MC Digital Edition 11.2.22

Michigan Chronicle

Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist on Engaging Youth to Vote

By Sherri Kolade

The general election in Michigan is an opportunity for residents to let their voices be heard throughout the demo cratic process.

More often than not, eligible young people choose not to vote due to apathy, a lack of understanding about how to get registered or how to vote, or a lack of engagement by government or voter registration efforts. Black millennials and Gen-Z voters also need to know how critical their vote is when it comes to impacting the outcome of any election— local, countywide, state or federal.

For the past 154 years, Black Amer icans have faced major disparities and inequalities in accessing the right to vote. As a result, Black Ameri cans have been less informed and engaged in both local and national elec tions, political initiatives and major legisla tion.

For first-time voters and the youngest con stituents in the state, ensuring that the elector al process is fair and equitable, Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II is making concerted efforts by prioritizing their concerns.

Gilchrist told the Michigan Chron icle that getting young people involved with voting rights and being involved (whether voting for the first time or the millionth time) -- or on the fence about voting -- “being engaged is the common denominator.”

“That makes all the difference,” Gilchrist said. “I’m interested in making sure that every person in our commu nity truly feels that they are a part of determining how those in our commu nities move forward. Young people own the futures of our community and [they have an] important role in shaping that.”

The 2022 midterm elections have al ready cast a major light on the future of this country, and with recent decisions surrounding education, healthcare, voting rights, abortion, student loans and other issues, every vote will be crucial in determining what that future looks like.

The Tufts University Center for Infor mation and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) found in a study that 50 percent of eligible voters aged 18-29 cast a ballot in the 2020 election, compared to only 39 percent of eligible youth voters in 2016. CIRCLE also estimated that 46 percent of new voters – young people ages 18-19 – voted in 2020.

Gilchrist recently kicked off MI First

“Are You Ready to Go Vote?”

Obama and Whitmer Rally the Detroit Vote

By Sherri Kolade

This past weekend local politi cal leaders, including Gov. Whitmer and former President Barack Obama, shared their collective views on abor tion rights, the economy, and more at a rally in Detroit to encourage constit uents to get out and vote and to do it with intention.

“We will win,” U.S. Sen. Gary Peters said confidently during the Saturday, October 29 rally at Renaissance High School, adding that while he is not on the ballot this round, he is working to uphold the Democratic party this election. “You got a few more days to get out there and do it and when we’re done and polls close ... know that you put everything on the field. We did ev erything we can. We understand what’s at stake here and the fundamentals of our democracy is at stake.”

The standing-room-only crowd lis tened intently at statements made by political leaders who talked about heated issues, including how the Re publican party handles issues, includ ing Proposal 3 and others.

Obama also rallied Michigan Demo crats ahead of the 2022 midterm elec tion — he made his way most recently to Georgia in a similar push to encour age and bolster voters to vote a Demo crat ticket.

Economic Upturn

“Are you fired up here?” Obama asked the cheering crowd. “Are you ready to go vote?”

The grassroots event talked candid ly about what’s at stake in the upcom ing election and encouraged everyone to elect Michigan Democrats “up and down the ballot” on Tuesday, Novem ber 8.

“I am here to ask you to vote,” Obama said, encouraging voters to vote straight Democratic in Michigan while motivating them to vote early or in person. “This election requires every single one of us ... it’s that important.”

Obama added that the nation has “been through some stuff” and that people are just recovering from the his toric pandemic that “wreaked havoc” on businesses, schools, and the econ omy.

Concerns about a looming reces sion and current inflation woes con tinue to weigh heavily on the minds of Michiganders and others – yet there are some positives, too.

Even with the economic downturn, Michigan is basking in the afterglow of hundreds of job creations (especial ly in Detroit) due to a concerted effort to keep the state financially viable, no matter the forecast. It’s still not a good enough reason to let voters rest on

their laurels, though – ask the politi cians.

Others in the state and country are facing inflation-related issues, which Obama said is a “problem worldwide” and a good enough reason to get out to the polls soon.

“It’s wreaked havoc on the supply chain … and then the war in Ukraine sent gas prices through the roof,” he said, adding that between gas and gro cery prices, the increased cost of living results in a “bite out of your paycheck.”

“That hurts,” he said. “Who’s going to do something about that? Republicans talk about it but what’s their answer? What’s their economic policy?”

Obama said tax breaks for the wealthy and corporations are not the answer.

Who Will Fight for Your Freedom?

“Michigan, who will fight for your freedom?” People in the crowd an swered, “Whitmer,” to which he agreed to the re-election of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Whitmer said that she and Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist had made a lot of prog ress while in office, and she is looking forward to Michigan’s bright future by

Michigan Election Guide 2022: Races, Proposals and Voting Options

By Michigan Chronicle Editorial Board

The 2022 Michigan General Election will be held on Tuesday, November 8. Reg istered voters are gearing up to decide on what is predicted to be monumental key races and statewide ballot proposals during the midterm election.

Here’s a look at some of the essential resources and voter information to help Michigan’s 7.7 million registered voters feel prepared and informed as each per forms their civic duty and makes their voices heard.

Hot Button Races

One of the biggest races of Michigan’s election season is for the gubernatori al seat between incumbent Democrat Gretchen Whitmer and Republican candi date Tudor Dixon.

From targeted television adverts to two debates, Whitmer and Dixon have clashed

on several critical issues, including abor tion rights and road repair. Whitmer con tinues to be a vocal supporter of peti tion-driven ballot Proposal 3, which would amend the state’s constitution to guaran tee abortion rights.

Dixon maintains a conservative stance against the referendum.

Additionally, Attorney General Dana Nessel and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, both Democrats, are up for re election against Republicans Matthew De Perno and Kristina Karamo, respectively.

Residents will have a chance to weigh in on their legislative representatives as Michigan’s 13th Congressional House and State Senate and House seats are also up for grabs.

Other Wayne County leadership posi tions will be decided, including challenges to incumbents Wayne County Executive Warren Evans and Wayne County Sheriff Ralph Washington.

Michigan Statewide Ballot Proposals (1-3)

Proposal 1: Term Limits and Financial Disclosure for Legislators and State Offi cers

The Michigan Chronicle strongly en dorses a “yes” vote on Proposal 1. If passed by state voters, Proposal 1 would mandate that top state elected officials file annual financial disclosure reports. In addition, if successful, the proposal would require the Michigan Constitution to change its current term limits for state legislators.

The official language, as it appears on the November 2022 ballot, would require members of the legislature and the gov ernor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, and attorney general to file annual public financial disclosure reports after

Former U.S. President Barack Obama encourages constituents to vote at a Democratic voter rally alongside Gov. Whitmer and Lt. Gov. Gilchrist on Saturday, October 29 in Detroit.

Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist visits Michigan schools to encourage civic par ticipation by Michigan high school seniors.

2023. Such disclosures, according to the actual language on the ballot, would include assets, li abilities, income sources, future employment agree ments, gifts, and travel re imbursements.

In addition, Proposal 1 – if passed - will place flat 12-year term limits on state lawmakers’ ten ures in any combination between the House and Senate, or the right to serve the entire 12 years in either legislative body if elected by voters. Mich igan state lawmakers currently can serve three terms of two years in the House and ultimately serve two terms of four years in the Senate for a total of 14 years.

A majority of “no” votes by voters would mean no change to the current length of service for House and Senate leg islators. And a majority of “no” votes would mean that top state officials could continue not to file annual financial disclo sure reports.

The Editorial Board believes the passage of Proposal 1 will give legis lative officeholders more longevity in either the Senate or House to better forward their agendas on behalf of serving and em powering constituents.

The Editorial Board also believes that state lawmakers should be re quired to file annual finan cial disclosure reports be cause of the transparency it would provide to the cit izens of Michigan. Idaho and Michigan are current ly the only two states in the nation that do not mandate top state law makers to file such finan cial reports. It’s time for Michigan to join the other 48 states which demand financial transparency of their lawmakers – regard less of political party affil iations.

Proposal 2: Voting Policies (Right to Vote)

Proposal 2, which the Michigan Chronicle soundly endorses voting “yes” on, proposes that the Michigan Constitu tion adopts nine provi sions regarding state elections. Among the nine provisions include: recognizing individuals’ fundamental rights to vote without harassment or interference, assuring that military or over seas ballots are counted if postmarked by Elec tion Day, allowing voters the right to verify their identities with photo ID or signed statement, re quiring nine days of early in-person voting, and requiring that only elec tion officials can conduct post-election audits.

The Michigan Chroni cle Editorial Board feels that passing Proposal 2 would make voting more accessible to eligible voters, particularly ab sentee voters throughout the state. For individuals in opposition to Propos al 2, many wrongly cite that passing the propos al would weaken elec tion security and remove integrity from the voting process. Others in oppo sition feel that changes to improve voting rights can be better addressed by lawmakers without adopting such rights di rectly into the Michigan Constitution.

While the roles of law

makers are essential for the good of the people, it has been well document ed that since the 2020 Presidential Elections, many lawmakers – mostly Republicans – have at tempted or passed laws across the country, in cluding in Michigan, to make the voting experi ence more difficult and restrictive for Black and Brown voters. And ac cording to many Michigan political pundits, in the last two years, more than 40 bills have been either introduced and didn’t pass or were passed in the state to restrict certain citizens’ voting rights and harm election administra tion entities. And redis tricting has been added to the mix, drastically di luting Black voting blocs and power in Detroit and surrounding metro mu nicipalities with substan tial minority populations.

The Michigan Chron icle believes passing Proposal 2, with its pro visions adopted into the Michigan Constitution, voting rights and election integrities will be signifi cantly strengthened and protected. In addition to Proposal 2, the Michigan Chronicle fervently en dorses Proposal 1 in full support of its annual fi nancial disclosure provi sions for top state elected officials and term limit changes for legislators.

Proposal 3: Right to Reproductive Freedom Initiative (RFFA)

The Michigan Chronicle Editorial Board emphat ically endorses voting “yes” on Michigan Pro posal 3, the “Reproduc tion Freedom for All” constitution-amending proposition, which will be on the November 8 Gen eral Election ballot. The Chronicle believes it is a “constitutional right” for women to have and exer cise reproductive freedom and rights in Michigan.

If passed, Proposal 3 will give women the fun damental right to make decisions about “all mat ters” relating to pregnan cy, prenatal care, child birth, postpartum care, contraception, steriliza tion, abortion care, mis carriage management, and infertility care. The passage of Proposal 3 would allow the state to regulate abortions in some cases but prohib it the prosecution of in dividuals – medical or non-medical - for help ing a pregnant woman exercise her lawfully es tablished rights that an amended State Constitu tion would provide if Pro posal 3 is successfully passed in November.

In addition, the passing of Proposal 3 with a ma jority of “yes” votes will strike down and do away with the archaic and outof-touch 1931 abortion ban that has threatened to become law again after the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) overturned Roe v Wade almost four months ago.

