Mc digital edition 4 19 17

C

O

M

E

R

I

C

Global power meets Detroit innovation to celebrate entrepreneurship

A

HOMEFRONT

Central High School students discover the science behind racing at special assembly

Page C1

Page B1 POWERED BY REAL TIMES MEDIA

Volume 80 – Number 32

michiganchronicle.com

April 19-25, 2017

Western Michigan University names Dr. Edward Montgomery as first African American president

By Keith A. Owens and Chronicle News Reports

The fact that Dr. Edward Montgomery will become Western Michigan University’s first black president is of major importance, but what is equally worth noting is the truckload of credentials he brings to the job. Suffice to say that WMU is lucky to have him.

It will be interesting to watch how the university deDr. Edward Montgomery velops and grows under his tenure in the years to come, and he says he is looking forward to the job.

“It is always an honor, and my mother always said ‘remember where you came from’ and that you stand on the shoulders of lots of people who helped make it possible. So to me it is humbling to be the first [black president] and I want to make sure the campus is open and accessible and welcoming to the community,” he said.

“I had learned about the university over the years, and had firsthand experience with my son being a student

See MONTGOMERY page A-4

City mourns passing of industry luminary

By Roz Edward It is with profound sadness the Michigan Chronicle announces the passing of our colleague, Lester Bryant. The staff joins mourners across the city in saying a final farewell to our great friend who passed away on Tuesday, April 18, in Detroit at the age of 71.

Bryant, beloved by coworkers and friends and Lester Bryant well respected among his peers, enjoyed an immensely successful 28-year career with the

See LESTER

BRYANT page A-4

Anika Jackson (left), Erica Jordan, Lauren Clayborne, Windy Turner-Lewis, Monica Briggins, Kiko Davis and Michelle L. Reaves — Montez Miller photo

Women of Excellence: Vanguards of change

By Roz Edward and Tatiana Wheeler “It’s not white excellence.

It’s not Latino excellence.

It’s not Asian excellence.

It’s just excellence. Nobody can afford to be black for a living anymore. We have to be good at what we do, and proud to be black.” — John Hope Bryant, president and CEO of Operation Hope and 2016 Women of Excellence keynote speaker For a decade, the Michigan Chronicle has celebrated African-American women who inspire others through vision and leadership, exceptional achievements and participation in community service. Those who have been selected have shown exceptional success in business, community involvement and philanthropy.

Honorees were chosen from hundreds of nominees and will join an elite group comprised of the area’s most influential women.

“These distinguished women not only have professional success to their credit, but they are beacons for the African-American community throughout the region,” said Hiram Jackson, CEO of Real Times Media and publisher of the Michigan Chronicle.

On Thursday, April 20, the highly anticipated tradition continues as members of the 2017 class of Women of Ex-

Patricia Maryland

Pat Locke

Lisa Phillips

cellence are honored in an induction ceremony at the MGM Grand Hotel.

mended by a group of their peers and selected from hundreds of nominations.

“These esteemed women are essential to the workings of Detroit, and their contributions in the corporate and civic arenas make them more than deserving of this honor,” said Keith Owens, Michigan Chronicle senior editor.

Special distinctions will be awarded to three WOE recipients for exemplary leadership and unparalleled accomplishments.

is an opportunity to honor women who are making significant strides,” said Cathy Nedd, Michigan Chronicle associate publisher. “Pat Locke’s courage and fortitude made her the first African-American woman to graduate from West Point.

That is what Women of Excellence is about — honoring women of extraordinary achievement.”

The 53 honorees cut a wide swath in Detroit’s socioeconomic, cultural and political circles, and with their induction into WOE will be part of a group of more than 500 black women who have been honored to date.

From Dr. Stephanie Burrage, assistant superintendent at the Wayne Regional Educational Service Agency, to Dr. Deirdre Young, VP for Health and Equity for United Way of Southeastern Michigan, all members of the WOE class of 2017 were recom-

Patricia Maryland, Dr.PH, who will become executive vice president and president and CEO of Ascension Healthcare on July 1, will receive the Pinnacle Award for professional accomplishment.

Pat Locke, the first African-American woman to graduate from West Point, will be the recipient of the Trailblazer Award for historic achievement.

Lisa Phillips, Cass Technical High School principal, will receive the Community Service Award for her civic contributions.

“Women

By Keith A. Owens

See page D-1

Detroit continues to enjoy benefits from the “Comeback City” narrative that has thankfully replaced the negative headlines that have crippled this city for decades. But those who live here know all too well that as good as this newly polished image makes us feel, they know it is incomplete. And those foundations that have remained demonstrably committed to the revitalization of Detroit — and who have put their money where their mouths are — are among those most in the know about what deserves applause and what should still be placed on pause.

Within the confines of the city itself, the narrative about the city’s prospects is still noticeably more positive than you would have heard nearly four years ago on July 18, 2013 when the city entered the largest municipal bankruptcy filing in U.S. history. At that time, Detroit was essentially looking upward at rock bottom and contemplating whether it was possible for things to get much worse.

$1.00

See EXCELLENCE page A-4

Perspectives from the foundation community

Allen, president and CEO, The Skillman Foundation; Rip Rapson, president and CEO, The Kresge Foundation; and Melanca Clark, president and CEO, Hudson Webber Foundation.

Senior Editor

take ‘control’?

Excellence

“Those who have been selected have shown ex-

The road to rebuilding Detroit

WHAT’S INSIDE

Will Janet Jackson once again

of

The list of accomplishments is equally inspiring and populated with African American-women who broke new ground to rise through the ranks in their respective fields, such as Michelle Alexander, diversity marketing manager, at General Motors, or Adrana Jones, U.S. postmaster, and Gina Smith-Gallant, senior trial attorney for AAA Michigan.

So yes, without question, compared to those nerve-wracking days, Detroit 2017 is a near-miracle demonstrating the sort of resilience and fortitude for which we are well

known. We have returned from the dead, and we’re grinning.

Or at least some of us are.

At this year’s second Pancakes & Politics forum, representatives from five major foundations will weigh in with their perspectives on Detroit’s future, and what role their respective organizations might play in shaping that future. Those participating on Thursday morning’s panel discussion are David Egner, president and CEO, Ralph C. Wilson Foundation; Mariam Noland, president, Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan; Tonya

The issue of who will be allowed to share control of the city’s future direction and development will most likely be the elephant in the room. And are the neighborhoods finally getting the attention that has been poured all over downtown? And how much of a part will black people play in the re-imagining and redevelopment of this majority black city? How much do the issues of race and poverty factor into the decisions made by these community leaders when making economic decisions affecting a community that is overwhelmingly black and poor?

The uncomfortable fact remains that, at least if one is paying any attention to the visuals, considerably more progress is being made in the city’s downtown and surrounding areas — which host a markedly higher percentage of white residents and visitors — than in any of the city’s neighborhoods.

Although the recent announcement of the $6 million investment being made into the Fitz-

See REBUILDING

DETROIT page A-4

news

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

April 19-25, 2017

Page A-2

‘Build Schools, Not Walls Michigan Chronicle reports

On Tuesday, April 18, U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) and American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten joined the Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools and dozens of public school advocates in launching a national “Build Schools, Not Walls” campaign.

The event at Dearborn’s Edsel Ford High School brought together educators, parents, students and advocates to urge President Donald Trump, Secretary of Ed-

Debbie Dingell ucation Betsy DeVos and the American public to focus on what unites us instead of what divides us.

In kicking off the “Build Schools, Not Walls” campaign, organizers insisted that instead of banning Muslims at airports and building a wall that will cost taxpayers countless millions, our elected leaders should invest that money in high-quality neighborhood public schools where all children — no matter their race, ethnicity, religion or citizenship status — feel safe, loved and respected and get the education they deserve.

The multifaceted campaign, which is being coordinated by AROS, the AFT and the National Education Association, will include a variety of digital, in-person and community actions. A main component will be a nationwide day of action to take place on May 1. Organizers are estimating that more than 100,000 people at more than 2,000 schools in 200 cities will take part in the day of action.

DIA presents 80th annual Detroit Public Schools Community District Student Exhibition

Hundreds of imaginative works created by Detroit Public Schools Community District students will be on display in the 80th annual Detroit Public Schools Community District Student Exhibition, presented by the Detroit Institute of Arts. The exhibition, on view April 29 through May 28, is free and will be held in the Special Exhibition Galleries South on the second floor near Farnsworth St. An opening reception for students and their families will take place Saturday, April 29, beginning at 4 p.m. in the DIA’s Detroit Film Theatre auditorium.

The partnership between the DIA and the Detroit Public Schools is the longest standing continuous relationship the museum has with an educational organization.

Many of the students whose works have been featured in the exhibition have gone on to pursue successful careers in the arts, including, among others, Tracy Reese, a New York-based fashion designer who has dressed

the likes of former First Lady Michelle Obama, and Mario Moore, a New York-based contemporary painter whose works have been shown in exhibitions across the country.

in the show. This year, a record eight videos were submitted and accepted.

“We are honored to continue to feature the talent and creativity of DPSCD students in our galleries,” said DIA Director Salvador Salort-Pons.

“Together, the DIA and DPSCD have presented eight decades of student art to the community through this beautiful partnership. The exhibitions have impacted and inspired an immeasurable amount of people, from the students themselves, their families to the visitors who come to see the artwork.”

Poster

Students from 18 schools in grades K–12 submitted ceramics, collages, drawings, videos, textiles, jewelry, paintings, photography, prints, sculpture and other works to a jury of local artists, retired DPSCD educators and DIA staff, which selected the nearly 400 pieces included

Every year, entries are featured on exhibition promotional materials.

This year’s selections are:

“Women in the Water,” photography; Seth Crosby, Grade 12, Renaissance High School

Checklist Cover

“A Busy Crowd at the Show,” painting; Joy Brown-Paymon, Grade 3, Carver STEM Academy

“Brown Eyed Girl,” drawing; Kyra Williams-Davis, Grade 11, Renaissance High School “In the Moment,” drawing; Dujuan Goulbourne, Grade 12, Renaissance High School Bookmark “Aptikal,” jewelry; Tai’Janae Harris, Grade 12, Cass Technical High School “Blue Squid,” painting; Kara Collier, Grade 8, Carver STEM Academy “Floetry,” jewelry; Le’La Barnes, Grade 11, Cass Technical High School Postcard

479 Ledyard Street Detroit, MI 48201 Phone: (313) 963-5522

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:

MICHIGAN CHRONICLE 479 LEDYARD DETROIT, MI 48201

Entertainment news............ Ext. 241 Community

(religion, weddings, etc)................... Ext. 247

Subscriptions....................... Ext. 243 –DEADLINE –

Classified: 3 p.m Friday

Copy, corrections and cancellations, preceding the Wed­nesday publication.

Display: 12 p.m. Friday

preceding the Wednesday pub­lication.

DIA Website “Redwood Boots,” painting; Jordyn Willis, Grade 11, Renaissance High School Directional Signage “Flying

High

the

“Rooster,” drawing; Magdalene Sanchez Pryzgodski, Grade 3, Academy of the Americas The 80th Detroit Public Schools Community District Student Exhibition was organized by the DIA and DPSCD and is made possible with support from the Ruth T. T. Cattell Education Endowment Fund. Additional support was provided by the Detroit Public Schools Foundation.

STATE OF MICHIGAN BEFORE THE MICHIGAN PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION **** NOTICE OF HEARING FOR THE CUSTOMERS OF DTE GAS COMPANY CASE NO. U-18327

We don't see it as caring for our community.

We see it as caring for our family.

At St. John Providence, caring for our community is not just something we do. It's something we are called to do.

Our experienced doctors and nurses listen to understand and provide the most compassionate care to each individual patient every day.

We’re coming together to give healthcare a better name.

We are Ascension. stjohnprovidence.org

DATE/TIME:

Tuesday, May 9, 2017, at 9:00 a.m.

This hearing will be a prehearing conference to set future hearing dates and decide other procedural matters.

BEFORE:

Administrative Law Judge Mark D. Cummins

LOCATION:

Michigan Public Service Commission 7109 West Saginaw Highway Lansing, Michigan

PARTICIPATION: Any interested person may attend and participate.

The hearing site is accessible, including handicapped parking. Persons needing any accommodation to participate should contact the Commission’s Executive Secretary at (517) 284-8090 in advance to request mobility, visual, hearing or other assistance.

The Michigan Public Service Commission (Commission) will hold a public hearing to consider DTE Gas Company’s (DTE Gas) March 8, 2017 application requesting that the Commission grant the following relief: 1) Order that the refund required pursuant to MCL 460.6a(1) with respect to the provisional rates implemented by DTE Gas for the period November 1, 2016 to December 15, 2016, is $2,205,027, plus interest; 2) Direct that the amount to be returned to customers is returned in the manner described

by DTE Gas; 3) Approve the treatment of residual refund balances in the manner described by DTE Gas; and 4) Grant other relief.

All documents filed in this case shall be submitted electronically through the Commission’s E-Dockets website at: michigan.gov/mpscedockets.

Requirements and instructions for filing can be found in the User Manual on the E-Dockets help page. Documents may also be submitted, in Word or PDF format, as an attachment to an email sent to: mpscedockets@ michigan.gov. If you require assistance prior to e-filing, contact Commission staff at (517) 284-8090 or by email at: mpscedockets@michigan.gov.

Any person wishing to intervene and become a party to the case shall electronically file a petition to intervene with this Commission by May 2, 2017. (Interested persons may elect to file using the traditional paper format.) The proof of service shall indicate service upon DTE Gas’s attorney, David S. Maquera, One Energy Plaza, Detroit, Michigan 48226-1279.

Any person wishing to appear at the hearing to make a statement of position without becoming a party to the case may participate by filing an appearance. To file an appearance, the individual must attend the hearing and advise the presiding administrative law judge of his or her wish to make a statement of position. All information submitted to the Commission in this matter becomes public information, thus available on the Michigan Public Service Commission’s website, and subject to disclosure. Please do not include information you wish to remain private.

Requests for adjournment must be made pursuant to the Michigan Administrative Hearing System’s Administrative Hearing Rules R 792.10422 and R 792.10432. Requests for further information on adjournment should be directed to (517) 284-8130.

A copy of DTE Gas’s request may be reviewed on the Commission’s website at: michigan.gov/mpscedockets, and at the office of DTE Gas Company.

For more information on how to participate in a case, you may contact the Commission at the above address or by telephone at (517) 284-8090.

Jurisdiction is pursuant to 1909 PA 300, as amended, MCL 462.2 et seq.; 1919 PA 419, as amended, MCL 460.54 et seq.; 1939 PA 3, as amended, MCL 460.1 et seq.; 1969 PA 306, as amended, MCL 24.201 et seq.; and the Michigan Administrative Hearing System’s Administrative Hearing Rules, 2015 AC, R 792.10401 et seq.

For all news and calendar items: Deadline is two weeks prior to event.

Weeks that contain holidays, dead­line is Thursday prior to publication date.

with

“Max’s Grill,” painting; Dezjaney Smith, Grade 12, Cass Technical High School

• A public hearing will be held:

MEMBER OF AUDIT BUREAU OF CIRCULATION

For general, local................. Ext. 232

“A Couple,” painting; Sydney Smith, Grade 8, Bates Academy

“Lesson of the Spider,” painting; JoAnne Hollis, Grade 12, Cass Technical High School

• You may call or write DTE Gas Company, One Energy Plaza, 688WCB, Detroit, Michigan 48226-1279, (800) 477-4747, for a free copy of its application. Any person may review the application at the offices of DTE Gas Company.

The Michigan Chronicle is published every Wednesday. Periodical Postage, paid at Detroit, MI. Price $1.00 and other post office.

OFFICE HOURS: Mon.-Fri. 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Program Cover

“Girl Robot,” drawing; Briana Davis, Grade 4, Carver STEM Academy

• The information below describes how a person may participate in this case.

OFFICE HOURS: Mon.-Fri. 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Closed Sat. and Sun.

479 LEDYARD • DETROIT MI 48201 (313) 963-5522

Banner

Friendly Skies,” drawing; Tyleigh Wilkins, Grade 3, Carver STEM Academy

• DTE Gas Company requests Michigan Public Service Commission approval of a refund related to self-implementation of general service rates beginning November 1, 2016 and ending December 15, 2016.

Publication No.: USPS 344-820

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

“Synthetic Confidence,” photography; Lauren Crymes, Grade 12, Renaissance High School

“Coney With Everything,” mixed media; Mohammed Saifur Rahman, Grade 12, Cass Technical High School

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE PUBLISHING COMPANY

HOW TO CONTACT US:

“Sending Love,” photography; Seth Crosby, Grade 12, Renaissance High School

April 7, 2017

news City Partners with Lyft to provide ride credits to new Detroit ID applicants

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

April 19-25, 2017

Heaster Wheeler Officially Files for Detroit City Clerk Michigan Chronicle Reports

“It is critical that we revitalize the spirit of voters in Detroit,” said Hea­ ster Wheeler, former Detroit Branch NAACP director.

Detroit is partnering with ride-sharing service Lyft to provide up to $25 in ride credits for new Detroit ID applicants who sign up for Lyft. They’re joining over 100 other businesses providing city services and benefits to Detroit ID holders.

Wheeler has been a leader in Detroit for decades.

He has formally announced his latest effort — to be Detroit’s next city clerk. Wheeler officially submitted petitions to declare his candidacy.

“The most recent election in Detroit, and across the country, had people questioning the value of their vote. That is unacceptable. Your vote is your voice,” said Wheeler. “The impetus behind this effort is to ensure that everyone is empowered to have their voice heard.”

In a unique partnership between the City of Detroit and Lyft, every new Detroit ID applicant will receive a code for ride credits.

When they sign up for Lyft, residents can apply the code and receive a $25 credit ($5 off five rides). Residents can use the code immediately after signing up for Detroit ID.

“It is critical that we revitalize the spirit of voters in Detroit. The power to positively affect lives and communities lies in the ability and opportunity to vote. The sanctity of elections and the voice of the people are second to none.

“The Detroit ID is continuing to provide improved access to city services and discounts on everything from food to museums and now Lyft rides,” said Mayor Mike Duggan. “We’re pleased to add Lyft to all the businesses giving discounts to residents.”

“My candidacy is about ensuring those democratic principles are never compromised and guaranteeing that everyone in Detroit has a voice.”

This Thursday, Councilman Scott Benson will host a Detroit ID Pop-Up enrollment site where residents can sign up for the city ID care for a discounted rate of $10. The cost of a Detroit ID is normally $25. Applications will be available at the Lasky Recreation Center at 13200 Fenelon St, Detroit, from 3 to 8 p.m. and applicants will receive their ride credits on the spot.

As a lifelong Detroiter, Wheeler’s commitment to improving the city and its communities spans decades. Since his early days as a firefighter serving the city, he has been active in many organizations, nonprofits and advocacy efforts. He served as the executive director of the Detroit Branch NAACP for more than a decade before he joined the Wayne County Executive Office as an assistant county executive.

“We’re excited to bring the Detroit ID popup to the Lasky Recreation Center in District Three,” said Benson. “Lyft is another business that recognizes the importance of the Detroit ID and I’m happy to partner with them for this discount.”

The ride credits are just one of the many benefits Detroit residents receive when they sign up for a Detroit ID. Residents with Detroit ID enjoy better access to city services.

With a Detroit ID, they can pay their water bill or sign up for a savings account with One Detroit Credit Union. Detroit ID holders also receive discounts at businesses like Detroit vs. Everybody, Lunar Labs, restaurants like Green Dot Stables and Buddy’s Pizza, museums, cultural institutions and more.

“We are thrilled to partner with the City of Detroit, and to join forces with local businesses in creating value for ID holders,” said Elliot Darvick, Lyft’s general manager for Detroit.

Residents who can’t attend Thursday’s pop-up can always schedule an appointment or walk into the Detroit ID Intake Centers at Patton Park Recreational Center (2301 Woodmere) and the Samaritan Center (5555 Conner). Both intake centers will be open Mondays and Wednesdays from 1 to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. 6 p.m.

How to get a Detroit ID Below is the process for Detroit residents to obtain their Detroit ID: Schedule an appointment: Residents can go to www.Detroitmi.gov/DetroitID or call 1-800408-1599 to schedule an appointment in advance. While walk-ins will be accepted, the process will go much faster if you schedule an appointment.

