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Michigan Chronicle

Vol. 81 – No. 44 | July 11-17, 2018

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City, partners to expand tax foreclosure prevention program to keep Detroiters in homes Expanding on a successful program that helped over 80 Detroit renters avoid displacement due to tax foreclosure and become homeowners last year, the City has requested permission from City Council to expand a program that will acquire homes of people facing foreclosures and resell them to the renters and homeowners in this year’s program.

In partnership with United Community Housing Coalition and Quicken Loans Community Fund, the expanded program will give 300 more Detroiters facing tax foreclosure the opportunity to stay in their homes. The families in these homes face displacement and uncertainty because of unpaid property taxes.

Overall, tax foreclosures are down to the lowest levels since the housing collapse in 2008 and the City is continuing aggressive efforts to prevent foreclosures, especially occupied foreclosures. In addition to the expansion of this program, the City is also expanding outreach efforts to sign up eligible residents for payment plans, tax assistance programs and prevent every foreclosure possible.

“As Detroit comes back, we need to do everything we can to make sure those who invested and stayed in our city are able to stay in their homes. This partnership is an important part of that effort,” said Mayor Mike Duggan.

In these last two years the City has piloted the use of right of first refusal to prevent foreclosures as part of the City’s commitment to pivot policy development focus to single-family housing and homeownership.

This follows the City’s development of a Multifamily Housing strategy, which is now in implementation process with the City working with foundations to raise funds and focus on preserving and producing new affordable housing. With the shift in policy, the City will dedicate more resources to solving single-family home issues in Detroit, including tax foreclosures.

How it works Using funds raised by the partnership, the City will acquire tax foreclosed homes through the City’s right of first refusal from Wayne County. These homes are occupied by renters whose landlords failed to pay their property taxes, victims of property scams, those with solvable probate issues and owners who would have qualified for property tax reductions.

Then, the City will pass these homes to UCHC at no additional cost, and UCHC will work with the individual renters and homeowners, allowing them to acquire the property with monthly payments set at an affordable rate. For former owner occupants experiencing poverty, UCHC will set the purchase price of the property at $1,000; other purchase prices will be set based on costs of the home, the range in 2017 was

See PREVENTION page A2

WHAT’S INSIDE

Jammaria Hall, one of the lawsuit plaintiffs who has said he was cheated of his education, sits at Osborn High School.

PHOTO: Jammaria Hall

Attorneys in literacy lawsuit plan to appeal federal judge’s ‘disappointing’ dismissal The attorney representing seven Detroit students, parents, and teachers in a lawsuit accusing the state of violating students’ right to access to literacy is going to appeal a federal judge’s decision to dismiss the case.

senting the student plaintiffs, said in a statement Monday.

The 136-page complaint revealed shocking allegations of condoms strewn on playgrounds, bathrooms leaking sewage into hallways, and a lack of pens, paper — even toilet paper.

The lawsuit, filed in September 2016, claimed poor conditions in Detroit schools led to Detroit’s main district having the nation’s lowest literacy rate.

The students and their families plan to appeal the ruling to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.

In a 40-page decision handed down late Friday, U.S. District Judge Stephen J. Murphy III rejected the state’s claims that it had no responsibility for the conditions of Detroit schools, and held that “educational responsibilities begin at the state level” and that state officials “effectively control the schools.”

He said that “when a child who could be taught to read goes untaught, the child suffers a lasting injury — and so does society,” but said literacy is not a right. Murphy said in the ruling the question of a constitutional right to literacy and a basic education should not be decided by any one court and should be supported by a

Attorney Mark Rosenbaum says failure to provide quality literacy instruction to all kids is a ‘pernicious form of racial inequality.’ PHOTO: Erin Einhorn number of Supreme Court decisions.

The state’s attorneys sought to have the lawsuit dismissed and asked the judge to reject “an attempt to destroy the American tradition of democratic control of schools.”

The court got it tragically wrong when it characterized access to literacy as a privilege, instead of a right held by all children so that they may better their circumstances and meaningfully participate in our political system,” Mark Rosenbaum, lead attorney repre-

The plaintiffs asked for literacy reforms, qualified teaching staff, basic instructional materials and safe school conditions that don’t interfere with students’ learning. In May and June, the main district’s schools dismissed early because of extreme heat.

Late last month, the district issued a report saying it would cost a staggering $500 million to repair its buildings, money the district doesn’t have.

“Friday’s decision is as deeply disappointing, as is having to file a lawsuit in the first place to ensure that the State of Michigan denies no child the opportunity to thrive in schools worthy of their desire to learn,” Rosenbaum of the Los Angeles-based Public Counsel, the nation’s largest public interest law firm, said.

Rosenbaum added that children in affluent communities don’t have

See LITERACY page A2

Grow Detroit’s Young Talent offers city’s youth work experience

By Michael V. Hubbard

Rev. Dr. Sterling L. Jones left a lasting legacy in Detroit

Faith. B7

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Jobs are being created all over the city, including those for Detroit’s youth. Flanked by foundations, employers, and other partners, Mayor Mike Duggan announced the start of the 2018 Grow Detroit Young Talent’s (GDYT) summer jobs program.

The program provides six-week summer employment experiences for 8,210 Detroit youth, ages 14-24, at over 500 job sites.

The announcement was made at Rickman Enterprise Group on the city’s west side, which will host the Herman Moore Tackle Life Foundation program, providing training in photography and image editing to 30 youth this summer. The mayor was also joined by over 50 GDYT youth program participants, as well as many of the funding partners that have raised $11.5M to fund this year’s program.

“For many of the youth here today and those who are already working, the next six weeks will change their lives,” said Mayor Duggan. “Whether it gives them skills they know they need, or exposure to opportunities that may be new to them, it is about so much more than just getting a paycheck.

“As always, we are very grateful to all the partners who have donated their money, their time and their resources in order to help improve the career prospects for Detroit’s workforce of tomorrow.”

For six weeks during the summer, GDYT youth will receive work experiences that will provide them invaluable training, on-the-job experiences, professional contacts and a potential

career path.

In 2018, GDYT has made some additions. The Career Academy Program (CAP) has debuted in five Detroit public schools providing work readiness training and there are now over 650 industry-led training opportunities that provide real world skills for youth.

“Our employers are consciously developing work expe-

riences designed to motivate and challenge youth,” said Jason D. Lee, Executive Director of GDYT. “These opportunities are the start of the next generation of workforce for Detroit and Southeast Michigan.”

GDYT has partnered with the University of Michigan’s Youth Policy Lab to track the effects of participation in the program. The

See GROW

DETROIT page A2

Page A-2 • michiganchronicle.com •

July 11-17, 2018

DETROIT SEVEN-DAY FORECAST

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MOSTLY SUNNY

PARTLY CLOUDY

PARTLY CLOUDY

AM T-STORMS

AM T-STORMS

SCATTERED T-STORMS

PM SUN

WED. JULY 11 83°/62°

THUR. JULY 12 84°/69°

FRI. JULY 13 91°/70°

SAT. JULY 14 89°/70°

SUN. JULY 15 89°/73°

MON. JULY 16 88°/68°

TUE. JULY 17 84°/63°

Prevention From page A-1

between $2,500 and $5,500. Funds collected will be held by UCHC for use in future purchases.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to create and preserve homeownership now and in the future. We are thankful for the tremendous work of the City and Quicken Loans Community Fund,” said Ted Phillips, director of United Community Housing Coalition. “We still need to continue to raise funds to assist as many residents as possible and to have residents affected to come in and see us.”

Expanding on success The program is expanding on a successful effort in 2017 to keep renters who found themselves in tax foreclosed homes. In order to make sure everyone knows about this opportunity and other tax foreclosure prevention tools, the Quicken Loans Community Fund partnered with 30+ community organizations, UCHC and the City to lead a door-to-door outreach effort called “Neighbor to Neighbor,” which reached all 65,000 Detroit homes in tax distress as of October of 2017. This outreach delivered information on the program and other tax foreclosure prevention resources.

A total of 80 participants signed up for the pilot program, and the City of Detroit exercised its right of refusal to select and acquire those properties from Wayne County, withdrawing these properties from Wayne County’s 2017 tax foreclosure bid sale and transferring them to UCHC, which later sold them back to the occupants at affordable rates. Currently, of the 80 properties in the pilot program, 37 have been sold and deeded to the occupants, 39 occupants are adhering to their payment program.

Of the 80 occupants, only 4 were delinquent in payments.

Efforts continue to prevent tax foreclosures in 2018 The expanded program is just one of the multiple efforts underway in the city to prevent foreclosures, especially occupied foreclosures.

Assistance Workshops This Week Additionally, UCHC is continuing its efforts to educate residents facing foreclosure about their options. UCHC will host a number of assistance workshops for any resident, renter or homeowner, who may be facing foreclosure this week. Those events will be held at UCHC offices, 2727 Second Ave., Suite 313.

For more information on UCHC foreclosure prevention workshops, resident can visithttp:// www.uchcdetroit.org/ or call (313) 963-3310 (ext. 339).

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Grow Detroit From page A-1 Youth Policy Lab has worked closely with Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation to monitor and analyze how youth within the program are participating and whether that influences their academic achievements, and engagement in the workforce.

“We find that the youth who participate in the GDYT program have better educational outcomes,” said Brian Jacob, Professor of Economics and Co-Director of the Youth Policy Lab and Education Policy Initiative at the University of Michigan. “Specifically, the students who participate in GDYT have a lower rate of absenteeism and a higher graduation rate in comparison with their peers.”

Literacy From page A-1 to attend schools without books and attempt to learn in such poor conditions, and that he will continue to fight for Detroit students to have their day in court.

The City of Detroit, the AFL-CIO, the American Federation of Teachers, the International Literacy Association, and community groups such 482Forward filed briefs

The GDYT application process started in January and received over 13,000 applications. Most participants work 20 hours a week for six weeks, and all will receive 12 hours of work readiness training. GDYT youth will work at companies large and small, at a variety of jobs across more than 500 work sites, ranging from construction sites to auto suppliers to law firms.

“This is our second year being a part of the GDYT program” said Herman Moore, founder of the Herman Moore Tackle Life Foundation. “This foundation is all about providing life skills and experience for youth up to the age of 18, so the partnership with GDYT is a perfect fit for us.”

For more information, visit GDYT.org. supporting the suit.

A spokeswoman for 482Forward, a citywide education coalition, was disappointed in the ruling.

“The judge is agreeing these disparities exist,” said Wytrice Harris, who has taught and tutored students.

“But he is saying he can’t do anything about it.”

The governor’s office and the families represented in the suit did not respond to requests for comment.

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DWSD IS KEEpInG YOuR WAtER ClEAn The Detroit Water & Sewerage Department is making sure rainfall and snowmelt that flow into the sewer system is clean after picking up dirt from hard surfaces, like roofs and driveways, before sending it back into our rivers and eventually back into our homes.

We also maintain the infrastructure that helps reduce street flooding and basement backups. These services are paid through the drainage charge on your water bill.

Starting July 1, reflected on your August bill, your drainage charge will be based on the amount of hard (impervious) surfaces on your property.

HOW muCH HARD SuRFACE DO YOu HAVE? 1. Visit DWSD’s Parcel Viewer at detroitmi.gov/DWSDparcelviewer

2. Enter your street address.

3. View your parcel information.

ROOFS & DRIVEWAYS

GRASS

Hard surfaces that cause runoff into the sewer

4. If your hard surface is incorrect, fill out the Drainage Charge Adjustment Application online at detroitmi.gov/drainage or call Customer Care at (313) 267-8000 (option #6).

5. To view projected drainage charges, visit the website listed above.

Absorbs the rain and snowmelt

DEtROIt WAtER WORKS

WHEn WE WORK tOGEtHER!

July 11-17, 2018 • michiganchronicle.com • Page A-3

Promote the Vote to Submit Signatures for Amendment To Improve Access to Voting and Ensure the Accuracy and Integrity of Elections

On Monday, July 9, 2018, dozens of volunteers unloaded over 150 boxes of signatures from more than 420,000 Michiganders to place a Constitutional Amendment on the November ballot that will make voting more accessible for all Michigan voters. These signatures were collected from Michiganders from every county who support the Promote the Vote campaign and delivered to the Secretary of State’s Richard Austin Building.

“All across our great state, from the upper reaches of the UP to the bustling cities of southeastern Michigan, Michiganders are standing strong for this effort to expand access to the vote,” said Todd Cook, Campaign Director for Promote the Vote.

The Promote the Vote amendment offers a common-sense approach to removing voting barriers for working families. The amendment will ensure that citizens who face challenges such as long voting lines, inconvenient polling locations, inflexible work schedules, and those serving in the military have their votes counted.

Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr. (center) accepts the 2018 NNPA Lifetime Legacy Award from NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. (left) and NNPA Chairman Dorothy Leavell, during the 2018 NNPA Lifetime Legacy Award Black Tie Gala in Norfolk, Va. (Freddie Allen/AMG/NNPA)

NNPA Honors Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr., with Lifetime Legacy Award

By Stacy M. Brown (NNPA Newswire Contributor)

been under the weather all week, nothing would stop her from attending Jackson’s big night, she said.

Reverend Jesse L. Jackson Sr. received the highest honor presented by the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) at its annual convention in Norfolk, Virginia.

“We stand on bois Harris said. a pioneer of civil and he’s all that’s world.”

The legendary activist received the NNPA Lifetime Legacy Award for his decades of service as one of the country’s foremost civil rights, religious and political figures.

Over decades, Jackson has earned the respect and trust of presidents and dignitaries and his Rainbow PUSH organization has aided countless Black and minority families with various struggles.

After a video tribute that chronicled Jackson’s life and a surprise solo performance of “Hero,” by Jackson favorite, Audrey DuBois Harris, the iconic preacher accepted the award from NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., and NNPA Chairman Dorothy R. Leavell.