Since SCOTUS’ de cision, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer vowed to fight the reboot of the 1931 abortion law in Michigan vigorously by using all the tools and re sources possible to pro tect Michigan women and their rights to reproduc tive health care.

“We need to clarify that under Michigan law, access to abortion is not

only legal but constitu tionally protected,” Whit mer said at the time in a distributed statement. “

In addition, my recent ex ecutive directive instructs all state departments and agencies not to cooper ate with authorities from other states who want to prosecute women seeking legal abortion care and instructs departments to increase protections for reproductive healthcare.

I will fight like hell to protect every Michigan der’s right to make de cisions about their own body with the advice of a medical professional they trust. I will not give in or give up for my kids, your kids, and the future of our great state.”

The Michigan Chroni cle stands with Gov. Whit mer and other abortion advocacy entities to keep Michigan a “Reproduc tive Freedom and Rights” state, backed by a con stitutional amendment that will come to fruition by voters voting “yes” on Nov. 8 and the ultimate passing of Proposal 3.

2022 Detroit Voting Options: Absentee vs. In-person

Michiganders have several quick and easy options to cast their vote during this election.

Early and in-person voting started on Septem ber 29 at your local elec tion clerk’s office by filling out an absentee ballot. All registered voters can re quest an absentee ballot for any reason and vote from home. According to the Michigan Department of State’s Bureau of Elec tions, an estimated 1.3 million registered voters are on the permanent absent voter list.

Traditional in-person voting will be open on election day at an indi vidual’s assigned polling location. Polls will be open Tuesday, November 8. from 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.

Voter registration deadlines via mail and online expired on Monday, October 24. In-person registration is still open throughout election day on November 8. You can confirm your voter registration status

on Michigan’s election website.

Detroit’s ‘Early Vote Centers’ opened on Monday, October 17, with 13 satellite locations. Absentee ballots can be turned in at any of the centers or alternatively at Detroit’s seven drop box sites across the city.

Registered voters are required by law to present voter identification (i.e., driver’s license or state ID) or a signed affidavit before voting in person.

Michigan Chronicle Editorial Board

November 8th General Election Endorsements

Governor Gretchen Whitmer

Attorney General Dana Nessel

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson

Wayne County Executive Warren Evans

Wayne County Sheriff Ralph Washington U.S. Representative in Congress 12th District Rashida Tlaib U.S. Representative in Congress 13th District Shri Thanedar

Michigan House of Representatives 1st District: Tyrone Carter 16th District: Stephanie Young

Michigan State Senate 2nd District: Sylvia Santana Wayne County Commission District 5: Irma Clark-Coleman District 6: Monique Baker McCormick

PROPSALS

Proposal 1 Legislative Term Limits and Financial Disclosure Amendment: Proposal 2 Voting Policies in Constitution Amendment: YES

Proposal 3 Right to Reproductive Freedom: YES

Michigan Supreme Court Kyra Bolden

Detroit Community School District School Board (4 positions) Iris Taylor

Bishop Corletta Vaughn Angelique Peterson-Mayberry

Vote Rally

bringing people together.

“I’ve signed every 900 bipartisan bills, delivered four budgets, and thanks to President Obama we have an auto industry to keep build ing here in Michigan and we have landed 30,000 good paying auto jobs … and we are fixing the damn roads,” Whitmer said. “All of that hard-fought progress is at stake in November.”

Whitmer said that the upcom ing election is a choice to either move the state forward or “drive us back.”

The November midterm elec tions are already shedding signif icant light on the future plight of America, especially with decisions surrounding education, healthcare, voting rights, abortion, student loans, and other critical issues in the hands of voters who will decide what the future look of their city, state, county, and the nation.

Already, voters looking forward to letting their voices be heard chimed in on polls conducted after the primary in August, with key issues revolving around the quality of life for them and their families. Heading up the list is the primar ily polarizing issue centered on abortion and women’s rights, fol lowed by rising inflation, threats to democracy, quality education for students pre-k through college, pathways to good paying jobs, and effective ways to reduce crime.

Across the nation, voters seek equity at the polls regarding more assertive public policy in schools, economic growth, and better mid dle-class wages.

Whitmer said it’s not lost on anyone how critical this election is and what it means to Michiganders.

“Public education is on this ballot, our democracy is on this ballot and the right to choose is on this ballot,” Whitmer said.

“We cannot trust our future to dangerous people, people who

Garlin Gilchrist

Vote, a three-stop initia tive to emphasize the im portance of participating in the democratic process and clear up misconcep tions and apprehensions about voting. Gilchrist visited the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy (JRLA) and took part in a roundtable to discuss the importance of civic participation and what students can expect when they vote. He was joined by Jalen Rose and Civic 360, a nonpartisan non profit dedicated to boost ing civic participation in Michigan.

“As young Michigan ders head to the ballot box for the first time this fall, it is critical to ensure they have everything they need to vote,” said Gilchrist. “Michigan’s future belongs to our young voters, and Gov ernor Whitmer and I are committed to supporting them.”

“Your vote counts as your voice and it is para mount to be represented in your local, state and presidential elections,” said JRLA Founder Jalen Rose. “Failure to vote can no longer be an option.”

In May, Governor Whit mer signed executive di rective 2022-04, instruct ing all state departments and agencies to identify and assess potential op portunities to help eligi ble Michiganders register to vote and gain access to reliable information about voting.

“Democracy For All, a program of the League of Conservation Voters Edu cation Fund and Civic360 are excited for this great opportunity to partner with Jalen Rose Lead ership Academy,” said Olu Jabari, state director of Civic 360-Democracy for All. “The voice of our youth is critical to build

peddle conspiracy theories … those who want to be so divided and angry,” Whitmer said. “We have always known this would be a close election … (there is) too much at stake to take any community, any vote for granted,” Whitmer said.

In an exclusive interview with the Michigan Chronicle, Whit mer said that ensuring everyone’s vote is heard this election is key, to which Gilchrist agreed. He said during the interview that it is im perative for any voter that feels dis enchanted with the redistricting to get out and vote to let their voices be heard together, especially Black voters.

During the rally, Gilchrist said it’s important for voters to use voting tools to make a difference.

Michigan Mobilizes

“Because every child has the right to an amazing public educa tion,” he said. “It’s time for us to mobilize and make things happen … this opportunity and our elec tion – we can make a generational difference.”

State Rep. Kyra Harris Bolden, a Michigan State Supreme Court candidate, said during the event that it’s time to talk about “what’s at stake.”

“The Michigan Supreme Court will be the last word on your rights in Michigan, so we need to make sure that we have justices on our Michigan Supreme Court that be lieves in equal justice under the law. Do you know we have the op portunity to project justice for gen erations to come?”

Over the summer, the Oakland County Circuit Court granted the governor’s request for a temporary restraining order after a decision from the Michigan Court of Appeals cleared the path for county pros ecutors to prosecute doctors and nurses for doing their jobs. The governor’s legal efforts continue to ensure women have control over their bodies and that doctors and nurses can do their jobs without fear of jail time.

Bolden encouraged attendees

ing a strong democracy.”

Gilchrist said that young people being en gaged civically means that they are broadly aware of how decisions are made and participate as voters in elections locally, at the federal level and every thing in between.

Gilchrist added that it’s “fair” to say that older Michigan residents are the “more” domi nant voters in the state, which inspires Michigan all the more to encourage younger residents to get out the vote.

“The more people that vote the better,” Gilchrist said. “Things happen and there is more investment … with that, this is one way for them to exercise the power they have.”

E’yandra D.A. Otis, a local community advo cate and event organizer, agrees.

Otis held a summer millennial voting round table with the topic, “Why are we cool dying young but not voting?”

He told the Michigan Chronicle previously that voting is paramount, es pecially for Black rep resentation. ”We want to keep up this momen tum … and turn it into a caucus for the Democrat ic party,” Otis said.

Otis said that “we don’t get out,” and scores of Black voters did not get out during the August election. “A lot of peo ple’s complaints is, ‘We only show up at election time.’ We need people to show up for our commu nities, not just every two to four years.”

Jeffrey L. Boney, NNPA Newswire contributor, contributed to this report.

For more information visit Michigan.gov/vote.

to “bubble in” voting Bolden and Richard H. Bernstein, a lawyer and Michigan Supreme Court Justice.

“You will directly influence pro tecting justice for generations to come. Justice for you, your chil dren, your children’s children, chil dren... let’s get this done,” she said, adding that if elected, she would be the first Black woman to serve in that role. “We have an opportunity to... protect justice for generations and make a little history while we’re at it.”

Attorney General Dana Nessel mentioned the importance of pro tecting the “fundamental rights” to choose the people who represent residents in office.

“We are going to fight to pro tect Black voters and all voters in the state,” she said. “I am going to make sure those votes actually count. Let’s show the rest of Amer ica that here in Michigan all votes matter and we will not stop fighting for equal under the law protection for all people.”

Obama said it’s important not to get distracted and focus on what’s important.

“I’m here to tell you that tuning out is not an option, the only way to save our democracy is if we work together – all of us,” he said. “There may be a lot of issues at stake but the basic questions will be … who will fight for you? Who is on your side? Better is worth fighting for.”

Early voting options in Detroit include 13 satellite voting locations (“Early Vote Centers”) in neighbor hoods across the city. Detroiters can receive, fill out, and securely submit their absentee ballots now through Election Day, in addition to mailing their absentee ballots or submitting them through 20 secu rity-monitored drop boxes if they would like to vote early.

A complete list of options and lo cations is available to Detroiters at detroitvotes.org.

For more information on the Michigan Democratic party, visit michigandems.com/vote or call the hotline 1 (833) MI-VOTES.

Christian Talk: Singer Dante Bowe Saga

By Sherri Kolade

Dante Bowe, a five-time GRAMMY-nomi nated and platinum-selling songwriter and recording artist is taking a break from Mav erick City Music, a worship music collec tive co-founded by Bowe.

Bowe, from Rockingham, NC, now based in Nashville, Tenn., is on pause with his relationship with the successful music group over “inconsistent” behavior, the group noted in a public Instagram post where they wrote in late September that Bowe’s behavior has not been on par with the group’s standards.

“Due to behavior that is inconsistent with our core values and beliefs, we have decided to put a pause on our professional relationship with Dante Bowe,” the group said in the statement. “Decisions like these are not easy because of the level of nuance, both professionally and personally, but we felt it necessary to address. Maverick City Music is a collective of various artists from many different backgrounds and life expe riences; as such no one artist’s actions or behavior can always be attributed as a re flection of our core beliefs and values.”

CBN News reported that the group did not exactly mention what behavior from Bowe moved them to initiate the pause.

Some speculate that Bowe’s colorful social media history, though, might be one of the reasons why he received feedback for posting a personal Instagram video of him partying on a bus while rapping the very explicit lyrics of “Despues De La Playa,” a track from Latin rap artist Bad Bunny.

Black America Web reported that in his statement posted on his IG (before making the account private), he was taking a break from social media.