Gather Documentation: Documentation that establishes the applicant’s identity and residency is required and is subject to verification. Examples include utility bills, social service agencies or house of worship letters, tax assessments and school records. Examples of valid proof of identity also include U.S. or foreign passports, U.S. or foreign driver’s licenses, U.S. or foreign military ID card, HMIS ID or record of services, ID cards from educational Institutional. The applicant’s documents will be returned immediately after completing the application process.

Visit an Intake Center: The city has opened two intake centers — Patton Park Recreational Center (2301 Woodmere) and the Samaritan Center (5555 Conner). Both intake centers will be open Mondays and Wednesdays from 1 to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

In addition to the two stationary intake centers at the Samaritan Center and Patton Park Recreational Center, the Municipal ID program will host four pop-up locations throughout the city during the first quarter of 2017. Dates and locations for these events will be announced in January.

Cost: For residents over 18, but under 62 years of age, the initial purchase of the card will cost $25 with a $10 bi-annual renewal fee. For those over 62 years of age and between the ages of 14-18 the initial purchase of the card will cost $10.

Receiving your Detroit ID: The ID card may be mailed to the cardholder within two weeks or it can be picked up at one of the intake centers.

Page A-3

Wheeler has also worked with Black Family Development, the Coalition for the Future of Detroit Schoolchildren, Detroit Public Schools, Detroit Future City, and the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments.

To learn more about Wheeler’s candidacy, visit www.Wheeler4DetroitCityClerk.com or contact the campaign at (313) 451-3373.

Heaster Wheeler – Alisha Dixon photo

Mayor announces health care partnership to train and employ Detroit residents Mayor Mike Duggan and the heads of the city’s three largest health care employers have united in a new unique approach to provide a career path for hundreds of Detroit residents by training them to fill in-demand entry level heath care jobs. The new partnership with the Detroit Medical Center, Henry Ford Health System and St. John Providence will provide job training and placement opportunities for 240 city residents over the next 12 months.

The unique collaboration is part of the mayor’s Detroit at Work initiative announced during the State of the City Address. All of the trainees will be identified through the Detroit at Work website or DESC One-Stop Service Centers and receive their instruction through a single program. Once the workers are trained, all three participating health care systems will recruit from the same pool of talent.

“This is an example of how we are going to make it easier for Detroiters to find the jobs that are available and get the training they need to be hired,” said Duggan. “What makes this announcement truly special is that it is the first time these competing health systems have collaborated in this way. My hope is that this approach will become the template for other employers in our city.”

The training, provided

by Focus: HOPE and the Oakland University School of Nursing Continuing Education, will prepare graduates for immediately available positions as patient care associates or patient sitters. The training will be provided on Focus: HOPE’s campus in Detroit.

was approved, an RFQ was developed to solicit bids from training organizations. The successful bidder was Focus: HOPE in partnership with Oakland University School of Nursing Continuing Education (located at Focus: HOPE on Oakman Boulevard in Detroit).

How it works

twitter.com/mayormikeduggan Patient sitter training will last three to four weeks and the patient care associate training will last seven to eight weeks. The jobs will offer competitive wages and provide excellent opportunities for advancement.

“The need to fill healthcare jobs continues to increase, especially the need for patient care associates,” said Focus: HOPE CEO Jason Lee. “Focus: HOPE’s renowned workforce training expertise and Oakland University’s curriculum combine to fill this talent gap. This partnership, along with the healthcare systems and the City of Detroit, is the perfect opportunity to train residents and ensure gainful employment for them, a concept we have been committed to for decades.”

Since the mayor launched Detroit at Work in late February, over 400 Detroit residents have indicated an interest in positions in the health care field through the Detroit at Work website.

Competitors unite for a

common purpose The idea of a unified approach to training and hiring came from the Mayor’s Workforce Development Board’s Healthcare subcommittee. This subcommittee is composed of the CEOs of the Detroit Medical Center, Henry Ford Health System and St. John Providence.

The task of the subcommittee was to work with the city to eliminate barriers and develop training programs to prepare city residents for in-demand positions with the potential for advancement.

The group identified two entry level positions and focused on developing a program to train and support Detroit residents for successful entry into healthcare careers as Patient Care Associates or Patient Sitters.

The subcommittee then developed common curricula to prepare residents to enter these two occupations across the three health systems.

Once

the

curriculum

Enrollment for the program is open now through the first week of May. Jobseekers register through www.DetroitAtWork.com, and then visit one of three career centers located at 5555 Conner, 9301 Michigan Avenue and 18100 Meyers. Applicants will undergo screening, including TABE test and medical history, to ensure work readiness. For applicants who are successful, training will start in May, with further cohorts being run every three months. Once the workers are trained, the health systems will begin recruiting them as jobs become available.

About Detroit at Work The City of Detroit launched Detroit at Work to build Detroit’s talent pool, create opportunity for Detroiters, and give employers access to a demand-driven talent pipeline. Through trainings, job search assistance and career services, Detroiters at all levels of education, experience and skillsets can access opportunity through Detroit at Work.

The Detroit at Work website is a centralized online portal that will share information with Detroiters to help them find employment or advance their career path through training. Employers can use the website to find qualified residents for open positions.

news

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

Montgomery

April 19-25, 2017

From page A-1

Rebuilding Detroit From page A-1

there. He has spoken very highly of his experience at Western.”

gerald neighborhood is certainly a reason for hope, the sheer size of what all of Detroit’s neighborhoods will need not only to survive but to thrive is daunting, to say the least.

A student at the Business School, Montgomery’s son, Edward, graduates in two weeks.

“I taught at Michigan State and knew about the university and its strong connections to Kalamazoo, its work to include access to public school students there. The chance to be at a university that is very student-centered, and come to a university that has excellent departments in a wide range of areas and has very close ties to the community made it a very exciting proposition,” he said.

“The campus has a really energe­tic strategic plan that sets forth ways to move forward by trying to enhance the student experience, trying to make sure that our curriculum is up to date and addresses their needs and prepares them not just for the short term but for the course of their lives.

We want to make sure that our programs have a global reach, that we are increasingly international, that we are recruiting and educating people both in the state and around the globe. I want to improve the financial position. Obviously, universities are facing challenging times with resources.”

When asked about possible challenges of maintaining a diverse staff and student population, Montgomery said WMU’s challenges are no different than any other university dealing with the current climate.

“I think universities in general are having challenges with diversity and inclusion, so making sure that we do have a diverse and inclusive atmosphere is one of the key pillars of the strategic plan at Western Michigan.

Making sure not to be just successful at getting them in the door, but making sure they’re successful and that they eventually graduate,” he said.

Currently dean and professor of economics at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy, Montgomery will

Page A-4

become WMU’s ninth president on Aug. 1. A nationally known labor economist who played major roles in both the Clinton and Obama administrations, he was selected by unanimous vote of the WMU trustees during a special meeting of the WMU board earlier this month. His selection follows a national search to find a successor to Dr. John M. Dunn who had announced a June 30 retirement date, but will now continue through July 31.

During a more than 35year academic career, Montgomery has held faculty positions at Carnegie Mellon and Michigan State universities as well as the University of Maryland, winning teaching awards some five times over the years. He has been at Georgetown since 2010.

During President Bill Clinton’s administration, Montgomery served as chief economist, then counselor and assistant secretary for the Department of Labor before being named deputy secretary of labor. In the latter role, the department’s second highest position, he oversaw operations of a $33 billion operation.

During President Barack Obama’s administration, Montgomery was a member of the president’s auto task force and led the inter-agency White House Council for Auto Communities and Workers. That position affirmed his view of the synergistic role universities can play in regional economic development. Montgomery says the potential impact of a high-quality university is enormous and is a key

reason the WMU presidency was so attractive to him.

“I was sort of the chief operating officer of an incredible organization. We were able to launch a number of initiatives, to improve educational opportunities and job training for young people.

To enhance enforcement of labor laws, and protections on a variety of areas, from helping coal miners improve the quality of the air while they’re working, to pay protections. Under President Obama, I worked on a task force and helped direct the effort on recovery for communities and workers. In that job, I spent a lot of time in the Midwest — Michigan, Indiana and Ohio — working with business leaders, the mayors, state and local officials in communities to think about how to we strategize together for economic recovery. All of those jobs reinforced to me the importance of working with key institutions and universities are one of those key institutions.”

Montgomery earned a bachelor’s degree from Pennsylvania State University and both master’s and doctoral degrees in economics from Harvard University. He began his academic career in 1981 with a position at Carnegie Mellon where he was a faculty member for five years. He then spent a year as a visiting scholar with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System before becoming a member of the Michigan State University faculty for four years. He joined the University of Maryland faculty in 1990, remaining

there until his 2010 move to Georgetown. He also has been a visiting scholar at the Urban Institute.

“I think a university has two or three things it can clearly contribute to society," he said. “Clearly job one is to prepare young people for the future and to prepare them for jobs they might get after they graduate, but also to prepare them to be citizens because they’ll be in the labor market for a very long time and we need to have them be engaged, to have inquisitive minds that form their personalities in ways that make them successful both on the job and in their personal lives. But more importantly, we know jobs are increasingly going to more skilled people who are adaptable to different kinds of changing environments, and that’s where universities can really come in and play a big role.

“The second key thing is universities engage in research, which helps think about innovating new products, new ideas, and they are sort of a cauldron of those sort of ideas, so universities play a key role in innovation and working with business and the community To come up with new ways to create ideas.

“Last but not least, universities are also cultural centers. They are the repositories of our history, the lessons from our past, understanding the context in which we operate. Those play a key role in areas where music and art play a key role in helping to build community.

But that doesn’t mean we have the option of ignoring it. If Detroit doesn’t solve its problems, those problems will crush Detroit under their collective weight, and that’s where the foundations (hopefully) come in. Because in a city where bankruptcy may have cleared the deck of its crushing debts, but where revenues are still in desperately short supply, it is the foundations that have been stepping up to the plate repeatedly to try to fill the gaps as best they can. The question, of course, is how long can they continue to carry this weight?

During Mayor Mike Duggan’s State of the City address last month, he made a strong point of highlighting what is planned for at least three of the city’s neighborhoods in terms of revitalization.

Today (Wednesday) the Kresge Foundation announced $2 million in grants for 17 Detroit community organizations.

Indeed, throughout the years, all of the foundations that will be represented at Thursday’s session have all pitched in to do whatever they could do to help stabilize the city.

It will surely be interesting to hear them discuss their vision for what remains to be done, and how much of it they believe they can accomplish.

Excellence From page A-1

ceptional success in business, community involvement and philanthropy,” said Jackson, “and they inspire others through vision and leadership.”

As news of the Women of Excellence awards spread throughout the Detroit metropolitan region, young African-American women were prompted to delve into their dreams and consider a future of service and influence.

“I was moved to make some decisions about what it will take to get in a position where I can make a difference and improve the lives of people in my neighborhood and my city,”said Raven King, a junior at Detroit Preparatory High School.

St. John Health System, the largest provider of inpatient care in Southeast Michigan, is the Women of Excellence lead sponsor. St. John provides comprehensive prevention, primary care and advanced treatment programs with more than 125 medical centers and five hospitals spanning five counties.

The Women of Excellence Awards ceremony will be held at 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 20, at the MGM Grand Hotel.

Lester Bryant newspaper, before retiring in February 2016.

He was appreciated and respected by loyal clients for his stellar service that he applied universally from Fortune 500 companies to small business owners.

$2 million from Kresge supports 17 new projects in neighborhoods across Detroit The Kresge Foundation has announced grants totaling $2 million to 17 nonprofits for projects to revitalize neighborhoods across Detroit. This final round of grants in the Kresge Innovative Projects: Detroit pilot initiative brings its grant total to $5 million since being announced three years ago.

In addition to the creation of community gathering spots, green spaces and conversion of abandoned properties to new uses, efforts under the Kresge Innovative Projects: Detroit umbrella will make neighborhood streets and sidewalks more walkable, bring artists and community organizations together for collaborations in parks, and engage youth in neighborhood revitalization.

Kresge’s support for these shovel-ready projects ranges from $75,000 to $150,000 in the initiative announced in 2014 as a three-year, $5 million pilot effort to promote visible, positive change across the map of Detroit.

The latest grants were chosen from nearly 70 applications, making for a highly competitive process.

The 17 grantees announced today land in all seven Detroit City Council districts. Here are some of the awardees. For a complete listing go to www.michronicle.com.

The Brightmoor Alliance and Sidewalk Detroit, Brightmoor: Pair artists with community members and organizations at Eliza Howell Park for 6-12 week residencies to design and implement participatory performances, workshops, classes and park improvements. This grant will support transformation of portions of the park’s largely untouched 200 acres with functional installation art. (Council District 1) Central Detroit Christian Development Corp., Piety Hill: Rehabilitate a duplex as a commercial space and arts studio. Near Woodward, the project aims to creatively adapt an unused building and lot into a community asset to anchor neighborhood retail development and cultural activities. (Council District 5)

Corktown Economic Development Corp., Corktown: Install planters along the protected bike lanes on Michigan Avenue to promote safer biking and walkability. Residents will collaborate with neighborhood artists in design of the planters to reflect the area’s diversity. (Council District 6) Eastside Community Network, Chandler Park neighborhood: Install a rain garden learning lab on vacant land across from Hamilton Academy, the neighborhood’s only public school. The lab will include rain gardens, other green infrastructure and an outdoor classroom for school-age children and for adults seeking master rain garden certification.

(Council District 4) Southwest Detroit Business Association, Southwest Detroit: Renovate the second floors of four commercial buildings on West Vernor Avenue to create 10 housing units. More than 80 commercial building in the area have vacant second floors; this pilot project aims to demonstrate the feasibility of such conversions for a safer, more active business corridor that will keep more young adults in the neighborhood. (Council District 6).

U SNAP BAC, Morningside: Begin transformation of a largely vacant, half-mile stretch of Barham Street into an innovative public greenway and “farmway.” The blighted area that includes 68 publicly owned vacant parcels currently attracts dumping; U SNAP BAC envisions closing the area to vehicle traffic and opening it to small-scale agricultural enterprises that provide access to fresh food. (Council District 4) University of Detroit Mercy, Fitzgerald: Revitalization of several alleys between University of Detroit Mercy and Marygrove College, an area near McNichols that is often referred to as College Core.

Led by the UDM’s Detroit Collaborative Design Center, the project’s goals include ensuring a sense of community ownership and use of the space.

(Council District 2) Woodbridge Neighborhood Development Corp., Woodbridge: Enact a plan to calm traffic and improve walking and biking connections within Woodbridge and to the broader Midtown community, including the Woodward Corridor and the QLine.

The Walk Woodbridge plan includes physical improvements as well as programming, education and advocacy. (Council District 6)

The spirited executive and avid golfer relocated to Florida with his wife and family, but his unrelenting work ethic and his determination to remain active in the community brought him home to Detroit on many occasions to continue following his passion, selling.

Bryant, who delivered the Michigan Chronicle (and Jet magazine) as a nine-year-old boy in Black Bottom, was widely and affectionately known as one of the publication’s “most valued players.”

The popular Bryant, revered by his peers for his commitment to the profession and sense of responsibility to the Detroit community, expressed that it was a bittersweet parting as he moved on to pursue greener grass, i.e., the links.

In an interview prior to his retirement, Bryant discussed his history with the Michigan Chronicle and his civic ties.

“I’ve loved every moment of working (at the Chronicle). Most of the time it was more fun than work.

I’ll miss the people, but (publisher Hiram Jackson) and I are keeping the door open for me to continue my involvement and contributions to the paper,” said Bryant.

“Lester Bryant’s contributions have been invaluable to the Michigan Chronicle. His expertise, experience and professionalism have been a positive influence on the company and me over these many years I’ve known him. We wish him nothing but the best, and we look forward to hearing about his future adventures,” said Michigan Chronicle Publisher Hiram. H. Jackson.

The avid golfer who boasted a handicap of 10, continued the tradition of “the meeting on the golf course” he fostered during legendary publisher’s Sam Logan’s administration.

“I met Sam Logan in a 7-Eleven in Wayne, Michigan. He hired me as director of circulation, but that only lasted about six months before he decided I was better suited for selling advertising,” said Bryant.

Neither of them regretted the

From page A-1 career change, as Bryant proved to be an exceptional salesman with a special quality for connecting with members of the Detroit business community.

“I hope along the journey of 40 years in the business, I’ve been able to help some folks understand what it’s like to promote a black newspaper, and provide the type of content that the black community can only get from us,” explained Bryant.

“We’re not the Detroit News or the Detroit Free Press. We have to stay in close contact with the community and keep our finger on the pulse of their needs. We have to continue to take care of the community.

That’s why I call myself a community salesman.”

Bryant, the father of two, daughter Elana, an attorney in Lynthia, Florida, and son Kaleb, a civil engineer in Missouri City, Texas, said he would continue his civic and philanthropic commitments in Detroit which included the Detroit Branch NAACP and the Urban League, but he looked forward to joining wife Pauline in Florida to settle into their new home.

“Change is sometimes difficult for folks, but it’s also good. The Michigan Chronicle has gone from being one newspaper to being part of a multimedia corporation (Real Times Media) with properties all over the country,” said Bryant. “The way forward is to concentrate on young people and put our energies into their futures as we are doing with our partnership with Talmer Bank to promote education and employment.”

And as the adage goes, salesmen never really retire, they just go out of commission.

“I won’t ever be completely gone from here. I’ve been calling in here and talking to (receptionist) Pauline Leatherwood for 28 years. I may just keep calling, for the heck of it,” Bryant quipped.

But the venerable salesman, who had been part of the underpinning of the Michigan Chronicle sales department, said he had plenty to look forward to as he embarked on the next chapter of his life and work in Florida.

“I fully expect that this next chapter is going to be good, very good,” Bryant concluded.

Funeral arrangements were incomplete at press time.

news

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

April 19-25, 2017

Page A-5

Youth symposium on Jackie Robinson addresses nine core values of the American baseball legend

By Donald James Special to the Chronicle

On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier of Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers. As a result, he was subjected to relentless racial taunts, dirty physical play by opposing teams and numerous threats on his life. Yet, he persevered to win Rookie of the Year honors. Over a nine-year career in baseball — all with the Dodgers — Robinson, who played second base, achieved a .311 batting average. In 1962, he was elected to MLB’s Hall of Fame. Robinson’s life, both on and off the field, has yielded valuable lessons on overcoming adversity.

On Saturday, April 15, approximate- Jackie Robinson ly 60 young people, all wearing blue baseball jerseys with Robinson’s No. 42 on back, gathered at Galilee Missionary Baptist Church on the city’s east side to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Robinson’s historic breakthrough in Major League Baseball. Hosted by 42 Nine Values, in partnership with Chapel Vision Community Development Corp., the event’s theme, “The Nine Values of an American Legend,” helped facilitate meaningful dialogue between middle and high school students about Robinson’s life and values, both on and off the baseball diamond.

Sponsored by the Michigan Chronicle, UAW-Ford, and several other organizations, the symposium, which ran from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., focused on Robinson’s nine core values of success, which are courage, commitment, citizenship, determination, excellence, teamwork, justice, persistence and integrity. The youth were shown several short videos on Robinson’s life andcareer and participated in breakout sessions before experiencing a round table discussion/Q&A. The ultimate goal for participants was to write their own stories and perspectives about Robinson, based on what was learned at the symposium.

“Jackie Robinson was a very strong

man, whose life values were, and still are, impactful to today’s youth,” said attendee Hunter Phelps, a senior at Cass Tech High School. “I learned that even when he was challenged, he was determined to overcome the challenges. His nine values are definitely ones of inspiration to me and many other young people here. This symposium really helped us learn more about his life and legacy.”

Jimmy Settles, vice president of UAWFord, was in attendance. He said he’s happy to see young people learning more about Robinson, whose life after a pioneering baseball career was as an activist and civil rights leader.

“I remember many years ago, when Major League Baseball player Ozzie Smith was once asked about Jackie Robinson, he didn’t even know who he was,” recalled Settles, who met Robinson many decades ago. “Therefore, people, especially our African-American youth, need to know who Jackie Robinson was, what he stood for and what he accomplished, which wasn’t easy. It’s important that we keep events like this going for our young people.”

“The Nine Values of an American Legend” is the brainchild of Sam Abrams, a Detroit native, who independent of this initiative, is manager of player relations, youth and sports programs for the Detroit Tigers.

YOUR GOALS. OUR COMMITMENT.

When your goal is a new home, we have mortgage options that are: • flexible • convenient

Visit theprivatebank.com/mortgage or call 844-684-7882 to schedule a personal mortgage consultation today.

