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Detroit Takes Top 3 Spots on Most Dangerous Neighborhoods List

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Detroit has the three  most dangerous neighborhoods in the nation, according to a study published this week  on NeighborhoodScout.com, which lists the 25 most dangerous neighborhoods in America.

Four of  Detroit’s neighborhoods were ranked in the top 10.

“All four of these neighborhoods have the same problems,” author and motivational speaker Shaka Senghor told the Grio. “High levels of unemployment, drugs trafficking and easy access to guns.”

Read the whole story at the Grio


How One Contruction Entrepreneur Is Helping Put Detroit Back to Work

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Georgia native and current Detroit resident Marcus Jones, 27, found an opportunity to help get Detroiters back to work as co-founder and director of Detroit Training Center.  Jones, originally from Atlanta, moved to Detroit, Michigan after attending graduate school at Ann Arbor at the University of Michigan. He fell in love with Detroit after spending some time doing research on real estate development and neighborhood development and trying to understand how the city was going to turn itself around. Jones saw an opportunity in the city of Detroit for community cohesiveness and community redevelopment.

On Starting the Detroit Training Center

“So we started the Detroit training center in 2012. At the time I was working in Chicago but I was selling real estate in Michigan and I hooked up with these guys who were looking to expand their current business, which was a construction staffing company. I let them know that I was working with the U.S. Green Building Council and that I was working with schools across the country to help them develop sustainability curriculums. We started to talk, and again my background is in real estate, and I was like I want to do development here in Detroit. But their need, like my need, was there weren’t enough skilled people in Detroit to do the actual work. And so that’s where we got the idea that we need to start a school to get enough skilled people to do these projects. So I quit my job in Chicago, and we hit the ground running and we started the school with the money in our pockets and our bank accounts and we grew the company to what it is today. Today we’re a licensed vocational school; we’re licensed by the federal and state government and we train in the areas of Construction, Heavy Equipment, Facility Maintenance, and Landscaping. The ultimate goal for individuals in our program is to help them get jobs, get work, in areas that we train in. So we kind of grew out of just being a center that provides both federal and state licenses to a full fledge work force development provider helping people from the city get jobs in particular areas and developing long term career for people around the city. Over the last 3 years we’ve trained over 600 people.”

On Funding the Detroit Training Center

“We are a for profit organization. We all came together and put in our respective amounts in and divided up the shares and started doing business. We  got a couple of customers and from there we took the revenue that we were starting to bring in and we took that to a small community bank, the Detroit Micro-Enterprise Loan Fund. They were the ones to give us our first loan to help us do things like start paying ourselves, pay our instructors, find more materials to pay our students. Really, we’ve only taken out one loan, everything else has been revenue earned from our general course sales and workforce programs.”

“We train for both the private market, for companies that are construction or heavy equipment related. Individuals from the private market will send like 10 of their guys to us to get a specific license or certification, those companies do pay. For individuals from the city we work with the state and non-profits to put together funding to help cover the cost for the individual who might be homeless or unemployed. We have a unique program for dislocated workers or long term structurally unemployed and we create different funding mechanisms so that individual doesn’t have to pay for training out of pocket as long as they meet certain eligibility requirements they can get the training covered.”

Detroit Bankruptcy Turns Spotlight to Business DevelopmentOn Community Impact

“We just graduated 20 veterans. Previously, before these guys got into our program they were homeless. They ended up getting jobs. They were really looked down upon on by society, in my opinion because they’re older gentlemen, they’re veterans, they don’t own a home, they’re not working and they were staying in a homeless shelter. Well, we went in there, got the chance to meet some of the guys, interviewed them and we basically put them in the training program with the goal to get them jobs. The one thing that we found out was not only do these guys have hopes and dreams, but also they really had the determination to reach out there and go to work and want to work and continue to contribute to society. We feel that we have a huge impact here on the city because we train people to rebuild and restore Detroit. We want to continue to rebuild the workforce, because the more people that are out working making the city better, the faster the city can turn around and thrive because more people are paying taxes and more people have money to spend at local stores.”

On What’s Next

“We have a number of different training grounds around the city. We have our heavy equipment training grounds on the north end of Detroit. We have out actually training classes at Focus Hope. And we like our partnerships but we want to bring everything under one roof, in house. So we’re working with the city to try and build a state of the art training facility and that is our biggest goal; to create a one-stop destination vocational training school here in the city of Detroit. We’re real excited because we’re bringing a couple big private companies to the table, as far as tool companies, equipment companies, and just work with the city to put this bill together so that we can create a training center that one might see in the suburbs. Instead, this will be in the inner city and accessible to those that are here in the city and can’t make it out into the suburbs where usually there are better resources.

In Detroit we’re seeing a major renaissance where construction and development and buildings being put up everywhere or torn out everywhere and so the goal is to train as many people as possible so that they are working on the new light rail system that’s coming downtown, the new Red Wing arena being built, and different big high end projects where typically before folks in Detroit were excluded from these projects because they didn’t have the skills to work on them. We are training the next generation to take on these jobs so they can make an honest living by doing construction.”

You can learn more about the Detroit Training Center by visiting their website: http://detroittraining.com, Liking their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/DetroitTraining, and by following them on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DetroitTraining

Young Jeezy Inspires Youth at Juvenile Detention Center

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Image: Instagram

Taking a break from his Seen it All tour to drop a few words of wisdom and inspiration to some young people in need, Young Jeezy visited the Wayne County Juvenile Detention Center in Detroit on Friday, Nov. 7th while in town for his concert at Fox Theatre.

Speaking to a room of about 120 boys and girls, ranging between the ages of 8 and 18, the Atlanta rapper talked to the crowd about his humble beginnings and how they can overcome their current situations.

“This isn’t even the end of the world. This is just the point where you’ve got to make a decision,” the Detroit Free Press reports him saying. “You’re in juvenile hall — it (can get) worse from here. So you’ve got to make a decision. I just came here to talk to you — you’ve got to make the decision.”

Jeezy spoke to the crowd for about 15 minutes before going out into the stands to talk one-on-one with some of the young detainees.

