MC Digital Edition 11.25.20

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Michigan Chronicle

Vol. 84 – No. 12 | Nov. 25 - Dec. 1, 2020

Real Times Media, Michigan Chronicle Welcomes Sherri Kolade Real Times Media (RTM), a Detroit-based multimedia holding company, and the Michigan Chronicle are proud to welcome Sherri Kolade to the team as Staff Writer at the Michigan Chronicle.

Community-mindedness and journalism go hand in hand for Kolade, a native Detroiter and longtime reporter covering the stories that matter.

“Writing about what touches people and covering nationwide events through the lens of community journalism is a vital job that I am thankful to now be doing at this historic publication,” Kolade said.

Kolade previously worked at DTE Energy in Corporate Communications. She led strategic, integrated HR-related communications for the Fortune Sherri Kolade 500 company’s award-winning Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion program and its nine employee resource groups. She also managed and streamlined many other enterprise-wide communication initiatives.

Kolade, who has digital newspaper editing experience, also freelanced at BLAC Detroit Magazine and Metro Parent Magazine.

Before working at DTE, Kolade was a staff writer at C & G Newspapers for six years, where she won company awards for her creative storytelling and in-depth reporting. Before that, she worked for one year at the Dearborn Times-Herald after graduating from Central Michigan University with her journalism degree in 2011.

When asked about working at the Michigan Chronicle, she said this fantastic opportunity feels like “coming home.” In 2007, Kolade was a freelance columnist for their then-sister paper, the Michigan FrontPage.

Kolade wrote articles about the youth, culture, trends, and education in Detroit and earned top honors in the National Newspaper Publishers Association’s best feature story category.

Kolade said that she is excited and “beyond thankful” to work at the Michigan Chronicle and be a part of this strong, vibrant company that highlights our community in this pivotal age.

“I am beyond thankful that the Michigan Chronicle extended me this immeasurable opportunity to take a front-row seat to report on local and national events unfolding that will certainly be one for the history books,” Kolade said. “As a Black journalist representing a renowned Black-owned news organization, [writing about Black-centric topics] this chance couldn’t have come at a better time to cover our community’s crucial issues.”

“We are really excited about having Sherri on The Michigan Chronicle team and as a part of the Real Times Media family,” said Jackson. “She has the right kind of experience and enthusiasm to help us get to the next level. And she enjoys producing content that empowers the Black community with the tools and information it needs to improve the quality of life.”

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We Will Still Give Thanks: Detroit Celebrates Thanksgiving 2020 Amid COVID-19 Crisis

By Sherri Kolade We are not done.

Even with COVID-19 still raging in the community, nation, and world -- we’re more than conquerors, we’re Detroiters, and resiliency is a part of our core values.

It’s been a journey since the pandemic, with about six weeks left in the year; there is quite a lot to be grateful for in 2020, though it has been cumbersome for us all.

Many are mourning lost loved ones; others are still trying to make it financially because their jobs and businesses have been impacted. Others are continuing to balance it all with little to no reprieve because work and responsibilities don’t stop. But we don’t stop either.

What sets us apart as Detroiters is this is not our first time we’ve seen hard times. This won’t be our last either.

But the spirit of Detroit is within us, carrying us through.

From the fist of Joe Louis downtown to 7 mile Detroit, we come together and band together. And even though this year will not be a traditional Thanksgiving, we still, once again, have a lot for which to be thankful. And we can show our thanks this year safely by supporting local businesses and activities this festive season. Don’t forget to also show your love by supporting Black-owned businesses, too.

Denetia Lyons, owner and founder of Petite Sweets Detroit said that it is important to shop small and Black as a Black business owner, especially around the holidays and during these trying times.

“Our small businesses are hurting,” she said. “Being able to support the small businesses, buying local -- all of that helps. … find it locally and black-owned.”

Lyons added that her Thanksgiving celebration [featuring her famous mini sweets] would be just with her husband, two step-daughters, along with her siblings and parents. Her aunt and husband’s English relatives will celebrate virtually through Facetime. This year she is grateful for family and support to keep going.

“I have a lot of gratitude and I am thankful for the support I’ve received during the pandemic,” Lyons said of her family, network, and customers who’ve shopped at her business: http://www.petitesweetsdetroit.com/. “The list just goes on. ... I am very thankful.”

The Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association (MRLA) also recently launching a Thanksgiving To-Go: A Takeout Tradition to support Michigan’s hospitality industry by encouraging the public to support restaurants and get takeout as a new Thanksgiving tradition due to new

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“The holiday season is usually the busiest time of the year for the hospitality industry, and Thanksgiving plays a big role,” said Justin Winslow, president & CEO of the MRLA, in a press release. “This year, dining rooms and banquet halls remain empty—a sad site for employees who look forward to serving guests and count on their paychecks, and for operators who depend upon revenue from holiday dining to sustain their businesses after the new year.”

Restaurants and hotels around the state have created special Thanksgiving To-Go menus for groups of two or more, ranging from prepared meals and meal kits to buildyour-own-meal options.

“We implore everyone to show gratitude for their favorite restaurants this holiday season by getting Thanksgiving to-go. Ordering takeout could make the difference between a restaurant keeping their doors open or closing their doors permanently,” added Winslow in the press release.

The public can view Thanksgiving To-Go: A Takeout Tradition options around the state at mrla.org/thanksgivingtogo.

For those in need of holiday meals this season, Detroit-based Chef Max Hardy and Chef Taz are joining forces with Crossroads of Michigan to host a Black Friday distribution of holiday meals to food-insecure families in the Detroit community. The distribution is drive-thru only.

Recipients should expect to receive holiday meal fixtures, including roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, brussels sprouts, and peach cobbler. Attendees must arrive in a vehicle with masks.

The donation is from noon-3 p.m. November 27 at Crossroads of Michigan, 2424 W. Grand Blvd. in Detroit.

On the same day, shoppers at Great Lakes Crossing Outlets and Twelve Oaks Mall will be able to meet with a Black Santa for the first time at either location this year until December 24.

The newly reimagined Santa’s Flight Academy will allow guests to enjoy a socially-distanced visit with Santa, according to a press release. A pre-paid photo package reservation is required and can be found for Great Lakes at https://greatlakescrossingoutlets.com/pages/sfa#reserve. Santa will wear a mask at all times, including during photos.

See GIVE

THANKS page A2

Wayne County Rolls Out New “Shop Small” Initiative to Boost Support of Local Businesses With the holiday season right around the corner, Wayne County officials want the community to think and shop local to support mom-and-pop businesses during this trying time for many establishments.

Kai Alce Eyewear Pop-Up Shop Coming to Detroit

COVID-19 restrictions.

To kick start this commercial push, the Economic Development Department announced a new initiative to highlight and promote small and independent retailers.

“The COVID-19 pandemic presents unique challenges for small and independent retailers this year,” said Assistant County Executive Khalil. “Our Shop Small’ program aims to support them and help residents safely explore holiday shopping opportunities in their communities.”

Businesses may sign up to be a part of the Shop Small campaign on WayneCounty.com and

also through bit.ly/ShopWayneCounty. Once a business joins, their address, hours and other pertinent information including special promotions and contact information will be included on a sharable public database available on the County website and social media channels.

“It’s understandable that people may do more holiday shopping online this season, and we want to help them do that with local Wayne County businesses. The Shop Small database will allow local consumers to safely shop businesses in their communities,” said Rahal.

“We know local businesses are more likely to employ local residents and reinvest their profits locally. By supporting our Shop

Small businesses, residents can support our communities.”

Wayne County Executive Warren C. Evans initiated helping small businesses make it through the COVID-19 pandemic and safely reopen with a special focus on assisting businesses owned by minorities, women, and veterans.

Using CARES Act funds, Wayne County has distributed $50 million in grants to local businesses as well as distributed personal protection equipment and streamlined regulations to allow businesses to reopen safely, Rahal added.

The listing is meant for small businesses who depends in particular on holiday shopping including retailers, entertain-

ment venues, restaurants, cafes, salons, spas and other gift-oriented businesses.

Businesses will be listed on the website on or after Nov. 18 and through the holiday season.

Over 100 businesses are already registered.

Rahal said that small businesses “need all the help” they can get and the free service will target some of those businesses in the 43 diverse county districts, which he said all provide a “different local flavor” when it comes to shopping.

“And it doesn’t just have to be for the holidays,” Rahal added. “If folks are interested in different food options, we all know there are different unique foods [throughout our county].”

Rahal also said that this was the brainchild of the county in

See SHOP

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State Board of Canvassers Vote to Certify Results in 2020 Election

Give Thanks From page A-1

Reservations at Twelve Oaks can be found at https:// shoptwelveoaks.com/pages/sfa#reserve

After a seemingly uphill battle to prove that President-elect Joe Biden won the presidential race, the Michigan State Board of Canvassers voted to certify the results of the November 2020 election and confirmed that Biden’s win in the state was legitimate during the board’s meeting Monday afternoon.

After those festivities, head over to The Rink at Campus Martius Park, 800 Woodward Ave., now through March 7, 2021. Visitors can purchase tickets online at https://detroit.santaticket.com/ to reserve their spot at The Rink in advance.

Walk-up ticket sales are available but limited. Admission for the 2020-2021 season is $11 for adults, $9 for children 12 and under; seniors 59 and older; and $8 for military and first responders. Skate rental is $5.

Masks, physical distancing, and a reduced capacity of 25% are required to skate.

For a complete list of safety standards, book a skating session online, visit downtowndetroitparks.com or call The Rink at Campus Martius Park at 313-963-9393.

Three members of the Michigan Board of State Canvassers voted to certify state election results; Republican Norm Shinkle abstained.

The Wayne County Department of Health, Human & Veterans Services created a guide for gathering safe, suitable, and what to avoid this Thanksgiving. is:

What is safe and low risk of COVID-19 transmission

The vote is what was needed in several steps to finalize election results and cast the state’s 16 electoral votes for President-elect Joe Biden, the Detroit Free Press reported.

