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Michigan Chronicle
Vol. 84 – No. 28 | March 17-23, 2021
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American Rescue Plan By Brenda Lawrence and Scott Benson The American Rescue Plan, passed by the House and Senate in the past week and signed into law by President Joe Biden on Thursday, is a historic and unprecedented relief package that will help countless Americans, including low- and middle-income families, small business owners, students, parents, and workers. There is no doubt the $1.9 trillion federal stimulus will have a massive impact on the families within our cities, especially those that have been devastated by the coronavirus pandemic.
Brenda Lawrence Scott Benson The rescue package offers another stimulus check, $1,400 in direct-cash relief, to some Michiganders—or a smaller amount for higher-income earners—and a critical extension of unemployment benefits. It also makes the Child Tax Credit fully refundable and increases the amount to up to $3,600, depending on the child’s age. This transformational action will significantly improve the lives of families across the country and help cut child poverty in half. This is a huge deal. The stimulus package is also the direct, urgent response that Michigan and our cities need by scaling up resources for testing, vaccines, and public healthcare. It will also rescue small businesses and restaurants with much-needed support, as well as help families keep a roof over their heads by providing rental and mortgage assistance. We cannot underscore enough the critical fiscal aid that provides a bridge over troubled waters allowing our municipalities, counties, and state to re-hire workers, avoid additional layoffs, and prevent further reductions of public services. While we understand that the work is not finished, we believe some of these provisions can become permanent. We need to build on the $500 million that’s being allocated so that we can ensure no one in this nation will go without clean, safe, and affordable water. This funding puts us on a much-needed path to improve America’s residential and municipal water pipe infrastructure. We are especially hopeful this relief package moves us a step closer
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Part One of a Three-Part Series on COVID-19
One Year Later COVID-19: The Pandemic, the Pathways, the Politics
By Donald James Special to the Chronicle
On January 21, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., announced that a 35-year-old man in Snohomish County, Wash., just outside Seattle, tested positive for COVID-19. It was the first confirmed case in the United States after the virus’ origin, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), started in Wuhan, China in late-December of 2019. After spreading through Washington and zigzagging state to state across America, on March 10, 2020, Michigan confirmed its first two cases of the coronavirus. The following day, March 11, WHO reclassified the coronavirus from an epidemic to a full-blown pandemic. Six days later, CDC reported that all 50 states had at least one case of coronavirus accounting for 100 deaths. The CDC, as of March 10, 2021, reported more than 527,000 U.S. deaths attributed to COVID19. The death count in Michigan, one year after its first confirmed two cases, is almost 16,000. In Michigan, like most other states, COVID-19 has wreaked havoc, severely impacting every sector of society inclusive of the hospitality industry, schools, large and small businesses, churches, sports and entertainment venues. In essence, America’s economy had not experienced such a dismantlement since the Great Depression. Across the 50 states, governors, county executives, mayors and other stakeholders looked to the federal government for help in confronting and fighting the pandemic. President Donald J. Trump’s administration was slow to respond, after showing no response at one point. In many ways he was in denial, believing at the infancy of the pandemic, the virus was “their new hoax.”
Comerica Bank Relocates to Orchestra Place on Woodward Avenue
“The Democrats are politicizing the coronavirus,” Trump said at a campaign rally in North Charleston, S.C. in late February of 2020. “It is their new hoax to damage me and my administration.”
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Ultimately, the Trump Administration realized COVID-19 wasn’t a hoax. Yet, his administration, even with a Task Force headed by then-Vice President Mike Pence, basically put the onus on each state to fend for themselves. States in some cases were in competition with each other to acquire ventilators and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for
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healthcare professionals to handle the massive hospitalizations. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer drew the ire of Trump early in the Pandemic, when she said on MSNBC that “the federal government did not take this serious early enough. To hear the leader of the federal government tell us to work around the federal government because it’s too slow is kind of mind-boggling.” Whitmer’s comments came on the heels of Trump’s conference call to numerous governors, telling them they are basically on their own in stocking respirators and ventilators. Of course Trump, a Republican, fired back at the Democrat governor of Michigan, who was said to be a possible choice for VP for Joe Biden’s run for president. The verbal exchang-
es between Trump and Whitmer would last through much of 2020. In many ways, the rhetoric was the same between Trump and other “Blue State” elected officials. Nevertheless, Whitmer, through the power of Executive Orders, sought to slow down the spread of the deadly virus. Her first Executive Order aimed at the pandemic was issued on March 10, 2020, the same day that two people in Michigan were confirmed to have COVID-19. Over the ensuing days, weeks and months, she signed many more, including the “Stay Home, Stay Safe,” order which required all Michigan residents to stay in their respective homes unless they are essential workers or getting necessities like food, gas or medicine. Her stayat-home Executive Order was reported by many media outlets to be one of the strictest of its type in the nation. Through 2020, and into the first quarter of 2021, Whitmer’s Executive Orders have had a profound impact on just about every sector of life in Michigan. There were orders that called for the temporary prohibition on large assemblies and events which impacted restaurants,
bars, sporting events, casinos, schools and even houses of worship. As a result, Michigan’s unemployment rate shot to unprecedented levels. While Gov. Whitmer’s many Executive Orders were aimed at keeping Michiganders safe from the raging pandemic, not everyone saw it that way. In October of 2020, after months of litigation pertaining to the governor’s Executive Orders, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled that Whitmer violated her constitutional authority by continuing to issue Executive Orders to fight COVID-19 without state lawmakers’ approval. “The Supreme Court ruling, handed down by a narrow majority of Republican justices, is deeply disappointing,” Whitmer said in a statement following the ruling. “And I vehemently disagree with the court’s interpretation of the Michigan Constitution, Right now, every state and the federal government have some form of declared emergency. With this decision, Michigan will become the sole outlier.” The governor said that even after the Supreme Court ruling takes effect, her directives will remain in place through “alternative sources of authority.” Whitmer’s fight against COVID-19 received a boost when Joe Biden was sworn in as America’s 46th President on January 20, 2021. Whitmer now has an ally in the White House who takes the pandemic seriously and is guided by science and other tools needed to bring the pandemic to a halt. With stopping the pandemic as his No. 1 priority, Biden formed the COVID19 Health Equity Task Force, quickly picking Michigan’s Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, an African American woman, to serve on his team. Khaldun, the chief medical advisor for Whitmer’s Michigan Coronavirus Task Force, was instrumental in compiling and making public COVID-19 case data by race, which showed African Americans representing high numbers of cases and deaths caused by coronavirus. In addition, Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist, who is African American, heads Michigan’s COVID-19 Taskforce on Racial Disparities which was created by Whitmer in April of 2020. The Taskforce, under Gilchrist’s leadership, addresses fears, distrusts, concerns and questions of systemic inequities and racism in the healthcare system that traditionally overlook African Americans. Gilchrist is encouraging African Ameri-
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DETROIT SEVEN-DAY FORECAST CLOUDY
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One Year Later
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cans and other people of color to get the vaccine to fight the virus. “The presence of a vaccine only matters if people get vaccinated. … It will be critical that we vaccinate as many people as possible,’’ Gilchrist said at a recent press conference. While Gilchrist and Khaldun have worked diligently on behalf of addressing racial disparities, Wayne County Executive Warren Evans wants more equity pertaining to vaccinations. “I am fighting to ensure Wayne County receives the number of doses it needs based on a fair and equitable formula that reflects our population, the higher social vulnerability of many of our residents and our status as Michigan’s most diverse county,” Evans said in late January. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is equally concerned about vaccinations for a city with a huge Black population. After the mayor made controversial comments recently about not wanting the Johnson & Johnson oneshot vaccine for Detroiters, he walked his words back during his State of the City address on March 9. After admitting that his research on Johnson & Johnson should have been better, Duggan announced that the company would occupy space at the city’s new vaccination site at the Northwest Activity Center on Detroit’s westside. The new site, in addition to the downtown TCF Center where the
city’s Health Department has already administered 120,000-plus vaccines, is important. “What I want to do is give Detroiters two choices,” Duggan said. “You can go to the main oneshot center at the Northwest Activity Center, or you can come down to the TCF Center for the two shot vaccines. We will then build out to the community, where we will have vaccine activities at churches and recreation centers, where the oneshot Johnson & Johnson will be available or the two-shots by Pfizer and Moderna. Please get vaccinated and let’s get our city going again.” Duggan also touts the importance of the Biden-Harris administration’s goal of at least 100 million doses of the vaccine to be administered in Biden’s first 100 days in office. Whitmer is also in lockstep with the president’s overall vision for Michigan and the nation to move forward. In January of 2021, Whitmer unveiled Michigan’s COVID Recovery Plan, which she believes will spark Michigan’s economy and bring an end to the pandemic. Michigan House Republicans subsequently released their own recovery plan. “To help grow and strengthen our economy, we must provide crucial support for our families, small businesses and frontline workers,” Whitmer said in a press release statement. “The MI COVID Recovery Plan will help small businesses get through the winter, help us put more shots in arms
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and ramp up vaccine distribution and get our kids back on track in school. It’s the right thing to do to protect public health and jumpstart our economy. I’m ready to work with the legislature to get it done.” On March 2, 2021, at a coronavirus press conference, Whitmer announced relaxed COVID restrictions, which included restaurants and bars to operate at 50 percent capacity, up from 25 percent. An increase in capacity was also announced for retail establishments, casinos, gyms, stadiums and entertainment facilities. One year after the pandemic hit Michigan, hope is in the air for the state and nation. Biden’s American Rescue Plan Act of $1.9 trillion is being touted by many, but not all, as the stimulus package that will tremendously assist Americans and greatly boost the country’s economy. It should be noted that
Trump signed two stimulus packages while in office: March 27, 2020 ($2 trillion), and December 27, 2020 ($900 billion). Yet, the hallmark of Biden’s massive stimulus package, which the President is expected to sign before March 12, features $1,400 going to many Americans; $160 billion for COVID-19 strategies to manufacture, distribute and set up more vaccination sites; $350 billion in aid to state and local governments; an extension of federal unemployment benefits, and more. “It’s big, and it’s bold,” Biden said of his record-setting stimulus package in a recent White House speech. “My plan not only addresses the immediate crisis we’re in, but it’s better for the longterm economic health of our nation and our competitiveness. It’s time to act. We can put people back to work and school safely. We can gain control of this virus.”