The proposed amendment will also: • Protect the right to vote a secret ballot.

• Ensure military service members and overseas voters get their ballots in on time.

• Provide voters with the option to vote straight party.

• Automatically register citizens to vote at the Secretary of State’s office unless the citizen declines.

• Allow a citizen to register to vote by mail or in person until 15 days before an election. After that, citizens may register to vote in person with proof of residency up to and on Election Day. • Provide all registered voters access to an absentee ballot for any reason.

• Ensure the accuracy and integrity of elections by auditing election results.

“Right now, Michigan is sadly behind most states in making it possible for all voices to be heard on election day,” said Kary Moss, Executive Director, ACLU of Michigan, a strategic partner in the Promote The Vote coalition. “Promote the Vote will make it possible for working women and men to vote absentee, register up to and including election day, protect the voting rights of all those serving overseas, and guarantee election audits.

It’s time to put decisions about how to vote and when to vote directly in the hands of voters because politicians in Lansing have been unwilling to do what is necessary.”

“I’m not easy to surprise,” Jackson told the crowd, which gave him a standing ovation as he headed to the podium to accept the honor.

his shoulders,” Du“He continues to be rights and humanity good and right in the

But his work not only has helped the poor or minorities.

In 1984, Jackson secured the release of captured Navy Lt. Robert Goodman from Syria, and he also help shepherd the release of 48 Cuban and Cuban-American prisoners in Cuba.

Jackson was the first American to bring home citizens from the United Kingdom, France, and other countries who were held as human shields by

Saddam Hussein in Kuwait and Iraq in 1990.

He also negotiated the release of U.S. soldiers held hostage in Kosovo and, in 2000, Jackson helped negotiate the release of four journalists working on a documentary for Britain’s Channel 4 network who were held in Liberia.

Jackson said President Trump should and can be defeated, with the aid of the Black Press, who this year has led a drive to register 5 million new African-American voters.

“The first time I saw an image of Black achievement was in the Black Press,” Jackson said. “Today, the Black Press is more important than ever. This is the season of ‘Fake News,’ but we need the truth now more than ever.”

Stacy Brown is an NNPA Newswire Contributor and co-author of “Michael Jackson: The Man Behind the Mask: An Insider’s Story of the King of Pop.” Follow Stacy on Twitter @stacybrownmedia.

The Presidential Medal of Freedom winner, Jackson has been called the “Conscience of the Nation,” and “The Great Unifier,” challenging America to be inclusive and to establish just and humane priorities for the benefit of all.

Born in 1941 in Greenville, South Carolina, Jackson began his theological studies at Chicago Theological Seminary, but deferred his studies when he began working full time in the Civil Rights Movement alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “This honor takes on a special meaning for me because my first job was selling the ‘Norfolk Journal and Guide’ newspaper and then the ‘Baltimore AFRO-American’ and then the ‘Pittsburgh Courier,’” Jackson said of the iconic Black-owned newspapers. “We couldn’t see the other side of Jackie Robinson.

We couldn’t see the other side of Sugar Ray Robinson,” he said, noting that the Black Press told the full stories of those sports heroes.

He reminisced about the fateful night in Memphis in 1968 when an assassin’s bullet cut down King.

“I was with Dr. King on that chilly night in Memphis and I went to the phone to talk to Mrs. King. I couldn’t really talk,” he said. “I told her, ‘I think Dr. King was shot in the shoulder,’ even though I knew he was shot in the neck.

I just couldn’t say it.”

During the General Motors-sponsored ceremony, Leavell and Chavis said Jackson has carried King’s legacy well.

“We still need him,” Leavell said of Jackson.

Chavis called Jackson a “long-distance runner who’s made a difference not only in this country, but all over the world.”

Leavell recalled Jackson’s historic run for the presidency in 1984 in a campaign that registered more than 1 million new voters and catapulting Democrats in their successful effort to regain control of the Senate.

Four years later, Jackson ran again, this time registering more than 2 million new voters and earning 7 million popular votes.

“It’s a wonder that my neighbors didn’t call the police the night he gave that iconic speech at the Democratic National Convention [in 1984],” said Leavell, whom Jackson presided over her wedding ceremony more than 40 years ago. “There was so much emotion that night that I felt, they told me that I could be anything that I wanted to be,” Leavell said, pointing to Jackson and photographers flocked to take pictures of the civil rights leader while holding his coveted NNPA award.

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Dubois Harris said Jackson is a “King of a man,” and, although she had

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We Must Reform Obama’s School Discipline Policies for the Safety of Our Children

By Kay Coles James President, The Heritage Foundation

I’m sure President Obama’s heart was in the right place.

A few years ago, his Department of Education, in conjunction with the Department of Justice, studied school discipline data and came to a troubling conclusion: African American students in the 2011-12 school year had been suspended or expelled at a rate three times higher than White students.

This news sent shock waves throughout the community and government. here were already concerns of a “school-to-prison pipeline” that funneled disadvantaged children to jail. Now, there was renewed agreement that things had to change.

And so, in 2014, the Departments of Education and JusKay Coles James tice put public schools on notice. If they suspended or expelled students of any racial group more than any other, they could face a federal investigation. In place of discipline to punish bad behavior, they were urged to use positive reinforcement instead.

As the grandmother of five schoolage kids, I watched this closely. And as one of the Black students who integrated an all-White Richmond, Va., school in 1961, I was hopeful.

I hoped this policy would lead to safer schools. I prayed it would help students get a better education. And I felt confident it would open the door to a brighter future for our kids.

But like so many other parents and grandparents, I was wrong.

The federal government’s warning had an immediate impact.

Schools across America quickly changed their discipline policies and reduced their suspension and expulsion rates. In doing so, they avoided the investigation threatened by the President. But at the same time, they put our children at risk.

Today, kids who bully and assault their classmates too often do so without fear of punishment. They know teachers have lost control. And they realize they can get away with behavior that never used to be tolerated.

As a result, when this summer is over, many students will once again face the fear of going back to school. That’s a tragedy! Schools should be joyous places where learning takes place. That’s what my classmates and I fought for in 1961. And it’s what should be the reality today.

beaten up in his classroom and sprayed with a chemical. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, but never recovered. A few weeks after his brutal assault, Joevon died.

According to media reports, Joevon’s assailants wanted to steal his cell phone.

That may be so. But because they were repeat offenders, loosened school discipline policies are also at fault.

That’s the case up the road in Baltimore, too. There, Jared Haga (age 10) and his 12-year-old sister Tamar have been bullied and threatened with violence. Tamar has even been sexually harassed and assaulted. In school!

As chronicled by “The Daily Signal,” Jared and Tamar’s mother tried to get this to stop. But when she complained to the principal, she was told nothing would – or could – be done.

Joevon, Jared, and Tamar aren’t alone. According to numerous reports, public schools are now less orderly and more dangerous. As Walter E. Williams has observed, the policy President Obama put into place has allowed “miscreants and thugs to sabotage the education process.”

Teachers apparently agree. In anonymous surveys, they describe how badly school safety has deteriorated. As one stated, “We have fights here almost every day. The kids walk around and say ‘We can’t get suspended – we don’t care what you say.’”

That sentiment was echoed by another teacher: “Students are yelling, cursing, hitting and screaming at teachers and nothing is being done but teachers are being told to teach and ignore the behaviors. These students know there is nothing a teacher can do.”

This is crazy.

Every child deserves to get the tools they need to make their dreams come true. But if they are too scared to focus, they won’t get them. Many will drop out, limiting their chance to get a job, raise a family, and pursue their life goals.

All because directives from Washington have made school districts fear they’ll be investigated for keeping their classrooms safe.

We can’t bring Joevon back, and Jared and Tamar may never forget the trauma they’ve experienced. But we can take action to fix the mistake that has been made.

For starters, the Education and Justice Departments’ school discipline policy should be rescinded. And if any threats remain, every family should be empowered with school choice so they can choose safer learning options for their children.

I know President Obama meant well, but his administration’s action was wrong. So it’s now time to make things right.

Instead, danger lurks behind schoolhouse doors.

Our children should be at risk no more.

Joevon Smith is a heartbreaking example. A 17-year-old student with special needs who attended Ballou High School in Washington, D.C., Joeven was

Kay Coles James is the president of The Heritage Foundation. You can follow Kay on Twitter @KayColesJames.

Elect Women – Just Don’t Make It Another ‘Year of the Woman’ We have good news and bad news.

The good news first: a record number of women are running for elected office all across the United States. We are part of this history-making wave of women. We are both running for state representative in neighboring Ingham County districts.

By just about any measure, this socalled “year of the woman” has been a long time coming. All 45 presidents have been male. Every Michigan governor except one has been a man.

Michigan has a great woman leader representing us in Washington D.C. in Senator Debbie Stabenow. Just two members (Rep. Debbie Dingell and Rep. Brenda Lawrence, both Democrats from the Metro Detroit area) of Michigan’s 13-member congressional delegation are women.

Here in Lansing, women are woefully underrepresented in state government.

Females serve in just 35 of the 148 seats in the two chambers of the Michigan legislature. Even the Capital Area has an all-male delegation.

Ingham County voters typically send a more diverse bunch to the state Capitol. For many years, the Capital Caucus, as it is sometimes called, has included a woman or two. Laura Baird, Lynne Martinez, Joan Bauer, Dianne Byrum, Barb Byrum, Teresa Abed, and current gubernatorial candidate Gretchen Whitmer have served in the state house and state senate with distinction.

Like us, many of those women started out in local government where female leaders are a little easier to find. In recent years (but not this year), both the Lansing City Council and the Ingham County Board of Commissioners have boasted female majorities. Both bodies currently have women leading them. In fact, both of us have served as board chairperson as well.

Recently, we all have witnessed gut-wrenching incidents that seem to underscore the need for more women in decision-making positions. This is the

year that the #MeToo movement seems to have hit critical mass. Sexual harassment scandals and sexual misconduct accusations have rocked the highest echelons of business, entertainment, and government. Here in mid-Michigan, infamous former sports physician Larry Nassar has been held to account for abusing hundreds of girls and women over decades. The full impact of this tragedy on the survivors, the world of sports, and the MSU community remains to be seen.

When women lead, more voices are heard. More creative solutions are offered. More collaboration takes place.

And when it comes to the business world, genuine diversity– not tokenism – including gender diversity, leads to higher returns.

With men making the rules for the past 242 years (or for most of human history, depending on what you measure), it is no wonder that males are winning the game, too often without regard to how their victories affect the majority of the population.

So with a record number of women running for elected office all across the United States (and many running right here in Ingham County), will 2018 be another year of the woman? Let’s hope not. We want to elect women. We have worked and are actively working to elect women – and we obviously want to be elected ourselves. But unless this prospective “year of the woman” is when we turn the corner – and not just a splashy aberration like the last year of the woman in 1992 – we will keep on working until nobody remembers why a “year of the woman” is remarkable.

Michigan Judge is Wrong: Detroit Students Deserve Right to Literacy

By Vesia Wilson-Hawkins “Siri!” I bellowed. “Is there such thing as a right to literacy?”

“Interesting question,” she replied.

During a time when half of the country is in a desperate search for answers to life’s most basic questions about humanity’s most basic rights, Siri is about as useless as Michigan’s state department of education. The state that borders four of the five Great Lakes, houses the ghosts of Motown past, and a home of Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos recently argued away its responsibility to serve the agency of the Vesia Wilson-Hawkins very citizens who depend on it when Judge Stephen J. Murphy III declared that racial minority students at poorly performing high schools in Detroit had not been denied access to literacy or a minimally adequate education.

A lawsuit filed in September 2016 on behalf of students in the Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) cited a “‘lack of textbooks and basic materials; overcrowded classrooms; failure to address students’ specific learning needs; lack of English Language Learner instruction; and unqualified staff,’ and ‘unsafe temperatures in the classroom’ where ‘students frequently can see their breath in the winter and are subjected to 90-degree heat in the summer.”

Only the tin man or a federal judge could side with the state who successfully defended its right to fail the children of Detroit and railroad their lives

By Dan Dildy

for the foreseeable future. It is now official that in Michigan children, have no “right to literacy.” Those are the exact words of the judge that ruled in the case.

Meanwhile, “high school students spend months struggling to read books designed for third- and fourth-grade reading levels,” according to Michael Jackman of the Detroit Metro Times.

For a fifth straight time, Detroit students who took the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) scored the lowest among big-city districts in reading.

In upholding the anti-choice crowd’s commitment to keeping families shackled to failing environments, Michigan upped the ante by sanctioning the failure of the state to adequately equip and educate Black and Brown low-income students. By reducing schools to holding cells and teachers as guards, Detroit schools are legally allowed to act as pre-incarceration prep facilities.

In case you’re wondering, prison has no literacy requirements, either.

So as we reflect on Independence Day and the often celebratory readings of the Preamble and Bill of Rights, be thankful that your education afforded you that opportunity. Understand that you are for whom a more perfect union was formed, that the general welfare was more selective than promised, and the Blessings of Liberty and Posterity don’t cover all God’s children.

As my friend Lane Wright noted, “literacy is virtually synonymous with education.” Without reading, what is an education? Without an education, there is no freedom – no independence.

Vesia Wilson-Hawkins is a, parent of public school children and a staunch advocate for better public school options, particularly for the Black community in her hometown.

Where Is The Love?

In July of 2004, Senator Barack Obama gave the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. During his address, he received standing ovations as he reminded the delegates that we are all one America, that we all pledge our allegiance to the same flag.

Later, as president, Obama continued trying to unite the country by asserting that Americans should support and show concern for one another. Occasionally, he used biblical references of love saying, “I am my brother’s and my sister’s keeper” in many of his speeches.

But like a lonely wolf howling in a deserted canyon, his appeals fell Dan Dildy on deaf ears--some Americans were not really listening Since Obama left office, the notion of love for one’s fellow citizens has gone by the wayside. Public service just doesn’t seem to be in the job description anymore; the infusion of big money into politics has shoved love onto the back burner.

