Mc digital edition 3 30 16 by Real Times Media

DPS kickback scheme comes at worst possible time

NSO to celebrate 60th anniversary with gala and fundraiser See page B-1

See page A-3

michiganchronicle.com

Volume 79 – Number 29

March 30 - April 5, 2016

Go to Flint, Gov. Snyder

WHAT’S INSIDE

Michigan Chronicle Reports

Gov. Snyder’s approval ratings have been steadily dropping in the face of the Flint water crisis, and his testimony given before Congress did little to reverse that trend. Last week, a report landed like a bombshell in Lansing, delivered courtesy of Gov. Snyder’s own appointed panel of experts whom he assigned to get to the bottom of what went wrong in Flint.

Detroit’s religious community must work together to rebuild lives. See page A-5.

The answer they found, basically, was that Gov. Snyder was largely responsible for what went wrong.

Jason Cole, MMCA founder/president, breaking new ground for black companies. See page C-1.

DPS teachers protesting during the 'sickout'. Opposition to emergency management was a large part of the protest. Photo Credit -- Asha Johnson

Give DPS back to Detroit

Tug-of-war over self-governance is what lies ahead for DPS By Keith A. Owens Senior Editor

Now that the emergency funding package has been approved and Detroit Public Schools are no longer in danger of coming to a grinding halt next week, the real fight is back on center stage; the fight over local control.

Girls and women will benefit from the NoVo Foundation’s $90 million investment. See page C-4.

Celebrating black women, BLACK WOMEN ROCK! event to air on BET. See page C-5.

After all these years under emergency management, which by pretty much any measure you’d care to name has been a dismal failure, the argument against returning DPS to local control has become painfully thin, kind of like watching a schoolyard bully shrink and wither right before your eyes like a pinpricked balloon. While it’s true that DPS has had its share of embarrassing missteps and outright screw-ups over the years – something which some of the more adamant local control advocates prefer not to bring up – the glaring fact remains that the purpose of emergency management was to be the New Sheriff In Town. Everything was supposed to work better under

Sen. Gary Peters, speaking Monday morning about the Flint water crisis on WDET’s “Detroit Today” with Stephen Henderson, said that Gov. Snyder should “step up his game considerably,” adding that “if you are representing the people … you have to take that seriously and actually be out and listen to folks.”

the smooth, wise, guiding hand of an emergency manager charting a safe course through troubled waters toward more fiscally sound shores. Or something like that. The point being, this did not happen. Not even close. Because if it had, then obviously DPS would not have required this emergency bailout that just happened. Nor would DPS require more than $700 million over the

next 10 years – according to Gov. Rick Snyder’s proposal – just to point itself in the right direction. It might even be fair to say that if emergency management had provided the whopping success that was promised, then DPS would not have bled out 115,000 students since 2000, down from 162,000 then to 47,000 today. Not exactly a sign of confidence from the people.

See DPS page A-4

And that is the problem. No matter how many times he says he’s sorry, or that he was given bad information, Snyder has yet to do the one thing that just might demonstrate that he gets it, his critics contend. The Republican governor has been criticized by state and local officials for his response to the Flint water crisis, which prompted his office to assemble an investigative panel. In a report released by the panel, it found that the state is wholly responsible for the contamination

See SNYDER page A-4

Mayor Duggan announces 2 years of free college Detroit high school graduates Michigan Chronicle Reports

In 2013, the Detroit Regional Chamber and the Michigan Education Excellence Foundation (MEEF) took on that challenge and created the Detroit Scholarship Fund. Over the past three years, the Detroit Scholarship Fund has helped nearly 2,000 Detroit high school graduates attend community college, tuition-free.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan announced that from this day forward, every Detroit high school graduate will be guaranteed two years of tuition-free college education. It’s a commitment made possible through the Detroit Promise Zone, an authority Mayor Duggan and the Detroit City Council created last fall to dedicate a portion of tax dollars to permanently fund two-year scholarships.

Wanya Morris and Nyle DiMarco are among the standouts on this season’s “Dancing with the Stars.” See page D-1.

The governor is losing the people’s trust in Flint, if it isn’t already gone. Although regaining that trust is something the governor claims to be at the top of his priority list, he still has not done the one thing that holds the best chance for him to d e m o n - Gov. Snyder strate that he really does understand how serious this is, and that Flint matters. Gov. Snyder has not yet met with the people of Flint.

The Promise Zone will provide a tuition-free path to an associate’s degree at a community college for a graduate of any Detroit high school – no matter whether

private, public, or charter. The program will also enable many young Detroiters to begin their post-college careers free of debt.

The Promise Zone legislation requires a private organization to fund two years of scholarships before any taxes can be captured.

The MEEF and the Detroit Regional Chamber will continue to fund the scholarships for the next three years until the Detroit Promise Zone tax capture is permitted in 2018. “It doesn’t matter whether you’re a high school senior pre-

See FREE

COLLEGE page A-4

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news

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

March 30 - April 5, 2016

Page A-2

City of Southfield Public Arts Commission launches ‘Free the Bear’ Northland fundraising campaign Commemorative Framed Certificate “Art in Southfield” notecards Six (6) Tickets to Private Unveiling on May 19

Many fondly remember Northland Center — the shopping, the restaurants, and of course, the Marshall Fredericks sculpture — “The Boy and Bear.” Fredericks wanted his bigger-than-life art piece to be very public, reaching out to children, their parents and grandparents in a very human and playful way.

The Southfield Public Library Leon Miller

Trust Fund will match all donations raised up to $300,000. To donate, please send cash donations or checks (made payable to): City of Southfield, c/o Mayor’s

Office, 26000 Evergreen Road, P.O. Box 2055, Southfield, MI 480372055; or visit www.gofundme.com/freethebear. Please indicate ‘Free the Bear’ on memo line for checks.

When Northland Center closed, “The Boy and Bear” was slated for auction. The City of Southfield intervened to keep this important piece of history — and art — in Southfield for the community to enjoy for future generations. With public support, the legacy of this piece will continue. The Southfield Public Arts Commission has launched the “Free the Bear” development campaign to raise funds for the recently acquired art from the former Northland Center. The campaign includes both a public crowd funding component as well as corporate underwriting. The Southfield Public Arts Commission has identified a permanent home for “The Boy and Bear” sculpture at the Southfield Public Library. The library receives thousands of visitors per week, and Marshall Fredericks would have been pleased to know his work will continue reaching so many people each day. Every contribution will help to establish a permanent fund for youth art programming, support local artists, and expand cultural opportunities in the city of Southfield. “I gave the bear big ears, big feet, and soft forms so he’d appeal to youngsters. I hope when children see him, they will imagine themselves riding on his back.” — Marshall Fredericks, The Detroit News, March 15, 1994 For youth P ublic support will assist in developing an art-specific fund for future generations in Southfield. The city is committed to developing and maintaining the great assets of the city by doing the following: • Creating education and outreach programs specific for our youth;

Sherry McRill president/CEO, NEGC, addresses enior Reach breakfast attendees. • Encouraging expression through art at an early age; • Invigorating and developing public interest in the Arts; • Maintaining our existing artwork; and • Promoting diversity and global thinking. Crowd Funding The Southfield Arts Commission (501(c)3 pending) launched a GoFundMe campaign to allow public donations with ease. The city will hold a VIP reception and unveiling of “The Boy and Bear” at the library for donors on May 19. A public unveiling will take place on May 23. Silver Sponsor ($1,000) Recognition in promotional unveiling magazine Four tickets to private unveiling on May 19 Name on Commemorative Plaque in library Elite Club ($250) Recognition in promotional unveiling magazine Two tickets for private unveiling on May 19 Donor ($50) One ticket for private unveiling on May 19 Corporate Support Presenting Sponsor ($50,000) Marshall Fredericks Museum Field Trip Funding for Community Schools Naming Rights for Exhibition and all Materials Authentic logo-engraved miniature “The Boy and Bear” replica (Valued $15,000)

It’s easy being green at Detroit Zoo’s Greenfest

The Detroit Zoo will host its fourth annual GreenFest on Saturday, Sunday, April 16-17, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The zoowide event is dedicated to celebrating Earth Day and educating the community about environmental stewardship. Each GreenFest guest who brings a cell phone for recycling will receive a reduced admission price of $9. Guests can also visit a local MetroPCS store to recycle their phone and receive a voucher for discounted admission to GreenFest. Admission is free for Detroit Zoological Society (DZS) members.

GreenFest will feature earth-friendly crafts, zookeeper talks, science experiments, exhibits by local conservation groups, a farmer’s market and live entertainment. A Green Games Gallery will be hosted by the DZS Green Team conservation group and will include games using recycled materials, storytelling and educational displays. All GreenFest activities are free with zoo admission. GreenFest is an initiative of the DZS Greenprint, a strategic plan to refine and improve green practices and facilities at the Detroit Zoo and Belle Isle Nature Zoo, incorporate sustainability in all policies and programs, and improve green literacy and action in the community. GreenFest is support-

ed by DTE Energy, Kroger and MetroPCS. The Detroit Zoological Society — a nonprofit organization that operates the Detroit Zoo and Belle Isle Nature Zoo — is recognized as a leader in conservation, animal welfare and sustainability as well as providing sanctuary for animals in need of rescue. With an annual regional economic impact of more than $100 million, the Detroit Zoo in Royal Oak is one of Michigan’s largest paid family attractions, hosting more than 1.4 million visitors annually. Its 125 acres of award-winning naturalistic habitats are home to 2,400 animals representing 255 species. In recognition of its environmental leadership, the Detroit Zoo received the top Green Award from the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, and was named Best-Managed Nonprofit by Crain’s Detroit Business. The Belle Isle Nature Zoo sits on a 5-acre site surrounded by undisturbed forested wetlands on Belle Isle State Park in Detroit and provides year-round educational, recreational and environmental conservation opportunities for the community. For hours, prices, directions and other information, call 248-541-5717 or visit www.detroitzoo. org.

Eight Packages of “Art in Southfield' Notecards Twelve tickets to private unveiling on May 19 with VIP reception Titanium ($25,000) Largest name on Commemorative Plaque in library Recognition in promotional unveiling magazine Individual plaque presented at dedication Laser-etched limited edition “Bear” in library crystal Four packages of “Art in Southfield” notecards Ten tickets to private unveiling on May 19 Platinum ($10,000) Large name on Commemorative Plaque in library Recognition in promotional unveiling magazine Laser-etched limited edition “Bear” in library crystal “Art in Southfield” notecards Eight tickets to private unveiling on May 19 Gold ($5,000) Name on Commemorative Plaque in library Recognition in promotional unveiling magazine Individually numbered

NEGC Launches Senior Reach program The Northeast Guidance Center (NEGC), committed to the health of children, adults and families, recently launched the Senior Reach program with many minister and community leaders and partners in attendance. The Senior Reach program supports the well-being, independence and dignity of older adults through community education, mental health services, and the connection to community resources. The senior population is the fastest growing population segment in America. Seven million baby boomers began coming of age in 2011, with 10,000 retiring every day. This population will double by 2040. Communities will be faced with new challenges due to this increased cohort of individuals as well as the unique multiple sets of challenges they will face such as retirement, relocation, health challenges, loss of friends and loved ones as they move through the aging process — challenges that will require attention. “Many seniors have the support of friends and families, others do not,” said Sherry McRill, president/CEO of the Northeast Guidance Center. “For Senior Reach to be an effective program, we need the commitment and involvement of our community to provide the support that can make a difference in the lives of this country’s greatest asset-senior citizens.”

program at the Northeast Guidance Center, community partners such as churches can become equipped and trained to identify older adults who may need to connect with services in the areas of counseling due to emotional support, care management, referrals to resources, depression screening and treatment or identification and early intervention of prescription drug misuse or abuse. For more information regarding the program, to volunteer or learn about issues that impact an older adults’ health, contact Melissa Freel, 313-505-4811, or Cynthia Jackson, 313-308-1400, ext. 434.The Senior Reach program was made possible through the Michigan Health Endowment Fund and in partnership with the Michigan Association of Community Health Boards.

By connecting with the Senior Reach

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news Groups ask Federal Court to order home water delivery in Flint

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

March 30 - April 5, 2016

Page A-3

Flint residents, an organization of pastors, and national advocacy groups are asking a federal court to order home water delivery for every household in the Michigan city served by Flint’s water system. Flint’s tap water remains unsafe and is likely to remain undrinkable for months due to persistent lead contamination. The groups are asking the court to direct the delivery of bottled water to people’s homes, as many Flint residents cannot obtain water for their daily needs due to transportation or other access issues. “Despite public pressure and media attention, there are Flint residents who cannot reliably access safe drinking water. We are asking the court to order the City of Flint and Michigan state officials to provide every household with bottled water delivery, to ensure all Flint residents have safe water for the duration of this crisis,” said Dimple Chaudhary, senior attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council. “After living with this crisis for as long as we have, morale in Flint is very low. It is tiring and draining to rely on bottled water day in and day out, and there is no end in sight. I’m not sure that people in Flint will ever have full confidence again that our water is safe to drink,” said Pastor Alfred Harris, minister at the Saints of God Church in Flint, and president of the Concerned Pastors for Social Action. “At a minimum, and until a permanent fix is in place, we want Flint and state officials to provide sufficient bottled water to everyone in Flint who needs it, so that Concerned Pastors and other volunteer organizations are not spending our limited resources trying to fill the gaps in water services that still exist today.” Court filings paint a grim picture of the daily travails of some Flint residents, who struggle to secure enough drinking water for their families due to difficulties in accessing bottled water at distribution centers, including: Transportation to the water distribution centers is challenging for many. Nearly 18 percent of Flint residents do not have access to cars, and the unreliable bus system makes public transportation difficult. Some residents are physically unable to carry cases of water from distribution centers to buses and then back to their homes. Each family may take home one case of bottled water per day, which means frequent trips are required to have enough water for drinking, cooking, and bathing needs.

U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade discussing kickback charges at press conference on Tuesday

DPS kickback scheme comes at worst possible time By Keith A.Owens Senior Editor

Not that there's any such thing as a good time for a kickback scheme. But considering the fact that a decimated DPS is currently in the process of trying to avoid drowning while waiting on a $715 million lifeline to come from a skeptical Lansing that seemingly wants to retain as much control over DPS as possible to justify any amount of bailout? So yeah. This is probably the worst possible time. The story broke late morning on Tuesday, then developed further after U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade announced the list of 12 Detroit principals and administrators who have been charged with accepting $908,500 in kickbacks from 74-year-old Franklin businessman Norman Shy who allegedly operated this scheme for 13 years. From the Detroit Free Press: "At the heart of the alleged scheme is businessman Norman Shy, 74, of Franklin, who is accused of paying $908,500 in kickbacks and bribes to at least 12 DPS principals who used him as a school supply vendor in exchange for money -- some for as little as $4,000, another for $324,000. He se-

cretly did this for 13 years, scamming school after school to the tune of $2.7 million with the help of principals who benefited along the way, prosecutors allege. "According to court records, here’s how the scheme worked. "Principals steered millions of dollars worth of business to Shy, who in turn would give them money for helping make the deals possible. "The principals would certify and submit phony invoices to DPS for the school supplies. Shy got paid, but the goods were rarely delivered, only sometimes “for the purpose of making the transaction appear legitimate.” Predictably, Republican Speaker of the House Kevin Cotter jumped on this scandal as an opportunity to essentially justify the House's version of DPS bailout legislation that wouldn't even return an elected school board to DPS for eight years (the Senate version pushes for fall elections), and would require a punitive and stifling amount of oversight, despite the fact that the full amount of the DPS debt accrued since DPS was taken over by the State in 1999. Plus, considering the fact that this scandal occurred mostly while DPS was still under emergency management, and that it is a scandal of a

financial nature, shouldn't the emergency manager(s) who were in place at the time bear at least some culpability here since keeping a close eye on the books to prevent mismanagement was pretty much the central part of the job requirement? The point being that certainly there is no excuse for the alleged kickback scheme or for anyone who participated in it. It's wrong, and that much is obvious. But any attempt to further hold DPS hostage to still more oppressive levels of oversight based on what will likely be proven to be the criminal actions of 12 employees, especially in light of the much bigger crime that has been perpetrated against DPS for close to two decades now under State oversight, is no less wrong. It's no secret that DPS needs to be cleaned up and straightened out. But to entrust this task to the State, after how badly state-imposed emergency management has performed for both the students and the parents of Detroit's schools (not to mention the fallout from the takeover that took place in 1999), would be like calling in a witch doctor to perform major surgery on your child. For a second time. Even after what happened that first time... Not the best idea.

Due to the difficulties of obtaining enough water for their families, some Flint residents spend hundreds of dollars buying bottled water, on top of their monthly water bills. This cost constitutes a significant portion of these families’ monthly income. Elderly or homebound residents rely on volunteer organizations to provide water, as neither the city nor state are coordinating reliable delivery services for some people with special needs. Some members of Flint’s immigrant community are deterred from picking up water at the distribution centers by the presence of the National Guard and law-enforcement at the sites. In addition to problems securing bottled water, some families and individuals cannot install and maintain faucet filters intended to remove lead in their homes. Filters distributed by the city and state do not fit on all residents’ faucets, and installation instructions have been difficult to understand. Some filters have clogged, cracked or broken after just one or two weeks. The consequences are significant, as faucet filters may become ineffective at removing lead if not installed or maintained properly. “We have no choice but to take this action because, despite the government's promises and efforts thus far, large numbers of Flint residents still lack acceptable access to adequate supplies of clean, safe drinking water. “Furthermore, despite the official apologies and vows to fix this crisis, our government officials still have a long way to go to ensure that clean water begins flowing to Flint homes as quickly as possible,” said ACLU of Michigan Legal Director Michael Steinberg. Concerned Pastors for Social Action, Flint resident Melissa Mays, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the ACLU of Michigan filed a motion for preliminary injunction in the Eastern District of Michigan. This motion was filed as part of the lawsuit filed on January 27 alleging violations of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act and seeking federal court intervention to secure safe drinking water for the people of Flint. The City of Flint and state officials will be required to respond to Plaintiffs’ request to the court in April. In the meantime, the city and state have filed motions to dismiss the Safe Drinking Water Act lawsuit. The court has not yet ruled on the motions to dismiss.