“In light of recent events and opinions, I’ve talked to some of [the] wisest leaders and brothers around me,” he wrote. “I’ll be taking time off social media to rest mental ly and physically. Years ago, when I dreamt of all I would accomplish one day, I didn’t account for the pressure and opinions that would come with it. It’s important for ev eryone to know when to step back and re focus.”

Maverick City Music plans to contin ue to support Bowe in his personal life as noted in its Instagram post.

“Dante is a brother in Christ and as such he has our full commitment and unwaver ing support as he continues to navigate his path forward. Each of us needs God’s grace, and our hope is that we all pray and give him the same opportunity to grow in Christ as we give ourselves.”

Bowe reportedly posted an apology on his page, which has since been deleted ac cording to CBN.

“I sincerely apologize for the impact of my behavior and that it has offended many people on the platform we share together. This experience has been a real remind er of the importance of being incredibly intentional with how I utilize and engage with the tools social platforms provide,” Bowe continued. “Throughout this pro cess, I have received wise counsel which influenced my decision to take a step back and reflect about my actions so that I may commit to living in the purpose God has for my life.”

Was being placed on a professional pause the right move or is there redemp tion in the name of the Lord?

Some fans are asking for more patience and want Maverick City to “extend grace” after Bowe’s alleged behavior was frowned upon, according to supatainment.com.

When church culture and the greater cancel culture collide, what happens? Rev. Kevin L. Harris, senior pastor at Nazarene Missionary Baptist Church in Detroit, told the Michigan Chronicle that the effects of his artistry are being highly scrutinized by some and looked at empathetically, which he is of the latter.

By Sherri Kolade

Blueprint of a Lady: Renowned Artist Nnenna Freelon

By Sherri Kolade

Nnenna Freelon needs no introduc tion.

The Durham, North Carolina-based six-time Grammy-nominated jazz vo calist, music educator, arts advocate, producer and arranger is a whole vibe.

She puts fire, passion, jazz, blues, gospel, sultry soul, poetry and a whole lot of “stank,” respectfully, on every thing she intricately touches. She exudes her power through her feminin ity and Blackness with enviable poise and can’t help but command a room wherever she finds herself. Whether that is on the countless stages that she graces with her buoyant presence over the decades or when she explores her latest endeavors such as “Great Grief,” her podcast where she tackles love and loss after her acclaimed hus band, Phil Freelon, one of the most cherished Black architects in U.S. his tory, died of ALS in 2019.

Freelon, 66, a proud mother to three children (newsworthy successes in their own right) and grandmother to six, told the Michigan Chronicle during a recent interview that her life has many highs (including awards and accolades) and lows, especially with her husband’s death and her sister, Debbie, in 2020 to cancer.

“It’s like looking through a kaleido scope. You see different things,” she said of grief.

Freelon, a creative by nature, can’t help but use her talents to turn some of the hardest pain points in her life into expressions of art that others can glean from and relate to.

“People are relieved to know they can be creative, can dance with their grief,” Freelon said adding that some people in the Black community can feel “ashamed” about still mourning their loved one’s passing, and through her podcast, she wants to get the mes sage out that it’s OK.

“[It is important to] be creative in this thing that is a part of life – this thing called grief,” she said, adding that death is normal. “Don’t nobody come here to stay. How we deal with it in the vacuum of someone’s passing

determines the quality of life we have.” And what a life Freelon has.

Behind the Name and Fame

Freelon’s name, “Nnenna,” is of Nigerian origin, and comes from one of the country’s three main ethnic groups, the Igbo tribe. It means, gift of God, she said of the apt name her mother chose for her.

“My mother was ahead of her time,” Freelon, who has no Nigerian affilia tion, said.

Raised in Cambridge, Mass., by Southern sharecropper parents who were part of the Great Migration look ing for a way out, she said.

The middle-class, mixed neighbor hood she grew up in encompassed Italian, Jewish and Greek neighbors – often a lot of first-generation resi dents.

“I grew up with a lot of newly-trans planted southerners and … I had an up south upbringing -- those people who came to Cambridge brought their food and worship southern traditions with them,” she said, adding that although she ate Boston baked beans there were collard greens and cannolis, too. “All part of my very rich upbringing.”

There were some tough times, too.

“Was there racism? Yes. Did people call you the N-word? Yeah. But we were raised in a community that made all the kids feel ... that there wasn’t noth ing we couldn’t do,” she said, adding that her parents found that truth in their own way, too.

“In coming north, they discovered Black is beautiful and they had op tions in terms of their dreams and their wishes, and they both started businesses,” she said of her suc cessful parents. “We are the children and grandchildren of people who had dreams beyond being a sharecropper.”

Concrete and Steel

She knows about dreams realized and came to Detroit recently to see hers and her late husband’s unfold.

Detroit’s newest multi-use housing complex nestled in Midtown recently brought 68 units online in the city’s

historic Sugar Hill neighborhood.

In late September in the Sugar Hill Arts District, city and area officials broke ground on The Freelon at Sugar Hill, a multi-use housing complex at 119 Garfield St., which Sonya Mays, president & CEO of Develop Detroit Inc., headed up.

The $38 million housing project from Preservation of Affordable Hous ing (POAH) and Develop Detroit in cludes housing for Detroit residents and deeply affordable units for veter ans, as well as commercial space for entrepreneurs. The project replaces a vacant lot at Garfield near John R with 11,900 square feet of retail space and a 160-space parking garage.

The building is named in honor of Phil Freelon and was one of the last de velopments that he worked on before his death. Nnenna Freelon attend ed the ribbon-cutting ceremony and spoke on the impact that the housing complex will have moving forward.

“My husband was a dream builder. He was a listener. … Before we agreed on concrete and steel and other mate rials, there were dreams. Dreams that included the least of us. … dreams that included those who do not have a roof over their heads. Because we know that justice begins with home,” she said during the event.

Freelon said during the recent in terview that it felt like her husband was “alive in the space” to her. Heart, Hearth and Home

Their shared life together (they met through a mutual friend when she was 23 and he was 26) was filled with a lot of love, dreams and hopes.

“When I met him [there were] pro verbial sparks – we talked all night and had so many people in common,” she said. “It just felt like that little voice saying, ‘This is the one.’”

The couple, before the fame, learned about compromise and compassion and grew.

“I was a baby, he was too,” she said of their young ages. “We had nothing. He had no [architecture] firm [then]

A Family Classic: Mrs. Pruitt’s Gourmet Cha Cha

Entrepreneur and Detroit resident Linda Kay Wil liams-Pruitt puts her money where her mouth is – lit erally.

As the creator of Mrs. Pruitt’s Gourmet Cha Cha, a classic southern relish condiment, Williams-Pruitt stands by her product and its rich history in the Black community.

Mrs. Pruitt’s Gourmet Cha Cha, around since the 1830s, is a Pruitt family favorite (among many other Black American families) because it is made with in gredients that enhance any recipe.

Cha Cha is also described as a sauce, garnish, chut ney, kimchi, salsa, Piccadilly, marinade, chow chow, and giardiniera all in one to be topped on your cab bage, hot dogs, collard greens, coleslaw, burger, taco and more.

“We understand that you want to enjoy your meal as much as you enjoy the people you are sharing it with,” according to their website.

Williams-Pruitt told the Michigan Chronicle that as an urban farmer/master gardener (of Fall Harvest Urban Farms, LLC) she honed her green thumb skills growing up in southwest Detroit.

“At six I started gardening with my mom and grand mother,” she said. “We had a two-family flat and a long, long backyard, and my mother and grandmother grew all kinds of vegetables, carrots, corn, beans, that is how I grew up.”

“They would last the whole year,” she said adding that it’s not normal for her to not garden. “I love gar dening and I think that is how it started.”

As Williams-Pruitt grew older, she started to grow

different types of vegetables and her family had a Cha Cha recipe of cabbage, green tomatoes, peppers, onions different types of herbs, garlic and more.

She started her company in 2010 after her husband, Edward R. Pruitt, inspired her but didn’t manufacture it until March 2014.

“He said, ‘You have to do Cha Cha,’” she said of her husband’s encouraging words about creating their family business and using ingredients from his fami ly’s side. “His parents and my mother, his mother, 94, gave me her recipe. My mom had her recipe -- they were very, very similar. [My mother-in-law’s recipe] had a little twang to it. She gave me her blessing and that is my happy spot when I make Cha Cha.”

Grandma Pruitt developed the original Cha Cha recipe in the backwoods of South Carolina. Wil liams-Pruitt’s recipe honors her spirit. It has been passed down through generations. The recipe was derived from the need to preserve bountiful harvests of homegrown vegetables. It was often a family affair where everyone would come together and help in the canning process, according to the website.

Cha Cha means “no food ever wasted.”

The vegetarian, gluten-free dish is an answer to a consumer pain point that Williams-Pruitt said is from customers wanting something without chemicals or preservatives, which she offers.

“People are looking for that,” she said, adding that

Williams-Pruitt added that her family also had a grapevine and her mother would make jams, juice and more, plus can the seasonal produce.

Entrepreneur and Detroit resident Linda Kay Williams-Pruitt is the creator of Mrs. Pruitt’s Gourmet Cha Cha, a classic southern relish condiment.

Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist Nnenna Freelon.

– he had a bucket full of dreams,” she said, adding that their young children

the road were born and she was a stay-at-home mother and sang around the house before she became famous for her vocal skills.

“I was a stay-at-home mom all through the ‘80s with a husband who encouraged me to face my dreams,” she said. “I had to figure out how to weave my dreams of mothering and singing together.”

Freelon successfully learned how to navigate and tells others, no matter how busy they are, to do the same.

“How do you figure out how to devel op skills you don’t have so when your dreams start bearing fruit you can be ready to step up into that space,” she said. “You can make a plan to add to your own treasure – nobody is stopping you from doing that.”

Freelon did just that and when there was not a lot of money to go around, she had musicians rehearse at her house and she would pay them in spaghetti and meatballs.

“I would rehearse when babies were

Dante Bowe

Harris, who listens to Bowe from afar (and is a little more “old school” gospel) said that he’s all in when it comes to keeping his pulse on up-and-coming art ists and those “doing great things.”

He said Maverick City Music’s move was a bit of an “overreaction” from his perspective. “They didn’t get into a whole lot of details about what it was that he did except for some social media indiscretion – I guess you could call it,” he said.

Harris said that Maverick City Music may know more information internally about what’s happening and that might have come in conflict with their stan dards. He added that reaching Bowe’s level of success “doesn’t happen every day” and there are different perspectives to look at.

“You have the church, church folk ,and you have this Christian music group – I think they’re all separate issues in a separate kind of way,” Harris said, adding that even though they’re linked by the commonality of religion there are a “million different viewpoints.”

“But at the end of the day you’re going to stand on the values,” he said, whatever those may be.

