American Black Journal
2024 Small Business Workshop explores practical solutions to navigate evolving business landscape
The Small Business Workshop, hosted by The LEE Group, returns for its 10th year on Wednesday, May 15 at The Corner Ballpark. Presented by Fifth Third Bank, the sold-out event is expected to draw a crowd of small business owners and entrepreneurs, industry leaders and other community advocates.
Grow Detroit’s Young Talent jobs program kicks off 10th year of summer employment
The annual Grow Detroit’s Young Talent (GDYT) summer jobs program has returned for its 10th year, and applications for the program are now open. The program matches Detroit residents ages 14-24 with employers in a wide variety of industries including manufacturing, IT, construction, entrepreneurship, and corporate work. An estimated 8,000 teens and young adults are expected to be matched up with employers this summer. The Grow Detroit’s Young Talent program was started a decade ago by the City of Detroit, the Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation (DESC) and Connect Detroit. During its tenure, the program has grown from serving roughly 5,000 teens and young adults in the first year to more than 8,000 in recent years. The program offers free transportation for enrolled employees through a partnership with the Detroit Department of Transportation. As part of Detroit Public Television’s Future of Work initiative, host Stephen Henderson speaks with three guests connected to the GDYT program: DESC President & CEO Dana Williams, Connect Detroit VP of Programs Shuna Hayward, and past GDYT participant Naeema Muhammad. They talk about the wide range of job opportunities the young people receive, how these experiences will help them as they pursue careers and post-secondary degrees, and what it takes to pull together the employers, funders and young people each year for this massive $13 million summer jobs program. Stay Connected: Subscribe to Detroit Public Television’s YouTube Channel and don’t miss American Black Journal on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 9:30 a.m. on Detroit Public TV, WTVS-Channel 56. Catch the daily conversations on our website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @amblackjournal. View Past Episodes > Watch American Black Journal on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 9:30 a.m. on Detroit Public TV, WTVS-Channel 56.
Northern Michigan Trauma Camp takes alternative approach to helping returning citizens with re-entry
There’s help available for returning citizens – the many thousands who are re-entering society each year after serving time in prison – as they try to adapt and adjust to life on the outside. At a small program held in Northern Michigan last fall called Trauma Camp<, returning citizens were able to confer and learn coping skills from counselors.
Global Detroit shares the importance of immigrant inclusion in Michigan’s population revitalization
Since Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced the Growing Michigan Together Council, the state’s population stagnation and economic prosperity have been front and center for several businesses, organizations and educational institutions. Global Detroit, a regional economic development and community development organization, has been exploring the state’s population issues and the importance of immigrant inclusion in the region’s revitalization.
10th Annual Black Friday Scholarship Bootcamp offers educational opportunities rather than shopping sprees
In a bid to transform Black Friday from a day of shopping sprees to a day of educational empowerment, Gwen Thomas, the founder and executive director of Fresh Perspectives Seminars, is gearing up for the 10th annual Black Friday Scholarship Bootcamp on Nov. 24 in Detroit. This year, the event will offer four scholarships, including two $1,000 prizes, one $500 award, and one $250 grant for graduating seniors.
Blast Detroit’s EV Automotive Mobility Program prepares Detroiters for an electrified future
Blast Detroit has launched an innovative program, the EV Automotive Mobility Program, that equips Detroiters with the skills necessary for jobs that will soon be in high demand. The program offers hands-on training in the maintenance and repair of electric vehicles, as well as education in internal combustion engine technology, in an effort to bridge the gap and address the racial disparity within the electric vehicle (EV) industry. Only roughly 2% of EV owners are Black, a statistic often attributed to vehicle costs and a notable lack of charging stations in predominantly Black neighborhoods, often referred to as “charging deserts.” The racial disparity within the EV industry is not just about car ownership; it extends to broader implications for public health and economic opportunities. RELATED: Students of The Blackbottom Group’s EV Automotive Mobility Program in Detroit learn how to repair and perform maintenance on electric vehicles. | Photo by One Detroit High asthma rates and air pollution have disproportionately affected Black Americans in zip codes where electric vehicle adoption has been slower due to a lack of infrastructure. Additionally, the lack of charging stations has hindered mobility and participation in the gig economy, especially in urban areas. Ray Smith, the visionary behind the Deroit program, spoke with One Detroit Senior Producer Bill Kubota, to shed some light on the critical mission of the program and the skills students are being taught. Smith also talks about how he hopes the program will narrow the employment gap, improve health outcomes, and promote green job opportunities in communities of color. Stay Connected Subscribe to Detroit PBS YouTube Channel & Don’t miss American Black Journal on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 9:30 a.m. on Detroit PBS, WTVS-Channel 56. Catch the daily conversations on our website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @amblackjournal. View Past Episodes > Watch American Black Journal on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 9:30 a.m. on Detroit Public TV, WTVS-Channel 56.
Michigan’s higher education experts discuss college access, equity for communities of color
A sobering reality persists for many students from communities of color trying to enter one of Michigan’s many higher education institutions. Often, they’re met with a myriad of challenges and barriers in the pursuit of higher education access and admission. From systemic inequities to financial constraints, these aspiring scholars often confront multifaceted hurdles that can hinder their dreams of post-secondary education.
The Blackbottom Group’s EV Automotive Mobility Program prepares Detroiters for an electrified future
The Blackbottom Group has launched an innovative program, the EV Automotive Mobility Program, that equips Detroiters with the skills necessary for jobs that will soon be in high demand. The Program offers hands-on training in the maintenance and repair of electric vehicles, as well as education in internal combustion engine technology, in an effort to bridge the gap and address the racial disparity within the electric vehicle (EV) industry. Only roughly 2% of EV owners are Black, a statistic often attributed to vehicle costs and a notable lack of charging stations in predominantly Black neighborhoods, often referred to as “charging deserts.” The racial disparity within the EV industry is not just about car ownership; it extends to broader implications for public health and economic opportunities.
Michigan’s higher education experts discuss college access, equity for communities of color
A sobering reality persists for many students from communities of color trying to enter one of Michigan’s many higher education institutions. Often, they’re met with a myriad of challenges and barriers in the pursuit of college access and admission. From systemic inequities to financial constraints, these aspiring scholars often confront multifaceted hurdles that can hinder their dreams of post-secondary education. In a high-impact panel discussion led by host Stephen Henderson, some of the state’s top experts in higher education diversity, equity, and inclusion including Fatima Salman, President of the National Association of Social Workers-MI; Kimberly Faison, Director of Community and Economic Development at Detroit Future City; and Onjila Odeneal, Senior Director of Policy and Advocacy at The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS), came together to address the issues of college access and achievement for students of color in Michigan’s higher education system. The panelists talk about how Michigan can improve outcomes for young students of color and what Michigan’s institutions of higher education must do to diversify their admissions and ensure first-generation students have the support they need. Stay Connected: Subscribe to Detroit Public Television’s YouTube Channel & Don’t miss American Black Journal on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 9:30 a.m. on Detroit Public TV, WTVS-Channel 56. Catch the daily conversations on our website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @amblackjournal. View Past Episodes > Watch American Black Journal on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 9:30 a.m. on Detroit Public TV, WTVS-Channel 56.
New Black-owned grocery store aims to tackle the food desert on Detroit’s eastside
In a promising development for Detroit’s Jefferson-Chalmers neighborhood on the city’s eastside, African American entrepreneur Raphael Wright is set to open the doors of Neighborhood Grocery LLC. This establishment is poised to make history as the first Black-owned grocery store in Detroit in nearly a decade.
