God told me from that time to this. I don't ever want to see another veteran hungry.

Thank you so very much. Peace!!!

Rev. Michael C. Jones. usabrowneagle69@aol.com

2x4

Still, Peter Parks, a Troy trial attorney, worries about the poor individuals and their families who are now going to be inadequately covered, and, if badly hurt in an auto accident, are going to be “living a nightmare.”

“I think it is a disaster in so far as the consequences are going to befall unfortunate people who become catastrophically injured,” he said. “There are going to be some real victims; people with only $50,000 in medical coverage or even $100,000. You can go through that in a minute,” Parks said.

Southeastern Michigan and a natural gas company serving 1.3 million customers in Michigan.

The DTE portfolio includes energy businesses focused on power and industrial projects, renewable natural gas, natural gas pipelines, gathering and storage, and energy marketing and trading. As an environmental leader, DTE will reduce carbon dioxide and methane emissions by more than 80 percent

by 2040 to producecleaner energy while keeping it safe, reliable and affordable. DTE is committed to being aforce for good in the communities where it serves through volunteerism, education and employment initiatives,philanthropy and economic progress. Information about DTE is available atdteenergy. com,empoweringmichigan.com, twitter.com/ dteenergy and facebook. com.

Workforce

on a case-by-case basis, including whether the offense relates to the license sought, how much time has passed since the conviction, evidence of rehabilitation, and other specific circumstances.

Applicants may also request a preliminary determination from LARA concerning whether any court judgments against an individual would likely result in a denial of a license for failing to meet the good moral character requirement.

To help applicants navigate the process, LARA has also developed a resource summarizing how criminal records affect various types of licenses under LARA. As noted above, many individuals can still receive a professional license despite a criminal conviction, and LARA encourages all qualified individuals to apply.

More information can be found at https://www. michigan.gov

From page A-1

proper licenses they need before they are paroled, ensuring a seamless transition to the community and no unnecessary delays in beginning their new professions on the outside,” said MDOC Director Heidi Washington.

LARA issues hundreds of license types throughout the department, including professional licenses under the Michigan Skilled Trades Act, the Michigan Public Health Code, and the Michigan Occupational Code.

As part of the path forward for former offenders, LARA is updating its licensing applications to clarify that a criminal record does not necessarily bar licensure, even when the application includes a felony checkbox or a requirement that applicants have “good moral character.” LARA instead considers each candidate

ACCELERATING TOWARD A CLEANER FUTURE We’re accelerating our carbon emission reduction goal, cutting emissions in half by 2030, and by 80% a decade earlier than planned. And we’re doing it while providing affordable and reliable energy. Together, we can speed Michigan toward its cleaner energy future.

Learn how you can get involved at journeyto80.com

June 26 - July 2, 2019 • michiganchronicle.com • Page A-3

Abrams Says Self and Mutual R-E-S-P-E-C-T Is Key to Success

By Trevor W. Coleman

an aggressive campaign of voter suppression that he managed to purge more than two million Georgia citizens from the voting rolls. A disproportionate number of those individuals were African American and other people of color.

“When you’re used to having power, you don’t have to be nice. You don’t have to be kind. You don’t have to be respectful.

When you’ve never had power, the only way you can advance is through civility, through respect, through recognizing the truth of what is and imagining the possibility of what can be.”

With that introduction to her speech, Stacey Abrams, 2018 Democratic nominee for Governor of Georgia, kicked off an insightful take on civility to a rapt audience. Business, political and civic leaders packed inside the Grand Hotel Theater last Wednesday to hear her keynote address at the 2019 Mackinac Policy Conference on Mackinac Island.

During her 45-minute presentation, she stressed the importance of respecting your own opinions as well as the opinions of others while maintaining humanity amid disagreements.

Abrams said she has three fundamental beliefs as it pertains to engaging with others. She believes there should be respectful disagreements, respectful engagements and respectful behavior.

“Respectful disagreement says that we don’t have to actually come to a compromise,” she said.

We can believe completely in ideologically disparate ideas and still be good people. My responsibility is to know what I believe and why…to excavate my soul and my ideas and to make sure what I believe is what I believe and not something really clever that I heard…and not make decisions based on that little aphorism.”

Respectful engagements are about convincing others to work with

According to the writer and voting rights expert Ari Berman, in just one evening in July 2017, Kemp oversaw the purging of 500,000 people from the Georgia voter rolls. He noted that the Atlanta Journal-Constitution claimed it may represent the largest mass disenfranchisement in U.S. history.

Stacey Abrams, 2018 Democratic nominee for Governor of Georgia, and founder and chair of Fair Fight Action, spoke Wednesday before a packed crowd in the Grand Hotel at the 2019 Mackinac Policy Conference. you because they believe in your objective; it is not about making others believe what you believe.

Finally, there’s respectful behavior, which means even amid disagreement, people can still be civil.

She emphasized the importance of speaking up in order to right wrongs, but never by stooping to disrespectful tactics.

“I will never take on the tropes and behavior of those who diminish me in order to lift myself or my ideas,” said Abrams.

“While civility is not silence, meanness is not success. Because part of the disrespect comes in when our beliefs are not only so strident, [but] so voluminous as to not leave room for growth and understanding,” she said.

Abrams emphasized the importance of speaking up to right wrongs, but never by stooping to disrespectful tactics.

“I will never take on the tropes and behavior of those who diminish me in order to lift myself or my ideas. While civility is not

Longest Time in History Without Federal Minimum Wage Increase

By Holly Sklar There are a lot of records that would be great to break. This isn’t one of them: June 16 marks the longest period in history without an increase since the federal minimum wage was established in 1938.

The federal minimum wage went to $7.25 an hour on July 24, 2009 – nearly 10 years ago.

It remains $7.25 today, amounting to just $15,080 a year for fulltime work.

When the minimum wage does not go up, it goes down in value relative to the cost of living.

The gap between minimum wage and the cost of rent, groceries, medicine, transportation and everything else keeps growing.

That matters whether you’re trying to work your way through school, support your child, or need a job to make ends meet on Social Security.

The buying power of today’s $7.25 minimum is lower than the minimum wage of 1968, which at $1.60 an hour then would be $11.96 in 2019 dollars, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Inflation Calculator. Our economy has grown considerably since 1968, but not the federal minimum wage, which sets the floor under worker pay.

When the minimum wage is too little to live on it’s bad for business as well as workers.

“When the minimum wage is inadequate it hurts employee health, morale, productivity and retention,” says Marietta, Georgia business owner Kyle Johnson. “And it weakens consumer demand.” It’s vital to remember that working people are also customers. Increased pay means increased consumer buying power.

U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce CEO Margot Dorfman explains that raising the minimum wage “will help small businesses like my

members by putting more money in the pockets of customers – boosting consumer demand and job creation. Businesses that pay low wages may save on immediate payroll, but they experience the significant expense of higher turnover, low morale and a less productive workforce.”

When the minimum wage goes up, worker financial stress and turnover go down, and businesses save on hiring and training costs. They see lower error rates, less product waste and better customer service.

While the federal minimum wage has stagnated, more states have acted.

Twenty-nine states have minimum wages above the $7.25 federal level set in 2009. But only three states currently have a minimum wage greater than or equal to $12, approximating the 1968 value. And 21 states remain stuck at $7.25. Job growth has been better in states that have raised their minimum wages than those that have not.

We need a decent new federal floor, as called for in the Raise the Wage Act, which would gradually raise the federal minimum wage to $15 by the year 2024.

Nearly 40 million workers would get a raise if the minimum wage goes to $15 by 2024. The typical worker who would benefit is 35 years old – working jobs from preschool teacher to health care aide, cook to cashier to manufacturing worker.

Gradually increasing the minimum wage will enable lower-wage companies to adjust to raises over time.

In the words of Angela O’Byrne, a Louisiana Small Business Person of the Year, “increasing the federal minimum wage will create an economic ripple effect benefitting businesses large and small.”

Holly Sklar is the CEO of Business for a Fair Minimum Wage

silence, meanness is not success.”

Abrams was the first female African-American gubernatorial nominee for a major party in any state. Although she received more votes than any other Democrat in

Georgia’s history, she lost in November’s election — by a slim margin of 50.3 percent versus 48.8 percent — to a far-right neo-Confederate extremist Republican named Brian Kemp.

Kemp engaged in such

Most voting experts and election observers argued Kemp’s extreme acts of voter suppression cheated Abrams out of a historic victory. Nonetheless, Abrams said although the election system in Georgia was broken, she chose not to focus on the results of the election, but rather on the issue of voter suppression and rigging of elections

which deny citizens their right to self-governance.

“Because ultimately, campaigns are not about candidates,” she said.

“We are proxies; we stand in the space of citizen voices. The people’s voices are what gets heard on election day. And if those voices cannot be heard because the system is broken, then the system must be fixed.”

Therefore, she decided not to concede the process as fair. “I am not the governor. But I refuse to concede the process because civility cannot exist in silence or in pretense; We can’t,” Abrams said.

In a Q&A session with WDIV-TV4’s Devin Scillian following her address, Abrams described her political outlook as neither optimistic nor pessimistic. Rather, she described herself as a meliorist — someone who believes that the world can be made better.

“I believe in the capacity for civility. I believe that we believe in our country and want its best outcome.”

Wayne County Commissioners Wear White to Honor 100th Anniversary of Women’s Vote

By Patreice A. Massey MANAGING EDITOR

The women of the Wayne County Commission were dressed in white for the June 20 commission meeting to honor the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendmen, which granted women the right to vote in all elections throughout the United States.

The 19th Amendment was ratified by the Michigan Legislature on June 10, 1919, and adopted as part of the U.S. Constitution in August 1920. Suffragists, those who campaigned for the right to vote in the early 20th century, traditionally dressed in white to call attention to their cause and to stand out in the black and white newspaper photographs of their era.

The meeting also included a program on the history of the suffrage movement and the 19th Amendment featuring Nancy Kursman, professor of political science at the University of Michigan-Dearborn.

Commissioner Melissa Daub (D-Canton), who chairs the commission’s Special Task Force on the 100th Anniversary of Women’s Suffrage, introduced Dr. Kursman.

Dr. Kursman reminded listeners

The women of the Wayne County Commission dressed in white to recognize the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote in all elections throughout the United States.

Pictured (left to right) are Commissioners Monique Baker McCormick, Irma Clark-Coleman, Melissa Daub, Martha G. Scott, Jewel Ware, Chair Alisha Bell, Terry Marecki and Ilona Varga. that suffragists were often the subject of sexist, racist and physical attacks and that full suffrage for all Americans wasn’t achieved until the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965.

“The truth is that suffragists – men and women, black and white – were not handed the right to vote.

They had to fight for it,” she said.

The special task force was creat-

ed earlier this year by Commission Chair Alisha Bell (D-Detroit). Its members include Commissioners Melissa Daub, Jewel Ware (D-Detroit), Martha G. Scott (D-Highland Park), Ilona Varga (D-Lincoln Park), and Diane Webb (D-Livonia).

The meeting was held in the Wayne County Commission Chambers, located on the mezzanine level of the Guardian Building, 500 Griswold, in Detroit.

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June 26 - July 2, 2019 | Page A-4

Mackinac Policy Conference There Is A Hole In This Story

By Trevor W. Coleman When I was a young college student studying journalism, I remember proudly turning in one of my earliest writing assignments and getting it critiqued by my professor. There was one criticism of that assignment that always stuck with me; it was her writing in red ink on top of the first page of the copy “There is a hole in this story.”

I was perplexed by the critique and asked her what she meant. “A hole in the story means it is missing an essential element or set of facts that ties everything together or makes it flow in a coherent manner,” she Trevor W. Coleman said.

I thought about that recently while I was on Mackinac Island attending the Detroit Regional Chambers Annual Mackinac Island Policy Conference at the Grand Hotel.

It was an elegant, well-run affair with an impressive roster of luminaries from virtually every sector of the Michigan political, economic, business, academic and philanthropic communities there to share their expertise on how to move the state forward into the future.

The three days of high-powered dialogue and networking was very enlightening. You could see and hear conversations and deals being made among Michigan’s powerbrokers about both important and mundane affairs of the state. Decisions that will impact the lives of Michigan residents for years to come.

By all accounts, the conference was a success. However, for me, I could not help but be concerned about one glaring omission from this list of movers and shakers mapping out the state’s future that weekend.

In other words, it felt as if there was a “hole” in the story of yet another successful Mackinac Policy Conference.

You see, it was missing the voices of the very people so many of the leaders gathered on the island were there to talk about.

I was not aware of any keynote speakers or panelists participating in any of the forums or panels who were from true grassroots community-based organizations. And I don’t mean institutional social service agencies or think tanks, but neighborhood-based groups dealing with such urgent issues of poverty, institutional racism, structural racism, environmental racism, labor rights, LGBTQ rights, immigrant rights, and other pressing issues of equity and social and economic justice in this state or nation.

This includes groups such as the Michigan Welfare Rights Organization, the Michigan Chapter of the National Action Network, Flint water activists from the Michigan Chapter of Color of

Change. Or individual activists such as the Rev. Ed Pinkney from Benton Harbor, Detroit Charter Commissioner Joanna Underwood, and Yusef Bunchy Shakur, a former Detroit gang member, and community activist.

“They don’t get invited to these kind of events,” said Sam Riddle, the host of the popular afternoon radio show Riddle at Random on 910 am Superstation and a Senior Fellow of the Pulse Institute, a Detroit think tank that focuses on anti-poverty initiatives.

“I don’t think they really want to hear from these really true grassroots organizations that really represent Black Detroit, which is the majority of the city,” he said.

It’s not that the panelists did not discuss Detroit and the dynamics that are at work shaping it future. It seemed to me that much of the conference was very Detroit-centric and the city was well represented by its leaders from Mayor Mike Duggan, to a host of business, civic, political and philanthropic leaders.

In fact, there was a far more upbeat and hopeful atmosphere relating to discussions about the city from when I last attended the Mackinac Policy Conference some 16 years ago. But, unfortunately, now, just as it was back in 2003, most of the individuals doing the talking – other than Duggan - often came across as dispassionate and academic.

Now, I realize this event was sponsored by the Detroit Regional Chamber and not the Shrine of the Black Madonna. However, offering a platform that would give a voice to people traditionally outside the corridors of power and allowing them to share their stories with those very powerful people would have been a smart move by the Chamber.

The policy discussions that took place at Mackinac directly impacts the lives of the millions of people represented by those grassroots organizations.

And good intentions notwithstanding, everyone knows – especially poor people and people of color – if you are outside the cloakroom then you’re the outside the decision-making process. Or, as I recently heard someone put it, ‘If you’re not at the table, then you must be on the menu.’

Riddle, who is also the Michigan communications director for NAN said the entire structure of the Mackinac Policy Conference is designed to be exclusive and elitist, right down to the fact that most grassroots activist cannot afford to attend even if they wanted to.

“The Chamber should sponsor some of them and put them up during the conference to ensure their voices are heard,” he said. “As it stands now, the whole set up is designed to exclude the voiceless and perpetuate the power elite and is a form of economic apartheid.”

