Detroit Tenants Association's Push For Renters’ Rights
“Rank-choice voting is the type of system that can help level the playing field in a race like the past one in the 13th,” Hollier said. “I introduced a rankchoice voting bill two years ago for Mich igan, but it didn’t go anywhere. I plan to reintroduce it because I think it is im portant and meaningful. It wouldn’t stop multiple people from entering races but would change the results so that many of them would not be spoilers.”
“The effort to choose a consensus candidate has to happen much earlier than it did in this case because people had already started to spend financially and put things in place to run their cam paigns before knowing who the consen sus Black candidate pick was going to be,” Roberson said. “That was a major reason why some folks did not get out of the race in the 13th.”
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Political Suicide
Splitting the Black Vote, Have We Learned Our Lesson?
A aWithinPrisonPrison
After spending over five cu mulative years in a solitary cell, Aaron still experiences the lin gering side effects of solitary confinement six months after returning home from Michigan’s Marquette Branch Prison. Anxiety attacks. Night terrors. Aaron often battles feelings of estrangement and disconnection from“I’msociety.doing a lot of meditation, working on that, but I have a lot of night terrors and anxiety, sometimes even in the car,” said Aaron.“Ittook me two months not to be car sick, then I would have panic attacks and feeling claus trophobic. I’m in the car and feel ing like I’m being bound again in a small area or when I’m in the bathroom, it’s hard for me to close the door at times because I feel like I’m isolating myself again.”The lasting psychological impact and post-release adapt ability of long-term solitary confinement has been well-doc umented by research and advo cacySilencedgroups.Michigan is a cam paign that elevates the voices of those in prison segregation, col lecting voices and stories into a digital archive of first-hand ac counts of Michiganders in segre gation, including physical issues such as chronic headaches, eyesight deterioration, sleep problems and heart palpita tions. Psychological effects can include chronic anxiety, fear of death, irritability and a worsen ing of pre-existing mental health issues.“People tend to think of soli tary in more of a justified puni tive way,” said Aaron. “They went to prison, so they deserve it. So, they tend to block that part of humanity off so they can live with themselves. But, in reality, it’s been difficult because people filter that. But at the same time, they’re going above and beyond to torture people and aggravating their conditions. They’re making people more mentally ill and aggressive because after con finement, you’re not the same person. You’ll never trust people the same and you’re emotionally distressed and depressed.” MDOC’s policy standards on segregation According to the Michigan De partment of Corrections (MDOC) policy directives, there are differ ent types of segregation current
The Legacy Committee chose Adam Hollier as its “Black Consensus Candi date” to endorse. The Michigan Chron icle also endorsed Hollier. While Evans spoke with the Chronicle during the for mation of the Committee earlier in the year, his office said the executive was not available for a post-primary election interview regarding the 13th outcome when requested by the Chronicle. Nevertheless, Hollier said, “I did ev erything that I could to win this race, but we all knew that the concern was going to be too many Black candidates were in the race and would split Black votes, and that is exactly what happened.”
As defined by numerous election ex perts, rank-choice voting is an electoral system in which voters rank candidates by preference on their ballots. If a can didate wins a majority of first-preference votes, he or she is declared the winner. If no candidate wins a majority of first-preference votes, the candidate with the fewest first-preference votes is elimi nated. First-preference votes cast for the failed candidate are eliminated, lifting the second-preference choices indicated on those ballots. A new tally is conduct ed to determine whether any candidate has won a majority of the adjusted votes. The process is repeated until a candidate wins an outright majority. Portia Roberson, however, believes that a consensus candidate system can work, but with certain parameters.
Detroit Jazz Legend Wendell Harrison Inspires Music Education at “Rebirth Inc” Cadillac Celebrates 120 Years of Community and Culture in Martha’s Vineyard.
While Hollier was the beneficiary of the Legacy’s pick, he said he would like to see the “rank-choice voting” system used in future Michigan elections. Sever al states and approximately 20 U.S. cities use the system. New York City adopted “rank-choice voting” in 2019, which ulti mately led to the election of Mayor Eric Adams, an African American Democrat.
Roberson adds that any group plan ning to convene, pick and back a con sensus candidate for future elections in
Recently local community members and partner advocacy organizations came togeth er to build a citywide coalition, Detroit Ten ants Association, to fight back. “This year, January 2022, we were pretty much forced to form the Tenants Associa tion of New Center Plaza and Marlenor,” said Steven Rimmer, coordinator of both the Ten ants Association of New Center Plaza and Marlenor and the Seward Ave. Tenants Asso ciation.“They’re two buildings directly across from one another and they’re both owned by Raymond DeBates, and they’re now managed by Continental Management. Back in Janu ary, we had a lot of issues with the building maintenance, we reached out to BSEED to complain. They came out and issued them violations and the corrections that need to be Tenantsmade.” faced steep rent hikes and build ing compliance issues, including elevator malfunctions in the 4-story building. “A lot of people here got large rent in creases, mine went up $269,” said Rimmer. “So, we decided to form a tenants association to create a line of communication between management, the tenants and the property owner.”Rimmer said the organizing of the tenants and increased media publicity pressured the property owner to sign a written agreement to rolling back rent, return the credit of the increase to tenants and addressing mainte nanceHowever,issues.once the new management com pany took over, the promises were not kept
By Donald James Senior Writer, Real Times Media There are many barriers that are caus ing crippling disservices to Black people in Detroit including the controversy linked to redistricting, threats to voting rights through legislation and voter apathy. While all are legitimate issues of concern and must be addressed, another problem that looms is the illogical split ting of Black votes. A classic example is the recent Pri mary Election in the 13th Congressional District, which saw Shri Thanedar, an Indian American, win 28 percent of the votes. African Americans Adam Hollier and Portia Roberson placed second and third, with 24 percent and 17 percent, respectively. Simple math shows if the other six Black candidates’ votes were tallied with Hollier’s and Roberson’s, it would add up to 72 percent of the voters choosing an African American in the 13th. Yet, the lone non-African Ameri can won the Primary and is the presump tive favorite to claim victory in the No vember 8th General Election against a Republican opponent. With a landslide win in the Primary by Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib in the 12th Congressional District over two Af rican American women, she is the heavy favorite to win in November against a Republican candidate. These winning scenarios for Thanedar and Tlaib in their revamped districts mean that for the first time since the mid-1950s -- barring an upset in the 13th in November -- Detroit will be without Black representation in Congress when it convenes in January 2023.“It is a tragic reflection of where we are in terms of coming together as Black people to determine federal representa tion for our community,” said Rev. Wen dell Anthony, president, Detroit Branch NAACP. “It was the same situation that resulted a few years ago in the 13th Con gressional election with Rashida Tlaib winning because too many Black candi dates were in the race. Therefore, by de fault, she won the race. Four years later, we find ourselves with the same scenar io in the revamped 13th Congressional District because of the splitting of Black votes.”Anthony said following the surprise January 2022 retirement announce ment on Twitter by Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence, Michigan’s lone Black member of Congress, there was not ade quate time to develop a comprehensive succession plan. What resulted was an influx of Black candidates entering the race or strongly considering a run in the 13th after Tlaib chose to run for reelec tion in the 12th. In an effort to prevent the split of Black votes, a broad coalition of more than 50 community, religious, business and civic leaders saw a need to vet, pick and support a “Black Consen sus Candidate” in the 13th. “It was a great effort made by the Legacy committee, and I commend Wayne County Executive Warren Evans and all others who were a part of the Legacy Committee for Unified Lead ership,” said Anthony. “We had no pre-conceived notions other than to try to develop a consensus around one can didate, if we could, to represent the city. People pledged and committed to the process. After that, candidates went in different directions.”
The threat of eviction is still an everyday reality for many Detroit renters.
Tenants of the Tenants Association of New Center Plaza and Marlenor march in protest in front of the New Center Plaza regarding landlord issues of rent hikes and building maintenance on May 9, 2022. Photo courtesy of Steven Rimmer.
By Rasha Almulaiki
By Rasha Almulaiki
Solitary Confinement in Michigan Prisons
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Whereas landlords had ly in use: temporary, ad ministrative and punitive (detention).According to MDOC, over 3,200 people are currently held in solitary confinement in Michigan prisons, defined as isolat ed confinement for more than 20 hours a day. That is an average 10 percent of Michigan’s over 33,000 incarcerated time.”verydiebecauseThatlighttimefreezing.window,”ketperienced.waswhileinistration.”wentlyjustdoShetodoctorcamerasoIcally,startedfeverfamily,outcelltheybacksaidwhenprisonsuswithinwaspositivewithinprison“disappeared”ingscribeincarcerationitaryriencedobservationtreatmentunits,ingotherconditionsisolationhaveadvocacyfamiliesregation,”tarycountry.inconfinementpercentageatedpeopleeragelyregation65-80population54BlackMichigan’sthoughitarymographicracialresearchSilencedpopulation.Michigan’sindicatesadisparitytothedemakeupofsolconfinement.Evensevenpercentofpopulationismen,theymakeuppercentoftheprisonandbetweenpercentofthesegpopulation.Thesestatisticsclosemirrorthenationalavofprisons.BlackwhoareincarcermakeupagreaterofsolitaryoccupantsmanystatesacrosstheMDOCreferstosoliconfinementas“seghowever,manyworkingwithorganizationsdescribedprolongedandsolitary-likeinnumerousprograms,includacutementalhealthsecureresidentialprogramsandcells.Peoplewhohaveexpeanylengthofsolconfinementduringoftendetheordealfeelliketheyarefurtherwithinthesystemintoa“boxabox.”In2020,AarontestedforCOVIDandfurtherisolatedtheprisonsystem.“TheyweresendingtotheseexperimentalforCOVID,andIwaspositivetheytheydidn’twantmeinpopulation.So,putmeincameraandforaweekwithbeingabletocallmyIhad102[degree]andthattimeCOVIDkillingme,basiIcouldn’tbreathe.couldn’ttasteorsmell,theyhadmeinthiscellandthetheresaidyougotgethimoutofhere.wassaying,‘Hedidn’tanythingwrong.He’ssick.’AndtheyfinalgotmeoutaftershecrazyontheadminAaronsaidhistimesolitaryconfinementsickwithCOVIDtheworststintheex“Therewasoneblanandacrackinthehesaid.“ItwasItwaswinterandthecameracellstaysonallday.wastheworstoneIthoughtImightofCOVID.Thatwasabrutalandbarbaric
875075427319 30262573727 47 51 54 63 3 37 PICKS 862163 605701 690887 2907 1638 WEEK’S BEST LOTTERY
In 2007, MDOC de veloped a strategic plan committed to the safe re duction of segregation by developing safe alterna tives to segregation hous ing.Chis Gautz, spokes person for MDOC, spoke to the Michigan Chron icle on the steps the de partment is taking toward scaling back on the prac tice of segregation in the state’s prisons. “We have teams that are working on process improvements to better identify ways to manage those who need to be in segregation and devel oping alternatives for those who can safely be placed in our desegrega tion programs and START programs…that’s a huge piece of what we are trying to accomplish and we don’t believe that seg regation is the place for someone with a serious mentalAccordingillness.”