Faye Nelson, Vice President, DTE Energy President, DTE Energy Foundation

DTE Energy launches new enterprise-wide volunteer initiative

Michigan Chronicle Reports

DTE Energy employees give their energy in many ways to help the communities they serve, showing the importance of volunteering to the company. From delivering meals to homebound seniors across the state as part of its annual Holiday Meals on Wheels program to individually volunteering with local nonprofits, DTE employees impact more than 200 organizations and 450 Michigan communities every year. As a leading corporate citizen, DTE recognizes its responsibility to the communities. On Thursday, March 17, the company launched a new volunteer initiative called Care Force, which ties directly to DTE’s aspiration to be

the best-operated energy company in North America and a force for growth and prosperity in the communities where we live and serve. With the new program, volunteering will be more connected throughout the company, with unique chapters across Southeast Michigan and the rest of the state. The program recognizes the good DTE employees do more than ever and provides incentives to keep the passion going. “Our employees and their enthusiasm for giving back are what makes our program so great – and we want to build on that commitment,” said Mark Stiers, president and COO of DTE Gas and executive champion of the volunteer program. “Volunteerism strengthens our connection to our communities, pro-

vides opportunities for employees to develop leadership skills and connect with colleagues and helps our nonprofit partners make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.” Stiers led a volunteer celebration at DTE’s Detroit headquarters on Thursday, March 17 to celebrate the company’s volunteers and to launch the new program. The impact DTE employees make isn’t going unnoticed. Roop Raj, Fox 2 news anchor and emcee for the Town Square kickoff, expressed his admiration for DTE’s work in the community. “When you work at a place you might think that everyone is doing what you’re doing,” Raj said. “But not all big corporations who make a profit give back the way DTE does.”

news

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

March 30 - April 5, 2016

Page A-4

Michigan Health Link option is the right option Michigan Chronicle Reports

DPS And just to back up for a minute, when I say ‘all these years’ under emergency management, I’m going back to 1999 - April 10, 1999 to be exact - when Gov. John Engler signed Public Act 10 abolishing the elected school board and replacing it with a board appointed by himself and the mayor. Robert Bobb became the first actual DPS emergency manager in 2009 after Gov. Granholm invoked Public Act 72 the previous year to declare a financial emergency for DPS, but the erasure of local control began a full decade prior. It’s rather interesting to note, by the way, that DPS had a $93 million surplus in 1999 when Engler took over. But despite how clear it is that DPS is now flailing, that massive amounts of funding will be required to restore the schools back to a level of functionality somewhere above barely, that the four previous emergency managers and two governors all share significant responsibility for where DPS is right now (this beefed-up emergency management on steroids legislation that got pushed through in 2011 was Gov. Snyder’s conconction) Lansing still can’t see its way clear to put the hands of Detroiters back on the steering wheel. More specifically, it is mostly the members of the House in Lansing who continue to insist not only that a continuing level of supervision and monitoring be maintained, despite the overwhelming failure of that approach thus far, but that Detroit should not even be allowed to elect its own school board again until at least another five years. The Senate, to its credit, is pushing more reasonable legislation that would at least permit school board elections by this fall. Whether or not the Senate and the House can somehow reconcile their two versions into something that at least vaguely resembles a workable solution remains to be seen. But what is really strange about much of this discussion about how soon and whether or not Detroiters should be allowed to vote for their own school board members, is the fact that Detroit already has its own elected school board. Actually, they have been there for quite some time, referring to themselves as the school board “in exile”, largely because they have been totally shoved to the side and ignored due to emergency management. What’s strange about this is the fact that, despite their continued existence, virtually no one speaks of them out loud. It is as if the school board is some mysteriously threatening body, They Who Shall Not Be Named. About the only time they have been referred to publicly in recent months was when Gov. Snyder put forth his new plan for DPS, which would split the district in half – and place the currently elected school board

Free college paring for college now or a second-grader whose college career is years away,” Mayor Duggan said. “The Detroit Promise will be there to help make a college education a reality. My hope is that this promise is just the beginning and that we’ll be able to raise enough money to promise every Detroit high school student four years of tuition-free education at our public universities.” “We now have three years of helping hundreds of Detroit students go to college through the Detroit Scholarship Fund,” said Sandy Baruah, president and CEO of the Detroit Regional Chamber. “We welcome the Detroit Promise as a powerful example of collaboration and what we can achieve when we work together, and also as a permanent, dedicated funding source – a guarantee that kids will be able to go to college, no matter their family’s economic status. “Increasing educational attainment in our largest city is critical to the region’s competitiveness and growth.” Students must apply for Pell grants, and the scholarship will pay the difference. The Chamber and MEEF will pick up the tab for the first two years, and the City can use a portion of the State Education Tax (SET) after that. To be eligible, students must live in Detroit and have spent their junior and senior years at a high school in the city. The graduates can then go to one of five community colleges in metro Detroit:

From page A-1 over the half with no students, the half that would only function to help pay off the debt. Originally Gov. Snyder also believed that Detroiters shouldn’t be allowed to elect their own school board until 2021, but he has since somewhat softened his position, appearing more open to the idea (and to the reality that Detroiters aren’t backing down) that in order to get any buy-in from Detroit then elections will have to happen sooner rather than later. But even in the Senate package of school reform bills, there is still the provision that would not only shove currently elected school board members out of their role of having anything to do with the education of Detroit children, but would also prevent any of them from running for the open school board seats should an election take place in the fall. So not only was the school board stripped of its powers and denied any participation in governance by emergency management – even after the people of Michigan had voted in 2012 to do away with emergency management (Detroit overwhelmingly so at more than 80 percent registering opposition to emergency management) – but now that the failure of emergency management to rectify DPS is on plain display for all to see, they continue to be punished, apparently for not being a willing participant in a failed system. This is particularly galling since all four at-large board seats became open in 2014, and three of those four seats were filled by incumbents LaMar Lemmons, Reverend David Murray, and Ida Carol Short. Fellow incumbent Jonathan Kinloch did not run, so Patricia Johnson Singleton won the seat. In other words, the people of Detroit already voted for their choices for school board in 2014. That being said, members of the currently elected board will probably be upset with me for saying this, but I’m not altogether opposed to the idea of an open election in the fall rather than automatically reinstating them to their positions. I say this only because after having been effectively shut out of the operation for so long, simply putting them back in power at this late date – even if that power was stripped away wrongfully – might not be what’s best. But to deny them the opportunity to compete once again for those seats, to simply shut them out of any future consideration even after having won their respective elections fair and square, is just plain wrong. The people of Detroit voted for them. It’s time to let the people decide once again who they want looking after the interests of their children, and restricting voters’ choices to a pre-approved list of contestants is to rig the game before it even starts.

From page A-1 Henry Ford Community College, Wayne County Community College District, Schoolcraft College, Macomb Community College and Oakland Community College. The Detroit Promise Zone Authority Board is Chairwoman Penny Bailer, former executive director of City Year Detroit; Vice Chairwoman Iris Taylor, retired CEO of Detroit Receiving Hospital; Tonya Allen, president and CEO of the Skillman Foundation; Floyd Allen, principal of the Allen Law Group; Charlie Beckham, Group Executive of Neighborhoods for the City of Detroit; John May partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers; Hector Hernandez, executive director of economic solutions for Southwest Solutions; and Wanda Redmond, Detroit Board of Education member. “A family’s financial situation is no longer a roadblock to our city’s young people getting the education that they need in order to live productive lives and lead successful careers,” Bailer said. “We are confident that Detroit’s future will be even brighter now that our city’s future leaders will be able to go to college at no cost.” Current high school seniors and parents who would like more information about the Detroit Scholarship Fund opportunities should go to www.detroitscholarshipfund.org. They must register for the DSF and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid by June 30.

In addition to the benefit of “one” card for the wallet to carry around, each individual is assigned a Care Coordinator to assist them in managing their care seeing that needs are met. The Care Coordinator works with the beneficiary to develop a personal care plan, help arrange for transportation to and from appointments if needed, and helps to connect individuals to supports and services. All this to support a person’s health. What is important to know about MI Health Link? Those choosing the MI Health Link plan will want to ask their doctor/specialist if he/she participate in MI Health Link. If they do not, individuals being auto enrolled will have 90 covered days with their current doctor/ specialist while looking for a new pro-

Snyder of Flint’s drinking water, Think Progress reports. The Flint Water Advisory Task Force’s scathing report was recently released highlighting the negligence of emergency managers and their handling of the crisis. The 116-page report landed on Gov. Snyder’s desk Monday, which was conducted by a five-person team. The report’s summary statement opens with a pointed critique of the state government’s handling of the matter, and the report details the assortment of failures that led to the crisis. From the panel’s report: The Flint water crisis is a story of government failure, intransigence, unpreparedness, delay, inaction, and environmental injustice. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality(MDEQ) failed in its fundamental responsibility to effectively enforce drinking water regulations. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services failed to adequately and promptly act to protect public health. Both agencies, but principally the MDEQ, stubbornly worked to discredit and dismiss others’ attempts to bring the issues of unsafe water, lead contamination, and increased cases of Legionellosis (Legionnaires’ disease)

vider, or ask their current doctor/specialist if they would participate in MI Health Link. The process for letters to be mailed out by the State of Michigan began on March 23rd. Letters were sent to those individuals who are eligible for MI Health Link this year. Judy Hazle stated “if an individual who is eligible with both Medicare and full Medicaid receives a letter stating they are going to be automatically enrolled into MI Health Link they can call the Michigan Medicare Medicaid Assistance Program (MMAP) and ask what options are available to them. MMAP will help individuals understand better the MI Health Link option before they make any decision. “New choices can be a scary thing when a person has been on the same insurance plan for a while” states Ms. Hazle. Those receiving enrollment letters into MI Health Link will be given a 60 day notice of the auto enrollment into MI Health Link. If the individual decides not to stay in MI Health Link and would like to dis-enroll, they should call Michigan ENROLLS at 1-800-975-7630 soon after the 60 day letter is received so that the individuals Part D plan is reinstated and their insurance is not interrupted. There are many enhanced benefits to this new health care option one might want to consider. Providers are encouraged to participate so they can continue to serve those who choose to be enrolled in the MI Health Link care option. If you are a person enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid (full with no deductible), you are the caregiver of someone who has both, or a potential provider, feel free to contact the Michigan Medicare Medicaid Office (MMAP) and get your questions answered about MI Health Link, Medicare, and Medicaid. MMAP has unbiased counselors located across Michigan and the assistance is free. Call MMAP at 1-800-803-7174.

From page A-1 to light. With the city of Flint under emergency management, the Flint Water Department rushed unprepared into fullt-time operation of the Flint Water Treatment Plant, drawing water from a highly corrosive source without the use of corrosion control. State-appointed emergency managers solely assigned to inform and seek guidance from Gov. Snyder regarding the crisis failed to do their jobs in a correct manner. The report adds that emergency managers made the decision to switch Flint’s water source from Detroit and instead to use Flint River resources. This contrasts with former emergency manager Darnell Earley’s claims that the situation was handled otherwise. The report places the failures in the crisis squarely on the actions of the MDEQ and emergency managers, who both report to Gov. Snyder. This also puts full accountability onto the state and brings to light that back in 2014, Gov. Synder’s staff made Flint’s situation a priority but it was bypassed due to the dire financial straits of the state and false assurance that the drinking water was not tainted. However, Gov. Snyder was partly relying on information that was incorrectly provided by state agencies.

Education Department assesses opportunities for low-income students By Sabrina Bodon PublicSource

A new report released Thursday by the U.S. Department of Education emphasizes the gaps between low-income college students and their more affluent peers. The report highlighted both public and private colleges and universities throughout the country by comparing the institutions’ percentage of Pell grant recipients and analyzing strategies used to retain these students.“Many colleges and universities have taken important steps to make college a reality for low income students, but unfortunately today those success stories are the exception–they ought to be the rule,” Education Secretary John B. King said in a press briefing Wednesday, as reported byProPublica. Pell grant recipients make up at least 40 percent of the population at the colleges and universities reviewed. About 50 percent graduate within six years, according to The Washington Post.The federal grants go toward students with family earnings of about $40,000 or less. The report examined the relationship between highly selective schools and low enrollment of low-income students. From the report:

Today’s most selective colleges are often known for their exceptional student outcomes, including high graduation rates and post-college labor market success … students from families in the bottom economic quartile make up only 3 percent of the student population at today’s most selective institutions… In addition, the report analyzed graduation gaps at four-year institutions between low-income students and wealthier peers, showing that public institutions not only enroll more Pell grant students but also are less expensive. From the report: While graduation rates are somewhat lower at public institutions than at private ones, public colleges and universities enroll a far larger number of Pell students, and typically keep costs much lower. The 30-page report compares institutions by the percentage of the Pell recipients enrolled, the percent of Pell recipients graduating in six years, the percentage of all students graduating in six years, the percentage of Pell recipients earning $25,000+ six years after enrollment and the annual net price of attendance for low income students. Pell grant funding has increased under President Barack Obama, according to the report.

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THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

Bishop Andrew Merritt: Michigan Chronicle Reports In a city with roughly three thousand churches — one every few blocks in some parts of town — too many of Detroit’s inhabitants are lost, says one prominent religious leader. Since 1978, Bishop Andrew Merritt, founder of Straight Gate International Church, has been building a following for Christ in the city he was born in. He’s been reaching across cultures, races, generations and religious denominations. He says that it is only by joining forces that believers can offer real hope.

The city of Detroit has been ready for a renaissance for some time, Bishop Merritt said. There are two streams to that renaissance — a political one that affects physical change and a spiritual stream that changes lives, he said. As its moral leaders, the clergy must pull together to propel the city and region forward, Bishop Merritt said. Ministers have unique influence in their individual communities, by banding together, that influence can cover the region, neighborhood by neighborhood, he said. “If we unite, we can feed and clothe more of the poor, comfort more of the sick and dying, bring more people into the body of Christ, and show the world the love of true Christians,” said Bishop Merritt, whose ministry also assists the community through job fairs, financial planning workshops and health fairs. To inspire more people with the Word of God, Bishop Merritt is hosting the ninth-annual 7 Days of Faith from April 1016 at Straight Gate International Church, 10100 Grand River in Detroit. It is a week-long celebration that welcomes all people seeking Christ. This year’s theme is “Forces of Faith.” The focus is love, prayer, praise and forgiveness. The list of inspirational religious leaders participating is long and diverse. It includes local luminary Bishop Marvin L. Winans, founder of Perfecting Church; the Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, called the leader of the Hispanic Evangelical Movement by CNN and nominated as one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential leaders in the world; Bishop Tudor Bismark, “the apostolic voice to the nations,” who will be traveling to Detroit from his home in the African nation of Zimbabwe; and Dr. Bill Winston, founder and pastor of the 19,000 member Living Word Christian Center, located in Forest Park, Illinois and Tuskegee Christian Center in Tuskegee, Alabama. A half-dozen area ministers also will participate, including Pastor Dominic Russo, senior pastor of Oakland Church; Pastor Bradley T. Trask, senior pastor of Brighton Assembly of God in Brighton; Pastor Anthony S. Ramsey, founder and pastor of Kingdom Living Church in Grand Blanc; Pastor Nehru Shumake, founder of Live Again Outreach Church in Lansing; Pastors Jonathan and David Merritt of Straight Gate International Church; and Sister Barbara M. Littles, a business attorney, leadership coach, speaker and founding member of The John Maxwell Team whose passion is to add value to both for profit and non-profit corporations.

Page A-5

Radio One and Black & Brown People Vote join forces to increase voter registration

Detroit’s faithful must unite to rebuild the city, lives

“We cannot become so focused on building our own congregations, investing in our own enclaves that we forget to reach beyond ourselves to the community as a whole,” Bishop Merritt said. “The enemy wants there to be divisions. Each time we allow color, culture or creed to divide us, evil wins. We are all children of God — if we are of one accord, our faith can change this city, this region, this nation, this world.”

March 30 - April 5, 2016

Bishop Andrew Merritt ders with our guests,” Bishop Merritt said, noting that his outreach team has been working with religious leaders throughout the region, including more than a dozen leaders of Hispanic churches. “We have African ministers, African-American ministers, Hispanic ministers and white ministers of various denominations, all representing a coalition for Christ.” This concept didn’t just come to him. For decades, Bishop Merritt’s ministry has hosted events to draw the faithful to Christ and to make the Gospel accessible to all people. In the ’90s, he hosted Holy Convocation Week and Street Jam for years. From 2004 to 2010, he hosted the international conference One in Worship, which was broadcast around the globe and filled Ford Field with tens of thousands of faithful of every denomination. And for the past nine years, Bishop Merritt has hosted 7 Days of Faith, bringing in religious leaders from around the country and globe to inspire metro Detroiters in their quest to find answers and hope. This year’s Forces of Faith theme visually plays off movie super heroes, the “Avengers,” “Star Wars,” “Batman v Superman,” but is intended to underscore that faith is the center of everything, that “without God we are powerless, everything else is a fiction. It is about the supernatural power of faith,” said Pastor Jonathan Merritt, eldest son of Bishop and Pastor Viveca Merritt. “With Him, through faith, miracles can happen, we can change the world.” Vivid graphics on 7 Days of Faith promotional fliers show electrical energy shooting from the images of the conference speakers. The intention is to show God’s inspiration working through his ministers, not to show the power of men, said Pastor Jonathan Merritt. “As ministers we are God’s instruments. The power rests in Him. We had a little fun playing off of the whole ‘Avengers’-‘Star Wars’ themes,” he said, noting that the conference coincides closely with the release of the new superhero movie “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” which adds to the intrigue. “The purpose of promotional materials is to capture your imagination. We think these do.” Engaging young audiences is as important as reaching across cultural and denominational lines, he said. For those who purchase CDs or DVDs from 7 Days of Faith, there will even be Forces of Faith lunchboxes.

“We’ve made a genuine effort to cross cultures and bor-

PRNewswire/ — Radio One, the largest African American owned and targeted multi-media company in the country partners with Black and Brown People Vote (BBPV), a civic engagement and participation project, focused on amplifying the voice and the votes of communities of color. Together, they launched ONE Vote, a multi-media campaign on all Radio One assets — TV One, Reach Media, Interactive One and 56 local urban radio stations with the intent to increase Black voter registration and turnout in 2016 elections. Moreover, the ONE Vote campaign is designed to educate and engage the media companies’ vast black and urban audience on critical political issues through the use of entertainment and events. Radio One's multimedia companies powered by BBPV launched its eightmonth campaign today. From syndicated and local radio personalities to television and social media messaging, and from digital voter registration to local community events, the campaign's multi-pronged approach is slated to reach nearly 82 percent of black Americans who get news, media and entertainment from Radio One. The focus of the campaign is first to reinvigorate the record number of African Americans that voted in the 2008/2012 campaigns and motivate them to make voting nationally and locally a long-term commitment; and to engage millennial voters who are crucial to the 2016 election. “Radio One has been a voice for and to black America for 35 years. Our mission is to inform, inspire and entertain,” said Yashima White Azilove, vice president, Corporate Communications of Radio One, Inc. “This election cycle gives us a unique opportunity to leverage our multimedia resources and unparalleled reach to manifest our mission to serve black America and encourage our people to vote. Each person's ONE Vote matters at every level of government and civic engagement.” According to BBPV fo-founder Ifeoma Ike, “People of color make up 31 percent of 2016’s eligible voters, the largest percentage ever. Today, more than ever, we are seeing an increased demand in young people leading movements, diversified leadership that represents the interests of communities, and even the courageous activism of individuals still fighting for their human and civil rights. If we want to ensure our voices are heard from Flint to Ferguson, we must engage all year round. We do it in the pews. We do it in the protests. We must also do it at the polls.”