It seems to me the people at Mackinac were genuinely interested in the future of Detroit and the state. And yet, there is a whole other side to that very important discussion that wasn’t heard.

And every good writer knows, any story with a hole in it like that, fails to make the grade.

Detroit Area Religious Communities Counter Division with Understanding and Friendship It’s easy to be discouraged about the state of our society today. We are bombarded by politicians, media commentators and activists of all types who enumerate the sharp divisions of American politics, religions and economic status.

Certainly there is a climate of intolerance, incivility and sometimes anger but such feelings are not universal and many of us get along reasonably well.

In the Detroit area, a robust interfaith community of many religions is demonstrating that education and open minds can lead to understanding and friendship rather than divisiveness. Detroit area residents follow a wide range of religions—including the B’Hai, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Sikh and Muslim faiths. After 9/11, a group of local religious leaders organized a joint prayer service. Afterward they decided to engage their congregations in interfaith education programs and joint holiday celebrations. Over time, knowledge of and respect for each other’s religions developed and friendships took hold.

Participants could see how many good people there are, regardless of differing religious beliefs.

For members of minority religions, such outreach is especially important to explain often little-known beliefs and customs. This diminishes potential stereotyping and fears, and reduces the potential isolation of minority faiths.

People feel comfortable in each other’s worship space, and with each other.

Now, almost 18 years later, these friendships mean that we are there for each other in good times and bad. When an extremist threatened to burn a Koran in Dearborn, representatives of different religions were there to show support.

When conflict arouse about the call to prayer at a Hamtramck mosque, the involvement of a diverse group of religious

representatives helped to calm the situation.

After the tragic shootings several years ago at a Charleston church and an Oak Creek, Wisconsin Gurdwara, the Detroit religious community organized local interfaith services. Last year, thousands of individuals attended interfaith vigils following the killings at a Pittsburgh synagogue and again this year after the attack on Muslims in New Zeeland. We show up when there is stress on a particular community and their members really appreciate the support.

Understanding and friendship help to counter fear after violent incidents. But equally important is celebrating together. From a joint World Sabbath program to participation at services and celebrations for Passover, Ramadan Iftar, Sikh Vaisakhi, Christmas, and other holidays, members of different faiths and denominations enhance their understanding and strengthen friendships.

Social events such as concerts and picnics provide additional opportunities to connect.

These interfaith education programs, conciliation, celebrations, and the friendships that have developed are the foundation of a harmonious community. We hope that they will inspire others to open doors, reach out and be receptive to different beliefs and customs. We believe that these open doors will help heal divisiveness and polarity. There is reason for optimism when people are willing to strive toward goodwill rather than just bemoaning a situation. We need to be proactive.

The InterFaith Leadership Council is a faith-based civic organization made up of visionary religious and lay leaders of many faiths whose shared values compel them to work toward a community that lives together in harmony.

HIRAM E. JACKSON Publisher

PATREICE A. MASSEY Managing Editor | AJ WILLIAMS City.Life.Style. | Entertainment Editor SAMUEL LOGAN Publisher 1933-2011

JOHN H. SENGSTACKE Chairman-Emeritus 1912-1997

LONGWORTH M. QUINN Publisher-Emeritus 1909-1989

CONTACT US 1452 Randolph • Detroit, MI 48226 • (313) 963-8100 e-mail: newsdesk@michronicle.com

Who Needs the NAACP?

By Rev. Jim Holley

Who needs the NAACP, the storied civil rights organization whose five letters stand for National Association for the Advancement of Colored People?

Founded in 1909, the NAACP is considered to be the nation’s oldest, largest, and most powerful advocacy organization dedicated to fighting for the civil rights of African Americans in all aspects of society. Actually, the o r g a n i z a t i o n ’s mission is to secure and protect political, educational, social, and economic equality for all people without race-based discrimination.

In Rev. Jim Holley essence, the NAACP seeks equal rights for all who reside in the United States of America, for which it stands, or for which it should stand.

On Sunday, May 5, the Detroit Branch NAACP held its 64th Annual Fight For Freedom Fund Dinner at Cobo Convention Center. Thousands attended this historic event, which without question is the world largest sit-down dinner.

With the 2020 presidential election inching closer by the day, U.S. Senator and presidential candidate, Kamala Harris, a democrat from California, was the fundraising event’s keynote speaker.

Harris’ message centered on next year presidential election, voicing to make the current president a one-term resident of the White House. And don’t forget in 2020, there will be many important primary elections held across the nation which will be vital to voters.

“Voters deserve better,” said Harris. “As a party, we can’t let ourselves be drawn into thinking in boxes or falling into assumptions. We cannot get dragged into simplistic narratives or yesterday’s politics.”

While leadership of the Detroit Branch NAACP states the organization does not endorse political candidates for any election, the local organization’s brain trust did say the NAACP is going after all forms of voter suppressions, intimidations, and practices that impact minorities from registering to vote, go-

ing to the polls, and voting via absentee ballots.

The Detroit Branch of the NAACP is the historic organization’s largest branch. Therefore, it’s only fitting that in July of 2019, sixteen months before the Presidential Election, the NAACP will hold its national convention in Detroit.

While the Detroit Branch and National NAACP have been on the battlefields for civil rights for a little over a century, the question continues to be asked about the NAACP’s relevancy and influence. After all, today’s African Americans/Black people don’t identify themselves as “colored people.” The term was once used to describe Negroes/African Americans/Black folks in the earlyto-mid 1900s? But this is 2019!

The NAACP, on both national and local levels must answered all questions of relevancy and worth as it continues to evolve. Yet, more and more young people – tomorrow’s leaders – have found reasons and pathways to joining and participating in today’s NAACP. Today’s NAACP can’t be everything to everybody, but it wants to continue to evolve into a more multi-ethnic, multi-religious, and multi- generational entity. I like the direction of the NAACP, as long as it continues to fight every day for African Americans to have equal footing with white folks, as it pertains to health care, training and jobs, affordable and quality housing, better education and schools. Oh, yes, and the fight for reparations and how that will look and come to fruition is a major topic that must be amplified and fought for by the NAACP. Locally, Detroit is moving forward at a rapid pace, but many black Detroiters are not gaining the traction needed to elevate from their present conditions.

It seems some controlling factions in the city don’t want to make it “right,” so many black people are getting “left.”

That can’t continue.

The Detroit Branch NAACP and other advocating entities can’t allow it to continue. However, the NAACP needs more people and support to wage, maintain, and ultimately win the good and right fights.

So as African American people, the question is: Who needs the NAACP? The answer is simple: We all do! And that’s…The Gospel Truth!

On the Front Porch:

the Tassel is Worth the Hassle

By Shanita Baraka Akintonde

“Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.” Malcolm X June is a month that holds a special place in the hearts of black folks. Calendar days are filled with Juneteenth jamborees and Black Music Month merrymakings. It is also the time of year for graduations— from pre-school to high school, as well as college.

Pomp and circumstance. Mothers wear pumps. Fathers pump prideful fists due to the circumstances.

Class valedictorians deliver speeches that Shanita Baraka give validation to Akintonde hard work.

In black communities many of these festivities stop after 12th grade, however.

College matriculation is another subject. Literally.

For many, the idea of higher education is equivalent to issuing a self-administered colonoscopy exam—a lot of discomfort with no guarantee of a successful outcome. But there is one distinct difference between a colonoscopy exam and college—higher education graduates are guaranteed to earn significantly more over their lifetime than their non-graduate counterparts.

While only 19% of blacks were reported to have at least a bachelor’s degree in 2018, the number is rising. Specialty schools, baccalaureate programs, and colleges that primarily offer associate degrees—have seen black representation increase, sometimes dramatically.

This number may be bolstered even more due to the recent overture made by billionaire and Morehouse man Robert Smith. It was Smith’s generous spirit and nostalgic nature that prompted his promise to repay the entire student loan debt accrued by the nearly 400 graduates of his alma mater’s Class of 2019.

His action has changed the lives of black families for generations to come, as the ability to start life with a college degree in one hand and no debt in the other, is huge. For starters, it shifts the current paradigm that shows 72 percent of black students go into debt to pay for their educations, compared to 56 percent of white students, as reported by the U.S. Department of Education.

College educated individuals pursue careers, not jobs. Those who pursue higher education don’t seek answers.

They look for questions that have yet to be asked. College graduates possess a toolkit of mental dexterity that can be snapped open amidst managerial meltdowns. A good college education not

only forces one to change the way he looks at the world; it causes the world they see to change.

It must not be forgotten, however, that the path toward the hallowed halls of higher education have not been traditionally paved in gold for students of color. This fact was forced to the forefront by the recent college admissions scandal. The case shone a light on the racial and economic disparities that plaque access to higher education. Rich kids have parents who utilize their bevy of bucks to pay for expensive college preparatory courses and on-call counselors, both of which give wealthy students an advantage in the increasingly competitive college admissions process.

Despite myriad challenges that face all college hopefuls, students of color who manage to fight their way onto college campuses, are often also forced to face double scrutiny. Frequent qualifiers are made, something their white counterparts do not face. Affirmative action is asked about; privilege passes. The admissions scandal had one benefit. It placed hypocrisy’s long-held heyday in privileged communities in public view. Invisible handshakes were revealed; helicopter parenting was put into reverse. But this dishonor has done little to impact those Americans whose pants aren’t lined with enough pennies to donate dollars for new buildings and endowed chairs. Regardless, black students continue to hit pay dirt. They take the mud life throws at them and use their college degree to plant the seeds of success. Here’s how:

Happier Lives—Education opens doors both intellectually and intuitively, for career and life. Studies show that college graduates lead more stable, productive and happy lives.

Family Benefits—Higher-paying jobs that include benefits require a bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral or professional degree. The salaries can include health care, retirement opportunities, investments, and travel perks.

Job satisfaction—I call this one, the ‘no alarm clock’ life. As I share with my students, the difference between job satisfaction and job detestation is the need to set an alarm clock every night. When you love what you do, your body reflexively wakes itself every morning.

Higher incomes, employee benefits, and promotion opportunities usually equate to this inspired action.

Professional Purpose—Obtaining a college degree often requires people to put their personal mettle to the pedal. Whether dealing with financial problems or finicky professors, college matriculation is not for the faint of heart.

But just like any case where one stands in the shadow of victory after a challenge has been overcome, the benefits of a college education outweigh the obstacles. The tassel is worth the hassle.

June 26 - July 2, 2019 • michiganchronicle.com • Page A-5

NATIONAL NEWS

Senate Committee approves bill to increase security resources for Faith-Based Institutions & Nonprofit Organizations Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee approved a bipartisan bill introduced by U.S. Senators Gary Peters (DMI) and Rob Portman (R-OH) to provide grants to nonprofits and faith-based organizations to help secure their facilities against potential terrorist attacks. Peters, who serves as Ranking Member on the committee, made the legislation a priority after a recent surge in prominent threats and attacks on religious institutions such as synagogues, churches, mosques and gurdwaras in communities across the country.

Dr. Julianne Malveaux

Juneteenth Reparations Hearing on H.R. 40 Puts Reparations Debate in National Spotlight

By Lauren Victoria Burke NNPA Newswire Contributor

“These are the vestiges of enslavement that people don’t want to deal with,” said Dr. Julianne Malveaux, the former President of Bennett College.

Malveaux testified at a House hearing on legislation that would set up a commission to study reparations for the ancestors of enslaved Africans kidnapped and brought to America.

Dr. Malveaux and others testified on H.R. 40, the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act which would seek to analyze the legacy of the trans-Atlantic slave trade and its continuing impact on communities. The hearing was held by the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties on June 19th.

On June 18, Senate Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said that Americans, in part, made up for slavery by electing Barack Obama.

“I don’t think reparations for something that happened 150 years ago for whom none of us currently living are responsible is a good idea. We’ve tried to deal with our original sin of slavery by fighting a civil war, by passing landmark civil rights legislation. We elected an African American president,” McConnell added.

“I think we’re always a work in progress in this country… No, I don’t think reparations are a good idea,”

the Republican from Kentucky concluded.

Another view was heard at the Juneteenth hearing on the House side of Capitol Hill.

“Enslavement reigned for 250 years on these shores. When it ended, this country could’ve extended its hallowed principles — life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness — to all, regardless of color. But America had other principles in mind,” writer Ta-Nehisi Coates said at the hearing. In 2014, Coates wrote “The Case for Reparations” in The Atlantic. The lengthy article reignited a national discussion on the issue.

“Victims of that plunder are very much alive today,” Coates said at the hearing.

“We recognize our lineage as a generational trust, as inheritance, and the real dilemma posed by reparations is just that: a dilemma of inheritance. It is impossible to imagine America without the inheritance of slavery,” Coates also said.

The congressional discussion on reparations was the first of its kind.

Though former Congressman John Conyers authored legislation to study reparations for many consecutive years.

Rep. Sheila Lee Jackson (D-TX) a sponsor of H.R. 40, said, “It is only [African Americans] that can singularly claim to have been slaves under the institution and leadership of the government. H.R. 40 is, in fact, the response of the United States of Ameri-

ca long overdue.”

Commenting on social media on the hearing, Howard University African American Studies Department Chairman, Dr. Greg Carr wrote, ‘A couple of things #HR40 hearing is reinforcing: 1. The need to study the long #Reparations movement and it’s well-established objectives is greater now than ever; 2. Supporters of White American nationalism can find an American Negro to say anything they need them to.”

Though the hearing was discussed widely on social media, both CNN and MSNBC spent most of June 19th running footage of former White House staffer Hope Hicks walking down a hallway in the Rayburn House Office Building while saying nothing to reporters before and after refusing to contribute testimony on alleged White House misconduct Capitol Hill.

‘Imagine if we had cable news networks that treated the #Reparations hearing as important as the #HopeHicks hearing... whew! I’m Beat!,” wrote DCBeat founder Tiffany Cross on twitter.

South Carolina Republican Senator Tim Scott said reparations are a “non-starter” when asked about the issue.

Lauren Victoria Burke is an independent journalist and writer for NNPA as well as a political analyst and strategist as Principal of Win Digital Media LLC. She may be contacted at LBurke007@gmail.com and on twitter at @LVBurke

The Protecting Faith-Based and Nonprofit Organizations from Terrorism Act would authorize $75 million annually over the next five years for the Department of Homeland Security’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP).

Of the $75 million total, $50 million will be available for nonprofits located within highrisk urban areas, and the remaining $25 million will be available for organizations in suburban and rural areas. Under the legislation, funding may be used for target-hardening activities, training for personnel, and other activities to help secure these institutions and the people they serve from violent attacks.

“This week marked four years since nine Americans lost their lives while worshipping in the Mother Emmanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. This anniversary serves as a tragic reminder that communities across the country still face threats and violence even in safe spaces like houses of worship, synagogues and mosques,” said Senator Peters.

