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HOMEFRONT Comerica Bank Partnership with First Independence Bank Features $2.5 Million in Deposits
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Michigan Chronicle
Vol. 84 – No. 2 | September 16-22, 2020
Powered by Real Times Media | michiganchronicle.com
Racial Equality and Opportunities Are Needed Now! Matt Elliott, Michigan Market President, Bank of America In the past six months we have been exposed to the devastating realities of a global health crisis and a self-inflicted moment brought on by historical and present-day social inequities. The deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks and others, and the disproportionate impact that the current health and humanitarian crisis is having on people of color and communities have created an urgency to do more, now. I feel that urgency. My team at Bank of America feels that urgency. Many of my teammates in Metro Detroit have shared their thoughts, feelings and personal experiences and it has helped increase our collective awareness of how much the color of our skin – not the content of our character – continues to shape our lives. For me, hearing the deep level of grief, emotional exhaustion and emerging fears that haunt a great deal of my Black teammates and their Matt Elliott families—many of whom have also been disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus—has been maddening and heartbreaking. Across our company, we are committed to our fellow teammates, to helping one another and to living our values. The racial injustice we see today is unacceptable to all of us. Our company will not tolerate racism in any form. We also recognize that we all need to do more. Acts of inhumanity – against any person or group – have a profound impact on each of us. It is not enough to just say something. We must also do something and do it more quickly. To address the very real consequences of systemic racism and economic inequity begins with the acknowledgement that it is pervasive throughout society and demands real action and viable solutions. How pervasive? White households own over 85% of the nation’s wealth, while Black and Hispanic-Latino households own just 7.5%, while making up 30% of the population. At the household level, the median wealth of white families is 10 times that of Black households and eight times that of Hispanic-Latino households. For many years Bank of America has worked to deliver more opportunities for economic mobility in Detroit. In November 2019 we announced a deepening of our investments in Detroit’s neighborhoods by increasing our philanthropic commitments and expanding support for housing affordability. The bank invested an additional $1.5 million in the 0% Interest Home Repair Loan Program - a partnership with Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) and the City of Detroit. The program offers 10-year, interest-free loans to help Detroit homeowners invest in and repair their homes – promoting public
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EQUALITY page A2
WHAT’S INSIDE
FCA Commits To Put
Detroit To Work!
By Donald James
was surprising for the Detroiters to go to work immediately.
Special to the Chronicle
Following last year’s pledge to offer Detroiters “priority access” to apply for 5,000 new positions with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), the giant auto maker is continuing to deliver on what was promised through the “Community Benefits Agreement” with the City of Detroit. The commitment comes as FCA is expanding its Jefferson North Assembly Plant on the city’s east side, while converting the auto company’s east side Mack Avenue Engine Complex, to assemble the next generation of the Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV. The North Jefferson Plant will continue its production of the Dodge Durango and the redesigned Grand Cherokee. A major source and partner in helping FCA achieve its hiring mission is Detroit at Work, an agency that provides job and training opportunities for Detroiters, under the auspices of Mayor Mike Duggan’s Workforce Development Board, Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation (a Michigan Works! Agency), and the City of Detroit. Of the 5,000 positions that FCA is proactively seeking to fill, the vast majority are for full-time production operators, tasked with assembling the Jeep Grand Cherokee. According to FCA specifications, the position’s hourly wage is $17.00, with full benefits. For Detroiters to be eligible for FCA’s “priority access” hiring commitment, they must first complete a Detroit at Work Job Readiness Event. This will lead to a five-step preparation process that must be successfully completed, which includes submitting proof of Detroit residency, verifying el-
“We were not expecting these jobs to start until November and December of this year, maybe into January of 2021,” said Sherard-Freeman, a native Detroiter. “But FCA told us the company has shortages right now and wanted to offer people the opportunity to start early at the Sterling Heights Assembly Plant or another facility. However, the workers will be guaranteed a move to Detroit when the Detroit facility positions are open. It’s a real win for Detroiters.”
Nicole Sherard-Freeman igibility to apply to FCA, completing a practice assessment to prepare applicants for the application process, signing a drug-free pledge, and experiencing a presentation explaining what it’s like to work for FCA. As of Tuesday, Sept. 15, thousands of Detroiters have expressed an interest in working at FCA by completing the Detroit at Work Readiness Event. “More than 16,000 Detroiters have received an invitation from FCA to apply for positions,” said Nicole Sherard-Freeman, executive director of Workforce Development and Detroit at Work for the City of Detroit. “And between 7,000 and 8,000 have actually applied. More than 2,700 Detroiters have been interviewed. Currently, 1,234 Detroiters have received job offers, with 730 accepting their offers. And 300 Detroiters have received an immediate start date.”
It has also been a win for FCA, who is pleased with the level of recruitment and preparation of Detroiters that Detroit at Work has referred to the auto maker. “As an organization, FCA is incredibly thankful for the partnership that we have with the City of Detroit and Detroit at Work,” said Jordan Kaiser, talent acquisition manager at FCA. “And the candidates that we’ve interviewed and hired demonstrate a broad range of experience. I and everyone on the team at FCA remain impressed with the quality of candidates in Detroit.” Detroiter Rhondelise Carter is one of the quality candidates from Detroit at Work that has impressed FCA’s hiring team. She will begin work soon as a production operator. “I’m excited,” said Carter. “It will be soon. Maybe three days or more but whenever they call me, I’m there! I have been trying to get into FCA for a while but was unsuccessful until I went through Detroit at Work.” Carter said after registering at De-
According to Sherard-Freeman, it
The Race for Office: How Will Millennials Be Affected? By Megan Kirk
Gov. Whitmer Launches New, First In Nation Futures For Frontliners Program
Money. A5
$1.00
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“For public schools, I think there should be more investments into technology for schools. COVID showed us how much of a digital gap there is between different school districts across the nation and how necessary it is,” Slappey explains. “I think teachers will also begin to get paid more as well.”
The Presidential election is near, and Millennials are voicing their concerns on various issues and how this election will affect them. From education to economics, the millennial population is sounding off on what this election will mean for them. In the 2008 and 2016 presidential race, Millennials dominated the polls in record numbers. According to a 2018 study, fifty percent of eligible Millennials voted during former President Barack Obama’s first election term. Fifty-one percent of Millennials voted in the most recent 2016 election. Surpassing Baby Boomers as the largest generational population, Millennials are a critical demographic for candidates. In a country plagued by a pandemic, concerns of voter turnout are
In addition to the public-school systems, Slappey believes more attention should be paid on a collegiate level.
at the forefront. Candidates are looking to appeal to Millennials; however, the millennial population is expressing concerns over various topics. Where will this election leave the Millennial demographic? Tyrell Slappey, an English
Language Arts and Social Studies teacher for the Detroit Public Schools Community District, believes education needs a makeover. For the public-school systems, a disparity in access to technology and pay for teachers is at the top.
“I think we will start to see the transformation of colleges and universities being big business to seeing college education being free if you have the right GPA,” Slappey explains. While education serving as a hot button issue, the economy at large is another concern for Millennials. As more Millennials look to become entrepre-
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