As a result, public confidence in the political process is losing ground. Indicative of that, slightly more than half of the entire nation’s eligible voters went to the polls in 2016. And voters here in Detroit participated even less, only about 37% bothered casting a ballot.

And there may be even more justification now to ask the question, where is the love?

Ingham County Commissioner Sarah Anthony of Lansing is a Democratic candidate for state representative for house district 68.

Where is the love for the people when a political candidate campaigns for office, but is an alleged child molester?

In Alabama such a candidate was on the ticket just last year.

Ingham County Commissioner Kara Hope of Delhi Township is a Democratic candidate for state representative for house district 67.

When a confessed Nazi is a candidate for office, as one currently is in Ohio, something is seriously wrong and can’t possibly represent love of democratic

ideals. In Germany, under Hitler, the Nazis murdered six million people during WWII. When the most-powerful man on the planet sits in the White House, but is an admitted sexual abuser, is that what love for the American people should look like?

And if alleged wife-beaters work for the President of The United States, is that a good example of the love the American people deserve? Several of them have already resigned.

Certainly immorality in government has permeated both political partys, Republicans and Democrats. But voters themselves must take some responsibility to elect qualified candidates. Also, when voters know more about Kanye West and Kim Kardasian than they do about the elected officials who will decide if their children have health care--or not---then the country has a problem.

Besides, even our most-celebrated and well-known role models appear to have betrayed the public trust, too. Bill Cosby of all people, the ‘Nation’s Dad’ a few short years ago, has been convicted of sexual assaut. Where is the love and respect for the people?

When sports fans know the statistics and outcomes of athletic events, but don’t know or understand that the Michigan legislature has been busy making Medicaid more difficult to get and keep, there is a problem. Where is the love?

And obviously love for our neighbors is missing from the conversation when nobody seems to care about when, or if, clean water will ever run through Flint water pipes again.

So the fabric of the nation’s spirit has been torn, and confidence in leadership is missing. Malcolm X would probably say that the people have been “bamboozeled” into searching for the highest-priced material goods, rather than selecting leaders to provide good health care, food and housing security, for example.

Find the love on November 6, 2018.

Take a neighbor and your sidters and brothers and go VOTE! ddandivine@comcast.net

July 11-17, 2018 • michiganchronicle.com • Page A-5

$108 million development to bring 374 new residential units to Lafayette Park A $108 million project planned in the Lafayette Park neighborhood will bring 374 new residential units, parking and amenities to the neighborhood. The residential units will include both for-rent and for-sale lofts, townhouses, flats and high-rise units. And at least 20 percent of the rental units will be set aside as affordable.

The development, currently referred to as Lafayette West, will be subject to the City’s Community Benefits Ordinance, which requires a community engagement process for the development to move forward. The project is also subject to Executive Order 2016-1, which requires that 51 percent of the hours worked on the construction must be performed by verified Detroit residents, or that the developer contributes to the city’s Workforce Training Fund to build the pool of skilled trade workers who live in the city.

“As Detroit’s recovery continues, we want to make sure big developments like Lafayette West benefit not just new residents, but also the people of Detroit who have stayed through the good times and the bad,” said Arthur Jemison, chief services and infrastructure officer. “From hiring Detroiters for construction and funding workforce training programs, to providing affordable housing, to convening neighbors to negotiate benefits for the community, we are working to ensure Detroit’s recovery works for everybody.”

New construction neighborhood

in

the

Ginosko Development Company, a Michigan-based developer with a strong track record in the creation and preservation of quality housing projects, will invest $108 million in Lafayette West for new construction on 5.2 acres of land between I-375 and Rivard Street, where the vacant Shapero Hall is currently located. The hall will be demolished and Ginosko will build a mix of new structures on the site, including a 12-story high-rise with 114 luxury rental units and attached parking, 200 lofts for rent, also with enclosed parking, and 60 for-sale townhouses, carriage houses and stacked flats with attached garages.

The development will feature green space amenities and add to the walkable environment in Lafayette Park. Every unit is designed to be within walking or biking distance to the Downtown area, major employment and recreational areas and neighborhood shopping.

The project will also include a rooftop terrace, a fitness center and other market amenities. In all, the project will add 374 new residential units and approximately 490 new parking spaces to Lafayette Park.

“I truly believe in the saying ‘love your neighbor as you love yourself’, and if I were living in the impacted area of Lafayette West, I would want to know what’s going on in my neighborhood, and how I can participate. That is the exact intent of the CBO process and Executive Order 2016-1, which Ginosko Development Company respects and welcomes,” said Amin Irving, President & CEO of Ginosko Development Company. “We’ve been quietly on the rise for many years and I have grown to love this city and

the people who make it amazing. I’m grateful for this unique opportunity to contribute to the momentum and progress currently unfolding.”

Putting Detroit’s recovery to work for Detroiters Lafayette West will be subject to city policies designed to put big developments and investments to work for Detroiters, not just developers. Lafayette West will be subject to the following policies: The city’s Community Benefits Ordinance (CBO), which requires developers of projects over $75 million to engage with community members to negotiate a community benefits agreement. Ginosko will meet with community members this week to introduce the plan and receive initial input on the project. Later, a Neighborhood Advisory Council (NAC) will be established to negotiate benefits with the developer. The NAC consists of 9 members, who are selected by the Planning and Development Department, City Council and residents of the

impacted area.

Executive Order 2016-1, which requires that 51 percent of the construction hours worked on the project must be worked by Detroit residents, or a contribution to the city’s Workforce Training Fund. Due to the shortage of skilled trade workers in Detroit, the order allows for a contribution to the training fund that goes directly to programs that train the next generation of Detroit resident construction workers. That includes programs like Randolph Career Technical Center, which trains high school students in the skilled trades during the day, and adults on the same equipment after school lets out.

Building mixed-income neighborhoods Lafayette West will also include an affordable housing program for residents, which will set aside 20 percent of the 314 rental units for households making 80 percent of area median income or lower. The area median income at 80 percent, set by federal housing rules, is

about $38,000 a year. The preservation and creation of affordable housing is the cornerstone of Detroit’s growth strategy.

Affordable housing offers stability for the city’s low-income residents and provides options to households at a range of incomes in all neighborhoods.

Timeline and how to get involved Before construction can begin, the developer will meet with the community as part of the Community Benefits Ordinance process, which will include six meetings throughout the summer. The first meeting for residents will be Tuesday, July 3. Residents in the impact area received the first meeting notice in the mail last month and information on additional meetings will be shared online at DetroitMI.gov/PDD under the Community Benefits Ordinance tab.

Once the community benefits agreement is in place, Ginosko expects to break ground in early 2019. The project is expected to be complete by the end of 2020

Gig-speed to more businesses in more places

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Access to over 18 million Xfinity WiFi hotspots nationwide

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Not so much.

Complete reliability with up to 6 hrs of 4G LTE backup available with internet service

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35 Voice features and solutions that grow with your business

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No.

2-hour appointment windows

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Page A-6 • michiganchronicle.com •

July 11-17, 2018

CONGRATULATIONS! CHEVROLET AND NNPA OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCE OUR 2018 DISCOVER THE UNEXPECTED FELLOWS! TYVAN BURNSSITY

UNIVER NORFOLK STATE

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NORTH CAROLINA

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The wait is over! Chevrolet and the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) are proud to announce our six Fellows selected for Discover the Unexpected (DTU) 2018 - a life-changing journalism fellowship.

Chosen from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) nationwide, our DTU 2018 Fellows each receive a $10,000 scholarship, $5,000 stipend and a journalism adventure in the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox.

Our DTU 2018 Fellows are geared up and ready to go discover stories of inspiration and innovation in our African American communities. Follow us and show our HBCU students some love along the way. The journey begins!

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B1

Roots.

| July 11-17, 2018

michiganchronicle.com

NEIGHBORS

Michigan Chronicle MICHIGAN CHRONICLE AND ARISE DETROIT TEAM UP One Year in The Life, a new monthly supplement to the Michigan Chronicle Roots section, is dedicated to coverage of the Detroit experience at a grassroots level. The edition is the result of a partnership between ARISE Detroit!, a nonprofit coalition of more than 400 organizations, and the Michigan Chronicle, the state’s oldest and most respected African American newspaper. The project is made possible through a grant from the Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan.

SOUTHWEST

12th Annual ARISE Detroit! Neighborhoods Day: Aug. 4, 2018

Southwest Resident Joins Day Of Service And Neighborhood Empowerment

Be a part of Detroit’s Great Neighborhood Tradition Day

By Santiago Esparza Neighborhoods Staff Writer

Jessica M. Ramirez is a flurry of activity.

Whether she is planning volunteer events, signing up to help at others or just trying to get the word out that people should be good to each other, she stays on the move.

“It is God’s work,” the 38-year-old southwest Detroit resident said. “It is what my purpose is; to help people.”

Ramirez will participate in the ARISE Detroit! 12th annual Neighborhoods Day on Aug.4. The event brings people from the city and the suburbs and businesses together for a day of volunteering. No project is too small and no idea too big.

Jessica M. Ramirez Photo credit: Paul Warner.

Past projects have included cleaning blighted areas, making repairs to the homes of seniors and cultural presentations.

Ramirez, a member of the Detroiters Help-

See DAY OF SERVICE page B-2

What is it?

Neighborhoods Day celebrates all the great work block clubs, churches, schools, community groups and local businesses do throughout the year in the effort to create a better Detroit. Neighborhoods Day events are held all over the city, most of them on the same day, from midtown to downtown, from the west side to the east side.

What type of event should i have?

Whatever shows off the work and serves the needs of your neighborhood or organization – such as community cleanups, parades, workshops on various issues, youth events and concerts, volunteer signups for community programs, health fairs, garage sales, picnics, etc.

Register to participate: Register for Neighborhoods Day at www.arisedetroit.org, or phone 313-921-1955. There is a $50 registration fee. You will receive a Neighborhoods Day banner with the name of your organization, T-shirts, water and more.

Groups doing cleanup or beautification projects will receive a $100 voucher to purchase supplies for

DEXTER-DAVISON

Food Warriors learn self determination and give service

Teaching children to be of service to their community is a vital part of the education they receive through the Shrine’s Freedom School and a related project: the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network Food Warrior youth development program.

“The children have participated in past Neighborhoods Day events by helping with the cleanup activities that the church is engaged in and one year the children made green smoothies using the spinach and kale from the garden for volunteers to sample,” said Mama Tonja (Hanifa) Adjuman, affectionately known as Mama Hanifa, who runs the Shrine of the Black

See FOOD WARRIORS page B-2

Skills Ville Gym develops skills and community connections

There’s a lot happening behind the unassuming façade at 17609 Livernois. You’d never know from the outside that there is a 24-year- old operation that trains and services up to 150 youth at a time.

Skills Ville offers a “Busy Bunny” gymnastics program specifically

At the Shrine of the Black Madonna, you may find children working in the community garden, preparing food or smoothies from the harvest or cleaning up around the area.

ARISE Detroit! is a nonprofit coalition of more than 400 organizations, promoting volunteerism, community activism and positive media images to create a better Detroit.

Rohn Baker, director of Skills Ville Photo credit: Paul Warner.

Neighbors Staff Writer

Neighbors Staff Writer

details.

How will people learn about my event?

ARISE Detroit! promotes all the events to the local media and all events are posted with a map on www.arisedetroit.org.

NORTHWEST

By Lauren A. Hood

By James W. Ribbron

It’s all part of the way they give back to their community, especially on Neighborhood Day.

their event.

Registration deadline is July 15, 2018.

How will i get volunteers?

ARISE Detroit! makes every effort to connect potential volunteers to Neighborhoods Day events. However, the volunteers often self select the types of activities they wish to support. The website posting of your event indicates all groups that are seeking volunteers. Interested parties can then contact the groups directly about volunteer

for toddlers ages 2-4, recreational gymnastics for children 5 & up, a travel team that competes nationally., martial arts, cheerleading camps, in-door baseball training and adult kickboxing.

And Skills Ville connects with the broader community through regular participation in the ARISE Detroit!

Neighborhoods Day. It has participat-

See SKILLS VILLE page B-2

What are you doing to improve your neighborhood?

Bishop Mbiyu Chui, Pastor of the Shrine of the Black Madonna – Detroit.

Photo credit James Ribbron

What are you doing to improve your neighborhood?

I grew up on Hogarth and Lawton. I’ve been a member of the Shrine of the Black Madonna since I was a teenager.

I grew up in the church tutoring math and science. In the summer of 1972 I began tutoring kids in the neighborhood in the church fellowship hall. I realized I was making a difference when children would come to me and tell me how much I meant to them. The way technology and politics is going, many children may not have access to education. .

Freedom Schools offer us the opportunity to educate our children, teach our history and build our own communities.”

Samoy Smith is one the co-founders, along with Joe Marra and Vicky Sahami, of Creating Space Detroit a 501(c)3 nonprofit based in northwest Detroit’s Bagley neighborhood. Photo credit Ali Lapetina

“We formed the nonprofit in order to change the vacant lots into a park, because there are none in our neighborhood. The park is currently being built and should be done soon. Next we are trying to acquire the house next to it, rehab it and turn it into a community center. We have a fundraiser on Facebook going until July 20th, with all donations being matched up to $10,000 through a matching grant with the Human Family Unity Foundation. After that we want to clean out the alley and and turn it into useable space for recreation. The long-term goal is to clean out all the alleys and turn them into useable space, like a Dequindre Cut for the Bagley Neighborhood.

Page B-2 • michiganchronicle.com • July 11-17, 2018

Day of service From page B-1 ing Each Other community group, is participating in the event for the first time.

Detroiters Helping Each Other fights blight through cleanup projects, works to provide food for children in the summer and events for youths to keep them on a positive path.