As for Bowe, Harris would tell him to keep going. “Unless it’s something more than what has been revealed this doesn’t even seem like it’s that major compared to mistakes people make in the church,” Bowe said.

asleep and practice very quietly so as not to wake them up,” she said. “It would not have happened without the support and encouragement of Phil. Love is a noun and a verb … it is an action and place – it is not just something you say. ...It’s not me versus you it’s us. Everything [we] brought home to the hearth. If there’s a takeaway it’s that [our] dreams were comingling and [we were] rising togeth er.”

The second season of “Great Grief” premieres in November.

For more information visit greatgrief. com.

Gourmet Cha Cha

her three flavors come in mild, hot ha banero, and Motor City Heat. “It tastes awesome and is an awesome probiotic.”

Williams-Pruitt added that as a vendor at various festivals, fairs and markets around the area and region, she has seen Black customers come to her in tears because they have not seen a Cha Cha recipe in decades.

“Cha Cha is from the plantations. It takes you back to how your ancestors -aunts, uncles – how they lived and how they ate and how they gathered around the table and ate their meals, and where it originated from. It was a delicacy back then,” she said. “There is no history about that. There won’t be. ... I’m here to tell the story and the origination of Cha Cha. A lot of people that migrated from the south to the north know about it.”

Williams-Pruitt’s husband told the Michigan Chronicle that he is glad the company is steadily gaining steam as they recently went nationwide and are now sold at Meijers and other chains na tionwide.

“My mother said, ‘Go for it, go for it,’” he said adding that she passed last year – one month before they went nation wide.

“She always wanted me to do it and always encouraged me to do it and that is what we did,” he said. “Who knows how far we will go.”

Sharon Crockett, senior business development consultant, Detroit MBDA Center, Michigan Minority Supplier De velopment Council, told the Michigan Chronicle that she is a business con sultant on the team working with Mrs. Pruitt’s Gourmet Cha Cha.

“She is one of my favorite clients,” Crockett said. “We have used her to par ticipate strategically in two e-commerce ventures to increase her presence in the marketplace,” she said. “I’m so proud of her and her ability to take her Cha Cha … and bring it to a much larger audi ence.”

For more information visit mr spruittschacha.com.

Homeless Crisis: Mental Health Agencies Provides Support

By: TaKira Coleman

Homelessness is a growing concern in the US, with many people struggling to get by in almost every community. While it's not a new problem, the number of people experiencing homelessness has increased significantly over the past couple of years. According to an organization called End Homelessness, homeless numbers grew by 2% between 2019 and 2020.

Understanding the various factors that contribute to this issue is crucial to devel oping effective strategies and programs in addressing the problem.

The Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network (DWIHN), an organization in Wayne County that helps people with mental health and substance use disorder concerns, works with several different or ganizations that can help find shelter for people experiencing homelessness.

DWIHN has a partnership with the City of Detroit Housing Department and its homeless Outreach Teams. This team consists of a DWIHN behavioral health specialist and homeless street outreach providers who conduct preventative out reach and coordinate with DPD Neigh borhood Police Officers to connect un sheltered residents with mental health services. This team provides individuals with wraparound housing and behavioral health services including a potential trans

fer to permanent housing for those who qualify. Detroit HOT follows best practices in building trust with participants through outreach and immediate transportation to services as needed. Since the partnership began two years ago, there have been over 6,000 homeless outreach encoun ters.

DWIHN also has providers that work with the Coordinated Assessment Model (CAM) which is a local organization that provides individuals and families, with or without Medicaid, with the necessary re sources to address their needs.

The process works like this: CAM De troit will prioritize the most vulnerable cases such as those suffering from signifi cant health conditions or impairments that require a high level of support to main tain their housing and can be considered homeless. These individuals often rely on emergency services such as jails, psychi atric facilities, and emergency rooms to meet their basic needs. Also, children and youth who are unable to find perma nent housing is also a risk factor. Once the assessment is completed, individuals are referred through CAM. DWIHN also works with many homeless drop-in centers, such as Detroit Healthy Housing which is offered through DWIHN provider Neigh borhood Services Organization (NSO) https://www.nso-mi.org/homelessrecovery-services.html

experiencing homelessness, contact the

at 800-241-2929 or visit www.dwihn.org

In addition, CAM Detroit can be reached by phone at 313-305-0311 or website: http://www.camdetroit.org/ serving Detroit, Hamtramack and Highland Park. Also, there are multiple warming centers listed on the Wayne County website for anyone that may need it: https://www.waynecounty.com/elected/executive/ wayne-county-warming-centers.aspx

Money.

’67 Rebellion Site Is Being Revived

By Rasha Almulaiki

Fifty-five years after the ’67 Detroit Re bellion sparked at a police raid on a blind pig on 12th Street (now Rosa Parks) and Clairmont, city and community inves tors are reviving the commercial district that remained abandoned after the up rising left many Black owned businesses burned to the ground.

The Boston Edison and Atkinson Busi ness District is one of several cross-de partmental efforts of infrastructure de velopments across the city to cultivate prosperity across housing and industry sectors.

“After years of disinvestment. It’s start ing at the basics,” said Keven Schronce, head of the central region (District 5 and 6) for the Planning & Development De partment.

“We will have sidewalk improvements, ADA accessible walkways, bike lanes, supporting multiple modes of transit (mo torized and non-motorized. There will also be elements of site furnishings, mu rals that reflect the history of the area. Really reactivate the area and stay true to what has come before for the residents. The city can only do so much, business es and developers with residents need to play a part hand in hand.”

The business district will stretch through Rosa Parks Boulevard from At kinson St. to West Grand Boulevard.

One of the first steps by the city’s Public Works Department is a nearly $9 million initiative called Clairmont Street/Rosa Parks Streetscape Project.

Over the last 10 years, private invest ment in rehabbing dilapidated housing has reinvigorated the neighborhood-scape and drummed up interest causing more residents moving in, particularly on At kinson St.

“Before the riots took place and learn ing what came after,” said Ishma Best, managing broker at PREP Realty, “we for get that Rosa Parks Boulevard (nee 12th Street) used to be a strip of commercial stores and now it’s just empty, vacant lots. All of the excitement for the neigh borhood now, it just really has me think ing that perhaps it can be what it was in Detroit at the time.”

Since 2018, Best worked in rehabbing homes on Atkinson Street and lives in the community. This year, he worked along side neighbors to revive the Boston Edi son Association for residents to convene “in an organized manner for folks to ex press how they feel and live.”

AO Belachaikovsky, resident and mem ber of the neighborhood association, spoke to the Michigan Chronicle about what community-need based develop ments residents would like to see.

“I want to walk everywhere,” said Be lachaikovsky. “There are a lot of people in the neighborhood, and even though it’s the Motor City, they don’t have vehicles. I know from personal experience that the previous design of the commercial area was very pedestrian unfriendly, it wasn’t even car friendly. My hope is that any new construction and redevelopment re ally takes into consideration people who have money and people who don’t. Un fortunately, if all of the new business is aimed at people who have a lot of funds, it’s missing out on the commercial oppor tunity of long-time residents who have a personal stake in thriving the district.”

Other things the neighborhood asso ciation has considered include access to an affordable child care center, grocery stores with fresh produce and housing that accommodates multi-family units

By Sherri Kolade

There is an abundance of jobs avail able in the City of Detroit -- 11,000 to be exact -- ready for interested resi dents looking for a better future and a new career.

To make this reality happen, the city is looking to partner up with com munity entities along the way to assist long-term unemployed individuals to reenter the workforce.

These groups are invited to submit applications to work with the city as In Detroit Organizations (IDOs).

Participating groups would conduct outreach, on behalf of the city, to iden tify these select residents and link them to opportunities for education, workforce training and supportive ser vices that can help guide them to and prepare them for new employment, ac cording to a press release.

Many of these grassroots organi zations have been doing this work for years but will now have the opportuni ty to be paid based on the successes of their clients. The IDOs will be paid monthly by a third-party administrator as program participants reach mile stones, up to $2,200 per program each participant completes, for a total of up to $8,800 per participant.

An example of this would be a per son who is enrolled in a literacy pro gram after failing an 8th-grade reading test. The IDO would be paid $300 upon the participant’s enrollment, another $300 when they complete the first six weeks of training, another $800 when the participant improves two grade lev els in reading, and another $800 once that individual has reached the 8thgrade reading level. The participant can then move on to another program track.

Each JumpStart participant has unique education, training and per sonal needs and the city will work with IDOs to make sure enrollees are on the

best path to achieve success, whether they’re enrolled in a part-time or fulltime program.

“No matter what kind of future you imagine for yourself, there’s only one way to prepare for it: build your skills,” said Nicole Sherard-Freeman, group executive of Jobs, Economy & Detroit at Work. “Whether you want a future in one of Detroit’s fastest grow ing industries like manufacturing, construction, healthcare or customer service, or you want to make the small business dream you have a reality, the economy is changing. We’re all going to need more skills than we have now to create the future we want.”

IDOs will be tasked with identifying long-term unemployed residents from the neighborhoods they’re already do ing work in and enrolling them in a JumpStart education or training pro gram. They will also coach and mentor each participant, monitor their prog ress and identify potential barriers to success throughout the program. Through the course of the program, the city plans to partner with up to 50 IDOs who have a proven track record of working with the long-term unem ployed and are qualified to do this work. The application process will close in 28 days.

To become an IDO, organizations must submit applications, which can be found at www.detroitmi.gov/suppli er. In the coming days, the City will announce a series of informational sessions where interested organiza tions will be able to get questions an swered and get assistance navigating the application process. Organizations that are not yet in the system as city suppliers must complete the supplier registration steps on this site as soon as possible.

Applications will only be accepted from those firms demonstrating a min imum of two years of experience pro viding the services requested in the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA)

for projects of similar scope and size.

City of Detroit Develops Program to Attract Future Employees Inclusion Goes Beyond Race and Gender

“There are more than 11,000 un filled jobs available today right here in the City of Detroit and employers need people to fill them,” said Mayor Mike Duggan. “We are calling on community organizations that already do this kind of outreach to help us connect with Detroiters who may have given up on the idea of finding gainful employment and breaking the cycle of poverty in their family.”

Sherard- Freeman told the Michi gan Chronicle previously that there is a plethora of jobs available in the city and that’s just the starting point.

Detroit At Work is a city initiative focused on preparing job seekers in Detroit to connect with prospective employers, from small micro-busi nesses to corporations.

Sherard-Freeman said roughly half of the residents in Detroit are work ing for small businesses, and invest ing in this sector is a vital part of the city’s continued economic growth and neighborhood economic development strategies.

“There is no shortage of opportuni ties for Detroiters,” said Sherard- Free man previously. “One of the measures of success or progress is resident em ployment.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of La bor Statistics the unemployment rate, as of August 31, in the Detroit area is 7.4 percent.

Tracking this year’s trend, the num ber dropped from 10.1 percent in June 2022 to 8.1 percent in July 2022.

Compared to previous years, the unemployment rate was at 16 percent in July 2021 and 28.6 percent in July 2020.