“Values have a tremendous impact in shaping one’s self-esteem,” said Abrams, who wants to expand the symposium to be held several times during the year. “By inspiring young people to develop values like Jackie Robinson had, we can help them have a better sense of self-worth, self-responsibility and self-determination as our young people realize that they can have a major impact on shaping their lives, and the world.”

For more information about 42 Nine Values and future initiatives on Jackie Robinson’s nine values, call Sam Abrams at 313.618.2904 or email him at ninevalues42@gmail.com.

• affordable

WE SOLVE FOR X

ALL LOANS SUBJECT TO CREDIT APPROVAL. 16F028 © 2016 THE PRIVATEBANK

Page A-6 • THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE • April 19-25, 2017

SECTION B

COMMUNITY Powered by Real Times Media

April 19-25, 2016

michiganchronicle.com

Central High School students extended their assembly outside and joined Michael T. Ritchie, president of Comerica Bank-Michigan, and race driver JR Hildebrand to get a closer view of the Grand Prix IndyCar.

C

O

M

E

R

I

C

A

HOMEFRONT

Central High School students discover the science behind racing at special assembly From left: Merrill Cain from the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix, Michael Ritchie, Comerica Bank, and JR Hildebrand participated in a panel discussion focused on science and technology in racing at Central High School.

Central High School students had the opportunity to speak one-on-one with JR Hildebrand to learn more about his experiences and what it is like to sit behind the wheel of an IndyCar.

When people watch an IndyCar race – either in the stands or on TV – most are mesmerized by the speeds the cars reach and how agile the drivers can be, especially on a street course like the one at Belle Isle. Everything from the drivers to the pit crews seems so effortless.

With the excitement, it is easy to get lost in the moment, but it is important to take a step back and understand the science that makes the cars perform the way they do. Central High School students learned just that during a special assembly featuring JR Hildebrand, driver for Ed Carpenter Racing in the Verizon IndyCar Series.

Comerica Bank recently teamed up with the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear to host 50 STEM and robotics students from Central High School to learn more about the science and technology applied to race cars beyond what most see on the racetrack.

Hildebrand, Michael T. Ritchie, president of Comerica Bank Michigan and Merrill Cain from the Grand Prix spoke on a panel to help expose the students to different STEM and technology career opportunities available in racing.

“Math, science and engineering are such a huge part of what we do on race weekends. If it weren’t for those things we wouldn’t be able to achieve the speeds or drive the cars the way we do,” said Hildebrand. “It’s cool to be able to come into schools and try to connect some of those dots and help students understand this does apply to the day-to-day math and science they are studying in the classroom.”

Eleventh grade student Marla Whitfield represented her class during a question-and-answer session with the panel about the advancements of racing technology.

Aspiring software engineer Marla Whitfield discovered how important coding is to the race

JR Hildebrand explained to students that the majority of a driver’s speed and performance relies on physics and science. drivers’ performance at the event.

“My favorite subject in school is career technical education,” said Whitfield. “We are learning the ins and outs of computers – like the different types of processors and mainboards. I didn’t know coding was involved in racing; I’m definitely more interested in racing now.”

Comerica Bank also announced an exclusive field trip to the Grand Prix for the Central High School students during Comerica Bank Free Prix Day on Friday, June 2.

The ninth through 12th-grade students will take their interests in robotics and STEM education to the next level when they meet with several racing professionals during a behind-the-scenes tour of race activities at Belle Isle.

“It’s important to provide examples for students about how they can apply what they are learning in school to real-world

professions,” said Ritchie. “We are looking forward to partnering with the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear to provide these students with an experience that hopefully sparks an interest in a possible career in the racing industry. At a minimum, we want to open their eyes to the unique career opportunities available with a STEM education.”

During Comerica Bank Free Prix Day all fans will have free access to Belle Isle Park and are welcome to enjoy all the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented

by Lear racing action that day at no charge. Fans will experience the sights and sounds of the first day of the Grand Prix, featuring all four racing series on track.

Fans can also access the paddock area, often referred as the “locker room” of motorsports, where the

See STEM page B-2

Comerica colleagues (from left) Janice Tessier, Wendy Holmes, Holly Windom, Amanda Mansour and John Warner volunteered at the Central High School Grand Prix event. The Comerica Cares volunteers helped usher students to their seats Comerica Cares volunteer Wendy Holmes took photos of Central High School and took photos of the students doing their best impersonation of a race driver in students at the Grand Prix event. The photos were printed out instantly and autoan official Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear cutout car. graphed by JR Hildebrand.

community

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

April 19-25, 2016

Page B-2

Comerica Bank’s Michigan Index inches up

From left: Tracey Atwater, assistant vice president and ­manager of Comerica’s Fisher Building office, Marvin Rushing, vice president and Detroit Retail District Manager; and Kelley Wood, assistant vice president and manager of Comerica’s Midtown office, checked out the progress being made on the installation of Comerica’s first self-assisted location.

Comerica Bank’s Michigan Economic Activity Index grew just 0.1 percentage points in January to a level of 130.1. January’s reading is 56 points, or 76 percent, above the index cyclical low of 74.1. The index averaged 127.8 points for all of 2016, four and one-fifth points above the index average for 2015. December’s index reading was 130.0.

Comerica’s first self-assisted location opens in Detroit

Comerica Bank recently installed its first self-assisted location at the corner of West Grand Boulevard and Lincoln in Detroit. The new location features a 24-hour ATM and two “Banker Connect” machines. Banker Connect allows customers to interact with customer service representatives in real-time via live video stream Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

A wide variety of transactions can be conducted using the Banker ­Connect – check and cash deposits, withdrawals, check cashing, transfers from checking and savings accounts, and loan and revolving credit payments.

Comerica recently installed two Banker Connect machines at 2833 West Grand Boulevard in Detroit, giving customers the ability to interact with customer service representatives via live video stream.

STEM From page B-1

“The Comerica Bank Michigan Economic Activity Index increased just slightly in January, and is essentially stagnant at a value of 130 from November through January. Index components were about evenly matched in January, with four up and four down. The gainers were nonfarm employment, state exports, home prices and state sales tax revenues.

The losers were unemployment insurance claims (inverted), housing starts, automobile production and hotel occupancy. Automakers are revving up their plans for reinvestment in the state, which is great news. However, we view this as a force for employment stability, not necessarily for net job growth in the state. Manufacturing employRobert A. Dye ment in Michigan rebounded from 2010 through 2015, supported by rebounding auto sales. However, since early 2016, Michigan manufacturing employment has flat-lined,” said Robert Dye, chief economist at Comerica Bank.

“The surge in U.S. consumer confidence this spring may provide some near term support for auto sales.”

The Michigan Economic Activity Index consists of eight variables, as follows: nonfarm payrolls, exports, hotel occupancy rates, continuing claims for unemployment insurance, housing starts, sales tax revenues, home prices, and auto production. All data are seasonally adjusted, and indexed to a base year of 2008.

Nominal values have been converted to constant dollar values.

Index levels are expressed in terms of three-month moving averages.

teams work on their cars throughout the weekend. Visitors will also enjoy interactive displays, extreme sports demonstrations, family-friendly activities and more in the Meijer Fan Zone, along with live music on the MotorCity Casino Hotel Entertainment Stage.

Comerica Bank, with one of the largest banking center networks in Michigan, is a subsidiary of Comerica Incorporated (NYSE: CMA), a financial services company headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and strategically aligned by three business segments: The Business Bank, The Retail Bank, and Wealth Management. Comerica focuses on relationships, and helping people and businesses be successful. In addition to Michigan and Texas, Comerica Bank locations can be found in Arizona, California, and Florida, with select businesses operating in several other states, as well as in Canada and Mexico.

Whitfield is most interested in seeing firsthand the role software engineering plays in racing at the Comerica Bank Free Prix Day field trip and how she can use that knowledge to hopefully create a new technology for the racing industry someday.

“I’m also looking forward to watching Hildebrand win,” Whitfield added.

To subscribe to our publications or for questions, contact us at ComericaEcon@comerica.com. Archives are available at http://www.comerica.com/economics. Follow us on Twitter: @Comerica_Econ.

For more information about Co- Students raised their hands to acknowledge if they have attended the Grand merica Bank Free Prix Day and a full Prix just before Michael Ritchie of Comerica Bank surprised Central High CBP-6100-12 CRE Ad-MM.pdf 1 8/3/16 School 10:07 AM students with a special field trip to the Grand Prix on Comerica Bank list of on-track action, visit http:// www.detroitgp.com.

Free Prix Day.

Let’s grow, right now.

When it comes to business, timing is everything.

MEMBER FDIC. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY LENDER. Comerica Bank NMLS ID: 480990 *Comerica ranks first nationally among the top 25 U.S. financial holding companies, based on commercial and industrial loans outstanding as a percentage of assets.

Data provided by SNL Financial, June 2015.

CBP-6100-12 08/16

And, with historically low rates, there’s never been a more opportunistic time to expand your business with a commercial real estate loan from Comerica. As the leading bank for business*, we’ve been financing business expansion for nearly 150 years. Whether you need to build or purchase, expand or refinance, it’s the right time. Are you ready?

Call 800.705.2387, stop by a Comerica banking center or visit comerica.com/cre.

®

RAISE YOUR EXPECTATIONS.

community

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

April 19-25, 2017

Page B-3

Detroit Deltas to host Jabberwock fundraiser to showcase, support local youth in the arts Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Detroit Alumnae Chapter, in partnership with Delta Service Through Detroit Foundation, Inc., presents “Searching for the Stars,” as the 2017 Jabberwock scholarship fundraiser.

The talent showcase competition will be held at Martin Luther King High School, 3200 E. Lafayette in Detroit, on Sunday,

Wayne County Commission Vice-Chair Alisha Bell (second from right) brought smiles to the faces of a lot of young ladies at the 10th annual “Belle of the Ball” prom dress giveaway in Detroit.

Young ladies receive free prom dresses and accessories at milestone ‘Belle of the Ball’ event Prom night for scores of young ladies became a little more special on Saturday, April 8, as Wayne County Commission Vice-Chair Alisha Bell proudly hosted her 10th annual “Belle of the Ball” prom dress giveaway.

In recent years, Jabberwock proceeds assisted and supported high school graduates who have gone on to study at institutions such as Julliard. This year, the showcase features Isabella and Rebecca Hunter who have been enrolled in dance since they were two years old. Now 16 and 18, they’ve been chosen by world-renowned dance company Cecchetti USA to represent the United States at the Cecchetti International Classical Ballet Competition in Florence, Italy this August.

Dozens of girls walked out of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan, 16500 Tireman, Detroit, smiling and carrying free prom dresses and accessories to showcase during their upcoming memorable evenings.

“Ten years now and it remains as great a feeling as the first one in seeing these girls and their families be able to enjoy this important time in their lives,” Bell said. “Anytime you can give back to the community is a wonderful feeling and to see that these beautiful young ladies know that they will be able to attend their school proms just adds to the excitement.”

Girls attending represented vast areas of metro Detroit and were able to choose free formal and semiformal dresses, shoes, purses and jewelry that were donated. Some items were brand new, others gently used. Bell estimates that the “Belle of the Ball” events combined have given away more than 1,700 dresses.

She expressed her appreciation to the volunteers and businesses that donated dresses and accessories. Sponsors included Unique Lady Bridal Salon, Bella Donna Bridal, JC Penney, Two Men and a Truck, Queens Crown (corsages, wristlets) and Elite Couture Boutique.

Bell also is grateful to the Boys & Girls Club for again offering the building to host the event. In addition, board members and employees of The Salvation Army-Eastern Michigan Division donated dresses, accessories and clothing racks.

And, she expressed appreciation to the volunteers who kept everything running smoothly. The group included family, friends, staff and members of Team LOOPS Inc. (Linking Over Obstacles Partnering Services).

Community invited for April 22 opening of ARISE Detroit!

Neighborhoods exhibit at Detroit Historical Museum Members of churches, block clubs and other community groups are invited to attend the grand opening of a new ARISE Detroit! exhibit spotlighting city neighborhoods at the Detroit Historical Museum.

Called “Neighborhoods Rising,” the exhibit’s Community Day public grand opening will be held Saturday, April 22, from noon to 5 p.m. at the museum, located at 5401 Woodward Detroit. There is no charge to attend.

Sponsored by the DTE Energy Foundation, the exhibit will run from April 22 through June 18.

The exhibit focuses on the neighborhood people and programs that have

April 23 at 4:30 p.m. General admission tickets are $25 and VIP tickets are $45, which includes a reception before the showcase. They are available by way of PayPal or by visiting dstdfi@gmail.com.

partnered with ARISE Detroit! since the community mobilization nonprofit began in 2006.

The exhibit will feature nearly 200 photos, video and audio displays, a neighborhood city scape and dozens of artifacts that have been part of the annual ARISE Detroit!

Neighborhoods Day, the Neighborhood Summit and other activities.

“This is an exhibit truly by and for the people,” said Luther Keith, executive director of ARISE Detroit! “All of the groups and volunteers that have participated in Neighborhoods Day and other events have made this possible. We want the people to come down and

see themselves. We think folks will be inspired.”

Faye Nelson, vice president at DTE energy and board chair and president of the DTE Energy Foundation, said the exhibit further showcases “the heart and spirit of Detroit, which lies within the neighborhoods.”

For more information, call 313-833-7935.

About ARISE Detroit!

ARISE Detroit! is a nonprofit community mobilization coalition of more than 400 organizations, promoting volunteerism, community activism and positive media images to create a better Detroit. Visit www. arisedetroit.org or call ­313-921-1955.

Jabberwock is one of the sorority’s oldest fundraisers, held by chapters all over the world. The event features youth talent from ages 12-18 from metro Detroit. Contestants compete in visual

Isabella and Rebecca Hunter and performing arts. Cash prizes will be awarded to those who place first, second and third, separated in three categories, elementary, middle and high school. Additionally, there is a people’s choice award for the same categories.

“Since 1963, this chapter has hosted the annual Jabberwock to raise funds for scholarships while we maintain our organization’s legacy of giving, donating the proceeds to provide scholarships for youth enrolled in the Detroit Public Schools Community District and surrounding communities,” said LaNeice Jones, president of the Detroit Alumnae Chapter.

“An education that in-

cludes fine arts, including music, theatre, painting and dancing promotes creativity and provides a well-rounded curriculum for youth,” said Yvonne Jackson, PhD, Jabberwock 2017 chair. “To date, DAC has donated more than $300,000 in college scholarships through our Jabberwock productions and we remain committed to sowing seeds for the future of the arts.”

Ticket sales will take place at DSTDFI headquarters located at 24760 West Seven Mile Rd. in Detroit.

For more information on Jabberwock 2017 “Searching for the Stars,” log onto www.DetroitDeltas.com.

‘Be the Voice for a Child’s Hope’ at Andiamo restaurant On Thursday, April 27, famous faces and notables from across metro Detroit will come together to “Be the Voice for Child’s Hope,” by singing karaoke for a cause from 6 to 9 p.m. at Andiamo Ristorante in Dearborn.

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month and Ford Motor Company is proud to sponsor the evening and provide a stage for the mission of Child’s Hope, a nonprofit organization building collaborations and programs that enable children and families to break the cycle of child abuse and neglect.

Child’s Hope is a central voice for the prevention of child abuse and neglect in Out-Wayne County. The nonprofit organization focuses on raising awareness of child safety and welfare through countywide programs. It builds collaborations and programs that enable children, families and caregivers to break the cycle of abuse.

In addition to celebrity

karaoke performances, “Be the Voice” guests will enjoy gourmet food stations and premium beer and wine bar.

The star-studded event vocalists include: • WXYZ anchor Stephen Clark • WXYZ meteorologist Chris Edwards • Associated Press writer Jeff Karoub • Actress Christy Edwards • Detroit News columnist Neal Rubin • WOMC “Morning” host Bobby Mitchell

• Lions and U of M broadcaster Jim Brandstatter • WJR radio host Guy Gordon • WWJ Newsradio 950’s Chrystal Knight • ARISE Detroit! executive director Luther Keith • Asian Pacific American Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Van Nguyen • Singer and founder of WDET’s “The Secret Society of Twisted Storytellers,” Satori Shakoor • Gleaners Community Food Bank President Gerry Brisson

CONGRATUL ATIONS

CLASS OF

2017

YOU’RE NOT JUST GETTING A DIPLOMA, YOU’RE GETTING THE KEYS TO THE FUTURE.

AIM HIGHER wayne.edu

HIRAM E. JACKSON Publisher

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

(313) 963-5522 e-mail: newsdesk@michronicle.com April 19-25, 2017

Page B-4

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

The thirst to survive

By Marcus Cross

7th Grade, UPA Middle School

Do you know what it’s like to have your water shut off? Have you experienced it before? How would you feel?

I think we should have access to water for free. At least it should be affordable because we need water to survive.

Without making it free or affordable, it’s like you’re just killing us. In this paper, I will explain what it’s like to not have water. I will give reasons and state facts why this is happening. I will tell you the real problems that are going on and that these water shutoffs need to stop.

According to the text, “The Ancient World,” “Ancient Sumerians built irrigation systems to create a steady water supply.” Also, maintaining these complete systems required cooperation among villages. This means they built systems for the water to flow so the ancient Sumerian farmers could grow their crops.

However, Sumerians fought for this water and the control over it. According to the same text, “As Sumerian cities grew, they fought over the right to use more water.”It also says, “Disputes over water often led to bloodshed.” This is similar to Marcus Cross Detroit because we are also fighting for water and it’s getting more intense now because it’s leading to negative health consequences and more.

There are many consequences to having your water shut off. The first consequence is emotional. When your water is shut off, it only takes 48 hours for CPS (Child Protective Services) to take away your children. As a child, if I was taken away from my mom, I would be sad and start crying. That may be how other children feel also. In addition, there are physical consequences. Without water, there isn’t life. All living things would die without it. You can die from being dehydrated, catching diseases, and from lack of sanitation.

According to the article, “Exploring the Public Health Consequences of Detroit’s Water Shutoffs,” “Water and sanitation are considered as significant as virtually anything else in the public health field, whether it’s malaria or other infectious diseases.”

Are you concerned why Detroit residents’ water is being shut off? There are many reasons why this is happening.

But in my opinion, I think the 83/17 split is the biggest reason. According to the text, “Mapping the Water Crisis,” “In 1999, Judge Feikens signs an order that

83 percent of the cost for any combined sewer improvements must be covered

by Detroit’s residents and the remaining 17 percent covered by suburban wholesale customers.” This mean that Judge Feikens made Detroit residents pay 83 percent of the cost of the suburban sewerage upgrade and still expects us to pay 100 percent of our own bills. That’s terrible. How would you feel?

In addition to the 83/17 split, our access to water should cost no more than 2.5 percent of our income. “After half a century of disinvestment and deindustrialization, Detroiters pay between 3.1 and 21 percent of their incomes for water and sewerage service, and many face mass water shutoffs for unpaid bills.”

That’s shameful for someone to raise our bills like this, and it gets worse.

Do you think the high unaffordable water is emergency management’s fault? Some off this is their fault. In March 2013, emergency management took control over the water.

Before they took over, there were no more than 2,500 water shutoffs per month. When emergency management took control, there were over 7,000 water shutoffs in the month of June 2014 alone.

In the same text, it says, “Detroit enters into a two-year, $5.6 million contract with Homrich, inc., a demolition company, to shut off water from citizens who are either 45 days late or over $150 delinquent on their water bills.”

That means Homrich signed a contract to cut people water off for $5.6 million.

The DWSD is claiming they don’t have any money, but can give Homrich $5.6 million to shut off water bills only $150 behind. That’s a crime!

It’s not all about money. It can also be about race. In the book, “Mapping the Water Crisis,” on page 18 there is a map that shows harsh shutoff policies and it is most harsh where African Americans live, which is Detroit. The lighter color is where there are fewer black people. In fact, some suburban community don’t allow their water to be shut off at all. How unfair is that!

Water crisis consequences

By Briana Aine 7th Grade UPA Middle School

How is your day? Great you say?

There are others who aren’t so good.

They have no water, dying alone. Not fair to you? Then help. This is the “No Water Report” brought to you by Briana Aine. Five thousand years ago ancient farmers had conflicts over water. So, this has been going on up until today.

How are we supposed to survive without a reliable water supply? Water equals life, and without it, there is no life. We can’t survive without water and that´s why access to fresh water should be a human right.

Water has been our key to survival since the ancient Sumerian farmers of Mesopotamia. According to our textbook, “History Alive! The Ancient World,” “Irrigation systems were created by the ancient Sumerian farmers to provide enough food for their people.”