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The newly formed De troit Tenants Associa tion (DTA) is a platform whereby collectively, members can cultivate enough strength to make a change by renters them selves.Partner organizations of the DTA include Mor atorium Now!, Detroit Action, Michigan Commu nist Party, Detroit Evic tion Defense, Charlevoix Village Association, De troit Will Breathe and the Right to Counsel Coali tion.The Michigan Chron icle spoke to longtime Detroit resident, Evan Villeneuve, a member of the Detroit Right to Coun sel Coalition, a partner of DTA.The Detroit Right to Counsel Coalition began in 2019 as a necessity to address the eviction crisis.“We have an average around 3,000 evictions per year,” said Villeneuve, “which is an enormous amount since an estimat ed 1000,000 people have left the city in the last decade due to evictions.” The coalition looks to Right to Counsel models in New York, Baltimore and Cleveland for how having legal representa tion impacts a renter’s ability to stave off evic tion.“In Detroit, where people with an attorney are getting evicted, it was something between 5-10 percent that had attor neys representing them.
gram of START units for imprisoned persons with mental illness, the department reports the lowest total segregation rate in the 14-year history of the legislative report. When it comes to prog ress on doing away with solitary confinement as a practice, Aaron said the key is remembering the humanity of the people who are subjected to it. “I think the bottom line is a need for looking at people as humans that are not to be discarded, [not] isolated animals that can be tortured at will because as long as the top think it’s okay to have these subterranean places to just torture people, the bottom will follow…people disappear to the hole without any explanation all the time. We need to ask why and we need to care.”
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to the March 2022 Report to the Legislature on updates between October 2020 to September 2021, “In comparison to 2007-2008 when this report was first created, the total time spent in MDOC’spercent.55.6the(SMI)severecent,ducedsegregationpeoplenumbertion.”year,daysducedprisonerssegregationadministrativebyMDOChasbeenrebyover325,000forthemostrecentor68percentreducThedailyaverageofimprisonedinadministrativehasbeenrebyroughly7perwhereasthosewithmentalillnesshasdroppedtoinlast14yearsfromto2.8people,or65Throughtheeffortsofdiversionpro
OFFICE HOURS: Mon.-Fri. 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. | Closed Sat. and Sun. The Michigan Chronicle is published every Wednesday. Periodical Postage, paid at Detroit, MI. Price $1.00 and other post office. 1452 Randolph DETROIT, MI 48226 1452 Randolph • Detroit, MI 48226 Phone: (313) 963-8100 Publication No.: USPS 344-820 more volving Detroiters should choose more women to sit on the committee. “There must be more women in the room,” Rob erson said. “There were not that many women the last time. There were a lot of elected women who were not invited to be a part of the process. That was an issue for me and other women in this race.”Sherry Gay-Dagnogo, who ran in the 13th race, agrees, adding, “We [have] got to also have some conversations about who the gatekeepers are in the room and who may have a bias in their de cision-making process,” Gay-Dagnogo said. “It can’t be about who some one on the committee personally likes or per sonally dislikes. And it can’t be a male-dominat ed chauvinistic withpeople,recordpeoplecommitmentpeopledatesneededdefinebethatGay-Dagnogoclub.”believesametricsystemmustcreatedandfollowedtoclearbenchmarkstoassesscandifairly.“Wehavetolookatwithalong-termtoservice,withaproventrackasafighterfortheandcandidatesstrongcommitments to social justice. And we have to hold people ac countable, regardless of theirAnthonytitles.” said it is not only important to look at choosing and backing consensus candidates in the future, but a laser focus must be on better informing Black voters and motivating them to vote. Anthony, who, in the early 2000s, coined the phrase “Take Your Souls to the Polls” that ultimately went national ly, said that he still stands behind its powerful mean ing and knows the reper cussions of when Black people don’t vote. “We have to do a much better job of getting more Black people to vote,” said Anthony and echoed by Hollier, Gay-Dagno go, and Roberson. “Un fortunately, many Black people have checked out of the voting system in Detroit and across the nation. And unfortunate ly, it comes at the wrong time because there are people who want to steal our democracy in front of our eyes. And, yes, we can come back beyond where we are right now with no Black represen tation from Detroit going to Congress. We have to keep fighting until we win -- again.” with the ownership tran sition. Instead, the com pany will be conducting a market rate study to raise rent rates based on a competitive rate.
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In working with ten ants across the city, mem bers of the Tenants As sociation of New Center Plaza and Marlenor and the Seward Ave. Tenants Association are banding together to create the De troit Tenants Association to stand in solidarity on similar issues across the board.“The goal of DTA for me really is legislation,” said Rimmer, “We have to get some changes made here in the city of De troit so that renters have more protections. Right now, we pretty much have none and that’s why land lords hold all the power -- it’s because the law is in their favor, such as [lease]Accordingnon-renewal.”tothe De troit Rental Ordinance, landlords must complete several steps in order to be compliant, including registering the building as a rental property, com pleting a rental inspec tion, completing a lead inspection and clearance and obtaining a certificate of compliance.Acertificate of compli ance is required by the city’s rental ordinance to ensure the landlords are up to date on health and safety codes of their properties. Yet, accord ing to the Urban Praxis Workshop’s Eviction Ma chine eviction rate study in Detroit, nearly 9 in 10 pandemic-era evictions involved properties oper ated unlawfully by land lords in violation of the ordinance.“Therehas been some response from the court,” said Alexa Eisenberg, re searcher at the Universi ty of Michigan’s Poverty Solutions. “[They] are narrowly interpreting the rental ordinance to apply to only non-payment of rent cases. This only in creases the loophole for landlords. If they don’t want to be held account able for lack of code com pliance, they can file for termination of tenancy.”
an upwards of 90 percent of attorneys that would come to court with them for eviction filings, so that power dynamic is skewed. And this is in favor of landlords who often skirt around. I would say they are often doing things not the most lawful in terms of the types of housing they are providing for their tenants, or in some ways they’re harassing their tenants as well.” Villeneuve said the high rates of eviction are lowering in part because there is a permanent right to counsel ordinance. In May 2022, Detroit City Council unanimous ly voted to approve an ordinance providing free legal aid to low-income Detroiters facing eviction. The ordinance allocat ed $6 million in federal COVID relief funds and an additional $4 million from a philanthropic partner in its first year. The Detroit Right to Counsel decided to part ner with DTA to align their goals and missions for renters’ rights on sev eral key issues. “We need to address the lack of rent control, which has been banned in Michigan since the 1980s,” said Villeneuve. “There is also the huge influx of Wall Street in vestors gobbling up re sources in this city. Another thing is the unre alistic rise in rent, along with the luxury housing units that have built our selves into a crisis, much like the mortgage crisis of the last recession. I hope DTA tackles these big, overarching issues, if we are ever going to build something sustainable for the next generation.”
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In 2022, the city’s phase 2 of “City Impact Year” is focused on working with city departments to increase accessibil ity and opportunities for the disability community while impacting policy and procedures.TheMichigan Chronicle touched base with Christopher Stamp, director of the Office of Disability Affairs, via email, to check on the progress of the city on the multilayered goals of its strategic plan.
Wendell Harrison is a Detroit jazz legend, teacher, recording artist and prolific musician.
The Detroit Office of Disability Af fairs (ODA) is amid its second year of a three-year strategic plan to address the systemic needs of the city’s disability community.According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s profile data on Disability and Health in Michigan, approximately 1 in 4 adults in the state have a disability, including mobility, cognition, independent living, hearing, vision and self-care. When we look at race, approximately 32 percent of Black Michiganders have a disability compared to 24.6 percent of white adults. These statistics also reflect the national data based on this demographic.InDetroit, there are approximate ly 117,000 residents with disabilities, making up 17.6 percent of the city pop ulation, as reported by the 2019 Ameri can Community Survey. After years of Detroit’s disability community and justice organizations advocating for inclusive accessibili ty within city services, employment and programming, in late 2020 the city launched the Office of Disability Affairs. Last year, ODA announced a three-year strategic plan to build capacity, strate gize systemic impact and address and evaluate community impact.
The City of Detroit recognizes this notion as Mayor Mike Duggan and Detroit ACE, the city’s Office of Arts, Culture and Entrepreneurship, recent ly announced major plans to activate neighborhood Arts Alleys around the city.Funded by $3 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars with support from the Ford Foundation, the project will radically transform com mercial and residential alleys in five neighborhoods across the city and turn them into local gathering spaces where residents can showcase art and so much more.
Tameka Citchen-Spruce is a disability jus tice worker with over 15 years of experi ence advocating for the rights of Detroit residents.
Roots. A3 | September 7-13, 2022 michiganchronicle.com See ARTS ALLEY page A-4 See ACCESSIBLE CITY page B-2 See REBIRTH INC page A-4
The project, called the Arts Alley Initiative, was approved by Detroit City Council. The project is being conduct ed first as a pilot for possible future neighborhood alley activations by resi dents in neighborhoods throughout the city, according to a press release.