MICHIGAN CHRONICLE • 1452 Randolph • DETROIT, MI 48226
Rescue Plan
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to ending water shutoffs by creating a permanent Low-Income Sewerage and Water Assistance Program (LISWAP), similar to the permanently funded Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) that ensures low-income families have energy and heat year-round. The American Rescue Plan will help strengthen Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, reducing the numbers of uninsured Michiganders and making healthcare coverage more affordable and accessible for people who have been hardest hit by this pandemic. It further delivers relief to those who have disproportionately borne the brunt of this crisis, including women and people of color. The COVID relief bill provides
funding for childcare, community health centers, broadband, schools and so much more to help our communities overcome the pandemic.
Promises made, promises kept. The American Rescue Plan is a big win for Detroit, Michigan, and Americans across the country. Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence, a Democrat, represents Michigan’s 14th District in the U.S. House of Representatives. Councilmember Scott Benson represents Detroit’s 3rd District, is the immediate Past President of the Democratic Municipal Officials, and a former member of the Democratic National Committee’s executive committee.
ADVOCATING FOR EQUITY AND JUSTICE DOESN’T STOP FOR A PANDEMIC. During the COVID-19 crisis and anytime, social work professionals continuously unite our community. And through the month of March, National Social Work Month, the Wayne State University School of Social Work and its Board of Visitors proudly pay tribute to our frontline social workers. These professionals have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic, leading the fight for equity and striving for a community built on social change.
Sheryl Kubiak, Dean Wayne State University School of Social Work
Alice Thompson, Chair Wayne State University School of Social Work Board of Visitors
Shirley Gray, Vice Chair Wayne State University School of Social Work Board of Visitors
To our social work heroes, on behalf of the Wayne State School of Social Work and its Board of Visitors, thank you for a job well done — for your community and for the world.
socialwork.wayne.edu
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| March 17-23, 2021
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Comerica Bank opened the relocated Orchestra Place banking center located right along Woodward in the Midtown business district.
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Comerica Bank Relocates to Orchestra Place on Woodward Avenue Comerica’s Orchestra Place banking center opened its doors in October 2020 and is located at the corner of Woodward Ave. and Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd (3663 Woodward Ave., Suite 140). The bank location resides next to the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center – home to the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.
Orchestra Place now features Comerica’s new interior design and layout to enhance the customer’s experience.
Orchestra Place also integrated an updated interior design focused on the customer experience. “While the delivery of services and customer connections undoubtedly have been different this past year, our continued commitment to enhancing our full-service banking experiences remains a priority,” said Mike Ritchie, Comerica Bank Michigan Market President. Comerica Bank is the only bank with at least 20 banking centers in the city of Detroit. Along with Orchestra Place, Comerica’s banking center locations along or near Woodward Ave. include Renaissance Center, Penobscot Building, Comerica Bank Center (CBC; opened in December 2019), W. Grand Boulevard and Third Avenue (opened in November 2019) and Woodward Avenue and Margaret Street. “Comerica is committed to our Michigan customers and businesses, and we look forward to serving our customers and expanding relationships from these banking center locations,” said Cassandra McKinney, Executive Director of the Retail Bank.“Though we’re seeing an increase in banking through our digital channels, we are dedicated to our local communities, and our full-service banking centers remain an integral part of our relationship-based banking.” The Orchestra Place location, which opened Oct. 13, replaces Comerica’s Midtown banking center (4 East Alexandrine, Detroit), and provides lobby service Monday-Thursday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Friday 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Located at 663 Woodward Ave., Suite 140, Comerica Orchestra Place banking center offers lobby service Monday-Thursday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Friday 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Learn more about Comerica’s locations and banking options at www.comerica.com.
In Her Own Words Provides Safe Place for Young Women to Discuss World Issues
Always seeking new ways to connect with the communities it serves, Comerica Bank participated in a unique virtual discussion with 45 southeast Michigan high school girls on the myriad challenges they face from the COVID-19 pandemic to incidents of racial inequality, as well as the insurgent attack on the U.S. Capitol. The Feb. 9th discussion was part of the In Her Own Words program coordinated by the group Women of Tomorrow’s Birmingham, Mich. branch. Linda Nosegbe, Comerica External Affairs Market Manager, Southeast Michigan, was one of the conversation’s facilitators along with LaShawn Jimenez Vice President in Comerica’s Wealth Management division and Carmen Branch, Vice President Corporate Communications & Marketing group. She explains the 90-minute discussion was a kind of “safe space” where the young ladies could be themselves and speak about their feelings regarding what’s going on in the world. “You’re hearing these young ladies who are supposed to be kids in school and they’re talking about things adults
invited Comerica to participate which Nosegbe says she readily accepted. “We reached out to them because this year Comerica is placing an emphasis women, girls and seniors. This is in addition to our ongoing pandemic relief efforts.” explained Nosegbe. The conversations were led by Charmaine Brown, President of the Greater Detroit Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Leaders (NAWBO). Comerica representatives helped facilitate the virtual event, which also included several breakout discussions.
Linda Nosegbe, Comerica Bank Southeast Michigan External Affairs Market Manager are talking about.” said Nosegbe. “It was thought provoking and insightful on racial injustice and inequality and having these young ladies talk about experiences from their own lenses.” Nosegbe recalled one student who felt January’s attack on the U.S. Capitol building would not have gone on as
Charmaine Brown, NAWBO Greater Detroit President
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long as it did if the participants were mainly people of color, inferring they might have been met with violence from authorities.
Comerica’s involvement came about during a conversation between Nosegbe and Jill Harris, executive director of Women of Tomorrow’s mentor and scholarship program. Nosegbe said she was seeking ways for Comerica to connect with partners in the community. That’s when Harris mentioned the In Her Own Words program and
She also told of one student who said she was very extroverted and missed not being able to socialize or go on vacations, despairing, “the whole pandemic is getting to me.”
Nosegbe says she was both inspired and optimistic after hearing the extremely honest and personal accounts from the young ladies she characterized as “our future.” Their messages, she said, reflect the hopes we all have. “Everyone just wants a better life, a better future,” Nosegbe explained. “They want things to be fair and just. If we’re going to see people as a race, see us as a human race, not Black, White or Brown” Hearing these young ladies speak gave me hope for the future.”
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Shaun Wilson (left); President and Chief Executive Officer, Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan
Portia Roberson (middle); Chief Executive Officer, Focus: HOPE
Red Wings celebrate Game Changers honoree Portia Roberson CEO of Detroit’s Focus: HOPE honored for extensive work with community youth and seniors
By Josh Berenter @DetroitRedWings / DetroitRedWings.com
DETROIT -- The Detroit Red Wings’ Game Changers series recognized its third honoree of Black History Month, Portia Roberson -- chief executive officer of Focus: HOPE. Focus: HOPE is a non-profit organization founded after the Detroit riots in 1967 with the goal of overcoming racism and poverty by providing education and training for under-represented minorities and other members of the community. The Detroit-based organization provides several inclusive services, including workforce development training, a food for seniors program, early education programs and many other incredible initiatives, all done under the lens of advocacy and equity. Roberson joined the Focus: HOPE team as CEO in 2018, bringing strategic and inclusive leadership with a focus on moving the organization forward. Roberson said she’s honored to give back to families in the community where she grew up. “I was very fortunate, my family didn’t need the services of Focus: HOPE, but I knew about it and grew up not too far from Focus: HOPE, and I just thought this was an opportunity to really give back,” Roberson said. “Ultimately, I’m most grateful for the opportunity to serve. The gratefulness that people have for us, the sense of what we’re doing makes a difference for them, makes all the work worth it.” Detroit Red Wings and Tigers director of community impact Kevin Brown said Roberson embodies the Game Changers ideal of making a positive impact in the lives of Detroiters and establishing a profound influence in the areas of youth education, wellness or hockey participation. “When we were searching for our Game Changers honorees, Portia Roberson instantly came to mind,” Brown said. “For years, she has been a powerful voice in moving the city forward. Now with Focus: HOPE, Portia is bringing her voice and unique background to expand opportunities and resources across Detroit for children and families to succeed.” Roberson, who is a lifelong Detroiter as a Cass Tech High School graduate with a Juris Doctorate from Wayne State University Law School, said she’s thrilled to be honored by the Red Wings, especially because of the Wings’ commitment to making hockey accessible for inner-city and under-represented children in Detroit. “I’m a Detroiter, born and raised. I know the Red Wings like the back of my hand. Being honored by the NHL and the Red Wings, specifically, is just huge,” Roberson said. “It’s sort of opening doors for African American kids to look at hockey as a possible avenue. Traditionally, we look at basketball and football, and not necessarily baseball and hockey as accessible sports, but I think you’ll see more kids of color getting involved in hockey and baseball moving forward.” Prior to her work with Focus: HOPE, Roberson was a group executive for the City of Detroit’s Civil Rights, Inclusion and Opportunity Department, where she worked tirelessly to ensure all major economic development projects in the city hired Detroit-headquartered or Detroit-based businesses, allowing Detroit workers more opportunities for employment. She also worked under Detroit mayor Mike Duggan, U.S. attorney general Eric Holder and in the Obama administration, gaining experience as a fighter for social justice and equality on a local and national level. Roberson said Focus: HOPE is attempting to continue the recent momentum of the nationwide social justice movement by placing a heavy emphasis on equality and inclusion through anti-racism training and unconscious bias education. “We’re doing significant anti-racism training with different organizations and corporations,” she said. “But it really is about addressing how we all have some biases and identifying what that looks like, something that you may be unaware of. We’re a lot less conscious of little things that we may be doing, but unconscious bias can be prevalent everywhere.” Roberson said people are finally starting to understand how serious social injustice has been in metro Detroit and throughout the country, slowly but surely resulting in increased unity. “So much went on in 2020 that it’s hard to stay focused on any one particular thing, but I think what we’re seeing is kind of a reset towards coming together,” she said. “It sounds kind of corny, but the reality is, we’re so much stronger when we’re all together. “We don’t have to agree on everything, but talking to one another and coalescing around the idea of fairness for everybody, justice for everybody, equality for everybody; we do it better when we are talking to one another and understanding other people’s point of view.” One of the aspects of 2020 that made it difficult to focus on granular facets of social injustice was the COVID-19 pandemic. Roberson said Focus: HOPE quickly sprung into action when the pandemic hit to ensure the organization continued running smoothly and continued serving people in need. “We were really lucky.We pivoted on day one, so we’ve not closed our doors at all,” Roberson
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
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Shawn Wilson
During Black History Month, the Detroit Red Wings recognized and celebrated Black community members making a positive impact on the lives of young Detroiters. In partnership with Comerica Bank, the Game Changers series honored one community member per week throughout the month of February who is making a profound difference in the areas of youth education, youth wellness or hockey participation. Each honoree receives a $1,000 grant dedicated to the charity of their choice from the Red Wings. The Red Wings final two Game Changers in February were Portia Roberson of Focus: HOPE and Shawn Wilson of Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan. The Detroit Red Wings believe Hockey is for Everyone. On the ice, in the locker room and in our community, hockey welcomes all. Throughout the year, the Red Wings celebrate and elevate ongoing work to support diversity, equity and inclusion for children in Michigan. To read more about the Red Wings’ commitment to equality, visit DetroitRedWings.com/Equality. said. “During COVID, so many seniors have been isolated in their homes, unable to get to a grocery store and unable to have their families bring them food. “With our food for seniors program, we go out and do our deliveries, and the reaction that you get is priceless. They’re really, really grateful for us. And I think it reminds us, even in this bubble that we’re all living in, that we’re all connected to one another.” Roberson said in addition to serving more than 41,000 metro Detroit seniors, Focus: HOPE also revved up its digital presence to combat the pandemic, providing virtual training and education in a safe and socially distanced environment. “We started doing our workforce training virtually. We made sure our students could do training from home, so we provided devices for students who didn’t have them,” she said.“One of the best things I’ve seen this year has been the dedication with which our students have shown. We converted to virtual for our workforce training, and watching students stay committed to instruction over a computer all day has been incredible. “They know that the avenue toward the life they want could be through this training, and they’re 100-percent committed. We’re really proud of that, and we’ll continue to help as many people as we can moving forward.” Roberson said the Red Wings Game Changers series is shining an important light on all the struggling families and children in the Detroit community, and is showcasing several ways people can get help. “I think what the Red Wings are doing by honoring the Game Changers is bringing attention to the organizations that we’re involved with to let them know that we’re continuing this work and we always need more help,” Roberson said. “So many families need help from Focus: HOPE. I hope this honor helps people realize there’s always a need to help others, and we have to step up and continue to provide help for those in need.” For more information on all the services that Focus: HOPE provides, visit FocusHope.edu or call 313-494-5500.