“Detroit is not an easy city,” he told the youth. “I’m sitting here looking at y’all — you’ve got some serious looks on your faces. I can only imagine what half of y’all’s stories are. But when you sit down and think about it, all of our stories are the same: We just want to be successful, take care of our loved ones, and do the things we love in life.”

A few days before his Detroit visit, the 37-year-old made a stop at Temple University to offer some words of inspiration to the school’s football team. He was even given an official Temple jersey with his name on the back by the team’s coach, Matt Rhule.

Rediscovering Detroit: A City Worth Pulling For

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Leaving sunny Los Angeles to explore Detroit during the cold months is considered taboo here on the west coast but I made the trip.  It was Fall, the picture of cold and damp weather in Michigan. The first thought that came to mind was a humble prayer to Mother Nature, “Please don’t snow; I can deal with anything but snow”- she granted my wish. There is so much more to Detroit than what is being reported in the news.  While we could dwell on the obvious, the hidden gems and little known facts make this come-back kid worth visiting.

Don’t stop believing Detroit.

You want to know the real Detroit?  Visit a sporting event.  Once I landed, I met up with two Michigan writers for a Sunday morning boozy brunch which consisted of whiskey shots and omelets.  Detroit is home to the Two James Distillery and my senses had the pleasure of being run over by a bottle of their Grass Widow Bourbon.  Once brunch was complete, we opted for public transportation and took the People Mover to the Detroit Lion’s game to watch them take on the New Orleans Saints.  The heart of any town is the people that live in it and everyone came out to support the local team.  This is where we captured the true spirit of what Detroit is all about- not the past failures, but the hope that resonates in the people who chose to stay.  The Lions were outscored and played for most of the game.  At the point when there was 4 minutes left in the final quarter; I had predicted that the game was a lost cause and left early in attempt to beat the post-game traffic.  Upon arriving back to the hotel, I learned that the Lions had made a comeback and went on to win the game.  Just as they are doing with the city, the fans rallied behind their team and pulled them out of the deficit with support.

[RELATED: READ 10 TRAVEL ESSENTIALS FOR THE SAVVY TRAVELER]

When visiting, consider staying at the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center.   My experience was that of ease, safety, and sound sleep; I only wish they had sent me home with one of their mattresses sets as it was the best night’s sleep I have ever had.  You’ll wake up refreshed and ready to tackle one of the 500 museums located in the Detroit area. A few standouts include the Motown Museum, Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, and the Henry Ford Museum which houses the original bus that Rosa Park rode on.  Also, consider visiting the Underground Railroad Living Museum.  This is where you can learn about Seymour Finney, the hotel owner that helped thousands of slaves escape to Canada, while often times hosting pursuing masters in his hotel.

Downton Detroit is home to a diverse selection of restaurants and bars.  From Brazilian to classic American you won’t have an issue finding good food.  As a suggestion, try doing a food crawl starting with beer from Traffic Jam and Snug, truffle fries from Green Dot Stables, and lamb chops from Texas de Brazil.  If your time is limited, try Roma Café, Detroit’s oldest restaurant known for its authentic Italian fare.

While there are beautifully ornate ruins that serve as haunting reminders of the past, Detroit is at the beginning of a resurgence.  You can either be swept away by negative publicity or move forward by discovering the heart of a city rich in history and culture for yourself.  Don’t give up on the city of Detroit in the final quarter, they will come back for the win.

This article was written by Kitty Bradshaw | Website | Instagram | FaceBook | Twitter

The U.S. Auto Industry’s Unfinished Business

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The GM Renaissance Center along Detroit's International Riverfront. Detroit was the epicenter of the black-owned auto industry.

One of the bright spots in our nation’s economic recovery has been the comeback of the American auto industry. Less than five years ago, the near collapse of the industry was the principal contributor, along with the home mortgage crisis, to the Great Recession—forcing two of Detroit’s Big Three  automakers, Chrysler and General Motors, to resort to government-backed bankruptcy. Vehicle sales in the U.S. hit rock bottom in 2009, the year of the government’s $85 billion bailout, at only 10.5 million.

Now, those days are fading in the rearview mirror like a horrible highway pileup. At the beginning of this year, analysts forecast yet another robust sales year, after vehicle sales totaling 14.5 million last year—a 13% increase from 2011. The Detroit Three, with GM and Chrysler out of bankruptcy, accounted for 6.5 million of U.S. vehicle sales in 2012, up 8% from the previous year. The comeback of the U.S. auto industry, if not complete, is well on its way.

However, there is unfinished business: When will the recovery reach the ranks of African American-owned auto dealerships devastated by the Great Recession and near collapse of the domestic auto industry? For two decades, beginning in 1988, Black Enterprise ranked the nation’s 100 largest black-owned auto dealerships as part of our annual report on black business. That all changed in 2008, when hundreds of dealerships, a disproportionate number of them black-owned, were shut down by auto manufacturers.

As a result, our 2009 listing of the largest black-owned dealerships was reduced to 75. The following year, it was reduced to just the top 60, where the list has since remained.
The loss of black-owned dealerships over the past five years has struck a blow to our nation’s economy and meant lost jobs for African Americans. According to the Economic Policy Institute, a nonprofit Washington, D.C.-based think tank, 11 months after the recession began in December 2007, there were 19,000 fewer African Americans employed in the auto industry.

To boost employment as well as entrepreneurial opportunities for African Americans, automotive manufacturers and the rest of the auto industry must make it a priority to rebuild the ranks of black-owned auto dealerships. This starts with recruiting qualified candidates for ownership and providing the necessary training, development, and financing to help rebuild the pipeline of African Americans ready, willing, and able to own, operate, and build profitable dealerships. And unlike before our most recent recession, this effort should not be shouldered by the Detroit Three alone; all automakers, foreign or domestic, that have a significant U.S. market presence (especially among black consumers) need to step up to the plate and work with groups such as the National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers to create more opportunities for African Americans to own and operate dealerships.

The comeback of the American auto industry is a healthy and welcome development for our nation’s economy, with strong indications of continuing in 2013 and beyond. However, until the way is made clear for more African Americans to own dealerships, at least in proportion to their representation before the recession, the recovery of the auto industry is far from complete.