This is important because this explains how irrigation systems were Briana Aine helpful to one of our essentialneeds, food. However, there were conflicts.

According to the same text, “Villagers fought over control or who would control it.”

This means that if all people did was argue over water, we wouldn’t have any at all. This can relate to Detroit; people are fighting with the DWSD over who should and who should not own the water.

Water shutoff are happening to thousands of people who don’t deserve this.

I have experienced it and know what it’s like, and for the government, Homrich, and emergency management to do this to us is wrong on so many levels.

There are two consequences to having your water shut off — emotional and physical. According to the text, “Exploring the Public Health Consequences of Detroit’s Water Shutoff,” Esther, a woman who had her water shut off, explained, “The first thing I felt when they shut my water off was anger.” Anger is a big part of emotions. Child Protective Services (CPS) will take your children, so people choose to hide their identity.

People can feel embarrassment, shame, stress, depression, and anxiety which can cause death.

We, as one, have to fight for the rights to have access to fresh water. So, coming from a child, I encourage you to stand up and fight for access to free, fresh, and affordable water. State your opinion!

Physical is our second consequence.

According to the same text, diseases, dehydration and lack of sanitation are key to physical consequences. Diseases that much worse if they are caused by water shutoffs. Lack of sanitation is one

way to catch diseases. Not being able to wash your hands, clothes or bathe is unsanitary which brings diseases. Dehydration is the worst and most dangerous thing or part to water shut off. You can pass out and get a hospital bill that is also unaffordable.

Does the DWSD realize we have other bills to pay that our lives depend on?

Why are they making water so unaffordable when water should be free? We have other bills, other priorities. Our lives can be difficult for some based on income.

According to “Mapping the Water Crisis,” water is so unaffordable because we pay for the suburban water and sewerage infrastructure upgrade. The 83/17 split is causing water to be unaffordable. To reiterate, Detroiters are paying 83% and the suburban municipalities are only paying 17% when they should be paying for their own infrastructure.

This sitiuation has gone on too far, up to the point where it leads to dismantled homes and separated families. Why are we going through this, why us? Water should be affordable if not free.

According to the EPA Clean Water Act, water is supposed to be 2.5 percent of a family’s income, not more. But instead of 2.5 percent, it’s 3.1 to 21 percent which is outrageous. People with lower incomes, have a much more difficult time paying. When people don’t have water, within 48 hours CPS will take their children and their home can be taken by the government which causes destabilized neighborhoods.

The the 83/17 split is not just making water unaffordable, it is also racial.

Suburban residents generally have more money. It’s not fair to us and we need equal rights as one, everyone together.

They make black people feel that we don’t belong, but if we didn’t, the water system wouldn’t be here today. It’s because of Detroit that everyone has water.

We built the entire water and sewerage system.

How do you feel now? Guilty, sad or any pain for your nation? Being unaware of this is not very smart, its sad. People are suffering or even dying because water isn’t free and because of racial issues. Don’t believe me? Do your research.

Detroit is the new Flint: A water crisis sweeping the state

By Quintin Love 7th Grade, UPA Middle School

Another consequence that one can face from not having water is the possibility of contracting a disease. In the text, “Exploring the Public Health Consequences of Detroit’s Water Shutoffs” it mentions, “Dr. Johnson has worked directly in communities that don’t have running water or have access to clean and safe water, even for a few days, facing an increased likelihood of contracting diseases such as E. coli and hepatitis.” This statement goes to show that if someone doesn’t have water for a few days, or if they do not have access to clean water, the chances are more likely for that individual to contract a disease.

The water crisis is doing quite a successful job ruining people’s lives. One must realize that water is a survival factor. In order to complete daily tasks such as bathing, eating, and drinking, it is a necessary tool. Water helps keep your body clean and it is impossible to live without it. Having access to water should be a human right for all. The United States is a developed nation, so it is very surprising that these crises are occurring. These water issues have been occurring for far too long now. First, the news took a look at what was happen Historically, this all ing in Flint, now the probhappened when people lem is starting to stir up began controlling waagain in the city of Detroit. ter and had access to it.

This problem is making According to text, “The people’s lives muchhard- Quintin Love Ancient World,” “Irrier, which is draconian towards humans. Draconian means harsh gation systems provided enough water punishment and that is what’s happen- for Sumerian farmers to grow plenty of food.” This was important because the ing to these residents. water helped grow crops and made it Having to live without water is a huge possible for them to survive. However, problem. One of the major consequenc- during that time, conflicts broke out es that can result of not having water over who would have control over the is having bad odor. From a child’s per- water, leading to fights and discrepanspective, it’s hard to have bad odor be- cies. The same text says, “Disputes over cause when you attend school the stu- water became so intense that they often dents may notice. Some students will led to bloodshed.” Fighting over access even mention your odor, which then to water is as old as ancient history. will cause you to feel embarrassed. This can lead to bullying and low self-esteem Do you know how much it costs to issues for that child. According to the shut off a Detroiter’s water bill? It cost text, “Exploring the Public Health Con- a person in Detroit a minimum of $150 sequences of Detroit’s Water Shutoffs,” to get their water shut off. According to “...She often didn’t bathe before school, text, “Mapping the Water Crisis,” “Dehad body odor, and sometimes had troit enters into a two-year, $5.6 million to shower in the homes of neighbors, contract with Homrich, Inc., a demolifriends or family, an experience she says tion company, to shut off water from citizens who are either 45 days late or over was degrading.”

$150 delinquent on their water bills.”

This means that for $150 your water could be shut off. What makes this water crisis so expensive is the 83/17 split.

The 83/17 split means that the suburbs pay 17 percent of their costs, but Detroit pays 83 percent. According to the same text, “Judge Feikens signs an order that 83 percent of the cost for any combined sewer improvements must be covered by Detroit residents and the remaining 17 percent covered by suburban wholesale customers.”

The amount of water is unaffordable for Detroit residents, so how much should it cost? According to the EPA, water should cost no more than 2.5 percent of a family’s income. “Mapping the Water Crisis” says, “The EPA establishes its own guideline for water affordability in relationship to maintaining the EPA Clean Water Act: access to water and sewerage should cost no more than 2.5 percent of a family’s income.”

Unfortunately, DWSD (Detroit Water and Sewerage Department) is making Detroi-

ters pay more. Based on the text cited above, “Detroiters pay between 3.1 to 21 percent of their incomes for water and sewerage service, and many face mass water shutoffs for unpaid bills.” This results in Detroiters paying more than they are supposed to and this is yet another reason why the shutoffs happen so frequently.

Water should be affordable and is a basic human right. Not having water is extremely dangerous for any human and is outrageous in 2017. These innocent humans not being able to have water is causing them to suffer. This water crisis is a violation of people’s rights. People should have access to clean water because it’s a survival factor.

Water crises were happening centuries ago and are still occurring in this decade. But water used to be reasonable and maintainable. It is insane that today it is not.. Detroit is surrounded by the Great Lakes, so why is it that people’s water is constantly being shut off? Make our water affordable!

community

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

April 19-25, 2017

Page B-5

Barrister’s Ball 2017: The stars come out at night

Monica Morgan photos

community

April 19-25, 2016

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

COMERICA IN THE COMMUNITY

Page B-6

COLLEAGUE SPOTLIGHT

Gloria L. McDonald Gloria L. McDonald, vice president and manager of learning and development, joined Comerica just over a year ago and she’s already made a great impact.

McDonald leads and executes learning and development strategies, governance and activities that help drive business results and employee career growth. She works with a team of learning and development specialists who develop learning solutions for various business units within Comerica.

Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency Director James Robert Redford (right) presents Comerica Bank’s Michigan Market President Michael Ritchie with the Michigan Veteran-Friendly Employer bronze-level certification.

MVAA reaches milestone of 100 Veteran-Friendly Employers

Members of the Comerica Bank African American initiative team joined together for a special reception before the University Musical Society (UMS) performance of Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra led by Wynton Marsalis. Housed on the University of Michigan’s Ann Arbor campus, UMS is one of the oldest performing arts centers in the country, committed to connecting audiences with performing artists from around the world for an uncommon and engaging experience.

The Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA) recently honored Comerica Bank as its 100th Veteran-Friendly Employer.

Comerica was certified at the bronze level for its veteran hiring policies and practices. Since the implementation of their veteran outreach strategy in 2015, the percentage of veterans in Comerica’s work force has increased by 12 percent. The bank expects that number to grow, with veteran hiring expected to continue to increase.

“I love leading a team of talented specialists and providing solutions that will enhance colleague skills and performance,” McDonald said.

McDonald holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and finance from Howard University and an MBA from Wayne State University.

Aside from work, McDonald devotes a significant amount of time volunteering in the community.

As a member of the Pontiac Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., McDonald partners with local churches, community groups and other nonprofit organizations and programs that promote human welfare throughout Pontiac and surrounding communities. They support homeless shelters and sponsor health and wellness events on a regular basis.

As a member of the Howard University Alumni Club of Detroit, McDonald’s focus is on assisting high school students as they apply for college.

“There is a lot of joy telling students their dreams of going to college would be realized because of the scholarship funds awarded by HUAC of Detroit,” McDonald said.

Gloria L. McDonald

Comerica certified at the bronze level for veteran hiring practices

Since 2015, MVAA has recognized organizations for their dedication to recruiting, hiring, training and maintaining veteran talent. Participants have opportunities to network with likeminded companies, share best practices and take advantage of no-cost training to improve veteran outreach practices. The program also helps veterans more easily identify employers committed to hiring and supporting former service members in their workforces.

Veteran-Friendly Employers have hired more than 2,700 veterans in the past two years.

McDonald enjoys all of her work at Comerica, but she is especially proud of a success from last year when her team analyzed a training request for the technology team and found a large cost savings could be made.

From left: Comerica Bank volunteers Judi McLaughlin, Maureen Post, Denise Leonard, Mary Dantzler and Deborah Hardison Hill helped support Gleaners Community Food Bank during their donation drive at the Michigan Design Center.

Gloria L. McDonald (left) volunteers with the Delta GEMS during their “Dare to Dream” Martin Luther King Day Celebration event hosted annually at Oakland University.

From left: Edwanda Edwards of Comerica’s CRA Systems Group joined her colleagues Kellie Cooke, vice president and manager of the Livernois-Lyndon banking center; Jaunice Kellar, CRA market manager; and Stephanie Mitchell, manager of the Southfield Tower banking center, at Dossin Elementary School recently to teach JA in a Day.

Comerica Bank hosted students from River Rouge High School to the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s Classical Roots Celebration. Through the experience, the students learned about the contributions of African American composers and musicians, including trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard and jazz violinist and MacArthur Fellow Regina Carter, who were recognized during the event for their artistic talents.

During her time with Comerica, McDonald has participated in the UNCF 5K Walk/Run, served as a co-chair of the United Way’s Black United Fund Annual Basket Auction and also participated in Comerica’s annual holiday drive for families.

“Volunteering has always been a part of my DNA,” McDonald said. “I enjoy working with people; it keeps me grounded.”

What is your most memorable accomplishment at ­Comerica?

Developing a detailed document, including the entire learning engagement process, instructional principles and supporting process maps for the Lending & Trade Services business unit. This was my first assignment after joining the team so it was a high priority and an opportunity to show that the right candidate was selected to fill this role.

What are your career goals?

For our team to be the most sought after for executing learning strategies that have been proven to enhance colleague effectiveness across the enterprise. We will know that is happening by the amount of requests the HR Corporate Learning team receives.

What do you do in your free time?

Mosaic Youth Theatre is celebrating its 25th anniversary. The group’s critically acclaimed student-driven performances and national and international tours have brought worldwide attention to Detroit as a center for arts and culture while shining a spotlight on the area’s talented young people and creating new and diverse audiences for the performing arts. Comerica Cares volunteers Mary Dantzler, Cheryl Yarbrough and Deborah Hardison Hill joined Kristen Clauder (left center) of Mosaic Youth Theatre to help sell tickets, offer programs and staff the merchandise booth for a recent performance of “Coming up Taller” at the Redford Theatre in Detroit.

Comerica Bank recently hosted the Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council (MMSDC) at its Michigan Market Headquarters to help kick off the MMSDC’s Women’s Mastermind Series. Comerica colleagues (from left) Teresa LeFevre, manager of supplier diversity; Lynn Pearson, vice president and manager of the 12 Mile-Orchard Lake banking center; Nathaniel Bennett, senior vice president and chief diversity officer; Patricia Alexander, vice president, Business Banking Northwest; and Johanna Shum, procurement specialist, helped welcome MMSDC members to the event, which also celebrated the success of the MMSDC’s women’s leadership series.

Live Cycle Delight, winner of the 2015 Comerica Hatch Detroit contest, opened its doors on March 31, as Detroit’s first contemporary indoor cycling studio located at 8019 Agnes St. in Detroit’s West Village.

Live Cycle Delight offers three types of group exercise classes, including TRX and core strength training, indoor cycling Amina Daniels and outdoor social rides, and restorative yoga which aligns with the company’s three pillars of fitness – train, sweat, restore.

For a complete class schedule and to sign up for ­classes, visit LiveCycleDelight.com/classes.

Detroit’s first contemporary indoor cycling studio, Live Cycle Delight, opened recently in Detroit’s West Village.

My two favorite places I’ve been are Hawaii and Paris. I have started a travel bucket list and hope to travel to Australia, Italy and Costa Rica soon. My travel tips are pack light and don’t overbook yourself with excursions. Enjoy the scenery as much as possible.

For more information on how Comerica colleagues are giving back to our community, visit

www.facebook.com/Comerica.

2017

Live Cycle Delight contemporary cycle studio opens in West Village

Detroit native and Live Cycle Delight owner Amina Daniels competed among 170 other applicants before taking home the $50,000 grand prize provided by Comerica Bank during the businesses competition.

I love to read and travel. I am a member of a book club and I read nine or more books per year that include mysteries, love stories and biographies.

Detroit has long been known as a great jazz town. Celebrating its 17th season, Comerica Bank Java & Jazz continues the tradition of providing a monthly after work concert series that showcases some of Detroit’s finest creative talent.

Comerica Bank Java & Jazz • April 18, 2017 6:00 p.m.

Detroit Public Library – Main Library 5201 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48202

Comerica Cares volunteers Holly Windom (left) and Deborah Hardison Hill helped raise awareness of heart disease in women at the 2017 Go Red For Women luncheon in Troy. The Go Red For Women movement is dedicated to educating women about heart disease, its symptoms and the misconceptions.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women, accounting for one in three deaths each year equating to nearly one woman every minute. It can even affect women who are physically fit, so it is important to know the risk factors and be aware of the symptoms. The most common heart attack symptoms for both men and women are chest pain and discomfort, but women are more likely to experience other symptoms like shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, and back or jaw pain.

Sean Dobbins

The Sean Dobbins Organ Quartet is a high energy ensemble that derives its’ repertoire from composers such as Victor Feldman, Lonnie Smith and Ray Bryant among others. The ensemble’s unique sound and creative approach provides a very exciting musical experience.

SECTION C

BUSINESS Powered by Real Times Media

michiganchronicle.com

April 19-25, 2017

New Economy Initiative seeks applicants for $400,000 in award money Michigan Chronicle Reports

The New Economy Initiative has announced that it will begin accepting applications on May 1 for its fourth annual NEIdeas: Rewarding Ideas for Business Growth challenge, which will award a total of $400,000 to more than 20 existing small businesses in Detroit, Hamtramck, and Highland Park for their ideas for growth.

Applications can be submitted online at NEIdeasDetroit.org between May 1 and June 1 at 11:59 p.m.

Small business owners can learn more about NEIdeas and receive tips on filling out an application at the following information sessions: 4/25, 6-8 p.m. at Bel Air Theatre (10100 East 8 Mile Rd, Detroit) 5/8, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at Focus: HOPE (1400 Oakman Blvd., Detroit) 5/18, 6-8 p.m. at Grand River Workplace (19120 Grand River Ave, Detroit) 5/22, 6-8 p.m. at SER Metro Detroit (9301 Michigan Ave., Detroit) – bilingual session in Spanish and English.

5/30, 6-8 p.m. at TechTown (440 Burroughs St., Detroit) Since its launch in 2014, NEIdeas has awarded 96 local businesses a total of $1.5 million to help them realize their ideas for growth, as well as connected hundreds of others to technical assistance opportunities. Nearly 70 percent of past NEIdeas winners are minority-owned businesses, and 65 percent are woman-owned businesses. Thanks to an extensive outreach campaign, NEIdeas has received applications from businesses located in every ZIP code in Detroit, Hamtramck, and Highland Park.

“NEIdeas is a special program in that it targets existing businesses in neighborhoods, which are critical job creators in Detroit, Hamtramck and Highland Park,” said Pamela Lewis, NEI’s director. “Since it launched in 2014, NEIdeas has celebrated the importance of neighborhood businesses, not only to the communities they serve, but also to the regional economy.

While new businesses and startups are both exciting and important, our existing small businesses need to be valued as well.”

The premise of NEIdeas is simple — business owners have ideas to grow their businesses, they just need capital to realize them. NEIdeas offers a total of $400,000 in grants to for-profit businesses that are at least three years old and located in Detroit, Hamtramck, or Highland Park — regardless of their type or industry. Those businesses are asked to share their idea to grow in a straightforward, 400-word application that can be submitted online at NEIdeasDetroit.org.

NEIdeas features two types of awards:

• $10,000 for existing businesses that gross less than $750,000 annually • $100,000 for existing businesses that gross more than $750,000 and less than $5 million annually Twenty businesses will be selected to win $10,000 awards, and two businesses will be selected to win $100,000. Applications are reviewed by a jury of local small business owners and past NEIdeas winners.

“When NEIdeas launched, it was chal-

See NEIdeas Page C-2

Global power meets Detroit innovation to celebrate entrepreneurship

By Lee Claire Recognized by CNN Money magazine and other leading corporate experts as one of the 10 most innovative city in America, Detroit is expanding on its reputation for pioneering business opportunities with its second annual Detroit Startup week. The city’s premier and most comprehensive small business development event has organizers and entrepreneurs revving up for another history-making event. The four-day small business development event, hosted by Techstars and powered by Chase for Business, returns May 22-26 to mark the next chapter of storied accomplishments in Detroit’s growing entrepreneurial sector.

As part of JPMorgan Chase’s $100 million, five-year commitment to Detroit’s economic recovery, the firm backs Detroit Startup Week, and as a founding partner and lead sponsor, Chase for Business provides for the events to be free and open to the public. Startups, entrepreneurs and enthusiasts are encouraged to attend and experience any of the more than 100 specially designed events to support startup growth and amp up their business skills, networks and awareness of opportunities in the region.

Detroit’s inaugural Startup Week, in 2016, was the largest first-year event in the global brand’s six-year history.

And on the heels of that monumental achievement, Detroit Startup Week 2017 is on track to assist entrepreneurs at virtually all levels of development, on multiple learning tracks including technology, mobility, art and design, and civic innovation.

“In true Detroit fashion, Startup Week broke the mold when it came to Detroit for the first time in 2016,” said Monica Wheat, lead of Detroit Startup Week and founder of Parallel Ventures. “With almost 4,000 attendees we surpassed all other inaugural Startup Week programs in the U.S., showing the power of the Detroit entrepreneurial community and the unmatched enthusiasm Detroiters have for growing our economy. This year’s Detroit Startup Week will only gain from that momentum.”

New this year is Detroit Startup Week’s partnership with Detroit

Bill Ford Entrepreneur Week, welcoming its founders to the advisory board and benefiting from their deep community relationships. This partnership will foster greater collaboration across business sectors, allowing tech companies and place-based startups to learn from and network with each other.

Opportunities to achieve funding will occur throughout the week and will include Quicken Loans Detroit Demo Day, where hundreds of companies will compete for a share of $1 million, and Vino & Ventures, a competition for women entrepreneurs to win seed funding and investor meetings.

“Helping entrepreneurs unleash innovative ideas is a prerequisite to economic growth,” said Regina Ann Campbell, managing director of placebased entrepreneurship at TechTown Detroit, and Detroit Startup Week advisory board member. “Bringing together startups and businesses from every stage and sector at this year’s event will be a remarkable opportunity for serendipitous collisions and idea creation.”

“More than a century ago, Ford Motor Company was a startup business that applied innovative thinking and collaboration to get where it is today,” said Bill Ford, executive chairman, Ford Motor Company. “We are proud to support the next generation of entrepreneurs at Detroit Startup Week who embody that same spirit.”