“We are up to 227,000 Detroit res idents employed,” said Sherard-Free man. “That doesn’t just mean em ployed in Detroit, just employed

By Sherri Kolade

“Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is not just a checkmark for good busi ness, it’s a way to transform the world.”

DEI Expert and Business Consul tant Dr. Nika White’s words serve as a reminder that during National Disability Employment Awareness Month in Oc tober, while acknowledging efforts to highlight the observance are important, so is fruitful work that goes beyond to kenism.

This month marks the 77th anniver sary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month which was developed with a purpose to educate about disabil ity employment issues and celebrate the many and varied contributions of Ameri ca’s workers with disabilities, according to a proclamation from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

The history of National Disability Em ployment Awareness Month traces back to 1945, and since the original declara tion of National Disability Employment Awareness Month by the United States Congress in 1988, Congress has con tinued to acknowledge the employment needs and contributions of individuals with all types of disabilities.

Whitmer said in the proclamation the

month is “in recognition of the import ant role people with disabilities play in a diverse and inclusive American work force.”

The theme for the 77th Anniversa ry of National Disability Employment Awareness Month is “Disability: Part of the Equity Equation.”

“Activities during this month will reinforce the value and talent people with disabilities add to our workplaces and communities and affirm Michigan’s commitment to an inclusive community that increases access and opportunities to all, including individuals with disabil ities,” Whitmer said. “The State of Mich igan will continue to take steps through out the year to recruit, hire, retain and advance individuals with disabilities and work to pursue the goals of opportunity, full participation, economic self-suffi ciency and independent living for people with disabilities.”

The Michigan Developmental Disabil ities Council (MiDDC) also acknowledg es the month with an annual awareness campaign that takes place each October.

Reflecting this year’s theme, MiDDC will be engaging in a variety of activities throughout the month to educate the public on disability employment issues and its commitment to promote an in

clusive work culture. These efforts in clude:

• Interviews with employers and employ ees on how people with disabilities contribute to Michigan’s workforce;

• A proclamation from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to recognize the 77th anni versary of National Disability Employ ment Awareness Month; and,

• A disability employment web page with tools and resources for both employ ers and employees to help foster a dis ability-inclusive workplace.

“MiDDC is proud to be a part of this year’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month,” said Vendella Col lins, executive director of the Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council. “October is a celebration of the vital contributions made by people with dis abilities to the workforce, and it is also an opportunity to advance workforce equity by building better work environ ments that are fully inclusive of the tal ents and skillsets of all people.”

October is also Global Diversity Awareness Month, which calls for ob servers to expand their horizons and be come more globally aware.

White, told the Michigan Chronicle recently that despite all the pomp and circumstance, there is a downside of DEI awareness observances.

White, a Forbes book author, con sults on creating professional spaces where people can collaborate through a lens of compassion, empathy and un derstanding.

She said that DEI is more than a

Dr. Nika White, founder of Nika White Consulting. Photo courtesy of Nika White Consulting

Business District

From

and adequate parking which can adapt to the development’s projected increase in traffic.

“We’re in a really unique period where for the first time ever, Black neighborhoods are eco nomically desirable,” said David Alade, co-founder and CEO of Century Part ners, a Detroit-based in vestment and real estate development company geared toward building sustainable, communi ty-centered development.

Starting in 2015, the real estate firm has pur chased and rehabilitated 25 units of housing on Atkinson St. between the Lodge freeway and Lin wood St.

“If you look at Atkin son [street], the vacan cy has decreased since we’ve been here in 2014 and 2015. The neighbor hood is more diverse, property values have in

creased. To me, gentrifi cation and neighborhood appreciation comes down to who really gets the positive benefits with de velopment. Can we use economic appreciation to actually help Black folks who never gave up on our city? Who had the oppor tunity to leave but never did…how do we get them to economically benefit from a generational per spective?”

Through initiatives like the Strategic Neigh borhood Fund, the city is incrementally building a framework of need-based neighborhoods through out the corridor of Virgin ia Park, Boston Edison and Atkinson St. By iden tifying infrastructure bar riers, city officials hope to encourage a business community to flourish as a return to a Black-owned business district that ex isted over 50 years ago.

“I always like to re mind people Detroit has been in decline since the

Race and Gender

From page A-5

hashtag and a monthly or weekly observance, and people must be careful about making such an important issue a trendy marketing gimmick.

“I believe that in and of itself there is nothing wrong with individuals and organizations doing cultural types of events or observances because it does have the ability to help people build up their cultural intelligence and their cultural humility,” White said, adding that a problem can be created if an organization is not well-versed on how to do it respectfully to where it is honoring a group that is part of that communi ty. “We need to be well knowledgeable to what is going to be meaningful to that population. That requires being collabora tive, asking questions -being curious [is import ant]. If the organization is only engaging in cul tural activities … it can feel very performative to employees and to others particularly part of that population… if the orga nization is not trying to align those observances with other systemic types of practices.”

White echoes the sen timents of IDA and said that this conversation around observances go beyond race and gender and extends to another area of DEI -- people with disabilities and “not only the disabilities we can see.

Equally important are the invisible disabilities,” White said. “A lot of the invisible disabilities you will find and was referred to as neurodiverse. Neu rodiversity qualifies with in the Health Care and the Americans With Disabil ities Act (ADA), which is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimina tion against people with disabilities.”

Most recently, it was also 2022 Invisible Dis abilities Week, observed October 16-22. The week brings awareness, educa tion and support to the week founded in 2014 and organized by non-profit The Invisible Disabili ties® Association (IDA).

“We are passionate about providing aware ness that invisible ill ness, pain and disabilities are very real! Our mission is to encourage, educate and connect people and organizations touched by illness, pain and disabili ty around the globe,” IDA posted on its website.

“What a neurodiver

gent person may need in order to feel welcome, productive and safe at work may differ from what’s available at that work place. It’s really im portant for organizations to be knowledgeable on what are the types of neu rodiversity.”

According to daiver gent.com, neurodiversity is typically often known for its tie to the autism spectrum disorder (ASD), however there are more neurological differences than simply ASD.

Some include:

• Dyslexia

• Dyscalculia

• Hyperlexia

• ADHD

• Tourette’s Syndrome

“The list goes on and on,” White said, adding that it’s critically import ant for employers to be aware of how neurodiver sity “shows up” in the workplace.

White added that com passion for neurodiver gent colleagues is key to developing solutions of helping these employ ees feel safe and produc tive in and out of the DEI structure.

“One [example] would be the physical space that can accommodate various employee preferences. Maybe they work best in a quiet space and not in an open cubicle where there is a lot of noise going on. Oftentimes the mistake we make is categorizing the individual and put them in boxes and … it’s important to make sure those colleagues do not feel ‘othered’ and that is a fine line. It’s important to ask. ‘What does support look like for you?’” White said.

She added that it’s not only up to DEI organiza tions to actualize these things – employees have to be a part of the conver sation and value the dif ferent needs of others.

“Those support needs could change from mo ment to moment,” White said, adding that as DEI organizations review their plans and strategies, they need to ensure everyone is accounted for at the ta ble. “They definitely want to make sure they are considering people with disabilities [both visible and invisible] and that they are not forgetting about those with mental or cognitive disabilities that may not be that ap parent.”

For more information on White, visit nikawhite. com.

1950s,” said Dan Austin, director of communica tions, Detroit’s Planning Department, Housing & Development. “You can’t revert things in a span of seven or 10 years. Proj ects like the streetscape and strategic neighbor hood fund are making a big difference.

“While there might be some people who dis agree, we are making sure it’s done through a lens of ensuring affordable hous ing and opportunities for small business owners, particularly of color, have an early entry to have a say in the future of this city.”

Workforce

anywhere. And that number was up from 224,000 in June. So that’s only 4,000 or so off from our pre-pandemic high…the numbers are trending up.”

Deputy Mayor Todd Bettison, who has been Duggan’s point-person on commu nity engagement and helping to lead this new effort, said that the city can’t reach many Detroiters who may have negative feelings about the government that are apparent.

“I can tell some people about these op portunities being available to them, but they won’t receive it in the same way they would if it came from someone fa miliar to them,” said Bettison in the ar ticle. “That’s why we are launching this effort to recruit some of our most trust ed voices in the community to help us get these residents onto a path that will help them raise their income and stan dard of living.”

Additionally:

• Applicants must provide proof of expe rience recruiting and managing meet ing participant milestones within the last two years as defined in the NOFA.

• Applicants must provide a minimum of three active program referrals.

• Applicants must demonstrate experi ence working with nonprofits, commu nity-based organizations and Detroit residents.

The application window will close on

Monday, November 7, at which point the City will begin the process of selecting IDOs.

This new program is co-sponsored by Council President Mary Sheffield, along with City Council Members at-large Mary Waters and Coleman A. Young II. Coun cil Member Mary Waters said, “Jump Start will give people a leg up and an opportunity to improve their skills and quality of life.”

“JumpStart is a difference maker and a game-changer, and I look forward to se curing this legislation’s passage,” said City Council Member Coleman A. Young II. “In the words of my father, the Honor able Coleman A. Young Sr., there is no problem in this City that a good-paying job can’t fix. JumpStart takes Detroit to the Next Level.”

“I am excited to join the Administra tion and my fellow colleagues for the announcement of this innovative new program which aims to address the high rate of poverty which continues to plague our city. Making the Jump Start program even better is the fact that we are engaging our local organizations and leaders and entrusting them to do this important work recognizing they are best positioned to connect with those in need,” said Sheffield.

The program will be funded through American Rescue Plan Act dollars made possible by the Biden Administration and is expected to open for public en rollment early next year.

Staff Writer Rasha Almulaiki con tributed to this report.

TO: ALL ELIGIBLE DISABLED VOTERS

Federal Public Law 98-435 requires that polling places be accessible to disabled voters.

If a polling location is not disabled accessible, this law allows the assignment of an alternate polling place. However, several polling places which were previously inaccessible are now accessible to disabled voters.

Disabled voters are entitled to vote at the polls within the precinct where possible. Pollworkers are obligated to provide whatever assistance is needed to facilitate the voting process.

Disabled voters with an inaccessible polling place are eligible to vote without notice at the:

Department of Elections 2978 W. Grand Blvd. Detroit, MI 48202

until the close of voting at 8:00 p.m. on Election Day. If additional information is needed, or to confirm disabled accessibility, please contact the Department of Elections office at (313) 876-0190.

Janice M. Winfrey City Clerk & Chairperson Detroit Election Commission

GINA C. AVERY-WALKER Director

GINA C. AVERY-WALKER Director

JANICE M. WINFREY, City Clerk Chairperson, Election Commission 2978 W. Grand Blvd. Detroit, Michigan 48202-3069 (313) 876-0190 Fax (313) 876-0053

JANICE M. WINFREY, City Clerk Chairperson, Election Commission 2978 W. Grand Blvd. Detroit, Michigan 48202-3069 (313) 876-0190 Fax (313) 876-0053

MELISSA D. KING Deputy Director

MELISSA D. KING Deputy Director

NOTICE TO DETROIT ELECTORS – PUBLIC ACCURACY TEST

NOTICE TO DETROIT ELECTORS – PUBLIC ACCURACY TEST

The Detroit Department of Elections will conduct a Public Accuracy Test on Thursday, Novem ber 3, 2022 at 9:30 a.m. via Zoom. The automatic tabulating equipment to be used for the com pilation of ballots at the General Election on November 8, 2022 will be tested.