• Having a small dinner with your household.

• Delivering no-contact meals to family and neighbors.

• Having a virtual dinner.

What is suitable with a moderate risk of COVID-19 transmission is: • Having a small outdoor dinner with local family and friends.

• Visiting a pumpkin patch or apple orchard where people social distance and wear masks.

• Attending a small outdoor sporting event with safety precautions.

What to avoid is: • Going shopping in crowded spaces.

• Attending crowded parades.

• Using alcohol/drugs; attending large indoor gatherings with people outside your household.

For more information, call 734-287-7870 or visit www. waynecounty.com/COVID19.

It’s been a tough year, but please remember supporting your local Black-owned businesses and showing your thanks this year as you give love to your family and friends.

Because at the end of the day, this season is not about the turkey, but being able to be thankful and having loved ones around you [in the flesh or virtually]. That is behind the spirit of Detroit and what we are all about.

And let’s not forget we made history with President-elect Joe Biden and our first Black woman and Asian-American Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.

Happy Thanksgiving. Please pass the pie.

Biden earned approximately 154,000 more votes than President Donald Trump in the state. Although, Trump and supporters have claimed, without proof and from baseless theories, that Michigan’s election results were stolen or are otherwise not counted correctly.

State officials disagree.

“I commend the three members of the State Board of Canvassers who voted to follow the law and certify the 2020 election results today,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said during a press release.

“The people of Michigan have spoken. President-elect Biden won the State of Michigan by more than 154,000 votes, and he will be our next president on January 20th. I also want to thank Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and the local clerks across Michigan who made sure this year’s election was free, fair, and secure, and the voters who turned out in record numbers to make their voices heard.

Now, it’s time to put this election behind us and come together as a state to defeat our common enemy: COVID-19.”

Board member Julie Matuzak said during the meeting before the vote that she wants to improve the elections in the state where need be.

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Chef Taz

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“I am mostly in favor of fixing and modernizing how we conduct elections in this state,” she said.

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said in a press release on the Board of State Canvassers

Shop Small From page A-1

collaboration with 50 other countywide organizations, a majority of which are local chambers of commerce. The organizations and county officials regularly have Zoom calls to discuss small business-related initiatives and this idea sprouted from that.

certification of the Nov. 3 election that “democracy has prevailed.”

“Today’s vote of the State Board of Canvassers to certify Michigan’s November election confirms the truth: the election was fair and secure, and the results accurately reflect the will of the voters,” she said adding that a “record breaking” 5.5 million Michigan citizens cast ballots in this election, more than ever before in this state’s history. “Their will is clear and unequivocal. Now we turn to the important work of implementing a statewide risk limiting audit and local procedural audits to affirm the integrity of the process and identify opportunities for improvement. And we will continue working with lawmakers at the state and federal level to strengthen our elections even further in the months ahead.

“Our democracy, like the election officials who administer it, is resilient.

Today it and they survived an unprecedented attack on its integrity.

There will no doubt be more similar attacks in the future, based in falsehoods and misinformation. But then, as now, we will be ready to respond as always with facts, data, and the truth.”

Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey said during the meeting public comment section that she wanted to remind people that the Detroit Department of Elections, the Detroit City Clerk position and other offices are non-partisan entities.

Winfrey added that the pollworkers were trained and they took shifts on Election Day so they would not be overworked and to minimize errors.

She said, also mentioning pollworkers who worked at the TCF Center that was recently in the spotlight due to some Republican vote challengers there who felt that they were unfairly kept out of the voting process.

“My charge is to administer the election process, ensure voters know when Election Day is and to ensure they know where they go on and vote,” she said. “In doing such we’ve done everything to ensure that our process is open … transparent and that it is administered in the spirit of professionalism.”

“The door is open for anybody that needs help,” Rahal said, adding that many times the collective group discusses which businesses have a huge need or need help with certain areas.

All business submissions will be reviewed by the Wayne County team before posting.

Contact smallbusiness@waynecounty.com for more information.

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| Nov. 25 - Dec. 1, 2020

Detroit Housing Leaders Share Actions to Help with Affordable Housing Shortage

By Sherri Kolade In Detroit, over half of the city’s renters are “cost burdened,” paying over 30 percent of their income on rent, according to a city. There is a noticeable lack of housing for extremely low-income families which is alarming because a third of the population lives below the poverty line.

Also, with Detroit’s unemployment rate rising because of the COVID pandemic, keeping people in their homes and boosting access to affordable housing is crucial especially during this economically unstable time.

Nationwide, the numbers are not that much better with nearly a third of all U.S. households spending over 30 percent of their income on rent alone.

Rental prices have increased 150 percent over the last 10 years while earnings have, primarily, remained the same. What is a city grappling with these issues to do?

Melinda Clemons, vice president & market leader of Enterprise Community Partners’ Detroit office, and Marion McFadden, senior vice president of public policy discussed the importance of affordable housing for local communities as it relates to the incoming presidential administration.

Because of the pandemic, millions of Americans have had to file for unemployment and without another stimulus package, roughly 30 to 40 million are at risk of eviction.

Over the next decade, President-elect Joe Biden plans to invest $640 billion to increase access to affordable and stable housing.

“We’re deeply concerned that COVID-19 is impacting African American families in negative ways,” McFadden said, adding that Black employees are more than likely to be laid off because of COVID. “We don’t know how long it is going to take to get back to the levels where we were back in March.”

McFadden added that from renters who want to become homeowners to people who are struggling to pay rent, the unique affordable housing situations are wide for many.

“In order to achieve those goals Congress is going to have to approve the big idea -- things like providing more money for affordable housing,” she said, adding that one of the first things Detroit residents can look for in the new year would be an extension of the prohibition on evictions and foreclosures from the federal government. “Because what we have on the books at the federal level expires this year [for an eviction and foreclosure moratorium].”

She added that emergency rental assistance is currently available around the country and that will continue to be available at the beginning of the year.

Clemons said that to qualify residents must prove that their household

Roots.

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Get Covered: All You Need To Know About The Healthcare Marketplace Open Enrollment

By Megan Kirk

I

n recent times, healthcare has been a major hot button topic for people across the country.

With access and affordability at the forefront, the issue of healthcare proved to be a top concern for voters this election season. With the help of the Healthcare Marketplace, individuals are able to purchase health coverage for themselves, their employees and their families.

Also known as Obamacare, the Affordable Care Act was inaugurated in 2010 with the goal of making healthcare accessible for everyone with low cost plans, expanding the Medicaid program and support programs that would lower the cost of healthcare overall. The Healthcare Marketplace was launched soon after and is a website where individuals can view and compare multiple health plans under the Affordable Care Act. Operated by the federal government, the Healthcare Marketplace provides medical, dental and vision coverage with the top insurers across Michigan. While some states run their marketplaces independently on separate websites, Michiganders can enroll and shop plans using the federal site, https://www.healthcare.gov.

While many individuals depend on employers to provide healthcare options, many businesses have been forced to close their doors; some with no plans to reopen. As a result, people have been left unemployed and uninsured. Owners of small businesses can choose to ensure their employees using the Small Business Options Program, better known as SHOP, through the marketplace. For individuals applying, providing detailed income and

household information can lead to tax credits and coverage for children under the Children’s Health Insurance Program, or CHIP. Enrollment in a plan under the Healthcare Marketplace does have advantages for its members. All plan benefits include free women’s wellness visits as well as preventive care visits. Also, some plans offer reduced pricing on prescription drug coverage for generics. Pregnancy is another covered benefit under plans in the marketplace.

In addition to those services, the marketplace also covers mental and behavioral health services and substance abuse coverage. For pre-existing conditions, under the Affordable Care Act, coverage is authorized.

Some plans also provide coverage for lab tests, hospital stays and emergency care.

Plans in the marketplace fall under four “metal” categories: bronze, silver, gold and platinum. Each plan determines a level the insurance company pays and what the enrollee is responsible for paying. Under the bronze plan, insurance pays 60 percent, while the enrollee is responsible for the remaining 40 percent cost of coverage. With the bronze plan, enrollees have the lowest monthly premium, but high deductible costs.

The platinum plan features the highest monthly premium; however, it features the lowest cost when seeking care. With the platinum plan, the insurance company covers 90 percent, and the enrollee covers the remainder. The silver and gold packages are moderately placed in the middle. The silver package offers both a moderate premium and cost of coverage when care is needed. The gold plan features

a higher monthly premium with lower deductibles.

Although there are several benefits to enrolling in a plan using the marketplace, there are potential disadvantages for new and current enrollees. Some enrollees may have to pay higher premiums. This is largely due to the rising market cost of healthcare and depends on the overall health of the applicant.

Those who are typically healthy pay lower premium costs. Also, shopping for plans can be overwhelming as there are several plans to choose from. Assistance is available online or on the phone for questions or help enrolling.

There can also be a tax penalty imposed for being uninsured during the year.

If choosing to enroll in a plan, it is helpful to have access to tax information, information on employer and income, and information about the household including spousal employment and anyone claimed as a dependent on income tax forms.

Open enrollment for the healthcare marketplace plans ends December 15.

For coverage during 2021, applicants must enroll in a plan on or before the deadline. All plans purchased before the deadline will become active January 1, 2021. Only applicants who experience a life-changing event qualify for a special enrollment period. Those events can include adopting or having a child, getting married and losing healthcare coverage due to job loss. In these circumstances, applicants will have 60 days before or 60 days after the event to enroll in a coverage plan, dependent on the reason for special enrollment. Missing the enrollment period will result in having to wait until the next enrollment period to apply.

See HOUSING page B-2

Detroiters Helping Detroiters: New Community Health Corps Graduates Trained to Help Most At-Risk Over a decade ago, lifelong Detroit resident Paul Johnson III faced an economic crisis [like many others] and he had two choices: give up or push beyond his own economic turmoil. Johnson decided the latter and hopes to encourage others to do with his new position as a as CHC case manager.