“Committee passage is an important step forward in our efforts to ensure that synagogues, religious and cultural institutions, and nonprofit organizations have the resources and training they need to secure their facilities. It is one way Congress can help address this unnecessary violence that has tragically become more and more common,” said Senator Portman.

Earlier this year, Senator Peters launched a bipartisan inquiry into the government’s efforts to prevent domestic terrorism and the recent surge in extremist violence against religious institutions, including attacks committed by white supremacists, white nationalists, neo-Nazis and related groups. An unclassified 2017 Joint Intelligence Bulletin prepared by the FBI and DHS concluded that white supremacist extremists were responsible for more homicides and attacks over the past sixteen years “than any other domestic extremist movement.”

The legislation has support from a broad coalition of groups, including the NAACP, the Jewish Federations of North America, the Jewish Federation of Metro Detroit, and ­ACCESS.

DETROITERS:

Do you or a loved one need help paying the water bill?

If you need assistance on your water bill- We Can Help.

Detroit Water and our partners have programs to assist you.

Every customer has a path to avoid a service interruption.

The Water Residential Assistance Program (WRAP) offers residential customers meeting income requirements a $25 monthly bill credit (up to $700) toward their past-due balance and up to $1000 in minor home plumbing repairs.

DWSD’s 10/30/50 Plan lets residential and commercial customers make a deposit of 10%, 30% or 50% toward their past-due balance depending on your account status.

For a complete list of other programs and community partners visit www.detroitmi.gov/water or call 313-267-8000.

Keturah M.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

Downtown Customer Care Center

Eastside Customer Care Center

Westside Customer Care Center

735 Randolph Street Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

13303 E. McNichols Road Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

15600 Grand River Avenue Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Page A-6 • michiganchronicle.com •

June 26 - July 2, 2019

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Chill out or turn up with Xfinity this Black Music Month. Celebrate a New Era of sound and discover what moves you with Xfinity. Easily find your favorite hit music, movies, shows and music videos on Black Film & TV on Xfinity On Demand. Plus, access Pandora to experience your favorite stations right on your TV with Xfinity X1.

From jazz to hip-hop and everything in between, jam to your favorite genre. Xfinity makes Black Music Month simple, easy, awesome.

Visit xfinity.com/discovermore to learn more.

Restrictions apply. Requires Xfinity TV and On Demand. ©2019 Comcast. All rights reserved. SHOWTIME is a registered trademark of Showtime Networks Inc., a CBS company. You must be a subscriber of SHOWTIME to get SHOWTIME On Demand and to watch SHOWTIME programs online. Wu-Tang Clan: Of Mics and Men ©Endeavor Content and Mass Appeal. All rights reserved. HBO® and related channels and service marks are the property of Home Box Office, Inc. HBO® subscription required. FOX™ and © 2019 Fox and its related entities. All Rights Reserved. BEAT SHAZAM™ © 2019 Fox Broadcasting Company. All Rights Reserved.

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Grooves for your every mood

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| June 26 - July 2, 2019

Roots.

michiganchronicle.com

David Ruffin Avenue Unveiled in Detroit

By Branden Hunter

On July 22, 1970, former Temptations lead singer David Ruffin moved into a home in Detroit’s University District at 17385 Parkside. Last Friday afternoon, the City of Detroit named the street between McNichols and Seven Mile after him.

David Ruffin’s daughters (left to right) Nedra Ruffin, Kimberly Ruffin, and Cheryl Ruffin-Robinson.

PHOTO: Branden Hunter

Motown legends Martha Reeves (left) and Mary David Ruffin’s former home in Detroit at Wilson (right) attended the street renaming of their 17385 Parkside. PHOTO: Branden Hunter dear friend David Ruffin. PHOTO: Branden Hunter

S.A.Y. Detroit

The ceremony for the new “David Ruffin Avenue” was hosted by the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame and was the brainchild of founder LaMont Robinson. It was attended by Ruffin’s children, family, and friends, and Motown stars Martha Reeves and Mary Wilson.

“I’ve always been a Temptations fan, so I thought it was the right thing to do to name the street after David Ruffin,” said Robinson.

“He moved on the block 50 years ago and he loved it so much. It was fitting to honor one of the greatest singers of R&B music. I’d like to thank Mayor Duggan and the city for honoring my request, because more of our legends need to be honored.”

The home, just a couple of blocks off McNichols is still in good condition and has a new owner. But that did not stop David Ruffin Jr. from visiting it and taking photos of his childhood home.

He and his sisters, Nedra Ruffin, Kimberly Ruffin, and Cheryl Ruffin-Robinson, were some of the many Ruffin family members in attendance, celebrating the life of their famous father.

“I lived in this house more than my daddy, because he was traveling all the time,” laughed Ruffin. “I have so many memories on this block and when I was looking through the windows of my former home, I thought about the times my dad and sisters had Christmas here and it’s always good to come back here. I hope one day that I can regain that property on what is now David Ruffin Avenue.”

Born Davis Eli Ruffin in the rural unincorporated community of Whynot, Miss., 15 miles from Meridian, Ruffin was the third born son of Elias “Eli” Ruffin, a Baptist minister, and Ophelia Ruffin.

Ruffin’s storied musical career began singing in a traveling gospel group with his family and in the church choir. He moved to Detroit as a teenager to pursue a music career, where his brother Jimmy was doing the same. Ruffin first came to prominence as a lead singer for the Temptations in 1964 under Berry Gordy and Motown Records.

During his time with the group, which consisted of Otis and Paul Williams, Eddie Kendricks, and Melvin Franklin, Ruffin had much success producing numerous hit singles and albums on both the R&B and Pop charts. Some of the Temptations’ hits during Ruffin’s era from 1964-1968 included “My Girl,” “Since I Lost My Baby.” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg”, and “I Wish It Would Rain,, among otherers.

As a solo artist Ruffin recorded hits such as 1973’s “Common Man” and 1975’s “Walk Away from Love.”

For his hard work, Ruffin was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 as a member of the Temptations and in the R&B Hall of Fame in 2013 as both a solo artist and as a member of the Temptations.

Due to foreclosure, Ruffin eventually lost his house on Parkside, his belongings tossed onto the street while he was serving time in prison in Indiana for tax evasion in 1982. He struggled with substance abuse and he died in 1991 in Philadelphia after an adverse reaction to cocaine and other drugs. He is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Detroit.

Ruffin’s designation follows honorary Detroit street titles for figures such as Berry Gordy, Aretha Franklin, and Stevie Wonder, marked with blue placards atop the primary street signage. There are also streets named after the Temptations, Supremes, Miracles, Originals, Four Tops, Contours, and Martha Reeves in the Woodbridge Estates.

Heritage Works

Ford Community Grants Celebrate the Diverse Culture and Vibrant Neighborhoods Surrounding Michigan Central Station Ford Motor Company grants totaling $250,000 are being distributed to nonprofits near the historic train depot

By Patreice A. Massey MANAGING EDITOR

As part of its Celebrating Culture and Community Grants Program, Ford Motor Company is awarding $250,000 this year to support nonprofit projects that reflect the unique culture and history of the neighborhoods surrounding Michigan Central Station.

The grants are tied to Ford’s renovation of the 105-year-old train depot, which will be the centerpiece of a new innovation and mobility hub in Detroit. As

part of its commitment to the area, Ford is investing $2 million over the next four years through the Community Benefits Agreement to support a variety of nonprofit projects aimed at bringing innovative programs and opportunities to residents in the community.

Grant recipients were selected based on votes from a panel of judges, as well as approximately 200 local residents and community leaders who attended a special pitch session in late May. “We want to thank everyone who submitted creative and thoughtful ideas for celebrating the vibrant culture of our neighborhoods,” said Pamela Alexander, director, community development, Ford Motor Company Fund. “With help from the community, we determined these

See GRANTS page B-2

Matrix Theatre

Page B-2 • michiganchronicle.com • June 26 - July 2, 2019

Tony Awards Nominee Temptations Musical ‘Ain’t Too Proud’ Gives Back To The Fourth Annual Flint Water Festival Tony Awards nominee Temptations musical “Ain’t Too Proud” gives back to the fourth annual Flint Water Festival. Even though they will not be able to attend the festivities, there will be a special video presentation, autographed memorabilia, and a pair of show tickets for the charity auction from playwright Dominique Morisseau, the cast and producers of the twelve Tony Awards nominee, “Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of The Temptations.”

The Flint Water Festival is an annual charity event Tara Wallace dedicated to raising funds and awareness to provide safe water for communities affected by the water crisis here and abroad. The festival gives the community free water and a platform for artistic expression to improve the residents’ social and emotional development, in order to mitigate the effects of lead exposure. The event takes place on July 4, 2019 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Riverbank Park in Flint’s downtown, cultural and college life districts.

This year the festival is hosting two $1,000 competitions: Hamiltunes Flint & Charity Lip Sync Battle.

Hamiltunes, the officially licensed sing along to the soundtrack of the award winning musical “HAMILTON,” is set to hit Flint. Assisting students with their educational studies, a $1,000 scholarship will be given to the best singing performance. The band sponsored by the Flint Institute of Music features Roger Jones II a seasoned jazz pianist and Flint native who has worked professionally in Japan, Europe, and Turkey.

Charity Lip Sync Battle offers a $1,000 cash prize to all ages for the most entertaining act, in order to help residents with water bills, food and shelter. Community leaders will perform for the cause including: Isaiah Oliver, pres-

Grants

From page B-1 four proposals represent a diversity of talent and topics. We look forward to seeing the positive impact they will have in the neighborhoods surrounding Michigan Central Station for years to come.”

The grantees are: S.A.Y. Detroit/Capturing Belief, $85,000 – Build a visual history of the community and mentoring young residents in photography and creative writing.

Heritage Works, $75,000 – Activate community spaces with music, movement, visual and spoken word artists in green spaces, non-traditional venues, existing events and schools.

Matrix Theatre Company, $55,000 – Record first-person accounts, oral histories and cultural perspectives of the rich diversity of people living in the area.

ident and CEO of the Community Foundation of Greater Flint as Chance the Rapper; Kay Smith, founder of the Flint Water Festival and graduate of Harvard University’s American Repertory Theater Institute as Cardi B featuring Drippie the water mascot; and Todd Beard, Microsoft Innovative Educator Leader as Billy Ray Cyrus.

Both Hamiltunes Flint and Charity Lip Sync Battle will be hosted by Tara Wallace of VH1 “Love & Hip Hop: New York,” directed by Detroit Filmmakers Awards nominee, R. Simone, judged by

Kelli Crump, associate artist of Flint Repertory Theatre, and sound by Peter McFray. The theatrical students of Sylvester Broome Empowerment Village SAVE THE DRAMA camp, and the Dancing Diamonds student dance team will undoubtedly excite the crowd.

The festival is also celebrating the importance of water for animals by adding a petting zoo with pony rides. Kids will receive Drippie backpacks filled with the following: ZeroWater lead-removing tumblers, tickets to the Flint Symphony

Motor City Street Dance Academy, $35,000 – Engage community members via hip-hop and empower them with the S.E.E.D. Program (Spreading the Elements Everywhere in Detroit).

Grant recipients are expected to complete their projects in 2020. Topics for future grants may include streetscapes and neighborhood beautification; entrepreneurship and job creation; mobility and innovation.

With phase two of the renovation work underway, Michigan Central Station is on its way to becoming a base for thousands of entrepreneurs, innovators, designers, technologists and Ford employees to come together to solve the world’s mobility problems. It will host a mix of office, retail, entertainment, food and hospitality spaces.

Ford expects the renovated train station to be ready for tenants and open to the public once again in 2022.

Motor City Street Dance

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Orchestra, and Flint Registry educational coloring and activity books sponsored

by Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha.

RICH Kids, Inc. is a charitable organization established in Flint, MI that serves as the holding company for Drippie the water mascot, and the Flint Water Festival which embodies the core tenets of its mission: Fitness, Arts, Tech, and Education. The Internal Revenue Service recognizes RICH Kids, Inc. as a Section 501(c)(3) public charity. Gifts to RICH Kids, Inc. are tax deductible in the U.S.

June 26 - July 2, 2019 • michiganchronicle.com • Page B-3

$4.9 Million Jos Campau Greenway Creates Easier Access to Detroit Riverfront

Construction is underway on the Joseph Campau Greenway, a $4.9 million greenway stretching 1.2 miles long from Vernor to the RiverWalk.

The Greenway connects more neighborhoods safely to Detroit’s international riverfront.

The project, which was initially announced as part of the East Riverfront Framework Plan, will parallel the Dequindre Cut and includes new pathway construction, streetscape improvements, updates to recreation opportunities and renovations of existing greenways.

Currently, the existing pathways have broken concrete, worn-out recreation courts, flooding problems and more.

The Joseph Campau Greenway will renovate the existing issues and add pedestrian improvements, including a 10’ shared-use path for pedestrians and cyclists, play opportunities and recreation features, new benches, outdoor power stations, mile markers and a green storm water infrastructure to prevent flooding.

“In the past, the riverfront was so industrial you could barely see it and you definitely couldn’t get to it. Thanks to years of hard work, that’s no longer the case. Residents now deserve safe, beautiful connections to the riverfront,” said Mayor Mike Duggan. “The Joseph Campau Greenway will provide residents with a safe and reliable non-motorized path connecting them to the RiverWalk and other connections to resources and amenities across the city.”

The city will also install clear, well-lit entryways to the greenway and new landscap-

ing, which will create a buffer between the path and residential units. The greenway will be managed by the city’s General Services Department and the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy.

Road crossings and streetscape improvements will also

be completed, which will allow for safe pedestrian crossing at intersections along the greenway. Raised sidewalks will be installed across Larned and Lafayette, in addition to the entryways and landscaping, to calm traffic near the greenway.

Security features to be ­installed A number of new security features will also be installed and the greenway will have strictly enforced hours of operation from 6 – 10 p.m. Cameras and emergency call boxes will be installed every 500 feet along the pathway and will be monitored 24 hours per day by the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy and the Detroit Police Department. New and improved lighting will also be installed and bollards will be added to entry ways to restricted unauthorized vehicle access.

“The Detroit Riverfront is one of the most diverse, safe and vibrant places in the city,” said Mark Wallace, president and chief executive officer of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy. “The Joseph Campau Greenway will become a tre-

Gift of Life

Michigan

to host a series of dialogue circles to address the need for more ethnic donors

mendous asset for residents living in east side neighborhoods and it will provide them with direct access to the riverfront.

We look forward to welcoming them to the riverfront when the greenway opens this fall. Like the Dequindre Cut, the Joseph Campau Greenway will provide a wonderful pathway for Detroiters to come to the riverfront.”

Greenway to be complete by fall 2020 The project will be completed in two phases. Phase one, which includes construction from the RiverWalk to Robert Bradby Drive, began in May 2019 and is expected to be complete by fall 2019. Phase two will complete the greenway from Robert Bradby Drive to Vernor. Construction on phase two is expected to begin in spring 2020 and will be completed by fall 2020.

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Let's Talk Dialogue Circle with the African American community was held on Saturday, June 15 from 10 a.m.