Entrepreneur Dedicates Small Business to Children Obtaining Job Skills

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Entrepreneur Darlene Alston, owner of Just a Bit Electric Tea Shop, took a gamble when she opted to set up her quaint vintage-style business on Detroit’s West Side instead of near shops downtown, but Alston says she did it for the children in her community who are in desperate need of entrepreneurial guidance and job skills.

Alston, now retired, invites neighborhood boys and girls ages 14 to 21 to work alongside her at the Electric Tea Shop for one year, where she affords them the opportunity to gain hands-on work experience and basic job skills.

“A big part of it [opening the shop], was to teach children to get a year of work experience and to try and teach them how to work, because a lot of other communities, have places where children can go and get a job–they can learn to work,” Alston says.

She recalls times she’s witnessed children as young as 10 years old in other neighborhoods, helping out at small businesses, learning important skills including how to handle cash, however she didn’t to see this on Detroit’s West Side.

The shop owner estimates more than 90% of the businesses on her block are black owned and says she does her best to involve them in the children’s learning  experience; as she believes the gap in employment preparation, in some communities of color, is caused first, by a lack of business owners and second, a disconnect between the existing owners and the neighborhood children.

All of Alston’s students participate in a three-month intensive training experience, where they learn the basics of the workforce, which include how to fill out an application, dress professionally, maintain a pleasant attitude, and most importantly, provide quality customer service.

“Just because you have a job, doesn’t mean you can keep the job– if your personality doesn’t reflect the business,” Alston tells her young participants.

After the initial three months, all students are prompted to answer the question, “What do you want to do?” allowing them time to determine their defined role for the duration of their stay. If Alston is unable to provide them with the training they desire, she reaches out to her surrounding community.

“If we’re not doing it here at the tea shop, then I try to engage other businesses along the block to see if they can intern with them,” Alston says.

The dedicated businesswoman adds that her ultimate goal is to cultivate entrepreneurship and to promote individuality, while assuring children that they are a valued commodity.

As an added element, Alston hopes to soon offer managerial training, teaching kids to handle daily shop operations.

“Our children don’t see themselves as valuable individuals that people will engage because people disengage,” Alston says. “I want to [think to themselves,] ‘I am somebody [who] no matter where I go, I add value to that situation because I have skills, I have knowledge and I have things that will enhance any situation that I get into.’”

 

 

The Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation Expands to Help a Community in Need

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Wendy Hilliard, hall of fame rhythmic gymnast and the founder of the Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation (WHGF), recently announced her organization’s expansion from Harlem to Detroit, Michigan, where she and her team hope to help a community in need.

[Related: Leap of Faith: How a Teen Ballerina Landed Dream Job at Dance Theatre of Harlem]

The Detroit, native was the first African American to represent the U.S. in international competition, but her historical accomplishments were not achieved without challenge. The lack of diversity in the gymnastics world, coupled with her personal experiences, inspired Hilliard to began a low-cost gymnastics program for urban youth. The program provides inner-city children opportunities to participate in the sport.

After nearly two decades of success, Hilliard is partnering with Architect and Urban Strategist Tom Sherry to open a WHGF facility in Detroit, that will also include community programs for boxing, soccer, basketball, and fencing.

BlackEnterprise.com caught up with  Hilliard to talk her foundation’s mission and purpose, the racial gap in gymnastics, and her new Detroit, initiative.

BlackEnterprise.com: What is the Wendy Gymnastics Hilliard Foundation and its mission?

Hilliard: To provide free and low-cost quality gymnastics programs for inner-city youth and people of all ages and abilities in the sport of gymnastics – a traditionally expensive sport. To create affordable opportunities and help ensure that aspiring minority athletes have an opportunity to succeed in gymnastics. To provide children with the opportunity that I had in gymnastics.

Explain the racial-gap in gymnastics, which you’re striving to close, and how filling it will affect the youth and the world of gymnastics?

Especially in recent years, there have been African Americans at the top in international, World and Olympic competition. There has not been a significant increase of participants on the grass root levels – primarily because of the cost of training. Most of the top gymnasts are the only, or one of the few, blacks in their gymnastic clubs where they train. That is totally different at the WHGF. Many parents express relief that there is a place for their child to take gymnastics where they do not have to be the only black gymnast. Gabby Douglas talks about this challenge in her book.

What will the new community initiative include?

In addition to after-school gymnastics activities for all ages and levels of gymnastics, the facility will also include community programs for boxing, soccer, basketball, and fencing. More than 400 local youth participate in WHGF programs in New York, every week, and we will strive to reach similar numbers in Detroit, over time.  In New York, the WHGF has produced gymnasts that compete on a national and international level. I would love to definitely have competitive gymnastics teams in Detroit. My experience as a gymnast in Detroit, made a world of difference. Our team, The Detroit Metro Gymnasts, produced national and international champions and an Olympian. We were travelling worldwide constantly and that gave the City of Detroit pride, and will make a world of difference for the youth of Detroit. Detroit a great sports town and primed to provide opportunities for the youth on non-traditional sports.

What impact do you hope to leave on these communities and how have they been impacted thus far?

The current top contenders for the 2016 Olympics, including Gabby Douglas, Simone Biles and Nia Dennis, are increasing interest in the sport among African American youth. In addition to helping reshape the city of Detroit, [by] providing affordable youth activities, the WHGF wants to ensure that aspiring athletes have an opportunity to succeed in gymnastics, as I did. After the summer 2012 Olympics in London, where then-16-year-old Gabby Douglas made history, becoming the first African American to capture gold in the individual all-around gymnastics competition, there was an immediate impact on the sport’s popularity.

For the first time ever, the WHGF had a long waiting list to enroll in the classes Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation provides. There is no doubt that the 2016 Olympics will have the same effect. We just returned from taking eight athletes to the National Championships in Tumbling and Trampoline. For our first time at these championships, we came home with 9 National medals, including Gold, Silver and Bronze. I witnessed how much pride this gave my athletes and their families and NYC. That will stay with them always and it is something that they had to earn. That is why sports are so powerful. They traveled to another state (the first time traveling to Texas, for all of the athletes, and first time on a plane for some) they made new friends and saw others that they competed with during the year– and it was very very special.