“I’ve had moments in time where I haven’t had a job because I graduated when the economy hit rock bottom in 2005; just having no money and feeling at times of hopelessness -- those were moments that defines you. I decided to push on,” Johnson said.

Today, Johnson credits his teachers as being a major part of his success story because he is now in the position to help others thrive, too, in a meaningful way, especially when crises arise.

On Nov. 20, Johnson graduated with his 19 other cohorts virtually after receiving Community Health Corps [CHC] worker credentials. They graduated as CHC peer counselors and case managers to provide most at-risk Detroit residents the resources they need. For some residents, that need is food insecurities, for others the need is their power being restored in their homes or financial resources to keep their homes. The graduates are there to help them find a way.

The inaugural CHC graduation ceremony is through the Workforce Development & Detroit at Work program.

The training [that the cohorts graduated from] took place October through November. They learned eight core competencies by role playing; group

ly members with the appropriate programs. They also will assess the talent and skills of each family member for referral to Detroit at Work training and employment programs.”

Johnson, 39, said that he is looking forward to assisting the residents in need in the city, and he’s always had an interest in helping others because of his upbringing.

“I got started in human service by seeing my dad and my mom -- my mom is a public school teacher and my dad he worked for the state of Michigan helping people with disabilities find employment or go to school,” Johnson said. “I saw their work ethic of helping people.

My dad -- even though we were well off -he would take me to soup kitchens and different community events so I could understand what people were going through.”

Paul Johnson III CHC case manager. presentation and underwent a 40-hour internship/on the job training – all to prepare them when they visit at-risk areas in Detroit.

The CHC will help connect Detroiters to these and other services:

Act funds, which will send community health workers and peer counselors door-to-door in Detroit to identify families in need.

• Basic necessities • Employment • Education • Help with your home • Health Programs

“What we have been finding is that too many of our residents in need of the available services and programs offered simply aren’t aware of them and don’t know where to go for help,” said Mayor Duggan on the city website. “The CHC team will help identify the needs within each household and connect fami-

The program will be funded initially with $3.5 million in federal CARES

Mayor Mike Duggan announced the program in August.

Developing a work ethic and empathy for people experiencing personal challenges is something Johnson does not just show, but he’s lived, too. Johnson has overcome health challenges, learning disabilities, and a speech impediment that he didn’t let define him.

Johnson recognized also being privileged to have access to services that fixed his challenges. And said it is his “obligation” to help others gain access to those services, too. Johnson has a background in working in the human service field for 12 years, and he helped create a Medicaid-eligible nursing home

See GRADUATES page A-4

Page A-4 • michiganchronicle.com • Nov. 25 - Dec. 1, 2020

The 2020 Black Friday Scholarship Bootcamp Goes Virtual And Global “Keeping College-Bound Students in The Black and Not in the Red As we know it, the day following Thanksgiving is Black Friday, and for years, earmarked as the official kickoff for Christmas shopping. While some Americans may be shopping for Christmas gifts, a new tradition has sparked called “The Black Friday Scholarship Bootcamp,” a one-day program for college-bound students and their parents in Michigan and around the world.

The Black Friday Scholarship Bootcamp is in its 7th year and was previously at the Charles Wright Museum of African American History.

This year the program is virtual and global on Friday, November 27, 2020, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm.

Fresh Perspectives Seminars, a non-profit organization based in Detroit whose focus is college and career readiness. Their programs educate and empower students and their parents on solutions to the college debt crisis, sustainable 21st Century careers, FAFSA, ACT-SAT preparation, and financial literacy produces The Black Friday Scholarship Bootcamp.

Fresh Perspectives Seminar recently announced that Mykolas Rambus, the President of Quaero, a world-class data management, and analytics company, and the President of Wealth-X, a data intelligence company, as the headline speaker. Rambus will lead a panel discussion addressing students and parents on the analytics surrounding individual colleges’ intrinsic

Graduates From page A-3

transition program to help seniors live more independently.

“That is what motivated me,” Johnson added. “I want to make a difference. … I live in the city of Detroit and I see the generational poverty. I want to be able to elevate people [who don’t know about the resources] and show compassion regardless of their social economic status. It just takes one person to believe in you.”

CHC will function as a partner entity within the Detroit at Work program, according to information from the city website, and staff will report to executive director Sheilah Clay (retired president and CEO of Neighborhood Services Organization (NSO) who joined Detroit at Work in Aug. 2019, all under the council of an advisory board.

Nicole Sherard-Freeman, executive director, Workforce Development & Detroit at Work, said that the graduates have a role they are going to play in “rebuilding Detroit’s middle class.”

“That is a vision, it may seem like an improbable one right now, but that is

value and their potential to multiply wealth and his pathway to creating, selling, and acquisitions of technology.

Dr. Dwuan Warmack, President of Claflin University, Historical Black College University, and Dr. Rema Vassar, MSU trustee, and Eastern Michigan University professor, will discuss the paradigm shift in Higher Education. Dr. Utibe Effiong from the University of Michigan will discuss the study of COVID-19 and the growing field of endocrinology, Keyon Branch, Brand Manager, Epic Arts - Madden Sports in NYC will discuss the growth of sports gaming, Jonathan Quarles of Detroit, Vice-Chair of Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, Quartz Water Source and The BLT Group will discuss his business track as a venture capitalist and global business consultant.

Marlin Williams, StockX, Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion will share with students how to channel their authenticity about The Black Lives Matter Movement and understanding the expectations of corporations.

According to the organization’s founder, Gwen Thomas, “The Black Friday Scholarship Bootcamp extends further than helping students find scholarships to pay for college. We engage corporations to help us shape the next generation of employees by supporting our work.”

Fresh Perspectives has helped students raised over $15 million in scholarships for their students and study abroad in more than 100 international cities. To register, students can log on to www.BlackFridaySB.com and for more information, call 609.474.4877.

how important that is -- how much impact overtime the value that your work is going to bring to Detroiters who need it the most,” Sherard-Freeman said, adding that this program stemmed from conversations she had between “folks that believed delivering services to Detroiters most vulnerable would be the only way to continually lower poverty statistics in Detroit.”

Sherard-Freeman said that the initial idea did not have a framework and there were a lot of questions in the air.

“We weren’t sure who we were going to hire at the time; weren’t sure where the funding was going to come from and we didn’t know who our team would be … thank you for the work you put in the last several weeks,” she said.

Detroit’s Deputy Mayor Conrad Mallett, Jr. also said that he and Sherard-Freeman have worked closely in this process to support the program and its graduates.

“When the mayor gave me this particular assignment I have to say deep within my soul I understood this was going to be a chance for me, properly supported by people like you, to make a systemic change in the lives of the people,” he said. “There will be occasions

where I walk with you to the homes of the persons we seek to serve.”

Community Healthcare Worker and recent graduate La’Tice Covington, 38 of Detroit, has a servant’s heart. She said that she knows what it is like to struggle and be a single mom trying “to figure out how to get one here and get one there.”

She has also been on disability for 10 years now. “[I’ve been] teetering and tottering around here trying to figure out what to do with my inabilities,” Covington said, adding that her family friend told her about the Community Healthcare program and she signed up at her first chance. “I was so surprised they called me back immediately … I cried during my interview.”

Covington said that it’s her mission to help others and the reason why she wants to do this job is she wants to help give those a chance and as a lifelong Detroiter her entire life living in different parts of the city, she sees where the needs are.

“I’ve lived everywhere from the westside, eastside, southwest -- I had a lot of exposure to different cultures, scenarios, high crime rate areas, low crime rate

with Medicare plans and benefits to talk about.

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areas,” Covington said. “I have always been interested in helping people. I am like the resource guide [for my community]. “Wherever I go the information I obtained [I am] always able to use it just to help [others] get through our struggles.”

For more information on the program visit https://detroitmi.gov/news and search “Community Health Corps vulnerable residents.”

Housing From page A-3

has been negatively impacted because of COVID-19. She added that currently the city of Detroit offers emergency rental assistance through the Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency.

“They are handling emergency rental assistance for residents in the city of Detroit,” she said, adding that she is looking forward to seeing what Biden has in store for housing needs. “We’re excited that the new administration has already dedicated resources for affordable housing.”

For more information go to https:// www.waynemetro.org/cares/.

A5

| Nov. 25 - Dec. 1, 2020

Money.

michiganchronicle.com

Virtual Panel Discussion Delves into Small Businesses Emerging Stronger after Pandemic

By Sherri Kolade Small business owners in Detroit have been dealt many harsh blows during the COVID-19 pandemic. They’ve shut their doors {some permanently} and optimistically re-opened, only to shutter again with the recent three-week statewide pause.

A Nov. 18 virtual Michigan Chronicle event sponsored by HAP, “RECOVER. RESPOND. THRIVE! How to Re-Imagine your Business and Emerge from the Crisis Stronger,” discussed how business owners can flourish through a crisis with the correct tools.

The one-hour panel discussion introduced topics ranging from assisting business owners with developing critical priorities to help their business; retooling their workforce; developing a healthy work environment and minimizing issues, and more.

The event was moderated by Nicole Sherard-Freeman, executive director, workforce development, City of Detroit, who said the last several months have taught businesses how to find available resources with assistance.

“We know that we need navigators in this space,” she said. “It is absolutely impossible as a business owner to understand the full array of opportunities and resources without some help,” she added.

Panelists were: • Margaret Anderson, senior vice president, chief sales and marketing officer, HAP • Pierre Batton, vice president of Small Business Services at Detroit Economic Growth Corporation • Alexis Dishman, chief lending officer for Michigan Women Forward • John Simpson, proprietor, Savannah Blue • Sanya Weston, founder of Your Premiere Travel Services Sherard-Freeman kicked off the discussion by asking the panelists what they are most excited and concerned about with their businesses as they forge ahead during COVID-19. Anderson said that from the healthcare and health system perspective, some of the challenges ahead include the recent COVID-19 resurgence that is presently visible in the healthcare system, but she is also excited about the virtual offerings now available through telehealth appointments.