- 1 p.m. at the Corner BallPark in Detroit In an effort to inspire courageous conversation and debunk the myths surrounding organ donation, Gift of Life Michigan is hosting a series of Dialogue Circles for African American, Latinx and Arab American communities throughout the summer.

The Dialogue Circles are part of Gift of Life’s multicultural campaign, called Let’s Talk, which aims to increase awareness of organ, eye, and tissue donation among underrepresented groups and to influence attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors to save lives in those communities.

“It is critical that we encourage conversations about the importance of organ and tissue donation in order to positively impact our communities,” said Remonia Chapman, Gift of Life’s community outreach manager and director of Gift of Life MOTTEP. “It is our belief that increased dialogue will lead to a more trustworthy understanding of the organ donation process and more trust in the organ donation process.”

The Dialogue Circles are free to the community and begin with networking and food, followed by inspirational speakers and an intimate conversation moderated by a media personality. Limited space is available, so RSVPs are encouraged by emailing rsvp@golm.org

or calling 866-500-5801, ext. 2409.

• Let’s Talk Dialogue Circle with the Latinx community: Saturday, June 29 from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Mexican Village Restaurant in Detroit • Let’s Talk Dialogue Circle with the Arab American community: Sunday, July 14, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn In addition to participating in the Dialogue Circles, the community can get involved by doing the following: sign-up on the organ donor registry at golm.org; initiate the dialogue among loved ones about their wishes about organ donation; help to dispel myths by educating others about the real benefits of organ, eye, and tissue donation.

The campaign will conclude with a Celebration of Life event in October. To learn more about Gift of Life’s multicultural campaign, visit golm.org/letstalk.

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Page B-4 • michiganchronicle.com • June 26 - July 2, 2019

Median on Livernois Avenue of Fashion to Be Removed

By Branden Hunter

“When it was created, it did bring some curb appeal to the Avenue of Fashion,” said Ewanda Wyndella, owner of Happy to Be Nappy Hair Salon.

“I thought it was a good look.

People just had to have some patience when shopping at our stores. But the new vision of the streetscape is fascinating as well. It benefits both sides.”

The Livernois median within Detroit’s Avenue of Fashion was previously installed during the Kwame Kilpatrick administration. Businesses are pleased that workers recently began removing the controversial median, which extends from Margareta Street (two blocks south of Seven Mile Road) to Eight Mile Road.

In 2017, Mayor Duggan announced plans to revitalize 23 key commercial corridors in the city, which will be financed through $125 million city bond funds. The goal is to make them more attractive and pedestrian-friendly as well as attract more small businesses to the area.

This is part of the City of Detroit’s efforts to recapture a portion of the estimated $2.6 billion that Detroiters spend outside of the city due to the lack of quality shopping and dining options in their own neighborhoods.

“As we continue to reinvest in our neighborhoods, a big part of that is going to be creating attractive, walkable commercial corridors where residents will be able to enjoy a range of dining and shopping options,” said Mayor Duggan.

“Most important is that [the] final design was selected by neighbors in the area who took part in an extensive community engagement process.”

Of the seven corridor projects that will be constructed this year, the Livernois Streetscape Project is the first to begin construction and the most extensive.

When completed in November 2019, Livernois will be an attractive, business-friendly thoroughfare that will be safer for motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians alike. Among its key features will be reconfigured travel lanes with one lane for traffic in each direction to reduce speeds, the addition of a center left-turn lane, wider 24-foot sidewalks to allow for café seating, as well as new lighting and landscaping. In addition, there will be dedicated bike lanes at sidewalk level as opposed to street level and onstreet parking on at least one

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, business owners, community leaders and residents celebrate the removal of the Livernois Median. side of the street.

The work on Livernois will take place in three key phases.

Since May, workers have been removing the median and will install a new center left turn lane in June. During this phase, traffic will be limited to one travel lane in each direction. On-street parking will remain available.

From July through August, phase II will consist of work being completed on the northbound side of Livernois to remove existing sidewalks and install new, wider sidewalks, bike lanes, new lighting and landscaping.

From September until the

completion of the project, similar work will take place on the southbound side of Livernois in phase III. “The Livernois Streetscape Project represents a significant opportunity to create a more pedestrian-friendly retail destination in one of the city’s most historic and important commercial corridors,” said Councilmember Roy McCalister. “I applaud the efforts of the city’s planning department and especially the participation of the many residents and business people whose input was referenced as part of this new vision for Livernois.”

Removal of the median will

provide direct left-turn access to all residential streets along the corridor. There have been complaints from drivers over the years about having to drive miles just to make a left turn.

Many of the businesses along Livernois support this change.

“Now, travelers that want to do business on the west side of Livernois but you’re heading north, you don’t have to go two blocks past to make a left turn,” said Rhonda Morrison, owner of House of Morrison Shoe Repair, which has been in business since 1954. “We lost customers when that median was installed. It was too much trouble and now the trouble is done.”

Livernois, which is an increasingly thriving retail district with several new businesses, will remain open to traffic in both directions for the duration of the project.

However, lane closures, temporary removal of onstreet parking and sidewalk replacement will make accessing businesses more challenging. To help minimize the impact, the city’s business district liaisons, Department of Neighborhoods district managers and City Council staff have been working closely with business owners to help them plan activities to continue to draw shoppers and diners to the district.

Business liaisons will be tasked to coordinate with contractors to ensure the construction taking place in front of individual businesses has minimal impact. Additionally, business owners are provided direct contact information for project engineers and business liaisons who can help address any issues that arise during construction.

Business owners are excited about the Livernois streetscape enhancements and look forward to the inclusiveness the redesign will provide.

“Executing this streetscape will create a sense of place for locals and tourists alike,” said Rufus Bartell, Independent Business Association member and owner of Simply Casual.

A rendering of the new streetscape proposed for the Livernois Avenue of Fashion.

Other construction projects include corridors on McNichols from Livernois to Greenlawn, on Kercheval from Parker to E. Grand Blvd, on Joseph Campau from E. Jefferson to the Riverfront, on Bagley from the I-96 service drive to 24th street, on Riopelle from the I-75 service drive to Division, and finally the corridor on Grand River from Evergreen to Glastonbury.

Nominations Now Open

The 40 Under 40 Awards and Induction Ceremony is a festive commemorative event that recognizes the successes of our young tastemakers, influencers, power brokers and shining stars.

Please help us make sure the 2019 Class is filled with the brightest and best.

Nominations should be submitted online only.

Submission deadline is Friday, July 12, 2019. #MC40Under40

B5

| June 26 - July 2, 2019

InterFaith Leadership Council of Metropolitan Detroit Names New Chairperson

Faith.

michiganchronicle.com

Faith for Your

The InterFaith Leadership Council of Metropolitan Detroit has named Rev. Stancy F. Adams as its new chairperson. Rev. Adams has served as a minister and religious educator in metropolitan Detroit since 2004. She is associate minister and director of Christian education at Russell Street Missionary Baptist Church in Detroit.

Rev. Adams is assistant secretary of the Council of Baptist Pastors of Detroit and Vicinity. She was a director and vice president of the Metropolitan Organizing Strategy Enabling Strength (M.O.S.E.S.), a nonprofit organizaStancy F. Adams tion devoted to interfaith social activism. Rev. Adams has developed many workshops and classes for youth, women, teachers, and the staff of government agencies. A graduate of the Ecumenical Theological Seminary, she holds a master’s degree in divinity.

Rev. Adams succeeds Robert A. Bruttell, who will serve as the InterFaith Leadership Council’s vice chair. Three additional officers will continue in their current roles: Raman Singh as president; Jaspal Neelam as treasurer; and Rev. Dr. Daniel Buttry as secretary.

The InterFaith Leadership Council of Metropolitan Detroit brings people of many faiths together to work toward a harmonious community. The nonprofit organization was formed in the aftermath of 9/11 when local clergy of diverse faiths organized a joint prayer service.

Today the InterFaith Leadership Council offers a wide range of interfaith educational programs for youth and adults with the goal of developing respectful relationships among individuals and congregations of all faiths.

By Marnita Coleman In the beginning, when God made this world, He made a masterpiece: man, created in the image and likeness of God and wrapped him in bodily form. They were male and female, two entities, yet one; just as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three personalities, yet one God, individuals but also a family. Oh, how the heavenly host must have watched in awe and wonder, unable to fathom what God would do next.

Then, He blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign….” (Genesis 1:26) Look at the power and authority the Lord instilled in His masterpiece. He created holy, self-governed rulers and made them a family. The family was designed to be a dominant influence in the earth.

Adam’s disobedience caused the transfer of authority to come into the hands of a destructive force, formulating a fallen world. So here we are today between two kingdoms. One is the kingdom of light and the other, the kingdom of darkness.

When I was pregnant with my first child, I was terrified. I saw the pitfalls of raising a family in a fallen world. I didn’t have a support system to rely upon.

My mom was deceased, my father was ashamed because I was not married, my grandparents lived in another state, and I had no mentor. I didn’t have a lot of experience with children and I had zero

knowledge of how to care for a baby. I read everything I could on parenthood.

I was determined to give my family the best shot at life.

If you don’t have a vision for your family, you may fall prey to the ideals of the world. There are numerous videos, books, conferences, and so-called parenting gurus. To make the good choice, you have to know where you are headed.

I decided to raise my family in the Christian faith. I personally believed in God, but I was not living up to His standards. I was still slipping and sliding, doing whatever I was grown enough to do. But, I knew better was possible, and I wanted it for my family; so, I prayed and asked God to be my help and support; and He answered me! He directed the paths of my children, including daycare, friends, schools, neighborhoods, driving, activities, and so on.

As we look about today, we can see the desolation of the family. Fathers are not in the home, mothers are overwhelmed, and children are suffering from lack of direction. It appears the world is upside down, and goodwill and love are dwindling. If we refocus and allow God to lead us, we will win in the end!

Psalm 127 is speaking loudly to me right now. Like GPS, God desires to get you to your destination. He’s shouting, “turn around!” God created your family and knows the path your family needs to take. You are equipped for the journey.

King Solomon said, “If God doesn’t build the house [or family], the builders only build shacks. If God doesn’t guard the city, the night watchman might as well nap. It’s useless to rise early and go to bed late and work your worried fingers to the bone. Don’t you know he enjoys giving rest to those he loves?”

God is saying, I got you! Stop trying to raise your family all by yourself. I know the plans I have for you, plans that are good and not evil to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11) There will be some rough terrain ahead. Don’t worry, I have been this way before.

As a parent, don’t throw your hands in the air and give up. Fight for your family because you all were predestined to win.

It’s a fixed fight. Take the shield of faith, which is the word of God and speak it out of your mouth to create the visual you want to see, just as God did when He created the world; we have the same power to rule and reign.

I was a single parent before I got married. It was tough at times. But, I stayed with God, and He kept us from falling.

Give God thanks and ask Him for guidance. He will fortify your family Period.

Nothing is too hard or impossible with God. Be patient, He is working it out.

Marnita Coleman is an author and host of The Marnita Show, a parenting show heard daily across the globe. For more information, log onto TheMarnitaShow.com.

Two-Day Celebration For

Mrs. W illie Idell W illiams Happy100th Birthday

M

rs. Willie Idell Williams is the 3rd child born to William and Mamie Linton of River Junction, Gadsden County, Florida on June 9, 1919. Willie married Lawrence Williams in 1937 and they moved to Detroit in the summer of 1943 where she resided until 1998 when she & Lawrence moved to a Condo in Lathrup Village.

Willie was a devoted wife and mother of two children: Gregory E. Williams and Silvia Williams-Sims and has six grandchildren.

She was committed to her children’s education and was very active in the PTA at Craft Elementary and Condon Junior High Schools.

One time I can remember her being vocal about the need for teachers to discipline children when they were not listening or paying attention to their teacher. She definitely was supported of teachers. During that time, she believed teachers were caring and concerned about their students’ learning and development & that it was fine to discipline children when needed.

Additionally, she was an advocate of community beautification. When she & Lawrence lived on Cheyenne, they were active members of the Cheyenne Block Club. The meetings were designed to keep up the beautification of the neighborhood as well as encouraging neighbors to know one another.

Willie worked at Sinai Hospital for over fifteen years in the Dietary Department and after retirement, continued there as a volunteer.

Willie became a faithful member of Liberty Temple Baptist Church. She joined on May 31, 1987.

She served in many of the Women’s Auxiliaries throughout her membership and became a member of Usher Board #1 where she remained an active Usher until the age of 91. She also became a Mother of the Church due to her faithfulness.

Willie was recognized as one of the Eight Living Legacies and their contributions to Society at First Congregational Church on September 12, 2015 by Wayne County Commission.

Page B-6 • michiganchronicle.com •

June 26 - July 2, 2019

“Fruit of the Spirt” service held at The Universal Liberty in Christ Temple Church located at 7000 E. Canfield in Detroit.Photo L. to R. O’Neil D. Swanson - Senior President/CEO Swanson Homes Inc., Sr. Pastor Naomi Gatlin, Linda E. Swanson - Vice President and Executive Director of Swanson Funeral Homes Inc. and Wayne Thomas Chief Financial Officer of Swanson Funeral Homes Inc. .

Detroit Faith Leaders to Release Cost Per Shooting Report at Two-Day Gun Violence Prevention Workshop

By Patreice A. Massey

cities must invest in proactive work around gun violence in our communities. These incidents of violence are preventable, the cost when a shooting occurs could be funneled into the community.”

MANAGING EDITOR

Saturday, June 29, 2019 at 10:30 AM, EST, Faith and community leaders with FORCE Detroit (Faithfully Organizing Resources for Community Empowerment) are partnering with the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (NICJR) to release a collaborative Cost Per Shooting Report during a two-day gun violence prevention training hosted by FORCE Detroit and their national partners at Faith In Action’s LIVE FREE Campaign.

The Cost Per Shooting Report provides data and financial figures that are key to understanding how gun violence affects Detroit’s communities. FORCE Detroit is working in partnership with various organizations to combat gun violence in Detroit and this report provides a snapshot of that work.

“We want our leaders to acknowledge that it is more cost-effective to implement evidence-based practices that reduce gun violence. These policies are more effective than over policing and incarcerating people in low-income mostly Black communities in Detroit,” said Alia Harvey- Quinn, director of FORCE Detroit.

FORCE has long been focused on ending gun violence in Detroit.

Last year, they participated in

Alia Harvey- Quinn the Silence the Violence March that brought survivors, families and leaders together to create community support for gun violence prevention. They will join the march again this Saturday to close out their two-day training. FORCE also published studies such as Combating the Forced Criminalization of a City that asserts that the violence that occurs in Detroit is forced and structural.

Rev. Barry Randolph, pastor of the Church of Messiah in Detroit, is dedicated to rebuilding Detroit communities through church-based efforts and initiatives. He noted, “Our

Founder and CEO of Advance Peace, DeVone Boggan, will speak at the two-day event, sharing his own strategies for reducing gun violence in urban communities.