When asked how the city is working to help people with disabilities navigate city infrastructure and services, Stamp said the city’s 3-year strategic plan for the disability community highlights ob jectives for tackling key accessibility areas including housing, employment, transportation and disability awareness. “In partnership with city depart ments,” said Stamp, “the Office of Disability Affairs hosted community listening sessions and distributed ac cessibility surveys to gather inputs from the disability community and ad vocates.”Tameka Citchen-Spruce has been a disability justice advocate in Detroit for 15 years working in different capacities on issues including health, equity, crim inal justice and voting access for people with“Fromdisabilities.employment, city amenities, housing, to just moving around the city,” said Citchen-Spruce, “ODA has Detroit’s Office of Disability Affairs Continues Progress Toward a Universally Accessible City
“You could go down the strip that reminded you of bands playing in New Orleans and Atlantic City. People went to see bands playing from West Grand Boulevard going up to Collingwood to see Joe Henderson or Yusef Lateef. All the great artists played at these clubs, like Kline’s Show Bar, the Chit Chat Club and Buddy’s Barbeque.” At the time, Harrison was living in Detroit from the 1940s through 60s where there was a great deal of jazz and blues clubs. Musicians came to Detroit to live because the economy was thriv ing.He recalled the 1950s being the heyday for jazz musicians in Detroit. “They came for factory jobs and at the time the union was at it’s peak, so people will come to the Detroit area to work here and spend some money for about six months, folks like Barry Harris or Roy Brooks, then go to New York to record and then come back. So, all your main musicians were here, were in the community.” The influx of musicians in Detroit during this time connected with the youth of the local community. “It was all around me,” said Harrison. “It was the music young people were playing. Many artists came through here and there was an entire block of jazzInclubs.”1971, Motown Records closed its Detroit office and relocated to Los An geles. Harrison said many Detroit-based musicians were left stranded to figure things out for themselves. The artists
Detroit’s hidden gems are right in plain sight. Alleys that crisscross through neighborhoods, parking lots and pathways are at the epicenter of some redevelopments through federal funding, which will renovate five neigh borhoods across the city. This two-part series delves into the project that will impact hundreds of thousands of res idents and denizens who will benefit from this transformation. This is part one.A city is only as strong as its neigh borhoods, businesses and its people.
Detroit’s Early Jazz Scene Reflects the Socio-economic Spirit of the Times During a time of segregation in De troit’s 1920s through the 1950s, the eastside neighborhood of Black Bottom was one of the few places Black Detroi ters were allowed to reside. Dubbed Paradise Valley, this robust entertain ment and business sector catered to the growing population of Black residents. The population swelled from 40,000 to 120,000, with many of the new res idents migrating north for better jobs and standards of living compared to the Jim Crow laws hindering the Afri can American community’s economic growth and living conditions. Urban renewal programs and the construction of the freeways, namely the Chrysler Freeway, tore through the community of Paradise Valley and caused an abrupt decline in prosper ity. Many residents who stayed in the city moved to the North end, along 12th Street in the Dexter-Linwood neighbor hood, where a growing music scene thrived. The abundant atmosphere of music appreciation along the north end is where Harrison grew up, idolizing im portant figures such as Charlie Parker, who inspired young Harrison to pur chase his first alto saxophone.
/ Photo Credit: Noah Elliot Morrison Detroit Jazz Legend Wendell Harrison Inspires Music Education at “Rebirth Inc”
NeighborhoodBeautifying via Arts Alleys
Almulaiki
By Sherri Kolade
A group of Rebirth Inc students with Wendell Harrison and his wife, pianist Pamela Wise. / Photo Courtesy by Karen Photo Copyrighted 2016
The project is a big component of Duggan’s Blight to Beauty initiative.
By Rasha Almulaiki Detroit jazz legend Wendell Harrison cofounded “Rebirth Inc” over 40 years ago to mentor young musicians. Today, the program continues to reach out to local schools and guide over 100 artists with hands-on workshops and opportu nities to break into the music industry. “I’ve lived through different genera tions,” said Harrison. “These young mu sicians are learning how to voice their voice through music, adding in hip hop to jazz, or spoken word. Talking about injustices that never really left us as a community and nation.” Harrison is a prolific jazz musician, recording artist, performer, teacher, author and entrepreneur with associ ations with well-known acts such as Marvin Gaye, Grant Green, San Ra and Hank Crawford, among others. The idea for the Rebirth Inc program grew out of a vastly changing socio-po litical climate in the late 1970s and 1980s, preceded by several momentous events in the city.
Christopher Stamp, Director of Detroit’s Office of Disability Affairs.
The Arts Alleys project will build on work already being done by community groups and neighborhood associations that have activated alleys in their neigh borhoods with art and creativity. It also builds on the work being done by the city to clear brush and trash from thou sands of alleys across the city. Over the past two years, alleys behind nearly 2,000 residential blocks have been cleared and reclaimed. “Alleys in our city for years have been havens for illegal dumping and overgrowth and we’re steadily changing A colorful example of what an alley in Detroit may look like after Arts Alleys’ activation.ByRasha
The City of Detroit’s blight reme diation team oversees the execution of Duggan’s Blight to Beauty strategy, which uses enforcement, remediation and maintenance strategies to promote standards and improve the look of prop erties throughout the city. Transformations of this project will include infrastructure improvements for alleys making them renewed and able to be used again.
“AllDepartment.newdevelopments and renovations must comply with the Americans with Disabil ities Act (ADA). The ADA is a civil rights leg islation with accessibility requirements and standards for equitable access for the disabili ty community. So, no residential and commer cial properties are exempted from a lawsuit or ‘grandfathered’ from existing and new building codes. “ In May, Mayor Mike Duggan and other city officials joined Nova Development Group of De troit to break ground on a 14-unit apartment complex on the city’s far east side and adapt the building as accessible to all Detroiters, and not just those without disabilities. To qualify for one of these units, applicants must have a physical or mental disability under Detroit Housing Commission (DHC) supportive service guidelines.“Weneed developers and construction companies like that to build more accessible homes,” said Stamp. “Most developers follow the bare minimum requirements for accessible housing, which is hardly enough to accommo date 19.2 percent of the overall Detroit popula tion who are residents with a disability. Over 128,000 residents with a disability -- that is 1 out of 5 residents living with a disability.” One of other strategies the Office of Disabil ity Affairs has been working on is the Afford able Housing Locator website where property owners and landlords can list their accessible properties for anyone who wishes to reside in Detroit, including individuals with disabilities who love to live, work and do business in the city.“There are many new developments hap pening in Detroit and we want individuals with disabilities to know that more accessible and affordable housing options are forthcoming.”
Michael Garrett that,” said Duggan. “Activating neighborhood alleys in this cre ative way is going to help turn them into real community assets andTheattractions.”DetroitArts, Culture, & Entrepreneurship Office will ex ecute community engagement throughout key areas in the city. The five pilot Arts Alleys will be in the Jefferson Chalmers, Old Redford, Schulze, NW Goldberg and Springwells neighborhoods. ACE will collaborate with residents in these areas, their neighbors and other stakehold ers through the summer and fall to develop designs to overhaul an alley in each neighborhood. These transformations will bring new landscaping, improved sur facing and amenities while part nering together with local artists and residents to imbue these im provements with a sense of histo ry, beauty and imagination. Sidewalk Detroit, a De troit-based, Black-owned compa ny, is currently working with the city to conduct the community engagement phase of the design process. After the design pro cess for each alley is completed this Fall, ACE will issue an RFP for general contractors in early 2023, with improvements to begin later in the year. The City’s Arts & Culture Di rector Rochelle Riley said that beautified alleys will add to res idents’ quality of life. “The COVID-19 pandemic showed us the importance of safe, accessible green spaces in our neighborhoods,” said Riley.
By Michael Garrett CEO – CNS Healthcare I watched a recent news story with great disappointment. While use of mental health services increased during the pandemic, many people are now discontinuing coun seling because of cost and other barriers. To that I say, “Please, don’t- your health is too important!”AtCNS Health care, we have worked long and hard to ensure that everyone has access to qual ity mental health resources, support, and assistance. I am a sincere believer that everyone could benefit from a yearly mental health checkup the same way we do a physical one. For this to happen, CNS Healthcare is leading the charge to remove the stigma once associated with mental health and substance use disorder needs and services. The reality is, we could all use a little help, and it is important to take care of your brain. To remove all possible barriers, CNS Healthcare offices are conveniently located on bus lines. At some of our offices, we offer transportation for medication management and therapy appointments. Our case manag ers and peers are also willing to “meet you where you are.” Literally. This includes your home, park, restaurant, or other places that are convenient and comfortable. Additional transportation for more informal activities like visiting the food bank or Secretary of State can also be made available. Our offices are professional, comforting and calming. The décor conveys the value and respect that we have for the people we serve.Inaddition to being informed and quali fied, our entire staff is committed to provid ing quality care is to everyone that enters our offices. We care about and are aware of the individual needs of every person. We are more than just an appointment; we are a partner in your mental well-being. We host picnics and holiday parties for our persons-served, have a clothing closet, and host “Compassion in Action” events year-round, such as a Turkey Giveaway, Warm Coat drive, and more. Our services are available via Virtual Care, or in-office and no one is turned away be cause of their inability to pay. Whether you are insured, underinsured, or not insured, we have you covered. At select sites, ser vices- from behavioral health home to med ication assisted treatment are located under the same roof as a pharmacy, lab, and prima ry care provider to save time and money. Let us talk about health, including mental health resources, uplift people who choose to take advantage of them, and encourage others to do the same. A mentally strong community is a healthy community. Mental health is more important than ever, and now is the time to spread that message, not the time to silence the conversation. Learn more at www.cnshealthcare.org
several places to reach to make sure people with disabilities are able to live without strug gling much longer.” How to Make Detroit ADA-Compliant City wide The City of Detroit participated in the Centre for Public Impact’s 2021 Earned Legiti macy program to improve its strategies and to focus on increasing public engagement, repre sentation, equity and inclusion of the disabili ty community.“Housingis a huge issue,” said Citch en-Spruce. “There is much development and investment in housing, and we need the city to work with developers to ensure there is low-income affordable housing with a univer sal design in mind.” Stamp said one example for assessing the city’s programs and services to be more ac commodating for people with disabilities is the partnership with the Housing and Revitaliza tion
The objectives of this project are to spur neighborhood devel opment and revitalization, miti gate localized flooding through low-cost stormwater manage ment strategies, create opportu nities for the creative workforce and highlight neighborhood cre ativity. These spaces will become hubs for small business activa tions, events and sources of pride for residents in each community.
John George, president at Motor City Blight Busters Inc., told the Michigan Chronicle that his organization, which creates safe, inhabitable spaces in De troit, is more than thrilled to be a pilot neighborhood in the Art ists Village community center (at 17336 Lahser Road in Detroit), and benefit from the project.