“I do have hope and excitement on what we’ve been able to do … in this virtual world to be sure [the community and business owners] still have access to quality of care in our region,” she said.

Simpson, a business lawyer and business owner, said that as a small business owner what keeps him up at night are some levels of uncertainty.

“We are not going to be open for dining service today [Nov. 17],” Simpson said, adding that the restaurant is one of his core businesses. “We are resilient; we are a resilient people and we will get through this... All my clients and employees [are]

See SMALL

BUSINESSES page A6

Shop Small:

Support Detroit’s Small Black Businesses on Small Business Saturday

By Megan Kirk

residents, Detroit Means Business and the DEGC is featuring a list of local business as well as introducing an interactive way to locate some neighborhood favorites.

Detroit small business owners are gearing up for one of the biggest shopping days of the year, Small Business Saturday. Just in time for the holiday season, the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC) and Detroit Means Business are teaming up to give small businesses the boost and exposure needed for holiday shoppers.

Tenecia Johnson, DEGC’s district business liaison for District One, is spearheading this year’s Small Business Saturday launch. Celebrated each year in November, the annual celebration is a time for shoppers to participate in supporting their local community vendors.

“Small Business Saturday is a national holiday celebrated the first Saturday that follows the Thanksgiving holiday, and it’s really the kickstart to the holiday shopping season where we drive a lot of the shopping traffic to the neighborhood-based businesses, where the dollars are definitely most impacting the community,” Johnson explains. “So, we want to make sure we’re celebrating our neighborhood businesses on this day and leading into the holiday season.

With everything available from specialty items to restaurant services, Small Business Saturday will be the onestop shop for buying local this holiday

Tenecia Johnson season. In competition with Black Friday and Cyber Monday, a time where big businesses offer shopping deals, Small Business Saturday gives community shoppers and entrepreneurs a chance to shine.

“The DEGC, in partnership with Detroit Means Business, are featuring Detroit small businesses on Facebook and Instagram and various media outlets where we’re encouraging some of the neighborhood residents and some of the shoppers in the community to support the neighborhood businesses.

A lot of them were impacted negatively by either shutting down or a dip in customer traffic.”

To make shopping smoother for

“Currently we are working directly with Detroit area business owners through the Detroit Means Business platform as well as the DEGC.org website where we are showcasing business owners that are offering a special promotion or a special deal or even looking to get some additional exposure for their business,” Johnson explains. “We’re listing them on our website as well as plotting them on a mapping system so people can know exactly where they’re placed throughout the city.

With COVID-19’s impact on commerce, local businesses have faced unforeseen financial hardships. As minority businesses are forced to close their doors across the city, Small Business Saturday will act as a way to garner much needed business, helping to generate revenue and continue to employ residents across the city.

“Due to the impact of COVID-19 on our economy it’s more important now than ever to shop locally,” Johnson says.

Looking to assist companies through Small Business Saturday, Detroit Means Business is hosting work-

See SHOP

SMALL page A6

Queen Lillian and The Platform Break Ground on $60M Mixed-Use Detroit Midtown Development

By Sherri Kolade

Christopher Jackson, coprincipal and managing partner of Queen Lillian and sons at ground-breaking

Queen Lillian and The Platform announced recently that they broke ground on Woodward West, a $60 million, new construction mixed-use flagship development in Detroit’s Midtown neighborhood.

Slated to open in summer 2022, the five-story development will create 204 apartments and nearly 25,000 square feet of ground-floor retail to Woodward Avenue and Stimson Place, just south of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Twenty percent of the apartments will be offered at below market rates as an affordable housing initiative (including utilities) for those with qualifying incomes which is 80 percent of the area median income.

The total size features 188,000 square feet across five stories with 204 apartments – 114 studios, 78 one-bedrooms, and 12 two-bedrooms.

A portion of the 24,800 square feet of street-level retail space will be reserved as “entrepreneur space” offered at the below-market rate for small businesses. Parking features 84 on-site and 160-plus off-site at an existing parking deck.

Other amenities include an outdoor roof deck with downtown views, theater, fitness center and wellness studio, sauna, business center, pet wash, bike storage, electric-car

charging stations and more.

Queen Lillian and The Platform assembled a core project team of Detroit-based talent, including Hamilton Anderson Associates as architect and interior designer, Sachse Construction as a general contractor, Skidmore Studio as a brand strategist, Center City Properties as property manager; and Honigman as tax incentive consultant. Michigan-based companies working on the development include OHM Advisors as a civil engineer, Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss as legal counsel, SME for environmental services, and Strategic Energy Solutions as a mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineer, per the release.

“We are proud that this is a project not only for Detroit but built, designed, and managed almost entirely by Detroit-based companies,” James Jenkins Jr., coprincipal and partner of Queen Lillian said in the release. “We believe that as Detroit continues its comeback that Detroit-based businesses should be leading that charge.”

Woodward West is an example of the confidence that Queen Lillian and The Platform have in Detroit’s renaissance. The start of construction comes less than a year after The Platform opened The Boulevard at Third Avenue and West Grand Boulevard in New Center, the first major new construction residential development in New Center in more

See MIDTOWN

DEVELOPMENT page A6

Page A-6 • michiganchronicle.com • Nov. 25 - Dec. 1, 2020

Small Businesses From page A-5

adversely affected by this COVID nightmare and the new restrictions put on us.”

Weston said that the travel service has been around for over 50 years and when COVID-19 hit the travel industry hard she had to build the “confidence” of her customers in their product in the meantime.

“We were the first industry that got knocked on the door with COVID-19,” she said, adding that she replaced the word “sell” with the word “communicate” with her customers and had conversations with them about her business while building her customer base up. Weston also said that the first thing she did for her business at the start of the pandemic was “convince” herself that people wanted to travel, and that helped her a lot, along with becoming the face of her business.

“It was ... time for me to be the face [to] let our clients know what we are going through and how we’re going to get through it,” Weston said. “I found a way to pivot my business without changing the product.”

She said by doing something else profitable by helping people with canceled travel plans and the like, her business is still succeeding.

Batton said that he is the “middle man” in this space at Detroit Economic Growth Corporation {DEGC} where he received feedback from small business owners who are figuring out what they need to make it through the pandemic.

Simpson said that he prayed early on and began to change his perspective on his business that employed 30 young people {which he describes as his children} who he had to “muster up the courage” to inform them that they would not have a job the next day.

Simpson added that in March he had to help his employees navigate the crucial next steps to find unemployment resources and other tools to survive many months without working.

“That meant going back and looking up unemployment issues and resources available to them,” he said adding that his young employees did not always have the correct paperwork readily available so that was a learning curve, too.

The time also gave Simpson a

chance to regroup and streamline inefficiencies in the business and introduce more safety measures for a better dining experience like outdoor seating and curbside pickup.

“We did research and took the time so … we opened back up healthier than when we started before,” he said.

Dishman said when it comes to funding, find the capital available via a loan or grant to keep business going; also consider pitch competitions.

Batton said that there has been a lot of confusion when it comes to knowing when funding is available at times because what’s available today is not always here tomorrow.

He also encourages businesses to check out DEGC’s detroitmeansbusiness.org website to find grant funding. He added that certain businesses can apply for a $5,000 grant [applications close Nov. 20], and that opportunity is one of many found at the website. He added that it is important to “identify the capital resources out there available to you as a small business owner.”

Dishman added that small business owners should use their contacts, resources and relationships

during good times and reach out to them during challenging times for help. Also, understand your cash flow so if it comes time to ask for grace or dollars, the request makes sense.

“Financial institutions want to know how they are going to … have it repaid and get it in the market and recirculated,” she said. “You need to, as a business owner, really try to understand your cash flow and articulate your story and why it makes sense for someone to invest in you -- whether that is a grant or loan.”

She also said that while “she’s kept up at night” because of the way that businesses have operated is now “compromised” because of the pandemic, she’s still hopeful.

“I’m enthusiastic about the innovation I have seen in partners and entrepreneurs trying to figure out how to survive in the state they are in,” Dishman said, adding that businesses can still put themselves in a better position going forward.

Find out more information at https://www.hap.org/, https:// detroitmeansbusiness.org/, and https://www.degc.org/.

Shop Small

organization on several projects and community events as well as the reconstruction of the famous stretch of shops.

shops and providing additional services to prepare owners for the shopping season.

“I have worked with DEGC on many community projects such as Art on the Avenue held September 26, 2020, focusing on promoting the six galleries on Livernois and also on marketing efforts during the construction on Livernois in 2019,” Archer explains.

From page A-5

“We work with new businesses that have recently opened as well as a lot of the business associations that have been established over the last couple of years throughout the city,” Johnson says. “We have them in district four and district one and there is a really strong business presence on the Avenue of Fashion.”

The Avenue of Fashion, located on the city’s west side on Livernois Avenue, is home to several Black-owned businesses including Jo’s Gallery, a neighborhood staple for Black art and custom frames.

Launched in 1996, the gallery owner, Garnett Archer, is preparing for the annual small business event.

“We will have specials, framed art, jewelry and giftware; twenty to forty percent off. We also, for Small Business Saturday, will have holiday gift wrapping services in our cafe,” Archer says.

Having history with the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, the gallery owner has worked with the

With hopes of boosting visibility and encouraging shopping local, small business owners are hoping the city comes out and supports Detroit’s entrepreneurs.

“If I could stress and reiterate the importance of supporting neighborhood-based businesses, [especially] this year. This year is different. Its definitely going to take a collaborative effort to show [support to] the business owners that are providing services year in and year out to the community whether it’s our barbershops, our daycare center or picking up lunch on the weekends. Its our turn to reiterate that service back to them and show them that they can get the community to rally support behind them during this time,” Johnson shares.

For more information or for a list of shops participating this holiday season, visit the DEGC’s website.

Midtown Developent From page A-5

than a generation.

“The strong leasing at The Boulevard, even amid the COVID-19 crisis, demonstrates the demand for more new housing and retail in our city,” Peter Cummings, executive chairman and CEO of The Platform said.