than 25 years, Wilson has dedicated his life to creating economic mobility opportunities for underserved communities. The 46-year-old Atlanta native has started more than 25 social impact organizations throughout his career and has worked tirelessly to develop unique ways for underrepresented children to succeed. Red Wings and Tigers director of community impact Kevin Brown said Wilson had a hand in developing the Wings’ groundbreaking Learn, Play, Score program in February 2020 and is a pioneer in professionalizing celebrity philanthropy for greater social impact. “As a key partner on our Learn, Play, Score platform, we have seen Shawn’s immense impact firsthand,” Brown said. “With his wealth of experience, Shawn has taken the local Boys & Girls Clubs to new heights in a very short period of time. The future is truly bright for thousands of children in metro Detroit and beyond because of Shawn and his talented team.” Wilson joined the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan in November 2018, hoping to turn what has traditionally been an after-school drop-off center into an economic mobility hub for young Detroiters to thrive. “The Boys & Girls Club is a legacy brand. The brand has been around for 160 years, and our organization has been around for 95 years. That longevity has sustained for a reason,” Wilson said. “But I saw the opportunity to reimagine the impact as a neighborhood economic mobility hub for youth entrepreneurship. We make sure the youth are career, startup and homeowner-ready by the time they leave our clubs. That’s how we define economic mobility.” The Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Detroit is the first of its kind in the country to offer co-working space to entrepreneurs--primarily
entrepreneurs of color and females--and also sublease their space to entrepreneurs. “Because of that, we’ve been able to put $1.8 million directly into the pockets of Black and Brown entrepreneurs over the last two years,” said Wilson, whose leadership style has been featured in the New York Times and during keynote speeches at MIT and Harvard. “Those entrepreneurs then create jobs for our youth, so that’s how we’re able to break the poverty cycle and revitalize neighborhoods, because we’re playing a much bigger role than just that drop-off center.” Wilson said he’s enthused to play a role in the continued momentum of the recent social justice, equality and inclusion movement, but said there’s still a mountain of work to be done to overcome a system designed for underrepresented communities to fail. “We have to treat the core root of the problem, which is the cycle of generational poverty,” he said.“Historically, Black and Brown people have been denied the same level of access to resources to buy homes and they’ve been denied access to funding for startups.And from a career standpoint, so often, Black and Brown people aren’t able to find the same trajectory in corporate America as others are. “So we need to attack that.We need to attack the system that leads to those things and then we need to attack the barriers for the communities to be able to go up the ladder in each of those areas.” The CEO said that for children in underrepresented communities to find success, it’s crucial for them to be able to see people who look like them succeed. “Representation matters in corporations and nonprofits. Over a 95-year history, I’m the first African American CEO to run this organization,” Wilson said. “That representation matters the most when kids can look up to the CEO and see someone who looks like them, who came from a similar background. “I’ve had so many kids come up to me and say they want to be CEO of a Boys & Girls Club. And I think that’s a powerful statement because they can now see themselves being a CEO.” Wilson said he’s blessed to be in a position where he can impact so many young lives and he’s humbled by being named as one of four Red Wings Game Changers. “It’s humbling because I don’t think we do this work for accolades, we do it for the impact,” Wilson said. “Any time you are recognized for the work, it gives you an opportunity to pause and briefly reflect on how blessed you are to be in a position to make a positive impact. “I realize to be in a position where you can literally change someone’s life, even if it’s one person, that’s powerful. So it’s a blessing to be able to impact youth and communities. And opportunities like this give you a chance to briefly pause, reflect on that and then get back to work.” Wilson said the Game Changers series can become a significant tool in creating sustained change in metro Detroit and beyond. “I think what the Red Wings are doing with the Game Changers is powerful because the Red Wings are part of this community,” he said. “It shows they recognize those on the ground making an impact on a daily basis, and I think that’s powerful because the Red Wings deal with influencer brands every day. “Athletes are influencers, and the Red Wings are recognizing a different group of influencers. I think when these two different types of influencers can come together, that’s where additional change can happen and we can take change to the next level.” As a Game Changers honoree, Wilson will join Stephens, Sweeney and Roberson in being celebrated at the Red Wings’ game this Thursday at Little Caesars Arena where each honoree will receive a personalized jersey, a Game Changers plaque and a $1,000 grant dedicated to the charity of their choice. For more information on the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan, visit BGCSM.org or call 248-473-1400.
CB-258244-01 (3) COVID-19 Community Comerica Ad MM.pdf 1 4/8/2020 9:59:01 AM
Red Wings celebrate Shawn Wilson as a Game Changers honoree Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan CEO is recognized for his pioneering efforts to help young entrepreneurs succeed
By Josh Berenter @DetroitRedWings / DetroitRedWings.com
DETROIT -- The Detroit Red Wings wrapped up Black History Month’s Game Changers series as the organization proudly honors Shawn Wilson, president and chief executive officer of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan. Wilson joins other February Game Changers honorees Kenyatta Stephens, Khali Sweeney and Portia Roberson as community members who are making a profound difference in youth education, youth wellness or hockey participation, making a positive impact on the lives of young Detroiters. As a social and tech entrepreneur for more
Comerica means Community. At Comerica Bank, the well-being of our customers, employees and communities is our priority. For over 170 years, we’ve been helping customers weather every economic climate. As the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has had an unprecedented impact on the businesses and the people in our communities, we stand ready to help. Let us Raise Your Expectations® of what a bank can be in times like these.
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9 Ways You Can Support Small Businesses Today By Kevin Johnson Thanks to the State of Michigan, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the Michigan Strategic Fund, the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation has administered more than $15 million in grants to Detroit small businesses since the COVID-19 crisis began. These grants resulted from three relief programs created to support small businesses disproportionately impacted by the Gatherings and Face Mask Order: Michigan Small Business Relief Program launched in March 2020 and awarded $800,000 to Detroit-based small businesses. This was combined with additional funding from the Economic Development Corporation of the City of Detroit for a total of $4 million distributed to over 740 Detroit small businesses by DEGC. Michigan Small Business Restart Program ran from July to August 2020 and provided $7.25 million in aid to more than 900 Detroit small businesses.
Kevin Johnson
Michigan Small Business Survival Program offered grants of up to $20,000 to businesses that were fully closed as the result of the order, and up to $15,000 to business that were partically closed. In February, DEGC distributed $4.06 million in Survival Program funds to 375 Detroit small businesses in just three weeks. More than 72 percent of grant dollars were awarded to minority-owned businesses, 53 percent to Black-owned businesses and 49 percent to women-owned businesses. A complete list and map of program recipients are located at degc.org. Funds from these relief programs are being used by business owners to assist with payroll, rent, mortgage payments, utilities and other similar expenses. Today, more than a year into the COVID-19 crisis, we have much to be grateful for: • The number of confirmed COVID cases and COVID-related deaths continues to decline in Detroit; • More of our residents continue to be deemed eligible to receive a COVID vaccination; • Some capacity restrictions on small businesses have recently been eased by Governor Whitmer; and • $15 million in grant dollars is in the hands of Detroit business owners. There’s no denying that all of this is very good news. However, while grants, forgivable loans and other relief packages help businesses stay afloat short-term, the only true solution to business sustainability is customer revenue. Restaurants, neighborhood bars, retailers, childcare centers, barbers and other businesses need the financial support only customer sales can provide. The duty of protecting small businesses as economic drivers in the City of Detroit is not the job of non-profits, governments or philanthropy alone. If we want to have vibrant commercial corridors in our communities once the pandemic passes, we must act now. That means prioritizing and being passionate about shopping local. Here are just a few actions you can take today: • Shop online at local stores • Order takeout or delivery • Buy gift cards or subscriptions from local small businesses • Leave positive reviews for local businesses on Yelp, Google or other social channels • Keep your gym membership and participate in virtual classes • Donate items to local resale shops • Support fundraisers to help a business survive • Petition your local legislator for more small business relief • Wear your mask where and when required while visiting businesses Every day I talk with small business owners about the impact of COVID on their operations. As you can imagine, their emotions often run from exhausted to optimistic. However, they all share one wish - the urgent desire to “get back to business.” These entrepreneurs want to open their doors wide, serve their communities, provide quality products and services, and make a decent living for themselves and their families. Let’s help them do that by spending our dollars here at home.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer, President and CEO of Ignition Media Group Dennis Archer Jr and WWJ city beat reporter Vicki Thomas.