On Neighborhoods Day, Ramirez plans to set up tables to share information with visitors on where to get help with caring for their pets. Information will include everything from available animal food banks to places to go for low-cost or free neutering of animals to signing up people to be on the lookout for mistreated animals.

She will set up near a medical marijuana dispensary on Michigan Avenue and Chopin.

Photo credit: Paul Warner.

“I look for places people would not think of going to,” she said. “You can give out a lot of information that way.”

Detroit’s David Pruden (L ), and Calvin Pruden (R) to study at Oxford University in August

Two Detroit siblings accepted to prestigious summer study program in Oxford U.K. Calvin and David Pruden, two of six siblings, carry on a family tradition of academic excellence; seek to raise funds for study abroad

While most children wait all year for a summer vacation free of books, classrooms and homework, Calvin, 17 and David Pruden, 18 of Detroit are the exception...they dream of attending summer school, and one of the best in the world, the Oxford University Summer Seminar. In April, the brothers came one step closer to their dream as their acceptance letters arrived in the mail.

Calvin and David have four siblings, and currently attend Bloomfield Christian School. From an early age academics were a focal point in their family. ‘We knew we wanted to guide our children towards their individual gifts and talents,’ said their mother, Tosha Pruden.

Their father Ptolemy added “It was so important to instill in them the pursuit of knowledge so that they would each become life-long learners. This will allow them to impact society with the knowledge and understanding they would acquire.”

The brothers were home-schooled for 10 years. Early on, Calvin had an affinity for finance, economics and marketing, earning him the family nick name “The Billionaire” His interests in business and how it impacts local, national and global markets paved the way Calvin to be a leading candidate for the Oxford Economics Program. His instructors marvel at Calvin’s ability to draw connections between British Literature, scripture and Economics.

“I am really interested in how the global economy is affected by the decisions of their leaders,” said Calvin.

“Having the opportunity to attend Oxford’s Economics Academy will put me on the path to understanding how each nation’s ideals, policies, use of positive law to create a country based on such laws.”

Calvin’s brother David has a bright and inquisitive mind, and already exhib-

“By joining forces (with ARISE Detroit!) it lets people know we are here,” she said. “The more resources we have access to, the more connections we have access to, the more work we can do.”

Ramirez said sharing her story with others could help them find the strength to help themselves and volunteer to help improve the city.

“I have been through it all,” she said.

“It made me strong and it makes me want to help others.”

Detroiters Helping Each Other can be reached at http://www.detroitershelpingeachother.com or visit their Facebook page.

David Pruden

Calvin Pruden

its the qualities necessary to become a fine attorney. David’s thoughts are already on the future, and he has a profound interest in Artificial Intelligence and the challenges it will present in the legal arena.

still relevant. Attending Oxford’s Young Lawyer’s Academy will be a once-in-alifetime chance to further my education.”

“I have always been interested in Patent and Criminal Law,” said David.

“The possibility of fusing these two areas of law as it relates to advancing autonomous vehicles, robotic systems, and enterprises is exhilarating. I am so intrigued by criminal justice and the process of defense and prosecution. I know that when new technological advances come out, someone must be able to come up with plans to assure safety and uphold balance. The duty of a lawyer is to maintain justice; even with technological advances, justice is

David is also a gifted speaker whose oratory skills have earned him many accolades. He recently won the Bloomfield Christian School’s Annual “Speech Meet” with his rendition of Winston Churchill’s “We Shall Fight Them on the Beaches” speech. In his studies, David has continuously demonstrated a great ability to understand and engage with difficult texts, including Cicero, Socrates, Plato and Aristotle.

For information on how to support David and Calvin Pruden’s Oxford Tuition, please visit www.gofundme.com Fundraiser by Ptolemy Pruden: Our Trip to Oxford. for metro Detroit’s youth.

ed since the inception 12 years ago.

The concept struck a chord with Skills Ville founder Rohn Baker and his business partner and wife, Yvonne.

“Malnutrition is not just not getting enough to eat; it’s eating the wrong things,” Rohn Baker said.

They wanted to clean up a vacant lot behind the Skills Ville that attracted illicit activity and dumping. Coincidentally, the annual Skills Ville Open House was planned for the same day.

The benefits go beyond physical skill training.

From page B-1

Photo credit: Paul Warner. body together, coordinating all the different organizations around the city at one specific time, it was just a match for us,” he said referring to Neighborhood’s Day founder Luther Keith.

Eventually, the church bought the lot.

Baker came up with the idea for Skills Ville while coaching football at St. Martin De Porres High School.

Skills Ville has been participating ever since, coordinating its Open House with ARISE Detroit!’s Neighborhood’s Day. The church also continues to be involved.

He watched as neighborhood kids at football games did flips and somersaulted off the bleachers. He wondered, “If they had the proper environment to train in, how far could they take it.”

A major benefit of partnering with ARISE Detroit! is connecting with other organizations and staying informed on what’s going on throughout the city, Rohn Baker said.

He and his wife, Yvonne, who both eventually left their jobs at Ameritech, opened Skills Ville in July of 1995—a place where children could learn athletic and gymnastics skills early that could expand long-term opportunities

“Luther’s efforts of bringing every-

She hopes the ARISE Detroit! event will allow her to spread her message of positivity beyond southwest Detroit.

‘I have seen the passion and energy of Detroiters and others who care about the city and I’m looking forward to working with them to help create the kind of community we all want,” Keith said.

They make it a point to include nutrition education in their programming, believing that good nutrition helps build strong bodies and minds.

They joined forces with the church nearby, New Bright Star Baptist, to clean the lot and make the space safer and more attractive.

“Sometimes all it takes is a kind word to help someone out,” Ramirez said. “I do not have time for negativity.”

Luther Keith, native Detroiter and longtime journalist, founded ARISE Detroit! and serves as the nonprofit’s executive director.

Skills Ville

“It was a natural marriage for us,” Rohn Baker said.

Ramirez is relentlessly upbeat when she speaks with people. Although she has experienced mental and physical abuse in her life and was homeless at 14 years old, she never gave up believing that things would get better. She tries to share that belief with others who may be going through tough times.

Yvonne Baker says that parents tell her their children are better able to follow directions and act more appropriately in social situations.

There’s another benefit for the community. Employment.

All of the program’s trainers and coaches are former Skills Ville students.

Food Warriors From page B-1 Madonna Freedom School.

“I have the youth participate because it is important that they understand their responsibility to community,” she said. “Our work with the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network Food Warrior youth development program is grounded in the Nguzo Saba (The Seven Kwanza Principles), having the children engage in all aspects of community allows them to see how the principles apply in our everyday lives.

It’s about connecting food to the totality of our living experiences so that they see that it’s all connected”.

The Shrine’s Neighborhood’s Day plans this year include a food give-a-way, free clothing, and community clean up, along with aspects of the Food Warriors project.

“Our children need to see themselves as valued community members taking responsibility for the health and well-being of our community,” Mama Hanifa said. “It teaches them that we are the solution to the challenges we face and that is empowering.”

Twelve-year-old food warrior Na’Kyah Adjuman fondly recalls her experience from last year.

“We made green smoothies using kale and spinach from our garden,” she said. “We wanted to provide a healthy treat to the community and introduce them to the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network and the Food Warriors program. We wanted to be involved with not just making the neighborhood and our church look nice. We also love interacting with our community.”

This month marks Skills Ville’s 24th year in business and they’re proud to be active participants in the community.

Bishop Mbiyu Chui, Pastor of the Shrine of the Black Madonna, was introduced to the Freedom Movement by Mama Hanifa and enthusiastically supports the program.

“Our commitment is here in Detroit.

We knew that there was an audience here that would benefit,” Rohn Baker said. “Our children and families would benefit from this kind of multi-purpose environment, and we take pride in the type of programs we have and the instructors we have.”

The school began at the Shrine in 2016 and continues a long-standing mission to teach community service and self-determination to young people.

“All of them have grown up in our program,” Yvonne Baker said.

“It was an excellent idea to bring the school because we have many teachers and resources in the church to support our children.”

B3

| July 11-17, 2018

Money.

michiganchronicle.com

POWER MOVES Accounting Aid Society Appoints Director of Business Strategy and Innovation Ashley H. Mizzi, of Sterling Heights, has joined the Accounting Aid Society leadership team as director of business strategy and innovation. She will oversee the small business financial services program, called DoTheNumbers, which serves 150 small businesses and entrepreneurs each year with assistance for accounting and financial issues including recordkeeping, bookkeeping, sales tax education, financial statements and tax returns.

Most recently, Ms. Mizzi was director of operations and lending for the Detroit Community Loan Fund in Detroit.

Prior to moving back to Detroit, she was director of credit operations for Business Capital Ashley H. Mizzi USA in San Francisco, and underwriting manager, alternative lending at CAN Capital in Atlanta. She has also worked for JPMorgan Chase in Detroit as commercial underwriter.

Ms. Mizzi holds a B.A. of business administration from Siena Heights University, a master’s degree in business administration and finance from Central Michigan University, and completed a five-course graduate-level certificate program in strategic management and process improvement at Harvard University.

Accounting Aid Society is a Detroit-based nonprofit offering free tax and financial services to thousands of taxpayers and small businesses in southeast Michigan.

Since its founding in 1972 by accountants who wanted to give back to the community, Accounting Aid Society has helped return nearly $400 million in tax refunds to individuals and small businesses in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb and Livingston counties. The nonprofit offers programs that focus on sound financial management practices for small businesses; tax debt relief and education; and personal financial coaching.

Accounting Aid Society was named “Best-Managed Nonprofit” by Crain’s Detroit Business,and is a Bank of America Neighborhood Builder and the recipient of the Governor’s Service Award for Outstanding Volunteer Program.

Interlochen Arts Academy Orchestra names Dr. Leslie B. Dunner as New Conductor Interlochen Center for the Arts announced that Dr. Leslie B. Dunner has been named as Conductor of the Interlochen Arts Academy Orchestra. Dr. Dunner comes to Interlochen from Chicago, where he has been Music Director of the South Shore Opera Company since 2014.

His appointment marks the most recent in a series of major investments in the music program at Interlochen Center for the Arts, which will also fund the opening of a new 65,000-square-foot music building in the spring of 2019.

Kedrik Merwin, Director of Music at Interlochen Center for the Arts, said:

Courtesy of the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra

“Dr. Dunner has an extraordinary professional conducting and teaching career. He had an inspiring rehearsal with our orchestra, and the enthusiastic response and support from our music students helped to confirm and reinforce his selection, as did his interest and commitment to collaboration with all of the arts divisions at Interlochen.”

Fifth Third Bank, EverFi award $70,000 to high school students through Finance AcademySM 28 students receive scholarships for education expenses Thanks to Fifth Third Bank and education-technology company EverFi Inc., more than two dozen high school students have been awarded scholarships through the Finance AcademySM 529 College Savings Scholarship contest.

The 28 winners from the Fifth Third 10-state footprint were chosen based on an essay they submitted that detailed how Finance Academy coursework had a positive impact on their plans and understanding of the core concepts of personal finance and entrepreneurship. Each winner is to receive $2,500 in a 529 savings plan to use. The 2017-18 school year was the first for Finance Academy and the scholarship contest.

“I’m proud that we are able to provide savings scholarships to these students who have shown an interest in their own financial empowerment,” said David Girodat, regional president of Fifth Third Bank in Eastern Michigan.

“Finance Academy is a great opportunity for young people to leverage technology and help them make sound financial decisions.

The program and scholarships are both great foundations for their futures.”

Fifth Third Bank launched Finance Academy, a digital personal finance and entrepreneurship education program, in October 2017.

The program already has reached more than 130,000 students, closing in on its goal to reach 150,000 students annually. With its mission to improve lives through education, Finance Academy is a key part of Fifth Third’s $30 billion Community Commitment. Finance Academy is a Fifth Third L.I.F.E. (Lives Improved through Financial Empowerment®) program and delivers interactive online financial and entrepreneurship education to students at no cost to schools or taxpayers.

To apply for the scholarship, students had to be in grades 9-12 and be an active participant in at least one Finance Academy course during the 2017-18 school year.

Maniah, a scholarship winner from Cass Technical High School in Detroit, MI, said she learned several lessons this year. “Finance Academy taught me a lot about becoming an entrepreneur and the steps it takes to start a business.

In the real world, there are products and services that people need.

When owning a business, you need to identify how your company is different and why people should choose you over the competition.”

Finance Academy offers two web-based courses. The personal finance course is a series of 30-

to 45-minute financial education modules that cover topics ranging from budgeting and savings to identity protection. Through its entrepreneurship Venture course, Finance Academy builds and empowers the next generation of business owners and entrepreneurs by guiding them through the creation of a business plan – from generating ideas to taking a sustainable business concept to market.

Each course module includes real-world scenarios and instructional animation that makes the content approachable and relatable for students.

“At EverFi, we are passionate about working with partners who are committed to ensuring that young people have the resources they need to follow their dreams and build secure futures,” said Ray Martinez, EverFi co-founder and president. “Fifth Third’s Finance Academy embodies that commitment. Together, we have reached more than 130,000 students this school year with over 400,000 hours of critical entrepreneurship and personal finance education.”

Fifth Third and EverFi plan to offer additional scholarships to students at the end of the 2018-19 and 2019-20 school years. High school administrators and teachers interested in bringing Finance Academy to their classroom or district can visit financeacademy.53.com.

Trey Devey, President of Interlochen Center for the Arts, explained:

“The appointment of Dr. Dunner represents another important step forward for our music program. We are dedicated to being the leading destination for aspiring, motivated young musicians and artists, and bringing on Dr. Dunner reinforces this commitment.”

Dr. Leslie B. Dunner

In addition to his South Shore Opera Company tenure, Dr. Dunner has served as Music Director of the Joffrey Ballet and the symphony orchestras of Annapolis, Dearborn, and Nova Scotia. He spent eleven seasons at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO), first as Resident, then Associate, and finally as Assistant Conductor, while serving concurrently as Music Director of the DSO’s youth orchestra, the Detroit Symphony Civic Orchestra.