The Detroit Department of Elections will conduct

The Public Accuracy Test is conducted to demonstrate that the computer program used to record and count the votes cast at the election meets the requirements of law.

The Zoom webinar information is as follows:

When: Thursday, November 3, 2022 @ 9:30 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Topic: Department of Elections - Public Accuracy Test for the Tuesday, November 8, 2022 General Election

Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://cityofdetroit.zoom.us/j/86880196728

Or One tap mobile : US: +12678310333,,86880196728# or +13017158592,,86880196728#

or +12678310333,,84824944699#

Or Telephone: Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1 267 831 0333 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 213 338 8477 +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799

Or Telephone: Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1 312 626 6799 or +1 267 831 0333 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 213 338 8477 or +1 253 215 8782

Webinar ID: 848 2494 4699

Webinar ID: 868 8019 6728

International numbers available: https://cityofdetroit.zoom.us/u/kb8dfYYNOn

International numbers available: https://cityofdetroit.zoom.us/u/kceqKKpyAq

JANICE M. WINFREY

M.

Clerk

Clerk

Dr. Cullian W. Hill Special Message To The Nation

Dr. Cullian W. Hill, the senior pastor of The Greater Concord Missionary Baptist Church and founder of the Commonwealth Academy School has been thriving for over 41 years. Dr. Hill and the Greater Concord Church has accomplished many goals as a congregation like feeding the community, continuing education for kids in the community and providing solid Bible based teachings.

“I’m grateful and thankful to thank God that he placed on my heart to organize Greater Concord Missionary Baptist Church and is truly blessed to see how God has sustained us down through the years. said Dr. Hill”. Greater Concord Church has been a beacon of light in the community and has been a place where the community has found refuge, hope and help for many years. For over 41 years, the Lord has blessed Dr. Hill to be a voice in educating the community with job readiness, voting, academics and education.

Listed below is a special sermon the Lord has laid on Dr. Hill’s heart for a time such as this with the election being just a week away. My desire is that this sermon will heal and help our nation become a better place.

When The Heat Is Turned Up Isaiah 1:18

As I come to us today to share with us why God brought divine retribution on the nation of Judah; in Isaiah 1:2, God said, “I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.” In spite of the fact God had blessed Judah tremendous ly, they rejected their privileges and rebelled against God. They became a sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity (Isaiah 1:4). Sin abounded on every hand.

God said unto them, “The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib; but Israel doth not know, my people doth not know or consider (Isaiah 1:3). “They had forsaken the Lord.” They had departed from God and that brought on the judgement from God. They provoked the anger of the Holy One. They went backward. They departed from God’s ways.

People think they are so smart that their path is better than God’s ways. So they drink, gamble, live immorally, and are perverse. Going backward, de parting from God’s path is more than deviating a few degrees off the right course, it is reversing, and going in the opposite direction. God said why should ye be stricken anymore? (Isaiah 1:5) “You will revolt more and more.” They went so far backward that it was no need to rebuke them anymore in judgements. So God turned the heat up on Judah. It was going to be devas tating and destructive. “From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores” (Isaias 1:6). Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire; your land, strangers devour it in your presence…. overthrown by strangers…. Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard (Isaiah 1:7-8).

God burned and destroyed the land until there was hardly anything left. Yet God had compassion in His judgement. He left a remnant. They should have been as Sodom … Gomorrah (Isaiah 1:10). They were com pletely destroyed. God was gracious in His judge ment. He is a gracious God! He said to Judah, what purpose is your piety. To what purpose is the multi tude of sacrifices… who hath required this at your hand… bring no more vain oblations… unto me… your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth (Isaiah 1:14).

When a nation becomes so wicked that their wor ship and their prayers are rejected; when you become so wicked that God says, “When ye spread forth your hands… I will not hear” (Isaiah 1:15); their sins would stop the ears of God to their prayers. God said unto the nation of Judah, if you don’t return back to me, you will suffer unhappy consequences. He said to them, put away your evil doings… learn to do well; seek justice (Isaiah 1:16-17). Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord; though your sins be as scar let, they shall be as white as snow.” The communica tion was universal. “Come” now. He could have said “Go.” The communication was undeserving, but it was urgent! Come “now” Paul said; now is the accept

ed time… now is the day of salvation (II Corinthians 6:2). The people of Judah had two choices. How we choose determines the consequences. God turned the heat up on Judah and He has turned the heat up on America.

Divine retribution fell on Jerusalem and Judah. God removed His blessings from them. He took away “the whole stay of bread… and whole stay of water” (Isa iah 3:1). Food and water are very precious. Often they have to be taken away from us to realize their value.

When judgement comes to the land, grocery stores will be empty and water will be scarce, which creates a hardship for all. “Mississippi”, New Orleans and other ports of the United States; floods everywhere!

When divine retribution comes, God removes shepherds of the people. The mighty men… men of war… judges… prophet… prudent… ancient… cap tain of fifty… honorable men… counsellor… artificer… orator” (Isaiah 3:2-3). In every area of life, be it pol itics, military, religion, business, education, etc.; the skilled leaders would be removed. The replacement is a form of judgement upon a wicked land. God said: “I give children to be their princes… babes shall rule over them” (Isaiah 3:4). Immature in thoughts, in ra tionale.

Our nation sees much of this in Washington, D. C. They are childish thinking. They can do many things without consequences. “Women rule over them” (Isaiah 3:12). This is a problem in America. Women are not made to rule over man. When they do, they are often impudent in attitude. Look at the attitude of the women that former President, Donald J. Trump supports. Isaiah 3:12 says they are imprudent. “They which lead thee cause thee to err.” Unholy politi cians, educators, and ministers cause many people to go astray. Deficient leadership destroys instead of building up. Lousy politicians destroy the foundations of a nation. This nation’s former president, Donald J. Trump is beneath being lousy. He is corrupt, immor al, psychopathic, irrational, criminal minded and a pathological liar. He corrupted many individuals in this nation.; and destroyed many lives. Many are in jail because of his criminal attitude; but the heat has been turned up on the former president. He has exhausted his legal tricks and is on his way to sit down in the wit ness chair. The grand jury is going to ask him all about his corrupt leadership. We believe he will take the fifth. He has already incriminated himself. He forgot about that program that was on the radio years ago. “Crime Doesn’t Pay”. Then the actor, Baretta said, “Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time”. Former president, Donald J. Trump has done more crime than he has time to pay for it.

God has blessed this nation. People have come from many places, trying to get to the shores of this country because it was a blessed nation. But Ameri ca has done the same thing that Jerusalem and Judah did. America has gone backward. It has apostate. The principles of God do not mean very much anymore. What used to be faithful is now unfaithful; what used

to be righteous is now unrighteous. This nation is re bellious… loaded with thieves and murderers. It’s a nation that has rejected God’s ways, injustice, insulting of righteousness, greed, bribes is the corruption in this land.

Atlanta, GA, allow me to encourage you all this morning. Herschel Walker is very immature. He knows very little about how corrupt Donald J. Trump is and the Republican Party is. Most of the Republicans have al lowed Trump to destroy their integrity. They are wimps now! Tell Herschel Walker you love him, but you can’t allow him to embarrass the Black race, because he is allowing the Republicans to make a fool of him, and be hind his back they are talking about how ill prepared he is to be a senator. They just want to use him to take away votes from Warnock. Just because he was a great football stat back in the eighties does not qualify him to be Georgia’s senator. Georgia must send Senator Warnock back to Washington, D. C. to represent us. Mr. Walker does not realize what the Republican Party is trying to do to Black people; if he did, he would quit today.

As a matter of fact, all blacks would leave the Repub lican Party. The redistricting and trying to take over the Secretary of State is what they are trying to do. They will destroy the election in November 2022. Come on black people and wake up! We only have a few days to come together. We have the people; now we need your votes. Enough said!

Now I must close. God has turned up the heat on America as He did on Jerusalem and Judah. As a mat ter of fact, on the world. He’s not pleased that His world, His people have gone backward. He has sent out a world-wide invitation, saying, “Come now.” He is saying to America; “I will ease me of mine adversar ies” (Isaiah 1:24). This means that God has shifted His attitude toward someone. God would have changed His position toward Judah because they changed their position toward Him.

Divine judgement had the purpose of restoring Isra el to the land in a holy state. It was to change Israel from a godless, idolatrous nation to a nation whose loyalties were for Jehovah – God. Israel would not change and come back to God. He had told them that it would be devastating and destructive if they did not return to His path and His way. So, the heat was turned up.

God sent Nebuchadnezzar in. He burned Jerusalem when he attacked Judah. Nebuchadnezzar spoiled the temple, meaning they stole many of the artifacts and carried them to Babylon. Some believed he built the statue with the gold they took back to Babylon. Amer ica, God will stay His hand if we will return to Him. Put away these evils and put away all of this unrighteous ness and put Jesus back into our lives. “Come now.” It is urgent! Sin has weakened this nation!

Pastor, Rev. Dr. Cullian W. Hill

ity. L ife

Spice Up Game Day

(StatePoint) It’s football season, and there’s only one thing to make game day a bigger win: delicious game day food!

Looking to add some kick to kickoff? Take flavor and heat off the bench and put them into the game with these recipes from Frank’s RedHot, Ameri ca’s number one hot sauce. Whether you’re tailgating or hosting from home, Frank’s RedHot Original Cayenne Pep per Hot Sauce, made with a premium blend of aged cayenne peppers, is a must-have ingredient.

Classic Buffalo Chicken Wings

If you’re someone who agrees that no tailgate or watch party is complete without wings, you’re in good compa ny. According to Chef Jordan Carfag no of Frank’s RedHot, chicken wings are the brand’s most searched reci pe during football season. And it’s no wonder, Frank’s is the original Buffalo wings sauce flavor. Anyone looking to kick their wings up a notch can try this mouthwatering recipe for a classic take on wings, and it can be made in the oven at home, or in an air fryer if you’re

Style

City Meets Life and Life Meets Style

Detroit Through the Lens of Young Black Creatives

By Rasha Almulaiki

The Michigan Chronicle spoke to Emanuel Terrell and Detroit Dar about their respective work as a photographer and social scene re viewer and what it means to own your image and flavor.

This article is part two of a dive into the city’s influencer culture and the young entrepreneurs at the helm of defining Detroit and its residents based on how they view themselves.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Emanuel Terrell

Emanuel Terrell, 27, is a photogra pher and owner of Piedmont Blue En terprise, a lifestyle and portrait pho tography and videography studio in Detroit. His work captures the Black community as they see and know themselves—”bright, bold, beautiful and vivid.”