Pancakes and Politics 2021 kicks off featuring one-on-one with Gov. Whitmer By Megan Kirk Pancakes & Politics is back for the 2021 and the first program of the season is not one to be missed. Presented virtually, the first forum will address topics important to Detroiters and will feature Governor Gretchen Whitmer as a panelist. As the country faces the one-year mark of the pandemic businesses, schools and the community are finding their footing in the new normal. Governor Whitmer, since the first reported case of COVID-19, has used her powers to execute safety measures to keep the state and all Michiganders safe. In one of her first actions in the fight against the virus, the governor initiated a stay-at-home order and suspended in-person learning for K-12. Students and teachers are still grappling with the new way of teaching and learning. “My number one priority right now is protecting Michigan families from the spread of COVID-19. For the sake of our students, their families and the more than 100,000 teachers and staff in our state, I have made the difficult decision to close our school facilities for the remainder of the school year,” said Governor Whitmer during a 2020 press conference. “As a parent, I understand the challenge closing schools creates for parents and guardians across the state, which is why we are setting guidelines
UpNext: UpNext is an editorial series highlighting eight burgeoning business and real estate developers who are impacting Detroit’s economic mobility. Presented by the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, the series highlights Detroit professionals who are leaders, innovators, and influencers in their industry and community. This week’s UpNext profile is Krysta Pate. Pate, a lifelong Detroiter, is the Midwest program director for Community Reinvestment Fund (CRF), USA, an organization committed to providing financial solutions for all people. In her time with CRF, she oversaw the Detroit Home Mortgage Program, which sought to turn renters into homeowners. She managed a $40 million joint fund with multiple banks and collaborated with near a dozen housing counseling agencies. Pate is also the owner and principal consultant of The Homeownership Initiative Consulting (THIC), LLC, a micro-firm that explores and advises on single-family strategies focused on creat-
for schools to continue remote learning and ensuring parents have resources to continue their children’s education from the safety of their homes. There is no video chat or homework packet that can replace the value of a highly trained, experienced teacher working with students in a classroom, but we must continue to provide equitable educational opportunities for students during this public health crisis.” Now, the governor has faced not only scrutiny from opposition across the state and the federal government but was also the target of a 2020 domestic terrorism kidnapping plot hatched by extremists who disagreed with her handling of the pandemic. Despite their efforts, Governor Whitmer has remained vigilant in her mitigation of the virus in Michigan. In March, the governor announced Michigan is one of few states in the country that is set to receive a regional community vaccination site to help hit the goal of 70 percent of Michiganders vaccinated in an eight-week period. “The safe and effective vaccine is the best way to protect Michiganders and their families, and it is essential to getting our country back to normal so that we can all hug our loved ones, get back to work and send our kids to school safely,” said Governor Whitmer. “I want to thank President Biden and FEMA for the opportunity to build one of the na-
tion’s first community vaccination sites to service the entire Southeast Michigan region. Over one million Michiganders of all races have already been safely vaccinated, and this site will help us to reach our goal of equitably vaccinating 70 percent of Michiganders who are 16 years or older more quickly. Ramping up vaccine distribution will also help our economy recover faster and help save our small businesses that have been hit hard by the pandemic. Let’s get to work, and let’s get it done.” Now starting its 16th year, Pancakes & Politics has become a time-honored event and has hosted several big names including former mayors Kwame Kilpatrick and Dave Bing, Chairman and CEO of Quicken Loans Dan Gilbert, Jennifer Granholm former Detroit mayor and current mayor Mike Duggan. Originally introduced in 2006, Pancakes & Politics has been a staple for the Black community providing a platform for changemakers, influencers and government officials to voice community concerns, discuss solutions and affect change for the region. This event will be hosted by President and CEO of Ignition Media Group Dennis Archer Jr and WWJ city beat reporter Vicki Thomas. The 2021 Pancakes & Politics Forum I will take place March 25, 2021. To register, visit The Michigan Chronicle Facebook page.
Krysta Pate Works to Increase Black Homeownership and Financial Literacy
Krysta Pate ing homeownership opportunities for underserved populations and economically challenged communities. “If you think about the city of Detroit, most people don’t know that we have a very unique make-up. Between 75-80 percent of our property is single-family, so nationally, that’s very unique. Just like we did with Motown and automobiles, people should know that for housing and affordable housing strategies, the nation looks to Detroit for that,” said Pate. After initially wanting to pursue biology, Pate discovered her financial literacy passion after becoming a bank teller.
“When I worked at the bank as a teller, the everyday people that looked like me and came in the bank I got to know well. You get to see some of the struggles,” said Pate. “For me, learning financial knowledge at the bank at being able to share it and watch it transform people’s lives that was very fulfilling, and I wanted to do more.” With CRF USA, Pate’s current focus is on creating solutions for small businesses, particularly for Blackowned and micro businesses. She has found that her finance background has correlated well in helping to secure funding. “In the last rounds of PPP, looking at how CRF was performing nationally, Detroit came in as one of the top three cities where we were able to money in the hands of businesses.” Governor Whitmer appointed Pate to the State Land Bank Authority board of directors, where Pate serves as vice-chair. The Michigan State Land Bank Authority manages 2,600 across the state. “It’s a very important role.
I really respect that work. It’s about how land banks interact with their communities, how they sell properties back to communities. It’s really up my alley, and I’m happy to be apart of it,” said Pate. As far as Detroit specifically, Pate says that the time to buy is now for those seeking homeownership. “Real estate does have value in the city of Detroit,” said Pate. “Sometimes, I think because we’ve grown up in Detroit, we don’t realize that, and now there are other people that are taking advantage of it. I would like to see Black people take advantage of buying homes in the city…We should be buying property.” There are free housing counseling agencies across Detroit. According to Pate, first-time homebuyers or those who haven’t owned a home in three years could qualify for down payment assistance grant money just by attending a housing counseling session. Sessions also provide a home-buying action plan. “Looking online [for homes] casually is one thing,
See KRYSTA
PATE page A6
Page A-6 • michiganchronicle.com • March 17-23, 2021
To Code Switch or Not? Locals, Experts Discuss Code-Switching While Navigating White Spaces By Sherri Kolade Many of us do it without thinking when we’re at work. Speaking on the phone with others outside of our community or in different professional elements where a more “buttoned-up” version of ourselves shows up to work or elsewhere. Code-switching. According to the dictionary, it is the practice of alternating between two or more languages (or dialects) in conversation. But then we’re off the clock. We snap back and ease up when hanging with our people, our family, our friends. Mauve over a good meal -- relaxed and at ease, we let the easy conversation flow from our lips, and, if a good song comes on, it resonates in our hips with ingrained movements that we all know too well from seeing our kinfolk dance, talk and move. Or even seeing how the generations before us get down. And then when it’s back to the grind we may, or may not, codeswitch again depending on circumstance and situation. Since the pandemic, in the comfort of our own homes, and often behind a computer screen (sometimes cameras turned off) how do Black people show up to work? Why do some codeswitch? Some locals and experts share their why -- or why not. Steven Chisholm, councilperson for the City of Inkster and the director of Constituent Services for State Rep. Jewell Jones, said that code-switching means to him the art of communicating with both your culture and others given the environment or circumstances at hand. “I believe I code-switch quite often. The environment in which I function changes quite frequently. I go from communicating with the upper echelon to some of the most impoverished at any given time,” he told The Michigan Chronicle. “Whether it’s over the telephone or in person, I have to be able to adapt in an effort to communicate with them and quite frankly make them feel comfortable.” He added that he sees Black professionals using it as a means to be well-rounded. “At least I do. Some of my peers may detest it, but this is where we are. I can’t sit at a
Steven Chisholm
Ashanti Bland
table with a CEO and find myself using the same five words. I have to be able to think and articulate the needs of my constituents in a way that is understood while being concise and professional,” he said. Chisholm, who works from both home and in the office, has done an age-old practice that many Black people, and people of color, in America have done for centuries. Though sociolinguist Einar Haugen coined the term in 1954, it has been a thing since the times of slavery -- and for survival -- historians note. According to an article on code-switching in www.yesmagazine.org, the practice gained more momentum in the 1970s in Black spaces in academia and elsewhere. W.E.B. Dubois, a world-famous scholar, leader, civil rights champion and sociologist, mentioned in so many words the idea of code-switching over 100 years ago when he wrote about the two identities of Black people: Blackness and Americanness in his book, “The Souls of Black Folk.” His book described how “it’s a peculiar sensation, this double-consciousness, this sense of always looking at one’s self through the eyes of others, measuring one’s soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity. One ever feels his two-ness, an American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder.” Ashanti Bland, Southfield Public Schools’ Board of Education treasurer, said that she too code switches when she finds herself in more profes-
Kalfani Ture
sional environments to adapt her communication style and/ or vernacular and “use of cultural slang to best fit the tone of the discussion and my audience.” “Quite frankly I’ve seen many professionals both POC (people of color) and non-POC, men, women and CEOs alike adapt their speech and communication styles based on their environment,” she said, adding that before COVID-19 she worked in an automotive manufacturing plant. The building was divided into two sections; one section of the plant floor consisted mainly of hourly union workers (mostly Black employees) who did various jobs on the line. “The plant floor has a more relaxed culture. In turn, I spoke louder and my annunciation was more relaxed,” she said. “I was more comfortable making cultural references and would call women on the line, ‘Sis,’ or men, ‘Brother.’” She added that the corporate area of the building was much more reserved, quiet and “professional.” “In meetings with team members from the corporate side I tended to speak with a more monotone inflection, using less slang, and perhaps the annunciation of my words was more defined and clear,” she said, adding that she didn’t feel that she was protecting her core self but displaying a level of communicative diversity and adaptability. “It is a skill that many members of the workforce are lacking.” Harold Love of Harold J. Love & Associates, a behavioral health service for public safety professionals in Southfield, said that he does not typically code switch. “I make a point of being me