 

Prosecutor Kym Worthy Leads Charge to Complete Testing of 10,000 Rape Kits

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(Image: File)

According to reports, Wayne County prosecutor Kym Worthy has led the charge to complete testing on 10,000 rape kits that were once forgotten in Detroit. Her office has collaborated with the Detroit Police Department, Michigan State Police, and numerous other organizations to get the job done.

The effort has revealed more than 400 serial rapists and pinpointed thousands of suspects. The process for completing testing has been ongoing since 2009.

Worthy said in a previous interview with the Detroit Free Press that ensuring that rape kits are tested in a timely manner is necessary to prevent another massive backlog from happening again.

Worthy, known as the “toughest woman in Detroit” and the subject of an upcoming TV show, faced scrutiny after recently announcing that federal agent Mitchell Quinn would not face charges for shooting and killing Terrence Kellom, a 20-year old black man suspected of armed robbery. The prosecutor said forensic evidence and the testimony of some people at the scene show that the April 27 killing of Kellom was “justified by the laws of self-defense.”

Activists and family of Kellom had demanded charges be brought against Quinn saying the young man was shot in the back. He became part of the Black Lives Matter discussion that has sparked rallies, panels, and further calls for justice against cases of police brutality and deaths at the hands of law enforcement.

“Yes, black lives matter,” Worthy told reporters. “Of course they matter. But you know what else matters? Credible facts matter. Supportable evidence matters. Provable evidence matters. Doing justice matters, and the truth matters.”

 


Judge Greg Mathis to Join 17th Annual Black College Expo

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(Image: Warner Bros.)

Judge Greg Mathis, best known for the reality-based court TV show, Judge Mathis, has agreed to appear at the 17th annual Black College Expo, held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Saturday, Feb. 6.

[Related: Study: Global Skills Gap Widening Among Minority Youths]

“I am interested in young people overcoming the obstacles in their lives,” Mathis says. “I want to help prepare them to compete and take advantage of opportunities that will come their way after they’ve overcome barriers.”

Mathis understands that to compete today, higher education is needed. “You will not ‘outcompete’ your peers without a quality education beyond high school, whether that’s college or a trade school,” he says.

Clearly, higher education made a huge difference in the judge’s own life. A former Detroit-area District Court Judge, Judge Mathis hands down decisions on TV—the show is in its 17th season and airs weekdays (check your local listing)—that are legal and binding. One doesn’t get to be a judge with just a high school diploma—interestingly, a credential that the esteemed judge does not hold.

As a child, Mathis attended a Seventh-day Adventist church elementary school. His downward spiral started in 8th grade when he began attending public school. He dropped out in the 11th grade, never earning a high school diploma.

“Nine months before entering Eastern Michigan University I had been incarcerated as a 17-year-old and tried as an adult,” he says. After leaving the penal system, he earned a GED. But returning home to the same crime- and drug-infested neighborhood where he’d fallen in with the wrong crowd led to negative peer pressure and the temptation to yield to it.

“Thank God I was able to withstand it,” the judge now says. “Through affirmative action, I was accepted to Eastern Michigan, and there the peer pressure was to compete. There were no thugs at college to hang with.”

That’s why he’s an education advocate today. “The community work I do involves helping African American youth go to college,” he says. He chairs a Rainbow PUSH Excel Division which provides black college tours to potential students; he also serves on the board of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, which connects young people to scholarships and internships.

The Black College Expo, produced by the National College Resources Foundation, has announced that it will include an internship and career component at each of its expos. About 100 colleges and educational programs are expected to be on-site, and some schools are offering on-site acceptances, plus waived college application fees and on-the-spot scholarships.

“I’m excited to collaborate with the Black College Expo,” Mathis says. “I know firsthand the struggles of pursuing an education and look forward to encouraging students to unlock their fullest potential through higher education.”

For more information, go to the website of the National College Resources Foundation.

In the News: Flint, Michigan

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There has been a lot of recent news surrounding the Flint Water Crisis in Detroit, Michigan. Early last year, the Environmental Protection Agency was made aware of the toxic levels of lead that had leaked into the water after Flint made the Flint River its primary source of water due to a financial state of emergency, but they made no effort to make the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality treat the water.

This led to poisoning, sickness, and the possibility of long-term neurological damage in children. African Americans make up a whopping 56.6% of the city’s population. The crisis is now being referred to by many people as both genocide and environmental racism, and several communities and leaders are calling on Governor Rick Snyder to be arrested.

Here are three recent updates on Flint:

1. Hillary Clinton has made Environmental Racism a Campaign Issue
At the Democratic presidential debate on Jan. 17, Hillary Clinton responded, “the Flint Water Crisis” when asked what issue the candidates felt had been neglected during the debate. The following day, on Martin Luther King. Jr. Day, she continued to voice her anger. At an event in South Carolina, Clinton stated, “We would be outraged if this happened to white kids, and we should be outraged that it’s happening right now to black kids.” While the media have debated whether or not Clinton is trying to capitalize on a political moment or rather to help the community to fight their battle and raise awareness to the issue, her outrage has sparked much-needed attention on Flint.

[Related: 5 Ways You Can Help the Water Crisis in Flint, Michigan]

2. Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Chairman Urges House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Chairman to Have Governor Rick Snyder Testify During Upcoming Hearing.
On Jan. 28, CBC Chairman G.K. Butterfield sent a letter to the oversight and government reform chairman, urging him to call upon Michigan’s Governor, Rick Snyder, to testify during the latest court hearing. The letter held, “The harm experienced by the residents of Flint is irreversible and multi-generational. The governor has admitted harm, numerous missteps, and seemingly has a blatant disregard for the care of the citizens of Flint. Governor Snyder has been a central figure in the decision-making process that led to the water crisis and, to that end, should be invited to testify before the Committee.” Earlier in January, the CBC also sent President Obama a letter, asking for a thorough investigation of all entities that had oversight in the Flint water crisis, in addition to urging for immediate funding to assist the city in its recovery.