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. ~ Beta Omicron Zeta Chapter 2016 Finer Womanhood Celebration Honoring

Alice G. Thompson, CEO ~ Black Family Development, Inc. In celebration of distinguished service, Zeta Phi Beta, Beta Omicron Zeta Chapter gathered on Saturday, March 5, 2016, to observe their annual Finer Womanhood Celebration, “Finer Women, Serving”. Alice G. Thompson, CEO of Black Family Development, Inc. was recognized and honored as the 2016 Woman of the Year. The Sorority recognized Mrs. Thompson for her dedication, love, commitment and ministry of service to the community and for exemplifying the principles of finer womanhood through her service. The Beta Omicron Zeta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority was formed in 1945 and is proud to commemorate their 70th year standing on the founding principles of scholarship, service, sisterhood and finer womanhood. The Sorority is under the leadership of Sorors Mary Breaux Wright, International President; Michelle Porter Norman, Great Lakes Regional Director; Tonia Jenkins, Michigan State Director; and Rhonda R. GrantCalloway, Beta Omicron Zeta Chapter, President.

Honoree Alice G. Thompson, CEO, Black Family Development, Inc. and Rhonda R. Grant-Calloway, Chapter President.

Beta Omicron Zeta Chapter presented Alternative for Girls with a Community Service Award, and presented scholarships to several deserving young ladies. The sounds of the Detroit Public Schools All City Jazz Band were heard throughout the luncheon. The Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Beta Omicron Zeta Chapter, expressed their gratitude to all who supported and shared in the Annual Finer Womenhood Celebration.

President Rhonda Grant-Calloway; Alice G. Soror Marquetta Turner; Alice G. Thompson; and Thompson, and Taniqua Carter-Brown, Planning Soror Helen Clay-Spotser. Committee Chair, and past Chapter President.

Taniqua Carter-Brown; Mildred Gaddis, past Honoree; Alice G. Thompson, Honoree; Rhonda Grant-Calloway, Chapter President; and past Honorees, Kenyatta Stephens, and Dr. Glenda Price.

Soror Tonia Jenkins, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Michigan State Director; Alice G. Thompson; and Mildred Betty, Esq., event Mistress of Ceremony.

Soror Rhonda Grant-Calloway, Alice G. Thompson, and Kenyatta Stephens, COO, Black Family Development, Inc.

(seated left to right) Zenobia Awada; Donna Chavous; Patricia Davis; Margo Smith. (standing left to right) Tamiko Logan; Danielle Scott; Alice G. Thompson; Kimistri Hall; Velda Hunter.

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DTE Energy, City of Detroit partner to convert blighted land into neighborhood park

March 30 - April 5, 2016

DTE Energy received approval from the Detroit City Council today to develop one of the largest urban solar power arrays in the country on a 10-acre vacant parcel of land in Detroit at the former O'Shea Park, near Interstate 96 and Greenfield Road. The project will generate more than $1 million in tax revenue for the City over the life of the 20-year lease and will produce enough clean energy to power approximately 450 homes. DTE plans to begin construction on the project in May, with completion scheduled for the end of 2016. "DTE Energy is proud to be a partner with the City of Detroit on this solar project that will utilize 10 acres of Detroit's blighted and unused land and re-energize the surrounding neighborhoods," said David Meador, vice chairman and chief administrative officer, DTE Energy. "Not only will this new solar array enable DTE to deliver more clean energy to our customers, it is also a part of our efforts to help spur economic growth and prosperity in the neighborhoods we serve." In addition to the increased tax revenue for the City, the solar project is a part of the City's efforts to beautify the park. DTE also has made a broader commitment to the City of Detroit and will invest more than $1 billion over the next 10 years to modernize the City's energy grid.

Neighborhood Service Organization to celebrate 60th anniversary with gala and fundraiser By Donald James Special to the Chronicle

"This partnership with DTE Energy is a perfect example of how public-private partnerships can stabilize and strengthen our neighborhoods," said Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan. "This vacant property soon will be put back to use in a way that is good for the neighborhood and good for the environment."

For 60 years, Detroit-based Neighborhood Service Organization (NS0) has been a beacon of hope and salvation for men, women, youth and entire families in need throughout metropolitan Detroit. Operating under the banner and motto of “Always Within Reach,” the non-profit organization has provided supportive and life-altering programs to impact the community’s most vulnerable individuals. Diverse and innovative programs and services offered by NSO include mental health advocacy, addiction treatment, crisis intervention/suicide prevention, homelessness advocacy services, early childhood education, youth leadership, workforce development, violence prevention, supportive housing development and more.

The City of Detroit has also established partnerships with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, Erb Foundation, Walker-Miller Energy Services and the Greening of Detroit to support improvements to O'Shea Park, as well as to provide STEM education, workforce development and energy efficiency programs to benefit the local community.

While NSO has been exceptionally impactful in delivering comprehensive services, perhaps one of its most shining accomplishments was the 2013 transformation of the old Michigan Bell Building and Western Electric Warehouse, located at 882 Oakman Blvd. on Detroit’s west side, near Highland Park. Now called the NSO Bell Building, the renovated edifice, which carried a revitalization price tag of $52 million, opened on Oct. 23, 2013. The facility has 155 one-bedroom apartments for 155 individuals who were once homeless. The NSO Bell Building is the largest permanent supportive housing unit of its kind for homeless adults in the state. The organization also maintains its corporate headquarters at the NSO Bell Building.

Along with this solar project, DTE has four other solar projects currently under development, including an array in Ypsilanti, one at the GM Warren Transmission plant, and two large-scale projects in Lapeer. One of the Lapeer solar arrays will be the largest energy company-owned solar array east of the Mississippi River. By the end of the year, DTE will have 31 solar arrays in operation capable of generating enough clean energy to power more than 14,000 homes.

“To have people who were homeless now living in this building was a major accomplishment,” said Sheilah P. Clay, NSO’s president and CEO. “This building sat empty for 10 years before it was renovated. So I get great joy when I see people move in who 24 hours earlier were homeless. I get a greater joy when they move out. They don’t have to move out, because this is permanent housing and they can stay here for the rest of their lives. But when they move out, it means they’ve gone back to school, gotten jobs, and can now make it on their own. To see this growth and development of people who were once homeless is very special.”

"DTE Energy is Michigan's leading provider of and investor in solar energy. These projects further DTE's commitment to develop a balanced energy mix that enables us to provide affordable, reliable and clean energy to our customers," said Meador.

Clay added that when homeless people move into the apartments, it’s crucial that NSO offers certain amenities. “When you move someone off the streets, you still have to recognize that they have to build a new sense of community inside the building, which is much different from the communities that they had on the streets,” Clay pointed out.

The new solar projects will help expand DTE's renewable energy generation beyond the 10 percent required by Michigan's 2008 Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard under Public Act 295. DTE is continuing to evaluate additional wind and solar energy projects across the state.

“So we have a fitness center, computer lab, library, an art workshop, a chapel and more, all of which are for learning, socialization and health purposes.”

See NSO page B-2

See DTE page B-2

Wayne State President Wilson honored with ‘INSIGHT Into Diversity’s’ 2016 Giving Back award Wayne State University President M. Roy Wilson has been given the 2016 Giving Back award by INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine for his work to propel underrepresented students toward science careers and increase the diversity of WSU’s campus, among other initiatives. Wilson will be featured, along with 26 other recipients, in the April 2016 Leadership Support and Giving Back issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity, the largest and oldest diversity and inclusion publication in higher education. The award honors presidents and chancellors of colleges and universities who go above and beyond their everyday leadership duties and give back to their campuses and communities. “I am honored and humbled to receive this recogni-

tion,” said Wilson, who became Wayne State’s 12th president in August 2013. “Diversity is so important in the higher education environment. Ultimately, diversity makes for a much better educational experience of our students. It’s very important to have different perspectives and ways of thinking incorporated in the everyday life of a student. That’s how they learn. That’s how the world is.” Giving Back award recipients are nominated by a colleague and selected by INSIGHT Into Diversity based on their outstanding demonstration of social responsibility, a commitment to charitable services, and involvement with students, faculty and staff to serve underrepresented populations. Each honoree is recognized for his or her passion, dedication and philanthropic achievements.

and we honor their efforts to give back to everyone on their campuses and in their communities.”

M. Roy Wilson “The Giving Back award is being given to leaders of institutions of higher education who exemplify what it truly means to ‘give back’ to others,” said Lenore Pearlstein, publisher of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. “These presidents and chancellors are role models,

Among Wilson’s accomplishments, he developed a strategy to improve the pipeline of underrepresented students toward science careers. As part of this, he formed a coalition in 2015 of Detroit-based universities and colleges to launch the National Institutes of Health-funded Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) program at WSU. As part of a plan to increase the diversity of Wayne State’s campus, Wilson created in 2014 the position of associate provost for diversity and inclusion and chief diversity officer. He also insisted that the newly-created diversity officer be elevated to a cabinet-level appointment to emphasize its im-

portance and centrality to the university’s core leadership. In addition, Wilson created the Office of Multicultural Student Engagement to provide an inclusive environment and promote awareness initiatives that encourage academic success for underrepresented minorities and historically marginalized students. “Diversity tends to be about numbers: How many students, faculty of this or that background do you have?” Wilson said. “But inclusion is really a broader concept that asks if they feel welcome and part of the community. You can have diversity and not have an inclusive environment, and that is not a desirable outcome. As an institution, we must care about and always strive for both diversity and inclusion.”

community

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

March 30 - April 5, 2016

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Detroit Orientation Institute to host Detroit 101 Tour Wayne State University’s Detroit Orientation Institute will host Detroit 101, a half-day tour and conversation, from 2 to 8 p.m. on April 20 at TechTown Detroit, 440 Burroughs. The information-packed afternoon will begin with a bus tour of Detroit neighborhoods and destinations, including Midtown, downtown, the riverfront, West Village, the Heidelberg Project, Eastern Market, the Avenue of Fashion and Palmer Park. Participants will engage in conversation with community leaders along the route, including Ritchie Harrison (Detroit RiverFront Conservancy), Brittany Sanders (Belle Isle Conservancy), Vittoria Katanski (Hatch Detroit) and Kim Tandy (Mayor’s Office, Department of Neighborhoods).

NSO

From page B-1

Clay said that NSO is proud of its 60year history of serving the community’s most vulnerable populations. Thus, the organization is presenting a special event to celebrate its past, as well as raise needed funds to help pay for current and future services. On Saturday, April 9, NSO will host its 60th Anniversary Gala & Fundraiser at the MotorCity Casino Hotel and Sound Board, 2901 Grand River Ave. in Detroit. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. and will include dinner, live music, a cash bar, silent auction and an awards presentation. Individual tickets are $100 and must be purchased in advance at www.nso-mi.org. NSO will honor numerous individuals and organizations at the gala/fundraiser that have supported NSO’s mission. Organizations to be honored include the City of Detroit, The Kresge Foundation, Southwest Solutions, and Oakland County Community Mental Health Authority. Individuals who will be saluted are Vickie Thomas (WWJ Newsradio city beat reporter), Ray C. Johnson (NSO Board chair) and Dr. Kathiravelu Thabolingam (NSO psychiatrist and former medical director). A special tribute will be paid to former Detroit Mayor Dave Bing, who Clay said was instrumental in the NSO Bell Building coming to fruition. “First and foremost, I absolutely love NSO and the work that it does, so to be selected to receive the organization’s Impact Award is a tremendous honor,” said Vickie Thomas, a 25-year news veteran who also serves as president of the Detroit Chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists. “DCNABJ actually raised money to help furnish one of the apartments at the new NSO Bell Building. It’s some-

thing that we were really passionate about doing.” For Clay, rendering top leadership to NSO has been a labor of love for almost 20 years. Clay’s professional experience began in mental health for a local African American psychiatrist who operated several area clinics. Clay had already earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and secondary education from Spelman College, and ultimately, a master’s degree in guidance and counseling from Wayne State University. Clay went on to work 12 years as a therapist and hold several directorship positions at Kirwood Mental Health Center, followed by a five-year stint as an administrator for the Detroit Wayne Mental Health Authority. About 20 years ago, a director at DWMHA was hired to take a high-level administrative position at NSO and asked Clay to join her. Clay agreed and served as NSO’s deputy director for program administration, before being elevated to director.

The interactive event will conclude with lunch and a group dialogue — “Your Detroit? My Detroit? OUR Detroit!” — led by Jeri Stroupe, senior project administrator and Detroit Revitalization Fellow

in Wayne State University’s Office of Economic Development. Joining the discussion will be Anika Goss-Foster (Detroit Future City), Kurt Metzger (City of Pleasant Ridge) and Shirley Stancato (New Detroit). Wayne State’s partner on this program is the Detroit Experience Factory, a program of the Downtown Detroit Partnership that uses interactive experiences and innovative resources to connect locals and visitors to Detroit's people, places and projects. The Detroit Orientation Institute is celebrating its 25th year of programming. The program was founded and launched in 1991 in response to a recommendation in the City of Detroit’s 1987 Strategic Plan, a project led by the business leaders of Detroit Renaissance and informed by Mayor Coleman Young. Tickets for the Detroit 101 Tour are $100 by April 8 and $120 after.

DTE DTE is Michigan's largest investor in renewable energy, including wind and solar, having driven investments of more than $2 billion since 2008, with $67 million of that spent to develop solar arrays across its service territory. Today, DTE's entire renewable energy portfolio is capable of generating enough clean energy to power more than 400,000 homes. The portfolio includes facilities owned and operated by DTE, along with contracts to purchase power from third-party developers in Michigan. All of the power generated by these facilities is fed into the energy grid and distributed to those who need it. As part of the partnership between the City and DTE, the project will provide

From page B-1 educational opportunities for students to learn more about sustainability and renewable energy through interpretive signage, rain gardens, and additional educational partnerships. Detroit-based Walker-Miller Energy Services will provide free energy audits for homes in the immediate area, many of which could qualify for free furnace and appliance replacements and other money-saving upgrades. The City also has received the generous support of the Erb Family Foundation to enable a partnership with the Greening of Detroit on the park design and creating workforce development opportunities for residents of the O'Shea Park community.

While NSO prepares to celebrate its past six decades, Clay has her eyes on the future. “As we look forward to our next 60 years, we want to greatly expand what we are doing in terms of services, and we want to do more in real estate development,” she said. “We have a whole world in front of us. We can’t rest because there are still major needs out there that people have. So we will celebrate our past on April 9, but are excited about our future.” For more information on NSO programs and services, or to purchase tickets for the organization’s 60th anniversary gala and fundraiser, call 313.961.4890 or log on to www.nso-mi.org.

Coming Spring 2016

Announcing the Michigan Chronicle/Talmer S.W.A.G. Scholarship Finalists The special edition of ACHIEVE will display the finalists for the Michigan Chronicle/Talmer S.W.A.G. Scholarship Award. Stay tuned to find out who won a scholarship.

For advertising and sponsorship opportunities call 313.963.5522

community

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

March 30 - April 5, 2016

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Detroit residents invited to provide input on $11.7M improvements to 40 neighborhood parks Community meetings set for March 28 – April 11 in Seven Council Districts

2. Collins Playground, 11618 Alpena 3. Luce-St. Louis Playground, 13490 St. Louis 4. Marruso Playground, 19908 Annott 5. Syracuse Playground, 19192 Syracuse 6. Yaksich Playground, 18160 Anglin

Detroit residents are being invited to weigh in on the type of improvements and amenities they would like to see at each of the 40 neighborhood parks slated for renovations over the next 18 months during a series of community meetings beginning March 28. Mayor Mike Duggan recently announced plans to spend $11.7 million between this year and next to renovate 40 neighborhood parks across the city. Anticipated improvements, to be determined at the upcoming community meetings, likely will include new playgrounds and equipment, new walkways, landscaping and more. Funding for the park improvements will come from $50 million in bond money dating back to the 1980s the City recently discovered had gone unspent. The meetings are scheduled for: • District 1 - March 30 from 6 – 7 p.m., Northwest Activities Center, 18100 Meyers • District 2 - March 30 from 7 – 8 p.m., Northwest Activities Center, 18100 Meyers • District 3 - April 11 from 5:30 – 7 p.m., Farwell Recreation, 2711 E. Outer Drive • District 4 - April 5 from 5 – 6 p.m., Butzel Family Center, 7737 Kercheval • District 5 - April 5 from 6 – 7 p.m., Butzel Family Center, 7737 Kercheval

District 4 – 3 parks 1. Brewer Playground, 12450 Hayes (Transferred from Detroit Public Schools) 2. Hansen Playground, 542 Drexel 3. O’Brien Playground, 11938 E. McNichols District 5 – 6 parks

• District 6 - March 29 from 6 – 7 p.m., Patton Recreation Center, 2301 Woodmere • District 7 - March 28 from 6 – 7 p.m., Don Bosco Hall, 19321 W. Chicago The 10 parks that will be renovated this year include Field, Simmons, Bale, Liuzzo, Calimera, Hansen, Latham, Boyer, Mansfield-Diversey and Cross/Tireman-Littlefield. The remaining 30 will be renovated in 2017. The park renovations are part of the Parks and Recreation Improvement Plan developed by the Parks and Recreation and General Services departments. Details of each of the 40 selected parks and the improvement plan are on the City’s Web site at www.detroitmi.gov/40neighborhoodparks. The complete list of parks includes:

District 1 – 6 parks 1. Cook Playground, 16001 Fenkell 2. Fields Playground, 16601 Florence 3. Hackett Playground, 17236 Avon 4. Marx Playground, 18201 Greenview 5. Reid Playground, 20625 Santa Clara 6. Simmons Playground, 19450 Chapel District 2 – 7 parks 1. Bale Playground, 18673 Winthrop 2. Clinton Playground, 8145 Chalfonte (Transferred from Detroit Public Schools) 3. Diack Playground, 13889 Curtis 4. Gorham Playground, 19969 St. Marys 5. Liuzzo Playground, 20053 Winthrop 6. Varier Playground, 15639 Thatcher 7. Wells Playground, 20159 Griggs District 3 – 6 parks 1. Calimera Playground, 19493 Joann