consistently with whomever I am interacting,” he said adding that he primarily works in his private mental healthcare practice. “However, I also sit on several professional boards. I do not find it necessary to code switch in any of my professional settings.” Love said that when he worked as a Michigan state trooper, he recalled situations where he engaged in code-switching, although he did not call it that. “I found it beneficial when resolving conflict or gaining control of a chaotic situation,” he said. “Letting a person know that you ‘see’ her by mirroring what she says is a critical component in resolving conflict or gaining compliance.” Freda Sampson, diversity equity and inclusion strategist and consultant at several organizations including the Michigan Roundtable for Diversity & Inclusion, is a Detroiter by way of Louisville, Ky. Sampson, who calls herself “a woman of a certain age,” has lived here since she was 10 when her pastor father migrated the family up north. She said that since she has been primarily working virtually, but still in the corporate space, she finds herself more relaxed in her environment and lets her speech flow in and out, code-switching at times. “The code-switching is not done intentionally most of the time,” she said. “I don’t say to myself, ‘I need to use this language, insert here.’ I read the room.” She added that if she so chooses, she will drop some knowledge on people who witnessed her more relaxed speech and let them in on her culture and provide them with context to what she might have said when she wasn’t code-switching. “The few times I have done
it I have called myself out on it … and I find myself at that moment,” she said. “And if I’m in the mood I might say what the intent of what I was saying was.” Whether a person wants to code switch or not, it is still essential for Black people to show up in the world a certain way, seemingly, in different spaces they are in, Kalani Ture, a senior fellow at Yale University’s Urban Ethnography Project and assistant professor of criminal justice in anthropology at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut, said. He said that people code switch in white spaces to have a seat at the table. Ture also said that a Black person is the ultimate code-switcher if they take what they’ve gained in the white spaces and other non-dominate Black spaces and bring that back to their communities. “I am socialized as part of my Black experience to learn the dance and it is a testament to those who learn,” he said, adding that, similarly to Dubois, code-switching is done out of necessity. “There are layers to this.” “Particularly Black people who have often been discriminated against [are] the last to be hired, the first to be fired,” he said, adding that code-switching is symbolic capital in how Black people speak, gesture, dress and more. “We use everything in order to project a certain degree of comfort … in order to navigate that white space. We project our victories when in fact we’re enduring assaults and defeats and it’s wearing on us.” Whether you code switch or not, this cultural phenomenon is still heavily practiced in Black communities, and with inequities and inequalities rampant throughout the boardroom to the break room, it can be easy to see why Black people still switch it up.
Krysta Pate
life’s mission. “That’s what excites me, educating people about finances and helping them know that anybody can do it, especially Black people. Sometimes we get caught up when things don’t go our way, but we have a way of figuring it out. Helping people figure out how to move forward drives me.”
From page A-5 but in order to really get started on what you need to do, go get educated. They will tell you everything you need to know.” Pate considers sharing economic tools for success her
Ready when you are
Home is nice, but when you are ready to reconnect with the people and places you miss the most, Amtrak is ready for you. With enhanced safety protocols, helpful staff, and spacious comfortable seats, we can get you to over 500 destinations across the country.
March 17-23, 2020 • michiganchronicle.com • Page A-7
JOIN OUR TEAM The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) is seeking to fill more than 20 POSITIONS for ENTRY-LEVEL Field Services Technicians.
NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY. A high school diploma or GED and valid driver’s license is required.* This is an ESSENTIAL, FRONT-LINE CITY JOB to work on and repair the City’s water and sewer systems. DWSD provides competitive pay, healthcare, pension benefits, and job advancement opportunities through training. *Read the job description, additional requirements and APPLY ONLINE at
DETROITMI.GOV/JOBS Follow these steps to review and apply: 1.
Click on “Apply for a City Job”
2. Once on the Job Opportunities website, click “Filter” 3. Then, click “Department” and select “Water Department”
TOGETHER, WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
4. Scroll down to the Field Services Technician posting to review and apply
Page A-8 • michiganchronicle.com • March 17-23, 2021
COMERICA IN THE COMMUNITY
Comerica Bank Partners with DABO and MNCC-DFC on Free Financial Education Series for Youth and Young Adults
Comerica Bank has Launched a collaboration with the Detroit Association of Black Organizations (DABO) and Mackenzie Noble Community Collaborative Drug Free Coalition (MNCC-DFC) to deliver Comerica’s Money $ense Program that began March 9. The free financial empowerment series, “Teaching Your Dollars Some Sense,” is a four-week informational series focused on educating youth and young adults about financial literacy.
The series occurs on the final four Tuesdays of the month (March 9, March 16, March 23 and March 30), and takes place from 5-6 p.m. Topics covered during “Teaching Your Dollars Some Sense” include: Improve Your Credit Scores & Report, Banking 101, Making & Managing A Budget and Work Readiness. “DABO and MNCC-DFC serve as powerful allies in the community that improve the lives of our youth,” said Linda Nosegbe, Comerica Bank Southeast Michigan External Affair Market Manager. “In seeking opportunities to continue enriching the lives of our adolescents and young adults, we remain collectively committed to empowerment through financial education. This series offers knowledge and understanding of money matters and workforce preparedness geared directly to this targeted age group, and the virtual platform allows greater access to participate.” Interested participants can call (313) 491-0003 for more information. Participants can access the “Teaching Your Dollars Some Sense” financial empowerment series via Zoom at # 9393 9287 520. “Financial literacy is one of several keys to closing the undeniable racial wealth gap, said Rev. Horace Sheffield, III, executive director, The Detroit Association of Black Organizations. “When you don’t know better, you cannot do better. Many simply aren’t educated about finances. So we’re happy to partner with Comerica Bank to teach financial literacy to an underserved community.” The financial empowerment series furthers Comerica’s support and commitment to DABO built on a lengthy partnership that dates back more than 40 years to DABO’s founding in 1979. Most recently, Comerica Bank and the Comerica Charitable Foundation provided $30,000 in funding to provide COVID-19 relief last year. In 2020, DABO formed a network of partners, including Comerica Bank, to help battle and thwart the highly contagious and deadly coronavirus through free testing. Free COVID-19 testing at DABO’s Sheffield Center (12048 Grand River), first launched at the end of April, has continued over the past 11 months. Now, testing takes place on the second Saturday of each month from 10 a.m.-Noon, with the next four dates including: March 13, April 10, May 8, June 12. Additionally, free testing also talks place every fourth Saturday at Greater Grace Temple (23500 W. Seven Mile Road). Food security has remained a focus for DABO during the COVID-19 pandemic as well. Thus far, DABO has provided approximately 119,000 meals to families since April 2020.
Comerica Spotlight on Success:
Nancy Heaston and Joseph Osborne Promoting and supporting equal rights for all its employees and members of the communities it serves has always been a key priority for Comerica Bank. To further show the company’s commitment to those goals, it has given two employees, Nancy Heaston and Joseph Osborne, the opportunity to serve as Fellows in the CEO Action for Racial Equality program. It’s a national program involving 250 individuals from 100 companies across various industries with a mission to improve the lives of the 47+ million Black and African Americans through advocacy and advancement of policies that will root out and end systemic racism. Both Heaston and Osborne began their one-to-two-year fellowships last October after long careers at Comerica following different paths. Detroit native Heaston is celebrating her 10th anniversary at Comerica, spending a year as a teller then moving quickly to eventually become vice president of human resources. Osborne is a Muskegon native who began working for Comerica in Holland, Mich., in 2007. He moved up to assistant manager at the Muskegon Heights office and now works for Comerica in Dallas, Texas. Before being named a CEO Racial Equity Fellow, Osborne was vice president relationship manager for the business banking health care professional group. Both Osborne and Heaston are passionate about what needs to be accomplished during their fellowships, given recent events around the country as well as in the past.
Nancy Heaston
Joseph Osborne
said Heaston.
“The Fellowship is working on improving lives of 47 million Blacks and African-Americas by advocating and supporting the advancement of policies that will help root out and end systemic racism,”
For Osborne, his Fellowship is a chance to correct longstanding injustices by “having the opportunity to make some change around public policies and issues surrounding racial injustice,” he said. “There was a lot of situations that occurred historically for centuries that need to be addressed.” The program is buttressed by four pillars: public safety, healthcare, education and economic empowerment. Fellows are then associated with a pillar. Heaston is working with the public safety pillar. It’s a subject near to her heart since her brother is a retired Detroit Police Department sergeant and served as the patriarch of her family after her parents passed when she was a child. “I really wanted to be in the pillar so I could help figure out how we can bridge that gap, try to figure out how we can both support communities that are losing lives and also support the public safety arena because there’s something inherently wrong with the system.”
With current Comerica employees at the 2019 Corp
Appropriately, Osborne Magazine’s Salute to Diversity. Left to right, Lori Walker, is working with the health- Maher Shounia, Nancy Heaston, and Patricia McCann. care pillar addressing what he terms gaps that he says include, “access to care for Black Americans, quality of care, a large focus on mental health issues and how to develop resources to help those communities along with life expectancy, food insecurity and Black American representation in medical research and the medical profession.” Heaston and Osborne appreciate the chance to become part of developing solutions to the long-standing issue of racial inequality in this country and look forward to sharing what they learn with the rest of the Comerica family when they return at the conclusion of their Fellowships.