Advance Peace interrupts gun violence by identifying potential shooters and providing transformational opportunities, such as 18-month fellowships that give young people positive role models, mentors and guidance. The program produced a 76 percent reduction in homicide between 2007-2014. Boggan was invited by FORCE Detroit to share training tools from his successful model that can be replicated in Detroit.

Incidents of violent crime often increase during summer months and FORCE Detroit leaders hope the release of the Cost-Per-Shooting report and two-day workshop will influence Detroit city leaders to invest in gun-violence prevention tools and tactics soon.

FORCE Detroit is a culmination of interfaith, grassroots, and public sector leaders committed to having hard conversations about complex community issues, pushing boundaries and generating creative justice-oriented solutions.

Congresswoman Lawrence Joins Bohra’s Interfaith Celebration Of Eid Dawoodi Bohras of Detroit share message of unity and Peace with Friends and Neighbors

By Pilar A. Mills The Dawoodi Bohra congregation of Anjuman-e-Najmi mosque in Farmington Hills, Detroit, hosted a gathering of esteemed guests on Friday June 7 in celebration of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan. The Dawoodi Bohra Muslims are renowned the world over for their culinary skills, and the Detroit community was delighted to have the opportunity to share a traditional Bohra meal with local friends and neighbors, and to impart a multifaith message of unity and peace.

Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence was joined by various elected officials, members of the local interfaith community, and many Bohra families living in the Detroit area. State Representative Christine Greig and State Senator Jeremy Moss helped to organize the evening’s festivities.

Ramadan is a month of reflection and prayer, marked by meals with friends and relatives, and the exchange of gifts. The celebration of Eid is often a time when Muslims open their doors to neighbors of all religions, an occasion to celebrate all faiths and humanity.

On display throughout the evening was a “Youth United Mural” created by young adults from local Muslim, Christian and Jewish communities, and each guest went home with a beautiful flowering plant as an illustration of unity and peace.

Speaking on behalf of the Dawoodi Bohra community of Detroit, Amil Saheb said, “We are a community known for our commitment to our faith, education, and service to society. For example, we are involved with the Farmington Interfaith Association, and our youngsters continue to be of service to their community via initiatives like Youth United and C.A.R.E.S, an upliftment project in south east Michigan supported by young Muslims, Christians and Jews.”

Guest of Honor, Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence, said, “A community is only as strong as

Congresswoman Lawrence, Mustansir Saifuddin, Dr. Murtaza Hussain and others celebrate Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan. the neighbors who live there. The Bohras have used their voices to make progress on countless issues including gender equality and the environment. As a country we must continue to work together to strengthen the ties of our communities because no one should be turned away because of religion, race, gender or culture.”

The evening culminated with a traditional Dawoodi Bohra dinner, followed by a tour of the newly-built masjid in Farmington Hills.

Attendees A range of distinguished guests joined the Dawoodi Bohras’ Eid celebration to promote a message of unity and peace, including: State Representatives Christine Greig, Matt Koleszar, Laurie Pohutsky, and Yousef Rabhi, State Senator Jeremy Moss, officials of the City of Farmington Hills, Mayor Kenneth Massey, Mayor Pro Tem Michael Bridges, and City Council Member Randy Bruce. Attendees also included representatives from the Holocaust Museum, the Interfaith Leadership Council of Metropolitan Detroit, the First Presbyterian Church of Farmington, Adat Shalom Synagogue, Michigan Roundtable for Diversity & Inclusion, Emgage, Islamic Center of America, The Church of Jesus Christ of

Latter-day Saints, Hope Lutheran, Farmington Hills Police Department, CARES of Farmington Hills, Islamic House of Wisdom, Muslim Community of Western Suburbs (MCWS), Trinity in the Woods Episcopal Church and the Sikh Foundation.

About the Dawoodi Bohras The Dawoodi Bohras are Muslims hailing mainly from West India. There are around one million Dawoodi Bohras in the world, including 130 families in Detroit. We worship at the Burhani masjid, or mosque, in Farmington Hills, and have lived and worked peacefully in Detroit for many years. Despite our small numbers, Bohras all over the world play important roles in their societies. As part of our deep commitment to our faith, we place great emphasis on American values of equal rights for women, enhancing the environment, engagement with other faiths, a love for one’s country, and personal health and hygiene. With a particular focus on hard work and education, many American Bohras are doctors, nurses, teachers, academics and successful business people. We are proud of the contribution we make to American society. For more information, please visit: www.detroitdawoodibohras.com.

M

ichael Stuckey and CheJuana Stewart plan to marry on August 3rd, 2019 at the groom’s alma mater, Marygrove College, with a reception following at the Charles H. Wright museum of African American History. Michael is employed as a Construction inspector. CheJuana, an Alumni of Grambling State, Eastern Michigan and Oakland universities is a high school teacher with DPS. The couple voluntarily services the community through their active membership in Omega Psi Phi fraternity incorporated and PHA Order of the Eastern Star, as well as their church and independent service on several political campaigns during local and national elections. Both are DPS graduates as well as native Detroiters, and plan to continue to call the city their home as they prepare to start a family of their own.

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| June 26 - July 2, 2019

Money.

michiganchronicle.com

Tax Tips for Starting a Business

By Constant Watson III

Understanding your tax obligation is one key to business success. When you start a business, you need to know about income taxes, payroll taxes and much more. Here are some IRS tax tips that can help you get your business off to a good start: Business Structure. An early choice you need to make is to decide on the type of structure for your business. The most common types are sole proprietor, partnership and corporation. The type of business you choose will determine which tax forms you file.

Business Taxes. There are

four general types of business taxes. They are income tax, self-employment tax, employment tax and excise tax. In most cases, the types of tax your business pays depends on the type of business structure you set up. You may need to make estimated tax payments.

If you do, you can use IRS Direct Pay to make them. It’s the fast, easy and secure way to pay from your checking or savings account.

Employer Identification Number (EIN). You may need to get an EIN for federal tax purposes. Search “do you need an EIN” on IRS.gov to find out if you need this number.

Accounting Method. An ac-

counting method is a set of rules that you use to determine when to report income and expenses. You must use a consistent method. The two that are most common are the cash and accrual methods. Under the cash method, you normally report income and deduct expenses in the year that you receive or pay them. Under the accrual method, you generally report income and deduct expenses in the year that you earn or incur them. This is true even if you get the income or pay the expense in a later year.

Do not comingle your personal account with your business checking account. Deposit all your business income, including cash receipts, in the

business checking account.

Also pay all your bills by checks and/or your business checking account debit card. Make sure you keep all receipts for any payments made with cash.

It is also very important to have some type of bookkeeping/software program for your business. As a business owner, you need to keep track of your income and expenses to monitor your profitability.

Remember, you must give an independent contractor Form 1099-Misc by January 31st of the following tax year. This rule applies if the total amount you pay them is $600 and more.

Get all the basics of starting a business on IRS.gov

at the Small Business and Self-Employed Tax Center. If you are delinquent in your filings, make sure you contact a professional to help you get compliant. Remember, for every tax problem, there’s a solution.

Constant W. Watson III, CPA, CTRS, is both a Certified Public Accountant and one of only ten Certified Tax Resolution Specialists in the State of Illinois certified by the ASTPS. Watson has more than 30 years of income tax and accounting experience. You can hear his radio program, “Watson On Taxes,” every Saturday morning at 10 a.m. by tuning in to AM 1390. For more information, visit WatsonOnTaxes.com or call (708) 206-9900.

Early Adulthood: The Pursuit of Financial Independence Q & A with Merrill Financial Advisor Aubrey Lee, Jr.

Lee: Parental financial support beyond age 25 is becoming the new norm, with 70 percent of early adults reporting they have received support from their parents in the last year. Additionally, they are not just relying on parental support in times of crisis, but to support their lifestyles. Two-thirds say their parents help with their expenses and 58 percent admit they couldn’t afford their current lifestyle without parental support.

Merrill and Age Wave have collaborated on a research series that examines people’s lives as they travel through life stages. The latest installment, Early Adulthood: The Pursuit of Financial Independence, studies the experiences and challenges of contemporary early adulthood (ages 18-34), particularly in regard to finances.

Q. How do struggles with finances impact their personal lives?

Q: What did this study find about their attitudes and goals regarding adulthood?

Lee: The majority – 75 percent – of those studied in this age group say financial independence defines adulthood to them, much more so than traditional milestones of employment (61%), home ownership (30percent) or starting a family (20 percent).

Q. What were some of the biggest financial challenges the study uncovered?

Lee: A key finding was the ripple effect debt can have on long-term financial security. One in four early adults with a 401(k) have already made an early withdrawal, primarily to cover credit card or student loan debt.

Q. What were some of the most interesting and unexpected results of the study?

Lee: Perhaps the differences between men and women. Women are outpacing men in the quest for financial independence, despite the fact that women have

Aubrey Lee, Jr. greater student debt and unequal pay.

More women are going to college and earning undergraduate and graduate degrees than men. The flip side of this is women now carry almost two-thirds of the cumulative student debt in the U.S. Women’s financial priorities were different than men as well. Seventy-two percent of the women surveyed say their biggest financial priority is saving for the future and paying down debt, compared to 60 percent of men. Only 28percent of women were likely to cite “enjoying life now” as their highest financial priority versus 40 percent of men.

Q. How much are young adults leaning on their parents for financial help?

Lee: The responses show that finances are their number one source of stress, and that lack of financial resources is their top barrier to achieving goals, such as buying a home and starting a family. Due to mounting debt, higher costs of living and other hurdles, 80 percent of early adults believe it is harder to become financially independent than it was for previous generations.

Q. Anything striking about this age group and their career paths?

Lee: A majority (80 percent) of early adults report that it is challenging for them to find meaningful work and less than half feel they have work that has career potential, fair compensation, and aligns with their passion/interests. In fact, finding a job with all three of those components is rare—only 14 percent of early adults have found work that incorporates all three. Almost half of this age group report they plan to look for a new job within the next year.

Q. Based on the findings of this study, what is your financial advice to early adults?

Lee: There several things early adults can do to reach financial independence and security: Create and stick to a budget. The best way to start this is by tracking expenses to identify areas that can be cut to free up funds for financial goals.

Pay down debt.

High-interest non-tax-deductible debt such as credit cards, should be paid off first, followed by other non-tax-deductible debt like auto loans. Finally, begin paying down lower-interest tax-deductible or subsidized debt such as student loans or mortgages.

Plan for contingencies. Establishing an emergency fund and assets and covering health insurance needs is crucial.

If possible, we also suggest contributing to a Health Saving Account (HSA). If there are dependents, adequate life insurance coverage is also a must.

Start saving for retirement: The easiest way this age group can start saving for retirement is contribute to an employer-sponsored savings plans such as a 401(k). If their company provides a match, they should make sure they are contributing at least that level in order not to leave money on the table.

Consider their short and long term goals. It is never too early to begin saving to meet goals such as a down payment on a first home, or if they have children, to save for their education.

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June 26 - July 2, 2019

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Where City Meets Life and Life Meets Style

C1 | June 26 - July 2, 2019

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Shinola Host Rapper/Author Common For ‘Let Love Have The Last Word’ Book Signing

By AJ Williams – City.Life.Style. Editor Shinola will host Common, the Oscar and Grammy Award-winning artist, actor, activist and New York Times Bestselling author for a special book signing event on Thursday, June 27 for his second book, Let Love Have the Last Word.

Told in a four-part stream of con-

sciousness style, this book takes a therapeutic look at Common’s life on the road, parenting, romantic relationships and the complexity of living with an aging parent. As follow up to his 2011 bestselling memoir One Day It’ll All Make Sense, this new and intimate writing inspires the explo-

ration of how love and mindfulness can build communities and allow one to take better control of your life through action and words.

This event is free and open to the public beginning at 4 pm @ Shinola Flagship Store 441 W. Canfield Street Detroit, MI

Krazy Fit Introduces New Fitness Craze With

Bungee Cords

By AJ Williams – City.Life.Style.

There’s a new exciting way of getting “Krazy Fit” in town. Krazy Fit Detroit, a fitness studio specializing in Bungee Fit and Jump Fit has opened its doors in Allen Park, MI. The studio located at 5127 Allen Rd. Allen Park, MI 48101, provides a fun way to maximize workouts without strain and injury to the joints using the bungee cords and kangoo boots to reduce impact. Available to anyone ages 12 and up, the studio is currently offering new attendees their first class for free.

2019 ROCK THAT! Photography Conference Returns To Detroit

By AJ Williams – City.Life.Style. Editor Detroit will be the subject at the 2nd Annual ROCK THAT Photography Conference and Trade Show, as hundreds of renowned and novice photographers participate in the highly anticipated three-day conference, July 25-27, at the Suburban Collection Showplace, located at 46100 Grand River Avenue in Novi, MI. Title sponsored by Miller’s Professional Imaging, the conference will offer: photography education, business workshops, panel discussions, trade show exhibits, photo walks in downtown Detroit, and community service projects. Founded by Detroit native and craftsman photographer, Shawn Lee, the ROCK THAT Photography

Conference and Trade Show will also feature workshops addressing the following topics: “Live Lighting and Posing Demos;” “Post Production with Lightroom and Photoshop,” Photography Workflow Essentials, Art of a Good Headshot,” and “Broke Marketing” to name a few.

The ROCK THAT Photography Conference and Trade Show is presented

by Multicultural Association of Professional Photographers (MAPP).

It is one of the largest photography conferences in Michigan featuring national industry influencers, resources and program experiences.

For more information or to purchase conference tickets or day passes visit www.rockthatconference.com

“We wanted to provide a fun way to exercise for everyone, no matter where they are in their fitness journey.” says co-founder of Krazy Fit Detroit, Dione Johnson. “My husband and I both have been in the nursing field for 24 years and we’ve seen all types of injuries. These workouts are great for cardio, core, flexibility, and balance.”

In addition to being fun workouts both Bungee Fit and Jump Fit consist of many benefits. Bungee Fit is a 20-minute workout consisting of several traditional moves including Squats, Jumping Jacks, Push ups, and Burpees while being connected to the bungee rope. The bungee rope allows low impact resistance training, stretches every muscle group, increases blood flow, and increases metabolism.

Jump Fit is a 45-minute workout in kangoo boots. Working out in these innovative boots reduces impact shock, induces rapid fat loss, increases endurance, improves core strength and balance, and optimizes cardiovascular health.

Classes are available in the morning and evening Monday Saturday. Drop in classes start at $15.00. Packages and personal training are also available.

For more information on how to get Krazy Fit and register for your free class visit: https://www.krazyfitdet.com/. You can also follow Krazy Fit socially via Facebook and Instagram.

Page C-2 • michiganchronicle.com • June 26 - July 2, 2019

Ava DuVernay’s “When They See Us” Wins Mass Attention for Focus on Falsely Accused Central Park Five

By Lauren Victoria Burke NNPA Newswire Contributor

The painful true stories of five falsely accused young men, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, Kevin Richardson, Antron McCray, and Korey Wise, has been brought to light in excruciatingly vivid detail by director Ava DuVernay. The group known as the Central Park Five would receive 6 to 13 years in prison.