1. Dueweke Playground, 4975 Sheridan 2. Franklin (LaSalle) Park, 2380 S. LaSalle Blvd. 3. Gordon Playground, 1935 Atkinson 4. Latham Playground, 5082 Seneca 5. Stewart, 12701 14th Street (Transferred from Detroit Public Schools) 6. Yates Playground, 2499 Blaine District 6 – 6 parks 1. 30th - Herbert Playground, 5000 30th Street 2. Boyer Playground, 6203 W. Vernor 3. Nagel Playground, 3100 Wabash 4. Sak Playground, 4322 Kinsman 5. Scripps Playground, 3666 W. Grand River 6. Szafraniec Playground, 4513 Campbell District 7 - 6 parks 1. Doan Playground, 9946 Prest 2. Greene Playground, 9177 Robson 3. Mansfield-Diversey Playground, 7753 Rutherford 4. Phelps Playground, 9982 Sorrento 5. Richard Allen (Nardin), 9516 W. Grand River 6. Cross/Tireman - Littlefield Playground, 8134 Manor

Former General Motors attorney’s new position a first for Detroit non-profit Cass Community Social Services hires new deputy director, Kimberly K. Hudolin

Michigan Chronicle Reports

Cass Community Social Services is proud to announce Kimberly K. Hudolin has been named to the newly created position of deputy director; she is Cass’ first deputy director in its 14-year history. Hudolin was introduced to Cass in the early 1990’s as a volunteer for its Rotating Shelter program and later served lunches and made sandwiches at the agency’s Scott Building. “Kim Hudolin is extremely qualified to manage and direct the operations and programs at Cass,” said Cass Executive Director Faith Fowler. “She has vast experience with supervising staff, reviewing contracts, maintaining records and overseeing financial activity. She is

a strategic thinker and, just as important, Kim has a heart for our work.” As deputy director, Hudolin will oversee Cass’ daily operations, allowing Fowler to have more time to focus on community outreach, and friendraising. Hudolin acknowledges the agency’s strong programs and dedicated staff, and will work to support and enhance both. “I always intended to volunteer more with Cass when I eventually retired, and the creation of the deputy director position enabled me to join the team on a full-time basis even earlier than I’d hoped,” Hudolin said. “I had a great legal career, but I’m thrilled to be able to create a second career doing such significant work with the

Cass team.” Prior to joining Cass, Hudolin worked for General Motors as an attorney on the executive level. During her 19-year tenure she worked in a variety of positions in the transactional/ corporate finance areas. Before GM, Hudolin spent 10 years as partner/associate at Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn in Detroit. Hudolin has a long history with nonprofits and is currently serving as the volunteer board chair for both Michigan Community Resources and the Staff Parish Relations Committee of Metropolitan United Methodist Church in Detroit. Hudolin is also a member of the State Bar of Michigan and graduated cum laude from

the University of Michigan Law School, Ann Arbor. While at General Motors she was the recipient of the 2013 TeamGM Transformers Award, the Chairman’s Honors Award in 2002 and 2008 and a 2008 Corporate Secretary magazine finalist for best corporate secretary or legal counsel in an M&A transaction. Hudolin has three adult children and lives in Northville, Michigan with her husband, Stephen. Cass Community Social Services is dedicated to making a profound difference in the lives of the diverse populations it serves by providing for basic needs, providing affordable housing, promoting self-reliance and encouraging commu-

Kimberly K. Hudolin nity involvement. The agency works with men, women and children with HIV/AIDS, medical and mental illness, developmental disabilities and/or substance abuse. It utilizes 5,000 volunteers annually.

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HIRAM E. JACKSON Publisher

A Real Times Media Newspaper 479 Ledyard, • Detroit, MI 48201

(313) 963-5522 e-mail:newsdesk@michronicle.com March 30 - April 5, 2016

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CATHY NEDD Associate Publisher KEITH A. OWENS Senior Editor SAMUEL LOGAN Publisher 1933-2011

JOHN H. SENGSTACKE Chairman-Emeritus 1912-1997 LONGWORTH M. QUINN Publisher-Emeritus 1909-1989

Why we the people should support Apple vs. the FBI By Mark Fancher The irony of Apple Inc. defying a court order that authorizes the FBI to investigate the 2015 San Bernardino shootings by unlocking the gunman's encrypted iPhone should not be lost on those who have followed, or who have been a part of movements against racial oppression. With no hesitation, and as part of its commitment to protecting civil liberties guaranteed by the Bill of Rights, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Michigan made it clear that forcing Apple to unlock that iPhone would be unlawful, unconstitutional, and set a dangerous precedent that implicates the security and privacy of millions of Americans. But conMark Fancher sidering the FBI's history of selective surveillance in communities of color, its fight against Apple all seems like a strange case of overfed chickens coming home to roost. From the perspective of many who struggle to empower the oppressed, law enforcement and intelligence agencies have long worked for corporate interests to ensure market stability and access to markets. It is further believed that movements that are militant in character or movements that seek independence and self-determination for people of color have long been regarded as a threat to corporate dominance. The government’s history of protecting corporate interests has been labeled by some activists as the “Industrial-Police-Intelligence Complex,” or “IPIC.” Recent developments should leave routine targets of FBI surveillance to wonder about their own fate given the FBI’s willingness to go after a major corporation with such vigor. Historically, the FBI has demonstrated little reluctance to closely monitor and scrutinize the activities of activists in communities of color. FBI director J. Edgar Hoover was the architect of the agency’s infamous Counter Intelligence Program (COINTELPRO), which was marked by extensive surveillance of activists, surreptitious opening of mail, illegal break-ins, frame-ups and harassment. The Black Power Movement and the Black Panther Party in particular were prime targets of COINTELPRO operations, and to this day there are victims of FBI activities who remain in prison. The American Indian Movement (AIM) was also a focus of COINTELPRO oper-

ations. Ward Churchill and Jim Vander Wall, in their book “The FBI’s Secret Wars Against the Black Panther Party and the American Indian Movement” describe how in 1976, a young Indian woman named Anna Mae Aquash was reportedly interrogated by an FBI agent about the whereabouts of two AIM leaders, and she was later found dead. According to the book, the FBI told Aquash’s family she died of “natural causes,” but an independent pathologist who examined the body found a bullet wound in her head. In 2012, it became necessary for the ACLU of Michigan and the ACLU’s national office to initiate litigation to compel production of documents requested under the Freedom of Information Act that concerned any FBI surveillance that may have been inspired by portions of the agency’s operations guide that authorized agents to “…identify locations of concentrated ethnic communities in the (FBI) Field Office’s domain…” There were specific ACLU concerns about the targeting of Arab and Muslim communities based on one document the agency disclosed that stated, “Because Michigan has (a) large Middle-Eastern and Muslim population, it is prime territory for attempted radicalization and recruitment by these terrorist groups.” The operations guide also permitted collection of information about “the locations of ethnic-oriented businesses and other facilities.” It suggested as well that more individualized information could be collected about the “behavioral and lifestyle characteristics” of suspected security threats. The guide noted: “Focused behavioral characteristics reasonably believed to be associated with a particular criminal or terrorist element of an ethnic community (not with the community as a whole) may be collected and retained.” In an apparent connection to the operations guide, FBI documents show that in Atlanta the agency monitored what it characterized as “Black Separatist” groups. In San Francisco, an agency document argued in favor of the racial mapping of Chinese and Russian immigrant communities. Latino communities were targeted as well. Because large corporations like Apple have not usually been the focal point of overreaching by the FBI, activists from communities of color look on with interest and an intuitive understanding that a monster created to protect the corporate world nevertheless has a mind of its own, and not even corporations are off limits unless and until someone tames the monster. That “someone” must be “we the people.”

Quote of the Week:

“We long for unity but are unwilling to pay the price. True unity starts with a change of attitudes, a broadening of our minds, and a broadening of our hearts.”

— President Barack Obama

Americans often see Cuba upside down By Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.   President Obama’s historic trip to Havana, Cuba — the first American president to visit since Calvin Coolidge in 1928 — opens the door to a new era in relations not only with Cuba, but also with our neighbors across the hemisphere. Extensive press coverage of the trip will feature the President’s meeting with Cuban leader Raul Castro, Jesse Jackson the Tuesday baseball game pitting the Cuban national team against Tampa Bay, the president’s meetings with business leaders and with Cuban dissidents. We’ll get pictures of aged Chevy’s held together by duct tape, of lovely but crumbling Havana mansions, of Cuba’s lively culture and its widespread poverty. Cuba surely is a poor country. Its government, while still enjoying popular support, is a far remove from a democracy. Freedom of speech and assembly are greater than most realize, but still severely policed. But much of what we think about Cuba is upside down, and inside out. First, in many ways, the president’s initiative to normalize relations with Cuba isn’t so much ending their isolation as ending ours. Cuba has enjoyed good and growing relations with our neighbors across the hemisphere for years. In recent years, those countries have threatened to exclude the U.S. from hemispheric meetings if we continued to demand that Cuba’s exclusion. We have sought to isolate Cuba for over 50 years; we ended up isolating ourselves. Second, for many across the world, Cuba, not the U.S., has been on the right side of history. Cuba stood with Nelson Mandela and the African National Congress while the U.S. was supporting the apartheid government and labeling Mandela a terrorist. When South Africa invaded Angola in the mid-1970s to block the independence movement there, it was Cuba, not the U.S. that sent troops to force South Africa’s withdrawal. One of the first visits Mandela made after he was freed was to Havana to thank Fidel Castro for his support, hailing the Cuban revolution as “a source of inspiration to all freedom-loving peoples.” Similarly, for many across Africa and Latin America, Cuba is known for supplying doctors and teachers, aiding in

the development of nations emerging from colonialism. America, too often, has been either allied with the former colonialists or hostile to the emerging independent movements. Third, while some of Cuba’s poverty is self-inflicted, some is also the direct result of 50 years of the embargo. Cuba is a small island, 90 miles off our coast, without its own oil. Before the revolution, tourism was a leading industry; foreign investors were central to the economy. The revolution upended that order. The embargo severed those and any new ties. In the Cold War years, the Soviet Union alone provided a lifeline for the regime. Since the end of the Cold War, more and more countries have chafed at the American embargo and begun to deal with Cuba. Fourth, most popular leaders in South America see Cuba as an example of proud, national independence. In many ways, our hostility to Castro elevated his stature across the world. Emerging populist leaders in South America don’t plan to imitate Cuban socialism, which is being slowly reformed. But they are envious of Cuba’s health care and education systems, which provide Cubans with a standard of health and educational opportunity far above most developing countries. Fifth, Cuba has not been closed to us; we have been closed to Cuba. The Cubans have been looking for a dialogue for years. When I went to Cuba in 1984, I met with Fidel Castro and even took him to church. We negotiated the release of 22 American and 26 Cuban political prisoners. He was ready for a dialogue then, but the U.S. continued its no-talk policy until President Obama finally launched his historic initiative. Reform will come slowly in a Cuba that is still proud of its revolution and anxious to preserve its gains in health care and education. Its foreign policy will remain proudly independent. The regime remains on guard against U.S. efforts to undermine it from within. B ut reform will come slowly here also. To this day, Congress refuses to lift an embargo that punishes a small neighbor off our coast. To this day, our arrogance and ideological blinders make it hard for us to see Cuba whole. The president has opened the door. Increased travel, cultural exchanges and the beginnings of business investment will push it open further. Most Americans already support normal relations and an end to a policy that has failed for over half a century. And one day, we can hope, even the ideologues and zealots in the Congress will get the message.

Improving health care access is a priority for Wayne County Warren C. Evans Wayne County Executive

Wayne Health Center 3300 Van Born Wayne, MI 48184

Studies have long shown that while the United States has more costly health care than other industrialized nations, we also have the highest rates of citizens lacking access to care.

Wellness@theCommunity-Hamtramck Hamtramck Health Center 9021 Joseph Campau Hamtramck, MI 48212 4/13, 5/11, 6/15

The Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare, has helped greatly to close the gap but there is much more to do to ensure all citizens receive the care they Warren C. Evans deserve.

es, we consolidated numerous departments and divisions into the new Department of Health, Veterans and Community Wellness.

This challenge is particularly acute in Wayne County where 11 percent of our residents do not have health insurance. That number represents 25 percent of Michigan’s entire uninsured population. Access to care goes beyond just insurance. In Westland, Wayne, Romulus and Inkster, there is only one primary care doctor for every 4,100 residents. We cannot grow a strong, world-class county if so many of our residents lack essential health care services. That’s why I’ve made improving health care access a priority for Wayne County government even as we worked to balance the County budget in the face of financial challenges. Our efforts began when, as part of our overall restructuring to right Wayne County’s financ-

Wellness@theCommunity-Ecorse Pennsylvania Club Building 3648 W. Jefferson Ecorse, MI 48229 4/20, 5/18, 6/22

This wasn’t a bureaucratic reshuffling. Instead, the new streamlined department was designed from the ground-up around a “No Wrong Door” service model. Residents once had to navigate a bureaucratic maze to obtain care, but now case managers are trained to conduct complete resident assessments. We have made it our responsibility to see that a person receives the services they need, not vice-versa. While implementing the “No Wrong Door” policy was significant, we look to make an even larger impact with two significant initiatives to reach underserved residents in the communities in which they live. We recently opened the new full service Wayne Health Center in the city of Wayne to provide care for underserved communities in Western Wayne County. One primary care doctor for every 4,100 residents is a reality we couldn’t allow to continue without trying to address it.

Wayne County Executive Warren C. Evans opens new Wayne Health Center to provide primary care health services to the residents of Western Wayne County. Through a partnership with Beaumont Health, this facility offers primary care services. Physicians and health care professionals from Beaumont’s Family Medicine program are working side by side with Wayne County’s public health nurses. We’ve also launched our Wellness@theCommunity events in Hamtramck and Ecorse. Our staff will spend one Wednesday a month in each community through June providing care to anyone who needs it. Dr. Mouhanad Hammami, director of Wayne County’s Department of Health, Veterans & Community Wellness, his team and their partners are doing a fantastic job to implement these efforts. We believe over time they will significantly improve access to care for those who need it most. In my opinion, it is unacceptable that lack of access to health care has been a struggle for so many of our residents.

Wayne County’s Wellness@theCommunity provided attendees with information and healthcare services during the march event held in Hamtramck. My administration is committed to building on these efforts to further improve access. Our goal is to ensure Wayne County government is doing everything it can to help residents receive the care they need. I want to personally invite all county residents in need of health care to take advantage of these programs. They are here

for you and our staff is professional and respectful of the residents they serve. If you are seeking care for you or your family please don’t hesitate to reach out. You can learn more about these and other programs on our website, waynecounty.com, or by calling our Public Health office at 734.727.7000.

community

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

March 30 - April 5, 2016

Page B-5

Applications now available for Metro Detroit Youth Day Scholarships Graduating high school students have until Friday, April 15, to apply for one of many scholarships to be issued by the Michigan Youth Appreciation Foundation. Metro Detroit Youth Day scholarships will be awarded at the 34th annual Youth Day event on Belle Isle on Wednesday, July 13. Students graduating from a public, parochial, private or charter school who have been accepted into a four-year university or college or a two-year community college program and have confirmed attendance for fall enrollment are eligible to apply for a MDYD scholarship. Since 1991, MDYD has awarded more than 1,100 scholarships to deserving students who submitted an application along with an essay to be considered, according to Ed Deeb, founder and chairman.

Rhonda Walker and RWF Teens

Rhonda Walker Foundation celebrates power of women

To donate funds for Metro Detroit Youth Day scholarships, send a check to Michigan Youth Appreciation Foundation by mail to 27700 Hoover Road, Ste 200, Warren, MI 48093.

Michigan Chronicle Reports

Applicants can download the application and submission instructions at www.metrodetroityouthday.org. For more information, visit http:// www.metrodetroityouthday.org.

Michigan Health Link option is the right option

Rhonda Walker with honoree Hiram Jackson, Real Times Media

Michigan Chronicle Reports

There is good news for individuals who have both Medicare and full Medicaid insurance. The MI Health Link care option continues to be available for anyone living in Barry, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Kalamazoo, Macomb, St. Joseph, Van Buren, Wayne or any county in the Upper Peninsula. A person must be 21 years of age or older, have both Medicare and Medicaid (full Medicaid with no deductible) and not be enrolled in hospice. Judy Hazle of the Michigan Medicare Medicaid Assistance Program commented “this is an option that could save individuals money because there are no co-payments or deductibles for medical or behavioral health services including prescriptions.” The option provides some dental services, hearing, vision services, in-home services, and transportation to and from appointments. Individuals pick the participating health plan they would like under the MI Health Link care option. The coverage is very broad from equipment to help with daily living to nursing home care. One plan, one card. Your choice! In addition to the benefit of “one” card for the wallet to carry around, each individual is assigned a Care Coordinator to assist them in managing their care seeing that needs are met. The Care Coordinator works with the beneficiary to develop a personal care plan, help arrange for transportation to and from appointments if needed, and helps to connect individuals to supports and services. All this to support a person’s health. What is important to know about MI Health Link? Those choosing the MI Health Link plan will want to ask their doctor/specialist if he/she participate in MI Health Link. If they do not, individuals being auto enrolled will have 90 covered days with their current doctor/ specialist while looking for a new provider, or ask their current doctor/specialist if they would participate in MI Health Link. The process for letters to be mailed out by the State of Michigan began on March 23rd. Letters were sent to those individuals who are eligible for MI Health Link this year. Judy Hazle stated “if an individual who is eligible with both Medicare and full Medicaid receives a letter stating they are going to be automatically enrolled into MI Health Link they can call the Michigan Medicare Medicaid Assistance Program (MMAP) and ask what options are available to them. MMAP will help individuals understand better the MI Health Link option before they make any decision. “New choices can be a scary thing when a person has been on the same insurance plan for a while” states Ms. Hazle. Those receiving enrollment letters into MI Health Link will be given a 60 day notice of the auto enrollment into MI Health Link. If the individual decides not to stay in MI Health Link and would like to dis-enroll, they should call Michigan ENROLLS at 1-800-975-7630 soon after the 60 day letter is received so that the individuals Part D plan is reinstated and their insurance is not interrupted. There are many enhanced benefits to this new health care option one might want to consider. Providers are encouraged to participate so they can continue to serve those who choose to be enrolled in the MI Health Link care option.

On Sunday, March 13, the Rhonda Walker Foundation welcomed over 400 guests to celebrate its 10th Annual Moving with Success Empowerment Brunch, Honoring Men Who Empower Women at the Motor City Soundboard. Along with WDIV TV morning anchor Rhonda Walker, the RWF teens served as hostesses for the event sharing all they have learned about networking, etiquette and poise as a part of the foundation’s five-year comprehensive Girls into Women Program. RWF junior, Cydney Gardner Brown served as co-mistress of ceremonies with Sandy Pierce, vice chairman, FirstMerit Corporation, and chairman and CEO, FirstMerit of Michigan. For the first time, the foundation honored men who have empowered women in the workplace. The prestigious list of honorees included Matthew Simoncini, Roy Roberts, Burt Jordan, Leon Richardson, Hiram Jackson, Art VanElslander, Daniel

Loepp, Dr. William Pickard and Carl Camden. Over 400 of metro Detroit’s most prominent citizens were entertained by youth performances from the Cass Tech String Quintet and the Achievers Ensemble of the Detroit School of Arts. Guests were treated to made-toorder omelets, a delicious buffet and endless mimosas. RWF teens networked with guests selling raffle tickets for a number of wonderful prizes and presented awards to the distinguished honorees. The afternoon closed with the foundation’s signature “Conversations” panel discussion with the honorees moderated by Rhonda Walker. They shared thoughts about the importance of empowering women by mentoring and promoting them to leadership positions. More information about the work of the Rhonda Walker Foundation can be found on the foundation’s website at www.rhondawalkerfoundation.org.