Detroit Startup Week will also feature distinct neighborhood programming each day of the event, including Midtown, Osborn, Southwest and Grandmont-Rosedale to promote business diversity and cultural awareness, along with ideas for next level development across the city.

Some neighborhood programming will be offered in Spanish and Arabic to accommodate small business expansion in ethnic communities.

Tech giant Google will offer sessions on technology and marketing, including Google My Business, Adwords and Growth Marketing for Startups.

Event-goers will benefit from 15 learning tracks to support every facet of business development, including Technology, Entrepreneurship 101, Growth-Stage Entrepreneurship, Mobility, Music, Food-preneurship, Design/ Art, Civic Innovation, Social Entrepreneurship, IoT - Internet of Things, MedTech, FinTech, Place-Based Entrepreneurship, Retail Entrepreneurship and Youth Entrepreneurship.

“There is no other city like Detroit for starting and growing businesses,” said Jill Ford, special advisor to Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan on innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives at the City of Detroit. “Our strong community of longtime and early stage entrepre-

See Entrepreneurship Page C-2

Access for All: Providing employment opportunities for Detroit’s unemployed

By Alisha Dixon

Last week, Access for All students participated in several hands-on training projects throughout Springwells Village in Southwest Detroit to further prepare them for what they will experience on the job.

Since 2010, the Detroit Regional Workforce Fund (DRWF) has worked to provide workforce training for the city’s unemployed. Created by United Way of Southeastern Michigan, DRWF has allowed Detroiters to be a part of the building of the new Detroit through programs like Access for All, a free, nine-week training program that prepares students for pre-apprenticeship opportunities in the construction trades.

Karen Tyler-Ruiz, executive director of the Detroit Regional Workforce Fund, said Access for All is “designed to help support individuals so that they have a more successful chance of entering into the construction trades and/or an apprenticeship of the construction trades.”

An industry, she said that is “good for its wages.”

“The Detroit Regional Workforce Fund and United Way are trying to open up the door and create pathways. Think about it. If you go from an $8 per hour job to a $30 per hour job, your life will change drastically. We want to get the word out that we are really trying to create career pathways that have good job opportunities for folks to be able to raise a family in Detroit.”

The demand for Detroit residents

During the weeklong training experience, a collaboration between Access for All, the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 324 and Urban Neighborhood Initiatives, students built neighborhood parks, cleaned up blight and built an urban garden.

Karen Tyler-Ruiz — Alisha Dixon photo trained in the construction trades, Tyler-Ruiz said, comes “at a time when Detroit is seeing significant growth in well-paying careers and Access for All puts its students on the path to securing and keeping one of those muchsought-after construction careers,” said Tyler-Ruiz.

Development in Detroit is evident with the constant sighting of construction vehicles and road closures.

“There are new housing projects down at the riverfront. There are com-

mercial buildings that are going up and renovations and improvements that are going on everywhere. The international bridge between Windsor and Detroit is still being planned. So, that will come on line at some point and the Michigan Department of Transportation is working on the constant improvement of our infrastructure,” she said.

This alone, she believes, makes Access for All an incredible resource for Detroiters seeking employment opportunities that will garner better wages.

“This neighborhood transformation project is important to the Access for All initiative, said Don O’Connell, retired executive director, Operating Engineers Local 324. “Instructors are able to measure the effectiveness of the classroom component of the program when they see their students in the field actually applying what they have learned.”

The Detroit Regional Workforce and programs like Access for All are merely an extension of the United Way of Southeastern Michigan’s commitment to improving the community.

“It’s nice to look at the continuum of what United Way does in the high schools and then what the DRWF is doing at the post high school level and trying to make sure Detroiters know about these opportunities,” Tyler-Ruiz said.

business

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

NEIdeas

April 19-25, 2017

Page C-2

From page C-1

lenging for existing small businesses in Detroit to access the capital they needed to grow,” said Michael Rafferty, vice president of small-business development at the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation. “While there is still much to be done to make it easier for businesses to access capital, NEIdeas has helped change the landscape of what’s available. Since NEIdeas launched in 2014, a variety of new programs and capital sources, including Motor City Match, have come online, in part because of the success of this program.”

Several past NEIdeas winners, who represent a variety of industries, have experienced significant growth since implementing their ideas.

“We’re very proud of our growth,” said A.K. Bennett, project manager at Benkari Mechanical, a Detroit-based mechanical contracting firm and a 2015 NEIdeas winner. “We secured a contract with the first project we estimated using bidding software we purchased with our NEIdeas grant funds.

Without it we may not have been able to bid the project in the time frame provided.”

Applicants who applied to NEIdeas in the past but did not receive an award are encouraged to apply again this year. In 2016, nearly a third of winning businesses were repeat applicants from previous challenge years.

NEIdeas is operated in partnership with the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC), which coordinates the challenge’s outreach program that utilizes 29 “Ambassador” locations – community organizations, associations, and faithbased institutions across Detroit, Hamtramck and Highland Park – that are available to assist small business owners with filling out and submitting

their applications. A full list of NEIdeas Ambassador organizations can be found at NEIdeasDetroit. org/people/ambassadors/.

The New Economy Initiative (NEI) is a philanthropy-led regional economic development initiative working to build a network of support for entrepreneurs and small businesses in southeast Michigan. A special project of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, NEI is supported by 13 local and national foundations. The mission of NEI is to create an inclusive, innovative regional culture by reawakening and leveraging Detroit’s creative entrepreneurial drive. The overarching goal is to establish a more

diverse economy where opportunity, wealth and prosperity are available to all. To learn more, visit: http://neweconomyinitiative.org/.

The New Economy Initiative is supported by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, the Ford Foundation, the Hudson-Webber Foundation, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Kresge Foundation, the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation, the McGregor Fund, the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, the Skillman Foundation, the Surdna Foundation, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and the William Davidson Foundation.

Entrepreneurship From page C-1 neurs, business support organizations and initiatives such as the Detroit Startup Week provide a family of support for Detroit businesses at every stage of their development.

Detroit Startup Week continues to be an extraordinary demonstration of the power of community collaboration.”

Ford is a member of the Detroit Startup Week’s volunteer advisory board, which is tasked with event strategy.

Attendees can also look forward to networking opportunities, concerts, free headshots and legal advice for entrepreneurs. The event headquarters will be at the Masonic Temple, known for the week as #ChaseBasecamp. Events will take place at many Detroit venues including Techtown Detroit, Gem Theater and other advisory board member locations.

“Techstars Startup Programs is an innovator in their field, launching not just Detroit’s event,

but Startup Week programs across the country,” said Wheat. “The robust support from Chase for Business, together with the expertise and resources of [more than] 50 other passionate and influential volunteer leads, will dial up the impact of this year’s Detroit Startup Week.

We are humbled by all of our partners’ dedication to Detroit’s business community, and excited for another exhilarating, meaningful celebration of entrepreneurship through Detroit Startup Week 2017.”

Other supporting partners include Quicken Loans/Rock Ventures, Google, Pixo Group, AMBR Detroit and Parallel Ventures.

Visit Detroit.StartupWeek.co for free registration and information about funding opportunities and event offerings.

New sessions will be added to the lineup on a rolling basis. Keynote presenters and feature highlights will be announced as the event nears.

WE KNOW GROWTH UHY LLP offers a commitment to deliver the highest quality product. To accomplish this, our professionals are constantly evaluating opportunities to propel incremental growth and offer value-added services. This passion for active involvement is what our clients say sets us apart. We have the experience and industry expertise to help take your business to the next level of service. We offer a wealth of resources to help our clients increase profits, minimize taxes, and realize their financial goals.

DETROIT 313 964 1040 FARMINGTON HILLS, MI 248 355 1040 STERLING HEIGHTS, MI 586 254 1040 www.uhy-us.com

The next level of service

An independent member of UHY International

A S t r o n g er C o m m un i t y .

A healthier community.

Henry Ford Health System and HAP are pleased to sponsor the Michigan Chronicle’s Pancakes & Politics event.

UAW-FORD’s

Section C-3

April 19-25, 2017

Cody-Academy of Public Leadership students say it loud: ‘My Life Matters!’

Loving life: During a recent event-packed four days, students at Cody-Academy of Public Leadership demonstrated that their lives, and the lives of all Detroit youth truly matter.

Proud Detroit native Lance Woods makes most of chance to direct our youth

By Scott Talley Special to the Michigan Chronicle To our knowledge, Lance Woods was never a superstar basketball player. However, Woods and the great Michael Jordan actually have something significant in common.

There is an often-told story about Jordan being cut from his school’s varsity high school basketball team in the tenth grade.

Fast-forward about 35 years and Woods also faced rejection, but his experience occurred when he first attempted to be a “dream director” for The Future Project, which helps students at eight Detroit schools unlock their potential to change their lives and our world for the better.

“In March 2014, I was living in Nashville, Tennessee working in the field of supply chain management and my heart was set on moving back to Detroit for a few reasons,” recalled Woods, a proud graduate of Northwestern High School (Class of 2006) and Tennessee State University. “One of the reasons (I wanted to come back home) was to chase my dream of empowering and motivating young people, but I didn’t quite know how I was going to do it. I wanted to hit the ground running to make an impact in the city where I was born and raised.”

When Woods learned about The Future Project and the position of “dream director,” the person who works directly with students at The Future Project’s schools, he viewed it as a great opportunity to impact the lives of Detroit youth in a positive way. And despite not being selected for a dream director position in his first attempt, Woods persevered—in a manner that would garner the respect of even Michael Jordan—and today Woods is The Future Project dream director at Cody-Academy of Public Leadership.

“There are several things that I enjoy about working with The Future Project, but if I had to name what I enjoy most, it would be the relationships that I build with my students,” Woods said. “I love being around them to see the smiles on their faces, but most importantly witnessing their growth and development. I like to see the projects they come up with to shift the culture of the school.”

Woods’ words recently came to life when the students he directs—the Cody Academy of Public Leadership Metro Dream Soarers— put on a host of programs for the benefit of the school’s entire

student body as part of the “My Life Matters Campaign.” Event highlights, which spanned four days, included the “Black is Beautiful” talent showcase; the “Why in the D” student symposium, where students hosted a presentation around the topics of violence and grief; a “Your Story, Your Glory” event featuring best-selling author Shawn Blanchard; a “Health is Wealth Day,” including yoga and fitness; and, a “Steps for Success” event, which exposed the high school students to historically African American fraternities and sororities.

“We have approximately 300 students that attend Cody-Academy of Public Leadership and the entire school attended the majority of the programming,” said Woods, who expressed words of gratitude for all of the caring people who so generously shared their time and talents to enhance the events, including some of his colleagues from Tennessee State. “We had an amazing week full of fun and purpose. The students, staff, and administration thoroughly enjoyed the week. They stated it was very well organized and well planned.

This could potentially be something we make an annual thing.”

Woods added: “At the end of the day all I wanted my students to understand is that their lives have value: Their dreams, their passions, their goals, anything that they want to accomplish in life is possible! The first step to accomplishing anything is the belief that you can!”

The “Best of Young Detroit” joins Woods in wanting nothing but the very best for all students attending Cody-Academy of Public Leadership High School. And with the help of Woods, we are proud to share the thoughts of a few students who poignantly described why their lives matter.

Sylvia Morgan, senior, Cody-Academy of Public Leadership: “When it comes to this world all our lives matter from young to old, black to white, big to small. Everyone on this Earth has a purpose and

we’re all put here for a specific reason. My life matters because when someone else feels low and doesn’t feel like their life matters, I will remind them why it does. My life matters because I am the light to a dark soul.”

Darryl Moore, junior, Cody-Academy of Public Leadership: “My life matters to me because I was once a child that felt like my life didn’t matter. I was always in trouble or mischief. I was just a troubled child seeking to understand what life had to offer. Now, as I look back, I am often speaking to kids who are going through similar struggles trying to uplift them. I want to be the person that helps with these struggles and help others find their purpose.”

Anonymous senior at Cody-Academy of Public Leadership: “I tried to overdose myself off of medication, cut myself, and felt like I had no real purpose in life. I was admitted into a mental hospital, spending eight days in an isolated space from school and my life.

I had a mentor that showed me and told me there are people that care for me. Despite the struggles that a kid growing up in a crack house, spending four months homeless in the cold sleeping on park benches, having a mom in the hospital who hadn’t been there for me, and forced to sell drugs for funds to eat, I learned that there is beauty in the struggle.

I learned that even though I wasn’t born with a silver spoon, I can do it—I can be successful! I have the strength and willpower to better myself and be motivation for those around me.

My life matters!”

UAW-Ford’s Best of Young Detroit

April 19-25, 2017

Page C-4

Remembering Robert Traylor: Sweet memories of a gentle big man will never fade As this edition of the “Best of Young Detroit” was going to press, the first round of the NBA Playoffs was revving up. One of the teams involved in a hotly contested series is the Milwaukee Bucks. Nearly 20 years ago, the Bucks welcomed a special, large package from Detroit in the form of Robert Traylor (Feb. 1, 1977 – May 11, 2011). A first-round pick and the sixth overall selection in the 1998 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks, Traylor was traded to the Bucks for a guy named Pat Garrity and a German prospect who became a legend, Dirk Nowitzki.

Traylor would play seven seasons during his NBA career, which included stints with Milwaukee, Cleveland (two stints), and Charlotte, whose original franchise moved to New Orleans during Traylor’s tenure.

Prior to coming into the NBA, Traylor had some special moments at the University of Michigan, including leading the Wolverines to a championship at the inaugural Big Ten Conference Tournament, where he was named Most Outstanding Player of the tourney.

However, it was in his hometown of Detroit where Traylor did his very best work. Make no mistake about it, Robert Traylor was a product of Detroit, and that is why he could never truly be a “Tractor,” although the national media was fond of calling him by this nickname, because of his 6-foot-8, 300-pound exterior.

Born in the automobile capital of the world, where his beloved grandmother, the late Jessie Mae Carter, nurtured him, Traylor became a household name among the city’s hoop junkies when he burst on the scene at Murray-Wright High School. At Murray, he was coached and mentored by men of high character, first by the late George “Baby” Duncan and then Robert

Smith, who taught Traylor the proper way to be an athlete and young man on the court.

As a high school junior Traylor led an upstart Murray-Wright team to a Public School League title, en route to a state championship. In the process, Traylor generated an excitement across the city, the likes of which had not been seen in the PSL since the days of Antoine “The Judge” Joubert at Southwestern in the early 1980s. Traylor, who first learned the game from his aunt Lydia Johnson (a standout at the University of Detroit), followed his celebrated junior campaign up by capturing the Mr. Basketball Award as a senior, recognizing him as the best player in the state of Michigan.

For Detroit fans that came to love Traylor during those Murray-Wright days, the points and rebounds he accumulated in college and the pros really didn’t matter because we loved Robert Traylor the person. The people who knew him best knew big Rob as a caring person. And he always brought heart, spirit and dignity to the floor, which will forever endear him to our hometown fans.

COMMUNITY

Student Voices

Detroit is not perfect, but our city still makes us proud, say Davis Aerospace contributors Just before Easter break, students at Davis Aerospace Technical High School took time out to share their thoughts about their city with the “Best of Young Detroit.” We appreciate and thank the students for their thoughtfulness and candor.

We also thank Davis Aerospace Technical High School teacher extraordinaire Michelle Davis for all of her help in bringing the student’s voices to our readers. Following is what the students shared: Dorothy Headen, junior: “My city doesn’t have the greatest reputation.

Many people believe my city is nothing but crime, corruption, and full of poverty. But my city is Detroit and I love it!

There is so much more to Detroit now than meets the eye. Now let me take you into the wonderful world of my city.

“There are many aspects I love about Detroit, first and foremost, “The Motor City.” Did you know Detroit had the first moving assembly line at Henry Ford’s automotive factory? Then there is downtown. I love to go down there because we always have some grand event, including our famous and traditional Thanksgiving Parade. It is so amazing to see the children having the time of their life watching the floats and marching bands pass by.

We also have our famous Christmas tree lighting. Those lights just warm the heart and soul of a person. We have our “Winter Blast” festival, where you get to go ice-skating and walk around the Christmas tree lots to find that perfect tree. The smell of hot cocoa bounces around the air and warms my soul.

“During the spring and summer, we have the Campus Martius Park, the Detroit Free Press Marathon, and 5K-charity runs and walks that raise awareness for the many types of cancer and diabetes. If you have a love for music, and enjoy old school and new school like I do, these are the following events I highly suggest you check out: Jazz Festival, Techno Fest, Chene Park and we can’t forget about the famous Fox Theater! Did you know that Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gay, Berry Gordy, Kim, Diana Ross and the Supremes, the Temptations, Khary K. Turner all are from Detroit? That is mind blowing right? There is also Greektown, Mexicantown, and Midtown, and the Brown Bomber’s Famous Fist.

“In addition, the RiverWalk, Belle Isle and the YMCA, are nice places to check out during the summer. If you love to eat like me, we have the Hudson Cafe, Vicente’s Cuban Cuisine, Buffalo Wild Wings, and the continuing battle between National and Lafayette Coney Island. The food tastes great and it’s American made! And during football season we have tailgating at Eastern Market. But the one thing I love most about Detroiters, we are gritty, hardworking, passionate, and creative.

There’s no place like Detroit. This is what I love about my city.”

Reshawn Gossett, senior: “Detroit isn’t your typical city; it’s a place where you can learn rich history and also some great knowledge. I’ve lived in Detroit my whole life, 17 years strong, and I can say that this city is amazing.

Detroit a.k.a. “The Motor City” is recognized as the historic heart of the American automotive industry. The city is full of talent for example Eminem, Stevie Wonder, and Anita Baker—the city has no shortages in talent. You will feel a positive vibe from the city especially downtown Detroit where we have Comerica Park, home of the Detroit Tigers, and Ford Field, home of the Detroit Lions.

“Detroit also is a place full of historical places for example: Belle Isle Park, Fox Theatre, and the Detroit Historical Museum.

Detroit isn’t perfect—nor is any other city. But Detroit has a positive atmosphere and the people are great. The proud people of Detroit give the city pride and joy—full of high spirits and loving hearts. The colleges in the city are great as well, from Wayne State University, Wayne County Community College, and University of Detroit Mercy. The educational system has no shortages and the city will provide for your needs. This is what I like about my city.”

Pierre Knight, senior: “The reason why I like my city so much is because of the strong will of the people and its history. Detroit is called the Motor City, but Detroit is more than the car industries Ford, Chrysler or GM. Our city is filled with art and gave birth to the Motown sounds. We have had and still do have a lot of great singers and rappers who represent the city, from old school like the Temptations, Diana Ross and the Supremes and DeBarge, to Big Sean, Eminem and so many other great artists. We also have had some of the best NBA players to come out of Detroit and also some of the best NFL players, too. Many are graduates from Detroit Public Schools and proudly acknowledge their connection to the school they attended.

“This city’s history includes a strong and solid faith base and is known for many great gospel ministers, groups, singers and more. The talent rises above and beyond on the way to becoming famous. We have some great food here too, even our own famous restaurant, Coney Island, were a lot of people like to eat. I wouldn’t want to be from any other city, and we have our own swag about us that nobody can steal. A lot of people talk down about Detroit, but that’s only because they are not from here. People who come out of Detroit are very strong because Detroit requires strength--it’s nowhere near a cakewalk.”

Braylon Miles, senior: “Detroit is the city where I was born and raised. As a family, we would go to ball games that took place at Ford Field and Comerica Park. Those were good experiences, and at other times I would see Belle Isle and explore different parts of the park.

My favorite part was seeing the birds fly around, and whenever they stopped to say hello, I would feed them crackers. I remember in middle school, we would take fields trips there and other places as well. I really loved the movie theaters, museums, and local zoos in Detroit. It is beneficial to explore around Detroit and see what it has to offer.

“Detroit is the type of city that makes me want to work hard to better myself due to some of the struggling I see. You never forget what type of city you grew up in and it really gives you the motivation to make something out of yourself. If you attend Detroit Public Schools, the system gives scholarship benefits that will last you until you graduate college and that opportunity is very useful for your future and to succeed in life!”

Wright Museum presents tribute to Sonia Sanchez this Saturday

The “Best of Young Detroit” would like to inform students and parents that the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History will present a tribute to celebrated poet, playwright and human rights activist Sonia Sanchez, as part of National Poetry Month. The event is free and everyone is welcome.

“BaddDDD Sonia Sanchez,” a portrait of the artist’s uncompromising life, will be shown during the program. The documentary is a performance filled film about this 81-year old artist for whom writing is both a personal and political act.