City. Life. Style.

“When They See Us,” is DuVernay’s new mini-series, featured exclusively on Netflix, depicting the story of the Central Park Five. Her new film features the infamous 1989 case of five boys of color who were falsely accused of the rape of Trisha Meili, a white female jogger who was then an investment banker. The story was reminiscent of the Scottsboro Boys case in 1931 in terms of being a rabid miscarriage of justice that stereotyped men of color as sexual predators.

On May 1, 1989, Donald Trump called for the return of the death penalty in reference to the Central Park Five in fullpage ads in all four of the city’s major newspapers. Trump has never admitted he was wrong about the Central Park Five though he has been asked about the case multiple times.

Where City Meets

LIFE STYLE

The members of the “Central Park Five” were coerced into confessing to a crime they did not commit and implicat-

and Life Meets

ing each other as police detectives subjected them to lengthy interviews and interrogations.

In 2002, Matias Reyes, a convicted murderer and serial rapist who was in prison, confessed to the crime the Central Park Five were convicted of and his DNA matched evidence found at the scene. The five convictions of Salaam, Santana, Richardson, McCray and Wise were vacated after more than a decade. In 2014, New York City reached a $40 million settlement with the Central Park Five after Mayor Mike Bloomberg blocked their payout for ten years.

As DuVernay’s film gained viewers and momentum and waves of publicity, Linda Fairstein, the main prosecutor of the Central Park Five, was dropped by her publisher Dutton, an imprint of Penguin Random House, on June 7.

Fairstein has never apologized or admitted there was a wrongful prosecution in the case. Several prosecutors and detectives have avoided discussing the series.

The five men are pursuing an additional $52 million in damages from New York State in the New York Court of Claims.

Lauren Victoria Burke is an independent journalist and writer for NNPA as well as a political analyst and strategist as Principal of Win Digital Media LLC. She may be contacted at LBurke007@ gmail.com and on twitter at @LVBurke

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SAT, JUL. 13 LITTLE CAESARS ARENA R E G I ST E R YO U R T E A M TO DAY AT

PISTONS.COM/3ON3

C3

| June 26 - July 2, 2019

Free Cycling for Youths Ages 3-17

Game.

michiganchronicle.com

Detroit youths who want to learn how to cycle and even race on an indoor bicycle track can do so for free at Summer Cycling Camps taking place inside the Lexus Velodrome Detroit.

Campers must be 3-t017 years of age. Weekly sessions, which will take place at 601 Mack (at I-75) in Detroit, will begin June 24 and run through Aug. 29, 2019. A $20 refundable deposit is required.

In addition to free use of a bike, equipment and the track, youths will get free coaching on a variety of ways to cycle. Campers will also receive free lunch and giveaways, including a T-shirt.

“A big part of our core mission is to serve Detroit youths, and holding these camps will help us do that,” said Dale Hughes, executive director for the Detroit Fitness Foundation, which operates the Lexus Velodrome. “This is truly a sport that needs to be more accessible.”

PHOTOS: Kory Woods

Former Piston Josh Smith ejected in BIG 3 opener at LCA BIG3 Basketball opened their 2020 season at Little Caesars Arena (LCA) to a crowd of cheers. That is until Josh Smith touched the court.

The camps will target three age groups for different lessons: • Beginners ages 3-8 will be able to “Learn to Ride a Bicycle.” (9-11 a.m.)

• Riders ages 8-12 will be able to “Learn to Ride a Track Bike.” (9-11 a.m.)

• Riders ages 12-17 will be able to “Learn to Ride/ Race the Velodrome.”

(Noon-2 p.m.)

The Lexus Velodrome is a 64,000-square-foot facility showcasing a onetenth-mile (166-meter) cycling track with 50-degree banking. It also features fitness areas, plus a walking, running, and in-line skate track.

To apply, or for more information about the Summer Cycling Camps or the Velodrome, call 313.265.6725.

The former Detroit Piston, who plays for Bivouac, was ejected following an on-court altercation with Royce White, who plays for the Enemies. It capped off a hostile night for Smith, as the crowd booed him from the start of the game until his departure.

This marks the second time that players have been ejected in BIG3 games at the LCA, as Nate Robinson and Metta World Peace were ejected in separate games last season.

Smith’s time as a member of the Detroit Pistons does not bring fond memories for many fans. In 2013, he signed a fouryear deal with Detroit for $54 million. At the time, Smith was looked at as a player who could help turn around the struggling franchise. However, in 105 career games with the Pistons Smith only averaged 15.5 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. Due to his underwhelming performance and rumored chemistry issues, the Pistons waived him on December 22, 2014.

The Pistons, who are current-

ly struggling with cap room issues, are still paying Smith $5.3 million until the end of next season due to the stretch provision they used to waive him.

Since leaving Detroit, Smith has been quite a journeyman as

he has played for several NBA and international teams. His last NBA stint was in 2017 with the New Orleans Pelicans, where he only appeared in three games.

The Pelicans released him in less than two weeks with the team.

While Smith did not have a great night, his Bivouac and former Pistons teammate Will Bynum saw a different fortune.

Bynum scored 22 points and led Bivouac to a 50-43 victory over the Enemies.

The Palace of Auburn Hills Sold, Scheduled to Be Demolished Fall 2019

By Branden Hunter

A specific timeline for the development has not been announced. The Pistons organization is preparing to move its remaining team and business operations from The Palace to the new Henry Ford Detroit Pistons Performance Center, which is on schedule to be completed this fall.

The Palace of Auburn Hills the home of the Detroit Pistons from 1988 until last year, is scheduled for demolition this fall.

Detroit Pistons Owner Tom Gores and Livonia-based Schostak Brothers & Company announced the formation of a joint venture to redevelop the Palace of Auburn Hills and its surrounding land. Schostak Brothers will serve as the lead partner and manage the future mixed-use development, including corporate office space, room for research & development and technology.

In 2016, when Gores announced the Pistons’ return to the City of Detroit, he emphasized the importance of transitioning The Palace in a way that would benefit the region long term.

“We promised the people of Auburn Hills and Oakland County that we would find a solution that would be good for the community and make a positive economic impact,” said Gores. “Partnering with a proven, well-respected developer like Schostak Brothers is an important step in delivering on that promise.”

Gores said he retained a

Auburn Hills Mayor Kevin McDaniel lauded the sale and subsequent partnership between Schostak Brothers & Company and PS&E as a ‘winwin-win’ for the City of Auburn Hills, its business community, and its residents.

vested interest in the project because he believes strongly in the potential of the site and the future of the region.

“Auburn Hills has been a great home to our franchise for a long time,” he added. “This investment will allow us to stay connected in a way that will create new opportunities for people who live and work in the area.”

Schostak Development President Jeffrey Schostak said he views The Palace property as one of the premier parcels of real estate in Detroit based on its location in a growing area of northern Oakland County and

its excellent accessibility on and off I-75.

“Schostak Brothers is ready to take the lead and use our expertise in complex redevelopments to create a new and exciting next chapter for The Palace and its surrounding property,” said Schostak. “We are looking forward to working with Tom Gores’ organization and our partners at the City of Auburn Hills, Oakland County and the State of Michigan on this project, and we’re excited about the prospects for this site.”

Schostak Brothers & Company, a fourth-generation family business, has held a develop-

ment footprint in Michigan for nearly 100 years. Since 1920 and throughout the company’s long history, the firm has executed development, acquisitions and leasing of retail, office, industrial, residential and mixed-use projects in both urban and suburban settings.

Detroit Pistons Vice Chairman Arn Tellem said finding a partner with strong local community presence was a priority.

“We want to work with people who are truly invested in the community and are committed to maximizing the potential of the site,” said Tellem.

“There has been great cooperation and collaboration with the Pistons organization since the team announced it was moving to Detroit,” said Mayor McDaniel. “Recognizing the probability that the property would not continue as an arena, an internal planning activity took place within the City to establish the highest and best use for the land. News of this joint venture with Schostak Brothers aligns with a future for the property that is beneficial to the city while fostering innovation and job creation. ” The Pistons played their final game at the Palace in April 2017 before moving into Little Caesars Arena in downtown Detroit for the 2017-2018 season.

Classified

June 26 - July 2, 2019

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

Page C-4

ANNOUNCEMENTS

ANNOUNCEMENTS

ANNOUNCEMENTS

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Legal Notice

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

On behalf of T-Mobile, this will advise interested members of the general public as follows. T-Mobile intends to install nine telecommunications antennas at a centerline height of 71 feet on a 67-foot building located at 30701 Woodward Avenue, Suite LL, Royal Oak, Oakland County, MI 48072. Members of the public interested in submitting comments on the possible effects of the proposed co-location on properties included in or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places may send their comments to Anna Farrell, Trileaf Corporation representative acting on behalf of T-Mobile, 1821 Walden Office Square Suite 510, Schaumburg, IL 60173 or call at 630-227-0202.

On behalf of T-Mobile, this will advise interested members of the general public as follows. T-Mobile intends to install six telecommunications antennas at a centerline height of 73 feet, 74 feet, and 75 feet on a 66-foot building (with an overall height of 78 feet) located at 26600 Telegraph Road, Southfield, Oakland County, MI 48033.

Members of the public interested in submitting comments on the possible effects of the proposed co-location on properties included in or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places may send their comments to: Camille Neitzel (c.neitzel@ trileaf.com), Trileaf Corporation representative acting on behalf of T-Mobile, 1821 Walden Office Square Suite 510, Schaumburg, IL 60173 or call at 630-227-0202.

On behalf of T-Mobile, this will advise interested members of the general public as follows. T-Mobile intends to install nine telecommunications antennas at a centerline height of 66 feet on an existing 67.36-foot rooftop penthouse located at 30555 Southfield Road, Southfield, Oakland County, MI 48025. Members of the public interested in submitting comments on the possible effects of the proposed co-location on properties included in or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places may send their comments to: Jonathan Sheetz (j.sheetz@trileaf.com), Trileaf Corporation representative acting on behalf of T-Mobile, 1821 Walden Office Square Suite 510, Schaumburg, IL 60173 or call at 630-227-0202.

Academy of Warren Attention: Vended School Meal Companies The Academy of Warren is requesting proposals for school food service vended meals. The Vendor would provide meal services according to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulations and guidelines as well as State of Michigan Department of Education policies and guidelines.

Vendors and/or their representatives may submit proposals to:

Academy of Warren 13943 East 8 Mile Road Warren, MI 48089 The Academy of Warren Board of Education reserves the right to accept or reject any and/or all proposals or to accept the proposal that it finds, in its sole discretion, to be in the best interest of the school district.

A copy of the RFP will be available by email at rbehr@ charterschoolpartners.com June 28, 2019. A mandatory pre-bid meeting is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. on July 9, 2019, at 13943 East 8 Mile Road, Warren MI 48089. Attendance is mandatory.

All proposals must be submitted no later than July 23, 2019, at 10:00 am. All proposals should be delivered in a sealed envelope and addressed to the Academy of Warren and be clearly marked: Food Service Vended Meal Proposal.

FAIR HOUSING CENTER – PUBLIC NOTICE On January 10, 2019, 2018 the parties to Fair Housing Center of Metropolitan Detroit, et al v. Iron St. Properties, LLC., d/b/a River Park Lofts, Boydell Development, Inc., and Dennis Kefallinos, Case No. 5:16-cv-12140 in the U.S. District Court For The Eastern District of Michigan, entered to a Consent Order resolving a housing discrimination lawsuit alleging violations of the Fair Housing Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights of 1968, as amended by the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988, 42 U.S.C. § 3601 et seq., by denying housing units to families with children and making statements to prospective renters that their residential units were “adult only” or that “we don’t take any kids. It’s not a kid-friendly building.”

The properties at issue are as follows: Brooklyn Lofts, 2233 Brooklyn, Detroit, MI 48201; Coat Factory Lofts, 1652 Fort St., Detroit, MI 48216; Grand Lofts, 727 West Grand Boulevard, Detroit, MI 48216; Greektown, 743 Beaubien, Detroit, MI 48226; The Hudson, 1915 W. Fort St., Detroit, MI 48201; John R Lofts, 2627 John R., Detroit, MI 48216; Lafayette Lofts, 1301 W. Lafayette, Detroit, MI 48226; Milwaukee Park Lofts, 2566 East Grand Boulevard, Detroit, MI 48211; River Park Lofts, 227 Iron St., Detroit, MI 48227; Universal Lofts, 505 Lincoln, Detroit, MI 48208.

A Settlement Fund has been established to compensate persons whose rights may have been violated by the Defendants. You may qualify to recover from this fund if you were a prospective tenant denied housing and had or were expecting child(ren).

If you believe you were denied housing, were the recipient of discriminatory statements or otherwise discriminated against in connection with the properties at issue please contact: The Fair Housing Center of Metropolitan Detroit, at 220 Bagley, Suite 1020, Detroit, MI 48226, or by telephone at (313) 963-1274.

You must call on or before September 16, 2019 and leave your name, current residential address, and at least 2 telephone numbers where you may be reached.

MIKE DUGGAN MAYOR, CITY OF DETROIT ADVERTISEMENT REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS/PROPOSALS FOR ARCHITECTURAL/ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR THE ELECTRICAL SERVICE UPGRADES OF THE DIA/DHS/DPL FACILITIES DETROIT, MI 48202 FOR THE CITY OF DETROIT Written responses are requested from interested respondents (“Respondents”) to this request for qualifications and proposals. The purpose of this request is to procure Architectural and Engineering Services from interested professional firms on behalf of the City of Detroit Building Authority (the “DBA”), for the Electrical Service and Distribution Upgrades at the Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit Historical Society, and the Detroit Public Library, Detroit, MI 48202, as more fully described in this Request for Qualification/Proposals (RFQ/P).

Interested respondents may obtain a copy of the RFP and all associated documents at BidSync (www.bidsync.com). The unique request is titled “Architectural/Engineering Services for the Electrical Service Upgrades of the DIA/DHS/DPL” and will be posted the week of June 24, 2019.

A mandatory pre-submittal meeting and site tour will take place at 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit, MI 48202 beginning at 1:00 PM EDT, July 15, 2019.

The DBA will receive the responses, as herein set forth, via the online procurement platform BidSync. Bid Proposals shall be submitted not later than 2:00 PM EDT, on Monday, July 28, 2019.

The Respondent may only submit one response to this Request for Qualifications/Proposals. Participation in more than one submittal team will result in rejection of all responses by that Respondent.

Respondents submitting qualifications may be required to make an oral presentation(s) to designated City representatives. The issuing office, if required, will schedule such oral presentation(s). The Respondent must pay any travel costs incurred for such presentations.

The Respondent must agree to comply with the requirements of the City of Detroit’s Ordinances and Human Rights Department Requirements.

No response to this Request for Qualifications/Proposal may be withdrawn for at least 120 days after the actual opening of the qualifications/proposals. The DBA reserves the right to waive any irregularity in any qualifications/proposals, and to reject any or all qualifications/proposals, should it be deemed in its best interest. If additional information is needed regarding this RFQ, please contact Darryl Young of the DBA at (313) 224-0174.