Besides holding principal conducting positions with the Dance Theatre of Harlem, Harlem Festival Orchestra, and Louisville Ballet, he undertook a season as Interim Music Director of the Orquesta Filarmónica de Jalisco in Guadalajara, Mexico.

In addition to his professional conducting work, Dr. Dunner is a dedicated music educator. He began his career in music education as Assistant Professor at Minnesota’s Carleton College and has continued to lead youth orchestras throughout his career. The first American prize-winner in the Arturo Toscanini International Conducting Competition, he is also a recipient of the Leonard Bernstein American Conductors Award and the NAACP’s James Weldon Johnson and Distinguished Achievement Awards.

Dr. Dunner holds a Bachelor’s degree in clarinet performance from the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester, a Master’s in music theory and musicology from Queens College at the City University of New York, and a Doctor of Musical Arts in orchestral conducting from the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati.

ELC Member Lynton Scotland (l.) of W.L. Gore & Associates and ELC Board Secretary Jeffrey Webster (r.) welcomed new member Erwin Raphael, Executive Director and General Manager of Genesis Motors America. (Photo credit: ELC)

Genesis Executive Joins Executive Leadership Council At their 2018 Summer General Membership meeting in Seattle, the Executive Leadership Council (ELC) gathered to induct 20 new members into their exclusive ranks. Erwin Raphael, executive director and general manager at Genesis was among those pinned as a new member. The ELC is the preeminent professional organization for African American corporate executives in the country.

Raphael, a 25-year auto company veteran, is the only African American head of a major car company and has served in leadership

positions at Chrysler, Toyota and Hyundai, before joining Genesis.

“Having been selected to join the ELC is a huge honor for me.

The work being done by the organization’s leadership and staff is not easy but essential to the growth and ongoing presence of African Americans in corporate America,” commented Raphael.

Based in Orange County, CA, Genesis is the fastest growing luxury car company in the world. Since taking over its U.S. operations in 2016, Raphael is credited with the company’s increased sales and ex-

panded marketing platform to include African Americans, Hispanics and women. In a recent study, JD Power recognized Genesis as the highest ranked auto brand for initial quality. Genesis’ G90 placed first in the large premium car segment.

In addition to his executive leadership role at Genesis, Raphael has also co-chaired Hyundai’s Diversity Council. He has been applauded for increasing minority dealers while at Hyundai and positioning more African Americans to assume leadership roles at Genesis.

Page B-4 • michiganchronicle.com • July 11-17, 2018

20th Annual Ford Freedom Award Salutes “Black Girl Magic” as Ford Celebrates Female Achievements and Excellence

By Patreice Massey Ford Motor Company, in collaboration with The Charles H. Wright Museum of African-American History, paid tribute to the resilient spirit and creative contributions of African-American females at the 20th annual Ford Freedom Award program.

The Ford Freedom Award program was created as a platform to celebrate and recognize individuals whose achievements have brought forth lasting and positive change for the lives of African-American people – and for others around the world. The threepart program consisted of educational outreach to middle school students, a nameplate installation, and the awards ceremony.

Lauding the power of women, this year’s theme – “Black Girl Magic” – was symbolic of the achievements of legendary women leaders and celebrates the innovations of emerging female activists and entrepreneurs. The program consisted of an invitation-only Ford Freedom Award Scholar’s Experience for nearly 2,000 middle school students held the morning of Tuesday, May 22 at the Michigan Opera Theater located at the Detroit Opera House.

National Council of Negro Women organization for nearly 50 years. She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1994 and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2004. Notably, Height was also a Ford Freedom Scholar in 2008, making her the only person to be honored twice with a Ford Freedom Award. Ingrid Saunders Jones, chair of the National Council of Negro Women, and Alexis Herman, the former U.S. secretary of labor will accept the late Dr. Height’s award.

Herman is one of a very few women, and the only African-American woman to hold this position.

The Ford Freedom Award Scholar, Jessica O. Matthews earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and is listed on more than 10 patents and/or patents pending. Her first invention, theSOCCKET, is an energy generating soccer ball that she invented at age 19. The CEO power player founded Uncharted Power an award-winning renewable power company that specializes in harnessing energy from motion to create ecosystems of power for communities around the world.

The 2018 Ford Freedom Award honorees were all distinguished females who have dedicated their lives to achieving their dreams against all odds - improving the African-American community, inspiring Black youth and thereby positively impacting the world at large.

The 2018 honorees are Ford Freedom Honoree Dr. Dorothy Irene Height (posthumously), educator and civil rights activist; Ford Freedom Scholar Jessica O. Matthews, tech innovator; and a special Ford Freedom Rising Star Award honoree going to young entrepreneur, Asia Newson.

“For 20 years, Ford has proudly partnered with the Wright Museum to celebrate and honor African-American heroes and sheroes and this year is no different,” said Pamela Alexander, director, Community Development, Ford Motor Company Fund.

“The power of Black Girl Magic, as exemplified by Dr. Height is an inspiration to young girls and women around the world. We applaud this year’s honorees for their achievements.”

The Ford Freedom Award Scholar’s Experience was presented as a highly interactive program with a talk-show type format. Students will hear from speakers representing technological innovation, business development, entertainment, fashion and education.

Middle school students from around the state were invited to submit a two-page essay on a Black woman who has excelled in the same categories represented by our speakers. The top five essay contest winners were announced and there was a performance by the Syncopated Ladies, who have been lauded by performers including Beyoncé for their innovative and energetic tap-dancing. Later that same day, the program moved to the Wright Museum for an honorees luncheon and nameplate installation ceremony where the Ford Freedom Award was presented.

The Ford Freedom Award was presented posthumously to Honoree Dr. Dorothy Irene Height, an American educator and prominent leader of the civil rights movement. Height was considered the “godmother of the civil rights movement” and was so honored by PresidentBarackObamain his remarks upon her death. She was one of the organizers of the famed 1963 March on Washington. Throughout her life she placed focus on issues concerning African-American women, unemployment, illiteracy and voter awareness. Height was an active leader of the

Ford Freedom Rising Star Honoree, young entrepreneur Asia Newson, a Detroit teen who started a candle-selling business at age 5. She now manufactures her own candles and has a small army of youth salespeople. She educates and trains them for entrepreneurship. She now boasts of more than $100,000 in sales. Asia donates a portion of her proceeds to the homeless. Asia has been featured in national media such as the Ellen DeGeneres Show and ABC News 20/20.

“This year, The Wright proudly celebrated “Black Girl Magic,” illuminating the achievements, strength and beauty of women and girls,” said Juanita Moore, Museum president and CEO. “In recognizing Dorothy Height, Jessica Mathews, and Asia Newson we encourage all girls to believe in the power of their magic and live beyond the possible.”

Ford’s support of the African-American community dates back to the early 20th century when the company was the largest employer of African-American people in the auto industry. Now, Ford is building on that support with signature initiatives that include Ford Freedom Unsung, Ford Blue Oval Scholars and the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Sojourner Truth Leadership Awards.

Additionally, Ford also supports several women’s program initiatives including S.H.A.U.N Foundation for Girls which educates young women on the perils of human trafficking and EmpowerHER a social entrepreneur program in collaboration with Michigan Women Forward (formally the Michigan Women’s Foundation) here in Detroit.

The Ford Freedom Award program was made possible by a grant from the Ford Motor Company Fund, the philanthropic arm of Ford Motor Company.

July 11-17, 2018 • michiganchronicle.com • Page B-5

Thank You for 47 years of love and support.

William F. Pickard

William F. Pickard, George Cotton (Sr. Vice President of Development, Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History) and Pastor Solomon Kinloch, Jr. and Jimmy Settles Dr. Terry Gordon, N. Rease, V. Rease and William F. Pickard Judge Greg Mathis

Mary Pickard and Sylvester L. Hester

Thank You Detroit Committee “Dream Team”

Post After Glow w/ Bill Pickard and Friends

Mr. & Mrs. Sylvester L. Hester

Mr. & Mrs. Harold Baugh, Kimberly Kendrick and Honor- Four Tops (Bottomless Tops Help Celebrate Thank You able Judge Damon J. Keith Detroit

Marcus Hillman III and Trinita Grayson

Rogers Family and Guest

- Thank You Detroit

Page B-6 • michiganchronicle.com • July 11-17, 2018

Upcoming Events T

he Michigan Chronicle’s Men of Excellence Awards Ceremony will take place on August 3 at the elegant Motor City Casino. Each year, The Michigan Chronicle celebrates local African-American men who inspire others through vision and leadership, exceptional achievements, and participation in community service. This year, in addition to the 49 honorees, native Detroiters who are doing amazing things across the globe will be given special recognition – individuals such as Shaka Senghor, a sought-after lecturer and author of Writing my Wrongs and Dr. Quinton T. Ross, Jr., President of Alabama State University

NE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE ! !

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Now in its 11th year, The Michigan Chronicle’s Men of Excellence has created a brotherhood comprised of its area’s most influential men. 2018 Honorees will join an elite group comprised of the area’s most influential men. “Each year in character, in manner, and in style; the Michigan Chronicle celebrates men who have demonstrated exceptional courage, unwavering conviction, and extraordinary work ethic,” said Hiram Jackson, Publisher of Michigan Chronicle. “In grand fashion, we will honor these inspirational men at our Men of Excellence event”.

For the 2018 Michigan Chronicle Men of Excellence Induction Ceremony

Tables, tickets and sponsorship packages to Men of Excellence 2018 are available now. For more information, on tables and sponsorship packages, please call 313963-5522 or click here to purchase tickets. Follow the conversation on Twitter@michronicle. Like us on Facebook: Michigan Chronicle.

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Congratulations to all our 2018 Men of Excellence Honorees!!

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Featuring: • Sports Clinics • Nature Zoo • Horse Buggy Rides • Education Exhibits • Sports Mascots • Entertainment • Dignitaries & Sports Stars • Youth Idol Contest • Free Lunch & Much More!

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Begin Your Plans and Preparations TODAY! For children 8 - 15 years of age. To pre-register youth or for sponsorships, contact the Michigan Youth Appreciation Foundation at

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Faith.

| July 11-17, 2018

michiganchronicle.com

Rev. Dr. Sterling L. Jones left a lasting legacy in Detroit

By Branden Hunter At 6-foot-2, with a thundering voice that could be heard to the heavens on Sundays when he famously hymned “Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross”, Rev. Dr. Sterling Lee Jones commanded the corner of Mack and Van Dyke for nearly 50 years as pastor of Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church. The 77-year-old, who was simply known as S.L. Jones, passed away Sunday afternoon at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, according to a church spokesperson.

He leaves to cherish a wife of 24 years, Gwendolyn Jones, one daughter, DesMonika Jones, one son, Pastor Jerel Johnson Sr. (Pastor DeShawn), six grandchildren and a church congregation that once numbered in the thousands at its peak.

Born September 28, 1941 in Vicksburg, Mississippi to Jim Jones and Artie Lee BinsJones, he graduated from Mississippi Baptist Seminary and holds a Doctorate from Natchez College. Jones came to Detroit in the 1960s and was elected pastor of Mt. Zion MBC on August 20, 1969, after the passing of Rev. R.W. Wright in 1968. The late Rev. T.C. Simmons conducted Jones’ installation services on February 8, 1970.

As pastor of Mt. Zion, Jones took the east side of Detroit church to new heights over his 49 years of service. Under his leadership, many ministries and programs were created, including Monday night bible class, a youth department, Nurses Guild No.2, Just a Sister Away, the Caregivers Ministry, the Artie Lee Jones Honor Roll, the S.L. Jones After School Program, and many others.

His greatest accomplishment would be building what some would consider the first “mega-church” in Detroit. On March 18, 1951, Mt. Zion moved to the southwest corner of Mack and Van Dyke under Rev. R.W. Wright, then Jones took over, until the building at 3535 Van Dyke became too small to hold the ever-growing congregation. On June 2, 1988, ground was broken for a $6 million edifice directly across the street at 3600 Van Dyke. The new church was platted on five acres of land, with 18,500 square feet of lower level space, complete with a dining hall, full kitchen, and classrooms, a 5,000 square foot balcony, and a seating capacity of 1,888. The towering church steeple can be seen from blocks away.

Two years later, on June 10, 1990, grand opening services were held for the marvel that was Mt. Zion MBC. Jones led the march of his congregation from Kettering High School to the new church. On October 26, 2003, the church was able to burn its $1.5 million mortgage, holding a ceremony to commemorate the achievement.

Jones’ health began to fail him in the late 90s and

Official announcement from

Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church On Sunday, July 8, 2018, one of the God’s anointed preachers/teachers was called home. It is with heavy hearts that we officially announce the demise of our beloved Pastor, Rev. Dr. Sterling Lee Jones. We are asking for your prayers during this time and in the days to come.

was placed on dialysis for 12 years, until he received a kidney transplant in December of 2006. He suffered a stroke in August of 2015 and was confined to a wheelchair ever since. He could never completely recover to be the giant of a man who would hoot and holler during his Sunday sermons and walk the church pews. Jones delivered his final sermon at Mt. Zion June 5, 2017. He last visited the church he built and bears his name, on Father’s Day of this year. The corner of Mack and Van Dyke was dedicated in his honor as “S.L. Jones Drive” in May of 2013.

Swanson’s Funeral Home will handle Jones’ home going services, where founder O’Neil D. Swanson is Co-Chairman of the Trustee Board. The funeral service will be held Saturday July 21 at Mt. Zion MBC (3600 Van Dyke) at 10 a.m. A memorial service will be on Friday July 20 from 6-8 p.m. at the church.