Cydney Gardner Brown, RWF teen co-mistress of ceremonies

Rhonda Walker and four RWF teens

Co-mistress of ceremonies Sandy Pierce, vice chairman, FirstMerit Corp., and chairman and CEO, FirstMerit of Michigan.

Leon Richardson with an RWF teen

Barbara Whittaker, Rhonda Walker and Vivian Pickard. Whitaker and Pickard Honorees with Rhonda Walker: Leon Richardson (Chemico Mays), Matthew are former Empowerment Brunch hon- Simoncini (Lear Corporation), Burt Jordan (Ford Motor Company) and Hiram orees and honorary chairs. Jackson (Real Times Media).

Knight Arts Challenge Detroit, offering millions for local arts ideas Michigan Chronicle Reports

The Knight Arts Challenge Detroit will open for submissions on April 4, offering a share of $3 million to the best ideas for the arts. A project of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the challenge is open to anyone with an idea for engaging and enriching Detroit through the arts. “The Knight Arts Challenge is an opportunity for anyone to pursue his or her artistic dreams,” said Victoria Rogers, vice president for arts at Knight Foundation. “We want hear your big ideas that can help define, reflect and engage your community.” Applying is easy. All it takes is 150 words to fill out the initial application, which will be available at knightarts. org April 4-May 2 and is designed to be user-friendly to encourage a wide range of applicants. There are only three rules for submissions: 1) The idea must be about the arts. 2) The project must take place in or benefit Detroit. 3) The grant recip-

ients must find funds to match Knight’s commitment. Knight launched the challenge in Detroit in 2012 to amplify the creative momentum on the ground, and to bring new energy and encouragement to the artists and residents driving the city’s future. Because of its success, Knight Foundation announced last fall that it will continue the challenge through 2018. “Almost everywhere you go in Detroit, you see Knight Arts Challenge winners inspiring and engaging our city,” said Katy Locker, Detroit program director for Knight Foundation. “What’s next? We can’t wait to see what Detroit comes up with.” Many previous Knight Arts Challenge winners have been small, grassroots efforts that reflect Detroit. They include Hardcore Detroit, which sought to revive the ’70s Detroit dance craze, the jit, at a community celebration at the Detroit Institute of Arts; Detroit Fiber Works, promoting and producing fiber arts workshops for all ages

in Detroit’s Avenue of Fashion; and “From Detroit to Baghdad: Al Mutanabbi Street Starts Here,” an exhibit and festival highlighting artists’ books and letterpress broadsides commemorating the 2007 bombing of the famed street of Baghdad booksellers. Knight Foundation will host community conversations in venues across the city during the month of April, with Knight staff and previous winners onhand to answer questions about the challenge and to guide applicants. The schedule will be announced in March. The challenge is part of Knight Foundation’s two-pronged approach to investing in the arts in Detroit. Support for large institutions helps those organizations open up and better engage the public, while the arts challenge is intended to support more grassroots projects. For Knight Arts Challenge updates, follow #knightarts and @knightfdn on Twitter and Instagram, and Knight Foundation on Facebook.

community

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

Federal judge Denise Page Hood honored at Honorable Judge Keith’ soul food luncheon T By Roz Edward

he Honorable Judge Damon Keith’s 29th Annual Soul Food Luncheon held during Black History Month for the past 29 years, is one of the most eagerly anticipated municipal/community events of the season. It is a welcomed opportunity to join with colleagues, embrace friends and enjoy a memorable weekday afternoon luncheon with one of the nation’s most noted judiciaries and greatest legal minds. The Annual Soul Food Luncheon grows in eminence and prominence year after year. The 2016 Annual Soul Food Luncheon recognized renowned U.S. District Court Chief Judge Denise Page Hood who received the Soul and Spirit Humanitarian Award from her mentor, Judge Keith, on T hursday, Feb. 29.

March 30 - April 5, 2016

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SECTION C

BUSINESS Powered by Real Times Media

michiganchronicle.com

Flint’s economy to be supported by free business connection opportunities

March 30 - April 5, 2016

Michigan Chronicle Reports

Using a proven model that has worked across the state in connecting buyers to suppliers of Michigan goods and services, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation has created an innovative Web-based platform to allow companies with purchasing needs to connect with Flint and Genesee County suppliers. The Pure Michigan Business Connect website is a free resource that links Michigan companies with procurement or sales opportunities. By creating a profile on the site and entering their purchasing requests, companies will be connected directly to hundreds of searchable Flint supplier profiles, with goods and services ranging from accounting to plastics manufacturing. “This is one of many steps we are taking to support the economic rebirth of Flint,” said MEDC Chief Executive Officer Steve Arwood. “There are businesses looking to invest in Flint. This online network expedites those connections. Pure Michigan Business Connect has had a profound impact around the state, and we believe it will be a powerful resource to build Flint’s economy.” Flint- and Genesee County-based suppliers not currently enrolled can create a free profile in the database, giving them instant access to opportunities to expand their supply chain with more than 200 global purchasers as well as world-class purchasers from all over the state of Michigan. Registered suppliers also will gain access to donated or reduced-cost services including legal, accounting, web development, graphic design, export assistance, human resources, and small business operations and planning.

MMCA founder and president

Jason Cole breaking ground for black companies By Roz Edward Minority contracting procurement expert Jason Cole is receiving a great deal of local recognition and national attention as he builds an impressive portfolio of bricks and mortar development projects in the Detroit metropolitan region. The 46-year-old founder and president of the Michigan Minority Contractors Association (MMCA) has been instrumental in ensuring that Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises are not only included in the development story of Detroit’s renaissance, but that they are also a part of the legacy of Detroit’s resurgence.

The Pure Michigan Business Connect portal is available on the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce website at this link: http://b2b. flintandgenesee.org/. A free informational session on how to access the Pure Michigan Business Connect portal will be held March 31, from 8 to 9 a.m., at the Oak Business Center, 2712 N. Saginaw St. in Flint. The session is hosted by the MEDC, the Michigan Small Business Development Center and the Flint & Genesee Chamber. Advance registration is requested. Sign up is available at www.flintandgenesee.org/events/pure-michigan-business-connect-information-session/. “Access creates opportunities,” said Tim Herman, CEO of the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce. “Through this portal, businesses in Flint and Genesee County have a great way to broaden their customer base, identify new markets for their products and services, and elevate their brands.” Launched in 2011, Pure Michigan Business Connect is a public-private alliance of the MEDC, state agencies and major Michigan companies and organizations that connects in-state companies to business resources. Companies can find new ways to raise capital, get access to professional business services at little or no cost, connect with each other through a new business-to-business network, and identify potential supplier opportunities, while developing resources to improve their supply chains. It is estimated that since Pure Michigan Business Connect launched, the program has facilitated more than $2.7 billion in revenue for Michigan companies, which translates into approximately 13,600 jobs for Michigan residents. Pure Michigan is a brand representing business, talent and tourism initiatives across Michigan. These efforts are driven by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, which serves as the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business growth, jobs and opportunity with a focus on helping grow Michigan’s economy.

“Yes, the overall economy is getting better, but if you look back at the [contracting statistics] from 2009 to 2012 when Detroit was in an economic depression and the rest of the country was in Great Recession, we had several other factors that devastated the minority contracting community.” The 1993 Arrow Office Supply Company vs. the City of Detroit lawsuit, one he refers to as a case of “reverse discrimination,” and Proposal 2 in 2006 as two of the primary culprits in the undoing of legislative measure to protect the interests of minority and disadvantaged businesses. Cole sites the intricacies and impact of both rulings with the understanding and insight of a man much beyond his years. “The city lost the Arrow Office Supply case so the sheltered market program got thrown out,” he explains. “Then skip ahead to 2006 and Proposal 2 got the State of Michigan Minority Purchase provision thrown out. So we no longer had the legal footing, coupled with the economic depression and it really decimated the community.”

interfacing with government agencies like the Michigan Department of Transportation and the Michigan State Housing Development Authority. “MDOT currently has a projected participation requirement of 9 percent for Disadvantaged Business Enterprises. That number used to be 15 percent. We are working through a process where we are adding firms who have commercially useful functions and are ready, willing and able — which are buzz words for MDOT — to get them engaged in the road building process,” says Cole by way of example. Detroit’s pool of qualified and participating DBE’s decreased sharply during the economic downturn as contractors were forced to close their doors due to the scaling back of dollars available for project financing and systemic racism forced surviving firms to seek contracts outside of the metropolitan region as well as conduct business outside of the state. “Contractors believed the grass was greener on the other side, and we kept getting pushback from both the State Department of Transportation and the State Road Builders Association [on projects],” Cole says. “One, you have be socially, economically or financially disadvantaged to qualify as a DBE, and specifically with Michigan the designation is called Section 3, a program that was started by a guy named Richard Nixon, so you know it’s really beneficial for African Americans,” he adds facetiously. The heavily criticized Section 3 program requires that recipients of certain HUD financial assistance, to the greatest extent possible, provide job training, employment and contracting opportunities to disadvantaged residents and businesses has been plagued with issues of non-compliance, lack of adherence as majority firms circumvent the designated process.

Major MMCA past and future project involvement includes the Marathon Petroleum plant, proposed I-94 rehabilitation, Olympia Stadium and State Fairgrounds redevelopment Phase 1 and Phase 2.

“Making sure that we take our members from point A to point Z is the objective,” says the well-informed Cole, adding, “That’s probably the biggest thing, because if you are not changing the lives of folks that look like you, then why are you doing it?”

“What we do is invite the project owner to meet and then we interface with the project manager, and then there is an ongoing conversation about qualifications, and lines of credit and funding and all of those supportive things that aren’t actual construction, but involve construction firms,” says Cole of the MMCA mission. The Michigan Minority Contractors Association is a 501c3 organization with the mission of educating, advocating and economically stimulating the bottom line of its member firms.

The MMCA president began his career as vice president of sales for Cole Financial Services, founded by his mother, Pat Cole. Cole went on to work with the African American Association of Businesses and Contractors (A3BC), then headed by Charlie Beckham. “That was probably the background I needed to actually establish and run an organization like MMCA … I met and gained access to a number of people which prepared me to take the next step.”

MMCA’s multi-pronged approach for contract procurement requires that Cole immerse himself in the world of skilled trades and community development issues while

MMCA is working to expand its influence and provide

See Jason Cole Page C-4

Michigan Strategic Fund approves funding for business expansions, community revitalization projects Michigan Chronicle Staff Reports

Funding to assist with projects including the American Center for Mobility – a project intended to secure Michigan’s future as the global leader of the automotive industry – was approved this week by the Michigan Strategic Fund, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation announced. “Michigan is proud of its auto heritage, but our goal is to be the leader in this industry for generations to come,” Gov. Rick Snyder said. “We need to stay on the cutting edge of technology connected with our vehicles. The approval of start-up funds for the American Center

for Mobility will help keep Michigan leader and continue to create more and better jobs in a thriving automotive industry. MSF approved a $2,999,900 million performance-based grant and $100 equity investment in funds transferred from the Michigan Business Development Program to the Willow Run Arsenal of Democracy Landholdings Limited Partnership . The grant request is to facilitate environmental, consulting, and other professional due diligence, and toward the property acquisition, and to provide start-up support for the American Center for Mobility. Located at the Willow Run

site in Ypsilanti Township, the center will help accelerate advanced mobility vehicle development safety while bringing economic opportunity to southeast Michigan and the United States. The American Center for Mobility is a joint initiative among the State of Michigan – including the Michigan Department of Transportation and MEDC, the University of Michigan, Business Leaders for Michigan and Ann Arbor SPARK. Stoneridge, Inc. is a global designer and manufacturer of highly engineered electrical and electronic components, modules, and systems for the commer-

See Michigan Strategic Fund Page C-2

business

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

March 30 - April 5, 2016

Michigan Strategic Fund cial vehicle, automotive, off-highway and agriculture vehicle markets. The company has experienced significant growth and continues to expand into more diverse product lines and geographic markets. It plans to relocate its headquarters from Warren, Ohio to the city of Novi to further bolster its access to customers, decision makers and development activities in the automotive technology market segment.

Break for Business:

Clement Brown, Three Thirteen Retail Store By AJ Williams It's easy to get caught up in the influence hype of the Dan Gilberts and Mike Ilitchs on the “new” Detroit. However, it would be remiss to disregard the smaller businesses that are contributing to the resurgence of Detroit through emulating what Detroit has always stood for — grassroots work. This week’s Break For Business highlights Clement Brown of Three Thirteen Retail Store: Michigan Chronicle: What Three Thirteen?

MC: What was the inspiration for Three Thirteen? CB: I've always wanted to be the person that I needed as a child. I've been making and selling clothing since age 12. When I was younger, I wasn't afforded the opportunity to have mentors and business owners that could help me achieve as an aspiring designer. I learned many lessons the hard way, mostly from my mishaps and by being taken advantage of by more seasoned business professionals. Through Three Thirteen, I’m able to showcase and sell “up and coming” local designers along with more established brands. By doing so, I help smaller brands gain the necessary exposure to have maximum impact in the marketplace.

Recovery Park Farms is a social enterprise that was launched in 2014 in Detroit to grow branded, specialty herbs and produce to sell to local chefs as a means to provide job opportunities and funding for Recovery Park. The organizations plan to acquire and redevelop about 105 acres of land on the east side of Detroit, where they will CB: Detroit has always been a “hap- develop indoor and climate controlled pening place” for me. Before my family growing technologies. The first phase of relocated here from New York, we would the project launch will generate a total visit in the summer/fall during the many capital investment of up to $1.9 million festivals that took place in Hart Plaza. and create 43 jobs for unemployed or I was only eight-years-old, and I have underemployed Detroiters. very fond memories as a child of the exWraparound services will also be procitement and energy of that time. That feeling is still alive to me. Especially vided, including housing and transpornow, with all of the international inter- tation assistance, medical/mental health est in Detroit and its resurgence. I'm assistance, professional and personal excited that our store location is down- coaching, soft skills training and basic needs. town, so we get to be a part of it all.

state, and expand business-to-business matchmaking in Michigan and more. MCIC will supply business development services to MEDC that will focus on marketing Michigan opportunities to Chinese business investors; delivering business-to-business matchmaking services; and deploying economic development professionals to build relationships, host investors in Michigan and provide the critical support necessary to close deals that will ultimately result in the creation of jobs in Michigan. MCIC will be governed by a board of directors and supported by an advisory board which will include MEDC/MSF representation. “We’ve made great progress in Michigan, and we need to continue working to boost investment in our state and create more and better jobs,” MEDC CEO Steve Arwood said. “Today’s projects, including providing start-up funds for the new American Center for Mobility, business expansions and transformational projects in Bay City and Grand Rapids downtowns, will fuel new economic activity across Michigan, strengthen communities, and create employment.” Pure Michigan is a brand representing business, talent and tourism initiatives across Michigan. These efforts are driven by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, which serves as the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business growth, jobs and opportunity with a focus on helping grow Michigan’s economy. To read this article in entirety visit michiganchronicle.com.

Jason Cole

MC: What were the reasons for opening your business in Detroit?

MC: What advice would you give other entrepreneurs? CB: I would advise entrepreneurs to understand the market that they are in and learn from the success and failures of others that came before them. MC: Last words? CB: Detroit is dope and Three Thirteen is proud to be one of the many reasons why.

MSF also approved a grant of $5 million over five years from the 21st Century Jobs Fund to support the creation, start-up costs, and capital needs of a new Michigan-China Innovation Center to be located in Michigan. MCIC will focus on operating an entrepreneurial and bi-directional business gateway between Michigan and China to generate jobs in Michigan, increase private foreign investment in the

From page C-1

assistance and capacity building training to contractors throughout the state with the planned opening of chapters in Ypsilanti, Grand Rapids and possibly Flint. “The outlook is 2016 is looking rosey. We have partnered with Goldman Sachs’ small business program which is a 16week program for working on your business as opposed to in your business,” explains Cole. “It’s really about capacity building and taking it to the next level. One of our member firms is Walker-Miller Energy Services which has been experiencing great success.” Walker Miller Energy Services has been recognized as the 2015 Best Small Businesses in Southeast Michigan by the Michigan Small Business Development Center. “We are looking to be a part of all the projects that are going on in the city, right down to a Dan Gilbert Rick Financial project,” quips Cole.

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Michigan was chosen over competing sites due to its distinct advantage of being the automotive center with access to customers, engineering capabilities and talent. The city of Novi has offered support to the project in the form of property tax abatement. MSF approved $400,000 in funding through the Michigan Strategic Fund Act for Recovery Park & Recovery Park Farms, an independent, 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization that was established in 2010 in Detroit with a mission to create sustainable jobs for people with barriers to employment.

Clement Brown: Three Thirteen “Detroit's Brand Name” is a retail store specializing in “Detroit brands.” We carry our brand along with other local and national brands. They include Detroit Hustles Harder, Rock & Revival and Lacoste to mention a few. We take pride in exposing new local brands and designers to the market

The company has been awarded a $1.4 million Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant that will support the creation of at least 70 highly-paid jobs, as well as provide flexibility for up to 70 additional jobs to support the company’s future growth needs and total capital investment of more than $5.1 million.