Check out his Instagram pages at @officialmannyyfresh and @pied montbluent

Q: How would you describe your per sonal approach to photography and the people you capture?

Emanuel Terrell, 27, is a photographer and owner of Piedmont Blue Enterprise, a lifestyle and portrait photography and videography studio in Detroit. Photo courtesy of Emanuel Terrell.

Terrell: “I primarily shoot African Americans, but of course for all people, but I really like those types of por traits where people are nat ural, expressive and being able to capture a full person in color. A lot of times, de pending on the genre of pho tography, people don’t know how to capture people of col or’s skin tones. I hate when I see wedding photographers and the people are looking orange. And I’m like, oh my god! How did you not use color grading or the light ing…that’s not how Black people look like, especially ones that are darker toned.

“It’s important to me to de cipher skin tones from not only an aesthetic view, but really who they are as an authentic por trait. That’s why our slo gan is: “Be you, Stay True, Piedmont Blue!”

Q: What are your favorite types of photo projects to work on?

Terrel: “Family shots are always great to celebrate and capture people’s time together. Also, I love working with small businesses, particularly [busi nesses owned by people] of color. I connect with entrepreneurs of color, just because it’s the same struggle. A lot of times our community doesn’t get enough exposure, starting from the ground up and building their plat forms. I love knowing my work can help elevate their work.”

Q: If Detroit was a visual brand, how would you describe the city through your lens?

Terrel: “I would definitely say Detroit is full of energy and passion just like a Phoenix rising from the dead! There are many creatives and created brands that are local/born and raised here and that eventually their passions will in evitably arise and there will be new op portunities for all people to shape the future! Imagine the backdrop of the Detroit skyline with a Phoenix that is blue/red/orange rising!”

SOCIAL BLOG

Darwin Gordon (“Detroit Dar”)

Dar Detroit is a Detroit native con tent blogger promoting people, places and things in the city from chic fash ion to food, entertainment and hot

Q: Why did you decide to create con tent around exploring all things De troit?

Detroit Dar: “When I came back, I wanted to be involved in the city. I would go to places that I’d read about online or heard of and started record ing my experiences. It turned into con tent creating. I discussed what there is to do if you’re going to explore these places. The first video I did was at the skate park near the Ambassador Bridge, told people where you can take fun pictures, encouraged them to see the park and hang out at the bridge. There is so much in Detroit and if I post photos and videos about where I am, it helps people know what’s here and to try something new. Food or lo cal traveling, I try it so people can try it with me. I’m excited about all the changes in this city and I want people to feel my excitement in these videos.”

Q: What kind of opportunities have come your way with all the exposure you give the city?

Detroit Dar: “Opportunities with Pep

Going Rogue: Black Women Expats Build Their Lives Abroad

By Sherri Kolade

“Time and time again, the United States has shown people of color and Black Americans in par ticular that we are not welcome,” Janelle (Jash) Cooper, a travel content creator at Joyriding with Jash, said in an article posted on sweetjuly.com.

“In a country that we built, we have to work twice as hard to get half as far and it is exhausting mentally, physically and emotionally.”

Black women, it’s time to pack your bags and get a taste of where the expat life could lead you, wherever the wind may blow.

But before you pack your bags just yet, read on to see why so many of your sisters (and brothers) are leaving the country. Some began leaving in the summer of 2020 after the murder of George Floyd, sweetjuly.com noted, however, living the expat life has been a longtime thing for Black people (women especially) dating back decades.

From James Baldwin to Josephine Baker -many left America to obtain their dreams through

their artistic endeavors.

“I ran far away [from America] to a place called France…in that country, I never feared. It was like a fairyland,” Baker said of leaving for Paris.

Maya Angelou also spent around two years in Ghana as a journalist and university administrator.

According to insider.com, fewer than 300 people have traveled to every country in the world – Black woman Jessica Nabongo is one of them.

As the author of the book, “The Catch Me If You Can,” she details how for decades the international travel arena has been primarily white. In a growing movement, Black women are packing their bags and moving abroad to various countries to find their healing after enduring racism in the United States (more than any country) for so long.

At four years old she made a promise to herself of touring the world before turning 35, according to the article.

“I don’t fear strangers, I traveled to 89 countries

Detroit native Lauren Hood is an around-the-world solo traveler.

spots. After 10 years immersing him self in New York City’s high fashion in dustry, Gordon decided to move back after witnessing all of the changes and opportunities in the city.

Check out his Instagram at @de troitdar_ and Detroit Dar on Tik Tok.

Dar Detroit is a Detroit native content blogger promoting people, places and things in the city from chic fash ion, to food, entertainment and hot spots.

Living Abroad

From page B-1

solo as a Black woman, and I had an amazing time,” Nabongo, who has visit ed Somalia, South Sudan, Afghanistan and beyond said in the article. “My jour ney was made beautiful by the kindness of strangers.”

“I think for me, it was just an amaz ing opportunity to be able to go there, have those experiences, and then share those experiences with people because it wasn’t what everybody assumed it would be.”

According to Dr. Aminata Cisse, psy chiatrist and founder of Am Taar Well ness, burning out from an environment is common, whether because of internal or external stressors.

Detroit native Lauren Hood, visionary and urban planning strategist extraor dinaire who leads impactful commu nity efforts as the founder/director for a non-profit organization, Institute for AfroUrbanism, told the Michigan Chron icle that some Black women are tired of the stress.

“It’s [all about] how Black people are treated in the United States,” she said, adding that many sojourners are “look ing for something else.”

“[They] heard rumors of something else,” Hood said.

As an AfroUrbanist, Hood creates op portunities for Black folk to positively hold space for their own narratives in Detroit and abroad.

During a trip to Paris last year, Hood and a handful of other Black Detroiters went beyond sightseeing – by planting seeds of purpose and intentionality.

Through the Institute for AfroUrban ism’s Black Thriving Global Expedition: Paris, Hood led the trip for Black cre atives, photographers and community stewards who invest in Detroit in more ways than one. The group went to post

humously honor the late legendary en tertainer Josephine Baker, who received France’s highest burial honor on No vember 30 and was officially reinterred at the Panthéon in Paris, Black Informa tion Network reported.

Hood, who was scheduled to visit Venice, Italy, in early October, said that her travels are guided by other Black women.

“My traveling as a Black woman right now is guided by what other Black wom en are doing,” she said adding that the 59th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, is an art festival in which countries send one representa tive to share art stories there – the Unit ed States chose a woman this year for the first time, Hood said.

“I needed to check that out,” she said of celebrating Black women globally, and keeping travels light and with pur pose. “I feel like [compassion-based] ex periences ... are why we travel the world. Also, I’m just culturally curious. I un derstand the states. … Let me see what other cultures have to offer.”

Black Creatives

From page B-1

si, Tropical Smoothie, the Lions, Jet’s Pizza. I’ve gotten some really cool spon sorships with them. Helping promote small businesses has been really im portant to me because they understand the power of social media. It’s been cool to go to different places and collab in or der to bring people out.

“From here, I want to expand more to other cities in the Midwest, like Chicago or places in Ohio, where Detroiters can easily drive to and explore.”

Q: If Detroit was a social brand, how would you define it?

Detroit Dar: “It would be a cool street wear brand…but with an edge, some grit to it.”

CITY OF DETROIT

PROCLAMATION ANNOUNCEMENTS Proclamation

I,

The Moorish Science Temple of America

the

and truth of the Great Prophet Alli in America. To anoint, appoint and consecrate missionaries of the prophet and to establish the faith of Mohammed in America.

Quick Repair Projects to Prep Your Home for Winter

(StatePoint) It’s fall, which means it’s time to roll up your sleeves, make mi nor fixes and prepare your home before it’s time to hunker down for winter. Here are four easy DIY proj ects that will ensure your humble abode is in tiptop shape before the cold weather arrives.

Patch It Up

If you experienced storms this past season, survey your home’s exterior for any damage. Take a walk around the grounds and look at the siding and the condition of the roof, in cluding the garage and porch.

Use T-Rex Waterproof Tape to temporarily patch small holes in vinyl siding, loose shingles or leaks in your gutter. The tape is formu lated to withstand extreme temperatures and can stretch up to 700% of its original length, so it can be used for any indoor or outdoor job that requires a waterproof seal.

Making quick repairs will save you from expensive water damage costs down the road and help prevent any further issues arising during the cold weather season.

Lawn Improvement

As the leaves fall off the trees and onto the ground, an alternative to raking is to pull out the lawn mower. Trim the leaves into small er pieces, which can then be used as natural mulch around the yard and gar den. Layer the compost around perennial beds or other plants to provide in sulation and protection through the winter.

Mid-to-late fall, with the warm soil and cool air, is also an ideal time for plant ing grass seed, and fertil izing and filling in holes with the leaf compost. This will put you on a path to a greener lawn next spring.

Prepare the Deck

Before the first cold front approaches, make sure to clean up the patio or deck and store outdoor umbrel las, cushions and rugs in a safe spot in the garage or shed. If you notice any rot or wetness on the deck, it can be a simple fix by re placing the wood boards or using a wood filler to pre vent further damage.

Winterize large patio furni ture and protect items that are staying outside with a weatherproof cover. To keep the covers in place, secure them to the bottom of the furniture.

If there is a small tear in the fabric, mend it with T-Rex Clear Repair Tape. The all-weather, crystal clear tape has a waterproof

backing and an aggressive adhesive to stick to wet surfaces – plus, it applies securely at below freezing temperatures.

Squeaky Clean Exterior

Once the patio is prepped, turn your attention to the rest of the exterior. Debris and stains collected on the outside of the house during summer can set over the winter, so it’s a good idea to power wash away the dirt.

Start with the driveway, deck and windows and then take time to wash the siding and gutters, as long as you spray water in a di rection that won’t force it behind the siding or un der shingles. This project will help remove lingering grime, mold and mildew and ensure the outside area is clean and ready for winter.

After checking off these projects on your fall list, your home will be properly prepped so you can relax, slow down and enjoy the season.

delay – Open Enrollment ends December 7th.

Comparing Plans

Medicare plans can change their offerings every year –even your current plan may make changes. Medicare. gov makes it easy to compare coverage options, shop for plans and feel confident about your choices. You can do a side-by-side comparison of plan coverage, costs and quality ratings to help you more easily see the differences between plans. If you choose a new plan for 2023, you can enroll right there. If your current plan still meets your health care needs, you don’t have to do anything.

Things you’ll want to consider when shopping for Medicare coverage:

n Check if your prescriptions are included on a plan’s formulary and if your health care providers are in a plan’s network.

n Remember that a low monthly premium may not always be the best overall value for your specific needs.

n Review a plan’s estimated total costs to you, including deductible and other out-of-pocket costs.

n Check if Medicare Advantage plans offer extra benefits, like vision, hearing or dental coverage, if these are services you need.

n If you take insulin, there is a new cap on your outof-pocket costs. Talk to someone for help comparing plans.