Public viewings will be held at Swanson Funeral Home, at the West McNichols Chapel on Wednesday July 18 from 3-8 p.m., and at the East Grand Boulevard Chapel on July 19 from 12-8 p.m. On July 20, from 12-8 p.m., his viewing will be held at the church. He will be entombed at Elmwood Cemetery.

The Rev. Gregory Roberts, well-known Detroit leader and political aide, dies The Rev. Gregory George Roberts, a highly-respected community activist and top aide to several high-profile elected officials, died on Monday, June 25, 2018. He was 67.

Roberts was a tenacious, loyal and hard-working political aide who used his influence to build lasting programs and partnerships to benefit urban communities across the state of Michigan. He was connected to many of the state’s most prominent Democratic politicians.

Most recently, he served as the director of Community and FaithBased Initiatives for Wayne County Executive Warren C. Evans. He also served as the inaugural director for Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm’s Office of Community and Faith-Based Initiatives and as a devoted and trusted special advisor to Granholm. He also served as district director for former Congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick. In recent years, he founded GR Strategic Consulting, a public affairs and political consulting firm.

Roberts was born October 14, 1950 in South Bend, Indiana to Julia Adinas and Russell Harris Roberts and was the youngest of his parents’ two children. He played small forward on the varsity basketball team at John Adams High School, earning the nickname “Chuckie” because of his affinity for Chuck Taylor sneakers. He graduated from the school in 1969.

He went on to earn an associate’s degree from Southwestern Michigan College in Dowagiac, Michigan.

In 1996, he earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Central Michigan University.

As a teen, Roberts was shielded from the draw of street life by a series of mentors who stepped up to nurture and protect him. Their devotion to him inspired Roberts to later become an advocate for youth in his professional life. Roberts believed there were no coincidences in life and lived with a sense of purpose and focus that would manifest in remarkable ways. As a teen, his life changed dramatically when he read “The Autobiography of Malcolm X,” a book that awakened his

played a critical role in the expansion of the church to Philadelphia.

Roberts lived out his pledge to God to use his life to help young people through a series of high-profile positions with Detroit-based non-profit organizations and government agencies. He served as deputy director for Wayne County’s Department of Community Justice and director of the Metropolitan Detroit Youth Foundation’s Learning Center. He helped to create the Detroit Mentoring Center for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Detroit. His impact was broad and deep and he touched the lives of hundreds of children and teens.

Rev. Gregory George Roberts black consciousness and inspired him to become a community activist. Around that time, he also read a newspaper article about the Shrines of the Black Madonna of the Pan African Orthodox Christian Church that featured a couple who lived in Detroit. When he moved to Detroit in the early 1970s, Roberts moved into a family home on Mackay street and found that the couple from the article – General Masai and Fundi Olubayo Dismuke - were among his new neighbors. He was also thrilled to discover that his boyhood hero Malcolm X once lived in his new home. These remarkable twists of fate affected him deeply and solidified his commitment to a life devoted to uplifting the black community.

He soon affiliated with the Shrines of the Black Madonna of the Pan African Orthodox Christian Church, where he was ordained and served as a minister for 17 years.

PAOCC Founder and 1st Holy Patriarch Jaramogi Abebe Agyeman gave Roberts the Kiswahili names Sadikifu Atiba Jawanza, which translate to “understanding,” “true believer” and “dependable.” He was fully dedicated to his life in the ministry. A gifted speaker, he meticulously prepared sermons designed to educate and inspire and he paid special attention to finding spiritual music that matched his messages. He

As devoted as Roberts was to his community, there was no leadership role he cherished more than that of a family man. He was a loving brother and devoted uncle. Nothing brought him more joy than his relationships with his four daughters, who lovingly nicknamed him Papa G, and his five grandchildren.

Fittingly, Roberts was surrounded by his beloved family when he made his transition from this life on Monday, June 25, 2018.

Roberts leaves a remarkable record of service and leadership. Left to celebrate his memory and honor his legacy are his sister, Beverly Williams-Brantley; four daughters, Marcy (Merecco Sr.), Jaren, Sydney and Maya; four grandsons: Merecco Jr., Matthew, Jaedon and Zaire; one granddaughter: Egypt; four nephews: Durrall, Shannon, Mark and Dion; a niece: Monica; two great-nieces: D’Nika and Re’yele; a special friend, Bernina Moses and a host of cousins, proteges, devoted friends and colleagues. He was preceded in death by his parents; two nephews: Antoine and George; a niece: Mazie and two great-nephews: Rick and Antoine Jr. Funeral services for Rev. Roberts took place on Monday, July 2, 2018 at 11 a.m. at Fellowship Chapel.

The service was presided over by Rev. Dr. Oscar King and Rev. Roberts was eulogized by Bishop Edgar Vann. Funeral arrangements were handled by Swanson Funeral Home.

Times like these are very difficult and can become stressful, but Pastor Jones taught us to believe in the Word of God and apply the Word to our lives. We are asking everyone for your prayers during this time, for it is unreal to many of us, that a giant of a man has gone home.

We would like to officially take this time to thank each and every one for your support during Pastor Jones’ illness.

Praises be unto God for the pastors who have prayed for us, pastors who uplifted our spirits on Sunday mornings, and praises to those pastors that taught our weekly bible study. You were faithful to your call by helping your brother during his illness.

Continue to keep Mt. Zion lifted up in prayer.

Deacon James A. Twyman Chairman of the Deacon’s Ministry

Page B-8 • michiganchronicle.com • July 11-17, 2018

Downtown Detroit Partnership elevates public space experience with refresh of The Beach at Campus Martius Park DDP awarded $125,000 grant by Southwest Airlines Foundation and their Heart of the Community Program

Hour Detroit’s 2018 Restaurant of the Year.

Evidence of public space enhancement by DDP can also be seen in Cadillac Square with the launch of a recycling pilot. The initiative aims to incentivize the 75 rotating Downtown Street Eats food trucks to use biodegradable materials and encourage the 2,500 weekly visitors to recycle in public spaces via two kiosks.

The Beach at Campus Martius Park, Detroit’s favorite island oasis in the heart of Downtown, is undergoing a refresh thanks to a $125,000 grant awarded to the Downtown Detroit Partnership (DDP) by the Southwest Airlines Foundation (SWAF), an advised fund of Silicon Valley Community Foundation.

DDP was chosen as one of five recipients across the U.S. to receive the grant as a part of SWAF’s Heart of the Community (HOTC) program which provides financial and technical assistance to partners bringing new life to public space. Since its inception in 2013, the Southwest Airlines HOTC, in partnership with the Project for Public Spaces, has awarded more than $3.6 million in grants with the mission of fostering connections in public space and in turn building resilient communities.

“Five years ago, Southwest Airlines played a key role in bringing the Beach to Campus Martius Park which has evolved into a central summer gathering place for Detroiters and visitors from all walks of life,” said Robert Gregory, DDP Chief Planning and Public Space Officer.

“We are thrilled to once again have their support which will allow us to enhance the visitor experience at the Beach and ensure Campus Martius Park remains a

While the kiosks are not funded by the HOTC grant, they are another example of DDP’s efforts to innovate in public space and encourage sustainable behavior.

Photo courtesy of Project for Public Spaces world-class public space.”

Since its origin in 2014, the Beach has welcomed over five million visitors and become a signature feature of Campus Martius Park. The HOTC grant will allow DDP to enhance the wildly popular public space with new beach furniture and toys, games, lighting, landscaping, a beach attendant and programs that appeal to all ages.

New events will include beach-side beer and wine tastings and a program called Beach House: Summer Sounds from Around the World, where local DJs will spin from inside a retrofitted air-

stream trailer. Additional funds will be directed to support existing events like the Friday Beach Party featuring local Caribbean and Reggae bands.

Activity will expand from the Beach to the shaded southwest garden of Campus Martius Park where visitors will find newly implemented tabletop shuffleboard, ping-pong, giant Jenga and petanque.

As always park-goers can enjoy a fresh bite to eat or frozen cocktail from The Fountain Detroit which will soon offer a beach-side barbeque created by Executive Chef Jordan Hoffman of Parc,

With each year driving more foot traffic Downtown, the amount of trash collected by the Downtown Business Improvement Zone nearly doubled from 2016 to 2017. The recycling pilot, which will be in place by early July, was created in response to a Downtown Detroit Perceptions Report, which revealed that 86 percent of respondents felt it is important to recycle in public spaces.

About Downtown Detroit Partnership Downtown Detroit Partnership strengthens and supports Downtown Detroit through strategic initiatives and programs. DDP convenes business, philanthropic, and government partners to create a vibrant, resilient urban core for Detroit and the surrounding community. For more information, visit downtowndetroit.org.

City. Life. Style.

C1 | July 11-17, 2018

Where City Meets Life and Life Meets Style

michiganchronicle.com

The Art of Instagram with

Moon

Reflection Photography

By AJ Williams – City.Life.Style. Editor

when I was in my senior year of high school. I would also give my husband a lot of credit, he pushed me in a way no once else could. He made me feel secure to venture out.

C

irca 2010, a budding photo app where you could apply filters to the pictures you took on your smartphone known as Instagram was created. Fast-forward to 2018 and selfies, usies and viral videos are the mainstay of the photo world and Instagram is King! Your IG photogrid can make or break your brand, so we sat down with Moon Reflections Photography to find out the deets on making your brand or vanity IG the next viral sensation!

City.Life.Style: What is Moon Photography Reflection?

Tiarra Overstreet-Amos: We are an on-location, natural light photography company. Specializing in business (personal) branding, headshots, and high school seniors. In addition we offer portrait and event photography. We are also educators offering workshops and kids summer camps, Sacred is currently speaking and leading the High School Senior photo walk at The Cookout in Atlanta September 2018. Our goal is to provide our clients with an experience to remember while providing them with quality service and products.

CLS: What was the inspiration for the business?

Amos: I unconsciously have always wanted to be a photographer, once I realized that, starting a business

IG Like A PRO:

was all about passion. Over time it has developed into a more specialized focus, we started with art fairs and journeyed into businesses and high school seniors.

That is where we found our purpose, in helping others much like ourselves transition from childhood into adulthood into entrepreneurs and business owners all while striving to give hindsight guidance, inspiration and motivation along the way.

CLS: What do you contribute to your success?

Amos: To be honest, I would say it was an unyielding passion that lead to this level of success. Even when I didn’t know (plain as day) my heart and soul did. I would also give much credit to my Aunt Shaun who (I don’t know how aware she was of my passion) purchased my real first camera for me, a Nikon N60,

Light is always #1! Natural light is the best type of light.

It is everywhere and always available, cloudy days are the BEST. When taking images, selfie or product, get close to a window or in the shade, let the light bounce. Direct sunlight can be harsh even though it is possible to get a great shot in direct sunlight...that comes with mastering light.

Angles & Perspective: Create an interesting story when you chose to shoot your subject from a different angle. Try birds eye (high above) or ants view (low to the ground) Composition: When you think about the image you are taking take a moment, step back think of the story you want to tell/create. Learn the rule of thirds.

Style: Style is what sets you apart. Don’t copy, be inspired.

Create your style, use bits of inspiration or be a trailblazer either way be you! Style can be how you edit your images, the type of color saturation you choose, contrast or highlights, dark or bright, it’s up to you!

For more information, to book a consultation or a photo session, visit www.moonreflectionsphotography.com

Dallas Based Pearls & Brown Girls Brunch Expands to Detroit

By AJ Williams This is not your average brunch.

Keely Ferguson Lives In The Moment With Her Debut Project

“The ELMNT”

By Dean Garcia, Jr.

In a world obsessed with fusing nostalgia with the future Keely Ferguson keeps both feet squarely planted in the present, appreciating what the world offers today. Her debut project, The ELMNT, executive produced by Dre Butterz is a 20-minute audio experience that journeys through the elements of self-discovery as they occur. Keely Ferguson’s soft soprano still lends itself to romance and passion on steaming tracks like “Tidal Wave” and “Up & Away” with playful challenges in her lyrics to “ride the wave with me” and to “bring the thunder and the lightning.” When things are less romantic, Ferguson handles difficult conversations with a maturity, intimacy, and honesty that cut right to the heart of the matter.

While songs like “Right Now” and “Happy For Me” are declarations of independence over defiance, others like “Missing Me” are more cautionary and chilling.

See KEELY FERGUSON Page C-2

Hustle & Brunch presented by Pearls, and Brown Girls Brunch Series will host their first ever brunch in Detroit, Michigan.

The brunch is an empowering, inspiring and hands-on experience fully equipping attendees with the tools to turn their business and career goals into action. Aimed at inspiring and empowering local women, it will highlight effective communication, negotiation tips, personal branding, tools and tactics for balancing their personal lives while seeking to excel within their careers of choice.

During the event, all attendees will gather for an interactive panel discussion and live Q&A with special keynote speakers such as Beauty Influencer Bria Larine, founder of Swank A Posh Boutique, Ebony Swank, Co-Founder of Great Lakes Legal Group Attorney Ayanna Alcendor and Content Creator DeLaurian Burton. Along with tips,

networking, giveaways, female-owned businesses and a VIP Happy Hour.

“I want women to leave Hustle & Brunch feeling empowered. We will motivate women to take that next step in life and become the best versions of themselves. Step away from fear and step out on faith.” said Pearls and Brown Girls Brunch founder Shauntay Shipp.

Hustle & Brunch is Saturday, July 14th from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. To purchase tickets visit Eventbrite.com “Hustle and Brunch Detroit.”

Page C-2 • michiganchronicle.com • July 11-17, 2018

4.94 in.

What’s Next DTD Pop-Up Fashion Show “What’s Next DTD”, a pop-up fashion show series that is pushing the boundaries of fashion show norms in Detroit, will host its second installment on July 15, 2018 at the Detroit Zoo. Over a dozen Detroit area collections will take the stage to showcase chic but edgy formal wear.

