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Grow Detroit’s Young Talent and Comerica Bank partner to inspire
Tomorrow’s Leaders ROOTS. B1
Michigan Chronicle
Vol. 81 – No. 49 | August 15-21, 2018
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Group lending program to help area entrepreneurs
By Patreice A. Massey Managing Editor
In late spring, the Rotary Clubs of Taylor and Trenton formed a group lending partnership to help six area entrepreneurs with free small business training, micro-loans of up to $2,500 each, business mentoring by local Rotarians, and networking opportunities. Called LaunchGLOBAL, it is part of a new pilot spearheaded by LaunchDETROIT, www.LaunchDetroit.org, a similar program initiated five years ago with Rotary volunteers from Rotary District 6400. “Our mission is to support and develop local entrepreneurs in our community,” said Margaret Williamson, chair of LaunchDETROIT, who did the legwork to receive a global grant from Rotary International to create a group lending model in metro Detroit. “We know that group lending partnerships have achieved great success overseas, and this is the first to be piloted in the U.S. with three Rotary clubs--Detroit, Taylor and Trenton. Following completion of five small business training classes provided by International Strategic Management at Wayne County Community College in Taylor, six entrepreneurs sponsored by the Taylor and Trenton clubs agreed to meet locally each week to discuss their businesses and receive mentoring and additional training. Participating entrepreneurs include Francisca Valle, Sophia Frances Events; Abdal El-Rifaai, That One Guys Woodworking; Leilani Norman, Norman Catering and Events; Chantae Fowler, Ice Cream Place; Lakingna Simmons, Above The Spectrum Events; and Jared Bodary, Detroit Hockey Company. Valle, a recent University of Michigan-Dearborn graduate, started an event planning business shortly before she joined the group. “The networking opportunities and experiences that Rotary offers have been especially valuable to me,” said Valle, who was accepted to attend law school in the fall and opted to start a business instead. “I loved planning my own wedding and helping others with their parties and events. Our classes helped me create an executive summary and gave me lots of details to consider.” She added, “Our business group is so interesting and diverse even though there are two other event planners. We’re very different and have learned that we can mutually benefit each other.” Abdal El-Rifaai described himself as a “cable guy” until three years ago when he started his business, almost by accident. He said, “When we found out we were having our son,
See LAUNCHGLOBAL page A2
WHAT’S INSIDE
Brenda Jones, Decisions! Decisions! By Sonja Moffett and Patreice A. Massey
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ity Council President, Brenda Jones is faced with a monumental decision: should she assume a temporary role in as an interim U.S. Representative this November or pass? Jones recently won the 13th District Congressional race to fill the seat left by former U.S. Representative John Conyers, who was forced to resign amid allegations of sexual harassment in December 2017. Conyers’ seat has been vacant since his departure and Jones would effectively be serving out the last two months of his term. Minus the holidays – that could amount to a mere 16 days of service in Congress before relinquishing that seat to Rashida Tlaib, who won the party’s nomination for the next two years starting in January. The race was very close between Jones and Tlaib, the latter prevailing for the longer 2-year term responsibilities in Washington, DC this coming January. Some community leaders and constituents are wondering how Jones won the short-term seat and not the job for the longer term. Reporting discrepancies at various polling locations within the district during the primaries
held on August 7th caused some backlash from the community. However, Jones has not contested the results of the election. For now, her win begs the question whether it is worth it for Jones to consider relinquishing her leadership position with City Council to pursue such a short stint in Washington DC during the lame-duck season? And furthermore, does she even have to? Legally, she is not in violation of any laws by holding both local and federal positions, according to Detroit Corporation Counsel, Lawrence Garcia. However, there may be ethical concerns in her holding the two positions, which means Jones would need to confer with the House Ethics Committee to ensure there is no conflict of interest, according to Garcia. Should Jones decide to vacate her post with the City of Detroit, this begs the questions: What’s the point? How much good can she really do by serving the remainder of Conyers’ term? With over 12 years of experience as a public servant Brenda Jones has consistently been an advocate for the citizens of Detroit as a member of City Council. She has a strong connection with the City of Detroit and is deeply
rooted in advocating for its citizens. Jones is known for being extremely accessible as she regularly attends community meetings throughout the city and is known to meet with Detroiters in their neighborhoods. Working tirelessly for the citizens of Detroit is her trademark and she has been dedicated to making the city a more prosperous place for everyone. As the city waits with bated breath to see what she decides, it’s easy to see why some of her constituents are not in love with the idea of Jones possibly having to relinquish her seat for such a short period of time. “I honestly prefer that Brenda Jones stays right here in Detroit. We need her here,” says Olita Ford of Detroit. Brenda Jones is very active and visible in the community and she has a commitment that we have not seen in a long time. So, I don’t want her to give up her seat on council if that is the case.” Jones will need to consult the House Ethics Committee between now and November before finalizing her decision to continue serving citizens in the 13th District as their U.S. Representative, their City Council President, or both. The City anxiously awaits the outcome.
Dr. Ossian Sweet home receives $500,000 grant to expand historic district By Branden Hunter
Not Afraid of Ghosts: Black Milk Carries The Torch by Creating His Own Lane
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City of Detroit Director of Elections Daniel Baxter was born in the brick house with the green roof on the corner of Garland and Charlevoix in 1965. Forty years prior, it was the backdrop of the Dr. Ossian Sweet murder trials, which impelled the fair housing movement and put the issue of racial inequality in Detroit at the forefront. Baxter’s parents, William and Ruby, put a $1,500 down payment on the house in 1958 and have owned it ever since. Now, anyone interested in learning about the home located at 2905 Garland can do so in the future after the city was awarded a $500,000 federal grant to expand the historic district of the Dr. Ossian Sweet home and preserve two more adjacent houses at 2912-14 and 2918 Garland that will preserve the famous site in perpetuity and memorialize an authentic Detroit civil rights story. The City of Detroit was awarded the maximum grant amount from the African American Civil Rights program of the
City of Detroit Director of Elections Daniel Baxter speaking about growing up in the Dr. Ossian Sweet Home. PHOTO: Jalen Morgan Historic Preservation Fund, National Park Service, and Department of the Interior. “As a child, the only thing that we heard about, was Dr. Ossian Sweet and that we lived in his house,” said Baxter. “From that point on, I became passionate to learn about the man who moved at 2905 Garland. I tried vigorously to imagine what Dr. Sweet’s
peculiar fear felt like that night but there was no way I could feel that feeling. Dr. Sweet was a trailblazer and we stand on his shoulders. He stood on the frontlines for civil rights for blacks in Detroit and as a consequence, I had the opportunity to live in that house.” Dr. Ossian Sweet started his practice in Black Bottom Detroit,
one of the few neighborhoods in the city where blacks were allowed to live at the time. Looking for a better living opportunity for his family beyond the poor working-class area of Black Bottom, Dr. Sweet and his wife Gladys purchased a home in a predominantly white neighborhood in 1925 for $18,500, which was
See GRANT page A2