Medicare Savings Programs Can Help with Medicare Costs

If you have limited income and resources, you could qualify for Medicare Savings Programs run by your state.

These programs could help you save money on health and prescription drug costs and could reduce your Part B premium from $165 to $0. For more information, contact your state Medicaid office or call 1-800-MEDICARE and ask about Medicare Savings Programs.

Information provided by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

Ways Medicare Can Help

To compare plans and find the best coverage to fit your needs:

n Find plans at Medicare.gov and do side-by-side comparisons of costs and coverage.

n Call 1-800-MEDICARE. Help is available 24 hours a day, including weekends.

n Access personalized health insurance counseling at no cost, available from your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). Visit shiphelp.org or call 1-800-MEDICARE for each SHIP’s phone number. Many SHIPs also offer virtual counseling.

Medicare Open Enrollment ends Dec. 7. Act now if you want to enroll in or make changes to your Medicare health or prescription drug plans for coverage beginning Jan. 1, 2023. If your current coverage still meets your needs then you don’t have to do anything. Remember, if you miss the Dec. 7 deadline, you may have to wait a full year before you are able to make changes to your Medicare coverage.

For more information, visit Medicare.gov/plancompare or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048. Help is available 24 hours a day, including weekends. If you need help

The Inflation Reduction Act will save money for people with Medicare by improving access to affordable treat ments and strengthening the Medicare Program both now and in the future. Through this new law, there’s a change to Medicare Part D insulin costs starting January 1, 2023. Plans can’t charge you more than $35 for a one-month supply of each Medicare Part D-covered insulin you take. And, plans can’t charge you a deductible for insulin.

To get help comparing plans if you take insulin, call 1-800-MEDICARE or contact your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). Visit shiphelp. org for locations near you. Also, starting in 2023, people with Medicare drug coverage will pay nothing out-of-pocket for adult vaccines, including the shingles vaccine, that are recommended by CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

in a language other than English or Spanish, let the customer service representative know the language. More information about Medicare is also available on the Medicare Facebook page and by following @ MedicareGov on Twitter.

Btwn Broadstreet & Dexter Ave 48204

S of Chicago 48204

48204

Near Meyers 48228

Near Livernois 48204

N of Tireman E of Livernois 48204

W. Grand Blvd Btwn Grand River & Lawton 48208

Tireman W of Livernois 48204

Tireman Street Near Livernois 48204

6830 McGraw W of Livernois 48210

Konkel Street 48210

Dexter S of Davison 48238

2425 Tuxedo At Linwood 48206

/ 446 4242 Collingwood Near Broadstreet 48204

/

/

/ 439 /

Detroit Collegiate Prep

Btwn Lawton & Grand River 48208

2200 W. Grand Blvd

Bethel Bpt Ch 8430 Linwood N of W Grand Blvd 48206

West Side Unity Ch 4727 Joy Rd E of Grand River 48204

Roy A Allen Sen Ctr 4924 Joy Rd W of Dexter 48204

St Stephen AME Ch 6000 Stanford W of Grand River N of Tireman 48210

2001 Martin Luther King Btwn Rosa Parks & Wabash 48208

Bur ton Int Acad

Frederick Douglass Academy 464 2001 W Warren Btwn Rosa Parks & 14th 48208

S of Michigan W of Livernois 48210

Cesar Chavez

Maybury Elementary School

Zion Chapel Of Ch

Clipper t Academy

Clemente, Roberto Academy

S Westrn Ch Of God

/ 479 4100 Martin St

/ 475 4410 Porter Street 48209

3000 24th St N of Michigan W of Jeffries Fwy 48216

/ 480 1981 McKinstry Street 48209

/ 474 / 488 / 489 1551 Beard

At Chatfield 48209

/ 486 3032 S Fort St Fort Street at Francis 48217

Mark Twain 485 12800 Visger At Fort St 48217

Calvary Baptist Church 1000 Robert Bradby Dr At McDougall 48207

Total lines: 169

For the purposes of voting for the following offices:

Governor and Lieutenant Governor Secretary of State Attorney General Representative in Congress State Senator

Representative in State Legislature

• Member of the State Board of Education

• Regent of the University of Michigan

• Trustee of Michigan State University

• Governor of Wayne State University

• County Executive

• Sheriff (Partial Term ending 12/31/2024)

• County Commissioner

Justice of Supreme Court

• Judge of Court of Appeals (1st District, Incumbent Position)

• Judge of Court of Appeals (1st District, Incumbent Position, Partial Term Ending 01/01/2027

• Judge of Circuit Court (3rd Circuit, Incumbent Position)

• Judge of Circuit Court (3rd Circuit, Incumbent Position, Partial Term Ending 01/01/2027)

Judge of Circuit Court, (3rd Circuit, Non-Incumbent Position)

• Judge of Circuit Court (3rd Circuit, New Judgeship, 6-Year Term)

• Judge of Probate Court (Incumbent Position)

• Judge of Probate Court (Non-Incumbent Position)

Judge of District Court (36th District, Incumbent Position)

• Judge of District Court (36th District, Non-Incumbent Position

• Judge of District Court (36th District, Incumbent Position, Partial Term Ending 01/01/2025

• Judge of District Court (36th District, Incumbent Position, Partial Term Ending 01/01/2027)

• Community Advisory Council (Districts 4 and 5)

Board of Trustees Member Wayne County Community College

• Board Member Detroit Public Schools Community District

If you have any questions regarding your polling location on Election Day, please contact the Detroit Department of Elections at (313) 876-0190.

MICHIGAN LAW MANDATES ALL VOTERS TO PRESENT VALID PHOTO ID AT THE POLLS OR COMPLETE AN AFFIDAVIT OF VOTER NOT IN POSSESSION OF PICTURE IDENTIFICATION. Acceptable forms of photo IDs: Michigan Driver’s License or a Michigan Personal ID; Driver’s License or Personal ID by another state; Federal or State Government photo ID; U.S. Passport; Military ID with photo; current Student ID with photo or Tribal ID with photo.

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the City of Detroit will be voting on the following proposals as presented and listed below:

Proposal 22-1: A proposal to amend the state constitution to require annual public financial disclosure reports by legislators and other state officers and change state legislator term limit to 12 total years in legislature.

This proposed constitutional amendment would:

• Require members of legislature, governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, and attorney general file annual public financial disclosure reports after 2023, including assets, liabilities, income sources, future employment agreements, gifts, travel reimbursements, and positions held in organizations except religious, social, and political organizations.

• Require legislature implement but not limit or restrict reporting requirements.

• Replace current term limits for state representatives and state senators with a 12-year total limit in any combination between house and senate, except a person elected to senate in 2022 may be elected the number of times allowed when that person became a candidate.

Should this proposal be adopted?

YES o NO o

Proposal 22-2: A proposal to amend the state constitution to add provisions regarding elections.

This proposed constitutional amendment would:

• Recognize fundamental right to vote without harassing conduct;

• Provide voter right to verify identity with photo ID or signed statement;

• Require state-funded absentee-ballot drop boxes,

• Require military or overseas ballots be counted if postmarked by election day;

• Provide voter right to single application to vote absentee in all elections;

• Provide that only election officials may conduct post-election audits; and postage for absentee applications and ballots;

• Require nine days of early in-person voting;

Should this proposal be adopted?

• Allow donations to fund elections, which must be disclosed;

• Require canvass boards certify election results based only on the official records of votes cast.

YES o NO o

Proposal 22-3: A proposal to amend the state constitution to establish new individual right to reproductive freedom, including right to make all decisions about preg nancy and abortion; allow state to regulate abortion in some cases; and forbid prosecution of individuals exercising established right.

This proposed constitutional amendment would:

• Establish new individual right to reproductive freedom, including right to make and carry out all decisions about pregnancy, such as prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, contraception, sterilization, abortion, miscarriage management, and infertility;

• Allow state to regulate abortion after fetal viability, but not prohibit if medically needed to protect a patient’s life or physical or mental health;

• Forbid state discrimination in enforcement of this right; prohibit prosecution of an individual, or a person helping a pregnant individual, for exercising rights established by this amendment;

• Invalidate state laws conflicting with this amendment.

Should this proposal be adopted?

YES o NO o

Full text of the ballot proposals may be obtained at https://www.waynecounty.com/elected/clerk/election-information.aspx or at the Wayne County Clerk’s Office, 2 Woodward Ave., Room 201, Detroit, MI 48226. A sample ballot may be viewed at mi.gov/vote.

Absentee ballots are available for all elections. Registered voters may obtain a ballot at the office of the Detroit Department of Elections, the office of the Detroit City Clerk or at any of our satellite/vote centers listed below.

District 1

WCCCD Northwest Campus 8200 W. Outer Drive Detroit, MI 48219

Greater Grace Temple 23500 W. 7 Mile Rd. Detroit, MI 48219

District 2 Northwest Activities Center 18100 Meyers Rd. Detroit, MI 48235

Tindal Activity Center 10301 W. 7 Mile Rd. Detroit, MI 48221

HOURS OF OPERATION:

District 3 Farwell Recreation Center 2711 E. Outer Drive Detroit, MI 48234

Heilmann Community Center 19601 Crusade St. Detroit, MI 48205

District 4 WCCCD Eastern Campus 5901 Conner St. Detroit, MI 48213

District 5 Butzel Family Recreation Center 7737 Kercheval Detroit, MI 48214

Department of Elections 2978 W. Grand Blvd. Detroit, MI 48202

City Clerk’s Office (Coleman A. Young Municipal Ctr.)* 2 Woodward Ave., Ste. 200 Detroit, MI 48226

• Satellite Vote Centers opened on Monday, October 17, 2022

Regular business hours: Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Department of Elections) Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (All other locations)

Voters may also submit their ballots by dropping it into any of our additional drop boxes (24 hours, 7 days a week) listed below.

Rouge Park Golf Course 11701 Burt Rd. Detroit, MI 48228

WCCCD Downtown Campus 1001 W. Fort St. Detroit, MI 48226

Messiah Baptist Church 8100 W. 7 Mile Rd. Detroit, MI 48221

District 6 Clark Park 1130 Clark St. Detroit, MI 48209

Kemeny Recreation Center 2260 S. Fort St. Detroit, MI 48217

District 7 Adams Butzel Recreation Complex 10500 Lyndon St. Detroit, MI 48238

not open on weekends

• Saturday, November 5th from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sunday, November 6th from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

• Election Day, Tuesday, November 8th from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

• Monday, November 7, 2022, per Michigan Election Law, Absentee Voting ceases at 4:00 p.m. at all locations.

Liberty Temple Baptist Church 17188 Greenfield Rd. Detroit, MI 48235

Detroit Pistons Performance Center 690 Amsterdam St. Detroit, MI 48202

North Rosedale Park Community House 18445 Scarsdale Detroit, MI 48223

Renaissance Baptist Church 1045 E. Grand Blvd. Detroit, MI 48207