Daun Green, owner of Dusk Til Daun LLC, has produced this pop-up series as a 5 year anniversary celebration. Her wardrobe styling and image consulting company has given creative direction in countless published photoshoots, marketing campaigns and high profile fashion shows. The first installment of Whats Next DTD was a sellout back in April. This show will be above and beyond.

AFTER 7 AND TONY TONI TONÉ JULY 26

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Event decorations and set design will be provided by celebrity event planner Renee Marie Events. With Renee’s nact for elaborate design schemes combined with the scenery of the zoo, this show is destined to be a feast for the eyes. Cash bar and vendors on site. A portion of proceeds will be donated to charity.

What: Highlighting chic and edgy formal wear from Detroit area designers When: July 15, 2018 Doors open at 6:30 pm. Show starts promptly at 7:00 pm Where: Detroit Zoo (8450 W. 10 MIle Rd., Royal Oak, MI 48067 Early Bird tickets available now for $15 Visit app.gopassage.com/events/what-s-next-dtd-pop-up-fashion-show

AUGUST 15

AUGUST 21

Keely Ferguson From page C-1 Throughout “The ELMNT” Keely focuses on the moment. Her ability to occupy the space where past and future meet with an open mind, musicianship, and vulnerability is what separates

Keely Ferguson from other singer-songwriters. To be in the moment with Keely Ferguson, stream her debut EP The ELMNT on your favorite streaming platform & stay up to date on performances, appearances, and new music follow Keely Ferguson on Instagram and subscribe to www.keelyferguson.com.

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CITYVOTE A Community Voter Information Guide to the City of Detroit’s Primary Election

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CLOSE DATE: July 18, 2018

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PUBLISH DATE: July 25, 2018

C3

| July 11-17, 2018

Pistons make moves to strengthen organization

Game.

michiganchronicle.com

By Branden Hunter The Detroit Pistons will not be able to make a big splash in free agency this summer like the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors have, but they have made some moves both on the court and in the front office to be competitive now.

To strengthen the roster on the court, the team signed free agents Jose Calderon, Glenn Robinson III, and Zaza Pachulia to short term contracts. Calderon and Pachulia both agreed to one-year, $2.4 million deals, while Robinson III’s deal is for two years, $8.3 million.

Calderon (6-3, 200) is a 13-year NBA veteran and returns for his second stint as a Piston. He played in 28 games for the Pistons during the 2012-13 season after he was acquired from the Toronto Raptors in a three-team trade which saw the Pistons send Tayshaun Prince and Austin Daye to Memphis and the Grizzlies trade Rudy Gay and Hamed Haddadi to the Toronto Raptors. Calderon averaged 11.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 6.6 assists for the Pistons. A native of Spain, Calderon

Jose Calderon returned to the Pistons through free agency, on a one-year deal.

Glenn Robinson III agreed to a two-year deal with the Pistons. spent last season with the Cleveland Cavaliers where he appeared in 57 games and averaged 4.5 points, 1.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists and helped the Cavaliers reach the NBA Finals. In 846 career NBA games, he has averaged 9.2 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists with Toronto, Detroit, Dallas, New York, L.A. Lakers, Atlanta, and Cleveland. He’s also appeared in 37 career playoff games averaging 7.0 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists.

Robinson III (6-6, 222) played the last three seasons with the Indiana Pacers. In four NBA seasons, the Gary, Indiana native has averaged 4.4 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 0.6 assists in 172 career games with Minnesota, Philadelphia, and Indiana. He was drafted 40th overall in the 2014 NBA Draft by the Timberwolves, the 2017 NBA Slam Dunk Contest winner, and played collegiately at the University of Michigan for two seasons. He averaged 12.0 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 76 career games and helped the Wolverines reach two NCAA Tournaments, including the 2013 NCAA National Title Game, and 2014 NCAA Elite Eight.

Last season, Pachuila (6-11, 270) averaged 5.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 69 games. He appeared in seven playoff games, averaging 2.4 points and 1.7 rebounds, as he won a second ring with the Warriors. Detroit waived center Eric Moreland to make room for the veteran Pachulia. They also waived guard Dwight Buycks.

Run This Town Detroit members working out along the Detroit RiverWalk.

Run This Town Detroit members working out along the Detroit RiverWalk.

PHOTO: Bryan Johnson

N etworkout with Run This Town Detroit

By: Branden Hunter

beneficial to his running and networking routines.

Young professionals in Detroit can usually be found gathering at co-working and office spaces such as WeWork, Bamboo Detroit, or any of the thousands of offices downtown and around the city. They are probably in a suit or skirt, dress shoes or heels, and have a pocket full of business cards. At “Run This Town”, the business cards are welcome, along with workout gear and a comfortable pair of running shoes.

“I first heard about it through the actual Facebook page, having been friends with Armond and Shawn for quite a while,” he said.

“They asked us to come out, so I figured I would come out and support. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to network with some brothers and sisters that I didn’t know and meet new friends.”

Starlit Braggs saw a promotion for Run This Town on Instagram and has been participating for two weeks.

Founded May 12, 2012 by friends, Armond Rashad, Shawn T. Blanchard, and Terrence Thompson, Run This Town is a free “Networkingout” event that promotes fitness through networking and networking through fitness. Their goal is to help members excel personally, professionally, and physically, through socializing and exercising.

“We started this as a way to connect professionals,” said Rashad, who is a wellknown trainer in the city and co-owner of Jabs Gym-Eastern Market. “We wanted to help them live more active, healthier lives. It’s essentially networking and working out at the same time. While you’re creating your net worth, you’re also increasing your network, as well and getting in the best shape of your life.”

Run This Town Detroit founders Shawn T. Blanchard (left) and Armond Rashad (right). PHOTO: Bryan Johnson

The group, full of veterans and new members, meets at the William G. Milliken State Park on Detroit’s RiverWalk on Saturdays at noon, where they network for 20-30 minutes, warm up and stretch, run, jog or walk. The group of runners cover a stretch of just over two miles from the Milliken State Park to Joe Louis Arena, while the joggers do the same, but at a slower pace. Walkers cover a two-mile section of the Riv-

“When we first started this, we noticed no one had been running in downtown Detroit,” said Blanchard, who is an author, mentor specialist, and speaker. “I had just come from New York, Terrence came from Washington D.C., and Armond was playing football.

We joined forces and started out as just something fun to do with about 35 people.

Every week it progressed to hundreds of people. We

erWalk and climb the steps at Joe Louis Arena. Then after all of that, the group ends the day with a quick circuit workout before grabbing a bite to eat.

didn’t even know that it would turn into what it is now, but we knew we were on to something. We love the community that it builds and the type of people it attracts.”

What’s unique about Run This Town, is that it attracts professionals from all realms of society: lawyers, doctors, professional athletes, elected officials, college students, engineers, and more.

Reginald Hines works for the Department of Defense and does logistics and supply chain for the United States Army. He has participated in Run This Town since 2012 and has found it to be very

In the front office, the team announced former NBA player Malik Rose as the team’s assistant general manager. Rose has spent the last three seasons with the Atlanta Hawks as their manager of basketball operations and also served as general manager for the club’s NBA G-League affiliate – the Erie BayHawks. He played 13 years in the NBA, with four teams and won two NBA titles with the Spurs in 1999 and 2003.

The team also named Gregg Polinsky as director of player personnel. Polinsky comes to Detroit from the Brooklyn Net, where he spent the last 19 seasons in various roles. Most recently, he held the position of director of college scouting.

Polinsky joined the Nets organization in 1999 as a scout, was named the team’s director of scouting in 2004 and later served as director of player personnel for eight years.

“I am interested in getting fit and healthier, but I thought it would be easier and encouraging to do it with a group of people,” said Braggs, who is a coordinator for a summer reading program and payroll manager. “I decided to try it and I like it a lot. I’m more devoted and encouraged to work out from coming out here. I met someone here who helps people get their finances better and this event shows that we are empowering each other on a health note and professionally. I plan to keep coming back.”

Fitness among professionals in Detroit is ever-growing and Run This Town is pacing the way. It welcomes all levels of people exercising and business professionals. Their motto of “Collaboration over Competition” is constantly being shouted out and the only thing they ask of, is your personal best.

“It’s amazing to see so many professionals out here networking and getting fit,” said Montrell Grimes, who is an ambassador at the event and founder of Rare Form Training. “When you come out here, you get to meet a lot of great people in the area. It’s free, your guard is down, and there is nothing to prove out here. There is nothing but love and encouragement out here and we want to see each other get better.”

Run This Town has grown since its inception six years ago, to cities all over the Midwest such as Ann Arbor, Kalamazoo, and Chicago and hundreds of members. The team still sees more growth for the event, starting right here in the Motor City.

Run This Town Detroit ambassador Montrell Grimes (left) and founders Shawn T. Blanchard (middle), and Armond Rashad (right).

“I want to permeate the culture here more in Detroit,” Rashad said. “We hope to open a Run This Town facility that offers workouts for the community and we have Run This Town Kids being launched out of Jabs Gym-Eastern Market later this summer.”

The next Run This Town Detroit event is July 28.

Page C-4 • michiganchronicle.com • July 11-17, 2018

2018

MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

MEN OF EXCELLENCE

Induction Celebration

J.Ofori Agboka,

Honorees

Executive Director, HR -America, Middle East and North Africa, General Motors

Tyrone Hinton,

Executive Director of Economic Development, City of Harper Woods

Bruce Bailey,

David Holloway,

International DJ & Entrepreneur, Bruce Bailey Entertainment

Patient Access Manager, Detroit Medical Center

Patrick Baker,

James Jackson,

Director of Slots, MGM Grand Detroit

Professor & Chair, Criminal Justice Department, WCCCD

Daniel Baxter,

Hervey Jenkins,

Detroit Elections Director, Department of Elections

Executive Vice President & COO, Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan

David Bell,

Pastor Ryan Johnson,

Director of Building, Safety Engineering and Environmental, City of Detroit

Greater Burnette Baptist Church

Brandon Brice,

Anthony Kellum,

Executive-Workforce Exploring Programs, Boy Scouts of America

President, Kellum Capital Group

Larry Brinker,

Honorable Kenneth King,

Jr., President, L.S. Brinker

Judge, 36th District Court

Elliot W. Broom,

Shawn Loving,

Vice President, Museum Operations, Detroit Institute of Arts

Certified Master Chef & Culinary Arts Department Chair, Schoolcraft College

Gerald Chiddick,

Hubert Massey,

Vice President of Marketing, Amerisure

Artist, Muralist & Teacher

Dr. Phillip Collier,

Roy McAllister,

Pediatric Anesthesiology, Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine

Councilmember, City of Detroit

Keith Cooper,

David R. McGhee,

Vice President, Purchasing – Asia Pacific, Ford Motor Company

Program Director, The Skillman Foundation

Maurice Cox,

Bishop Andrew Merritt,

P. Ramone Crowe,

Pastor Wallace Mills,

City Planning Director, City of Detroit

Straight Gate International Church

Manager, Federal Aviation Association

New Ebenezer Baptist

John Draper, Jr.,

Mitch Mitchell,

COO, Viridian Group

Executive Director & CEO, Chrysler Minority Dealers

Ethan Dunn,

Daryl Newman,

Attorney, Maxwell Dunn

Secretary Treasurer, Michigan State AFL-CIO

Jeffrey Evans,

Tony Nuckolls,

CFO, Detroit Zoological Society

Regional Vice President, Mortgage Banking, Quickens Loans

Dr. Otis Ferguson III,

Keith A. Owens,

President & CEO, Consultants in Ophthalmology

Deputy Communications Director, Office of Wayne County Executive

Dr. Cecil Forbes,

Todd Perkins,

Chiropractor, iCare Spine & Rehabilitation Center

Principal, Perkins Law Group, LLC

Byron Foster,

Robert Sellers,

Executive Vice President, Adient

Vice Provost for Equity and Inclusion, Chief Diversity Officer & Professor of Psychology and Education, University of Michigan

David Gamlin,

Herbert J. Strather,

Executive Vice President & Program Director, Midnight Golf Program

President & CEO, Strather Associates, LLC

Honorable Austin Garrett,

Charles Tate,

Judge, 36th District Court

Senior Vice President, Bank of America/Merrill Lynch

Darryl Goodwin,

Assistant Director, UAW Region 1A

Keith E. Whitfield, Ph.D,

– Provost & Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Wayne State University

Stephen Grady,

Rev. Dr. Curtis Williams,

Council President & Chief of Staff, City of Detroit

Owner, Stinson & Trinity Funeral Homes

Dr. DeLorean Griffin,

Kermit Williams,

Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, St. Mary Hospital

Council President, Pontiac City Council

Eric D. Hawkins,

Charles Wilson,

Chief of Police, City of Southfield

Chief of Security, Rock Family of Companies

NEW DATE

Friday, August 3, 2018 6PM to 9PM @ Motor City Casino | Tickets - $90

■

Table of 10 - $850

Contact Lisa at lprince@realtimesmedia.com or 313.752.3380 for more information.

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July 11-17, 2018

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

ANNOUNCEMENTS

ANNOUNCEMENTS

INVITATION TO BID

Plymouth Educational Center, a Michigan public charter academy, is requesting proposals from qualified General Contractor Firms to work with Plymouth Educational Center to remodel and renovate our kitchen facility.

The River Rouge Housing Commission would like to request bid proposals for the total rehabilitation of (2) units on Lenoir Ct due to fire, smoke and water damage.

The scope of work for the units in question are available on the RRHC website.

Your bid package should be submitted in a closed envelope to the Michael J Sloan building on or before the 13th of July.

For information regarding this project, please contact Melissa Brown mbrown@plymouthed.org.

Your submission should be in triplicate and in the office no later than 2:00 pm.

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Any question can be directed toward -Jarrett Erwin- CFC @ Jerwin@ riverrougehousing.com.