Trunino Lowe is a Detroit trumpet player and long-time student of Rebirth Inc. Photo Courtesy by Trunino Lowe often started out as studio mu sicians that were at the whims of industry labels who promised them records with little to no followArtiststhrough.had to find creative ways to collaborate and promote themselves without the Motown incubator in the city. In 1978, Harrison and notable jazz pianist Harold McKinney co founded Rebirth, a nonprofit jazz performance and education orga nization, in which many artists have“Asparticipated.growingartists at that time,” said Harrison, “We needed a place to get together and keep jazz alive for us and the new gen eration.”Harrison spent decades work ing with numerous K-12 schools and colleges throughout the state to expose students to jazz music and cultivate young talent. He provided workshops to De troit students at Detroit High School of Performing Arts, Duke Ellington Academy, Renaissance High School, Martin Luther King High School and Cass Tech High School among others. He also visited several colleges on the state’s west side and upper pen insula.Inthe early 1990s, Harrison was awarded the title of “Jazz Master by Arts Midwest, which led him to tour throughout the United States and the Middle East and North Africa, growing a worldwide audience. During COVID, performanc es and in-person workshops in schools and music venues were cutTheshort.pandemic, Harrison said, left a big void for performing and collaborating. There was some virtual programming the duo en gaged in with the Knight Foun dation and area high schools. They hosted “Detroit Grooves,” a series of Detroit jazz artists live stream performances for stu dents to enjoy. Last year, with the world slowly opening up during the pandemic, Harrison began per forming live again, including the Passing the Torch concert in Ann Arbor’s Kerrytown neigh borhood, which included young musicians he worked with. Students at Rebirth gather at the residence in the north end every Tuesday for Upper Room Sessions, where participants can learn to play together as an ensemble. Often times Harrison and his contemporaries hire the students for gig opportunities. “Nowadays, with the inter net,” said Harrison, “it’s so much easier for musicians to get their work out there. Be heard and promoted. You can rely on your self as an entrepreneur on your own terms.” Inspiring the Next Generation of Detroit Jazz Artists Trunino Lowe is a 24-yearold Detroit resident and trumpet player who has worked under the tutelage of Harrison since ele mentary“Wendellschool.used to come to my middle school and bring groups twice a year for workshops and performances to work with stu dents and music,” said Lowe. He was instructed by Harrison and Wise to play tunes through sound techniques and practice. Lowe once again intersected with Harrison when he came to his high“Musicschool.was a huge source to me, one of the things I most gravitated towards where I could focus and engage,” Lowe said. He recalled speaking with Harrison about his continued interest and the jazz legend said, ‘C’mon, we gonna deal with some tunes.’” Their working relationship began intentionally from that point. Lowe visited Harrison’s studio often over the years to fine tune his craft and gain op portunities to perform with Har rison and other musicians.
Accessible City
“The opportunity for that type of learning is one of a kind,” said Lowe. “Something that we as mu sicians take for granted. He [Har rison] pushes you to be better and go to the next level. The type of community learning environ ment is a rare thing nowadays.”
Under the Civil Rights, Inclusion and Oppor tunity Department, Stamp said the office has made improvements to the process of handling civil rights complaints.
“Wendell was from an era of musicians that left a mark on the city. Without Wendell and others doing what they do, things wouldn’t be how they are now.”
Lowe credits his love for music to Harrison for having a heavy hand in helping him figure out his own sound, learn the bebop language, work with De troit masters as well as learn the ins and outs of the music indus try from copyrighting, publishing and distributing your own music.
Page A-4 | September 7-13, 2022 | michiganchronicle.com From page A-3 From page A-3
“We want to help communities create their own spaces for activ ities and enjoyment.”
From page A-3 Arts
Looking Ahead at 2023 ODA Strategic Plan: Community Impact Since the establishment of the Office of Dis ability Affairs, Stamp told the Michigan Chron icle they have been meeting with colleagues at the Department of Homeland Security & Emer gency Management, the Police Department and the Fire Department to discuss ways they can improve emergency responders’ and law en forcement’s interaction with people with dis abilities.ODAsaid they are working ahead of sched ule, since ODA is expected to carry out this ob jective in 2023, as part of phase 3 of the 3-year strategic plan. “Last year, we broadcasted an interdepart mental message to all law enforcement officers about service dogs and the Americans with Dis abilities Act,” said Stamp. “This is an attempt to clarify some of the public’s misunderstand ings of service dogs, and to prevent uninten tional negative reaction toward a person with a disability who is protected by the ADA. Service dogs are working dogs allowed to assist a dis abled person in public spaces. On the other hand, I was surprised to learn that many law enforcement officers have ex pressed interest in learning American Sign Language so that they can communicate more effectively with the deaf and hard of hearing community. In fact, one of our community partners reached out to me to let me know that they were overwhelmed and could not take on more participants for their free ASL classes, especially from the Detroit Police Department. So, I am working on identifying resources and arranging similar ASL classes for the law en forcement officers.” “The Detroit Police Department already has a system to work with people who are mental ly ill,” said Citchen-Spruce, “So ODA should work with them to expand on the model to include not just people in wheelchairs or autism. Officers should learn how to interact with people with [all] disabilities. Disabilities is a vast spectrum. It includes people who are deaf, blind, suffered traumatic brain injuries, or mental health issues. They should know to interact with all different kinds of needs to be successful and bring along mental health pro fessionals to help.” As the city continues to engage with com munity residents and partners in adapting city services and infrastructure for universal inclu sivity and accessibility, Citchen-Spruce said the city needs to be considerate to understand ing the racial makeup of the people they serve in the disability community. “The city of Detroit has over 100,000 resi dents with disabilities,” said Citchen-Spruce. “Being an 80 percent Black city, African Amer icans, statistically speaking within the state and nationally, have the highest rate of dis ability. It’s very important that the ODA get to know the community and implement plans that are considerate. We look forward to having a city that is fully accessible to everyone.”
One such progress of the partnership be tween the Department of Public Works and the Office of Disability Affairs is having repaired the sidewalks at Three Mile Munich Park. Individuals who use a wheelchair rely on pedestrian routes to navigate to their destina tion. Sidewalk accessibility also includes chal lenges due to the shared use of a tight space. Citchen-Spruce said during COVID when restaurants expanded outdoor seating, the patio furniture often spread into the sidewalk, which made it difficult for people with wheel chairs or service animals who were moving through downtown.
Stamp said the most common accessibility complaints are sidewalk-related, mostly be cause homeowner’s trees have uprooted some sidewalks over time. However, the Office of Disability Affairs said they are working closely with the Department of Public Works to improve prioritization and resources for sidewalk repairs because when one piece of the sidewalk is broken, the entire route is inaccessible to an individual with a disability.“Eventhough we have the Improve Detroit app,” said Stamp, “we will be launching a new sidewalk repair request system specifically for the disability community to help us identify and prioritize repairs to broken city sidewalks affecting individuals with disabilities.”
“We met with architects, busi ness owners, the community –everybody wants us to continue and expand, not only with resto ration and beautification of the alley but with Blighter Busters and ... they want us to run proj ects and programs,” George said of various local events. “There is going to be some significant im provements. … Our goal at Blight Busters is to save the world start ing with Detroit. Anything that anyone can do to help us to that end excites me. We believe De troiter is [on the cusp of a] great er comeback story in the nation’s history. You have to remember how far we feel and where we were at and where we’re poised to go. I’m optimistic [about that future].” For more information, visit www.detroitmi.gov/ace and de troitblightbusters.org/.
Mental Health services available to all who want, need them
Detroit’s Disability Community Speaks on City Needs Citchen-Spruce’s work includes joining a city cohort to speak to residents with disabil ities or their loved ones about their concerns. “There are several challenges in navigating the city,” said Citchen-Spruce. “Going around to public buildings, for example, the entry doors can be too heavy if you’re in a wheel chair. Sidewalks are always a challenge; it’s gotten better but still very hard. They’re caved in oftentimes in the neighborhood, and it makes it difficult moving around.”
“When a person with a disability files a civil rights complaint, sometimes their case is not discrimination-related but rather an acces sibility challenge,” said Stamp. “In the past, investigations would be closed because of no civil rights violation [or that the city is in com pliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act], but now those accessibility-related cases can be forwarded to the Office of Disability Af fairs for further assistance.”
RebirthAlleyInc
If you are looking to buy a home, you may want to consider shopping for a loan first. Having your financing squared away ahead of time can make it easier to be taken seriously by buy ers and help move along the closing process. For those who are looking to get a mortgage soon, keep in mind that the Debt-to-Income ratio of the borrower plays a huge role in the ap proval of your mortgage application.
“It is grounded in taking care of the voices of Black women artists,” she said, adding that helping Black female artists get their well-deserved shine is something that she’s been doing for nearly two decades. “It’s a way for us to come together, to feel safe. … It’s a way for us to stay sane and lift each other up.”Lifting other Black female voices up is a continual effort across various lanes.Courtney McCluney, an assistant professor at the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell Univer sity, is conducting a multi-year study of Black women entrepreneurs in De troit. In a piece by Marketplace.org, Mc
Stellantis and National Business League Launch National Black Supplier Development Program Ken Harris
By Sherri Kolade and Rasha Almulaiki
Paying It Forward
A debt-to-income ratio is the percent age of monthly debt payments com pared to the amount of gross income that a person earns each month. Your gross monthly income is typically the amount of money you earn before tax es and other deductions are taken out. If a person’s monthly gross income is $2,000 a month and they have a monthly debt payment of $1000 each month, that person would have a DTI of 50 percent. The lower the DTI the better. 43 percent is in most cas es the highest DTI that po tential borrow ers can have and still get approved for a mortgage. The good news for borrowers is that lenders will disregard some debt when calcu lating a bor rower’s DTI. For example, utilities, cable, phone and health insurance premium would not be considered as part of your DTI. What lenders will look at are any in stallment loan obligations such as auto loans or student loans as well as any revolving debt payments such as credit cards or a home equity line of credit. In some cases, a lender will disregard an installment loan debt if the loan is projected to be paid off in the next 10 months. What Is Considered Income? Almost any source of income that can be verified will be counted as income on a mortgage application. Wage in come is considered as part of a bor rower’s monthly qualifying income. Self-employed individuals can use their net profit as income when ap plying for a mortgage, however, many lenders will average income in the current year with income from pre vious years. In addition, those who receive alimony, investment income or money from a pension or social se curity should make sure and include those figures in their monthly income as well when applying for a loan.
On Tuesday, Aug. 30, Stellantis and the National Business League (NBL) teamed up to launch the inaugural phase of the National Black Supplier Develop ment Program. The two organizations identified 15 Black-owned businesses from across the nation – many based in Detroit – to participate in the pioneering development program. In addition, nine corporate partners were announced as entities ready and willing to enhance de velopment and business opportunities for the participating Black-owned busi nesses.Among the 15 Black-owned business es chosen, the Michigan-based compa nies are Boulevard (Detroit), Conform Automotive (Bingham Farms), Goss, LLC (Detroit), JMA Global, LLC (De troit), Livegistics, Inc. (Detroit), ProTech Group, LLC (Southfield), Superior Innovative Solutions (Detroit), The Har mon Group (Detroit) and Vehya (Detroit).