Since 1979, the Detroit Association of Black Organizations (DABO) has uplifted, unified, and empowered Detroit’s African American community through various programs, initiatives, and events. DABO is a federation of over 130 black, and non–black organizations working to build community unity. DABO’s Mackenzie Noble Community Collaborative Drug Free Coalition is an initiative funded by Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network. The coalition is designed to engage the Detroit community to tackle underage drinking and drug use.
Comerica Partners with the National Business League to Provide Small Businesses Overview of PPP Application Process Last month, Comerica Bank and the National Business League kicked off the first installment of the Black Capital Access Program webinar series. In honor of Black History Month, this webinar was dedicated to providing tips and advice to minority-owned businesses on first and second draw of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. The panelists had a great discussion, which was led by moderator Mo Corker, Comerica Bank External Affairs Manger. The session featured panelists Carl Bradley, Comerica Bank U.S. Banking and Suchitra Padmanabhan, CBW Bank President. Among the several topics discussed included an overview of the second iteration of the program which has $300 billion to offer companies with 300 employees or less. The program is now more focused on industries that are heavily impacted by the pandemic, per the Small Business Association (SBA). PPP Loan Tips: ■ Prepare all documentation for applying for a PPP loan first. ■ Apply for a PPP loan with your primary lender first, don’t apply at multiple locations. ■ Understand that a PPP loan can be 100% forgivable if at least 60% is allocated towards payroll dispenses. ■ Be aware that businesses previously declined can re-apply, but should speak to loan officer and accountant to be able to understand why the initial decline took place. ■ Meet the deadline fir PPP loan applications, which are available now through March 31, 2021. Last year, Comerica Bank announced a $1 million commitment over four years to the National Business League as part of a national partnership that launched the Black Capital Access Program (BCAP), an access to capital initiative to assist Black businesses across the country. Additional National Business League, Comerica Bank events will be announced soon. Learn more about Comerica’s PPP assistance at www.comerica.com/campaigns/covid-19/Business.
Neither is surprised, however, that Comerica’s management gave them the opportunity to take a year or two away from their previous poHeaston has been Comerica’s corporate fundraising chair sitions to serve in this for the American Heart Association Heart Walk for the last prestigious and urgent 6 years. Heaston with her children at the 2019 Heart Walk effort.
held on the campus of Wayne State University. Left to right: “Comerica shines Nia, Nancy, April and Noah. pretty bright when it
comes to recognizing the communities in which we serve,” said Joseph Osborne. “The opportunity to be part of this Fellowship is remarkable.” Heaston references the book “Good to Great” in describing how her experience will contribute to Comerica’s already strong commitment to diversity saying, “Comerica is so Avant Garde, the way we structure diversity. It will just be having an opportunity to learn how we can take our current diversity program from good to great.” Hobbies: Heaston loves roller skating, children, reading, talking about history. “When the kids come over, they call me ‘the historian’” Heaston said. Joseph Osborne is an avid golfer, loves spending time with family and friends and “growing up on Lake Michigan, beaches and boating are huge hobbies of mine.” Goals:
For Heaston: “Continuing to live and work by what I consider the Comerica promise--the unwavering commitment to one other in a fashion that allows all of us to feel accepted and acknowledged and allows us to be productive.” For Joseph Osborne: “Continue to focus on being a leader at Comerica Bank around diversity, equity, equality and racial justice.
For more information on how Comerica colleagues are giving back to our community, visit
www.facebook.com/Comerica.
City ity.. Life ife.. Style. B1 | March 17-23, 2021
Where City Meets Life and Life Meets Style
michiganchronicle.com
Bologna! It’s been one year since we have been in the pandemic, and I’ve eaten everything. It’s been my pleasure to support any and everyone in the restaurant industry that I can. We know it’s been hard for restaurants. 1 in 6 have permanently shut their doors due to COVID-related issues. We also know that restaurant workers have been hit pretty hard. Most don’t get any sick pay if they need to take off work due to illness, and many were unable to collect unemployment. As an industry veteran, not only do I exercise an extreme amount of grace, I was overly excited to EAT!! I’ve carried out. I’ve dined in where I could. I’ve been to fancy pop-ups all over the city. I’ve had pasta, rice, tons of pizza. Lamb chops, fish, and then I went on a mission for bologna sandwiches.
By Sherri Kolade As a child, no one could ever convince me to eat bologna. It was cold, pink, and often cut way too thick for my liking. I’d opt to go hungry when presented with a bologna sandwich. As an adult, I’m obsessed with bologna sandwiches. The looks that people give when I share this information is always interesting. Bologna, like most food, is nostalgic, but bologna is also very historical. This delicious meat has origins in Bologna, Italy. And while no one really knows when it made its debut, many people say it came with German immigration and is found heavily in regions where Germans settled. In each region, new forms of bologna were formed. Some smoked it, some pickled it, some fried it. It’s also associated with poverty, thus its negative reputation. It was quite accessible in the early 20th century. It kept well, and it was cheap, which was important during the great depression. It was cheaper than ham and salami. It started being sold at the deli with slices of bread, and thus the bologna sandwich was born. Soon after, packaged meats were sold, and bologna became available on a mass scale. When Oscar Mayer introduced their vacuum-sealed packages, they were able to dominate the bologna market. Because bologna was so cheap and accessible, bologna was served everywhere, including in schools, and didn’t start getting backlash until the 1980s and 1990s when conversations started about its sodium and saturated fat content. It was also served in prisons and jails. Sometimes for all three meals. In 1980, Ohio inmates went on a 4-day hunger strike to protest bologna sandwiches in exchange for a hot meal. Today though, if you like this emulsified meat made of ground chicken, pork, beef, and/or turkey, you’ll be pleased to know that some diners are doing it in such cool ways. Before the pandemic, I use to pop in the Bronx Bar for a fried bologna sandwich and a beer. Nothing fancy, just delicious. The Mercury bar has a great bologna sandwich on an onion roll with grilled onions and potato chips on the sandwich! My favorite so far has to be from Stache, located in Eastern Market. The beef bologna is served on Texas toast, and I always ask for an egg. It’s perfect! While the pandemic hasn’t exactly been great, my obsession with bologna sandwiches and knowing where to grab one has made it a little brighter. Knowing that bologna is such a cheap eat and a historical icon at the same time makes me love it even more. NIK RENEE’ COLE is the creator and Chef of What Nik Ate, Co-Founder of Fried Chicken and Caviar, Founder of The SpeakEasy Detroit, and current Head Chef at The Kitchen by Cooking with Que
You might have seen them all over social media. Melanated people and others throughout America scooping fufu (a boiled starchy African food) onto their fingers and sometimes precariously dipping into a dish called Egusi soup, a popular, hearty West African stew containing meats, leaf vegetables, palm oil and seasonings. Then they taste it, some apprehensively, and post their reactions on social media to the dismay and delight of millions. Those reactions in what is called the “fufu challenge” are making this viral trend hilarious and engaging for some who want to see these reactions or try the dish -- yet disrespectful and disappointing for others who post in response that their culture is not a trend. Across the app TikTok #fufu videos have been seen more than 250 million times, according to a latimes.com article. The videos have been posted and discussed (also debated) throughout Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and on WhatsApp and in group chats, per the article. Fufu, sticky in texture, is made out of cassava, yams, or plantains, which have been boiled, pounded, and rounded into balls. The pounding process typically involves a mortar and pestle or, if it’s prepackaged fufu, it can be stirred into boiling water and shaped into a ball. Fufu can have a consistency similar to mashed potatoes and doesn’t have a taste per se; it’s more of a vehicle for transporting the food into one’s mouth, experts say. Locally, chefs who haven’t yet seen the fufu challenge are trying to bridge any cultural chasms between Black American taste buds and African foods by introducing African-inspired recipes to Detroit during Black History Month and beyond. Godwin Ihentuge, a Nigerian American chef and restaurateur of Afro-Caribbean YumVillage, 6500 Woodward Ave., said lightheartedly that he wants to get in on the challenge as he has fufu at his restaurant. He said that when he first started cooking African food at his establishment he was “very much a traditionalist.” “A lot of my business wasn’t expansive,” Ihentuge said of his carefully prepared dishes, which he’s tailored to different palates. “We do our best to try to feed the diaspora, not just Africa. … We’re trying to push and show the diaspora through that African-Caribbean lens.” He added that upon recently learning of the fufu challenge -- internet squabbling aside -- it does his heart warm that Black Americans, among others, are even showing interest in African dishes because five years ago some might not even know what fufu might be. Ihentuge added that in the past, he’s seen a viral YouTube video of two Korean sisters eating fufu for the first time and he’s glad more people are getting interested in this dish popular in his own country and other countries in Africa. “But I need to get in on it and have people try our fufu,” he said of capitalizing on the challenge, adding that his spin on his fufu recipe was inspired by an employee. “We have a dish called ‘The Symphony,’
Godwin Ihentuge, standing in the background, a Nigerian American chef and restaurateur of Afro-Caribbean YumVillage, makes a new fusion dish containing fried fufu and egusi soup. Photo taken by David Rudolph formerly The Hood Symphony, an off-menu item … created by a guy here at the restaurant,” Ihentuge said. “He didn’t like the fufu but everyone has to eat the food -- he did it his way. ... A fusion of what fufu can be like in an American palate. … He did egusi with chicken strips and coconut rice and a little bit of fufu on the side. We fry the fufu here because a lot of people don’t like to get their hands sticky.” Ihentuge said now he starts eating fried fufu for the same reason -- it eliminates the mess, which he says is very important to the people who don’t know about fufu and might be apprehensive. Ihentuge added that in his restaurant that serves colorful dishes ranging from flavorful rice and meat entrees to jerk oxtails with root vegetables (did we mention drum lessons, meal plans, and clothes, too?) there’s a lot to taste and the flavors keep coming. Presently, he’s working on two new recipe items including moi moi, a traditional West African bean pie. He said in other countries like Gambia or Senegal they call it different names. “Essentially what it is is dried black-eyed peas crushed and ground with fish and egg and boiled in a banana leaf or something like that,” he said. “What we’re going to do is take that traditional West African dish and convert it to meatloaf and serve it with greens and cornbread.” Another dish on the menu is roti, a pop-
ular dish one would see in the Caribbean and Trinidad. Ihentuge said that the food “is our heritage” and to do the things necessary to “make it right” is a culinary remix he enjoys. So, about that fufu challenge again -Ihentuge’s going to look more into that, he said on his way to his restaurant earlier last week after purchasing some items for his bustling kitchen. “Now I know about it I am definitely going to get in on it,” he said warmly. Jermond Booze, co-creator of Taste of the Diaspora, alongside Ederique Goudia and Raphael Wright, knows a lot about bringing the taste of African dishes to Detroiters looking for a taste of the motherland. Taste the Diaspora Detroit was created to celebrate Africa’s contribution to American cuisine in highlighting the food of the African Diaspora, according to their website. This local initiative is “in support of Black restaurants, chefs, farmer, and food makers and to grow community across the local food system.” Booze told The Michigan Chronicle that this was a project the trio started in December as “three friends who wanted to do something for the culture and Blacks in the food industry.” “It seems to be taking off and we are now working on events for June but haven’t fully worked out the details,” he said, add-
See YUM VILLAGE Page B-2
Page B-2 • michiganchronicle.com • March 17-23, 2021
Yum Village
From page B-1 ing that throughout the month different culinary dishes are introduced and prepared weekly with a paired chef and restaurant. The first week one chef and one restaurant cooked a dish based on that particular establishment’s cuisine and also teamed up with a local Black farmer or product maker, Booze said. Week one featured African cuisine; week two featured Creole; the third week was Caribbean week and the fourth week is slated to be Southern American week. “Both dishes are placed in our box alongside some general information based around the part of the diaspora that week is dedicated to,” he said. “We were able to raise over $10,000 which goes directly to the participating chefs and restaurants.” The reception for the culinary dishes this month has been nothing short of amazing. “We’ve had nothing but positive reception from the community. Everyone seems to understand that we’re doing this for the culture and empowerment of those who look like us. This in part is about us telling our food story which ultimately is our history,” he said. Booze added that they’ve paid for every-
thing out-of-pocket from the website to the custom boxes with QR codes on them that links them to Taste the Diaspora’s website. “All revenue earned from the sale of the boxes went right back to the chefs. In addition, we are giving out 100 of the meals to food-insecure families through Oakland Avenue Urban Farms. Donating to this cause helps us continue to promote our food industry workers and to continue educating people about the influence of Blacks in the food culture,” he said. Booze added that while he too is not familiar with the fufu challenge, the discussion around it (and some negative backlash) is “why it’s even more important for projects such as Taste the Diaspora to exist.” “People have no real idea of what people in Africa eat and in Detroit, there are few options to experience cuisine connected to the homeland,” he said. “Unfortunately, Africa has been painted as a less civilized culture for hundreds of years in America and throughout much of the world, and we need projects like this to help change that perception,” Booze said. “Understanding the history behind the food you eat serves as a source of empowerment and a better understanding of self.” Find out more information at http:// www.yumvillage.com/ and https://www. tastethediaspora.com/.
