Cannabis Queens: Black Women in the Local Cannabis Industry Go Get Theirs Money. A5
Michigan Chronicle
Vol. 84 – No. 29 | March 24-30, 2021
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Through the Prism:
How Colorism Affects the Black Community By Megan Kirk Through generations, the issue of colorism has plagued Black communities and has helped to create a divide between lighter and darker toned individuals. Like most history for African Americans, the issue of light versus dark gets its origins from slavery where there was a clear and distinct separation of tasks and responsibilities. Lighter skinned Africans were given domestic kitchen or other service jobs, typically in the Big House while Africans whose tones were rich in melanin were given a different set of standards and damned to a life of back-breaking tasks. The issue of colorism is not only a problem in Black communities, it also saturates many communities of color where there is an array of shades for any one particular race. Affecting opportunities in career, dating and punishments in the criminal justice system, colorism enforces the white standard of beauty while giving a clear message of unworthiness to those with darker skin.
One Year Later COVID-19:
The Economic Fallout Part Two of a Three Part Series
By Donald James
“A restaurant closing for any length of time, longer than a week, can be a catastrophe, quite frankly,” Stephanie Byrd, co-owner of Flood’s Bar and Grill, The Block Restaurant and The Garden Theater, all located in Detroit, told The Michigan Chronicle last September. “And when you are talking about small Black businesses that don’t have the type of capital or that type of cushion to withstand a temporary closing, it’s very difficult.”
which she co-owns with her sister Cristina, closed completely from March to June last year, in part because of the governor’s Executive Orders. Flood’s reopened first for carryout only services, followed by The Block in June. Both establishments are currently open and adhering to Whitmer’s early March 2021 Executive Order mandating that restaurants not exceed 50 percent capacity. “At Flood’s we were able to get back to 50 percent capacity right away,” said Byrd., who is still contemplating when The Garden Theater will reopen. “At The Block, we are taking our time getting back, mostly because we haven’t been staffed up. Because of staffing, there are times we cut off at 30 percent capacity or 40 percent capacity.” Not far from The Block is Yum Village located in Detroit’s New Center Area. Yum Village, an eatery inspired by West African and Caribbean traditions and dishes, has seen its business dip as much as 50 percent or more during the pandemic, after enjoying robust in-dining traffic before the onset of the deadly health crisis. With a steep dip in business, Yum Village changed its business model. “We have evolved into an Afro-Caribbean marketplace environment to generate more revenue,” said Godwin Ihentuge, founder and chief villager of Yum Village. “At the moment, we do very little inside dining. We mainly sell fresh produce, coffee, teas, dry goods, our own authentic spices and herbs, candles, soaps, lotions, and freshly made juices, all generic to the African diaspora.”
Byrd said Flood’s and The Block,
Ihentuge added, “About 90 percent
Special to the Chronicle
During the 19th and 20th centuries, practices such as the “brown paper bag test” were implemented to further perpetuate colorism and used to determine job placement and entrance into private spaces. For individuals who were the same complexion as the bag or lighter, they would receive preferential treatment as opposed to those who were darker than the bag, who received no job nor were allowed into certain spaces. “Colorism in the Black community has its origins in slavery, and even before that when we think about the hierarchy that white supremacy and colonialism created with regards to skin color,” says Raina LaGrand, therapist and clinical social worker. Today, the issue of tone has plagued almost every aspect of life. Recently, Meghan Markle, wife of British royal Prince Harry and the Duchess of Sussex, unleashed a fury of commentary surrounding color in a two-hour televised interview with TV icon Oprah Winfrey as she claimed that while pregnant a member of the royal family made mention of the skin tone of
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WHAT’S INSIDE
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic one year ago, not only lives but many businesses across the United States have been severely disrupted. While the virus has impacted every industry to various degrees, the hospitality industry, largely comprised of bars and restaurants, has been hit extremely hard. The National Restaurant Association estimates that 110,000 restaurants in the United States closed for good in 2020, most due to the pandemic. In Detroit, many Black-owned restaurants were unable to survive the rollercoaster rides of COVID-19, even with carryout only services. With a series of Executive Orders issued by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to slow the spread of the virus, an increased number of Black-owned restaurants found the orders of when to open, when to close and the number of patrons allowed in respective establishments led to spiraling profits.
of our transactions happen online right now,” he said. “ but people can come in for the marketplace experience of shopping for our unique items and merchandise designed in-house. We are still here to push the cultures of the African Diaspora.” And it’s not just Black restauranteurs that have experienced difficult times at the hands of the pandemic, Black entrepreneurs in other sectors have searched for ways to stay open. Shannon Reaves, founder, owner and operator of Bath Savvy Naturals, was forced to evolve her business shortly after her location of nine years at the Rust Belt Market in Ferndale temporarily closed at the onset of the pandemic. Her company, which specializes in making and selling bath and body care products derived from natural plant-based ingredients, was forced to pivot. “Our pivot was to take our products and sell them strictly online,” Reaves said. “Surprisingly, we were pretty busy, but it wasn’t the same as having our own store. Our goal is to open a store again.” The transition presented other business problems for Reaves. She began reaching out to organizations with resources that could assist her company. “We applied for and received PPP (Paycheck Protection Program) money, which allowed me to keep employees. And the next round of PPP will assist us in moving forward.” Reaves said there lots of sources that can help Black small businesses,
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YEAR LATER page A2
The Evolution of Black Women in Business: The Rise to the Top By Megan Kirk
Un(Adult)erated
Black Boy Joy: Re-Socializing During COVID for the Grown Man
City.Life.Style. B1
$1.00
Black women have long since been the backbone of the family. Providing a nurturing home, Black women of the past held traditional responsibilities in the household such a cooking, cleaning and child rearing. Over the years, the role of Black businesswomen, in regards to entrepreneurialism, has continued to grow and evolve from the blueprint laid by historic female hustlers. Black women are kicking in doors and crushing glass ceilings while creating opportunities for other Black women to do the same. The versatility of Black women in various arenas is undeniable. Not only are they showing they can cook the bacon, but Black women are also bringing it home as well. Women of color began to make an imprint in the working world through tenacity, perseverance and excellence. As a result, corporate America continues to get a dosage of Black Girl Magic. Historically serving in domestic fields, Black women are no strangers to the
workforce. Through domestic labor, African American women typically took roles such as maid or seamstresses to help make ends meet. Whether lost from racial violence, the penal system or various historical wars, Black men were forcibly removed from family homes and the traditional family construct leaving the women to fend for the family and thus find means of generating revenue.
According to a 2020 report from Forbes, Black women are the largest growing entrepreneurial group with a staggering 42 percent of new women-led businesses and 36 percent of all Blackowned businesses. Though access to financial resources is a barrier, Black women are finding a way to push through and make their dreams come true. Launched in early March, Relle’s Deli and Sweets in Southfield serves up decadent desserts and features deli-style dishes. While no stranger to entrepreneurism, Cherelle Mason, pastry chef and owner, with more than ten years in the business is pushing her brand forward and dispelling myths that Black women belong in the house. “People have to stop living like it’s back in the day when the woman stayed home and was the housewife and the man goes to work and brings in the money because right now, there’s a lot of women making more than their partner because they have businesses or are in the higher
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WOMEN page A2