3. National Society of Black Engineers urges officials to make things right in Flint.
Neville Green, the national chair of the National Society of Black Engineers, holds that cultural responsibility is extremely important, and that the elected officials in Flint, Mich., have failed the community, as well as threatening their safety. Who did this impact the most? Its youth. the NSBE is actively engaging in donations, educating the community on water safety, and coming up with new solutions with engineers. The NSBE is challenging all civil leaders, black organizations, and student movements to join in the support of the movement, removing the dangerous substances and restoring the community’s basic right of access to clean water.

Business Renewal in Detroit: Former NFL Player Ron Bartell Invests In His Hometown

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(Image: David E. Rudolph)

With the recent renewal of business growth in Detroit, the focus has been primarily on the downtown area, however, the business boom spans beyond downtown. There are business owners who see the beauty in other neighborhoods and capitalize on growing businesses and creating jobs.

Ron Bartell, a retired NFL player who now owns Kuzzo’s Chicken and Waffles, is one of those entrepreneurs. He is on a mission to invest back in his neighborhood by making a positive impact on the community where he grew up. “My vision was to bring commerce and people back to the area so they could experience how beautiful the neighborhood is,” he says. “I also wanted to show the importance of investing in your own neighborhoods. We can create jobs, investments; come together and have a great time.

[Related: The Two Black Chefs Heating Things Up in San Francisco]

When he retired from the NFL in 2013, he started to develop investment properties in Detroit. “In the process of developing I was thinking in terms of tenants. I thought, ‘Why not start a restaurant?’” he says. In late January 2015, Kuzzo’s Chicken and Waffles was born. People come from around the country to eat there, and recently, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton visited the restaurant during her visit to Michigan, Bartell says.

Kuzzo’s Chicken and Waffles offers southern cuisine in an urban-chic space with a casual dining atmosphere. Located in the Avenue of Fashion district on Detroit’s northwest side, the restaurant has become a staple of the community. Bartell designed it with a communal responsibility, intricate details, and creativity. His focus on the community and taking pride in the neighborhood is evident throughout the building.

The scene of Kuzzo’s is the epitome of a successful business with a purpose. Bartell is happy to show that with vision, hard work, and determined success can happen. He wants to encourage others to do the same.

“I try to lead by example. I am no different from anyone; I grew up in the same neighborhood, saw the same things, and experiences. I want to stay on the straight and narrow and inspire young black males to know you can come out of Detroit (or any major city) make it and be cool about it. If I can inspire one person then I know I’ve done my job,” he says.

Yvelette Stines is an award-winning writer. Her work has been published in Essence Magazine, Uptown, Heart and Soul, Jones, Hispanic Executive Quarterly, and Green Build + Design, just to name a few. Her book Vernon the Vegetable Man encourages children to choose healthy lifestyle habits. Stines’ blog Calming Corners motivates readers to live a calm and healthy lifestyle. She holds a M.S in Holistic Nutrition and M.Ed in Education. You can find her calmly playing on social media @yvelettestines + @calmingcorners.

Loyola High School a Beacon of Hope in Detroit

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Detroit’s public schools have a lot of problems.

From corruption, to appalling conditions, to a relatively low graduation rate (77.3%) and high dropout rate (11.4%).

[Related: Modern Men, Timeless Values]

But in one small, all-male, all-African American Catholic high school, lives are being changed for the better. The senior class of Loyola High School has a 100% acceptance rate into college—the school’s sixth consecutive year of graduating young men bound for two- and four-year institutions of higher learning.

“We take a holistic approach to education,” says Wyatt Jones, Loyola’s principal. “We make sure a student’s basic needs are met. A student who’s hungry or emotionally unstable will not be able to learn.”

Many students have been underserved and arrive two or three grade levels behind. “We work to bring them up to grade level with an academic seminar, where they get extra attention, peer tutoring, and extensive work with their teachers,” Jones says.

Although there are several Catholic high schools in Detroit, Loyola is the only one seeking to answer the call of Ignatius and work with marginalized students that need extensive support.

“When you think about St. Ignatius and his charge to work with the poor and underrepresented, our school is the only one doing that,” Jones says. “These students can fall through the cracks without consistent support. Loyola definitely champions those values.”

Although Loyola charges tuition, more than 70% of its students receive financial aid. “Without the assistance of the development office most of them would not be able to attend a private school,” says Jones.

Juniors and seniors also work one day a week, following the Cristo Rey model work-study program. “Our school is community-centered,” says Jones. “We have a partnering parish that does a lot of outreach, and we are also part of the Jesuit Schools Network—but our demographics set us apart from other schools in the network.”

Loyola also provides support to its graduates. A transition coordinator on staff connects with the schools the graduates attend to create a network of resources that extends from Loyola to the campus.

“The vast majority of our students are first-generation, so we help to connect them to the campus writing center, the bursar’s office—we want our students to be aware of the wraparound services available to them.”

Jones says a challenge his staff works against is the impact of growing up without a father.

“It’s a generational curse. Young men grow up without fathers, and then become fathers themselves and they don’t know how to parent. So the male staff here models what it is to be a man in the way we dress, the way we speak, and the way we respect the women in the building.”

For more about Loyola High School in Detroit, go to its website.

A Co-working Space Grows in Detroit

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Katrina Turnbow is reflective when she speaks about her newest co-working space.

[Related: Silicon Valley Financial App Company Helps Support Minority Startups]

“The cool thing about that—it’s the neighborhood where I grew up. The significance is that the ‘67 riots actually happened on the corner of the shopping complex where I will be.

[It’s] pretty significant to bring something to a neighborhood that was devastated. We will provide co-working space and opportunity outside of downtown Detroit; once you get outside midtown and downtown [and] get to regular Detroit—people are afraid. [But] there are plans, which have not been a highlight…”

A Rarity: A Black-Owned Co-working Space

Turnbow is one of perhaps a handful of African Americans who have opened up co-working spaces. These are communal office spaces that are attractive to startups because they are affordable and provide all of the amenities of an office without the high costs of renting commercial space.

