This was not a day for Hollywood. Fifty years later, it remained – for me – a day of anger, hurt, resentment and tragedy. I wasn’t here to witness Detroit’s deadly, devastating 1967 uprising, which began July 23 and lasted for several unforgettable days, but I wear its scars. By riding past the crumbling landmarks […]
Born and raised Detroiter Albert Williams says he’s a fan of Mayor Mike Duggan because he thinks “he’s sticking up for the neighborhoods.” His mother Tommie Williams lives next door to her son in the Greenview neighborhood. She is more skeptical of Duggan. “We’ll see,” is all she will say. Albert and Tommie Williams are […]
Over the last week, some have taken to the airwaves and social media attacking my character, my intelligence and most importantly my ability to represent the interests of District 5 residents. Most days, Monday through Sunday, I dedicate a minimum of 12 hours to studying materials, meeting with residents and business owners, assisting constituents and […]
Little Caesars Arena stands as a glowing symbol of Detroit’s economic resurgence. Admittedly, the Detroit tax-payer supported arena is fueling job creation and spin-off developments, but not for us in Detroit. Something’s clearly amiss when 90 percent of the hard hats in the arena and other publicly-funded construction sites are worn by Caucasians. It seems […]
Pretty women wonder where my secret lies. I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size But when I start to tell them, They think I’m telling lies. I say, It’s in the reach of my arms The span of my hips, The stride of my step, The curl of my lips. I’m […]
As United Neighborhood Initiatives (UNI) completes renovation of a historic community building, I hear a familiar question: “Wouldn’t it have been better to tear down the old structure and build a new one?” Those wondering about the reason for UNI’s current work on the original 1923 portion of the Lawndale Center, in Detroit’s Springwells area, […]
More than a million. Since 1950, approximately 1.2 million people have left Detroit — a number equivalent to the population of Dallas. And the exodus continues, albeit slowing. According to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau data, the city is home to approximately 673,000 people and is barely hanging on in the top 25. While the […]
A lot can happen in ten years. A seed can grow into a tree. A baby can grow into an exuberant child. A student can go from junior high to college graduate. ARISE Detroit! Neighborhoods Day has done lot of growing over the past 10 years as well, going from baby steps with 55 community […]
“Wait,” I remember asking my mom as we drove under the bridge next to the Detroit Zoo, “So we’re a mixed race family?” It took me 17 years to realize that from the outside, we were a family of blended colors, cultures, identities, and histories. I am half Mexican and half white. My mother is […]
In the not too distant past, church was the place where you learned the basics of social grace. Through “Tom Thumb” weddings, fashion shows, “Little Miss & Mister” contests and memorized pageant lines, the youth learned how to walk, talk, sit and generally behave. The Golden Rule governed and it was understood that the mothers […]