“Woodward West will bring centrally located housing to Detroiters and much-needed retail space to the Woodward Corridor in Midtown. We are proud to work with the Queen Lillian team to make this catalytic development a reality.”

The Woodward West team has engaged the community throughout the development process, meeting with residents, business owners, property owners, developers and nonprofit stakeholders to receive feedback before finalizing the project and design.

“Woodward West will ultimately serve as a great example of how development can be done while still maintaining inclusion and diversity,” said Christopher Jackson, coprincipal and managing partner of Queen Lillian. “Further, we are proud that we are not displacing an existing neighborhood but, in fact, working with the existing neighborhood to bring quality, affordable housing, and retail offerings to the community.”

This past summer, the Woodward West team partnered with the Michigan Minority Contractors Association to host an on-site event for potential trade partners, as well as with the DEGC to host a virtual session, seeking drywallers, flooring installers, painters, and more.

"Woodward West is a great example of how we are rebuilding our city in a way that includes everyone,” Mayor Mike Duggan said. “Not only are we seeing one of the last major vacant parcels on Woodward in Midtown being developed with more affordable housing, but the project is also being led almost entirely by Detroit-based businesses with two major black development partners in Jim Jenkins and Chris Jackson."

In addition to offering commercial spaces to a neighborhood that is underserved with retail options, a portion of the retail space will be reserved as “entrepreneur space” for up-and-coming businesses. It is a symbol of Queen Lillian and The Platform’s commitment to the community and support for fostering small businesses. The team will also engage local artists to commission artwork for the project.

The development would not have been possible without the support of the Michigan Economic Development Corp. (MEDC), which recently approved a Michigan Community Revitalization Program loan of $5.3 million, and the Economic Development Corp. of the City of Detroit through the Detroit Economic Growth Corp., which has approved a loan for $2.2 million. The Detroit City Council and Mayor Mike Duggan’s team also showed incredible support. Rounding out the capital stack is CIBC Bank, the senior lender.

In the project’s early predevelopment stages, Capital Impact Partners and Invest Detroit also provided loans to move the project forward.

“Woodward West is a great example of MEDC’s commitment to transforming underutilized properties into vibrant, attractive, and resilient places to live, work, and play,” said MEDC Senior Vice President of Community Development Michele Wildman. “We’re pleased to work with the many partners who brought this project to fruition, and we look forward to its momentum and the additional investment it will encourage in Midtown Detroit.”

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Biden: Ivery for US Department No Justice? No Accountability?

Breonna Taylor Deserves More of Education Secretary Not even a month after the grand jury announced the verdict of the Breonna Taylor case, protests have slowed, and her name has been lost in the trending topics of social media. So, what now?

Is there any more intractable problem facing America than urban education?

Detroit does not have to look far to see how difficult the challenge is, how high the mountain, and how devastating the fall. Our recent experience with the state takeover of the Detroit’s public school system wounded and burned deeply the identity of Detroit as a proud city. Stigmas of incompetence, mismanagement and kickbacks were everywhere. In its wake, lost pensions, and worse, a possible loss of a generation of underserved children.

Education, no doubt, is the hope for the future.

Without a quality educational system, a city is not likely to deliver the high-energy environment that the tech-savvy generation of the twenty-first century is searching for. The internet is of limited economic op- Dr. Curtis L. Ivery portunity value; if you only acclaimed educator who created a transhave minimal reading, writing, compre- parent, ethnically diverse and compehension and analytical skills. Education tent administration team. A business is the engine that drives capitalism, in- leader who created workforce partnernovation, manufacturing and the global ships with educational, governmental economy. and business entities, which created I believe President-elect Biden under- jobs and the promise of increased wagstands the necessity for a quality educa- es, knowledge, experience and self-retion; is committed to uplifting all chil- spect for graduates of WCCCD. And let dren in America’s urban cities; and to us not forget, before coming to Detroit, give them a chance to obtain the Amer- in Arkansas, he led a major state agency ican Dream of self-sufficiency, liberty under former-President Clinton. and happiness. The Democratic Party It is no secret that Michigan was key Platform gives further promise of edu- to Biden’s winning the Presidency. Likecational policies and reforms that may wise, it was the historic voter turnout make a difference. of Wayne County that made the differHowever, more will be needed than ence in winning Michigan’s Electoral written policies and lofty ideas. Presi- College votes. I think President-elect dent-elect Biden needs to find a Secre- Biden owes Michigan and Wayne Countary of Education who has the experi- ty something. ence, the character, and the proven track Wayne County electors raised the record of success, to explain the vision, bar by voting for candidate Biden. Now to inspire and to deliver the goods. I say, President-elect Biden can raise the bar Dr. Curtis L. Ivery, Chancellor of Wayne even higher by appointing Dr. Curtis L. County Community College District is Ivery as our next Secretary of the United that person, that educator, that leader.

States Department of Education.

We who live in Detroit, know Dr. IvGet on the phone or write Senators ery. There is no need to list his accom- Stabenow and Peters, Congresspersons plishments, awards, books, and commu- Lawrence and Talib, Governor Whitmer, nity service. We know this family man, Lavora Barnes, Michigan Democratwho became a Detroiter. Who promised ic Party, and other influential political change to a dysfunctional Wayne Coun- leaders. The selection process for Cabty Community College District and de- inet members is currently underway in livered change. A man who opened the the new administration. Now is another doors of WCCCD to thousands of people moment in time to make again our voice of all demographics to the transforma- be heard, our voice respected. We can tional power of education. A nationally make this happen.

No Time To Rest

By Oscar H. Blayton

Now that the 2020 election is over, people have been celebrating in the streets across America. But as we survey the rubble that is left of an America battered by the last four years under a Trump administration, we see there is a lot of work to be done.

Children are still in cages along our southern borders. Police murders of innocent people of color are still rampant. Conservative politicians refusing to wear masks during the COVID-19 pandemic and yelling “My body, my choice,” are prepared to imprison any woman who exercises her reproductive rights over her own body.

America is in a dangerous place.

Donald Trump has emboldened and encouraged the Oscar H. Blayton inner demons of white supremacists to act out their hatred toward anyone they consider to be an “other.” The vast majority of white, self-proclaimed Christian evangelists have abandoned any pretense of human decency and make it clear that brotherly love and Christian charity are not meant for people of color.

White middle-class Americans, coded as “suburban moms,” have demonstrated by a majority of their votes that they are willing to accept the brand of raw racism that Trump represents. This, while engaging in “woke performances” to make an outward show of believing in human decency towards all.

Joe Biden’s election has not bent the arc of the moral universe toward justice. It has merely flattened it back to its previous course of injustice. Joe has a history of making common cause with racial conservatives, many of whom were segregationists. And we should not wait to see if his words of equality are turned into dust by his actions.

Instead, we must stay on the move and continue to push, and push hard, for our own freedoms.

Yes, communities of color are exhausted. It is understandable why we are tired. We barely eked out a win after

a bruising political battle with a hateful and determined segment of this country that pins its rising quality of life on our oppression. Now we want to take a break from this constant struggle, sit back and feel good about what we have accomplished so far. But this is no time to rest.

According to members on the jury, justice was sought. There was only one thing that both the Taylor family and protestors around the nation wanted – justice for the killing of Breonna Taylor. Only one officer was charged in the case, but it had nothing to do with the killing of Ms. Taylor. Rather, he was charged with wanton endangerment. Where is the accountability? Not only was Jewel Ware only one officer charged, but it wasn’t in relation to her death. This is what they considered justice.

In the words of Malcolm X, “the most unprotected person in America in the black woman”. The criminal justice system did not protect Breonna Taylor in the situation that caused her death, nor did it protect her rights after her death.

As a black woman in America, there was sense of numbness that took over my body when I heard the verdict. Rage, confusion, and a feeling of disrespect overcame me. One thing that I can say I didn’t feel is surprised. As upset that I was, I cannot say that I was surprised

that no officer was charged in her death.

That in itself is something that frustrates me to this very day.

How can we move on? We are in an era where children are growing up and seeing black lives being killed on television and social media, causing them to form a disliking for government. What do we tell our youth who have lost faith in the criminal justice system so early?

The reality is that we can tell them all we want, but they must see the work that needs to be done to create the change we want.

The Presidential Election is less than a month. This is our time to put the right people in elected offices that will have the interest of the community first.

We must do more than just talk about it; we have to be about it.

When we talk to our children and peers about the Breonna Taylor case it’s very important to not only discuss how justice was not met, but also ways in which we can do our part to prevent these things from happening in the future. Teaching our children about voter education, holding our family and friends accountable regarding voting and completing the Census.

It shouldn’t take losing another black life until we act. Enough is enough. We know what we can do. What know what we need to do. So, what now?

Jewel Ware Vice Chair Pro-Tempore/ Wayne County Commission

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For us to rest now would be as disastrously careless as an athletic team celebrating its stellar performance during the first period of play and then not showing up for the remainder of the game.

We must be mindful of the history of our continued struggle. In the 1960s, the civil rights agenda was being pushed forward and the sense of accomplishment in the Black community was exhilarating. But although we celebrated the progress we had made at the time, we knew that the goal of universal equality had not been achieved, and we fought on.

The struggle must continue because victory has not yet been won.

We have more people of color in elected office than ever before. But now that they are in office, we cannot sit back and wait for them to deliver. We must ask them, “What can we do to help you deliver for us?” We must partner with the people we put in office.

One of the persistent complaints voiced by Black elected officials is that when they sit in their city council or school board meetings, seldom do they see the people who put them there. This is a problem on the local, state and federal levels of government. It is difficult to make a convincing argument on behalf of people who do not bother to show up in support of their own demands. And it is particularly difficult when other elected officials, who are not interested in our welfare, must be moved to support our interests.

Winning an election is never anything more than a beginning – a first step on a long journey towards achieving a goal. So, sure, stop and take a deep breath. Stretch your political muscles and loosen them up. Straighten your back and strengthen your resolve. And then take the next steps towards making this country and this world what we want it to be.