Interested bidders can download the scope of work from the RRHC website: www.riverrougehousing.com All bids must be addressed to: River Rouge Housing Commission 180 Visger Rd River Rouge, MI 48218 Attn: Lori D Long, Executive Director

MICHAEL E. DUGGAN MAYOR, CITY OF DETROIT ADVERTISEMENT REQUEST FOR BIDS FOR OFFICE FURNITURE FOR THE RENOVATIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS 900 MERRILL PLAISANCE DETROIT, MI 48203 FOR THE DETROIT POLICE DEPARTMENT (DBA #56-0017) Written responses are requested from interested respondents (“Respondents”) to this request for bids. The purpose of this request is to procure office furniture for the renovations and improvements performed at 900 Merrill Plaisance, Detroit, Michigan 48203 as more fully described in this Request for Bids (RFB).

The DBA will receive the responses, as herein set forth, in the office of the Detroit Building Authority, 1301 Third Street, Suite 328, Detroit, Michigan 48226. Bid Proposals shall be endorsed “Office Furniture at 900 Merrill Plaisance, Detroit, MI 48203” and submitted not later than 3:00 P.M., Detroit time, on Thursday, July 12, 2018, and will subsequently be evaluated to select a company to furnish and install the office furniture. A processing fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00), cashier’s check or money order, payable to the Detroit Building Authority must accompany the submission of Bid Proposals.

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

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

Copies of this Request for Proposals may be obtained in person from KL Reprographics, LLC 5465 Schaefer Rd, Dearborn MI, 48216, phone (313) 995-0228.

No response to this Request for Bids may be withdrawn for at least 120 days after the actual opening of the proposals. The DBA reserves the right to waive any irregularity in any qualifications/proposals, and to reject any or all qualifications/proposals, should it be deemed in its best interest. If additional information is needed regarding this RFB, please contact Darryl Young of the DBA at (313) 224-2912.

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

Talmer Bancorp and Talmer Bank Providing Financial Planning and Wealth Management Services 2301 W. Big Beaver Road Troy, MI 48084

Seeking

Advancement Services

Assists the director in the management of all advancement data, including complex constituent segmentation and financial reporting. This position will be responsible for overseeing reports for the University Advancement audit schedules, Board of Trustees gift acceptance, campaign and philanthropic performance, and other key performance indicators. Maintains databases and runs reports for the most complex constituent data pulls for fundraising.

Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in computer science, information systems, business, finance, accounting, non-profit administration or similar area, or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience.

Five years of progressively responsible experience in reporting, analysis, information management, or related field. Experience using relational databases, working with financial and constituent data sets, and coding in SQL This is a full-time position.

Salary commensurate with education and experience. Refer to online posting for additional minimum requirements. First consideration will be given to those who apply by July 20, Must apply on line to: https://jobs.oakland.edu

Subscribe and receive one full year of the Michigan Chronicle to your home or office Name

Seeking

OFFICE ASSISTANT II AT OAKLAND UNIVERSITY Financial Aid

Minimum Qualifications: High school graduation or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Four years general office work, including experience in prioritizing work and meeting deadlines.

Ability to operate standard office equipment.

Knowledge of proper grammar, spelling & punctuation, intermediate word processing, spreadsheet and database applications.

Ability to effectively interact with the public, students, faculty, and staff. This is a full time, clerical-technical position, with a salary of $40,487 annually. See online posting for additional position requirements. First consideration will be given to those who apply by July 18, 2018.

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

Seeking

OFFICE ASSISTANT III AT OAKLAND UNIVERSITY

POLICE OFFICER Canton Township is now accepting applications for the Police Officer position.

Application Deadline: Tuesday, July 31, 2018. Job description with complete qualifications and hiring process is available on the Canton Township website: https://canton.applicantpro.com/jobs/ (EOE)

Seeking

ACCOUNTING CLERK III AT OAKLAND UNIVERSITY Office for Student Involvement

Perform clerical accounting duties in a large and/or complex administrative unit. Minimum Qualifications: High school graduation or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Three years clerical accounting/ bookkeeping experience. Ability to operate standard office equipment. Type minimum 30 wpm. Ability to effectively interact with the public, students, faculty, and staff. Salary is $40,487.00 annually. See online posting for additional position requirements.

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

The City of Ferndale is seeking Public Works – Grade 1 Workers to perform a variety of unskilled or semi-skilled work on our DPW team. Grade 1 workers operate a variety of equipment in the construction, operation, repair, maintenance, and replacement of City water, sewer, street, and storm drainage facilities and systems.

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, FSA, and Retirement Plans are available.

For a full list of qualifications and to apply, go to https://www.ferndalemi.gov/jobs

Seeking

TEACHER, 10 MONTHS AT OAKLAND UNIVERSITY Lowry Center for Early Childhood

This position will plan and implement a developmentally appropriate curriculum within the guidelines and philosophy of Oakland University’s School of Education.

Minimum qualifications require a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education or Child Development; or closely related field or equivalent combination of education and experience. Minimum of one year experience working with children under six in a high quality early learning setting; preferably NAEYC accredited. This is a part-time, individual contract position, working 3-5 days per week for 10 months per year.

Salary commensurate with education and experience. Refer to online posting for additional qualifications and requirements. First consideration will be given to those who apply by July 18, 2018.

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

Office of the Registrar

Provide specialized office assistance, coordinating procedural business or service activities for a complex program. Minimum Qualifications: High school graduation or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Four years progressively responsible office experience, including direct experience in office coordination, prioritizing work assignments and maintaining work flow to meet deadlines. This is a full time, clerical-technical position, some evenings and weekends may be required. Salary is $42,861.00 annually. First consideration will be given to those who apply by July 18, 2018.

See online posting for additional position requirements.

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

Seeking

ATHLETIC TRAINER AT OAKLAND UNIVERSITY Athletics Department

Responsible for assisting in the administration of a sound sports medicine program. Practice athletic training competently including but not limited to injury/illness prevention, recognition, evaluation, immediate care of and rehabilitation/reconditioning of student athletes suffering from illness or injury. Keep accurate records of all treatments of athletic injuries; maintain an organized and functional athletic training room. Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree. Current National Athletic Trainer’s Board of Certification (NATABOC) and CPR/AED certifications and eligibility for Michigan state licensure required. Valid Michigan vehicle operator’s license and a driving record acceptable for coverage by the university’s insurance carrier. This is a full time position. Refer to online posting for additional qualifications and requirements.

Compensation commensurate with education and experience. First consideration will be given to those who apply by July 18, 2018.

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

PROFESSIONAL HELP WANTED

Advanced Feature Owner – Active Safety

Warren, MI, General Motors. Engr passenger vehicle Active Safety pre-­Architecture Studies Initiated dvlpmt &exploratory infotainment &telematics features roadmaps, &supplier co-­ dvlpmt projects incldg Collision Imminent Braking, Automated Park Assist, NCAP Animals Detection &Braking, Traffic Light &Stop Sign Autonomous Emergency Braking, trailering, viewing, &Levels 3 &4 autonomous driving. Dvlp Levels 3 &4 automated driving systems features using dSPACE &MATLAB, &prototype builds, &perform data acquisition using CANalyzer &CANoe tools. Use DOORS to capture &analyze ASIL-­rated system reqmts for active safety features. Use Preliminary Hazard Analysis doc to determine failsafe states for each safety reqmt. Analyze captured CAN communication logs of vehicle subsystem ECU reprogramming &/or vehicle features;; &dvlpmt of diagnostic application to support reading of diagnostic trouble codes over CAN using C. Master, Electrical, Mechanical, or Mechatronics Engrg. 12 mos exp as Engineer, performing Levels 3 &4 autonomous vehicle builds, debugging software using Vector CANalyzer &CANoe tools. Mail resume to Ref#23060-­113, GM Global Mobility, 300 Renaissance Center, MC:482-­C32-­C66, Detroit, MI 48265.

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313 963-8100

End-­to-­End Systems Engineer

Warren, MI, General Motors. Define, write, improve &launch reqmts for Android based apps &application mgmt features for current/new psgr vehicle infotainment system in compliance with FMVSS safety standards.

Design mobile device connectivity with infotainment system using USB &Wi-­Fi connection utilizing Apple Car Play &Google Android Auto. Use DOORS to release infotainment System Technical Specs &lower level subsystem Design Element Specs incldg operating software &apps updates, install, &uninstall. Perform SDFMEA &Fault Tree Anlys to identify failure modes in design elements interface such as API issues such as transmission failure, corrupted data, &latency. Perform Process Hazard Analysis &HAZOP for safety &ASIL risk classification scheme defined by ISO 26262-­Functional Safety for Road Vehicles standard for vehicle application mgmt feature. Bachelor, Computer Science or related. 60 mos exp as Engineer, Technical Lead, or related, designing mobile device connectivity with infotainment system using USB &Wi-­Fi connection utilizing Apple Car Play &Google Android Auto. Mail resume to Ref#8401-­210, GM Global Mobility, 300 Renaissance Center, MC:482-­C32-­C66, Detroit, MI 48265.

Senior Vehicle System Engineer

The City of Ferndale is seeking a Director of Public Works to lead our DPW department. The Director leads, manages, and directs the work of the employees within the Department of Public Works (DPW). Work includes; general street maintenance, parks, water, and sewer. The director is a working leader for the DPW.

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT SERVICES AT OAKLAND UNIVERSITY

PROFESSIONAL HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

THE CITY OF FERNDALE

HELP WANTED

Page C-5

www.MichiganChronicle.com

Warren, MI, General Motors. Identify, evaluate, support &select technical &budget solutions of global &emerging market crossover vehicle &SUV infotainment, electrical &PSDS architectures reqmts &performance incldg vehicle instrument cluster (IC), integrated center stack (ICS) module, radio module, &ABS electrical modules. Support &coordinate DRE activities to design &release production parts to comply with program dates &production design intent.

Recommend &generate Electrical Systems solutions to achieve vehicle proposed reqmts &performance using Teamcenter Vismockup.

Use DFSS, DFMEA &DRBFM to support DREs &program teams. Participate in Program meetings incldg Product Planning, Prototypes Building, Validation, Legal Requirements Certification, Mfg Engrg, Marketing, Qlty, Global Purchasing, to represent Electrical Group for program requests. Analyze current Qlty Andon System &IPTV indexes. Support DREs on pilot mfg building activities, such as Pre-­Production Vehicles, Mfg Validation Builds Non-­Salable, Mfg Validation Builds Salable &Start of Production to obtain flawless program launches. Bachelor, Electrical, Electronics, or Mechatronics Engrg. 12 mos exp as Engineer, identifying, evaluating, supporting &selecting technical &budget solutions of global psgr vehicle infotainment, electrical &PSDS architectures reqmts &performance incldg vehicle IC, ICS module, &radio module electrical modules. Mail resume to Ref#16314, GM Global Mobility, 300 Renaissance Center, MC:482-­C32-­C66, Detroit, MI 48265.

Assistant Marketing Manager

OnStar GCCX Brand Integration, General Motors, Detroit, MI. Plan, identify &develop OnStar GCCX marketing, media &content strategies, analytics, &brand integration (incldg leads, sentiment &engagement) opportunities incldg OnStar service packages such as customized packages, offers &promotions, &printed &electronic brand content, for psgr vehicle brands &countries (U.S., Can, Mex, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, MiddleEast &Australia) to increase owner awareness, engagement, retention &loyalty to OnStar infotainment &vehicle brands. Improve alignment &relationships of OnStar infotainment services with Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC &Buick brand marketing dept goals &brand performance. Improve OnStar sales &marketing performance through brand integration. Prepare &issue monthly operational reports on glide path actuals &forecasts of KPIs of OnStar Service Packages sales &churn. Support brand goals for sales, loyalty &customer satisfaction.

Innovate ways to enhance the brand technology image. Create OnStar content to be relevant &create a delighted customer for OnStar &GM brands. Create &implement marketing initiatives across all media incldg email/direct mail, call center, digital, social, Public Relations, promotional &experiential.

Master, Strategic Communications, Integrated Marketing Communications, or Marketing. 24 mos exp as Global or Regional Manager, Social Media Strategy and Operations, Social Media and Customer Relationship Management, Marketing, or related, planning, identifying &dvlpg vehicle &Call Center or infotainment Customer Experience marketing strategy &analytics for psgr vehicle brands &countries to increase owner awareness, engagement, retention &loyalty in vehicle brands. Mail resume to Ref#101-310, GM Global Mobility, 300 Renaissance Center, MC:482-C32-C66, Detroit, MI 48265.

Fuel System Validation Engineer

Warren, MI, General Motors. Engr, using Teamcenter Vismockup, test, analyze results using MATLAB, &validate fuel systems incldg fuel tanks, canisters, fuel lines &jumper hoses for psgr cars, trucks, SUV &crossovers.

Author validation reqmts for new supplier sourcing &write corporate appendix G2 while participating in supplier selection process as voice of validation. Work with suppliers to create complete ADVP &ensure timely execution. Participate in creation of DFMEA to capture all design variables intended for new released parts.

Execute DRBTR of suppliers to check for potential failures. Execute Road load data acquisition on psgr car, truck, SUV, &crossover platforms to compute loading at various fuel system components under various road durability conditions. Support Onboard Refueling Vapor Recovery regulatory testing. Witness &document fixed frontal barrier impact, up to 48 km/h, at 0 Deg + 30 Deg &post impact test, static rollover to ascertain fuel system integrity &document compliance with USFMVSS#301. Master, Mechanical or Automotive Engrg. 6 mos exp as Engineer, engrg, using Teamcenter Vismockup, testing, analyzing results using MATLAB, &validating psgr vehicle fuel systems incldg fuel tanks, canisters, fuel lines &jumper hoses. Mail resume to Ref#877, GM Global Mobility, 300 Renaissance Center, MC:482-­C32-­C66, Detroit, MI 48265.

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• michiganchronicle.com •

July 11-17, 2018