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Page B-4 • michiganchronicle.com • March 17-23, 2021
This home belongs to we. TCF Bank believes in helping first-time homebuyers thrive through the power of homeownership. Our home loan professionals are here to help you find the right mortgage for you. Let us help you open the door to your first home. Because when more people own homes, their whole community thrives. What’s in it for we. Learn more at TCFBank.com/WelcomeHome All loans subject to credit approval and program guidelines. ©2021 TCF National Bank. Member FDIC
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Classifieds
March 17-23, 2021 • michiganchronicle.com • Page B-5
ANNOUNCEMENTS
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Cellco Partnership and its controlled affiliates doing business as Verizon Wireless (Verizon Wireless) proposes to build two (2) Communications Towers. A 40-foot Utility Pole Communications Tower at the approx. vicinity of 4400 St. Antoine Street, Detroit, Wayne County, MI 48201. A 43-foot Utility Pole Communications Tower at the approx. vicinity of 2440 John R Street, Detroit, Wayne County, MI 48201. Public comments regarding potential effects from this site on historic properties may be submitted within 30 days from the date of this publication to: Trileaf Corp, Alisia Hassler, a.hassler@ trileaf.com, 1515 Des Peres Rd., Suite 200, St. Louis, MO 63131, 314-997-6111.
Legal Notice
APARTMENTS FOR RENT COME EXPERIENCE LIVING AT COMEBUTTERNUT EXPERIENCE LIVING AT CREEK BUTTERNUT CREEK 100 Butternut Dr., Charlotte, Near I-69 Butternut Dr., Charlotte, Near I-69 (A 100 QUIET AND CARING SENIOR COMMUNITY) (A1 QUIET AND CARING SENIORfor COMMUNITY) & 2 bedroom residences persons 1 & 2 bedroom for persons 62+ years residences of age or disabled. years age or–disabled. Rent –62+ Based onofincome Pets welcome Rent – Based on income – Pets welcome Call today for your personal tour Call of today yourcommunity personal tour this for lovely of this lovely community (517) 541-1288 (517)does 541-1288 Butternut Creek not discriminate Butternut does discriminate on Creek the basis of not disability. on the basis disability. TTY: of 711 TTY: 711 COME EXPERIENCE LIVING AT COME EXPERIENCE LIVING AT BUTTERNUT CREEK TOWN HOMES BUTTERNUT CREEK TOWN HOMES Conveniently located at 100 Butternut Dr. Conveniently located at 100 Butternut Dr. Off Lansing Rd. in Charlotte, Near I-69 Off Lansing Rd. in Charlotte, Near I-69 *2 & 3 Bedroom Town Homes *2 & 3 Bedroom Town Homes Rents are based on income - No pets Rents are based on income - No pets Call today for your personal tour: Call today(517) for your personal tour: 541-1288 (517) 541-1288 Butternut Creek does not discriminate Butternut does discriminate on Creek the basis of not disability. on the basis of disability. TTY: 711 TTY: 711
PROFESSIONAL HELP WANTED SR. PROJECT ENGINEER FEV North America, Inc. seeks a Sr. Project Engineer in Auburn Hills, MI to lead & mentor project teams in the creation and calibration of powertrain systems; among other duties. Min. bachelor in Mechanical or Automotive Engineering and three years of exp. in job offered or related. EOE M/F/Disability/Vet. Apply to job reference number 21-00014 at: www.fev.com QUALITY ENGINEER TransForm Automotive LLC (DBA Means TransForm Products) seeks a Quality Engineer in Sterling Heights, MI, to lead a cross functional team in problem solving internal and external quality and delivery issues utilizing known and endorsed automotive methodologies, among other duties. Min. bachelor’s degree Quality, Industrial, Mechanical, or Applied Engineering, Technology or related field of study and one year of experience in the job offered or related. Domestic travel required, up to 5%. To apply, please mail resume to: Jill Young, Means TransForm Products, 7026 Sterling Ponds Court, Sterling Heights, MI 48312, Ref #11504923.
George Washington Carver Academy Attention: Employee Leasing Companies The George Washington Carver Academy is requesting proposals for employee leasing services. Vendors and/or their representatives may submit proposals to:
George Washington Carver Academy c/o Provision Business Solutions Attention: Mrs. Alma Hollins The George Washington Carver Academy Board of Education reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals or to accept the proposal that is in the best interest of the school district. All proposals must be submitted via email no later than 2:00 p.m. on March 31, 2021 to Alma Hollins at alma@provision4solutions.com. RFPs may be requested from Alma Hollins at (248) 440-7318 or at alma@provision4solutions.com. HELP WANTED
Join Our Team Walker-Miller Energy Services is hiring! Several Positions Are Ready to be filled by Extraordinary Individuals! Energy Specialist – Detroit, MI Energy Specialist II – Detroit, MI IT Manager – Detroit, MI IT Systems Administrator – Detroit, MI IT Helpdesk Technician II – Detroit, MI Business Development Manager – Detroit, MI Marketing Manager – Detroit, MI For a full list of qualifications please visit https://wmenergy.com/careers-2/ **Please note the location of the position when applying.**
Seeking Seeking Supervisor Seeking Medical Assistant II OFFICE ASSISTANT III at Building Maintenance at Oakland University ATGraham OAKLAND UNIVERSITY Oakland University Health Center
School of Medicine Housing CoordinateUniversity the clinical processing in a To supervise assigned maintenance perby performing a variety Tomedical provideclinic specialized office assistance, sonnel and to perform related duties. of multi-step processes according coordinating procedural businessto a or Minimumframework Qualifications: High school specified procedures and service activities for aof complex program graduation or equivalent regulations, to an serve as an combination informationarea involving processing, education and experience.implementing, Five years’ al ofsource within the clinic in addition experience building maintenance and advising on, inand reporting toa maintaining the role as a specialized medical minimum of one year supervisory or subject matter. Qualifications: assistant in experience. the Minimum clinic. Willingness Minimum Qualleadership to atifications: High School or High school graduation orgraduation equivalent tend job related seminars oranprograms. anWillingness equivalent combination ofexperience. educawork flexible and/or combination oftoeducation andshift work overtime when needed. Ability to eftion and experience. Three years’ exFour years progressively responsible office fectively interact with the public, students, perience as a medical assistant or in experience, including direct experience staff. Requires Michi- in a faculty directlyand related field witha valid experience TECHNICAL SPECIALIST driver’s license acceptable to the office coordination, i.e., prioritizing work ingan medical office clerical functions. ExUniversity’smaintaining insurance carrier. This a full assignments, workand flowisobtainto meet FEV North America, Inc. seeks a perience in venipuncture time position. Salary is $50,200.00 annuTechnical Specialist in Auburn Hills, MI deadlines. This is a full time, clerical-technical ing basic patient information including ally. See online posting for additional to oversee and coordinate OBD blood pressure, electrocardiograph position. Salary is $43,718.00 annually. position requirements. First considercalibration, validation and certification measurements and urine ation will be given thosespecimens. who position apply See online posting fortoadditional activities performed on-road as well as This is a part-time clerical-technical poby March 25, 2021. Must apply online on chassis and engine dynos; among requirements. First consideration will be to: https://jobs.oakland.edu sition, working Monday-Friday, 10:00 other duties. Min. bachelor in given to those who apply by March 23, a.m. – 5:00 p.m., 30 hours per week. Mechanical or Automotive Engineering 2020. Salary is HELP $30,973.00 annually. See and five years of exp. in job offered or WANTED related. EOE M/F/Disability/Vet. Apply to Must apply posting online to: https://jobs.oakland.edu online for additional posijob reference number 21-00013 at: tion requirements. Must apply online U.S. District Court, www.fev.com to: https://jobs.oakland.edu Wireless Engineer Warren, MI, General Motors. Test &validate psgr vehicle Vehicle Communication (VCP) &Telematics Communication (TCP) Platforms wireless features &technologies, network capabilities, &cellular services in vehicle &on test bench, using ATT, Multicomm, RMM, GOCC SIM, Qualcomm tools such as QXDM &QCAT, Wireshark, CMW-500, Anritsu, CMX, Aurora, Remote Reflash Testing Tool &Global OnStar Call Center Simulator tools, according to GM standards &3GPP specs. Use network diagnostic tools incldg Wireshark, QXDM tools to investigate WCDMA <E network probs. Collect &analyze test logs for OnStar devices to identify &troubleshoot functional issues. Perform VCP &TCP (OnStar) module wireless feature testing focusing on physical SMS, Telematics Retry &Silent Redial, Telematics Secondary Services Retry in 2G (GSM), 3G (UMTS &WCDMA), 4G LTE &5G (NSA) networks. Master, Electrical or Electronics Engrg. 12 mos exp as Engineer, testing &validating psgr vehicle VCP &TCP wireless features, network capabilities, &cellular services in vehicle &on test bench, using ATT &QXDM tools, or related. Mail resume to Ref#4814-4, GM Global Mobility, 300 Renaissance Center, MC:482-C32-C66, Detroit, MI 48265.