Turnbow acquired her first co-working space, An Office in Detroit, in February.

“The guy who owned it before was kind of grassroots; there was mismatched furniture,” she says. “I felt it had the right kind of people. I am changing and adding some things, but the people I have been meeting are true business owners trying to get their businesses off the ground or are established and don’t want to be in a coffee shop.”

Out of the Mainstream Startups, Welcomed

She is particularly focused on luring African American-owned startups or any fledging company or entrepreneur that may feel out of the mainstream.

“Detroit can be very cliquish and segmented. If you are not young and hip and just a regular business and don’t come from that world, I’ve heard people say it’s intimidating. Or if you are not super young… I’m a mother with two kids,” Turnbow says.

“It’s more of a true community and not based upon everyone. It’s OK if everyone is not super successful right now—that is one of the things—it’s real organic.”

She is set to open her second location in downtown Detroit this month. This co-working space will also double as a digital marketing studio, as Turnbow’s background is in marketing.

Minority Entrepreneurs: A Big Part of Detroit’s Comeback

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Written by Chairman and CEO of JP Morgan Chase & Co Jamie Dimon 

Detroit was a train wreck in the making for 30 years. But there is nothing that symbolizes Detroit’s comeback more than the city’s entrepreneurial spirit.

Today, Detroit is home to over 61,000 small businesses, including about 50,000 minority-owned small businesses. It is the fourth largest city for minority entrepreneurship. These entrepreneurs are opening restaurants downtown, rebuilding homes, and helping repair thousands of streetlights that were broken for years across the city.

Long-time Detroiters, millennials, and immigrants are establishing small businesses because the economy is growing and Detroit is an affordable place to open a business. With sectors like healthcare and advanced manufacturing improving, Detroit’s regional GDP has outpaced the national average, and it is the fifth largest export market in the United States.

Detroit has established itself as a city that welcomes and encourages business investment and wants all residents to participate in its recovery. It’s a good time to be an entrepreneur in Detroit. Helping small businesses grow is one of the many ways JPMorgan Chase’s $100 million investment is supporting the city’s comeback.

Still, challenges loom large for would-be entrepreneurs. They need to secure capital, licenses, and permits while handling their own marketing, accounting, and hiring. Fortunately for Detroiters, the city and its partners offer access to valuable resources that businesses need to get off the ground and grow.

April Anderson’s experience offers a useful illustration. I met April last year during a meeting with entrepreneurs at TechTown, a business incubator and accelerator in Detroit that provides workspace and technical advice to a wide range of businesses. April was born and raised in Detroit. From an early age, she had a passion for baking, but never dreamed that it could lead to her owning a business. In 2010, she went back to school to study pastry arts at Macomb Community College.

Detroit Kitchen Connect, an initiative of Detroit’s Eastern Market and FoodLab Detroit, helped April access a licensed commercial kitchen and other support services that allowed her to expand the number of baked goods that she could make from scratch. With this support, April was able to open Good Cakes and Bakes in Detroit’s Bagley neighborhood, and her goal is to one day make her kitchen available to other food entrepreneurs. By the way, a salient fact after a conversation with April last year is how proud she is of herself and her business. She said opening her own business is the hardest thing she’s ever done. But she absolutely loves it.

In April’s case, her community offered her resources that helped her build a thriving business. But we know that some entrepreneurs, especially minorities, continue to face enormous barriers to success.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan recently told me that the most important thing we can do to boost the city’s growth is support its minority entrepreneurs. I believe it is the job of institutions including banks, nonprofits, and government to collaborate and rise to this challenge by creating an inclusive environment where more people can fulfill their entrepreneurial dreams.

To do this, we need to focus on a few key things.

First, we need to expand access to capital, a challenge that disproportionately impacts minority businesspeople. Recent research shows that African American and Hispanic-owned businesses start with about half as much capital as nonminority-owned firms. They also rely more on investments from personal or family wealth than nonminority families.

Late last year, the Detroit Development Fund (DDF), with support from JPMorgan Chase and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, created a fund to make loans to neighborhood businesses owned by entrepreneurs of color. With our support, DDF can offer financing to small businesses that do not qualify for traditional loans. To date, DDF has made 18 loans to 15 businesses valued at over $1.3 million, with a goal of lending $6.5 million to Detroit-based small businesses that are owned by minorities or hire minorities.

Entrepreneurs need more than just capital to succeed—they also need technical advice on business planning, marketing, and many other critical capabilities. Organizations like TechTown, Eastern Market, and other business incubators are providing just that sort of hands-on help, creating clusters of small businesses that can foster a virtuous cycle of startup growth.

Finally, there has to be citywide recognition that small business growth is a serious investment in its future. According to research by the JPMorgan Chase Institute, nearly 60% of consumer spending in Detroit occurs at small businesses, compared to an average of 36% in the 14 other cities the Institute surveyed. And small business spending in Detroit is growing significantly faster—at 8.3%—than the 15-city average of 5.2%.

The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in Detroit. People like April Anderson are not anomalies—they are bellwethers of the city’s resurgence. When we lower the barriers to business creation, especially for minority small business owners, we can unleash a wave of inclusive growth that will benefit not just them, but the entire city.

Jamie Dimon is the Chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase & Co. Two years ago, JPMorgan Chase made a $100 million, five-year commitment to Detroit’s economic recovery.

Five Confidence Boosters That Will Advance Business Acumen

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Confidence Boosters Teia Harris, Founder of Love Publicity Public Relations Firm

It can be easy for entrepreneurs to get discouraged—especially when sales are low, opportunities seem scarce, and competitors appear to be prospering faster.

However, it’s important to be conscious of ways you can build your confidence during the ebb and flow of running a business. Teia Harris, founder of Detroit-based public relations agency Love Publicity, learned to push through hurdles on the way to building a solid business that maintains a high client-retention rate and a high volume of daily new-business inquiries.

“Six years ago when I launched my agency, I had a hard time getting clients who recognized the value of my creativity and intellectual power,” Harris said. “I knew my worth because I was able to deliver when clients gave my company the opportunity, but as a new entrepreneur, I often struggled with proclaiming that worth to others and also closing deals with equitable pay.”