Darryl Young Detroit Building Authority 1301 Third Street, Suite 328 Detroit, MI 48226 youngda@detroitmi.gov (313) 224-0174

ANNOUNCEMENTS City of Highland Park

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS The City of Highland Park will hold public hearings on the proposed Water Department Budget & Rates and City Engineering Department Budget & Schedule of Fees for Fiscal Year 2020 for the purpose of receiving comments from interested persons.

The public hearings will be held at the regularly scheduled Highland Park City Council meeting at 7:00 pm on July 1, 2019, at Highland Park City Hall, 12050 Woodward Avenue, Highland Park, MI 48203.

A second public hearing will be held at the regularly scheduled Highland Park City Council meeting at 7:00 pm on July 15, 2019, at Highland Park City Hall, 12050 Woodward Avenue, Highland Park, MI 48203.

The purpose of the public hearings is to hear comments and address any concerns the public may have on the proposed budgets for both the Water Department and City Engineering Department.

Written comments can be sent to: City of Highland Park Mr. Damon L. Garrett Water Department Director/City Engineer Customer Service Center 14110 Woodward Avenue Highland Park, MI 48203 MIKE DUGGAN MAYOR, CITY OF DETROIT ADVERTISEMENT REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR THE EIGHTH POLICE PRECINCT ANNEX RENOVATIONS 21533 WEST McNICHOLS ROAD DETROIT, MI 48219 FOR THE CITY OF DETROIT DETROIT POLICE DEPARTMENT (DBA #72-0013/CPO #2915543/SPO #2917464) Written responses are requested from interested respondents (“Respondents”) to this request for qualifications and proposals.

The purpose of this request is to procure construction services to coordinate and manage on behalf of the City of Detroit Building Authority (the “DBA”) the construction, and post construction start-up/commissioning of the adaptive re-use, renovations, and improvements, to the Eighth Police Precinct Annex, located at 21533 West McNichols Road, Detroit, Michigan, 48219, as more fully described in this Request for Qualification/Proposals (RFQ/P).

Interested respondents may obtain a copy of the RFQ/P and all associated documents at BidSync (www.bidsync.com). The unique request is titled “8th Police Precinct Annex Renovations” and will be posted the week of June 24, 2019.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

June 1 - July 4: Fireworks Safety Month

REQUEST FOR QUOTE

The Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) is soliciting RFQ for Computer Laptops, Docking Station and Monitors Control No. 19-2975. RFQ forms may be obtained beginning June 26, 2019 from http://www.mitn.info.

RFQ is due by 3:00 PM ET, July 10, 2019.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL The Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) is soliciting RFPs for Qualifications for Architectural & Engineering Services Control No. 19-2954. RFP forms may be obtained beginning June 25, 2019 from http://www.mitn.info.

RFPs are due by 3:00 PM ET, July 19, 2019.

REQUEST FOR BIDS The City of Highland Park is soliciting bids from qualified City Planning firms to assist with the City’s Master Plan update. The selected Planners will work in conjunction with the Community & Economic Development Department, the City Engineers and the Planning Commission, as well as residents.

The RFP can be found at the Robert Blackwell Municipal Center - 12050 Woodward Ave., Highland Park, MI 48203, or by request by e-mailing Planning Commission Vice-Chair Paul Motley at pmotley@pfalconrealty.com or Community and Economic Development Director, Theresa Johnson at tjohnson@highlandparkmi.gov . Ms. Johnson can also be reached at (313) 252-0050, ext. 257. Submissions should be sent to the City Clerk’s Office in a sealed envelope

by July 17, 2019 at 12:00.

MICHIGAN CHRINICLE ll en’s basketba WCCCD wom AA District wins first MCC ship Champion Game. C3

ronicle Michigan Ch Powered by

Vol. 82 – No.

13-19, 27 | March

Real Times

chronicle.com Media | michigan

2019

n Dr. M. Roy Wilso for Has Delivered Wayne State

By Hiram E.

Jackson

/CEO REAL PUBLISHER

TIMES MEDIA

the was named Roy Wilson of Wayne When M. in the history I can recall 12th president in 2013, if the State University hoping that, hadn’t fiuniversity sethad at least inits man, it keep the nally found who could the right tled on someoneand headed in stitution stable direction.

WilNow, as son’s presidency sixth nears its clear year, it’s been that he has more so much than a caretakstate’s er for our relargest urban search universiWilson ty. Indeed, himhas proven vision- Hiram E. Jackson self to be to and not just ary, smart tedly committed Detroit. wholehear but to all of s acWayne State, university’ a few of the watch: Consider his ents under rate complishm graduation the nt in State’s six-year • Wayne fastest improveme of the Afrihas had the a tripling including rate nation — graduation Coleman its largcan American welcomed

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page INDEPENDENCE

Smart Strategies to Help Pay Off Debt

A mandatory pre-submittal meeting and site tour will take place at the Eighth Police Precinct Annex, 21533 West McNichols Road, Detroit, MI 48219, beginning at 2:00 P.M., Detroit time, on Tuesday, July 9, 2019.

The DBA will receive the responses, as herein set forth, via the online procurement platform BidSync. Bid Proposals shall be submitted not later than 3:00 PM Detroit time, on Monday, July 22, 2019.

The Respondent may only submit one response to this Request for Qualifications/Proposals. Participation in more than one submittal team will result in rejection of all responses by that Respondent.

Respondents submitting qualifications may be required to make an oral presentation(s) to designated City representatives. The issuing office, if required, will schedule such oral presentation(s). The Respondent must pay any travel costs incurred for such presentation in addition to any and all cost incurred in the preparation and submittal of any proposal.

The Respondent must agree to comply with the requirements of the City of Detroit’s Ordinances and Civil Rights, Inclusions and Opportunity Department.

No response to this Request for Qualifications/Proposals may be withdrawn for at least 120 days after the actual opening of the qualifications/proposals. The DBA reserves the right to waive any irregularity in any qualifications/proposals, and to reject any or all qualifications/proposals, should it be deemed in its best interest. If additional information is needed regarding this RFQP, please contact Darryl Young of the DBA at (313) 224-0174.

Darryl Young Project Manager Detroit Building Authority 1301 Third Street, Suite 328 Detroit, MI 48226

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(StatePoint) From car loans to student loans, credit card balances and other revolving debt, U.S. consumer debt is higher today than ever before.

Indeed, that figure now exceeds $4 trillion for the first time, according to CNBC.com 2019 estimates. To reduce and eliminate your own debt, consider the following tips: • Review where your money is being spent. Create a budget for monthly expenses and stick to it.

• Get inspired by expert-touted financial strategies and pick one to follow. One popular example is the debt snowball plan, whereby you pay off bills smallest to largest, no matter the interest rates. Or, use the debt avalanche method, paying off highest interest rate debts first, or balancing transfers to credit cards with the lowest interest rate.

• Fifty-eight percent of Americans report less than $1,000 in total savings, according to a 2018 GOBankingRates survey.

Without an emergency fund, unexpected expenses can quickly become a crisis, throwing you off track. Work toward growing a savings fund, even if it’s just $500 to $1,000.

• If a retirement savings program is offered by your employer, participate. Of Americans 55 and older, 48 percent have nothing put away in a 401K-style contribution plan or individual retirement account, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office. Many employers offer matching programs, which is essentially free money. Don’t leave it on the table!

• If your company offers an employee purchase program, consider enrolling, as this can offer you greater financial flexibility.

One example is Purchasing Power, one of the fastest-growing voluntary benefit providers, which gives workers the option to pay for consumer goods and services over the course of six or 12 months through automatic payroll deduction. With no interest on the purchase, no fees and no credit check, this a viable way to break the cycle of predatory lending options.

“Those high-interest credit cards, payday loans, pawn, title pawn and rent-to-own contracts might all look like lifelines when you’re faced with a necessary expense you can’t immediately afford, but they can be traps leading to compounding interest rates and hidden fees,” says Richard Carrano, Purchasing Power CEO. For more information, visit purchasingpower.com.

• Leverage any other financial wellness benefits offered by your employer, like budgeting tools, financial counseling and automated savings and bill-paying services.

• Engage family members in your efforts. Together, celebrate small wins achieved each week or month. Remember, don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

IT PAYS TO ADVERTISE IN THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

www.MichiganChronicle.com

U.S. Consumer debt may be at an all-time high, but it doesn’t need to be for you personally. Get inspired to gain a solid financial footing.

Classified PROFESSIONAL HELP WANTED

June 26 - July 2, 2019

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

MICHIGAN CHRINICLE

Controls Commissioning Engineer (Grand Rapids, MI), responsible for utilizing controls subsystem installation, commissioning test procedures and checklists for controls hardware and software (PLC), HMI’s and SCADA; and providing support for subsystem electrical installation, interface testing, training, and startup, among other duties. BS & 0 years exp. Education or experience must include: the design and implementation of System PLC Code, controls networks, and integrated motion controllers; and hardware and software applications for LabVIEW platforms. Send resume to Leigh Baker (Code CCE GRMI), TGW Systems, 3001 Orchard Vista Dr. SE, Suite 300, Grand Rapids, MI 49546. No phone calls please. EOE.

HELP WANTED

Public Safety Officer City of Oak Park Oak Park Department of Public Safety is a consolidated Police & Fire Department.

Applicants must have successfully completed 60 semester hours of college credit or have served a minimum of four years active duty military with an Honorable Discharge. Applicants must take and pass the MCOLES Reading and Writing test and the MCOLES Physical Fitness Test by August 29, 2019.

Salary range is $55,148 to $78,787 Current work schedule 12-hour shifts Excellent fringe benefits and retirement plan Application Process: Applications may be picked up in person at the Oak Park Public Safety Dept.

13800 Oak Park Blvd., Oak Park MI 48237 An application may also be obtained by visiting the City of Oak Park website at: www.oakparkmi.gov Applications must be returned by August 30, 2019 at 4:00 p.m.

An ADA/Equal Opportunity Employer

Seeking

SYSTEMS & DATA ANALYST, MACOMB COUNTY OUTREACH AT OAKLAND UNIVERSITY Outreach

Provide technical support to OU’s Macomb County locations in the area of troubleshooting, system changes, updates and upgrades. Maintain equipment inventory, installing, and decommissioning of equipment in accordance with university protocols and procedures. Develop and support Access Database Systems used for reporting including the creation of complex reports, databases, dashboards, infographics, data analytics, and other relevant technologies for forecasting, process improvement, and record management. Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Management Information Systems or closely related field or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience. Two years’ experience in computer operations, installing and maintaining computer hardware, software, and related equipment. Experience using advanced features of tools such as Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, Argos, and Cognos.

Salary is up to the low $60’s. Some early mornings or evening hours will be required for special events. Refer to online posting for additional position requirements. This position is located in Macomb County.

First consideration will be given to those who apply July 9, 2019.

Must apply on line to: https://jobs.oakland.edu

PROJECT ENGINEER IN SOUTHFIELD, MI Dürr Systems Inc. has an available position of Project Engineer in Southfield, MI. Although the Project Engineer will work in Southfield, MI, the Project Engineer will be required to travel 20% of working time to customer sites in the United States, to affiliate in Mexico, & to parent company in Germany. Position requires a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering & 24 months experience as a Mechanical Project Engineer. Position also requires: Exp. must include 24 mos. exp. engineering paint finishing systems. Job duties: Plan & develop customized spray booth system projects. Serve as Specialist in EcoDryScrubber technology. Lead North American effort to localize purchased equipment & fabrication. Engineer paint finishing systems.

ll en’s basketba WCCCD wom AA District wins first MCC ship Champion Game. C3

Seeking

Seeking

ADMINISTRATIVE SECRETARY AT OAKLAND UNIVERSITY

CUSTODIAN I/FACILITIES AT OAKLAND UNIVERSITY

Provide responsible secretary services and operational office assistance. Minimum Qualifications: High school graduation or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Three years progressively responsible secretarial experience. Ability to select, assemble and organize data & edit reports, perform general bookkeeping/clerical accounting. Ability to effectively interact with the public, students, faculty, and staff. Ability to compose routine correspondence and to use a personal computer for intermediate word processing, spreadsheet and data base applications. Salary is $41,297.00 annually.

See online posting for additional position requirements. First consideration will be given to those who apply by July 3, 2018.

Must apply on line to: https://jobs.oakland.edu

Perform cleaning activities and maintain assigned areas in various campus classroom and office buildings and on an emergency basis, perform Grounds related tasks. High school graduation or an equivalent combination of education and experience, ability to use and/or mix various cleaning chemicals, perform physically active work, requires frequent lifting of up to 60 lbs., may work in various weather conditions with extremes heat & cold, also may require a MI driver’s license acceptable to the University’s insurance carrier. Salary is $12.48 per hour probationary, $12.73 per hour upon successful 90 days. Full time position working afternoon shift: MondayThursday: 2:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. – Friday: 10:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. See online postings for additional position requirements. First consideration will be given to those who apply by July 2, 2019.

Must apply on line to: https://jobs.oakland.edu

Counseling

Seeking

DIRECTOR OF ENROLLMENT AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, MACOMB COUNTY OUTREACH AT OAKLAND UNIVERSITY Outreach

Provide leadership in the areas of marketing, recruitment and enrollment management for OU Outreach. Work in collaboration with University Admissions (undergraduate and graduate), marketing and communications, alumni relations and student affairs to grow enrollment as well as programmatic and geographic expansion. Develop programs to increase college-going culture in Macomb County. Assist with oversight of all aspects of OU operations at the Macomb University Center. Minimum Qualifications: Master’s Degree. Three years’ experience in higher education directing admissions and enrollment management including undergraduate and graduate populations. Salary is up to the upper $60’s. Some evening and weekends are required. Refer to online posting for additional position requirements. This position is located in Macomb County.

First consideration will be given to those who apply July 9, 2019.

Must apply on line to: https://jobs.oakland.edu

PROJECT ENGINEER IN SOUTHFIELD, MI Dürr Systems, Inc. has an available position of Project Engineer in Southfield, MI. Although the Project Engineer will work in Southfield, MI, the Project Engineer will be required to travel 30% of working time to customer sites in the United States & Mexico, as well as to parent company in Germany. Position requires a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering & 24 months of experience as an Electrical Engineer. Position also requires: 1) 12 mos. exp. using ePLAN; & 2) 24 mos. exp. designing PLC software.

Exp. reqs. may be met concurrently during the same 24-mo. period. Job duties: Design electrical systems for Paint & Final Assembly Systems using AUTOCAD & ePLAN softwares. Design PLC software using Dürr standard PLC code. Develop HMI (Human Machine Interface) applications using Dürr standard EcoScreen applications. Commission electrical systems at customer sites.

We are an equal opportunity employer & all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, marital or veteran status, the presence of a medical condition or disability, height, weight, or any other protected status. We maintain a drug-free work place & perform pre-employment drug & alcohol testing.