Eastern District of Michigan – Chief Deputy of Operations 2col.Announcement x 4.75 Vacancy at http://www.mied.uscourts.gov. Located in Detroit, a senior-level, professional, managerial position that oversees the day-to-day operation and administration of the Court Operations Unit. EOE
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Making Daylight Saving Time Work for You (StatePoint) Daylight Saving Time (DST) is here, which means you are operating on a brand new schedule. Unfortunately, time changes can cause many negative physical and mental effects on the body -- and be a logistical nuisance to boot! To make DST work for you, consider the following tips: • Wind down in the evening: A good night’s sleep can help you power through anything. A few hours before bed, avoid anything that wires you. This includes that post-dinner cup of joe, high-intensity workouts and blue light from electronic devices. Good alternatives? Caffeine-free herbal tea, yin yoga and curling up with a great book. • Set dual alarms: Most people think that alarms are just for mornings, but you can use them to remind you when it’s time to go to bed too. The many features of Pro Trek watches make them a good choice of a tool for sticking to your schedule. Plus, keeping your watch
bedside, instead of your phone, can help you avoid messing with your shuteye by mindlessly scrolling right before light’s out. • Get to bed on time: DST, plus longer days, can make it tempting to stay up late. As much as possible, try to keep your bedtime consistent, especially on the weekdays. • Get more sunlight: Reap the benefits of sunlight and exercise in conjunction with one another for a powerful pick-me-up and mood booster. This will help you combat any negative mental effects associated with the new hours. Whether it’s a short jaunt or a long hike, equip yourself with wearable tech that offers everything you need to navigate the terrain, such as a Pro Trek watch, that offers an altimeter, barometer, thermometer and compass sensors. With a few simple strategies, you can help avoid any DST woes for a healthy, happy start to the season.
4 Easy Tips to Help Older Adults Stay Active at Home (StatePoint) As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, many older adults are following the advice of public health experts and remaining at home to limit risk of exposure. Bad weather conditions can also keep people inside for days at a time. But a strong body and mind are as important as ever, and the good news is being indoors doesn’t mean having to give up on exercising. There are many great health benefits to staying active, such as improving mobility and balance, developing muscle and bone strength, increasing energy and managing weight. Exercise can also reduce blood pressure and lower the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
times a day or doing some gentle stretching. Just adding five minutes of activity to your day can make a difference in your overall health and mood. As your body gets used to daily movement, you can enhance your physical activities as recommended by your health care provider. 3. Use what you have. You don’t need a gym to get a healthy workout. In fact, there are plenty of exercises you can do using items found around the house. For example, “chair dips” are an effective arm and shoulder workout – just place both feet on the ground, face away from a chair and support your body by putting your hands on the seat behind you with straight arms. Next, raise and lower yourself by bending and unbending your arms.
According to Dr. Gina Conflitti, chief medical officer for Medicare at Cigna, the advantages aren’t just physYou can even ical: “Keeping exercise while active has a posseated. Hold itive impact on your leg out in mental health, front of you and too,” she said. trace each letter “With regular exercise, many PHOTO SOURCE: (c) Sabrina Bracher / iStock via Getty Images of the alphabet. Work your feet older adults en- Plus and leg muscles joy better sleep, clearer thinking, lower stress and improved by laying a kitchen towel on the floor, then use your toes to grab, release and push the mood.” According to Cigna, which serves many fabric. older adults through its Medicare Advan- 4. Check your health care plan benefits. tage plans, here are four simple tips for ex- If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, you ercising in the comfort of home: might be eligible for extra benefits such as 1. Make a plan. What is your long-term at-home fitness programs, including free goal? Having something to work toward on-demand workouts accessible from your is great motivation to keep up daily activ- computer, smart device or phone, as well as ity and set yourself up for success. Before gear, such as resistance bands. you begin any physical activity, talk to your Find more healthy aging and exercise doctor about your health goals. Your doc- tips at cigna.com/medicare/healthy-aging/ tor can provide guidance on exercises that physical-activity. are safe and attainable as you begin a new “As you start, remember to be flexible chapter of your wellness journey. and stay positive,” Dr. Conflitti suggests. 2. Take it slow. You don’t have to run a marathon or even lift weights to keep fit – “Changing habits can take time, but every the most important thing is to just move. step is progress. If you haven’t reached a Start by walking around your house a few goal, don’t be hard on yourself – it’s most important to continue at your own pace.”
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• michiganchronicle.com • March 17-23, 2021
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14
2-Year No Cost Maintenance Plan
VISIT YOUR LOCAL MICHIGAN TOYOTA DEALER TODAY! FOR ALL TOYOTA OFFERS AND TO FIND A DEALER NEAR YOU 1. Toyota vehicles and components are built using U.S. and globally sourced parts. 2. Customer Cash direct from Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. 3. New 2021 Highlander (includes hybrid). 1.9% APR for 60 Months with $17.48 per $1,000 borrowed* 4. New 2021 Highlander L AWD Model 6937. Lease based on net cap cost of $33,104. $500 Toyota Financial Services Lease Subvention Cash included in lease deal. Lease end purchase option $26,457.** 5. Complimentary first month payment up to $300 on new 2021 Corolla, Corolla Hybrid & Corolla Hatchback; $400 on new 2021 Camry & Camry Hybrid – excludes Camry TRD Model 2549; and $600 on new 2021 Highlander & Highlander Hybrid from Toyota. The Terms available on approved credit to only very well-qualified lessees through participating dealers and Toyota Financial Services (TFS). Offer available in the Continental U.S. and ends 3/31/21. Void where prohibited. Toyota Financial Services is a division of Toyota Motor Credit Corporation (TMCC). TMCC is the authorized attorney-in-fact and servicer for Toyota Lease Trust. 6. New 2021 Camry (includes hybrid), new 2021 Corolla & new 2021 Corolla Hatchback (excludes Corolla hybrid), and new 2021 Avalon (excludes Avalon hybrid). 0.9% APR for 60 Months with $17.05 per $1,000 borrowed.* 7. New 2021 Camry LE 2532. Lease based on net cap cost of $21,607. $1,000 Toyota Financial Services Lease Subvention Cash included in lease deal. Lease end purchase option $14,161.** 8. New 2021 Corolla Hybrid, and new 2021 Avalon Hybrid 0.0% APR for 60 Months with $16.67 per $1,000 borrowed.* 9. New 2021 Corolla LE Model 1852. Lease based on net cap cost of $17,702. $500 Toyota Financial Services Lease Subvention Cash included in lease deal. Lease end purchase option $13,188.** 10. $1,000 Bonus Cash on new 2021 Avalon AWD Models Only. Bonus Cash can be combined with Customer Cash or TFS Subvened APR or TFS Subvened Lease incentives (already calculated into the 2021 Avalon AWD $3000 TOTAL Customer Cash above: $2,000 Customer Cash + $1,000 AWD Bonus Cash & the Lease Offer noted below). 11. New 2021 Avalon XLE AWD Model 3555. Lease based on net cap cost of $31,286. $1,000 AWD Bonus Cash included in lease deal. Lease end purchase option $19,007.** 12. 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. 13. The Toyota College Rebate Program is not compatible with the Military Rebate Program. See participating dealer or visit buyatoyota.com for complete details. 14. ToyotaCare covers normal factory scheduled maintenance for two years or 25,000 miles, whichever comes first. Certain models require a different maintenance schedule as described in their Maintenance Guide. 24-hour roadside assistance is also included for two years and unlimited mileage. Roadside Assistance does not include parts and fluids, except emergency fuel delivery. See Toyota dealers for details and exclusions. Valid only in the continental U.S. and Alaska. * For 3, 6 & 8 – Subject to approved credit through Toyota Financial Services Tier 1+ & 1 only. Not all customers will qualify for lowest rate – see dealer for terms and conditions. ** For 4, 7, 9, & 11 – 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 (10K low mileage leases). $350 Disposition Fee is due at lease termination. For 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 & 13 – Must take retail delivery from new 2021 dealer stock between 3/2/21 and 3/31/21. APR, Customer Cash & Lease offers may not be combined. See participating dealer for complete details. Individual dealer prices and document fees may vary. VEHICLE IMAGES USED FOR ILLUSTRATION PURPOSES ONLY. Expiration for these offers is 3/31/21.
March 17-23, 2021 • michiganchronicle.com •
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Page B-8 • michiganchronicle.com • March 17-23, 2021