Oscar H. Blayton is a former Marine Corps combat pilot and human rights activist who practices law in Virginia.

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After- H(ours)

Access Equity and Opportunity in a 24-Hour Economy

By Adrian Tonon, Jabari Jefferson and Andre Reed In many cases over the last several months, there have been numerous public servants who have partnered with businesses and residents to assist in creating best practices in a pandemic.

Meet four leaders from the public sector who are championing a sustainable, equitable and responsible night time economy.

Denise Fair / Chief Public Health Officer / City of Detroit The Detroit Health Department prioritizes the health and safety of residents through education, communication, surveillance, and emergency preparedness. We do this by working in partnership with key stakeholders including the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Our primary mission is to build healthy communities where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

By providing businesses with guidelines that are straightforward and predictable, and through enforcement of those guidelines, this Department provides a pathway to success and achievement of revenue targeted to all businesses, including those that make up the night time economy.

Photo Lil Monsterr

Public health is front and center when it comes to communicable disease outbreaks and pandemics like COVID-19. We are counting on every business owner to follow orders issued by this Department to help keep patrons and the community safe. We want to see the night time economy flourish without risking the spread of COVID-19.

The Detroit Health Department is working closely with other city agencies including CRIO (Civil Rights Inclusion & Opportunity), Detroit Police, Detroit Fire Department, Detroit Public Works, and the Building Safety Engineering & Environmental Department to support this goal. We have seen tremendous cooperation and coordination among City departments throughout the pandemic, as well as cooperation from local businesses, community groups and nonprofits. Overall, success means businesses can continue to operate, as long as they are in compliance with the order and guidelines issued from the Detroit Health Department.

Rochelle Riley / Director Arts, Culture and ­Entrepreneurship / City of Detroit

To Launch In Detroit

By Lindsay Hunter

As Director of Arts and Culture for the City, I run an office called Arts, Culture and Entrepreneurship. It is that last word that ties my job specifically to our night-time creative economy.

We have thousands of artists, gig musicians and others who work in an entire economy that functions at night. They are a vital part of our total economy, and their work is not a hobby. As the person charged with overseeing our investment in the arts, it means finding opportunities and support for all sectors of our artistic community. And the job grows as I grow and as I meet and work with more of our creatives every week, every month, every chance I get. The job also gets harder as we find the way forward from the pandemic.

But it also means promoting and shining a spotlight on our best and brightest to help them attain national and global success. We are still Motown, a star-making city. We’re just Motown, 21st Century edition. The city’s job, in all aspects of our economy, is to find ways to provide opportunities for different groups of people to make successful livings. That includes people who work at night, whose work depends on what happens at night. It

More than a carefully designed pair of corrective lenses, eyeglasses are a constant part of wardrobes. For some, they are an extension of one’s true self.

Kai Alce, a long-time buyer of glasses and native Detroiter, knows the plight of spending money on spectacles that don’t quite fit the intended look.

“I like bigger frames that are typically plastic and colorful; and usually when you find eyewear of that size they’re usually sun-

glasses,” said Alce. “So, when I was buying glasses for myself, I’d get those sunglasses, take out the lenses and make them clear.”

Alce’s innovative reconstructions quickly become more than your average do-it-yourself project. The DJ found himself answering to loved ones and strangers who were interested in getting a pair for themselves.

Concerned that the venture didn’t align with his goals as a musical artist, Alce didn’t jump on the opportunity to start an eyewear line right away. Instead, he focused his efforts on his work as

See EYEWEAR Page B-2

See AFTER H(OURS) Page B-2

‘There Are No Limits When It Comes To Love:’

Metro Detroit Families Celebrate National Adoption Month in November Every Day

By Sherri Kolade

Dorsey said of their serendipitous meeting.

The Michigan Chronicle captured snippets of Black family adoption stories in this two-part series for National Adoption Month. This is the final story in the series where we dive deeper and learn about how one moment 15 years ago changed this Metro Detroit family for a lifetime.

November is National Adoption Month. According to Ohio-based Specialized Alternatives for Families & Youth (SAFY), around 7 million Americans in the United States are adopted and more than one-third of Americans have considered adoption, although only two percent have actually adopted a child. Presently, according to SAFY, there are over 400,000 children in foster care in the United States. Another 135,000 children are adopted annually in the country. According to SAFY statistics for those in the child welfare system:

Husband and wife Novi residents Carla Dorsey, 51, and Brian Dorsey, 52, always knew in their hearts that they wanted to adopt a child, and so the warm, intuitive couple did so 10 years into their marriage.

• Males far outnumber females

“My husband and I met in college when we were dating and in envisioning our future we always... wanted to have that as part of our family story,” Carla Dorsey said, adding that they both had family members adopted and wanted to give their child a better life.

The couple later learned of health issues that prevented Carla from having natural children and so adoption became the only way.

“We didn’t have to have any type of transition emotionally,” Carla said. “We believe God placed this on our hearts...

• Black children are disproportionately represented • Over half are six years or older • The average age of a child waiting for adoption is eight years old

Carla Dorsey, left, Brian Dorsey, center, and their son, Braylon Dorsey are all smiles in a family photo. Photo provided by the Dorsey family

• 29 percent of adopted children will spend at least three years in the foster care system

long ago.…we began to already love [our child].”

their three-hour old newborn son, Braylon Dorsey, who is now 14 years old.

What spurred the couple to adopt was, when around 2005 they experi-

So, on Dec. 23, 2005, they adopted

“He was our Christmas baby,” Carla

See ADOPTION Page B-2

Page B-2 • michiganchronicle.com • Nov. 25 - Dec. 1, 2020

Eyewear From page B-1 a DJ, all the while hearing the requests of family and friends in the background.

Eventually, the pestering began to work and the Kai Alce Eyewear line was born.

Alce, who asked that his manufacturer go unnamed, was introduced to frame designers by a friend with connections to the industry. Taking the driver’s seat, he dedicated himself to designing glasses that would best represent his style.

Brian Dorsey holds the feet of his newborn son, Braylon Dorsey, shortly after his birth. Photo provided by the Dorsey family

Adoption

days of life, even when I was completely sick, the Creator’s gift truly healed me I have never had another Lupus flare after his birth.”

From page B-1

enced tremendous loss in a six-week period of time where Carla’s father and grandmother both passed away.

“That was just yet another reminder of how short life is,” Carla said, adding that later that year her husband grew ill making numerous trips to the hospital through December from lupus flare-ups.

The now-Livonia based adoption agency, Forever Family, contacted Carla around that same timeframe informing her that their baby was soon ready to be adopted.

Carla learned that even though, typically, adopting a newborn can take a long time, when it comes to Black newborns, “the demand is not there,” she said, adding that she was shocked at how quickly she and her husband were able to adopt their son.

At 1:59 p.m. on Dec. 23 Braylon was born at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

Ironically, around 1:50 p.m. that same day, Carla was on the side of the road with a flat tire trying to get to the same hospital to meet her husband--unbeknownst to her their soon-to-be son was about to make his debut.

“It was supposed to happen and meant to be orchestrated [that way],” she said, adding that she was crying and in emotional distress over the flat tire while miles down the road her son’s birth mother was in physical distress giving birth.

Their baby, who was born six weeks early, was four pounds and 15 ounces, and described by Carla as a “little fighter.”

“When we got to hold him, feel him, touch him--hear his little cries.…it was love at first sight,” Carla said.

Carla’s husband, Brian, said that while in the hospital going through his second bout with a lupus flare he learned of the good news.

“I was on the sixth floor of Henry Ford Hospital and got a call from my wife that a baby was born and is on the fourth floor of [the] hospital...I was shocked,” Brian said. “When my wife arrived, she got me into a wheelchair and we wheeled down to the fourth floor in a hurry.”

Brian said “Bray” was in an incubator and as he approached, his eyes gently opened.

“From that day on, I had to confess that I will never say there is no such thing as love at first sight because I was completely in immediate love with him,” Brian said. “Once the nurse put him in my arms, I couldn’t take my eyes off of him and started pledging my love and protection over him. One of my greatest

After H(ours) From page B-1

also means working overtime to ensure that our night-time economy is operating in a safe environment.

Xavier Cuevas ‘Barley Hispanic’ / Media Services / City of Detroit As a visual artist I’m in the business of storytelling. Communicating messages, telling visual histories, and documenting the people and communities around us is the foundation of our work in Media Services. Amplifying the voices of those who normally do not have a platform to share their part is an inseparable part of everything we do. Equity and opportunity in our work is centered around visual content, which is one of the main means by which businesses, artists, and everyday people communicate. Therefore being deliberate about who we work with allows us to ensure we are amplifying the voices of those who need it most, while also providing them a quality product and telling their stories. It’s all about intention when selecting partners, clients, and collaborators.

Carla added that she encourages others to “trust your instinct” with the adoption process.

“Contrary to what may be out as a stereotype, African Americans are exceptional parents,” she said. “Biology is not what makes that connection for you.

The love, values, and the vision you have for parenting and family [that] is what is going to push you to be exceptional.”

Carla added that Braylon has asked twice about connecting with his birth mother since being adopted. And when he graduates college he can make that connection if he wants to, she said.

“We set that boundary--you have to be mature enough to handle whatever that looks like,” she said, adding that they will walk on that journey with him if he goes.

One surprise about this adoption journey for Carla was how “instinctive” parenting came to the couple who are full of love for their only child.

“I worked with the manufacturers by sending them a few pairs of my own glasses, showing them some of the characteristics that I wanted done,” said Alce.

Backed by a manufacturer that also works with household brands such as Fendi, Gucci, and Michael Kors, Alce incorporated his personality into the line.

“The arms [of the glasses] have grooves that mimic the style of grooves on records,” said Alce. “I also added a 45-adaptor to the ends of the arms to help prevent the glasses from sliding down.”

The premier launch of Kai Alce Eyewear on Nov. 27 will include two models for eyeglass users: Granég and Bézwen, a nod to Alce’s Haitian culture.