Deemed “a lion in literature’s forest” by the late Maya Angelou, Sanchez is a winner of major literary honors, including the American Book Award in 1985 and the Harper Lee Award in 2004, among others. A significant figure in the 1960s Black Arts Movement, Sanchez is often considered the artistic arm of the Black Power Movement, as she raised her voice in the name of black culture, civil rights, women’s liberation, and world peace. There also is a strong Detroit connection to Sanchez’ career, given that Dudley Randall and Detroit’s Broadside Press published and promoted a significant amount of her early works.

The tribute at the Wright Museum will be a day of film, poetry and discussion. Speakers include Dr. Sonia Sanchez; Detroit’s own jessica Care moore, an internationally renowned poet, playwright and performance artist in her own right; and other noted artists, educators and activists. The tribute is scheduled from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and the Wright Museum is located at 315 East Warren Avenue in Detroit’s Cultural District. For more information on programs at the Wright Museum, please visit thewright.org.

Steven Lindsey-Sparks, senior: “As a native of the beautiful city of Detroit, I can assure you that this city will enlighten your spirits, shine brightness on your darkest days, and bring out the best in you. What I like the most about Detroit is the talent that roams within the people everyday. There are no shortages of talent in this city. From the wellknown Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, and Smokey Robinson, to Detroit NBA stars such as Alex Acker, Mark Aguirre, and Don Adams, talent here is widespread throughout all of Detroit. It gives me great joy to know that talent can be found just around the corner.

“In all honesty, this city is not so perfect, however neither are any other cities. We all have our downfalls and defects within our cities. One of Detroit’s most special gifts is that the issues within Detroit will make you a more independent person. It will also give you certain perspective on life. This is what I find most interesting about my hometown, Detroit. “ Johnnie Davis, junior: “My origin, my birthplace, my city; Detroit Michigan. Although I’ve resided in Detroit for only seven out of my sixteen years of life, the things that I admire in the city are in abundance. Firstly, Detroit is the home of various significant musical artists, such as Eminem, Big Sean, Bob Seger and many more. It’s also origin of house music; one of the key cultures in the 1980s and1990s. That’s right, the vibe of those parties you and your parents probably went to were solely influenced by the culture of Detroit. Detroit is where my first memories were developed, so it will always hold the highest significance as a location of importance to me.

“One thing so many people fail to realize is that Detroit at one point in time was the industrial powerhouse of America.

Henry Ford’s Highland Park Ford Plant revolutionized automobile manufacturing and virtually created the concept of the assembly line and mass production. Many other automobile manufacturers were later headquartered in Detroit, leading to the signature nickname, “Motor City”. Automobile wealth along with educational and technological advancements led to an augmentation in downtown Detroit businesses. I’m proud to know that Detroit was the greatest city in America at one point.

“The people of the city are distinct from individuals elsewhere. Anywhere I travel I can distinguish a Detroit native by simply looking at the apparel, listening to the speech, and analyzing the traits of the individual. This environment may be tough, but one benefit of it is that it heightens most people’s urban survival skills or street smarts, as we like to call it. Things such as being aware of your surroundings at all times, being more cautious of belongings, and not trusting people easily are all examples of the effects of being from Detroit. I have lived in many other states and in each state most people failed to display the skills stated in the previous examples. This is why in some sense I can find Detroit’s environment admirable. Overall, Detroit is an amazing city with an extraordinary history. Being a Detroit native is an honor. From the food to the industrial history, the city of Detroit is an astounding landmark.”

Coverage of arts events is on the horizon for the “Best of Young Detroit” The “Best of Young Detroit” is excited to report that we have made a connection with Mr. Willie McAllister Jr., director of the Office of Fine Arts Education for the Detroit Public Schools Community District, and through this connection we look forward to reporting on the many outstanding events and programs connected to Mr. McAllister’s office.

Upcoming events include the Detroit Institute of Arts-Detroit Public Schools Community District 80th Student Art Exhibition (April 29-May 28); the 48th Annual Evening of Fine Arts held at the Detroit School of Arts (May 11); a performance by the Martin Luther King High School Dance Work Shop at the Prestige Michigan Youth Arts Festival in Kalamazoo (May 19-20, Western Michigan University); a performance by the Detroit Public School Community District’s All City Jazz Combo at the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Mackinac Policy Conference (May 31, Mackinac Island); and much more.

The “Best of Young Detroit” salutes all of the students within our school district that are continuing a rich arts tradition in our city, and we look forward to sharing their stories in the coming weeks.

Your Feedback Matters The “Best of Young Detroit” welcomes feedback from our community. Please submit story suggestions and other comments to Scott Talley at stalleyassociates@gmail.com or 313-590-3686.

business

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

April 19-25, 2017 Page C-5

An employer can now legally deny you a job for having dreadlocks Michigan Chronicle Reports

Refusing to hire someone because of their dreadlocks is legal, according to a ruling from the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Their ruling came after a lawsuit was filed by Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against Catastrophe Management Solutions in Mobile, Alabama. The EEOC was working on behalf of Chastity Jones, whose job offer was rescinded by Catastrophe Management Solutions because of her dreadlocks. According to the case file, the human resources manager, Jeannie Wilson, addressed Jones’ dreadlocks in a private hiring meeting. She told Jones, “They tend to get messy, although I’m not saying yours are, but you know what I’m talking about.” Wilson asserted that CMS would not hire Jones if she continued to have her hair in locks and eventually terminated her job offer.

The EEOC argued that this was a violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964’s Title VII. They made the case that dreadlocks are a “racial characteristic” that have been used to stereotype African Americans as “not team players” and unqualified for the workplace. They argued claiming dreadlocks don’t fit a grooming policy is rooted in stereotypes and is inherently discriminatory.

The court of appeals denied this thinking by claiming CMS’s “race-neutral grooming policy” was not discriminatory. They continued that though locks my be “culturally associated with

race,” they are not “immutable physical characteristics.” In other words, they argued traits that are tied to a culture but are also changeable can be used to deny a job if the traits “don’t adhere to a policy.”

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act has often been used to only protect against “immutable characteristics” and not cultural practices. In Garcia v. Gloor, the courts once again ruled against the plaintiff, asserting that being fired for speaking Spanish at work in spite of an English-only policy did not violate Title VII. Dreadlocks have constantly been policed not just in the workplace, but in schools with various instances of black students receiving disciplinary actions for the way they wear their hair.

Shinola introduces the Jackie Robinson limited edition timepiece Shinola is pleased to introduce the Jackie Robinson Limited Edition Timepiece, the fifth installment in the company’s Great American Series — a collection of limited-edition watches that honor those who helped shape the culture and made a lasting mark on American history. This year, Shinola celebrates Jackie Robinson, the formidable advocate for human rights, entrepreneur and first African-American baseball player to start in the major leagues.

10% SAVINGS When your business is more energy efficient, it’s also more profitable—and DTE Energy wants to help make that happen. Take John Logiudice, owner of Florentine Pizzeria, for example. DTE worked with him to make some small changes that led to big savings. Simply installing a programmable thermostat, sink aerators, LED lights and a pre-rinse spray valve in the kitchen saved John around 10% a month on his energy bill.

If you’d like to manage energy use to save money at your business, visit dteenergy.com/savenow.

“Jackie Robinson’s commitment to equal rights and justice are values that we, as a company, also champion,” said Shinola’s Jacques Panis. “We are inspired by his skill and courage and are proud to honor his contributions to our country.”

The 42mm stainless steel chronograph features a midnight blue dial with a date indicator, a brown alligator strap with blue lining, and Shinola’s signature case back with the number 42 in honor of Robinson’s retired uniform number. The watch will be limited to 442 pieces and sold as part of a packaged gift set which includes a mini pennant, customized scorebook, a set of three pins and a four pack of postcards. The set retails for $1,500 and became available at Shinola.com and in Shinola stores beginning April 15.

Purchase of the Jackie Robinson Limited-Edition watch also includes membership into The Foundry, a private collectors’ club established exclusively for owners of limited-edition Shinola products.

Approval Files: DTE/Approval Documents/Print > 2017-03-24-DTE0665-EEBiz-5x10.5-R0.pdf

Creative Files: DTE0665-Misc. Creative Projects/AFPD - EE Business/R0 > 2017-03-24-DTE0665-EEBiz-5x10

Is your last-gen Bleed - NONE | Page 1 of 1 | Rev0 | 2017-03-24 network struggling REVISIONS DUE TO AGENCY 2017-03-24 ____ CR ____ TR ____ PR ____ AE ____ to keepDTup?

IT'S TIME TO CHANGE THE GAME.

Our community is our future.

Business keeps changing. Emerging technologies are bringing new opportunities and even bigger network challenges. You need a network that’s more agile, more affordable and more capable of preparing your company for the next big change.

THE SOLUTION IS COMCAST BUSINESS We offer an advanced Ethernet solution designed to flex to the growing demands of your business. Whether it’s connecting multiple locations, supporting a mobile workforce, Bring Your Own Device or whatever new challenge tomorrow brings.

every card.

Confidence comes with

®

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is proud to support the Michigan Chronicle’s 12th season of Pancakes & Politics. Our shared commitment to strengthen local communities is a great reason to be confident in the future of Michigan.

GROUP HEALTH PLANS

|

INDIVIDUAL PLAN S

|

DENTAL

|

VISION

|

IT’S A GAME-CHANGER We’ve invested over $5 billion in an advanced communications infrastructure. It’s a high-speed, high-capacity fiber network that scales to 100 Gbps and is a cost-effective alternative to legacy T1 systems. It all adds up to seamless, scalable and consistent performance that changes the game.

Call 313-888-9425 to see what Comcast Business can do for your organization. Because you can’t build the business of tomorrow on the network of yesterday.

Call 313-888-9425

BCBSM.COM

Pamela_Dover@ comcast.com

MICHIGAN

YOU CAN'T BUILD THE BUSINESS OF TOMORROW ON THE NETWORK OF YESTERDAY.

DOWNLOAD OUR MOBILE APP

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network are nonprofit corporations and independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

R066651_PancakesPoliticsProgramAd.indd 1

R066651

3/9/17 12:21 PM

Restrictions apply. Call for details. ©2017 Comcast. All rights reserved.

ItsTimeToChange_5x10.5_Ad_Dover.indd 1

3/6/17 4:34 PM

s

Page C-6 • THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE • April 19-25, 2017

for better communities and leaders.

PNC is proud to be the presenting sponsor of the Michigan Chronicle 2017 Pancakes and Politics. Because we know that brighter futures begin when we work together.

For more information, please stop by a branch. pnc.com

©2016 The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. All rights reserved. PNC Bank, National Association. Member FDIC

Powered by Real Times Media

SECTION D

michiganchronicle.com

April 19-25, 2017

Reflections

By Steve Holsey

‘Cosby kid’ spoke truth As the Bill Cosby drama continues to drag on, many people have noted how little most of “the Cosby kids” — Lisa Bonet, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Tempestt Bledsoe, Keisha Knight Pulliam, Sabrina Le Beauf — have had to say about the whole sordid matter.

In many respects, their reluctance to speak is understandable, especially since there is obviously some guilt on Cosby’s part, and the fact that it was he who gave all five, plus Raven-Symone, their big breaks. It must be a confusing time for them.

Bill Cosby and Malcolm-Jamal Warner But around the time the story broke, Warner expressed thoughts that were poignant and honest.

“He’s one of my mentors, and he’s been very influential and played a big role in my life as a friend and mentor,” he said. “It’s painful to watch my friend and mentor go through this.

“I can’t speak on any of the allegations, but Bill Cosby has been great to me and great for a lot of people. What he’s done for comedy and television is legendary and history-making. What he’s done for the black community and education has been invaluable.

“That’s the Bill Cosby I know.”

Well spoken, and to that I add that Bill Cosby is one of the greatest stars in the history of show business. It’s a shame that all this happened at this late date in his life and career, any wrongdoing on his part notwithstanding.

Meanwhile, I will continue to watch and enjoy “The Cosby Show,” now airing on Bounce TV. TYRESE

GIBSON, singer-actor, raised a lot of eyebrows, and generated enthusiastic applause, with his comments at a recent Essence magazine event.

“I appreciate all the ladies out there that are still single and holding out,” he said. “Don’t settle.

Tyrese Gibson This might be harsh, but sluts, skeezers, hoes, tramps and overly aggressive, promiscuous women are never without a man because they don’t have standards. They are ready to have sex with any and everything. But when you are single and actually love yourself, know your value, you hold out until God sends you what’s yours.

“You have women active in these streets, going to lunches and dinners, (enjoying) private planes, yachts.

They’re never without. However, it comes with a price.”

Will Janet Jackson once again

take ‘control’?

By Steve Holsey

“It’s all about control, and I’ve got lots of it.”

Janet Jackson spoke those words of declaration in the intro of her career-altering 1986 album, “Control.” And now that her five-year marriage to Wissam Al Mana is at the end of the road, Jackson’s legion of fans are hoping that she will go back to being the artist they fell in love with, not the one morphed into something different by her Islamic billionaire businessman husband.

Not that Jackson couldn’t still deliver the goods. Her last album, “Unbreakable,” released in late 2015, was among her best work. But certain other things changed. For example, in concert and videos, there was no sexy attire and, for that matter, no male dancers. No doubt all of this was at the “request” of Al Mana.

Many people felt right from the start that Jackson and Al Mana would not have an enduring marriage, mainly due to the fact that their cultures are so drastically different, and compromising can only go so far.

Al Mana lives in Qatar, a country in Western Asia, bordering Saudi Arabia.

Arab countries have clearly defined roles for women and they are, in essence, second class citizens.

Schooling is separated by gender and although women can subsequently get jobs in government agencies and private enterprise, high-level positions are mostly held by men.

Then too, more often than not, marriages are arranged, and if that’s not bad enough, polygyny is legally and religiously sanctioned, although men having more than one wife is less common today than it was in the past.

Here’s another scary part: In Qatar, either the man or the woman can file

Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas and Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins OBVIOUSLY, Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas and Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins, two thirds of the famed trio TLC, meant it when they said there would never be a (permanent) replacement for Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, who passed away in 2002.

There hasn’t been a TLC album since 2002, but Watkins and Thomas announced that a new album is scheduled to be released in late June.

TLC has a key place in music history thanks to a string of major hits, including “No Scrubs,” “Baby-Baby-Baby,” “Creep,” “Waterfalls” and “Unpretty.”

It is hard to imagine how any African American — or any person of color, period — could be supportive of Donald Trump. But it was still wrong for Omarosa Manigault to feel she had to change the date of her marriage to Dr. John Al-

See Reflections Page D-2

Janet Jackson and Wissam Al Mana for divorce. Mothers keep young children, but once they reach adolescence, custody goes to the father.

Hopefully, Janet Jackson educated herself on all this before she entered into a marriage with Wissam Al Mana.

As this story is being written, Jackson is reported to be living with their baby, Eissa Al Mana, overseas but far from Qatar. It would seem wise for her to never set foot in Qatar with the baby;

she could conceivably somehow get left on the outside, something made all the more likely because the baby is a boy and, hence, Wissam Al Mana’s heir.

Islamic women tolerate things American women never would. Let’s hope all this has jarred Jackson into a sense of her reality before Al Mana.

I’m sure they love each other — and they looked good together — but some problems are unsurmountable.

Interestingly, Jackson once said, “I am not a religious person, but I am spiritual.” She has also noted her strong will.

Now let’s take a look at Janet Jackson’s amazing career. She has been loved since she was a cute little girl, but it took her a long time to step out of big brother Michael’s shadow. No matter what she did (remember “Young Love” and “Come Give Your Love to Me”?), people tended to think of her mainly as “Michael’s little sister.”

That all changed with the “Control” album with its hard-hitting first single, “What Have You Done for Me Lately,” followed by “Nasty,” “Control” and “Let’s Wait Awhile,” all No. 1 hits.

Right away, the hot new star demonstrated that she was an outstanding performer and a fantastic dancer. So many were influenced by her style and moves. Jackson has always acknowledged that she is not a powerful vocalist, but she is always quick to add that she is great in concert.

“Control” raised the bar for Jackson and a lot of other artists as well,

See JANET JACKSON Page D-2

entertainment

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

Remembering Charlie Murphy, Linda Hopkins and Sylvia Moy Making a name for oneself when a parent, a child or a sibling is an icon is, to say the least, a challenge. So it was for comedian-actor Charlie Murphy, brother of Eddie Murphy, who passed away on April 12. There were times when he was even mistaken for his younger brother (by one year).

Although he had been active in the movie industry and recording industry as well (as a songwriter), Murphy’s first notable role was in the 1993 film “CB4” starring Chris Rock. But he came into his own by way of Dave Chappelle’s TV series, “Chappelle’s Show.” He was a recurring presence on the show, most memorably in sketches titled “Murphy’s True Hollywood Stories.”

He also did voiceovers for commercials and a cartoon as well as for a video game.

In early March 2009, he launched his own sketch comedy series and the following year Comedy Central aired “Charlie Murphy: I Will Not Apologize,” showcasing his stand-up comedy skills.

Fans had hoped that Eddie and Charlie Murphy would one day costar in a movie.

Linda Hopkins, who passed away on April 10, is among the singers connoisseurs of black music make reference

Charlie Murphy

Linda Hopkins

Sylvia Moy

to when they are talking about “the real thing.”

She sang from the heart and with a soulful passion that is not common. For proof, one need look no further than one of the greatest achievements of her long career, “Deep in the Night,” a song that became synonymous with her.

icon Bessie Smith. The show made its way to Broadway where it ran for 13 months. She was also featured in another highly successful Broadway musical, “Black and Blue” that ran for 453 performances and earned Hopkins a Tony Award nomination. She had previously won a Tony for her work in “Inner City.”

biggest hits, including “Uptight (Everything’s Alright),” “I Was Made to Love Her” and “My Cherie Amour.”

Whether singing gospel, R&B or blues, the singer-actress was at home and had every intention of giving listeners her very best, every time. She was born Melinda Helen Matthews in New Orleans, but became “Linda Hopkins” at the urging of blues great Little Esther Phillips.

Hopkins, who appeared often on “The Tonight Show,” won acclaim for her one-woman show, “Me and Bessie,” a tribute to blues

She had also performed in the long-running musical “Purlie,” leading the opening gospel number, “Walk Him Up the Stairs.” In addition, in 1963 she recorded a hit duet with Jackie Wilson, “Shake a Hand.”

Sylvia Moy, who left us on April 15, played a key role in the success of Motown in the 1960s, most closely associated with Stevie Wonder.

The songwriter-producer co-wrote several of his

From page D-1

and with the release of her next album, “Rhythm Nation 1814,” it was obvious that Janet Jackson was now a bona fide superstar. And once again, there was a string of No. 1 hits — “Miss You Much,” “Rhythm Nation,” “Escapade.”

PICKS 365 438 139 210 330

Wonder thought so highly of her that he recorded a song in her honor titled “Sylvia,” featured on one of his albums.

Moy’s other songwriting credits include “It Takes Two” by Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston, “Honey Chile” by Martha Reeves & the Vandellas and Wonder’s “Shoo-BeDoo-Be-Doo-Da-Day.” Moy was a performer herself and was spotted in a Detroit club by Marvin Gaye and famed Motown A&R man Mickey Stevenson. She was given a recording and songwriting contract, but was urged to focus on songwriting.

LOOKS

GOOD IN PRINT Place your classified or display ad in the

Call (313) 963-5522

When “Little” Stevie Wonder’s voice began changing, Motown wasn’t quite sure what kind of material to provide him with. Berry Gordy has said that he was considering dropping him from the label — although it seems unlikely that he would have — when Moy asked for and received permission to write for him.

When Motown moved to the West Coast, Sylvia Moy opted to remain in Detroit where she owned a recording studio.

Among her other outstanding albums were “janet.” in 1993 — featuring “That’s the Way Love Goes,” “Any Time, Any Place” and “If” — and in 1997, “The Velvet Rope,” with “Together Again,” “I Get Lonely” and “Got ’Til It’s Gone.”

No doubt the most traumatic part of Janet Jackson’s life up to that point occurred in February 2004 during the Super Bowl halftime show with Justin Timberlake.

During the performance of his “Rock Your Body,” he was supposed to pull on her bustier, revealing the bra. But something went wrong and a bare breast was exposed for a

37

WEEK’S BEST LOTTERY

871 954 586 730 812 822 051 5274 8437 162 20 27 34 44 52 10 YOUR AD

Janet Jackson

And on the story goes.