Campus Cleaning Department

Seeking

CUSTODIAN I/FACILITIES AT OAKLAND UNIVERSITY Campus Cleaning Department

ronicle Michigan Ch Powered by

Vol. 82 – No.

13-19, 27 | March

Real Times

chronicle.com Media | michigan

2019

n Dr. M. Roy Wilso for Has Delivered Wayne State

By Hiram E.

Jackson

/CEO REAL PUBLISHER

TIMES MEDIA

the was named Roy Wilson of Wayne When M. in the history I can recall 12th president in 2013, if the State University hoping that, hadn’t fiuniversity sethad at least inits man, it keep the nally found who could the right tled on someoneand headed in stitution stable direction.

WilNow, as son’s presidency sixth nears its clear year, it’s been that he has more so much than a caretakstate’s er for our relargest urban universisearch Wilson ty. Indeed, himhas proven vision- Hiram E. Jackson self to be to and not just ary, smart tedly committed Detroit. wholehear but to all of s acWayne State, university’ a few of the watch: Consider his ents under rate complishm graduation the nt in State’s six-year • Wayne fastest improveme of the Afrihas had the a tripling including rate nation — graduation Coleman its largcan American welcomed

By Trevor W. the school City address,a • Last fall, class in history State of the In his sixth Mike Duggan made est freshman its commitits’s has deepened a provost to reclaim Detroit Mayor for Detroit • The school by creating chief difor job opportuspirited call a leading city progress made ment to inclusion oversee diversity;of Multiculspot as a much praised the position to and an Office nities. He goal already but said versity officer;Engagement toward that to be done. highly tural Student himself a room work remains crowded , Wilson, to pursue before a Meanwhile PreparatoSpeaking access surgeon, continues the English Village trained eye aimed at boosting African at the East Duggan said among for a strategy forward l sciences ry Academy,the city has moved of color. students to the biomedica of $10 million and other areas where invest coalition to a plans Americans he formed Police Departwas in its colleges more Detroit and officer), For instance, universities and to hire 70 ed (civilian Building InfraDetroit-bas (BUILD) ment personnel training programs the NIH-funded Diversity to launch more for job Detroit Promise to decline $4.5M Leading to the structure the drastic prior and expanding the cost of numerous Galled by students Program. estabmed school include covering skilled trades. ns for the in minority arrival, Wilson also certificatio program, Chrysler noting unemployto his 2013Wayne Med-Direct while Ford, and 50 percent lly talented However, lished the exceptiona out of central more than ly it is General Motors, ment is down he acknowledged from traditionalto which guarantees success in shifted their production 1957, while students of recent 1945 and admission from its peak, bly high. high school ring plants to as examplesforward.

Detroit between sented groups unaccepta new manufactuBut not one years still school.

Detroit five underrepre medical everyone building 25 an area. ways we made“If you look moving of underWayne State's he stressed of the city in the metropolit itself.

“In many However, of Duggan said. it has been ahead tly, the number the city Consequen in the School of progress,” of them in focus what’s has been done. ent rate d minorities dismal seven in to 8.5 per- should what’s already been we’re up against at the unemploym a represente “So, what for a long time,” Duggan un- and not from 20 percent 60 last goal for our rose from arrival, to cut in half still have the highest Medicine a central to be in the making after Roy’s we States.”

“We’ve got “We want cent. But the United 2014, a year Duggan said. job oppor- said. nt rate in he was defor pov- future,” employme to creating for strateyear.

Duggan saidnarrative that However, copattern follows have a city committed deputy director the same former program change large The The to and on “35,000 Detroiters planning the years that city admin- termined the last tunities.” erty he said.out of poverty in he said the reverse the had taken root over best bets were to gic scientific the National Institute a good at To that end, Disparities d to plants been moved you can say that’s ordination determine rers, manufacturing and Health he in rural communiand the highest istration was of major manufactu five years Minority Health Institutes of Health,disnew facilities areas. to avoid union we still have States.” of health 70-year trend locating in rural Pro- openmainly in the south, record. Except of the National auto, in the United ties related the challenges ITIES page A2 poverty rate increasing has tackled from con- especiallyhow New York University native, partDetroit by See OPPORTUN a Detroit said He noted city residents forging new parities in Warning s, Duggan Tom Sugrue,that the “Big Three; dollars and well-being of our themselve hments fessor research the wrote gratulating improve other accomplis point and historian nership to there are manycity officials could y. communit he and other

COMMENTARY

Perform cleaning activities and maintain assigned areas in various campus classroom and office buildings and on an emergency basis, perform Grounds related tasks. High school graduation or an equivalent combination of education and experience, ability to use and/or mix various cleaning chemicals, perform physically active work, requires frequent lifting of up to 60 lbs., may work in various weather conditions with extremes heat & cold, also may require a MI driver’s license acceptable to the University’s insurance carrier. Salary is $12.48 per hour probationary, $12.73 per hour upon successful 90 days. Full time position working midnight shift: MondayThursday: 9:00 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. – Friday: 6:00 p.m. – 2:30 a.m. See online postings for additional position requirements.

First consideration will be given to those who apply by July 2, 2019.

Must apply on line to: https://jobs.oakland.edu

Going After the ss Jobs" -Cla it to Reclaim e of Midn dle Calls for Detro therlod es "Mo ss Mayor Dugga Job Opportuniti ng City for SOTC Addre In

See WILSON

page A2

WHAT’S INSIDE

Jazz In The Gardens 2019

$1.00

A Leadi

helping pendence for ses First Inde access to capital gain FDIC leader prai communities underserved

By Trevor W.

C1 City.Life.Style.

It’s Spot As

Coleman

to Detroit recent visit the Federal During a of Chairman (FDIC), the former Company the , praised Deposit Insurance Gruenberg of the state’s Martin J. nt and role controlled manageme American only African , First Indepen-d institution underserve financial in helping ed much-need dence Bank, ies gain communit capital. access to in serving critical role who Citing its residents oods and obtaining neighborh difficulty have otherwise most commercial banks, SVP GovcomPatricia Herndon, loans from Financial nce Bank; said as a designated instiski , VP, Chief Gruenberg Chairnt financial “misFirst Independe Kenneth Kelly, of Directors, Elizabeth Zuchelkow nce is a munity developme on Noel, Board Bankers Association; , Board Director, FDIC, First Independence Independe tution First institution focused FDIC (L-R) Dr. Phares Directors, Michigan ” Martin J. Gruenberg , Board of Development Banking, sion-driven Detroit. nce Bank; ernment Relations, y people of Earl Newsome Independe miserving the Group nce Bank; Minority and Communit question Officer, First no is Independe Montez Miller s play a crit- man & CEO, First “I think there FDIC. PHOTO: National Director, institution J. Rudolph, Deputy to the Director, oods nority deposit Bank; Betty serving neighborh Shively, Acting ical role in A3 and Philip

See FIRST

page INDEPENDENCE

5 Reasons Kids Should Play Outside More

(StatePoint) Whether it’s dance lessons, computer projects, art class or yoga, kids these days are busy bees.

And while such activities are enriching and fun, experts say that many kids aren’t spending enough time doing something much simpler and every bit as important as structured programming: playing outdoors.

playground, are critical for building the confidence and resilience needed to pursue a future career, start a business, or handle life’s many challenges.

• Social Skills: Childhood games played outdoors can help build social skills and teach kids to follow directions. From games as simple as tag, to those with more complicated rules, like “Kick the Can,” “Capture the Flag,” and sports like soccer and basketball, communication, teamwork and other important social skills are developed during outdoor play.

“Finding time for the kids to play outside can be such a challenge for parents,” says Keri Wilmot, a pediatric occupational therapist and an expert contributor to TheGeniusofPlay.org. “As a parent I worry about ‘stranger danger’ or whether my kids will be able to nav- • Problem Solving: Children’s imaginations are often igate social issues on their own. Without spontaneity, stimulated by the world around them. Being outside playtime has lost some of it’s fun.” widens their horizons and can encourage Outdoor play is necessary for kids to tap into their creativity in order to healthy child development, according come up with solutions to challenges, to The Genius of Play. The initiative, such as learning how to build a sandwhose mission is to raise awareness castle or figuring out how to climb up about the importance of play and help a jungle gym. parents make play a critical part of rais• Reducing Stress: So much outdoor ing their kids, is sharing five benefits of play involves physical activity, thrilling unstructured outdoor playtime: moments and a sense of freedom, all of • Physical Development: Research has shown that physically active kids tend to be leaner and healthier, while an inactive childhood can lead to a sedentary (and likely unhealthy) lifestyle in adulthood. Furthermore, physical play builds gross and fine motor skills necessary for success in school and beyond.

Hanging from the monkey bars, for instance, helps kids develop the hand muscles needed to grip a pencil.

• Risk-Taking: Through outdoor play, children are given the opportunity to step outside their comfort zones and try new things.

While taking risks won’t always lead to success on the first try, moments like a first bike ride without training wheels, or the first trip down the big slide in the

which can boost endorphins, helping to lower stress levels and reduce anxiety and depression. Interestingly, simply touching dirt when creating mud pies or digging for worms can be beneficial. According to a Bristol University study, certain types of “friendly” bacteria in soil have been found to activate the group of neurons that produce serotonin, which contributes to a feeling of well-being and happiness. So, don’t be afraid to let your kids get a bit dirty out there!

For play ideas, expert advice and other play resources, visit TheGeniusOfPlay.org.

Playtime is essential for children. To promote health, happiness and confidence, be sure some of it is spent outdoors.

More Women and Minorities Needed for Financial Planning Jobs

Qualified applicants should send resume & verification of reqs. to Kristy Summers, HR Generalist, Dürr Systems, Inc., 26801 Northwestern Highway, Southfield, MI 48033.

Please visit our website for more classified ads.

We are an equal opportunity employer & all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, marital or veteran status, the presence of a medical condition or disability, height, weight, or any other protected status. We maintain a drug-free work place & perform pre-employment drug & alcohol testing.

Qualified applicants should send resume & verification of reqs. to Kristy Summers, HR Generalist, Dürr Systems, Inc., 26801 Northwestern Highway, Southfield, MI 48033.

Page C-5

www.MichiganChronicle.com

IT PAYS TO ADVERTISE IN THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

(StatePoint) Americans’ need for competent and ethical financial advice continues to grow, but the population of professionals who can provide such advice is shrinking.

At the same time, the demographics of wealth in the U.S. are shifting. The average net worth of African American families increased by 30 percent from 2013 to 2016, according to the Federal Reserve.

Women now control more than one-third of wealth in the country, according to The Boston Consulting Group. And an “InvestmentNews” report found the top-fifth of Latinos, or more than 2.1 million households, have an average wealth of more than $400,000.

Not reflecting these changes, however, are the demographics of today’s financial planning workforce.

Less than one-fourth of the more than 84,000 Certified Financial Planner (CFP) professionals are women, and only 3.6 percent are Black or Latino.

The gap between the current state of the financial planning profession and what is needed in this shifting landscape presents big career opportunities for aspiring CFP professionals, particularly female and minority candidates.

“We need more financial planners,” says Brittney Castro, a Los Angeles-based Latina CFP professional. “It’s such a great career. You’re helping people with their money, you make good money, and you have ultimate freedom over your time. That’s a winwin-win.”

Financial planners earn a median pay of $89,000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which also projects that job opportunities within the fi-

nancial advisory industry are expected to grow by 15 percent between 2016 and 2026. This means CFP professionals can enjoy lucrative careers with longterm opportunity and room for growth, all while helping others.

The ways in which diverse financial professionals benefit their communities is multifaceted, according to Justin Sullivan, CFP, an African American investment advisor for a wealth management company in Atlanta. Giving back is a central part of the work, he says, whether through formal financial planning services or simple conversations with people in the community. “I think we take for granted what people know, especially when you talk about groups that have not historically been exposed to wealth.”

Becoming a CFP professional also provides opportunities to serve as a mentor for future generations of financial planners and encourage even greater diversity in the profession. “There are not many of us -- women of color -- who are financial planners, so I have a responsibility,” says Rianka Dorsainvil, a CFP professional in Washington, D.C. “I have to volunteer and raise my hand for leadership positions so other women of color can say, ‘I see her in me, so I can do that too.’”

To learn more about financial planning careers, visit cfp.net/become-a-cfp-professional.

Today’s CFP professionals take pride in meeting the growing need for financial advice, helping people in their community achieve their financial goals, and making a positive difference in their clients’ lives.

Page C-6

• michiganchronicle.com •

June 26 - July 2, 2019

BIG SAVINGS ON THE

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SEE YOUR LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER TODAY! FOR ALL TOYOTA OFFERS AND TO FIND A DEALER NEAR YOU 1. All-New 2019 RAV4 (includes Hybrid). Customers financing through TFS using standard rates qualify for the $1,250 TFS Standard Rate Retail Cash. TFS APR contract term is less than or equal to 72 months. Subject to approved credit. 2. All-New 2019 RAV4 LE FWD Model 4430. Lease based on net cap cost of $23,558. Lease end purchase option $17,193.* 3. Toyota vehicles and components are built using U.S. and globally sourced parts. 4. Cash back direct from Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. 5. New 2019 Highlander LE Model LE L FWD Model 6942. Lease based on net cap cost of $28,408. Lease end purchase option $20,566.* 6. New 2019 Avalon XLE Model 3544. Lease based on net cap cost of $31,484. Lease end purchase option $19,864.* 7. Qualified military personnel and household members of eligible qualifying military personal are eligible for rebates in addition to all other incentives, depending on model, through Toyota Motor Sales USA, Inc., when leased or financed through Toyota Financial Services. Must take retail delivery from select new dealer stock. The Toyota Military Rebate Program is not compatible with the Toyota College Rebate Program. See participating dealer or visit buyatoyota.com for complete details. 8. The Toyota College Rebate Program is not compatible with the Military Rebate Program. See participating dealer or visit buyatoyota.com for complete details. 9. ToyotaCare covers normal factory scheduled service for 2 years or 25,000 miles, whichever comes first. 24-hour roadside assistance is also included for 2 years and unlimited miles. See Toyota dealers for details and exclusions. Valid only in the continental U.S. and Alaska. * NO SECURITY DEPOSIT. Subject to approved credit through Toyota Financial Services. Not all customers will qualify – Tier I PLUS customers ONLY. Excludes state and local taxes, tags, registration and title, and insurance. License and applicable fees are extra. Other options and dealer charges extra. Your payment may vary depending on final price. Lessee may be charged for excessive wear based on Toyota Financial Services standards for normal use and for mileage in excess of 30,000 miles at the rate of $0.15 per mile (low mileage lease). $350 Disposition Fee is due at lease termination. For 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8: Must take retail delivery from new 2019 & 2020 dealer stock between 6/4/19 and 7/8/19. Customer Cash & Lease offers may not be combined. See participating dealer for complete details. Individual dealer prices and document fees may vary. Offers may vary by region. VEHICLE IMAGES USED FOR ILLUSTRATION PURPOSES ONLY. Expiration for these offers is 7/8/19.