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FORUM 2 (NEW Date)

Monday, April 11th, 2016 7:30 a.m. Detroit Athletic Club

241 Madison Avenue, Detroit, MI 48226

Guest speaker

Governor rick Snyder State and Region Update Sponsored by

Join the conversation #pancakespolitics

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THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

March 30 - April 5, 2016

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Announcing the 2016 Men and Women of Excellence honorees Recognizing 100 of the region’s change-agents at Celebration of Excellence This year marks the Michigan Chronicle’s 80th birthday, on Friday, May 13 in Cobo Center’s Grand Ballroom at 5 p.m. we will host the Celebration of Excellence Awards Ceremony and Alumni Reunion. What is Celebration of Excellence, you ask? In honor of the Michigan Chronicle’s 80th birthday, we’ve decided to celebrate this years class of Men and Women of Excellence together in one massive Celebration of Excellence. The night will feature an awards ceremony, live entertainment, great fellowship and an alumni reunion. We’re calling on all past honorees and supporters of the Michigan Chronicle to join us in celebration! The Michigan Chronicle’s Celebration of Excellence Awards celebrates local African-American men and women who inspire others through vision and

leadership, exceptional achievements, and participation in community service. Those who have been nominated have shown exceptional success in business, community involvement, and philanthropy. Honorees were chosen from hundreds of nominees and will be joining an elite group comprised of the area’s most influential men and women. “These distinguished men and women not only have professional success to their credit but who are beacons for the African-American community throughout the region,” said Hiram Jackson, CEO of Real Times Media and publisher of Michigan Chronicle. Guess who’s coming back to host … renowned comedian and actor, Kim Coles. Best known for her ﬁve-season turn as the unforgettable “Synclaire” on FOX’s ground-breaking comedy series, Living Single. She has starred on numerous hit television programs including Frasier, Six Feet Under, In Living Color, One on One, amongst other roles. Coles has hosted this event in years

past, which makes it befitting for her to host the 80th anniversary kick-off at the Celebration of Excellence Awards. This year’s sponsors for the Celebration of Excellence are Henry Ford Health System, St. John Providence Health and Coca-Cola. Sponsorship opportunities,

tables and tickets are still available, call your account representative at 313-9635522. Tickets are $85 and Honoree Tables of ten are $850. Follow the conversation @michronicle on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram #MOEWOE2016

Michigan Health Endowment Fund announces $8M in grant programs to support children and seniors statewide Improving the quality of life for Michigan’s children and seniors is the focus of up to $8 million in grants announced by the Michigan Health Endowment Fund.

An additional $3 million will be available for the Community Health Impact responsive grant program addressing MHEF’s overall mission and eight focus areas.

Nearly $5 million of the new grant dollars – approved by the MHEF Board of Directors recently – will be available for application by Michigan non-profit organizations and public agencies working to improve behavioral health, with an emphasis on children and older adults.

“The Michigan Health Endowment Board is committed to investing in programs that support our most vulnerable residents, children and seniors,” said Rob Fowler, board chairman. “We’re looking forward to working with organizations helping to make a positive

and meaningful difference in advancing the health and wellness of Michigan residents and communities across our state.” “Behavioral health is a key component of overall health and wellness,” said Paul Hillegonds, executive director of Michigan Health Endowment Fund. “Our hope is that these grants will contribute to the accessibility and quality of mental health services while reducing barriers to integrated care and service delivery. Our other

grant program will help support our broad-based initiatives as well as help us target areas like infant mortality and foster and adopted children health services.” Respondents have until Monday, May 16 at 5 p.m. to submit applications for consideration. Grant awards will be announced on July 28. Created in 2013, the mission of the MHEF is to improve and make a significant and measurable impact on improving the

health of Michigan residents, with a special emphasis on health and wellness of children and seniors. The MHEF recently launched their five-year comprehensive strategic plan (2016-2020) focusing on important issues where the Fund can achieve a lasting impact. Although the Fund will continue to focus on grant making, it will leverage the impact of the grants to share knowledge, convene and engage various stakeholders, and inform public policy on health in Michigan.

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THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

March 30 - April 5, 2016

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NoVo Foundation announces $90 million investment in girls and young women of color across U.S. Michigan Chronicle Reports

Largest commitment ever made by a private foundation to address the structural inequities facing girls and young women of color in the United States The NoVo Foundation, created in 2006 by Jennifer and Peter Buffett, today announced a seven-year, $90 million commitment to support and deepen the movement for girls and young women of color in the United States. The funds will support grassroots programming and advocacy, as well as national-level policy and culture change efforts, that are girl-led, girl-driven and designed to address the systemic and institutional challenges faced by girls and young women of color across the country. This commitment builds on the leadership of women of color who have worked for years to further this movement. As part of the process for identifying how to invest this $90 million commitment, NoVo will launch a series of regional learning sessions across the country to hear directly from girls and young women of color, as well as advocates. The sessions are designed to engage and invite ideas from local communities on what is needed to grow the movement in a lasting and meaningful way. “ I n h e r e n t l y, girls and young women of color already hold incredible power and potential. This work is about dismantling the barriers that prevent them from realizing that potential and leading us toward a truly transformative movement for change,” said Jennifer Buffett, co-president of the NoVo Foundation. “Our goal is to create the conditions for change by advancing the work of the real experts in this movement: girls and young women of color and the advocates working with them,” added Peter Buffett, co-president. NoVo has long supported work with adolescent girls, going back to its inception in 2006. Most of that work has focused on girls in the Global South, and the foundation’s board has also committed to deepen its work in the Global South for the next seven years. In the United States, the foundation first began working with girls and young women of color, including trans and gender nonconforming youth, over four years ago, beginning with exploratory grantmaking and the launch of an initial strategy in 2014. Today’s announcement represents a commitment to substantially deepen this work across the country. Over the long term, all of these efforts will help to deepen a transnational movement to address the challenges faced by girls throughout the world. Regional Convenings to Learn from Young Women and Girls of Color Central to the design of NoVo’s emerging work is the belief that girls and young women of color are experts in their own lives and must be invested in

as they lead efforts to transform systems of inequity. As the foundation works to learn directly from young women and girls of color (and their advocates), it will be traveling to regions in the country that have remained largely isolated from philanthropic attention and from the chance to engage in national conversations on gender and racial justice. To ensure that the foundation is gathering a wide range of perspectives to inform its national strategy, NoVo staff will over the next several months travel to the South, Southeast and Midwest to meet with young women, advocates and activists working to create change in their communities. The foundation is also engaging leaders in New York City, New Orleans, Washington DC and other cities where it has ongoing partnerships. Following these regional meetings, NoVo will determine the priorities and grant making strategy for this new work, and in early 2017 will announce the funding process. A Growing Movement Over the last several years, the leadership of advocates and organizers, the vast majority of whom are women of color, has elevated a national conversation about the structural inequities faced by girls and young women of color. NoVo grantee partners such as Girls for Gender Equity, The African-American Policy Forum, A Long Walk Home and others, have organized town halls and hosted discussions to hear directly from girls about their lives and priorities for the future. Building off of this work, the White House Council of Women and Girls recently announced two milestone commitments totaling $118 million from various women’s foundations and academic institutions across the country to improve the lives of young women of color through new programs and research. Yesterday, the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls, the first ever caucus devoted to advancing public policy that eliminates the specific disparities facing Black girls and women, was announced. Last year, the Foundation for a Just Society, Ms. Foundation for Women, New York Women’s Foundation, Communities for Just Schools Fund, and NoVo partnered to launch Grantmakers for Girls of Color, an online platform that brings together the latest research, data and news to promote collective strategizing and partnership across philanthropy. NoVo, in partnership with Grantmakers for Girls of Color, will host a national convening on May 19 in New York City with over seventy funders to discuss efforts to address structural inequity facing Black girls and young women. “Across philanthropy and far beyond, we see unprecedented potential to ensure that girls and young women of color finally move from invisibility to investment, “ said Pamela Shifman, executive director of the NoVo Foundation. “Now is our chance to work together to harness this moment and ensure it is

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translated into long-term, meaningful change.” About Girls and Young Women of Color

Twenty-two trans women and girls were murdered in 2015, with women and girls of color making up a disproportionate number of the victims.

In the United States, girls and young women of color face deep-seated disparities. From birth, girls of color are more likely to face poverty than white girls: over 60% of girls of color are born to families living on low incomes or below the poverty line. They’re also more likely to suffer child sexual abuse, be sexually harassed on the street and at school, and experience dating violence. Distinct differences in the ways in which class, race, immigration status, sexual identity, youth, and other identities intersect in the lives of girls of color also drive unique disparities. Black girls, for example, are six times more likely to be suspended in school than their white peers. Native American girls experience the highest rate of physical assault by an intimate partner.

The NoVo Foundation is dedicated to building a more just and balanced world. Founded in 2006 by Jennifer and Peter Buffett, NoVo has become one of the largest private foundations in the world to support initiatives focused explicitly on girls and women. It also works to advance social and emotional learning and promote local living economies.

“Despite the data, there is a persistent and widespread notion that girls and young women of color in the United States are doing fine,” said Pamela Shifman, executive director of the NoVo Foundation. “That’s an incredibly dangerous myth, and it’s standing in the way of ensuring that girls and young women of color are the focus of the research, investment and action they so urgently deserve.”

Detroit April 19-24, 2016 FREE ADMISSION TO VENUES

Join the Michigan Chronicle Team as an Integrated Media Specialist

EVENTS Tuesday, April 19 • Charles Wright Museum of African American History

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Wednesday, April 20 • Michigan Science Center

· 3-4 years of ad sales experience. · Strong sales skills with a proven track record of success. · Strong presentation and communication skills. · The ability to build strong client relationships. · Motivation and ability to work within a team environment.

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THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

March 30 - April 5, 2016

3 Metro-Detroit Entrepreneurs Create Million Dollar Box Company

Multi-Training Systems names Rhonda Welsh VP of Training and Business Development

By AJ Williams

Multi-Training Systems, a leader in training and consulting, announced the addition of Rhonda Welsh as vice president of Training and Business Development, further filling out its team.

Subscription box services are one of the fastest growing trends in the startup world. From cosmetics to fashion to food, the subscription box concept is pretty simple; customers sign up for monthly or weekly deliveries of curated items hand-picked by the vendor. Many entrepreneurs are jumping into the subscription box world after realizing the potential for recurring revenues from sending inventoried items to new customers. Christopher George and John Haji, both metro-Detroit natives, created the Gentleman’s Box, a high-end subscription service that caters to men and delivers grooming products, style advice, and fashion essentials on a monthly basis for $25. The Gentleman’s Box brings the latest fashion and accessories to your door each month along with the latest issue of GQ magazine.

Welsh’s appointment comes at an opportune time. A recent Gallup Poll reported that 63% of employees worldwide are “not engaged” which means they lack the motivation to invest discretionary effort in organizational goals. This can be detrimental to company culture and productivity, but training is a key motivator. According to another study, 76% of employees named career growth opportunities Rhonda Welsh as one of the top three non-financial motivators. MTS has a long history of providing solutions that position leaders and individual contributors for advancement. Welsh will join the executive team that determines MTS’ future focus. Her responsibilities include overseeing marketing and communication initiatives with special emphasis on leveraging social media and digital platforms, acting as the organization’s media spokesperson and building strategic partnerships. She will also provide input on curriculum and work closely with program developers and facilitators. "Rhonda brings a diverse knowledge base to MTS and she joins at a true industry inflection point, where we can realize the potential of embracing the social media landscape more fully,” said Donna Murray Charles, CEO and co-founder, Multi-Training Systems. “We are excited by what she will bring to the team.” Welsh joins MTS from Wayne State University’s College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts where she founded the buzz-worthy program, “The Business of Art,” and managed alumni relations. Other key roles include leading public relations at the College for Creative Studies where she worked on the initial public relations team for Shinola Detroit’s launch and several years spent at St. John Providence Health System where her responsibilities included oversight of community and civic relations, marketing, advertising, and communications leadership for the Van Elslander Pavilion project. “We are so pleased that Rhonda has joined MTS,” said Dr. Marilynn Bell, CLO and co-founder, Multi-Training Systems. “She brings a wealth of experience from healthcare, education, non-profits and the arts. We look forward to her expert input as we expand our program offerings and develop even more training solutions that get to the heart of what our customers need.” Welsh is a practicing artist and she is passionate about arts and cultural advocacy. She has held board and volunteer positions with several organizations including the African-American 490 Challenge, Volunteers of America, National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), Teen Hype, the Detroit Institute of Arts, Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), New Detroit and the Rhonda Walker Foundation. Welsh received a B.A. in English and an M.A. in Public Relations and Organizational Communication from Wayne State University. For nearly 25 years, MTS has provided nationwide training solutions with global benchmarking in 14 countries. MTS designs and delivers value-added training solutions that have helped organizations achieve increased levels of communication, performance, productivity, quality, safety, morale, and customer satisfaction. MTS reinforces training with targeted follow-up coaching to ensure that new skills, behaviors, and processes are applied and maintained in the workplace.

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Owner of Sno Biz Detroit to be honored at 32nd Annual Award Celebration By Tatiana Wheeler

CEED Lending program at an event held at Wayne County Community College. CEED Lending is an initiative of the Great Lakes Women’s Business Council which has provided more than $6 million in small business loans.

The Great Lakes Women’s Business Council is hosting their 32nd Annual Award Celebration on April 1 to honor supporters, partners, and members. This year that includes Mickey Ellis, owner of Sno Biz Detroit. Sno Biz Detroit is not a snow cone. Instead, it is shaved ice available in a variety of flavors topped with delicious custard.

Ellis was able to purchase the trailer, equipment, and location to prep her flavors. You can now find Sno Biz Detroit all around the city at festivals, special events like River Days, and other sites. She can even come to office buildings and wedding receptions.

Ellis’ love affair with shaved ice began while visiting her hometown of Mississippi. She saw a crowd of people lined up at a Sno Biz truck. She knew then that she wanted to bring the treat back to Detroit.

Next Ellis is expanding her empire., with a dream of having her own storefront. The CEED Lending program plans to be there every step of the way. "What makes Great Lakes Women's Business Council different is that they believed in my dreams, my vision," said Ellis.

Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, Mickey has always been surrounded by the entrepreneurial spirit. However, it wasn’t until the economic downturn which resulted in her husband’s job loss and the loss of their home that pushed her to take those initial steps. “I wanted to be in control of my own destiny”, said Ellis.

Meet Mickey Ellis, and other honorees, at the 32nd Annual Awards Celebration on Thursday, April 21st at Suburban Collection Showplace. For more information and to register, www.greatlakeswbc. org

At the persistence of her sister, now deceased, Ellis was introduced to the

To find out more about Sno Biz Detroit visit, www.snobizdetroit.com

You think you may have seen this before, but you haven’t. The Gentleman’s Box is the first box curated exclusively to gentlemen. We all know when it comes to shopping, men usually get the short end of the stick - but not any more. The Gentleman’s Box is at a growing list of 5,000 subscribers worldwide and internationally. While the subscription box space gets more crowded by the day, the Gentleman’s Box continues to stand out and expand their reach and target market with their partnership with GQ Magazine and their marketing approach – honoring gentlemen they admire. “Over the years, many renowned individuals have defined what it means to be a modern gentleman. Through courage, charisma and admiration, these men have become icons to fellow gentlemen. To pay homage to their success, a new gentleman is selected as each month’s theme,” said John Haji, COO. “The products inside each Gentleman’s Box are picked to reflect the class and style of that month’s featured individual.” The February box, “Dreamer,” was curated after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and included: Deadsoxy Franklin Socks, My Suited Life Midnight Sleek Tie, Urban Professor La Camille Lapel Flower – $24, Gentleman’s Box Silver Tie Bar, and Dude Wipes totaling over $100 in value. Gentleman’s Box CEO George says their goal is to reach 200,000 subscribers at the end of 2016. Although most subscribers are in the U.S., George says the company has customers in 40 countries, the majority of whom are in Canada and the U.K.

Dark and Lovely to celebrate black women at BLACK GIRLS ROCK! event to air on BET /PRNewswire/ — Dark and Lovely®, the brand that is proudly dedicated to the legacy of serving haircare and styling needs of African American women, is pleased to be the exclusive beauty product sponsor of the BLACK GIRLS ROCK!™ 2016 Star Power Award and the BLACK GIRLS ROCK! 2016 pre-reception. Dark and Lovely is proud to partner with BLACK GIRLS ROCK!™, which celebrates the accomplishments of Black women who are inspirational and positive role models, making a difference in the world of arts, philanthropy and their local communities. The coveted Star Power Award, presented by Dark and Lovely, will be given to an outstanding woman dominating her field— and the 2016 recipient, Danai Gurira, will be added to a list of strong African American female honorees, including Jada Pinkett Smith and Kerry Washington. “The Dark and Lovely family is honored to commemorate Danai Gurira at BLACK GIRLS ROCK!™ 2016, as well as the host of other extraordinary women who are making a difference and inspiring young women within the African American community,” said Sivonne Davis, assistant vice president, Marketing, Dark and Lovely. “Our brand prides itself on helping African American women celebrate their unique and highly individual styles through innovative products,

that have been specially designed for their needs. This platform, as well as the inspiring honorees, brings our vision to life. Together we are dark and lovely women who rock!" Dark and Lovely was introduced over 40 years ago as the first color product formulated specifically for African American women. Now, decades later, Dark and Lovely has grown to include a complete collection of deep conditioning treatments, shampoos, fade-resistant hair colors, stylers and a full line of products specifically designed for naturally curly hair: Dark and Lovely Au Naturale, which takes the guesswork out of styling and caring for natural hair, whether your hair type is curly, wavy, kinky or coiled. For more information about Dark and Lovely, visit www.darkandlovely.com, and join the conversation on Facebook: /darkandlovely, Twitter: @darkandlovely, Instagram: @ official_darkandlovely and YouTube. BLACK GIRLS ROCK!™ will premiere on Tuesday, April 5, at 8:00 PM/7:00 PM Central on BET networks.

Wayback Burgers opening new Michigan location America’s hometown burger joint to add jobs to the area economy Wayback Burgers, serving delicious, fresh, never frozen burgers and handdipped milkshakes amidst an atmosphere reminiscent of a hometown burger joint, today announced its newest restaurant, located at 22000 Ford Rd. in Dearborn Heights, slated to open in spring 2016. The restaurant is the first Wayback Burgers location owned and operated by local franchisees Hussein D. Saab and Latifeh M. Sabbagh, and will be the fourth store in the state of Michigan. Once opened, Wayback Burgers of Dearborn Heights will add approximately 15 new jobs to the local economy. Wayback Burgers offers burgers made from 100 percent fresh, never frozen

ground beef, cooked to order, available as a single, classic double, triple and triple triple (nine) patty, and rich, thick milkshakes made the old-fashioned way by hand, using only fresh milk and hand-dipped ice cream, served in an environment that hearkens back to a simpler place and time – when “customer service” meant something and everyone felt the warmth of the community. Going “way” beyond the burger, Wayback Burgers offers crispy and grilled chicken sandwiches, veggie burgers,

turkey burgers, fresh salads and delicious sides, including fries, onion rings, home-style chili and house-made chips. “We are excited to open our first Wayback Burgers location in Dearborn Heights this spring,” said Hussein D. Saab, local franchisee. “We believe that the area is a great fit for the brand, and we look forward to providing excellent service and top notch burgers, fries, shakes and more for foodies in Dearborn Heights and beyond.”