Sales, though still impressive, slowed somewhat as the years progressed. But still, there were the No.1 hits “All For You” and “Doesn’t Really Matter.”

April 19-25, 2017 Page D-2

second or two. The lights were turned off immediately.

Everyone was embarrassed by the “wardrobe malfunction,” but the media, the public and the Federal Communications Commission all badly overreacted and made Jackson suffer. In time she rebounded, but her true fans, along with the black community, never gave her a hard time anyway.

Jackson is also an outstanding actress, demonstrated in such movies

Reflections

NOW THRU APRIL 30 ONLY!

as “Poetic Justice,” “For Colored Girls,” “The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps,” “Why Did I Get Married?” and “Why Did I Get Married Too?” Early in her career, she was a regular on “Diff’rent Strokes” and “Good Times.”

From page D-1

MTV is reviving the show “Fear Factor,” though this time there will be less emphasis on “gross-out stuff.” The new host will be Luda­cris.

It is scheduled to debut on May 30.

Kelly Rowland has written a book for new moms. Her son, Titan, is now two years old.

MEMORIES: “Time Will Reveal” (DeBarge), “Everything I Miss at Home” (Cherrelle), “When She Was My Girl” (the Four Tops), “Nobody’s Supposed To Be Here” (Deborah Cox), “Don’t Take It Personal” (Jermaine Jackson), “Something’s Got a Hold on

BLESSINGS to April Edwards, Jay Berry, Aubrey Wright, W. Kim Heron, Derek Smith, Kip Ware, Marion Hayden and Cliff Russell.

WORDS OF THE WEEK, from reader Greg Hendricks: “How you feel about yourself is more important than anyone’s opinion of you.”

Let the music play!

Steve Holsey can be reached at svh517@aol. com and PO Box 02843, Detroit, MI 48202.

ALL OTHER PHOTOS BY ANDREW ECCLES.

Me” (Etta James), “I Just Wanna Stop” (Gino Vannelli), “A Heart is a House for Love” (the Dells), “This is How We Do It” (Montell Jordan).

RAYMOND LUKE, JR. AND BRYAN TERRELL CLARK PHOTOS BY JOAN MARCUS.

A movie on the life of the iconic Lena Horne is something that someone should be developing.

Not many people in show business had or have lives more full, varied and glamorous. Alicia Keys would definitely be a possibility to play Ms. Horne.

BETCHA DIDN’T KNOW…that “Do You Get Enough Love,” the 1986 No. 1 hit by Detroit’s own Shirley Jones, was originally offered to the O’Jays, but they felt it wasn’t right for them.

Jones, who had been lead singer of the Jones Girls, often laughed and thanked the O’Jays for rejecting that song.

Public Run d Size: 5 Proof

Design Bach & frank@

Janet Jackson’s marriage to Wissam Al Mana is her third, so maybe she should forego the marriage institution… or maybe not. As Luther Vandross put it in one his songs, “You can’t tell love what to do.”

Pharrell Williams

Due to

For: N (Fishe Agenc

len Newman from March 25 to April 8 because of the threats to do bodily harm that she received.

PHARRELL WILLIAMS has always been fashion forward — as well as often fashion daring — but it was surprising to learn that the prolific producer, songwriter, singer and rapper has signed on to become the first-ever male handbag model for Chanel (male or gender-neutral handbags, we assume). Williams says he loves high-end fashion and has since childhood.

Motow

MOTOWN ® IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF UMG RECORDINGS, INC

“MORE THAN A BROADWAY SHOW. A celebration of music that transformed America!”

—CBS Sunday Morning

Fisher Theatre Tues.–Fri. 8PM; Sat. 2PM & 8PM; Sun. 2PM & 7:30PM.

ticketmaster.com, 800-982-2787 & box office.

Info: BroadwayInDetroit.com, 313-872-1000.

7:30PM 4/23.

entertainment

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

April 19-25, 2017 Page D-3

Sylvia Moy, shown here with Stevie Wonder during the 2006 Songwriter’s Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Moy is widely credited with helping launch Wonder’s career.

Revered Motown songwriter, producer, dies

Michigan Chronicle Reports

Songwriter and producer Sylvia Moy, the prolific Motown songwriter and producer credited with helping to launch the career of Motown megastar Stevie Wonder died Saturday at the age of 78.

Her death appeared to be related to complications from pneumonia.

Film Review

Moy was respected not only as someone with the knack for how to string the right notes together with the right lyrics, but also with being one of those early pioneers to break the glass ceiling for women in the recording industry.

During the ‘60s there was no such thing as a female producer, let alone a black female producer.

The John Coltrane Documentary’

But by 2006, Moy had received enough acclaim and recognition to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Stevie Wonder was on hand to pay tribute at the ceremony. From the Hall of Fame website:

‘Chasing Trane:

By Dwight Brown

“Sylvia Moy’s place in Motown history is mainly behind the scenes as a writer and producer. Moy grew up on the northeast side of Detroit with her eight brothers and sisters, performing on pots and pans to keep themselves busy and musical. Once she reached school, she played jazz and classical, but found her true place behind the scenes at Motown Records.

NNPA Newswire Film Critic

“My music is the spiritual expression of what I am. I want to be the force that is truly for good.” It was a while before the legendary jazz musician and saxophonist John Coltrane got to a place where he could articulate his mantra that clearly.

The legacy Coltrane left behind is a bit more cryptic than that of Miles Davis or Charlie Parker. More of his devotees are hard-core jazz aficionados than casual music listeners. Chiefly because his last bodies of work and musical style, “free jazz,” were so cacophonous, fast paced and not that easy on a regular set of ears that might interpret his art form as screeching noises. Though hard-core jazz fans knew his genius and appreciated the sounds he made in his later years. To understand how Coltrane got to that musically intense space, you have to see Coltrane and his music evolve, and that’s where this enlightening non-fiction film is very helpful.

Writer/director John Scheinfeld is most known for his investigative documentary “The U.S. vs. John Lennon.” He has experience digging out the facts and creating a body of work that exhibits his findings. Scheinfeld assembles a very impressive roster of family, friends and fellow musicians whose recollections pull together the chapters of Coltrane’s bio.

Coltrane’s stepdaughter, Antonia Andrews, recalls a night when her dad walked all the way home from a gig so he wouldn’t spend money on carfare. He wanted to buy her a pair of shoes and every penny counted. This was a sign of his love and caring that she never forgot. She also recalls the night he left her mom and her. Both moments bring tears to her eyes.

Jimmy Heath, a good friend and fellow saxophonist, remembers the night Dizzy Gillespie caught John and him in a basement doing heroin. Both got kicked out of the band, but John begged for his job back and got it.

Yasuhiro “Fuji” Fujioka is the number one collector of Coltrane memorabilia in the world. His love and obsession for the musician started in high school when he heard Coltrane on the radio. It was a revelation. He went on a lifelong quest to collect every record he could find and other mementos. His love for the man grew more when Coltrane toured in Japan and showed a deep compassion for the country, its people and the suffering they endured during and after the atomic bombing of Nagasaki. Fuji spent a lifetime, as he says, “chasing Trane.”

With all the interviews — from Coltrane’s children, intellectuals like Cornel West, musicians like Sonny Rollins and Carlos Santana and dignitaries like former president Bill Clinton — you almost don’t notice that there are no live interviews with Coltrane himself, just photos and glimpses of him playing with his band. That’s because he only did print interviews, and those precious words are voiced on screen by Denzel Washington. In a strong, illuminating manner, Washington’s voice and deliberate cadence take you within Coltrane’s soul and thought process.

Scheinfeld uses cutouts, collages and montages to liven up the screen.

The reminiscing by the interviewees is provocative and vivid. Photographs from the ’30s, ’40s, ’50s and ’60s make you feel like you are leafing through someone’s family album. What’s on view

Saxophonist John Coltrane is the subject of “Chasing Trane: The John Coltrane Documentary.” (Meteor 17) looks like a fine PBS documentary or educational film. It misses the mark as a major theatrical jazz documentary like “I Called Him Morgan.” But, within its own specific genre, this film is illuminating.

Born in North Carolina in 1926, John Coltrane was lucky to be part of a tight, loving family with strong father figures.

He was unlucky at age 12 when he lost his father, uncle and two grandfathers in the space of two years. Needing an income, his mother moved him to Philadelphia where she could find work. She made enough money to afford music lessons for her son who had learned to master the saxophone. Coltrane’s talent blossomed and seemed to reach another level when he met and was influenced by the double-timing, rapid-fire playing of Charlie Parker (1945). It was a style that he would incorporate into his own.

Subsequent gigs with Dizzy Gillespie’s band (1949-51) and Miles Davis’ band (1955-57) brought Coltrane further along his own road. That progress was hindered by an addiction to heroin, which he managed to kick on his own.

As Carlos Santana said, “Thank God. He allowed him to get past the gates of hell.” Freeing himself from that vice set him on a spiritual journey that meshed with his music. Meeting pianist Alice McCloud at the Birdland club in the early ’60s was another milestone. They married and started a new family.

Under the influence of this stability, in 1964, upstairs at his split-level home in Dix Hills, Long Island, Coltrane would create his opus jazz record, a four-part suite called “A Love Supreme,” which was released in 1965. It was a blend of forceful hymn-like melodies that were a triumph of music and spirituality and displayed a tenor saxophone dexterity.

This is a Zen moment in jazz. This is the album that raised Coltrane to a status on the level of Miles Davis and Charlie Parker. He bent music to his will, shaped it like a sculpture, relayed it like a scripture and shared it with the world.

“At Motown, Moy was part of the creative team that wrote such classics as “My Cherie Amour” for Stevie Wonder and “It Takes Two” for Marvin Gaye. She was the first female to have the title of “record producer” at the label, and one of the busiest and well-known songwriters of the time.

“Moy went on to write the theme songs for many television shows like Blossom, The Wonder Years, and Growing Pains. She was also involved with the theme music for the movies, It Takes Two, Mr. Holland’s Opus, and Dead Presidents.

“Moy eventually earned six Grammy nominations, 20 BMI awards, and a place in the National Songwriters Hall of Fame. She made a solid investment in the future of the arts when she co-founded the Center for Creative Communications, also known as “Masterworks,” which trains young adults in the field of telecommunications and media arts.”

Moy’s later years were spent working

From Wikipedia: “According to Berry Gordy’s autobiography To Be Loved, Moy was directly responsible for the label keeping Stevie Wonder. Gordy wrote that, after Stevie’s voice began to change as a result of puberty, he was going to drop him from the label. It was then that Moy went to Gordy and asked “if she could come up with a hit for Stevie would he reconsider”; he agreed. Her first writing success came with “Uptight (Everything’s Alright)”, which she co-wrote with Henry “Hank” Cosby after hearing Wonder improvising on piano. Moy wrote lyrics to the song, which she conveyed to Wonder by singing into his headphones one line ahead as he recorded.

“Among the subsequent hit singles Moy wrote and/or produced while at Motown were Stevie Wonder’s “My Cherie Amour”, “I Was Made to Love Her”, and “Never Had a Dream Come True”; and “Honey Chile” and “Love Bug Leave My Heart Alone” by Martha and the Vandellas. She also co-wrote “This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)” with Holland-Dozier-Holland for the Isley Brothers; and “It Takes Two” with William “Mickey” Stevenson for Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston.”

In Rolling Stone, Stevie Wonder paid tribute to his friend and musical mentor: “How do you stop loving the ones you loved for a lifetime – you don’t! Sylvia Moy has made it possible to enrich my world of songs with some of the greatest lyrics,” Wonder wrote in a statement to Rolling Stone. “But, not only that, she, through her participation and our co-writing those songs, helped me become a far better writer of lyrics.”

Moy eventually launched a Detroit non-profit group called Center for Creative Communications, a non-profit that focused on helping underprivileged Detroit children and “trying to encourage them to live a good life, to do, because that’s how our parents were,” she was quoted as telling the Free Press last year.

Arrangements will be handled by Swanson Funeral Home in Detroit. Details have not been set, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Noted author and humorist comes to Detroit On April 22 at Pages Book Shop and April 23 at Source Booksellers, Joel Berg will discuss and sign his new book, “America, We Need to Talk: a Self-Help Book for the Nation.”

The World’s First “public policy self-help guide,” this parody explains Trump’s rise, proposes innovative and achievable solutions to America’s most vexing problems, and provides a “how-to book” for fighting back.

Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison calls Joel Berg’s book “important and entertaining.”

Indeed, Coltrane’s music was the spiritual expression of who he was. This film confirms it.

Beginning with the premise that the most important relationship Americans have is with their nation, Berg’s book makes a case for how we must stop blaming the nation’s problems solely on “the politicians” or “the system” and also take personal responsibility to solve them.

Written as both a parody of relationship and self-help books and a serious analysis of the country’s political and economic dysfunction, the book utilizes snappy text and eye-catching infographics to dissect how Donald Trump and other Republicans won over white, working-class voters. “America, We Need to Talk” offers practical, positive action steps that can be taken by any American. It includes a concrete plan to win back important segments of the voting public, as well as a broader roadmap for reducing poverty, bolstering the middle class and powering a progressive resurgence.

Dwight Brown is a film critic and travel writer. As a film critic, he regularly attends international film festivals including Cannes, Sundance, Toronto and the American Black Film Festival.

Read more movie reviews by Brown at DwightBrownInk.com.

It combines biting critique of today’s America with clear-headed prescriptions that show how average Joes and Janes can channel their concerns and anger at our hobbled government into definitive actions. They are actions that will fix our democracy make our economy work

As the documentary winds down and a deadly disease takes Coltrane away from his fans and the world at age 40, what remains is his music and his desire to only spread good throughout the world. The loving thoughts, by all the interviewees, sustain his spirit. As does listening to his catalog of music during the film’s 99-minute length.

with music students in Detroit and also operating Masterpiece Studios, located on Detroit’s west side.

for everyone, and restore our stature in the world as a beacon of freedom, diversity and hope.

It includes an innovative proposal to build a “responsibility-for-all” America, including specific ideas for radically overhauling poverty programs with technology and helping Americans pay for college by performing national service.

Nobel Prize winning author Toni Morrison wrote, “This book is important and entertaining. We need both. I’ve never seen the political world so sad, so foolish, so dangerous. This book will certainly help.” Tom Colicchio, chef, TV judge and activist, said the book is “a timely take-no-prisoners argument for sane and humane policies by the master truth teller, Joel Berg. Been wondering how we can really make America great again? Read this book.” Said Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA): “Joel Berg has done it again with another book to challenge policymakers and Americans to think boldly and creatively about how to solve some of the biggest issues facing our nation. Joel won’t rest until we end hunger and poverty once and for all.

And, quite frankly, we need more people like him.” Filmmaker and activist Lori Silverbush said: “Fearless and compulsively readable, ‘America, We Need to Talk’ will make you laugh, think. Joel Berg is that irascible uncle who speaks the unmentionable truth at family dinners. You may squirm, but secretly you’re glad he’s there.”

The CEO of the national advocacy group Hunger Free America, and a leading media spokesperson and issues expert on U.S. politics, hunger, poverty, and food calls his book the world’s first “public policy self-help guide.”

Berg will talk about his new book and sign copies. The event is free and open to the public, on a first-come, firstserved basis.

The writer’s special event takes place at Pages Book Shop on Saturday, April 22 at 4 p.m.

Classified

HELP WANTED

PERSONAL SERVICES

HELP WANTED

Canton Township: Laborer (Full-Time)

MRS. LINN

BORN GIFTED READER The 7th Daughter without asking you a single word. I will tell you what you want to know. Tell your present, past and future. Tell you who your friends and enemies are.

Why you’re so unlucky. If your loved one is true or false.I will advise you all problems of life, such as love, marriage, business and health, etc. Why suffer, you can be free from all troubles. I guarantee Sucess where others failed. I am superior to any other reader you have seen.

Don’t let distance keep you away from Health and Happiness. Hrs. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Daily and Sunday.

No Mail Answered 2742 Monroe St., Toledo, Ohio 1-419-248-2145 1-419-248-2145

Canton Township is now accepting applications for the Full-Time Laborer position.

Application Deadline: Tuesday, April 25, 2017. Job description with complete qualifications and hiring process is available on the Canton Township website: http://canton.applicantpro.com/jobs/.

(EOE) Seeking

DIRECTOR DISABILITY SUPPORT SERVICES AT OAKLAND UNIVERSITY

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Disability Support Services

REQUEST FOR QUOTE The Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) is re-soliciting Request For Quotes (RFQ) for Purchase of Dell Storage and Server, Control No. 17-2344A. RFQ document maybe obtained beginning April 19, 2017 from www.mitn.info.

RFQs are due by 3:00 PM ET, Friday, May 5, 2017.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

WASHTENAW COUNTY OFFICE OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (OCED) is accepting applications for its list of approved housing rehabilitation contractors.

Contractors can obtain information on OCED’s “Housing Rehabilitation” Program and RSVP for the May 16, 2017 mandatory application meeting at: www.ewashtenaw.org/rehabcontractors All contractors interested in working with OCED must attend this meeting: Tuesday, May 16, 2017 1:30pm to 3:00pm Washtenaw County OCED 415 W. Michigan Avenue Suite 2200 (2nd Floor) Ypsilanti, MI 48197 Deadline to RSVP for the meeting is May 9, 2017. Application packets will be distributed to contractors at the meeting.

Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprises and Section 3 Business Concerns are encouraged to apply.

Only approved contractors may bid on projects through OCED. For questions, Call Aaron Kraft at 734-5443019 or email at krafta@ewashtenaw.org

The Senior Alliance will host THREE Public Hearings for input regarding the FY 2018 Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) focused on prioritizing services to persons age 60 and older in Southern and Western Wayne County.

Monday, May 8, 2017 9:30 a.m.

The Senior Alliance Area Agency on Aging 1-C 5454 Venoy Wayne, MI 48184 Wednesday, May 31, 2017 10:00 a.m.

September Days Senior Center 46425 Tyler Rd. Van Buren Twp., MI 48111 Thursday, June 1, 2017 1:00 p.m.

Dearborn Heights Richard A. Young Center 5400 McKinley Street Dearborn, Heights, MI 48125 The hearing will include a brief overview and highlights from the Multi-Year Plan with the majority of time allotted for public comment.

On April 28, 2017, the AIP draft will be available online at www.aaa1c.org Written comments will be accepted until 4:30 pm on June 2, 2017.

Please send written comments to: The Senior Alliance 5454 Venoy Wayne, MI 48184 Attn: Planning Special Projects Manager Call 734.727.2061 for more information

HELP WANTED Seeking

ASSISTANT WOMEN’S SOCCER COACH AT OAKLAND UNIVERSITY Athletics Administration

Assist in administering an educationally sound competitive soccer program for female student athletes, within the rules and policies of The Horizon League and the NCAA legislated guidelines. Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor’s Degree required.

Minimum three years of collegiate soccer coaching experience. Experience with NCAA Rules and Regulations. This is a full time, individual contract position, which includes evenings and weekends. Salary commensurate with experience.

See online posting for additional position requirements. First consideration will be given to those who apply by April 27, 2017.

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

IT PAYS TO ADVERTISE IN THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

April 19-25, 2017

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

Serve as the university’s chief administrator in the application and compliance of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the American with Disabilities Act requirements and other appropriate state and federal laws, regulations, and statutes pertaining to higher education and disability. Coordinate campus services for students with disabilities; evaluate and implement reasonable accommodations; and provide a diverse program to address students with disabilities needs. Minimum Qualifications: Master’s Degree in Counseling or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience.

Counseling licensure. Three years academic support experience. This is a regular fulltime position. Salary commensurate with education and experience.

Refer to online posting for additional minimum requirements. First consideration will be given to those who apply by April 27, 2017.

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

CORPORATE AND FOUNDATION RELATIONS OFFICER AT OAKLAND UNIVERSITY Development Services

Provides leadership in the creation and management of a coordinated, strategic fund development program to establish longterm partnerships and strengthen existing relationships with the corporate sector and charitable foundations that will result in the cultivation and solicitation of philanthropic support to advance the University’s programs and priorities. Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor’s Degree or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience.

A minimum of three years progressive successful fundraising experience in the area of corporate & foundation fundraising strategies or other relevant experience managing business relationships. This is a full-time position, salary commensurate with education and experience.

Refer to online posting for additional qualifications and requirements. First consideration will be given to those who apply by April 25, 2017.