Here are Harris’ top five practical tips for building confidence in your business.

  1. Exercise tunnel vision. What is your goal? Now, imagine what it would be like to achieve it. When you create a concise vision of what you want your business to become, you can identify steps that will get you closer to that goal. Checking off small and big victories on the way to your ultimate objective will build your confidence during the course.  
  2. Be direct. Once you have a vision, be diligent and decisive about taking the steps to get there. When you’re assertive, you ask the right questions to get what you need and want. With the mindset that you must straightforwardly ask for or tell people what you need and want, the probability that you will get those things increases.
  3. Become a know-it-all. The more time you spend studying your craft and your industry, the more comfortable you will be talking about your work to other people each day. With time and experience, you’ll be viewed as an expert in your field. In order to sustain that kind of rank though, you have to keep up with the changes in your industry. Know-it-alls have at least one thing in common: they don’t stop learning.  
  4. Celebrate the wins. While you should not become complacent in your success; don’t ignore small wins, as they are opportunities to build your confidence. Success is not a race; it’s a marathon. Every checkpoint is a victory worth celebrating.
  5. Be optimistic. Feeding your brain with positivity sends encouraging signals to the muscle that keeps you going. Establishing a network of inspirational business trailblazers surely will help raise your confidence. Read about other people in business and also write and recite daily affirmations to reinforce the mindset: “I can do it, too.” Try posting these messages on a sticky note or setting alerts on your cell phone as reminders to stay motivated.

Catch up with Teia by visiting her website at LovePublicity.com and by following her on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.


Detroit Engineer: Turn Buses Into Rolling Tech Teaching Labs

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Detroit

An Amazon engineer hailing from Detroit has a novel idea for that city’s unused school buses: turn them into mobile tech labs.

Thomas Phillips presented his idea at last month’s Hack the Central District Cultural Innovation Conference (Hack the CD) in Seattle, according to The Detroit Metro Times. The Aspire Tech Bus would be a school bus modified into a mobile tech lab. In this lab, students will work on coding projects as an actual software development team.

The students will learn basic and advanced topics in full stack Web development: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for front-end development, and NodeJS and ExpressJS for back-end development. Students will also be taught to build a website and a server from scratch. Furthermore, Phillips’ vision extends to teaching career skills as well, such as project management skills, how to create LinkedIn profiles, and how to establish professional email addresses.

The planned curriculum includes two 16-week courses, in total. The mobile lab students will receive a Raspberry Pi computer. By the end of the program, they will have a portfolio of coding projects to present to potential employers.

“I envision this project as a ‘high-tech, voc-tech,'” he says, as giving students high-tech skills before college will better position them for success. “Some of them will choose to pursue their education further at the college/ university level, others will venture into the entrepreneurial sector. Both of these have far reaching implications that reverberate across the world,” said Phillips at the event.

Phillips’s project has already attracted attention, and he will soon launch a Kickstarter campaign for more support. “I want to drive around to different locations in the city and teach web development or other advanced STEM programming concepts to kids in Detroit,” he said in an interview. His goal is to eventually roll out his program to other underserved communities and school districts.

Meet Coralee Luxe Events – The Detroit David Tutera of Weddings

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coralee

Celebrations are one of life’s truest pleasures, but planning them can be a real problem. After all, there are tables to decorate, a venue to secure, entertainment to book—the list goes on and on. Fortunately, Metro-Detroit’s luxury event expert Coralee Harris, CEO of Coralee Luxe Events, was on hand to handle one of Detroit most momentous weddings—right down to the smallest details. From drapery to up lighting, Harris and her team of qualified experts created the most romantic and beautiful fairytale wedding over the weekend. 

“My wedding wasn’t only impeccably designed, planned, and executed, it was also a dream come true. It was magnificent and memorable,” said Melanie Bowers (newlywed).

Harris’s personal touch of glamour is what makes her designs unmatched. She is known for her luxurious forward event styling; her designs usually feature innovative colors, themes with sparkle and bling. Harris sat down with Black Enterprise to discuss how she got her start in the wedding industry, what inspires her, and how she used social media to grow her business.

On how she got started in the wedding industry

“I volunteered to help a friend with her wedding and began to receive rave reviews about the décor. The questions “Who decorated?” “Can we have their contact?” spread wildly throughout the wedding party. I began growing a contact list based on word of mouth for a business that was to come. I’ve always been creative; it just took that one event to show myself that I had what it took to become successful.”

On what inspires her 

“I find inspiration in the everyday. I wake up happy knowing that I can make clients’ dream event come true. The feeling I receive from mastering a design is an overwhelming rush of risk, excitement, and fulfillment. Witnessing the smiles on my clients’ face after they walk into the room of their fully executed event gets my heart and creativity pumping. I simply enjoy the challenge of coming up with new themes and luxury event layouts and bringing those unique moments to life through style and décor.”

On using social media to grow her business

“Online reputation is where many companies have the most impact on customers. Social engagement, customer reviews, and other aspects contribute to someone’s decision to make that initial purchase. I post all day every day. My social media following looks forward to my posts. I use social media posts to drive targeted traffic to my business. I use it to boost my website SEO. I use it for client leads. A strong social media presence builds brand loyalty, and if done right, repeat paying happy customers. I receive 75% of business through my social media. I am a design artist. My work is visual, and I need a visual platform to showcase my work to the public, and social media is the perfect tool to do so.”  

You can learn more about Coralee Harris by visiting her website at www.coraleeluxeevents.com and following her on Instagram at CoraleeLuxeEvents.

Skinphorea Facial Bar Offers Facial Cocktails with a “Happy Hour” Feel

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facial

As day spas and beauty bars develop throughout the metropolitan Detroit area, this one has drawn the attention of Royal Oak’s rising beauty and retail community. Skinphorea Facial Bar is metro Detroit’s first and only high-concept facial bar, offering customers a facial with a “Happy Hour” feel including add-on services called “$10 Shots.”

The Skinphorea facial menu features all-natural 30-minute express facials with custom-designed cocktail treatments. Skinphorea also offers body-waxing services from licensed, certified experts. While being serviced, guests will be treated to a complimentary drink or smoothie of all-natural ingredients.