How Much Debt Is Too Much Debt? Many Mortgage lenders prefer to only offer loans to those who have a debtto-income ratio of 43 percent or lower. Talking to a Mortgage broker prior to starting the mortgage application pro cess may help a borrower determine if his or her chosen lender offers such leeway. A borrower’s DTI ratio can be the biggest factor when a lender decides whether to approve a mort gage application. Those who wish to increase their odds of loan approval may decide to lower their DTI by ei ther increasing their income or lower ing their debt. This may make it easier for the lender and the underwriter to justify making a loan to the borrower.
Corporate partners include Comer ica Bank, Cummins, DTE Energy, Ford Motor Company, Gener al Motors, Lear, Magna and Toyota, all offering participating Black busi nesses an array of exper tise in the broad sector of automotive manufac turing, Tier 1 Suppliers, financing, banking and other auto industry re lated“Launchingservices. the in augural collective of the Stellantis-National Busi ness League’s Supplier Development Program is an important milestone moment on the road to leveling the playing field and having economic justice for Black com munities and millions of Black businesses,” Dr. Ken L. Harris, president and CEO of the National Busi ness League, told the Michigan Chron icle, adding that the program will also create equity for more than 3.2 million Black businesses in future contracting and procurement oppor tunities. “The goal is to develop sustainable Black businesses that will impact local and global economies, create jobs through entrepre neurship and grow the number of Black busi nesses of all Boulevard,sizes.”a mar keting and advertising agency headquartered in the Motor City and spe cializing in multicultural and hard-to-reach au diences, is looking for ward to participating in the trailblazing program. The company currently provides services to Stel lantis, DTE Energy, Hun tington Bank, the Detroit Tigers, the De troit Institute of Arts and others. “Boulevard is excited to be a part of the inaugural program with experi enced Black businesses from multiple industries to share collective insights and garner new information to hope fully help dismiss the stigma of limited capabilities, which is the excuse Black businesses often receive when not se lected for brand opportunities,” said Fran Westbrooks, president and man aging partner at Boulevard. “As a cur rent Stellantis supplier seeking growth opportunities with them and other glob al brands, we want this National Black Supplier Development Program to actu ally provide a scalable shift with more accessibility and economic growth for us and the other Black companies now and in the “Althoughfuture.”the15 Black-owned busi nesses are geographically located all over the United States, there’s a heavy Detroit influence because we have dis covered in our own backyard we have significant Black businesses poised to support what we see as the future of our industry as we transition our needs of today,” said Gregory Hawkins, Business Resource Group and Global Integration manager for Stellantis, who is also the
Property Is Power! ‘Debt-to-Income Ratio’ and Why This Number Matters When Getting a Mortgage
They are an institution. Their own movement plus a whole vibe on top. Black women are natural powerhous es in the workforce, intentionally lifting others up as they rise, and while it is no easy feat, it’s a necessary one that is actively being built upon by change agents and leaders in their field who, too, stand on the shoulders of their own giants from earlier generations. “I have to be a voice. I have to pull up others because others pull me up,” multi-hyphenated Detroit-based poet, musician, muralist and rockstar ex traordinaire Jessica Care Moore told the Michigan Chronicle recently.
According to the American Express 2019 State of Women-Owned Business es Report, “Women-owned business es in Michigan and metro Detroit are leading in growth and economic clout.” Crain’s Detroit Business cited this re port, finding the rate of women-led en trepreneurship more than doubled from 2012 to 2019. The report notes, “While the num ber of women-owned businesses grew nationally by 21 percent from 2014 to 2019, the numbers for African Ameri can/Black women grew even faster, by 50 percent.” As of 2019, in the U.S., “women of color account for 50 percent of all women-owned businesses.” Black women are a rapidly growing group of entrepreneurs across the U.S., and Detroit is no different. From arts and culture to incubation and mentor ship, Black women in Detroit are carv ing out spaces to expand their skills into the market and cultivate the next generation.
Black Women Entrepreneurs Are Growing and Reaching Back to Help Others
What is a Debt-to-Income Ratio and What Do Lenders Look At?
Communications guru extraordinaire Pam Perry. Dr. Geneva Williams teaches women, among others, to carry others along as they grow.
See PAYING IT FORWARD page A6
Money.A5 | September 7-13, 2022 michiganchronicle.com See DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM page A6
By Donald James Senior Writer, Real Times Media
Anthony O. Kellum –CEO Mortgage,KellumLLC
Moore, a nationally renowned figure carving a line in the rock ‘n’ roll space, talked about her experiences as an art ist in the industry maneuvering through traditionally white, cis male-dominated spaces.From being featured in the Apollo TV show, an Off-Broadway musical (with Shirley Caesar and CeCe Winans) to cul tivating her own movement in Detroit (Black Women Rock), Moore said that she has reaped the benefits of basking in the shadows of others while making major moves of her own. “I’ve been producing Black Women Rock and brought it from Atlanta to Detroit and made it an annual institu tion in Detroit,” Moore said of the 18thyear rock celebration held yearly at the Charles H. Wright Museum. Moore said that the movement is all about highlighting Black women artists who play rock ‘n’ roll music, which she said is a “void in the industry.”
“The data clearly shows that when recognition is genuinely embedded in workplace culture, people feel its full impact -- they feel seen, valued and mo tivated to put in a little extra effort,” says Dr. Meisha-Ann Martin, senior di rector of People Analytics and Research at Workhuman.Employeerecognition doesn’t just have an impact on work performance though, it also has an insulating effect that can help shield employees from burnout and support their overall well being. More than 70% of employees who have good recognition experiences at work rate their lives more positively overall and are more likely to be “thriv ing” in their everyday lives compared to those who are not being fully recog nized.But Dr. Martin advises companies to consider how they go about recognizing their employees. The study found that more than half of employees who say the recognition they receive at work is not authentic or equitable are actively looking or watching for new employ ment opportunities. Further, two in five employees say they are not receiving enough recognition from leaders at their organization -- only a few times a year at most -- when the bare minimum for positive impact is at least a few times a month.Recognition of employees is not only useful for retention, it can assist with recruitment too, say analysts. “In today’s competitive talent market place, the power of employee referrals cannot be understated. Yet, only 28% of employees in this study strongly agree they would recommend their organiza tion as a great place to work. Organi zations that acknowledge employees through strong cultures of recognition can boost this figure to 68%,” says Ed O`Boyle, Gallup’s global practice leader. “When organizations celebrate employ ees’ successes and contributions, those employees pay it forward and become brand ambassadors.” To read the full report and learn more about Workhuman, a leading global provider of technology solutions, an alytics, expertise and services to build human-centered workplaces, visit workhuman.com.“Recognizing employees is a sim ple way organizations can demonstrate their commitment to their employees and inspire them to feel connected, con fident and cared about, and in today’s climate, it’s no longer a nice-to-have program but rather a business impera tive,” says Dr. Martin.
“The primary goal of this program is to really support the community and elevate Black suppliers,” said Hawkins. “We are changing the space when it comes to developing Black suppliers. Other partners, OEMs, and Fortune 500 Companies are all recognizing and sup porting what we are doing.”
An Unhappy Workforce Can Cost Money. How to Turn Things Around
having fun on TikTok now too … that’s my best place to be, to do me.” According to a recent NPR article, “Black business ownership is higher than pre-pandemic. Women are driv ing that growth.” There are reports of women banding together to help them get through the COVID-related pitfalls of keeping businesses afloat across the country.Thecommunal mindset of sustain ing a business community underscores the importance of cultivating a village of support within a capitalistic eco-sys tem that is primed for individual-minded competition.Detroit-based support groups such as TechTown have created both physical space and social support. Launching in 2020, the entrepreneur ship hub offers the STEM Entrepreneur ial Excellence Program (STEEP Detroit) for Black/African American women in terested in building out businesses in the STEM field. The 10-month program informs the participants how to in crease growth, measure sustainability, and learn about capital investment. Investments in Detroit’s untapped talent of Black women entrepreneurs has shown to be vital for the city’s eco nomic growth and the overall prosperity of the Pamcommunity.Perry,an award-winning com munications professional, told the Michigan Chronicle why she believes in pooling resources and support toward mentoring young Black women as busi ness-savvy future entrepreneurs. “It will always come back to you,” Perry said of being poised to help people in one’s lane, giftings and callings.
Hawkins said that Stellantis has been a leader in the supplier diversity space for more than 39 years, and the compa ny has consistently received high rec ognition from DiversityInc., considered the premier magazine and online plat form for highlighting companies that ex hibit excellence in workforce diversity. Hawkins explained that Stellantis con tinues to push the needle to develop, im plement and support diversity through out the company and in the community. And the company’s commitment to di versity, inclusion and equity starts at the“Thesetop. are exciting next steps for the Stellantis-National Business League National Black Supplier Development Program on its journey to ensure that all Black business enterprises and sup pliers have an equitable and inclusive stake in the global marketplace,” said Mark Stewart, COO, Stellantis North America. “The launch of the inaugural collective and addition of outstanding corporate partners ensures the program will be a sustainable source of signifi cant business and development oppor tunities for Black businesses, entrepre neurs and communities for many years to come.”Moving forward, Stellantis officials say that the company will continue to provide resources to NBL to support the ongoing development of the online portal at the heart of the program. De troit-based Computech Corporation is the program’s website portal developer. Stellantis and NBL will also continue to create the virtual training tools that comprise the program’s resource mar ketplace, critical to access to capital, mentorship and executive coaching, supplier training and development, bid posting, match-making and more.
“When you have a partner like Stel lantis, who steps up to support an or ganization like the National Business League, which has been around for 122 years, to make sure that there is a pipe line for Black businesses, these are the types of winning partnerships that pro duce results and bring value and impact to the marketplace,” said Harris, who maintains that there has never been a National Black Supplier Development Program anywhere in the country before Stellantis and NBL partnered to create and implement such an initiative. “We believe in working with Stellantis long term, and other companies that believe in the empowerment of Black business es now and in the future.” Hawkins shares in Harris’ enthusi asm for the program’s value.