In true Alce fashion, the glasses are designed with creativity and exclusivity in mind. A limited number of 1,000 pairs of glasses will be available to the public.

Only 50 to 100 pairs of glasses will be produced in each color. The colors will not be duplicated. Alce plans to keep a rotation of two additional models each year.

He hopes his eyewear line will speak to his community of fellow creatives

who are looking to compliment their aesthetic with bright and bold glasses. “These aren’t colors you typically see in glasses. I’m hoping they’ll appeal to people, you know, the writers, the poets, the people who want to express a little bit of their individuality within their eyewear,” said Alce. “That’s what I’m hoping the Kai Alce Eyewear will help them do, that’s what I’m hoping its niche will be.”

Alce’s community doesn’t stop in the world of arts and creativity. It also extends back to the city he grew up in -- Detroit.

“With Detroit being my hometown and having musical roots here, I figured it would be a good place to start these pop-ups,” said Alce.

The designer will be holding popup shops in Atlanta and New York, two cities he’s called home, to introduce his eyewear line to the general public when restrictions due to the pandemic allows for these types of events once again.

Alce, who says the eyewear is a direct representation of who he is, welcomes the new venture with open arms and invites others to do the same. “[The pop-up shop] will give people a feeling of who I am and let people see what we have in store for the future,” said Alce. “As much as it will be a new venture to them, it will be a new venture to me.

In the interim, Alce is hosting a virtual launch on Twich TV at 8 PM, there will be music, entertainment and it’s free to the public. To attend virtually, visit, Twitch.tv/ndatl on Friday, November 27th at 8 PM. Detroiters interested in learning more about the Kai Alce Eyewear can visit www.kaialceeyewear.com when the site goes live on November 27th.

“Like, we are all in,” she said.

All in for Brian means a journey on Black fatherhood, which he calls “the ultimate responsibility that the Creator can task one with.”

“Managing, monitoring, nurturing and developing His creation,” Brian said. “It is a humble honor. In these unpredictable times, Black fatherhood has also intensified my interest to protect him with constant information regarding the disregard for Black male humanity throughout the country.”

Brian added that while his worry for his protection and well-being will never cease, he tries his best to model success daily for his son.

“I want him to be able to identify success, not just in a career, but in his home life,” Brian said. “Success requires constant modeling of marriage, relationships, family, work, laughing, loving, praying, pride, competitiveness and honor. So, his manhood preparation requires a lot of observation for him and in-depth explanations for me, which often marries itself with a historical context of Black life in America.”

Voice of Voice of the the Community Community your atatyour fingertips fingertips.

He added that what is most important is that he can think for himself.

“That he is not easily misled and can think critically about the decisions he makes and how it will affect his life. I also want him to be a hard worker in his studies, in his job, in his relationships.

For his goals,” Brian said. “These are the things that allow him to build his own legacy and honorable name. Success in these areas will certainly make me proud.”

Captain Jevon Johnson / Detroit Police Department Police Department is tasked with public safety around the clock. We proactively meet with night time business owners, promoters, public officials and other stakeholders to flesh out strategy in order to keep the environment safe and responsible. Vibrant nightlife areas are proven to see a decline in crime when municipalities, communities, businesses and promoters work together for the common purpose of practicing good habits. One way DPD can create equity is by means of transparency amongst the community and by actively engaging. This creates space to build trust and opportunity to spark change.

Public spaces and venues are the convener of people. How can we curate spaces to not only entertain and inspire visually, but also serve as a catalyst or a pathway to mental health, jobs and other resources that will have the potential to uplift communities. Join us for the fourth series to hear from leaders who are working from the non profit and social work sector to champion awareness and tangible opportunity at the party.

michiganchronicle.com

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and Life Meets STYLE In Print & Online

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Nov. 25 - Dec. 1, 2020 • michiganchronicle.com •

Page B-3

Local Chefs Gather’ Round the Thanksgiving Table to Share Safely This Year Local chef Quiana Broden of Cooking With Que will roll up her sleeves and lovingly season, measure, dice, sprinkle, bake and add a hefty helping of love to her annual Thanksgiving feast this year, which will look a lot different than her typical family affair at her home.

Due to COVID-19, for many this year, Thanksgiving is canceled or will be a modified version of what typically takes place. She’s also playing it safe this year, especially in light of the recent COVID-19 spikes and statewide three-week pause. Just Broden and her husband and three children will have dinner together, with a few other close family members joining them virtually.

“Zoom has saved a bunch of lives and relationships.

It is not bad to hop on a Zoom call,” she said.

For Broden, with an elderly, ailing father who overcame COVID-19 this year, she will prepare him and others a to-go container filled with healthy, hearty eats of her Thanksgiving soul-food style feast filled with classic delights and vegetarian options. Broden and her husband are vegetarians, but the non-vegetarian members in the family also get down with her dishes that taste like the real thing.

As a result of COVID-19, her father became temporarily unable to walk, so she got to work doing what she does best, preparing personalized, healthy dishes that she delivers to his nearby home because nursing homes and other assisted living facilities were unable to accommodate him.

“I’m trying to heal him, so his legs start working.

I want to fix foods that are not going to give him high blood pressure, diabetes, cancers,” Broden said, adding that she “spoils” her father with foods and is at his house regularly. “The bonus is I get to take care of my dad to make sure he eats health every day. The healing is in the food.”

Broden said that while he still craves some things like salt [she puts Mrs. Dash in his salt containers unbeknownst to him], and he isn’t the biggest turkey fan, he will be treated to some salmon this year.

“I am going to make him a nice roasted salmon because number one it’s simple flavors and soft. He has dentures and I don’t want to screw up his teeth,” she said.

She’s also preparing vegan mac and cheese, homemade stuffing cranberry sauce [made with fresh cranberries and fresh persimmons] she will use to make her famous cranberry sauce.

Godwin Ihentuge, a Nigerian American chef and restaurateur at Afro-Caribbean YumVillage, said that for Thanksgiving, his immediate family, his girlfriend, and a couple of close friends are celebrating the holiday at his West Village home with Afro-infused flavors from the blending of cultures from his Nigerian father and Black American mother.

“We are going to all get together and have a Thanksgiving dinner … the only difference is we’ll probably have some ogbono stew, egusi, plantain, and traditional stuff like and dry-aged cheese to go in his macaroni and cheese, peppery, savory greens,” he said adding that also on the menu are different spice-based dishes including a mushroom broth, freshly-prepared cornbread, and roasted turkey legs and a turkey breast.

Ihentuge said that growing up with his younger brothers and parents, they would all sit down at the table and eat together, sharing stories and laughter.

He said today, he is continuing that tradition of sitting down to “break bread together,” especially at dinnertime, and this holiday will be no different.

“[We will] sit down and talk about life and what we’re thankful for,” he said, adding that though there are a lot of bad things happening in the world, there is still a lot of good, and that’s the focus for him and his family.

Keeping Traditions Alive During an Unusual Holiday Season (StatePoint) This holiday season may look a bit different due to social distancing. But just because everyone is not physically together, doesn’t mean your family can’t share its favorite traditions.

household or send a gift to family members near and far. Visit ohdanishbakery. com.

• Plan ahead: When it comes to ordering gifts and specially baked treats, make sure to account for busy schedules and congested delivery services to ensure all your goodies arrive on time. Take note of shipping times and policies, as well as ordering deadlines for each company.

For example, O&H allows customers to pre-order Kringle and schedule a preferred delivery date in the future.

The Olesen family of O&H Danish Bakery knows how important holiday traditions are to feeling connected to loved ones. Now in its fourth generation, the family-owned and operated bakery is sharing its best tips for creating holiday cheer from anywhere: • Celebrate virtually: In a survey commissioned by O&H Danish Bakery and conducted by SWNS Media Group and OnePoll, nearly 80 percent of respondents say time with family is their favorite part of the holiday season. Whether your tradition is a Christmas movie marathon, a caroling session around the piano or eating certain foods and baked treats, you can enjoy these activities together over video chat this year.

• Share traditional foods: The sensory memories that good food creates are powerful. In fact, 44 percent of people say the holiday spirit wouldn’t be the same if they didn’t have their traditional

holiday dessert.

If you are like many families, that favorite dessert is Kringle, a traditional Danish treat made of 36 layers of butter and pastry. Among O&H’s special holiday offerings are Thanksgiving Stuffed Kringle, A Very Danish Christmas Krin-

gle and the classic Pecan Kringle. Over the past 70 years, the award-winning bakery has shipped to more than 100 countries, making landfall in all seven continents, including Antarctica. This year, doorstep delivery makes it easy to order a traditional favorite for your own

• Create hygge: Evoking the sights, sounds and aromas of a typical holiday season will help make this year feel more cheerful. Take a cue from Danish culture and embrace hygge. Pronounced “hoo-ga,” it means creating a cozy atmosphere and enjoying the good things in life, such as the warm glow of candlelight or a steaming cup of cocoa -- and there is no better time of year to do it than the holiday season.

This year might be especially difficult for families who are physically separated, but there are many ways to spread cheer and keep traditions alive.

Page B-4 • michiganchronicle.com • Nov. 25 - Dec. 1, 2020

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

Centering your holiday meal around a turkey cooked to golden perfection is the ideal way to serve a feast. Without the right preparation and execution, however, your bird could fall short. To ensure your holiday dinner centerpiece lives up to expectations, follow these simple tips, from purchase to plate: 1. Buy the right bird. Finding a turkey that’s just the right size for your expected party is the start to a successful gathering. One common rule of thumb is the buy 1 pound of turkey per person – so, for a 10-person meal, purchase a 10-pound turkey.

Don’t forget that nearly everyone loves leftovers, so you may consider buying a few pounds more than necessary.

2. Be patient. If you opt for a frozen turkey, don’t rush the thawing process. For larger turkeys, it can take days to defrost properly.