“As women are becoming more health-conscious and wanting to look and feel their best to excel in the workforce, my business partner, Shareese Shorter, and I wanted to change the dynamics and improve on the standard facial experience, said Jessica Hayes-Stallings, Skinphorea founder/co-owner and licensed skin care therapist. “We also wanted to bring skin education back to the forefront of the spa industry as well as incorporate express skin services for women on-the-go, without breaking their budgets.”

Skinphorea Express Facial Services:

  • Chemical Peels
  • Enzyme Peels
  • LED Light Therapy
  • Microdermabrasion
  • Oxygen Facials

“You can order customizable vegan facial cocktails from our ‘Happy Hour’ menu with the help of our skincare therapist, to ensure that you’re getting the right treatment for your skin type and still make it back to the office in time for your afternoon meeting,” said Shareese Shorter, co-owner and director of business development.

To learn more about Skinphorea, please visit www.skinphorea.com.

 

Tech Innovator of the Week: Terrence Southern, Robotics Engineer

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Terrence Southern

Terence Southern is an influential robotics engineer that holds many awards and honors. He will be part of a distinguished panel discussing artificial intelligence and robotics at Black Enterprise’s TechConneXt Tech Summit.

He is as passionate about his work and research in robotics technology as he is about creating STEM opportunities for children in underserved communities—reflective of his own humble beginnings.

Southern is the lead Global Robotics and Automation engineer with GE Global Research. He is responsible for the automation strategy for all GE business units. For 15 years, he worked with a number of Fortune 500 companies, advancing their robotics technology and deploying nearly 2000 robots throughout his career.

A member of the National Society of Black Engineers, Southern has won many awards from peers in this field and is recognized as one of the leaders and influencers in the robotics space. In 2015, he was named the “Dallas 40 Under 40,” and he was presented with the Black Engineer of the Year Awards as “Most Promising Engineer in the Industry.”

Other honors include:

  • HBCU Distinguished Alumni Recognition (2011)
  • Engineering Society of Detroit’s Excellence in Leadership Award (2009)
  • U.S. FIRST Lego League Michigan Adult/Mentor Award (2008)
  • Black Engineer of the Year Award “Modern Day Technology Leader” (2007)

Additionally, Southern is the CEO and chief consultant of HarozTec, where he consults, mentors, and manages entities in providing educational strategic planning, project management, and research solutions.

Despite a busy professional life, Southern makes time to pay it forward. He founded Illuminate S.T.E.M. to advance future workforce opportunities for K-12 students in related areas of science, technology, engineering, and math, through interactive curriculum and competitive, project-based learning concepts. He is constantly looking for new means by which to stimulate young minds and to cultivate a generation of leaders in robotics and automation.

A native of Detroit, Southern is a proud father to two-year-old daughter Zorah. He holds a B.S. in Computer Science from Tennessee State University College of Engineering.

Ford Motor Invests $6M in Motown Museum Expansion

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Motown

Motown legend Berry Gordy helped create a trailblazing new sound in American music. He formed his musical empire in 1959, overseeing all of its operations from a Detroit house dubbed “Hitsville U.S.A.” He reportedly modeled his business, which became a global hit-making factory, after the Ford Motor Co. assembly line. Today, the famous Hitsville U.S.A. house and Studio A, where Motown Records changed the music industry forever, is a landmark and the location of the Motown Museum.

Adding another chapter to the history books of the Motown story, Ford and Ford-UAW announced a $6 million investment as lead donor in a $50 million expansion of Motown Museum. In a press statement, Joe Hinrichs, president, The Americas, Ford Motor Co., commented, “We are thrilled to play a role in the next chapter of a global music icon, who will hold a leadership position as part of the expansion efforts.” He added, “The enhanced museum will not only upgrade the visitor experience, it also fits with our commitment to investing in the cultural heritage of Detroit and southeast Michigan.”

“It is very gratifying to support the expansion of the Motown Museum, and in doing so, we strengthen an institution that has great historical and cultural significance to our region and the world,” said Jimmy Settles, vice president, UAW in a statement. “This partnership also allows us to continue our commitment to the Motown Museum’s surrounding community, which is a community that many Detroit natives treasure.”

 

A BE 100s Pioneer

A record producer and talented songwriter, the music industry icon also was an innovator who created a business model for entrepreneurs in the entertainment industry. Gordy received an $800 loan from his family’s Ber-Berry Co-operative. The co-op was the brainchild of his eldest sister Esther, and it provided seed money for the establishment of Berry’s first record company, Tamla, in 1959, which became Motown Record Corp. in 1960.

In 1973, Black Enterprise debuted its annual ranking of the nation’s largest black-owned businesses, referred to as the BE 100, a compilation of those companies that had grown more than a million dollars annually in sales. For more than a decade, Motown Industries was the sales leader on every BE 100s list, with a sales increase from $40 million to $91.7 million.

 

Upgrade of Landmark Motown Museum

“Motown and Ford Motor Co. have wide and deeply connected roots,” said Robin R. Terry, chairwoman and CEO, Motown Museum, in a statement. “As two Detroit-born brands, they have had— and continue to have today—a transformative and profound impact on creativity and innovation around the world.” Terry added the donation will ensure that the “important musical and cultural legacy is preserved and positioned to inspire the next generation of creative and innovative minds.”

As part of the Ford and Ford-UAW investment, the expanded Motown Museum will include:

  • Ford Motor Company Theater, a state-of-the-art performance venue
  • Educational, music and other programming tied to Ford’s ongoing student and community outreach initiatives
  • CARaoke Experience, in which visitors take part in an interactive Ford-branded activity that incorporates music with Ford vehicles
  • Ford will be official vehicle of Motown Museum

The commitment is part of an additional $10 million Ford Motor Co. and Ford Fund, the company’s philanthropic arm, are contributing to Detroit over the next five years. Ford Motor and Ford Fund are already investing $20 million in local educational and community programs for 2016. Over the last 10 years, Ford and Ford Fund have made community investments totaling $161 million in the region.

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