Page A-6 | September 7-13, 2022 | michiganchronicle.com Development Program From page A-5 Call (313) Subscribe963-5522Today! Get your weekly home delivery of the Michigan Chronicle Paying It Forward From page A-5 A mortgage built for you, because we’re close to you. That’s the power of the Human Interest Rate. Flagstar Bank is in your neighborhood, so we understand your unique needs when it comes to financing a home: • Low to no down payment mortgage options • Specialty area grant and gift programs • Down payment assistance available Visit flagstar.com/homeownership or call 313-751-8288 Down payment assistance and gift funds have limited availability. Some restrictions may apply. All borrowers are subject to credit approval. Programs subject to change without notice. Underwriting terms and conditions apply. Equal Housing Lender Member FDIC 210728_MICHIGAN_CHRONICLE_APRIL_PHONE_NUMBER_UPDATE_5x10.indd 1 3/24/21 11:25 AM program lead for the National Black Sup plier Development Program. The inaugural program, according to Hawkins, is rooted in the successful pilot initiative conducted by Stellantis and NBL from October 2021 to February 2022. After the pilot, which graduated 13 participating Black-owned business es, many secured contracts on some of Stellantis’ most important market ing and vehicle programs involving the Chrysler Pacifica, Dodge Durango, and Wagoneer/Grand Wagoneer.
Perry, who teaches and mentors au thors, speakers and entrepreneurs on how to build a platform and attract ma jor media and publishing contracts is also the publisher of Speakers Magazine and co-founder of Digital Business Ac celeration. She said that being in her field for decades shed a lot of light on many inequalities – especially what Black women face in the communica tions field. Decades later Perry is still making a difference and said that bridg ing the gap between what people need and what she offers is what it’s all about. “I’m always giving back,” she said. “As a mentor, always be available for your mentee – it takes a lot for a mentee to ask for help.”
Cluney spoke on her research and the tenacity of Black women in the face of challenges.“Blackwomen have, over the last three or four years, been the fastest growing group of entrepreneurs in the U.S.,” said McCluney. “So, there are more of them starting businesses at higher rates, despite having dispropor tionate access to resources, including capital.”Shepositioned Detroit’s business landscape, comparing it to many oth er cities in the U.S. regarding resource limitations, low population density and a high poverty rate. In the face of these challenges, there is an upward trend of local Black women looking to view this landscape as an opportunity for innova tion.Several prominent Black women en trepreneurs are noted in the study as making headway in their efforts, includ ing Carla Walker-Miller’s start-up energy company and the founder of The Lip Bar, Melissa Butler. “All of the Black women that I met in Detroit are amazingly resilient,” said McCluney to Marketplace. “And there was this really passionate desire to see the city not just come back and be re born, but also to stay true to its roots and to be Detroit made.” Dr. Geneva Williams, the founder of Dr. Geneva Speaks, LLC, a consultant, coach and leadership professional, told the Michigan Chronicle that lifting oth ers while she rises is all about remem bering where she came from. “Because that’s how we got to where we are,” Williams said. “I think about myself – I really am on the shoulders … of a whole string of people, particularly women. Starting with my mom.” Williams said that paying it back –and forward – at the same time is an art that comes from a place of confidence and a can-do attitude, especially as a Black woman. “I believe that each of us, particu larly as women, have an extraordinary responsibility to remember we are role models to young people and others,” she said, adding that young girls are “watching“Everythingus.” we do, say or speak up on is heard by sometimes people we don’t know are even listening or watch ing.”She added that it’s never too late or early to essentially celebrate oneself along the way also. “When I got on social media, I got a lot of [flack for being “too old”] but I have so much fun,” she said. “Really why I did it was I found it to be a real ly great way to reach women and girls about how we can all have this vibrant life and do whatever we want to do. I be
Perry added that she enjoys sharing her experiences with others looking to empower themselves and it all starts with“[The]networking.mainthing you can do when you’re around as long as I am … [is] in troduce your colleagues coming up [to people] that they should know – that they need to know, and that is why men torship is real important,” she said, add ing that a sprinkle of passion in one’s profession doesn’t hurt either to get the ball rolling. “It is always good to love what you do.”
(StatePoint) Amid the Great Resigna tion, the pandemic-era phenomenon of employees leaving their jobs, new research studying employees in the United States, the United Kingdom and Ireland are shedding light on how em ployers can retain their staff and keep them“Unleashinghappy. the Human Element at Work: Transforming Workplaces Through Recognition,” a new research report by Gallup and Workhuman, re veals that currently, only about onethird of employees say their employer has a formal recognition program, and 81% of senior leaders say recognition is not a major strategic priority for their organization.Industryexperts define a culture of recognition at its most basic level as one in which gratitude, praise and appreci ation are freely given and regularly re ceived in an authentic and equitable way throughout the organization. The data suggests that not embracing this ethos is a missed opportunity. Indeed, Gal lup’s analysis of the study data shows that an organization of 10,000 people with an already engaged workforce can save up to $16.1 million in turnover an nually when they make recognition an important part of their culture. What’s more, employees who feel recognized are more likely to be engaged and feel loyal to their organization.
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Page A-8 | September 7-13, 2022 | michiganchronicle.com DAILY 4 STRAIGHT AND WHEELED BETS ARE EXCLUDED. Daily 3 odds: Straight: 1 in 1,000; 3-Way Box: 1 in 333; 6-Way Box: 1 in 167; 1-O Straight: 1 in 1,000; 1-O One Digit: 1 in 167. Daily 4 odds: Straight: 1 in 10,000; 4-Way Box: 1 in 2,500; 6-Way Box: 1 in 1,666; 12-Way Box: 1 in 833; 24-Way Box: 1 in 416; 1-O Straight: 1 in 10,000; 1-O One Digit: 1 in 1,250. Knowing your limits is always the best bet. Call the Michigan Problem Gambling Helpline for confidential help at 1-800-270-7117.
September in Detroit signifies the ending of summer and the unofficial beginning of fall, which is the start of cuffing season cast ing call for singles in the D! How ever, with the help of a new show streaming on Amazon Prime fea turing a couple of Detroit natives — you may have an edge on find ing your lifelong BAE or at least a winterCosmicplaymate.Loveis a one-of-a-kind social experiment; four individu als attempt to find their perfect spouse via astrological match making. Each individual rep resents one of the four elements of astrology (Air, Fire, Water, Earth). Their romantic adventure takes place at a retreat run by a mystical guide, the Astro Cham ber. They mingle, match, date, eliminate, and eventually make the biggest decision of their lives — will they marry their match based solely on their astrology?
The importance of how black peo ple have contributed significantly to making the Cadillac brand iconic is a driving factor for the brand by ensuring collaboration with black entrepreneurs, creatives, and media.
“I am elated to be in Martha’s Vineyard with Cadillac, I feel like this is a place that has always stood for black excellence. And I am black excellence, I feel like Detroit as a city is a black excellence. We’re the blackest city in America. And I love that General Motors as a whole and Cadillac in particular, they are con sistently showing up for black entre preneurs for their black employees. It is my privilege to work with this multibillion dollar corporation and get to work with people who look like me. And I’m happy that Cadillac recognizes it, and chooses to acti vate in such an authentic way.” said Melissa Bulter, Founder, and CEO, The Lip Bar, Inc.
Some suggestions for enjoying Dally from its Facebook page include:
In August, Cadillac hosted black media and black entrepreneurs for a weekend of activations around culture and history with black taste makers in Martha’s Vine yard to celebrate Cadillac’s 120th anniversary.“Beingin Martha’s Vineyard in August is no chance happenstance, it’s purposeful and thoughtful. The bond that is forged in the Vineyard, and the connections created and cemented are lasting, memorable, and stay with you - much like our brand.” said Juanita Slappy, Head of Multicultural Marketing, Cadillac More than just your average marketing, Cadillac’s brand theme ‘Be Iconic” speaks to the brand’s culture, from partnering with Ebo ny Magazine Summer Soiree in the Vineyard to providing luxurious driving; Cadillac is really about de livering excellence and experience.
Adriel Thornton, Dally in the Alley president, is looking forward to being back after the annual festival took a two-year hiatus.
“The intention to co-create and inspire mirrors the creative work led by icon Spike Lee and Spike DDB, Cadillac’s multicultural agency of record. Our partners like Detroit’s own, Melissa Butler of the LipBar who champions putting your best face forward and inspires others in the face of adversity with (Detroit) grit and grace while Phillip Ashley Rix, celebrity chocolatier who exclu sively works with the Cadillac brand and boast clientele like Oprah and Brad Pitt- adds sweet sophistication to our gifting and experiential efforts parallels with the Cadillac brandbold, sophisticated and innovative.” SlappyPhillipsaid.Ashley, a black Chocolat ier, is iconic in his way of making uniquely themed luxury chocolates and said that the partnership was luxe brands coming together.
C ity. L ife . Style . Where City Meets Life and Life Meets Style michiganchronicle.comB1 | September 7-13, 2022 See DALLY IN THE ALLEY Page B-2 See COSMIC LOVE Page B-2 See CADILLAC Page B-2
Cadillac Celebrates 120 Years of Community and Culture in Martha’s Vineyard.
The community event is celebrating life in the Cass Corridor, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Satur day, September 10, for lovers of music, food and the local Detroit community. Dally In The Alley, one of Detroit’s lon gest-running events, is strictly organized by vol unteers and the North Cass Community Union -- all without the aid of corporate sponsorship. The upcoming festival is set in the unique and historic alleys and streets of the north Cass Cor ridor, which is a long-awaited neighborhood cel ebration of local musicians, artists, restaurants, vendors and people of all unique backgrounds.
2. Come with an open mind: Dally celebrates the rich diversity of humanity and “you should too.”
Adriel Thornton, Dalley in the Alley presi dent, told the Michigan Chronicle recently that this upcoming event is his third one since be coming president in 2018 and he said that the much-needed homecoming is one not to miss. “It feels amazing; feels good to be back to the community, and it feels good to [just us] as a crew to be working on it again,” Thornton said of the all-volunteer staff who tirelessly brings the north Cass Corridor even more alive year after year. “We do it because we love it and produce something that we really love.”
6. “Love one another.”
Amicci’s Pizza, Detroit’s Original Seafood Truck, Sno Biz Detroit, and Milk & Froth are just some of the food trucks on tap for the highly-an ticipated event. For music aficionados, they can expect a myr iad of music stages that will feature a variety of genres from hip hop and techno to indie rock andTheremore.will also be over 100 vendors selling locally, handmade items. Art will also be on tap
3. “We celebrate local musicians, so if you like someone, let them know.” 4. “We support local visual artists, so take plen ty of pictures of their stuff.” 5. “Buy beer from us.”