3. Timing is everything. Finding the right amount of time for your turkey to spend in the oven is crucial but not always the easiest thing to do. For an 8-12-pound bird, aim for 2.5-3.5 hours; 12-16 pounds for 3.5-4 hours; 16-20 pounds for 4-4.5 hours, and so on. The key is bringing the turkey to a temperature reading of 170 F. 4. Let it rest. Instead of pulling the turkey out of the oven and immediately carving it, give it a chance to rest for 20-30 minutes, which allows the juices to soak into the meat and moisten it up.

T

FAMILY FEATURES

he holiday season and all its celebrating often means full days of visiting family and friends, opening gifts and enjoying mom­ents with loved ones, even if much of that interaction may take place virtually this year.

With all the laughter and happ­iness, you’re bound to get hungry, and feeding the family throughout the day means you’ll need recipe ideas ready for the occasion.

Starting the big day with a bountiful breakfast helps begin the festivities on a high note, while appetizers help hold everyone over for the main course, sides and, of course, dessert. Consider these tasty dishes to take your holiday gatherings to new heights from morning to night.

Visit Culinary.net to find more holiday meal ideas.

An Easy and Cheesy Holiday Appetizer

Cheeseball

If you need a last-minute appetizer or want to impress your friends, but don’t have the time to spend hours making some­thing, consider this easy-to-make, easy-to-eat cheesy treat.

This Cheeseball recipe calls for a handful of common household ingredients like cream cheese, cheddar cheese, vegetables and Worcestershire sauce rolled together and chilled for a tasty dip served with crackers. For added flavor, it’s made using Buddig Beef, which has been feeding traditions for more than 75 years with its time-tested appetizer.

Find more holiday recipe ideas at buddig.com/ recipes.

Cheeseball

Total time: 30 minutes Servings: 10

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

2 cups (8 ounces) finely shredded cheddar cheese

1 can (2 1/4 ounces) sliced black olives, drained

2 tablespoons minced green onion

2 tablespoons minced red bell pepper

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1/8 teaspoon pepper

2 packages (4 ounces) Buddig Beef or Ham, chopped, divided

1 package assorted crackers

Orange Eggs Benedict

In large bowl of mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese and cheddar cheese until creamy.

Mix in black olives, green onion, red bell pepper, Worcestershire sauce, pepper and 2 ounces chopped beef until well combined.

Form into ball. Wrap in plastic wrap.

Chill at least 2-3 hours to allow flavors to blend.

Just before serving, roll in remaining chopped beef until completely coated.

Serve with assorted crackers.

A Memorable Morning Breakfast

Gingerbread Cookies

Holiday mornings are iconic for those moments spent together opening gifts, sharing stories and enjoying a meal. Skip the cereal and frozen foods for a spread like these Orange Eggs Benedict with a homemade hollandaise sauce.

With six servings, it’s perfect for a family breakfast to fill empty stomachs after a morning of gift-giving. Plus, kids can join in on the fun by helping make the hollandaise, which simply requires mixing a few ingredients before pouring over the completed dish.

Find more breakfast recipes at Culinary.net.

Orange Eggs Benedict

Serves: 6 Orange Hollandaise:

2 egg yolks

1 orange, juice only

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted water

1 tablespoon white vinegar

8 eggs

1/2 cup butter, softened

6 French baguette slices, 3/4-inch thick each

6 thick slices ham

1/2 cup orange marmalade orange zest, for garnish To make Orange Hollandaise: In small bowl, blend egg yolks, orange juice and salt until combined. Gradually add melted butter into egg mixture while blending. Set aside.

In skillet, add water halfway up sides. Add vinegar. Bring to simmer.

Break eggs into water to poach. Cook 3-4 minutes until whites are cooked through and yolks are still runny. Using slotted spoon, remove eggs and drain on paper towels.

Spread butter on one side of bread slices. Place bread in skillet and cook until golden brown. Add ham to same skillet and cook until browned on both sides.

To assemble, spread bread slices with orange marmalade. Top each with one slice cooked ham and one poached egg. Pour hollandaise over eggs and garnish with orange zest.

Call Together Loved Ones with Cookies

A true holiday celebration calls for sharing moments with loved ones and creating memories that can last a lifetime. Crafting a sweet dessert to cap off the festivities is a perfect way to come together in the kitchen and enjoy the moment with those who matter most.

These Gingerbread Cookies made with C&H sugar can be a hallmark holiday treat that allow kids to help in the process.

Once they’re out of the oven, ask little ones to help decorate the festive and delightful cookies.

Visit chsugar.com to find recipes perfect for entertaining and celebrating with family throughout the year.

Recipe courtesy of Bernice Baran Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 10-12 minutes Yield: 24 cookies 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened 1/2 cup C&H® Dark Brown Sugar

1 large egg 1/4 cup molasses 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves royal icing In large bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar about 2 minutes on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg and molasses; mix until well incorporated.

In separate bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Use mixer on low speed to add to butter mixture until combined and dough is formed.

Divide dough in half, wrap with plastic film and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Flour clean work surface. Roll dough 1/8-1/4 inches thick. Cut out shapes with desired cookie cutters.

Transfer cookies to lined baking sheets and bake 10-12 minutes, or until firm. Let cookies cool on baking sheets 2-3 minutes then transfer to cooling rack. Cool completely.

Decorate cookies with royal icing.

Classifieds

Nov. 25 - Dec. 1, 2020 • michiganchronicle.com • Page B-5 ANNOUNCEMENTS

City of Highland Park

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING The City of Highland Park will hold a public hearing on the vacation of streets and alleys for the Means Group Hamilton Corridor project for the purpose of receiving comments from interested persons.

A public hearing will be held at the regularly scheduled Highland Park City Council meeting at 7:00 pm on December 7, 2020, at Highland Park City Hall, 12050 Woodward Avenue, Highland Park, MI 48203.

The purpose of the proposed project is to vacate the following streets and alleys to construct a proposed industrial facility along Hamilton Ave: • W Grand • Pasadena Street • Ford Street • Thompson Street (Auburndale to Alley b/w Ford and Labelle) • Trumbull Street (Auburndale to Alley b/w Ford and Labelle) • Lincoln Street (Auburndale to Alley b/w Ford and Labelle) • NS Alley between Hamilton and Lincoln Street from Auburndale to southern Labelle Alley) • NS Alley between Lincoln and Trumbull • NS Alley between Trumbull and Thompson (Auburndale to southern Labelle Alley) • EW Alley between W Grant and Pasadena Street • EW Alley between Pasadena Street and Ford Street Copies of the documents detailing the proposed project are available for inspection starting Wednesday, November 18, 2020 at the following locations:

 In Memoriam  HAROLDEEN “DEENIE” HARTSFIELD, ESQ.  November 15, 1946 – August 6, 2020

It’s your birthday.

We miss you. We wouldn’t forget. We love you.

We’re celebrating with a scholarship in your name at the Thurgood Marshall School of Law. It’s our way of commemorating your lasting legacy.

You’ve already given so much to so many.

Contributions information is below:

Robert B. Blackwell Municipal Building 12050 Woodward Avenue Highland Park, MI 48203

Our goal is $15,000 by December 1, 2020 to qualify for a matching endowment.

Please make your donation in memory of our beloved “Deenie” payable to the

Highland Park Water Department Customer Service Center 14110 Woodward Avenue Highland Park, MI 48203

Thurgood Marshall School of Law, 3100 Cleburne Street, Houston, TX 77004 Attn: Professor James Douglas Thank you for your help and generosity.

Hartsfield/Holness Family

Written comments received before the public comment period is closed on December 3, 2020, will be included at the December 7,2020 public hearing. Written comments should be sent to:

Published Every Wednesday

City of Highland Park Customer Service Center Mr. Damon L. Garrett City Engineer 14110 Woodward Avenue Highland Park, MI 48203

ANNOUNCEMENTS

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313 963-5522

HELP WANTED

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL The Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) is soliciting RFPs for LETC Monroe City Hall Waiting and Transfer Area Renovations, Control No. 21-3283.

RFP forms may be obtained beginning November 25, 2020 from http://www.mitn.info. RFPs are due by 3:00 PM ET, January 8, 2021.

HELP WANTED

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See online posting for additional position requirements. First consideration will be given to those who apply by March 23, 2020.

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Four years combination of education and office experience. progressively responsible experience, including direct experience Four years progressively responsible office in office coordination, i.e.,experience prioritizing in experience, including direct workcoordination, assignments,i.e., maintaining office prioritizingwork work flow to meet deadlines. This is a full assignments, maintaining work flow to meet time, clerical-technical position. Saladeadlines.

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Seeking I/Facilities Seeking Custodian ASSISTANT III atOFFICE Oakland University

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First consideration See online postings for additionalwill po-be given those who apply March 23, sitiontorequirements.

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To provide responsible secretarial serand operational Tovices provide specialized office officeassistance assistance, for an assistant or associate dean, or coordinating procedural business chairperson, director or principle adservice activities for a complex program ministrator of a school, department, inarea involving processing, implementing, stitute, or administrative unit. Minimum advising on, and specialized Qualifications: Highreporting school graduation subject matter. Minimum Qualifications: or an equivalent combination of educationschool and experience. proHigh graduationThree or anyears equivalent gressively of responsible excombination education secretarial and experience. perience. Ability to effectively interact Four years progressively responsible office with the public, students, faculty, and experience, including direct experience staff. Salary is $42,123.00 annually. in office coordination, prioritizingposiwork See online posting i.e., for additional tion requirements.

Firstwork consideration assignments, maintaining flow to meet will be given those apply by deadlines.

This is to a full time,who clerical-technical December 4, is 2020.

Must apply online position.

Salary $43,718.00 annually. to: https://jobs.oakland.edu

Please visit our website for more classified ads.

1 HANDS Wash them often 2 ELBOW Cough into it 3 FACE Don't touch it 4 SPACE Keep safe distance 5 HOME Stay if you can

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• michiganchronicle.com • Nov. 25 - Dec. 1, 2020

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hank you to all the Frontline and Essential Workers who sacrificed their Thanksgiving to help us make the most of ours.

Michigan Chronicle