“We are pleased to announce that we will be opening a Wayback Burgers in Dearborn Heights, and continuing our growth in Michigan,” said John Eucalitto, president of Wayback Burgers. “With steady debt-free growth, operations in 26 states and new locations opening at a rate of two per month, it’s an exciting time to be a part of the Wayback Burgers brand, and we wouldn’t be able to achieve this level of success without great franchise partners like Hussein and Latifeh and their team.” The new Wayback Burgers of Dearborn Heights will encompass a 1,600 square-foot design, featuring a warm red barn board interior with white and stainless steel accents, modeled after the great American roadside burger joint. For more information about Wayback Burgers, visit www.WaybackBurgers. com, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Page C-6 • THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE • March 30 - April 5, 2016

Faces

of the 2016 Michigan Chronicle Men and Women of Excellence Honorees

It’s our birthday and we’re celebrating with some of Detroit’s most successful people. See the full list at michiganchronicle.com/ events/celebration-of-excellence. Join the celebration, purchase tables and tickets today. Call 963-5522.

May 13, 2016 | Cobo Center

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Reflections By Steve Holsey

Who knew? The first show of the new season of “Dancing with the Stars” was more entertaining than many of us expected, with several surprisingly good performances. Wanya Morris, 42, of Boyz II Men proved himself to be an outstanding dancer, light on his feet (he’s a plus-size guy) and smooth as silk. A lot of us got a kick out of it when he said joyously at the onset, “I’m going to have fun, lose some weight and meet new people!”

Fantasia

Ruben Studdard

End of the road for

Wanya Morris

‘American Idol’

Nyle DiMarco

And then there was Nyle DiMarco, best known for winning on “America’s Next Top Model.” He is deaf, yet moved with such precision that it was more than difficult to believe that he couldn’t hear the music. Giving the worst performance by far was Geraldo Rivera, who was the first star to be eliminated the following week. He was as bad as Billy Dee Williams. Of course, the worst of all time was Master P. Why do these people with no rhythm set themselves up for embarrassment? WHEN something has been done to perfection — and in this case made history in the process — it is baffling why anyone would feel the need to do a remake. We refer to the new version of “Roots,” offered to the public via The History Network and scheduled to air in four parts starting on May 30 on both Lifetime and A&E. Levar Burton, who Levar Burton was Kunta Kente in the original miniseries, serves as co-executive producer and makes a cameo appearance. The stars include Forest Whitaker, Laurence Fishburne and Anika Noni Rose. If people want to see “Roots” again, the original, which was watched in 1977 by more than half of the U.S. population, is easy to access. FIRST LADY Michelle Obama probably blushed when she read or heard about the lavish praise bestowed on her by singer-actress Kelly Rowland, formerly of Destiny Child and a hitmaker in her own right.

…but what a road!

By Steve Holsey

Season 3 finalist LaToya London perhaps said it best: “‘American Idol’ changed my life.” The show, now winding down in its 15th season, has changed a lot of lives, served as a launching pad for several major careers — even producing a few superstars — and there was even an Academy Award winner. And speaking of Jennifer Hudson’s 2013 Oscar triumph for her amazing work in “Dreamgirls,” original judge Randy Jackson said that was the elimination that disappointed him most. (Hudson was also from season 3.) Jackson even went so far as to describe Hudson as his “wow card” that year. “I really thought she could go all the way,” he said adding, “But she’s proven that she could and she has.” In other words, Jennifer Hudson didn’t win but she won. Same for Adam Lambert. MOST PEOPLE believe that Jackson, Paula Abdul and the infamous Simon Cowell were the best judges — and Randy Jackson couldn’t agree with them more. “A lot of them have been good, but I think me, Paula and Simon were the best ever,” he said without sounding like a braggart. “We discovered some great talents who have gone on to do great things.” Host Ryan Seacrest concurs: “Nothing will be quite like the original trio of judges. It just worked.”

Jennifer Hudson

Jordin Sparks

Kelly Clarkson

Randy Jackson, Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul Candice Glover

Michelle Obama

Kelly Rowland

“I am a huge, huge Michelle Obama supporter,” Rowland gushed. “She’s a woman of purpose who stands by her word. She’s just amazing. To me, she’s right up there with God!” Come to think of it, the Creator may have thought that was a bit much! Anita Baker had a No. 1 national hit in 1977 with “Angel,” a song she cowrote, and now, 33 years later, Lalah Hathaway is No. 1 on the Billboard Adult R&B Songs chart with her version, from her “Lalah Hathaway Live” album. PRINCE, whose amazing career spans 38 years, has decided to write his autobiography, to be published late next year by Spiegel & Grau, which operates under Random House. That should be an interesting Prince read, especially if he decides to go with total honesty. One thing a lot of people would like to know is how Prince manages to look so good at the age of 57. The Supremes’ iconic superhit “Where Did Our Love Go?” is among the 25 recordings newly inducted into the prestigious Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry. The songs chosen represent their “cultural, artistic and/or

See Reflections Page D-2

Carrie Underwood

LaToya London

Adam Lambert

Kimberley Locke

Of course, “American Idol” is not as exciting now. The ratings — though no longer through the roof — are still on the plus side, but the show is not a sensation today. It has run its course and it seems only right to bring down the curtain. Better to leave while a show is still popular than to keep it going and eventually receive a cancellation notice. But the glory years were incredible, and each season viewers became attached to the finalists. (We will not discuss all of the horrendous auditions, although a very large number of people found them interesting…and funny.) SO MANY memorable performances, such as Fantasia’s awesome “Summertime,” Melinda Doolittle’s goosebump-inducing “My Funny Valentine,” Adam Lambert’s stylized interpretation of “I Walk the Line,” Bo Bice’s exciting rendition of “For the Love of Money,” Clay Aiken’s big production delivery of “Bridge Over Trouble Water,” LaToya London’s breezy “Don’t Rain on My Parade” and Constantine Maroulis’ conquering of the very difficult “Bohemian Rhapsody.” “American Idol” is certainly not the first televised talent search, and it won’t be the last. But no show of this type has produced so many stars. How many, for example, can you name from “Star Search,” “The Voice” and “The X-Factor”? My point exactly. Not every finalist went on to huge stardom, and in some cases the success was fleeting, but the number of success stories is incredible. IN ADDITION to the ones already named, there’s Tamyra Gray, Scotty McCreery, Chris Daughtry, Mandisa, David Archuleta, Chikezie, Lil Rounds, Naima Adedapo, Mario Vasquez, George Huff, Rickey Smith, Kris Allen, Trynyce,

Ryan Seacrest

See American Idol Page D-2

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R&B singer, J. Drew opts to take The Long Way Home By Patreice A. Massey I recently had the op portunity to sit down with Detroit native, J.Drew a Grammy-nominated sing er/songwriter/producer and son of prominent Bishop J. Drew Sheard and gospel legend Karen Clark-Sheard. The inter view took place at De troit’s legendary United Sound Systems Record ing Studios on Second Ave. The list of artists and timeless hits that came from within the walls of this studio is un real. “What’s Going On” by Marvin Gaye, “More Bounce To The Ounce” by Roger Troutman & Zapp, “Sisters Are Doin’ it For Themselves” Aretha Franklin & The Euryth mics, “Rapture” by Anita Baker, “Real Love” by the Doobie Brothers and “You Brought The Sunshine” by The Clark Sisters just to name a few. As J. Drew, walked in he was very low key and soft-spoken giving out hugs and handshakes to everyone in the room. Although he’s inked a production deal with su perstar producer Pharrell Williams and signed to Live TMG as an artist he remains a humble dude. More importantly he comes across as honest and genuine. From speaking to J. Drew its clear that not only is music his pas sion, it’s also his birth right. His mother Karen Clark-Sheard, is a world renowned gospel singer who was also in the leg endary gospel group The Clark sisters with sisters Jacky Clark Chisholm, Elbernita "Twinkie" Clark-Terrell, and Dorin da Clark-Cole. “I was born into music. It was just something I couldn’t deny,” he says. “My mothers a singer, my aunts, my sister-- it was just something I was al

ways around and it just naturally translated to me.” If you watched his fam ily’s reality show, titled “The Sheards’ on BET you may have noticed that there was some fami ly conflict around J. Drew performing R&B music. But as he explained, you cannot believe everything you see on TV. “My par ents have always been very supportive of me and my decision to make the type of music I make,” he said. “My dad actual ly introduced me to a lot of soul artists from the 70’s and 80’s. So the con flict you saw on the show with me and my dad going back and forth over my music was all in the name of ‘good television’. Not real at all. They are ex tremely supportive of me and my music.” J. Drew’s latest EP, “TLWH75South”, was re cently released without warning or promotion, and is about his growth as an artist and young man. “I added the "75 south" as a metaphor to show I'm willing to take alternative routes to get to my destination. “That's why the music sounds so

American Idol Taylor Hicks, Kellie Pickler, Elliott Ya min, Anoop Desai, Katherine McPhee, David Cook, Justin Guarini, Nikko Smith, Paris Bennett, LaKisha Jones, Anwar Robinson, Jason Castro and on it goes. For the “Idol” finalists, there have been hit records, chances to perform in Broadway productions and more. On the negative side, “American Idol” took it hit during season 12 when two of the replacement judges, Nicki Minaj and Mariah Car ey made it clear that they didn’t like each other. The sniping was distracting, and in a way made the show seem more about the judges than the contestants. Sometimes Minaj would even turn her head in the opposite di rection when Carey was speaking. THE CURRENT judges are Harry Connick, Jr., Jennifer Lopez and Keith

Reflections historical significance to American soci ety and the nation’s aural legacy.” Among the other honored songs are Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive,” Billy Joel’s “Piano Man” and both versions of “Mack the Knife,” one by Bobby Darin, the other by Louis Armstrong. BETCHA DIDN’T KNOW…that al though Dionne Warwick always claims the classic “What the World Needs Now is Love” as her own, it was Jackie De Shannon who had the big hit with the song. However, Warwick did record it first, but it was an album cut, not a sin gle. MEMORIES (Temptations “B” sides): “You’ll Lose a Precious Love,” “Fading

different than the first EP titled simply #TLWH,” he said. This self-written and produced 9-song R&B collection is young, fresh and sonically eclectic. I attended the TLWH 75South concert on Sat urday and was pleasant ly surprised at the show this PK (Preacher’s Kid) put on. As a performer J. Drew was definitely live ly and high-spirited and his band was pretty dope as well, really setting the tone and keeping up with J. Drew’s impromptu de cision to play songs at the audiences’ request. Ad mittedly still “developing as an artist” he had great energy and worked the room with the swagger of a veteran performer. As he went through his catalogue of songs, I kept trying to think of an art ist to compare him to— you know in case some one asks. He really does have his own sound but at times he reminded me of a young D’Angelo when he busts out that falsetto (“In Da Moaning”), mixed with a little bit of Drake (“I See You”). The unique ness in his production in terms of keyboard usage, musical arrangement and

use of atypical sounds gave me a little bit of a Ryan Leslie/Neptunes vibe. However, don’t get it twisted J. Drew is in his own lane. J. Drew is excited for all of his fans to hear his latest offerings. “I've been getting more personal with my music and this project gave me a chance to speak to my fans on a more personal level,” he said. I got to touch on how I feel about the things I'm going through in life from relationships, to my mom, to my friends. It's all in there. Definitely the most I've used my per sonal experiences while still having that creative musical element my fans like. It was dope for me.” To be in the know about all things J. Drew visit his website, jdrewof ficial.com and follow him on Instagram @jdrews heard_jds. He is already back in the studio cook ing up more heat for his follow up, so stay tuned, as this is definitely one artist to watch. Patreice Massey is a staff writer for the Michigan Chronicle and can be reached at 313-9638100 ext 266 or via email at pmassey@realtimesmedia.com.

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From page D-1 Urban. The previous judges were Ste ven Tyler, Ellen DeGeneres and Kara DioGuardi. There are those, within and outside of the industry, who say it isn’t fair for people to land record ing contracts and become stars from a talent search TV show when others have toiled “the hard way” for years. Understandable feel ing, but it is what it is. “American Idol,” creat ed by Simon Fuller, made its debut on June 11, 2002 and clicked immediately with the American viewing audi ence, crossing all age and ethnic lines. Regarding the explosive success of “American Idol,” Ryan Seacrest stated, “I don’t think any of us ever thought about the magnitude of success it would have, on television and in popular cul ture. I had no idea it would be what it was.”

From page D-1 Away,” “I Truly, Truly Believe” (featuring Melvin Franklin), “Don’t Look Back,” “You’ve Got to Earn It.” BLESSINGS to V. Lonnie Peek Jr., Ronnie McNeir, Chuck Bennett, Kathy Adams, Derek Dirckson, John Mason, Ronceen Johnson, Stephanie Washing ton, Keith Washington, Donnie Simp son, Marcus Amick and Jason Flowers. WORDS OF THE WEEK, from Mari anne Williamson: “Love is what we were born with. Fear is what we learned.” Let the music play! Steve Holsey can be reached at Svh517@aol.com and PO Box 02843, Detroit, MI 48202.

UNIVERSAL PICTURES PRESENTS AN ON THE DAY/GARY SANCHEZ PRODUCTION MELISSA MCCARTHY MUSIC “TEXECUTIVE HE BOSS” KRISTEN BELL KATHY BATES TYLER LABINE AND PETER DINKLAGE BY CHRISTOPHER LENNERTZ PRODUCED PRODUCERS ROB COWAN KEVIN MESSICK BY MELISSA MCCARTHY p.g.a. BEN FALCONE p.g.a. WILL FERRELL WRITTEN ADAM MCKAY CHRIS HENCHY p.g.a. BY MELIDIRECTEDSSA MCCARTHY & BEN FALCONE & STEVE MALLORY A UNIVERSAL PICTURE BY BEN FALCONE © 2015 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS

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Page D-3

ANNOUNCEMENTS ANNUAL ACTION PLAN The Annual Action Plan includes the following discussions:

CITY OF DETROIT HOUSING AND REVITALIZATION DEPARTMENT

• Homeless & Other Special Needs • HOPWA Goals • Barriers to Affordable Housing • Other Actions • Program Specific Requirement

• Expected Resources • Annual Goals and Objectives • Projects • Geographic Distribution • Affordable Housing • Public Housing

MICHAEL E. DUGGAN, MAYOR

FEDERAL RESOURCES

SUMMARY AND NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON 2015-2019 CONSOLIDATED PLAN STRATEGY 2016-2017 DRAFT ACTION PLAN

City of Detroit Action Plan revenues for 2015-2016 and projected revenues for 2016-2017 are shown below:

The City of Detroit through its Housing and Revitalization Department (H&RD) will conduct a public hearing regarding the Draft HUD Consolidated Plan and 2016-2017 Draft Action Plan. The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 13, 2016 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the following location: Coleman A. Young Municipal Center (CAYMC) Housing and Revitalization Department 2 Woodward Avenue, Suite 908 Detroit, MI 48226

Program

This notice provides a summary of the HUD Consolidated Plan and the 2016-2017 Draft Action Plan. The Draft Action Plan funding recommendations will be available for public review beginning March 30, 2016 to April 29, 2016 in the offices of the Housing and Revitalization Department and online at: http://www.detroitmi.gov/How-Do-I/Grants At the public hearing, citizens may obtain information and submit comments regarding the 2015-2019 HUD Consolidated Plan and 2016-2017 Draft Action Plan. Citizens may also submit comments by letter (at the address shown below), appointment, telephone, or by e-mail at 2016ConPlanComments@detroitmi.gov on or by April 29, 2016. For further information, please contact: S.L. Gray Housing and Revitalization Department 2 Woodward Avenue, Suite 908 Detroit, MI 48226 Telephone: (313) 224-6380 BACKGROUND The 2015-2019 HUD Consolidated Plan is a five-year Strategic Plan with annual Action Plan updates. The Strategic Plan describes the needs, conditions, goals, objectives, priorities, strategies, resources and programs related to community development, affordable housing, the homeless, and persons with special needs, including persons living with HIV/AIDS. The 2016-2017 program year marks the second annual Action Plan update for the 2015-2019 Consolidated Plan. The Draft 2016-2017 Action Plan is the City of Detroit’s annual funding application for the following HUD funded programs: • Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) • HOME Investment Partnership (HOME) • Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) • Housing Opportunities For Persons With AIDS (HOPWA) SUMMARY OF THE 2015-2019 HUD CONSOLIDATED PLAN AND 2016-2017 DRAFT ACTION PLAN CONTENTS The HUD Consolidated Plan contains the following major sections with discussions following: • Strategic Plan • Annual Action Plan • Certifications EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Executive Summary includes a summary of objectives, outcomes, and major sections identified in the plan.