“It’s rare a brand has this level of authentic cultural connectivity and is regarded as an adjective - every one has a Cadillac story. It’s a brand
By Miss AJ Williams
However, this type of show, although a passion project, was new for them but felt like a fit. “Early that year (2020), we started thinking we should may be look into shopping an astrol ogy, dating show. “Love is Blind’ had come out and was getting super popular. And for years and years, people have tried to make astrology
‘Cosmic Love’ Detroit Natives The Astro Twins’ New Show Connects Love and Astrology
Juanita Slappy, Head of Multicultural Marketing, Cadillac, and Tarshena Armstrong, Director, Diversity Marketing and Development, General Motors
“Cadillac, iconic then, iconic now goes beyond our creative expres sions and speaks to the DNA of the brand,” Slappy said.
D-Nice poses in front in front of a 1955 Cadillac Coupe Deville.
The show’s astrologers, best-selling authors and Detroit natives Ophira and Tali Edut (The AstroTwins), guide our singles throughout the season by way of the mysterious Astro Chamber. The Astro Twins are profes sional astrologers with a success ful astrology empire — books, courses, speaking, and content; if you are an astrology lover, you know about “the Twins.” Person ally, their book” Love Zodiac: The Essential Astrology Guide for Women” was my personal dating guide back in the early 2000s.
By Sherri Kolade
Welcome back, Dally In The Alley. The Midtown Cass Corridor annual street fair in Detroit is returning after a two-year hiatus and celebrating 45 years (with the 43rd event) after pausing due to COVID.
“I’m working with Cadillac and GM by being their exclusive choco latier is a big deal simply because, the bespoke handcrafted luxury pro cess that we go through to develop chocolates. It’s two American luxury brands coming together with a simi lar goal. What does your brand taste like? What does Cadillac taste like? So, we went on this journey together to discover what Cadillac tastes like, in the different arenas they play in within the luxury automotive space, but it’s more than cars. It’s really about the brand, about the culture.”
1. Bring children to the Kid’s Fair area.
Dally In The Alley 2022: Detroit Festival In Midtown Turns 45
dating shows, but it would always stop at the top tier with the network. But I think, with streaming, it’s a dif ferent kind of business model, it’s subscriptions — and I think there’s less reliance on that kind of, you know, advertising revenues. Ophira said.Spoiler alert: Although you won’t physically see the Astro Twins until the end of the season finale, all the advice from the Astro Chamber is from them, and being the knowledge behind the chamber was something the Twins loved. “We loved it. I mean, we didn’t get to interact with them face to face until later. On the very last episode, you’ll see a cameo, but we were voice to ear — they would go into this room called the Astro chamber for the readings with a little earpiece, and we would be giving them their advice. And you know, this ball would light up with parts of their chart. It’s very cool. Tali said. If you’re a pro at understanding astrology, if you’re learning or just curious about your sign, this show is for you because the show is astrol ogy (in action) and has something for everyone.(Cosmic Love) the show concept is more about watching astrology in action because it’s very much an in teractive experience for people if they want to try watching it that way, or they could watch for the drama and the romance. I think people will be like, I’m a Gemini, or I’m a fire sign, and kind of have a chance to reflect on themselves from it.” Ophira said. Regarding zodiac sign compati bility, the Astro Twins say no sign is off-limits (although I highly doubt I will ever date another Aquarius).
“As we continue to innovate cars as a vehi cle of empowerment. Cadillac collaborates with Rising Icon Nyla Hayes who create an exclusive limited drop, limited edition Black Future Long Neckie NFT. NFT proceeds will benefit the Save The Music Foundation. Hayes, a 13-year-old dig ital artist who is TIMEPieces first Artist-in-Resi dence is truly a rising icon.” Slappy said. To learn more about Cadillac’s effort with Nyla and Cadillac’s Equity and Justice efforts, please visit www.cadillac.com/audacity.
Do feelings of independence have to take a hit when your driving days are behind you? Not on our watch. SMART offers several options to keep you moving. And, our commitment to our customers has never been stronger. So whether it’s a ride to your grandson’s little league game, or a movie with friends, we’re here to get you where you want to go, safely, when you want to get there. We’re on the move at SMART, and it’s only getting better from here!
The North Cass Community Union (NCCU), an all-volunteer group, runs the festival.
The Dally has come a long way since its first beginnings as a small inner-city art fair in 1977. The NCCU formed around the same time to fight an “urban renewal” effort to demolish local historic buildings -- including a garage where the Dodge brothers built their first car (that was ultimately taken apart brick by brick and stored away for a possible reconstruction). The group filled the role of a block club for the neighborhood and eventually took over the fes tival. At the time the NCCU used proceeds from the event to aid their preservation efforts -- a tradition it carries on today with other worthy neighborhood causes.
The Dally in the Alley will take place Satur day, September 10, in the area of Second Ave nue and Hancock Street in Detroit’s Cass Corri dor. In the event of rain, the fair will be held on Sunday, September 11. For more information, visit dallyinthealley.com.
1 8/25/22 1:29 PM with murals and paintings handcrafted by local artists.Thornton, who has worked on the Dally in the Alley event, overall, for more than a decade said that he and other dedicated volunteers “in herited” the work from people who have worked hard to put the event on, most notably without corporate sponsorship. “[This is a] true grassroots community event and it is important for us to honor their work and their legacy and make it a point to keep it corporate-free,” Thornton said, adding that the grassroots element gives more wiggle room for even more authenticity while not adhering to potentially conflicting interests.
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Thornton added that attending the event is more than a fun day out, it supports the com munity, which helps make up the backbone of Detroit.“When you come, please buy a beer -- that really helps support Dally,” he said of one of the main revenue streams. “Come with an open mind and ready to have a good time.”
smartmovesus.org LIFE SMART YOU
that moves you. It’s iconic.” Slappy said. Innovation is how Cadillac rose to the icon ically recognizable brand we know, and they continue pushing the envelope to show up in creatively innovative places.
“You should be open to all 12 signs, but just use astrology to learn more about that person. It’s great in formation because we can’t help who we fall for, and what you’re learning from Astrology can help you know what you’re getting yourself into should you decide to date a particu lar sign. I think it’s a great kind of companion guide for dating.” Ophira said.To find out more about your sign and interact with the show, the Astro Twins have some freebies for view ers. “People can do their chart for free on our dedicated site that we built and kind of learn along with the show while learning about themselves, as the characters are experiencing the advice that we give from the Astro chamber,” Tali said. Along with ‘Cosmic Love’ the As tro Twins have a new book releas ing in September. Learn the secrets of the composite (blended) chart in ‘The Astrology of Us,’ a cosmic care and feeding manual for any relation ship. For more information on pur chasing the book and to download your birth chart, visit astrostyle. com/cosmic-love/‘CosmicLove’ premiered on Au gust 12, and all episodes are now streaming on Amazon Prime. For more information, visit amazon.com/ prime. Get your weekly home delivery of the Call (313) 963-5522
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Written responses are requested from interested respondents (“Respondents”) to this request for qualifications and proposals. The purpose of this request is to procure a qualified contractor for the Design/Build construction services to renovate the DoIT Tech Support Offices at 13331 Lyndon, Detroit, MI 48227, as more fully described in the Request for Qualification/Proposals (RFP/Q).Interested respondents may obtain a copy of the RFQP and all associated documents at BidNetDirect (www.BidNetDirect.com). This unique request is titled “DoIT Tech Support Offices” and will be posted the week of August 15, 2022. A MANDATORY pre-submittal meeting and site tour will take place at 13331 Lyndon St., Detroit, MI 48227 beginning at 12 PM Detroit time, on Tuesday, September 13, 2022. The DBA will receive the responses, as herein set forth, via the online procurement platform BidNetDirect. Bid Proposals are due no later than 12:00 PM EDT, on Friday, September 23, 2022. The Respondent may only submit one response to this Request for Proposals. Participation in more than one submittal team will result in rejection of all responses by that Respondent. Respondents submitting qualifications may be required to make an oral presentation(s) to designated City representatives. The issuing office, if required, will schedule such oral presentation(s). The Respondent must pay any travel costs incurred for such Thepresentations.Respondent must agree to comply with the requirements of the City of Detroit’s Ordinances and Civil Rights, Inclusion and Opportunity Department Requirements. If there are any changes to the dates listed above, notifications will be posted in BidNetDirect. No response to this Request for Qualifications/Proposal may be withdrawn for at least 120 days after the actual opening of the qualifications/proposals. The DBA reserves the right to waive any irregularity in any qualifications/proposals, and to reject any or all qualifications/proposals, should it be deemed in its best interest. If additional information is needed regarding this RFQP, please contact Marc Tirikian of the DBA at (313) Detroit600-4876.Building Authority 1301 Third Street, Suite 328 Detroit, MI 48226
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Opportunity
Tenicia Ann (Banks) Gregory
Services for Mrs. Opal Lindsey will be held Friday, September 9, 2022 at O.H. Pye Funeral Home with Minister Derrick Greene officiating. Mrs. Lindsey went to be with the Lord in the early morning hours on August 30, 2022, she was 97 years Mrs.old.
Warren, MI, General Motors. Design &integrate advanced high voltage (HV) battery pack (RESS) of Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) psgr vehicle incldg battery cell modules, structural cmpts, battery electrical HW, &battery thermal sys cmpts to meet battery level rqmts w/ competitive cost. Coordinate integration of HV battery pack w/ vehicle underbody structure to enable flexible vehicle architecture bandwidth w/ best-in-class space, mass, &structural efficiency to meet vehicle level rqmts. Collaborate w/ engrs &battery architect to integrate cmpts’ design. Dvlp overall HV battery pack layout &package battery cell modules, structural enclosures, battery power electronics, Battery Disconnect Unit, wiring &bussing, battery cooling cmpts, &battery TRP mitigation cmpts into required design envelopes meeting each subsys functional rqmts, &solve interference &packaging issues in battery pack. Organize &host wkly PDT meetings to review HV battery design to progress engrg feasibility &maturity. Master, Mechanical, Electrical or Automotive Engineering, or related. 6 mos exp as Engineer, designing or integrating Li-ion HV battery pack (RESS) prototype from concept to product for BEV or commercial vehicle meeting vehicle application rqmts, or related. Mail resume to Ref# 370, GM Global Mobility, 300 Renaissance Center, MC:482-C32-C66, Detroit, MI 48265.