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

EVENT MANAGER AT OAKLAND UNIVERSITY Alumni Engagement

Coordinate and execute meaningful alumni engagement opportunities for alumni with an end goal of increasing alumni affinity and participation in giving. This position will be responsible for implementing events and programs dedicated to the development and cultivation of relationships with alumni, donors and friends and provide strategic input on how to further engage alumni and friends through events and programs such as Homecoming and Reunion weekend.

Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and/ or experience. Minimum of three years’ experience in event management, alumni relations, higher education or a relevant field.

Salary commensurate with education and experience.

Refer to online posting for additional requirements. First consideration will be given to those who apply by April 25, 2017.

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

PHILANTHROPY COMPLIANCE AND BUDGET MANAGER AT OAKLAND UNIVERSITY Development Information Services

Create and implement spending policies for special gift accounts and provide business management in all fiscal matters pertaining to budgetary control, accounting policies and procedures, financial analysis, projections, and special projects for the division of Development and Alumni Relations. Overall management of the division budget through administering the projections process, approving journal vouchers, reconciling funds, accounting for carry forward amounts, and compiling budget requests for the division .Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor’s Degree in finance, accounting, management, business, or related field, or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience. At least three years of experience in accounting, budget, finance, operations or compliance/due diligence related field. Knowledge of applied principles of accounting. This is a full-time position, salary commensurate with education and experience.

Refer to online posting for additional qualifications and requirements.

First consideration will be given to those who apply by April 25, 2017.

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

PROFESSIONAL HELP WANTED

Seeking

BUYER AT OAKLAND UNIVERSITY

Purchasing Department

This position will support the education, research and teaching objectives of the University, the Buyer procures goods and services for various Schools, Colleges and Departments. Ensures the best possible price, quality and service is received, reviews submitted requisitions, and verifying purchasing procedures are followed.

Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Knowledge of purchasing principles and ethics. Knowledge of public purchasing, policies and procedures preferred. Advanced technical skills. Banner is preferred. Salary is commensurate with education and experience.

Refer to online posting for additional position requirements. First consideration will be given to those who apply by April 25, 2017.

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

COORDINATOR, GAME DAY EXPERIENCE AND FAN ENGAGEMENT AT OAKLAND UNIVERSITY Athletics

Responsible for all marketing and promotions for athletics and sports programs including but not limited to social media, advertising, grassroots marketing and promotions; work closely with ticket sales and operations staff on promotions of ticket packages; athletics video and creative team, as well as broadcasting live stream staff.

Oversight of Athletics Marketing Intern Program, Cheer Team, Dance Team, Band and Mascot Program. Assist with corporate sponsorship activation and execution of agreement elements.

Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor’s Degree or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience. One year experience in marketing and promotions. This is a full time position which requires some evenings and weekends. Refer to online posting for additional qualifications and requirements. Compensation commensurate with education and experience.

First consideration will be given to those who apply by April 27, 2017.

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

LIBRARIAN I Wayne State University has an available position of Librarian I in Detroit, MI. Job duties: Collaborate with a wide range of library units to develop the next generation of fully integrated & engaging online experiences.

Create machine learning applications to enhance collections & discoverability of library resources. Develop & support the Library System’s services through analysis & design of new systems & modifying existing systems to meet evolving needs of users. Analyze server logs for website & for discovery interfaces. Text mine data.

Use Wordpress open source content management system.

Position requires: A Master’s degree in Library & Information Science & 6 months experience as a Library Assistant. Position also requires: 1) Exp. must include exp. analyzing server logs for university library website & for discovery interface; 2) Exp. must include exp. using open source content management system for a university library; 3) One university course covering machine learning; & 4) One university course in text mining. Any exp. reqs. may be met concurrently during the same 6-month period.

Qualified candidates should apply through WSU Online Hiring System for posting # 042598 at https://jobs.wayne.edu.

PROFESSIONAL HELP WANTED Creative Sculptor Warren, MI, General Motors. Dvlp Class A car, truck &SUV surfaces &3D digital full size models from released data of production quality conventional &LED exterior lighting systems, according to Global Design &Global Vehicle Dvlpmt Plan specifications for international high volume production programs. Understand engrg &design criteria &regulatory engrg, lighting &safety reqmts to build production Class A models using Autodesk Alias software. Interpret, define, conceptualize &execute unique solutions to technical challenges &provide creative proposals to capture design intent from initial concept through mass production, while directly collaborating with engrg, packaging, &tooling teams. Lead virtual, design, peer, &mgmt reviews with engrs &suppliers.

Translate design intent into 3D digital (using Autodesk Alias, UG &Teamcenter) surfaces incldg design sensitivity, aesthetic proportions, brand identity, customer focus, &attention to detail. Release digital models according to production standards &hard releases in Teamcenter. Deliver project surface models on time as per various Decision Fixed Points over vehicle dvlpmt timeline. Bachelor, Transportation Design or Product Design. 36 mos exp as Digital Sculptor, Digital Modeler or Creative Sculptor, interpreting, defining, conceptualizing &executing solutions to technical challenges &providing creative proposals to capture design intent from initial concept through mass production, while collaborating with engrg, packaging, &tooling teams, translating design intent into 3D digital (using Autodesk Alias, UG &Teamcenter) surfaces incldg design sensitivity, aesthetic proportions, brand identity, &customer focus. Mail resume to Ref#3112, GM Global Mobility, 300 Renaissance Center, MC:482-C32-D44, Detroit, MI 48265.

Creative Designer

Warren, MI, General Motors. Design &dvlp concept &production passenger cars from early napkin sketch to full size working prototype &/or production cars. Design future passenger car &SUV full concepts incldg vehicle exterior body in white systems, incldg doors, roof systems, hoods, rocker panels, fenders, front fascia, A/B/C/D pillars, lamps, turn signals, wheels, radiator grilles, outside rear view mirrors, roof racks, using Adobe Photoshop, VRED, &PowerPoint. Sketch &propose concepts &mockups of vehicle architectures &functions such as lighting, full vehicle front end, &radar systems.

Translate 2D sketches into 3D by giving directions to the 3D sculptors to create 3D models as close as possible to the sketch.

Dvlp chosen design solutions by executive design &engrg leadership into 3D (three dimensional) properties as physical models. Illustrate design proposals &vehicle architectures, using Photoshop with various types of sketching &illustrating types such as investigative, exploratory, explanatory, &persuasive sketches.

Bachelor, Transportation Design or Design.

12 mos exp as Automotive Designer or Creative Designer, sketching &proposing concepts &mockups of vehicle architectures &functions such as lighting, full vehicle front end, &radar systems, &translate 2D sketches into 3D by giving directions to 3D sculptors to create 3D model as close as possible to sketch. Mail resume to Ref#424, GM Global Mobility, 300 Renaissance Center, MC:482-­C32-­ D44, Detroit, MI 48265

Page D-4

April is Autism Awareness Month

MICHIGAN CHRONICLE Published Every Wendnesday

CAE Engineer - Senior

Warren, MI, General Motors. Engr, create, plan &execute FEA plans to dvlp passenger car, truck &SUV closure systems incldg hoods, doors, decklids, liftgates, &fenders. Lead CAE suppliers &internal resources to meet program milestones &deliverables. Create CAE geometry or construct / update FEA models from NX math data. Debug 1st run vehicle structure models from suppliers (external &internal). Perform &coordinate resources for virtual assessment of designs &compare results to performance reqmts. Recommend viable design solutions to resolve any performance issues with mass &cost efficiency using complex analytical FEA simulations using linear &nonlinear (FEA) tools such as LS Dyna, Abaqus, Nastran, Optistruct, Design life, ensuring systems &full vehicle compliance with U.S. FMVSS-214 Side Impact, N&V, durability, reliability, fatigue, &crashworthiness standards &reqmts.

Improve structural designs applying Design of Experiment &DFSS principles to determine dynamic &transient response of the vehicle structure. Dvlp/recommend process automators &CAE enhancements for CAE modeling software &solvers. Dvlp CAE techniques. Bachelor, Mechanical Engrg, Automotive Engrg, or Industrial Production Engrg. 60 mos exp as Project Engr, Senior Engr, or related, engrg, creating &executing FEA plans to dvlp passenger vehicle closure systems incldg hoods, doors, decklids, liftgates &fenders, &ensuring full vehicle compliance with US FMVSS-214 Side Impact standards. Mail resume to Ref#1772, GM Global Mobility, 300 Renaissance Center, MC:482-C32D44, Detroit, MI 48265.

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month

Outdoor Enthusiasts: Tips to Prevent Bites and Burns (StatePoint) Nearly half of all Americans participate in at least one outdoor activity each year, according to statistics from the Outdoor Foundation. And while many of those exercising outdoors take necessary precautions to reduce their risk for injury, they are not always as dedicated to skin protection.

“It’s ironic that protecting exposed skin is overlooked by so many outdoor enthusiasts otherwise committed to their health and wellness,” says Brevard, Florida-based dermatologist, Dr. Richard C. Kirkpatrick.

During the long days of summer, outdoor enthusiasts should take the following steps to avoid bites, burns and more.

Mosquito Protection Mosquito bites are not just a nuisance; they are associated with Dengue Fever, Zika, West Nile and Chikungunya viruses.

Ward off itch, discomfort and more serious threats by avoiding standing water whenever possible, and dressing in loose long sleeves and pants.

Use a DEET-free repellent such as BullFrog Mosquito Coast, which repels mosquitoes for up to eight hours. The formula is a particularly good option for outdoor enthusiasts. Unlike DEET formulations, there is no need to wash it off when returning indoors. Different from repellent alone, it also offers SPF 30 sun protection, so you can pack light when you’re on the move.

Sun Protection One in five Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of a lifetime, and men ages 15 to 39 are 55 percent more likely to die of melanoma than women in the same age group. However, a recent survey from Bullfrog Sunscreen found that while 85 percent of male outdoor sports enthusiasts ages 18 to 54 claim their prime motivation for engaging in outdoor sports is “health and wellness,” two in 10 respondents do not use sunscreen at all.

Of the remaining 80 percent who said they do use sunscreen, 56 percent use it only occasionally.

Those spending time outdoors should wear a hat and apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen 15 minutes before going outside, and then reapply at least every two hours or after swimming, sweating and immediately after towel drying. A breathable, sweat-resistant formula like BullFrog Land Sport is ideal for tennis, golf and other land sports, while an advanced water-resistant formula should be used for swimming and other water sports.

More skin safety tips can be found at BullFrogSunscreen.com.

While the warmer months are a great time for all your favorite outdoor activities, from hiking to swimming to camping, this time of year comes with its own health hazards. Luckily, there are many steps you can take to protect skin.

praise connection

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

April 19-25, 2017 Page D-7

Juanita Perry Moore Services for Juanita Perry Moore were held on Monday, March 20, at Trinity Community Presbyterian Church with Rev. Raphael Francis officiating.

Mrs. Moore passed away on March 13, 2017.

Juanita Perry Moore was born on Nov. 8, 1931 in Bessemer, Alabama to Promise and Mrs. Emma Perry, the fifth of nine children.

After graduation, she moved to Detroit where she enrolled at Lewis College of Business. In 1954, she and Marcus Moore were married and had three children, Glenda Renata, Marcus Cortnez, Jr. and Michael Cortnez.

Special ceremony for pastor and first lady Members and guests of New Welcome Missionary Baptist Church recently joined together for a celebration to honor the church pastor, Rev. Kenneth E. Brock and First Lady Yvonne Brock on their sixth anniversary. The elegant event was held at the Lakeshore Banquet Center on East Grand Blvd.The anniversary theme was gleaned from Scripture (1st Thessalonians 5:12 andTimothy 5:17), “Giving Honor Where Honor Is Due,” with Rev. Claude May of the Oasis Baptist Church giving the keynote address. Sister Danielle Fuqua chaired the successful event. Seated from left: Olean Pittman, First Lady Yvonne Brock, Rev. Kenneth E. Brock and Sytoria May. Standing from left: Rev. Dennis Hatcher, O’ Neil D. Swanson Sr., president and CEO, Swanson Funeral Homes, Inc., Rev. Jeffery Lyons, emcee, and Rev. Claude May.

She worked for the Social Security Administration for 24 years after graduating with an associate’s degree in Business Administration. A churchgoing woman, she loved to spend at she and her husband’s cottage, entertaining, buying stylish clothes, knitting and crocheting, and cooking.

Cherishing the memory of Juanita Perry Moore are her husband, Marcus; her children, Glenda Stallings, Marcus Moore and Michael Moore; siblings, Mildred Campbell, Priness Perry, Sydney Perry, Naomi Carolyn Perry and Viola Elaine Roundtree; and many other relatives and friends.

Swanson Funeral Home handled the arrangements.

Interment took place at Great Lakes National Cemetery.

McNeil Waters Services for McNeil Waters took place on Saturday, Feb. 25, at Warren Avenue Baptist Church with Pastor Carey Heard officiating. Mr. Waters passed away on Feb. 18, 2017.

McNeil Waters was born in Kingston, Georgia on March 22, 1918 to Frank Waters and Amanda Bullock. He met and married Lillie B. Booker, a marriage that lasted for over 50 years.

Church gas and oil change giveaway New Life Family Church blessed the city of Detroit with a $10K Gas Giveaway on Good Friday in Detroit. Detroit’s New Life Family Church has a passion for outreach.

Month after month, this millennial infused family ministry lives to create “wow experiences” for their community and their second annual $10K Gas Giveaway promised to be just that.

On Friday, April 14, New Life provided free gas at the BP Gas Station, 4125 8 Mile Road, and added new for this year, free oil changes, at City Oil Change, 18200 Livernois.

Known as Good Friday, the day that Christians celebrate the three-day death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the ministry wanted to ensure that at least 500 Detroit natives, in fact, have a “good Friday.”

“Our ministry is postured to celebrate Jesus just as many other churches did this past weekend, but we wanted to make sure that we demonstrated Him. Our annual $10K Gas Giveaway is just one of the many great things we are blessed to do. Our ministry is full of young adults who love Detroit and are always willing to do what it takes to love on their own. Emulating our love for Christ, we proudly credit Jesus for doing what we do,” said Pastor Welton Smith, senior pastor of New Life Family Church.

Detroit residents took advantage of the free gas or oil and arrived as early as 7 am. The gas and oil changes were distributed on a first come, first served basis. Pastor Smith and New Life Family Church set out to do a good deed or a “good Friday” by blessing good people in the city of Detroit.

New Life Family Church (www.newlifeanywhere.org) was founded by Pastor Welton, a Detroit native, on Easter Sunday, 2007.

Follow the ministry online (@newlifeanywhere) or attend one of their weekly services. Having recently outgrown their campus, the church meets at Bailey Cathedral, 7045 Curtis Street, Detroit.

Second Baptist anniversary Second Baptist Church of Detroit celebrated its 181st anniversary with guest speaker Rev, Dr. Jim Holley of historic Little Rock Baptist Church pictured here with Rev. Dr. Kevin M. Turman of Second Baptist Church of Detroit and Deacon Ronald Davis.

Bloom Conference 2017

Former Southfield Councilwoman Sylvia Jordan and Family Victory Fellowship present the Bloom Conference 2017, an event for girls ages 1218 and their mothers. The theme of the conference is “Blooming Beyond.”

This is the organization’s 19th year.

Created in 2007, the Bloom Conference was created to help girls blossom into womanhood.

This year’s conference will present an exciting agenda to instill leadership, confidence and a positive self-image to its participants. The goals for the day are to empower the participants to live a successful lifestyle, enlighten their minds and equip them with ability to strive for success. In addition, the conference event will focus on improving the mother-daughter bond, a critical support necessary for girls as they transition into womanhood.

The Family Victory Fellowship is an all-day event with workshops and classes on a range of topics geared to provide

Greater New Mt. Moriah Men’s Day Greater New Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church celebrated Pastor Kenneth Flowers’ 22nd pastoral anniversary with an elegant Black and White Musical Gala and Pastoral Anniversary Celebration.

The Black and White Musical Gala including Contemporary Harpist/Singer Onita Sanders and Renowned Vocalist Charles & Gwen Scales.

The Pastoral Anniversary Celebration Service was on Bishop Victor E. Sharpe Sunday, April 9, with guest speaker Bishop Victor E. Sharpe, Jr. pastor of the St. John the Great Cathedral.

Pastor Kenneth Flowers’ theme for his 22nd pastor anniversary was “Celebrating the Faithful and Loyal Servant.” “For God is not unjust; He will not forgot your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them (Hebrews 6:10).

Greater New Mt. Moriah Baptist Church would like to thank everyone who came out to be a blessing to their pastor, Pastor Kenneth Flowers.

Mr. Waters worked as a hi-lo driver at Allen Industries Plant in Detroit for many years. He enjoyed gardening and watching wrestling and baseball. He was active in the church.

Cherishing the memory of McNeil Waters are his wife, Lillie; children, Barbara Jean Scruggs, Maxine Waters, Frank Waters and Marlean Knox; and many other relatives and friends.

Swanson Funeral Home handled the arrangements.

teen girls with the practical tools to navigate life, accomplish their dreams and step into their future with the support of caring women and technology.

Interment took place at Lincoln Memorial Park Cemetery.

Special guests Erica Mason, hip-hop artist, Stephanie Jones and the Southfield Police will present their Safe Girls Workshop.

On March 8, services for Ramonia Williams were held at New Mt. Vernon Baptist Church with Rev. Edward Knox officiating. Mrs. Williams passed away on March 1, 2017.

Some 300 young women will participate in a day devoted to communication, relationships and personal empowerment.

This event takes place on Saturday, May 6, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.at Family Victory Fellowship, located at 19421 W. Ten Mile in Southfield. The cost for the event is $15, adults $25.

For more information, contact Sylvia Jordan at 248-354-1990 or Loren Hicks at 248 - 495-3985 at Family Victory Fellowship Church.

Ramonia Williams Ramonia Williams was born in Detroit to Dorothy Mae Booker and Tommy Lee Williams on April 14, 1956. She attended Martin Luther King High School.

Mrs. Williams was a churchgoing woman and enjoyed spending time with her daughters and grandchildren.

Ramonia Williams’ memory is being cherished by her daughters, Stephanie Prewitt and Melvina Lowe; siblings, Samuel Booker, Diane Huskey, Mary, Reba, Joseph, Cornella, Odell, Norman, Orlanda and Rebia; and many other relatives and friends.

Swanson Funeral Home handled the arrangements.

Interment took place at Mt. Elliott Cemetery.

Dr. Donald Johnson, prominent musician Donald Johnson, pianist, organist and educator, passed away suddenly at age 71 on March 25, 2017 at Beaumont Hospital of an apparent heart attack.

Donald Johnson was born May 14, 1945 in Mount Vernon, Texas and is the last surviving member of his immediate family. He graduated from Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri with a Bachelor of Music in 1968 and moved to Detroit. He began teaching music in the Detroit Public School and playing piano and organ at Hartford Baptist Church (HMBC) under then pastor, Rev. Charles A. Hill.

He established the Dino School of Music where he taught private students whom he presented in annual recitals. During his long association at HMBC, Dr. Johnson played piano and Hammond organ and pipe organ for each choir. He became minister of music and directed the Cathedral Choir and Jubilee Chorus. He left this position to pursue advanced degrees at the University of Michigan, earning a Master of Music in 2004 and Doctorate in Church Music in 2010.

Dr. Johnson considered the capstone of his life going back to Texas and marrying Carolene on Aug. 8, 1992. He, along with a large family of siblings, had grown up together in Wichita Falls, Texas, and he served in the music ministry of Eastside Baptist Church under the pastorate of Rev. D.P. Williams, Carolene’s father. The families were always very close and attended the same schools. The marriage of Donald and Carolene was con-

Donald Johnson sidered in divine order.

Donald Johnson leaves to mourn him his wife, Carolene, and her four living brothers and three sisters. His homegoing services took place at Hartford Memorial Baptist Church, on Saturday, April 1.

In special tribute to Dr. Johnson members from all the choirs combined to provide a music ministry. Dr. Charles G. Adams, Hartford pastor, preached the eulogy. Burial was at Grand Lawn Cemetery followed by the family and friends dinner at Hartford Memorial Baptist Church.

Page D-6 • THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE • April 19-25, 2017

MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

PINNACLE AWARD

Patricia Maryland, Dr.PH CEO, Ascension Healthcare

TRAILBLAZER AWARD

Pat Locke First African American Woman to Graduate from West Point

COMMUNITY EXCELLENCE AWARD

Lisa Phillips Principal Cass Tech High School

10th Anniversary Women of Excellence 2017 MGM GRAND HOTEL | April 20, 2017

5:00 PM Reception — 6:00 PM Induction Ceremony