CDBG Entitlement CDBG Program Income CDBG Other Revenues HOME HOME Program Income

$31,530,048

$31,372,385

$31,530,048

$31.372,385

$4,069,260

$4,224,369

$500,000

ESG

$2,862,103

$2,838,335

HOPWA

$2,460,771

$2,695,671

$40,922,182

$41,630,760

Grand Total

2016-2017 DRAFT ACTION PLAN FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS Listed below are the Mayor’s 2016-2017 draft recommendations by program categories for CDBG, ESG, HOME, and HOPWA grants. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT (CDBG) 2016-2017 Draft Allocations

Activity Category

HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP 2016-2017 Draft Allocations

Activity Category

ADMIN AND PLANNING (ADPLN)

ADPLN

$7,175,689

ADMIN AND PLANNING (ADPLN)

DEMOLITION (DEMO)

DEMO

$3,063,270

HOME Projects

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (ED)

$3,000,000

Program Income

HOMELESS PUBLIC SERVICE (HPS)

HPS

$2,537,347

HOME REPAIR (HR)

$5,559,076

PUBLIC FACILITY REHAB (PFR)

PFR

$1,400,000

PUBLIC SERVICE

$3,450,000

SECTION 108 LOANS (REPAY)

Repay

$3,431,953

COMMERCIAL REHAB (CR)

UNPROGRAMMED FUNDS (UNPRG)

UNPRG

TOTAL CDBG

THE PROCESS

2016-2017 Revenue Projections

2015-2016 Revenue

CDBG Subtotal

INFORMATION AND PUBLIC REVIEW

• Executive Summary • The Process • Needs Assessment • Market Analysis

2016-2017 Action Plan Revenue Projections

ADPLN

$422,436 $3,801,933

$500,000

$336,411 $1,418,639 $31,372,385

TOTAL HOME

$4,724,369

The Process section summarizes responsible agencies, consultation process and citizen participation. NEEDS ASSESSMENT

EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANTS (ESG)

The Needs Assessment section discusses housing needs (i.e. low and moderate income housing problems) and Public Housing needs. This section will also include homeless, nonhomeless special needs assessments, and non-housing community development needs. MARKET ANALYSIS The Market Analysis section includes the following discussions: • Number of Housing Units • Cost of Housing • Condition of Housing • Public and Assisted Housing • Homeless Facilities

• Special Needs Facilities and Services • Barriers to Affordable Housing • Non-Housing Community Development Assets • Needs and Market Analysis Discussion

STRATEGIC PLAN The Strategic Plan includes the following discussions: • Geographic Priorities • Priority Needs • Influence of Market Conditions • Anticipated Resources • Institutional Delivery Structure • Goals

• Public Housing Accessibility and Involvement • Barriers to Affordable Housing • Homelessness Strategy • Lead Based Paint Hazards • Anti-Poverty Strategy • Monitoring

2016-2017 Draft Allocations

Activity Category ADMIN AND PLANNING (ADPLN)

ADPLN

ESG Projects TOTAL ESG

$212,875

HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERSONS WITH AIDS (HOPWA) 2016-2017 Draft Allocations

Activity Category ADMIN AND PLANNING (ADPLN)

ADPLN

$80,870

$2,625,460

HOPWA Projects

$2,614,801

$2,838,335

TOTAL HOPWA

$2,695,671

Important Note: These Recommendations Are Subject To The Approval Of The Detroit City Council And The U.S. Department Of Housing And Urban Development (HUD). City Council May Change The Amounts, Add Projects And Activities, Or Delete Projects And Activities. In Addition, HUD May Set Conditions on the Use of These Funds. NOTICE OF NON-DISCRIMINATION: The City of Detroit does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, age, handicap, sex or sexual orientation. Discrimination complaints may be filed with the City of Detroit, Human Rights Department, 1230 Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, Detroit, Michigan 48226

Tips to Efficiently Prepare and File Taxes (StatePoint) Tax season can be one of the most, well, taxing times of year, especially for chronic procrastinators who make up about 20 percent of the American public, according to research conducted at DePaul University. Why drag out the stress? Here are some great ways to streamline the process of preparing and filing taxes: Review Forms As you receive your W-2, 1099s and other tax forms, review each document right away to ensure it’s accurate. Then, file these forms in one place so they will be ready for you when you’re ready to file. E-File Consider filing taxes online. The IRS provides a free database of e-file providers, as well as information on free tax preparation for qualifying individuals and families. More information and resources can be found at www.irs.gov. Get Ready For business owners, it may make sense to turn to professionals for tax filing services, but many individuals have relatively uncomplicated financial situations and can save a lot of money by preparing taxes on their own. However, the right tools will make the process go more smoothly. For quick calculations, make sure that

you’re equipped with tools like a desktop calculator with tax calculation functionality. For example, those from Casio are ideal for home or office use. You can reduce your margin of error by keeping better documentation of your tax paperwork and better notations throughout the preparation and filing process. Consider a calculator with printing functionality, such as the HR-8TMPlus printing calculator, which has an easy-to-read big LCD display, prints 1.6 lines per second and includes an adapter. Don’t Wait When it comes to filing your taxes, don’t procrastinate. Not only will the task loom over your head until you take care of it, but you may encounter filing issues that delay the process and cause you to miss the deadline and incur a hefty penalty fee. If you’re due for a refund, you’ll especially want to file early so you can put that refund to good use right away (i.e. paying down debt, investing it in a retirement fund or college savings account). Consider filing your taxes as soon as you have all your forms in hand and opting for direct deposit for an even faster refund (keep in mind you will need your bank information on hand to do so). While tax season is only an annual headache, it can be a major headache if you are not prepared and organized. Take steps to reduce the stress.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS PUBLIC NOTICE Michigan Technical Academy’s open enrollment period will be March 16 - June 30, 2016. Applications are available for pick at 19940 Mansfield, Detroit, MI 48235 or 23750 Elmira, Redford, MI 48239. A random enrollment lottery will be take place on July 11, 2016 at 10:00 am at Michigan Technical Academy, 19940 Mansfield, Detroit, MI 48235, if necessary.

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APRIL IS NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION AWARENESS MONTH

ANNOUNCEMENTS

HELP WANTED

CITY OF HIGHLAND PARK NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING DECLARATION OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Hiring Dentist for Dental office. Call (313)617-1846 or Fax (313)893-0282.

Pursuant to guidance in accordance with 24 CFR 570.611 by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the City of Highland Park is requesting an exception to the CDBG Housing Rehabilitation Program conflict of interest regulations found at 24 CFR 570.611. The request is made on behalf of Ms. Gladys Washington, an individual whose has applied for assistance under the City’s Housing Rehab assistance program. Ms. Washington, is also the mother of Ms. Brenda Green, the sitting City Clerk for the City of Highland Park. As a relative of an Elected Official, Ms. Washington is considered a covered person per 24 CFR 570.611 (c) with a possible conflict of interest: 24 CFR 570.611 (c) Persons covered. The conflict of interest provisions of paragraph (b) of this section apply to any person who is an employee, agent, consultant, officer, or elected official or appointed official of the recipient, or of any designated public agencies, or of sub-recipients that are receiving funds under this part. The City understands that HUD may grant an exception to the conflict of interest provision if a conflict of interest exists and when certain threshold requirements have been addressed sufficiently for us to determine that granting an exception will further the purposes of the Act and the effective administration of the recipient’s programs. It is the City’s position that an exception is warranted based on the following reasons: 1. Gladys Washington’s household income has been calculated by the City and based on the information provided; Gladys Washington is income eligible for the CDBG Housing Rehab Program. 2. Should the exception be granted, Gladys Washington will receive the same benefit as is being provided to other qualified applicants; 3. Gladys Washington is not party to the function or responsibilities, or the decision making process with respect to the City of Highland Park’s Housing Rehab Program. 4. The City’s Housing Rehab program is open to all eligible applicants throughout the City. Gladys Washington applied in accordance with existing program policies and procedures. Ms. Washington’s application for assistance was processed accordingly and did not receive any special consideration. 5. An undue hardship will be placed on Ms. Washington when weighed against the public interest served by avoiding the prohibited conflict.

To learn more, visit mta.matchbooklearning.com or call (313) 537-9311 to schedule a tour.

The City of Highland Park is conducting a public hearing to gather comments and input prior to submitting a request to HUD for an exception to the apparent conflict. Persons wishing to provide comment should plan on attending the Public Meeting. The Public Hearing will be held Monday, April 18, 2016 at 7 pm at the Robert B. Blackwell Municipal Building, Council Chambers, 2nd Floor, 12050 Woodward Ave, Highland Park, MI 48203 Written comments may be submitted to:

Published Every Wednesday

Department of Community & Economic Development 12050 Woodward Ave, Highland Park, MI 48203 or via e-mail to YRobinson@HighlandParkCity.org. All written comments received prior to the public hearing will be forwarded to the HUD via Wayne County Department of Health, Veterans & Community Welfare.

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Detroit Church Launching in Midtown to ‘Make All Things New’

Seeking

SEHS COORDINATOR SCHOOL AND FIELD SERVICES AT OAKLAND UNIVERSITY SEHS Student Teacher Placement Department

This position will set up and manage the early field placements in public schools for undergraduate and graduate education students while they are completing their professional coursework. Minimum Qualifications: Master’s Degree in Education. Five years’ experience in teaching and/or supervision. Salary is up to the mid $50s annually. Refer to online posting for additional position requirements. First consideration will be given to those who apply by April 5, 2016. Must apply on line to: https://jobs.oakland.edu

Seeking

OFFICE ASSISTANT II AT OAKLAND UNIVERSITY

School of Medicine

Minimum Qualifications: High school graduation or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Four years general office work, including experience in prioritizing work and meeting deadlines. Ability to operate standard office equipment. Knowledge of proper grammar, spelling & punctuation, intermediate word processing, spreadsheet and database applications. Ability to effectively interact with the public, students, faculty, and staff. This is a full time, clerical-technical position, with a salary of $38,915 annually. See online posting for additional position requirements. First consideration will be given to those who apply by April 5, 2016. Must apply on line to: https://jobs.oakland.edu

PHYSICIAN HOSPITALIST Academic Internal Medicine Specialists PLLC seeks Physician Hospitalist (multiple positions) to work in Wayne, Macomb & Oakland Counties, MI. Physician Hospitalist will diagnose, treat & provide continuous care to hospital inpatients. Will prescribe medications, order & interpret tests results & refer patients to medical specialists, as needed. Will take call & round. Must have Medical Doctor Degree or foreign equiv & have completed 3 years residency training in Internal Medicine. Must have or be eligible for a Physician License in the State of MI. Applicants submit resumes to: President, AIMS 28411 Northwestern Hwy., Ste. 1050 Southfield, MI 48034 or fax 248 354-4807

Seeking

ASSISTANT DEAN AT OAKLAND UNIVERSITY Nursing

Provide administrative support to the Dean and School of Nursing in academic planning, budgeting, personnel, grants management, fiscal analysis, projections and statistical analysis. Provide business management direction and oversight in the proper processing and disbursement of payrolls. Ensure that all personnel actions adhere to university policy. Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, business administration, public administration, or equivalent combination of education and/or experience. Five years of progressively responsible complex budget, financial, personnel and administration experience. Salary is up to mid $70s, commensurate with experience. Refer to online posting for additional qualifications and requirements. First consideration will be given to those who apply by April 5, 2016. Must apply on line to: https://jobs.oakland.edu

Detroit Church, a new nondenominational church startup hosting its first service at noon on Sunday, April 10, is seeking to awaken Detroit as a cultural epicenter for people to experience church in a new way. The church’s services will be at Spain Elementary Middle School, 3700 Beaubien Street, a school that recently made headlines after being featured on the Ellen Degeneres show. Detroit Church’s Founder and Lead Pastor Sonny Smith says he wants the new church to bring together people from diverse backgrounds, cultures, socioeconomic status and generations as one. “This really is the greatest adventure of all time,” said Smith. “That’s why Detroit Church exists. We aren’t interested in just filling a building or occupying space, but engaging in the life and culture of the city, impacting lives, and helping to be a bridge builder between old Detroit and new Detroit to make One Detroit.” Detroit Church’s strategy, coined “Up, In, Out,” combines elements of worshiping and hearing the Gospel, being a part of intentional community through LIFE groups, and serving and making an impact in the city. More than 100 people have joined the launch team to support Detroit Church through their time, talents and treasure. Smith says his goal is for 250 people to be a part of that launch team. Six prominent metro Detroit church leaders also have been instrumental in the launch of Detroit Church. Steve Andrews, Co-founder and Lead Pastor of Kensington Church, is one of the six churches in the metro Detroit region supporting Detroit Church. Andrews has helped launch more than 50 churches around the globe.

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“This has orchestrated into something really beautiful as six different churches with different DNA and denominations are uniting as one team,” he said. “As church leaders we aren’t competitors, but we’re all after the same mission to see everyone transformed by Jesus—and there will be no shortage of that happening in and through people who are a part of Detroit Church.” In addition to Kensington Church, the five other churches supporting the launch are Detroit-based Grace Community Church, Oak Pointe Church in Novi, Northville-based Ward Church, Detroit’s Evangel Ministries and 242 Community Church in Brighton. For Smith, the seed for Detroit Church was planted in his heart five years ago while pastoring a church his father founded on Detroit’s east side. At the time Sonny and his family were living in the suburbs, having left the city for better educational options and what he hoped would be a better environment in which to raise their four sons. While pastoring and serving in the neighborhood, he felt the Lord tugging on his heart to move back to the city. He felt it was important to experience the challenges first hand, to walk alongside his neighbors and be a part of restoring the sense of family and community in the city he loves. “Somewhere along the way, the beautiful city filled with hope became broken—escalated with racism, injustice, crime, corruption, poverty,” said Smith. “We hope for better things, and Detroit’s best days are yet to come. We may have fallen, but God is at work making all things new through people filled with the hope and love of Christ. We’re excited to be part of this great adventure. For more information, visit thedetroitchurch.com

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IMAGING SOFTWARE SCIENTIST Magnetic Resonance Innovations, Inc. has an available position of Imaging Software Scientist in Detroit, MI. Position requires a Master’s degree in Computer Science or Computer Engineering & 24 months experience as a Software Engineer &/or Imaging Scientist. Position also requires: 1) Exp. must include 24 mos. of exp. developing medical imaging software; & 2) One peer-reviewed journal publication in Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Job duties: Develop software modules for SPIN (Signal Processing in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging). Develop algorithms for automatic detection of microbleeds & white matter lesions in neurodegenerative diseases. Develop magnetic susceptibility software for SPIN. Publish results of research in peer-reviewed journals. Assist in preparation of grant proposals. Qualified applicants should send resume & verification of reqs. to Rachel D. MartisLaze,Administrator, Magnetic Resonance Innovations, Inc., 440 East Ferry Street, Unit #1, Detroit, MI 48202.

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THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

March 30 - April 5, 2016

Page D-5

Elsie Marie Williams Homegoing services for (Pastor) Elsie Marie Williams were held on Friday, March 18, at Ark of Deliverance Revival Center with Bishop Leroy Bryant officiating. Mrs. Williams passed away on March 14, 2016. Elsie Marie Williams was born on May 6, 1954 to L.C. and Jenny Mae Horton in Blytheville, Arkansas. The family moved to Detroit where she attended Detroit Public Schools. While working for the City of Detroit Parks and Recreation Department, she continued her education at University of Detroit. It was there that she met and fell in love with Danny Jerome Williams. They were married in 1979.

Lambda Chi Chapter of Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Incorporated, a professional nursing organization, welcomed eight new members at the Intake Ceremony held on Feb. 27 at the Doubletree Hilton Hotel, Detroit-Dearborn. Pictured standing (from left) are big sisters and alternates Teneka Lidell, Marla Gresham, Karen Williams, Sherian Mixon-Kemp, Bridget Leonard, Shana Lee, Pamela Latimore (National Treasurer) and Marci Simon-Burrell. Seated (from left) are new members Catherine Ramsey, Donulae Knuckles-Copeland, Jacquelyn Lanier-Ingram, Toni Grant, Susan “Kim” Brown, Javita Snyder, Sundra “Vicki” Brown and Delicia Shimkoski.

Left to cherish the memory of Elsie Marie Williams are her husband, (Pastor) Danny J. Williams; son, Marlon Williams; daughter, Sabrina Faith Knowles; her mother, Jenny Mae Stokes; sisters, Barbara Sloan, Sandra Williams, Gloria Stokes, Linda Stokes and Mae Francis Stokes; and many other relatives and friends.

Interment took place at Lincoln Memorial Park Cemetery.

Emmett Landry, Jr. Services for Emmett Landry, Jr. were held on Monday, March 28, at Kadesh Baptist Church with Bishop Gregory L. Foster officiating. Mr. Landry passed away on March 20, 2016. Emmett Landry, Jr. was born on Aug. 9, 1950 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to Emmett Landry, Sr. and Bernadine Breaux-Landry, their second oldest child. He later moved to Detroit and after attending Pershing High School joined the U.S. Air Force. He was employed by General Motors for 30 years.

Unity Baptist Church to celebrate pastoral anniversary

April celebration for Rev. Dr. Lee C. Winfrey, Sr. Unity Baptist of Detroit is preparing to celebrate Rev. Dr. Lee C. Winfrey, Sr and his wife, First Lady Kimberly Winfrey, with two special worship services at Unity Baptist on Sunday April 10 and April 17 at 3:30 pm. Unity Baptist will culminate its month-long celebration with a celebratory banquet on Friday, April 29, 7 pm, at St. John Armenian Banquet Hall, 22001 Northwestern Hwy., Southfield. The theme for Pastor Winfrey’s first anniversary is “A Servant of God Rightly Dividing God’s Word,” this Biblical theme is taken from II Timothy 2:15. Pastor Winfrey completed his theological education at Life Christian University (Tampa, Florida) in 2002. In celebration of this special occasion the boards and congregation are planning an April celebration. The services will feature guest pastors

and will be held at Unity Baptist of Detroit. April 10–8 am – Pastor Herbert Robinson – True Love Baptist Church – Detroit 11 am – Pastor Steve Bland – Liberty Temple Baptist Church – Detroit 3:30 pm – Pastor Nathan Johnson – Tabernacle Baptist Church – Detroit April 17 – 8 am and 11 am – Pastor Anthony G. Maclin – The Sanctuary Kingdom Square Church – Capitol Heights, MD 3:30 pm – Pastor Jimmy Thorn – St. James AME Church – Chicago Unity Baptist Church, located at 7500 Tireman in Detroit, invites all to attend to celebrate the remarkable year of service of Pastor Winfrey. The chairs are Sister Carolyn Taylor-Glover and Sister Patricia Carothers. For more information, call the church office at (313) 933-9799.

Mr. Landry loved spending time with his family, going out to eat and playing bid whist. He also loved his dogs. Cherishing the memory of Emmett Landry, Jr. are his wife, Brenda R. Landry; his children, Seahotrai, Emmett, Kelin and Chanavia; and many other relatives and friends.

Swanson Funeral Home handled the arrangements.

Interment took place at Mount Hope Memorial Gardens.

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Swanson Funeral Home handled the arrangements.

Lucile Lewis Services for Lucile Lewis were held at Greater Mt. Carmel Missionary Baptist Church with Rev. Eddie L. Franklin, Sr. officiating. Mrs. Lewis made her transition on March 7, 2016. Lucile Lewis was born on Jan. 16, 1930 to Odies and Roena Ducksworth in Bayspring, Mississippi, the second of nine children. She attended Alcorn College of Mississippi. She moved to Michigan in 1955 and married Otha Lee Lewis and they were blessed with seven children. Mrs. Lewis at one time worked for Uniroyal and retired as a bus driver for Detroit Public Schools. Cherishing the memory of Lucile Lewis are her children, Kent, Brufus, Tracy, Kathy Stephen, Milton Lee Gray and Flora Mae Oates; brothers, Oree, Jefferson and Shuffie; sisters, Nobie Ruth, Juanita and Donna; and many other relatives and friends. Arrangements were handled by Swanson Funeral Home.

Interment took place at Gethsemane Cemetery.

Sallie Ann Lynch Services for Sallie Ann Lynch were held on Wednesday, Feb. 24, at Hartford Memorial Baptist Church with Dr. Charles G. Adams officiating. Mrs. Lynch passed away on Feb. 16, 2016. Sallie Ann Lynch was born to William McKinley and Ruth Reid Whitaker on June 10, 1934 in Detroit, the third of eight children. She graduated from Northwestern High School in 1952 and worked for the City of Detroit for 43 years. She was married to John Q. Lynch in 1958 and they had a daughter, Kathryn. Among Mrs. Lynch’s interests were listening to music, cooking, traveling, family reunions and sewing. Left behind to cherish the memory of Sallie Ann Lynch are her daughter, Kathryn Underwood; stepson, Philip Lynch; sisters, Madelyn Kendricks, Eleanor Craig, Julia Penn and June Wilder; brother, Edgar Whitaker; and many other relatives and friends.

Swanson Funeral Home handled the arrangements.

Interment took place at Woodlawn Cemetery.

Page D-6 • THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE • March 30 - April 5, 2016