MIKE DUGGAN MAYOR, CITY OF ADVERTISEMENTDETROIT REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS/PROPOSALS TO RENOVATE DoIT TECH SUPPORT OFFICES AT 13331 DETROIT,LYNDONMI48227
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Supervisor E Mobility Design FEV North America, Inc. seeks a Supervisor E Mobility Design based out of our office at 4554 Glenmeade Lane, Auburn Hills, MI 48326 to oversee the electrical and mechanical design aspects of the sub systems and components; among other duties. Note, this is a hybrid position whereby the employee will work both from home and from the aforementioned office address. Hence, the employee must live within a reasonable commuting distance of the aforementioned office address. This position does not require travel. Min. bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering and five years of experience in the job offered or related. EOE M/F/Disability/Vet. Apply to job reference number 22 00122 at: www.fev.com
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Opal Lindsey
Employment CITY OF Salary Starting: $26.56/Hour Under the supervision of the Assistant Public Services Supervisor, DPWS Supervisor and/or DPWS Superintendent, performs a variety of work using various pieces of equipment in the construction, operation, repair, maintenance and replacement of city water, sewer, street and storm drainage facilities and systems. Employee will also be required to participate in an on-call rotation and overtime for emergency and/or scheduled work. To review the job description and to apply, please visit our Employment Opportunities web page at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/eastpointemi
The Detroit Public Schools Community District is seeking proposals to abate, transport and dispose of all asbestos and other regulated materials, demolish and dispose of structure and other site improvements, and place backfill, topsoil, grass seed and mulch to restore the site at 7735 Lane Street Detroit, Michigan 48209 under RFP 23There0072. will be a Mandatory Pre-Proposal conference for this solicitation on September 12th, 2022 at 10am. The address of the conference will be at the Phoenix School site, located at 7735 Lane Street, Detroit, Michigan. Contractors will be required to sign a release of liability and indemnification form prior to entering the building. Standard PPE should be utilized during the walkthrough of the building and is the requirement of individual contractors to bring their own PPE. The due date for Proposals is September 26, 2022 at 4:00 p.m. Late proposals will not be accepted. A virtual Public Opening will occur at 4:00 PM on September 26, 2022.
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After teaching for many years, Tenicia accepted her father’s request to run the first black-owned and managed TV station in the U.S which he founded under the umbrella of the Modern Free and Accepted Masons and Order of the Eastern Star, serving as the Vice President and Station Manager, and later President and General Manager of WGPR TV-62. Tenicia received dozens of awards, including The Spirit of Detroit Award and the Communications Superstar 1983 Award presented by Women in Communications, Inc. She testified before a U.S. Congressional Subcommittee regarding blacks in broadcasting and television and had a weekly radio commentary on the current status of Blacks in Detroit.Tenicia leaves her husband of 63 years, Dr. Karl Dwight Gregory, daughters Karin Diane Gregory of Southfield, MI, and Sheila Therese Gregory (Stephen) of John’s Creek, GA, her beloved son, Kurt David Gregory (Sarasota, FL), devoted brother Alterio Banks of Carpinteria CA, sister Harumi Banks of WA, and half-sister, Wendy Ogletree of Brighton, MI, and her grandchildren, Courtney Gregory Jones of John’s Creek, GA and Anthony Kelly Gregory Jones of Rock Hill, SC, along with many relatives and dear friends, among others. The family wishes to thank Tenicia’s former students, the WGPR TV-62 family and others who through the years have continued to ask about her welfare, flowers, gifts and offer their prayers. It was Tenicia’s desire to have a small family gathering and be cremated rather than a hold funeral service. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to the Alzheimer’s Foundation https://alzfdn.org/support-us/ donate/, the American Red Cross www.redcross.org/ donate or the William V. Banks Broadcast Museum & Media Center, in Detroit, Michigan donate/?hosted_button_id=4G7CQSNVFS2M2.https://www.paypal.com/
Our beloved Tenicia Ann Banks Gregory transitioned with dignity, courage and grace on Sunday, August 21, at the age of 88, after 6 years managing her dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. She moved to Atlanta in the care of her youngest daughter, Sheila Gregory, where she passed peacefully in a home hospice, surrounded by family and friends. Tenicia Ann Banks Gregory was born on September 28, 1933 in Detroit, Michigan, to parents Rose Glassman Banks Rhodes and William Venoid Banks. She spent the first 6 decades of her life in Detroit, MI and attended Parochial Schools. She spent many hours in the Detroit Public Library looking for and reading books, playing piano, and singing, but she always treasured her private time alone. Tenicia attended the College of Education at Wayne State University, earning a B.A. degree in Education, where she pledged Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and later obtained a M.A. degree in Guidance and Counseling. She taught students at many levels, including elementary school, middle school, as well as Mumford High School, Oakland Community College and Oakland University. In addition to serving as a Master Teacher, Tenicia was an active feminist, civil, human, and women’s rights activist committed to ending discrimination and inequality by race and gender. She and 2 other women organized the first Feminist Federal Credit Union in Detroit, MI, insured by the FDIC, to extend sole credit to women members, because banks required a male cosigner and asked personal questions about a woman’s reproductive plans to determine if they were eligible for a loan. She was also an active member of ZONTA International and the National Black Feminist Organization (NBFO). She spent her life fighting for the rights of women, including fighting for the legislation of Roe vs. Wade and many programs for Black youth. She was a trailblazer in her own right. Tenicia also volunteered for many organizations and received 2 U.S. Presidential Awards for her years of service with the Braille Institute, the American Red Cross, Help Carpinteria, GIRLS Inc, and many others where she logged over 4000 volunteer hours, up to the age of 82.
EASTPOINTE Laborer
Lindsey was born on August 20, 1925 in Rosston, Arkansas. She accepted Christ into her life at an early age. She grew up on a farm with her mother, father, & her six brothers where she enjoyed hunting, fishing, and playing baseball with her siblings. Opal met her husband, John Paul Lindsey, as a child. They had known each other for the majority of their lives. In 1950, they moved to Detroit, MI. Here is where they chose to call home, were officially married, settled in, and continued to build their family. Five children were born to this union. Paulette Pennington, Maryetter Lindsey, Janice Thornton, Loretta Lindsey, and Jennifer Summers. Her husband provided for her and their family, while she was the best at taking care of home, her children, and the many generations after. In her spare time, she loved making quilts for her family, other families in her neighborhood, and her dearest friends. She loved attending her church, Word of Faith International Christian Center, where she had been a member since 1983. Mrs. Opal Lindsey was preceded in death by her husband, Mr. John Paul Lindsey. They were married for 63 years. Along with their five children, they shared 16 grandchildren, 24 great grandchildren, and 3 great, great grandchildren. She will truly be missed by everyone who knew her, but she will definitely be in all of our hearts forever.
The Detroit Public Schools Community District is seeking proposals to abate, transport and dispose of all asbestos and other regulated materials, demolish and other site improvements, at 840 Waterman Street Detroit, Michigan 48209 under RFP 23-0075. There will be a Mandatory Pre-Proposal conference for this solicitation on September 12th, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. The address of the conference will be at the Beard School site, located at 840 Waterman Street, Detroit, Michigan. The due date for Proposals is September 27, 2022 at 4:00 p.m. Late proposals will not be accepted. A virtual Public Opening will occur at 4:00 PM on September 27, 2022. Call-In#: 1 313-462-2305 Conference ID: 496 004 854# https://tinyurl.com/892p9rc2
We knew that we were unconditionally loved by you and you taught so richly by example. Although we cannot keep you with us, we are happy that the angels finally got you back.
All bids must be accompanied by a sworn and notarized statement disclosing any familial relationship that exists between the submitting company and any employee of DPSCD. DPSCD shall not accept a bid that does not include this sworn and notarized disclosure statement. If you have questions, please contact the Procurement Department at (313) 873-6531.
Program Engineer Cooper Standard Automotive Inc. seeks a Program Engineer in Northville, MI responsible for releasing engineering change requests and to administer program development reviews (gate)/design reviews; among other duties Min. bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and six years of experience in the job offered or related Domestic and International Travel as needed, up to 10% Apply to job reference number R014617 at: careers.cooperstandard.com
Advanced Battery Integration Lead Engineer
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All bids must be accompanied by a sworn and notarized statement disclosing any familial relationship that exists between the submitting company and any employee of DPSCD. DPSCD shall not accept a bid that does not include this sworn and notarized disclosure statement. If you have questions, please contact the Procurement Department at (313) 873-6531.
1. Down Payment program and America’s Home Grant program: Qualified borrowers must meet eligibility requirements such as being owner-occupants and purchasing a home within a certain geographical area. Maximum income and loan amount limits apply. Minimum combined loan-to-value must be greater than or equal to 80%. The home loan must fund with Bank of America. Bank of America may change or discontinue the Bank of America Down Payment Grant program or America’s Home Grant program or any portion of either without notice. Not available with all loan products, please ask for details.
4. Maximum income and loan amount limits apply. Fixed-rate mortgages (no cash out refinances), primary residences only. Certain property types are ineligible. Maximum loan-to-value (“LTV”) is 97%, and maximum combined LTV is 105%. For LTV >95%, any secondary financing must be from an approved Community Second Program. Homebuyer education may be required. Other restrictions apply. Credit and collateral are subject to approval. Terms and conditions apply. This is not a commitment to lend. Programs, rates, terms and conditions are subject to change without notice. Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. ©2021 Bank of America Corporation. America’s Home Grant, Bank of America Community Homeownership Commitment, Bank of America and the Bank of America logo are registered trademarks of Bank of America Corporation. MAP3623794 AD-BAAM8431000 06/2021 WOULD YOU LIKE THE POWER TO DO?
2. Additional information about the Down Payment program: Down Payment program is currently limited to two specific mortgage products. Program funds can be applied toward down payment only. Borrowers cannot receive program funds as cash back in excess of earnest money deposits. Down Payment Grant pro gram may be considered taxable income, a 1099-MISC will be issued, consult with your tax advisor. May be combined with other offers. The Bank of America Down Payment Grant program may only be applied once to an eligible mortgage/property, regardless of the number of applicants. Homebuyer education is required.
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Owning a home isn’t just about finances—it’s about building a future. Our Community Homeownership Commitment1 can help new homebuyers with:
Down payment help up to $10,000 or 3% of the purchase price, whichever is less. Product availability and income restrictions apply.2
WHAT
You are invited to apply. Your receipt of this material does not mean you have been prequalified or pre-approved for any product or service we offer. This is not a commitment to lend; you must submit additional information for review and approval.
Closing cost help up to $7,500 as a lender credit.3
Isn’t the best time to continue building your legacy right now?
Down payments as low as 3% down. Income limits apply.4
3. Additional information about the America’s Home Grant program: The America’s Home Grant program is a lender credit. Program funds can only be used for nonrecurring closing costs including title insurance, recording fees, and in certain situations, discount points may be used to lower the interest rate. The grant cannot be applied toward down payment, prepaid items or recurring costs, such as property taxes and insurance. Borrowers cannot receive program funds as cash back.
Learn more: bankofamerica.com/homeowner