detroit news

The Farmington/Farmington Hills Democratic Club (FFHDC) is organizing a local "No Kings" rally on June 14 at the Farmington Hills Public Library to protest authoritarianism and political dynasties. The event, part of a worldwide movement, will feature speeches from local officials including Mayor Theresa Rich and State Representatives Samantha Steckloff and Jason Hoskins, followed by a march along 12 Mile Road. FFHDC Chair Lloyd L. Banks III emphasized that the demonstration serves as a reminder that democracy belongs to the people, occurring amid growing national concerns about democratic decline. The rally coincides with Flag Day and Trump's planned military birthday celebration in Washington DC, and will provide voter registration information and opportunities for future civic engagement.

Kronk Gym, the legendary boxing training facility that produced over 40 world champions under Emanuel Steward's leadership, is set to reopen this summer within the historic Brewster-Wheeler Recreation Center in Detroit. The new 3,500-square-foot facility will be led by Steward's family members and a dedicated team focused on training both amateur and professional athletes while providing youth mentorship and community resources. After experiencing multiple relocations since its original basement location closed in 2006, this homecoming represents a meaningful return to Detroit boxing's roots, as Steward himself began his career at Brewster before founding Kronk. The gym's revival in collaboration with MHT Housing Inc. aims to restore not just a training facility but a cultural institution that provides discipline, mentorship, and opportunity for Detroit's youth.

Former Detroit Lions running back Joique Bell is launching a free five-week academic and athletic enrichment program for Detroit middle school students this summer through his nonprofit organization. Running from June 23 through July 29 at Wayne State University, the program will offer STEAM learning, sports activities, mentorship, and career exposure for rising 6th through 9th-grade students. The Joique Bell Charity Summer Enrichment Program, developed in partnership with Inspirational Learning, Curry Motorsports, and I Am My City, aims to address the critical middle school years when students often disengage from science and math. The initiative includes daily math and literacy lessons, exploration of fields like artificial intelligence and motorsports, physical activities, leadership panels with local role models, and field trips.

Twelve-year-old Kyler Jackson from Grand Rapids, Michigan has been selected to represent his state at the 2025 NBA Math Hoops Global Championship in New York City from June 24-27. This prestigious event, hosted by Learn Fresh in partnership with the NBA and NBA Cares, brings together 24 students from across the globe who have excelled in the NBA Math Hoops program, which combines basketball with math education. Kyler, described as a standout student and athlete who consistently helps others, qualified through his dedication to the STEM Scholars Program at STEM Greenhouse, showing academic growth and exemplary character. The championship experience will include competitive gameplay, STEM workshops, tours, and even attendance at the NBA Draft.

Michigan's SUN Bucks program is providing temporary food assistance to families during summer months when school meals are unavailable, offering $40 per child monthly from June through August via EBT cards with automatic enrollment for those already in programs like SNAP. Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers in Congress are proposing stricter work requirements for SNAP recipients and shifting costs to states, which Michigan officials warn would devastate vulnerable families and local economies. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services emphasizes that federal food benefits are necessities, not luxuries, and cutting them would force families into impossible choices between buying groceries or paying bills. While SUN Bucks provides temporary relief, it highlights the fragility of the food assistance system and the disproportionate impact that potential cuts would have on Black families, rural communities, and the working poor.

The Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Detroit Pistons will present "Big Sean & Friends" on June 29, a groundbreaking concert that combines classical orchestration with hip-hop, headlined by Detroit native Big Sean. The event will feature performances by several Detroit artists including Skilla Baby, Tee Grizzley, Illa J, Nasaan, and Queen Naija, with a special orchestral tribute to legendary producer J Dilla. This collaboration represents the latest development in the ongoing partnership between the DSO and Pistons that began in 2018, with proceeds benefiting multiple foundations including the Detroit Pistons Foundation, the Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan, and the Sean Anderson Foundation. Tickets for this genre-blending showcase at Orchestra Hall start at $75 and go on sale May 29.

The Michigan Black Business Alliance (MBBA) is challenging Detroit mayoral and city council candidates to present comprehensive agendas supporting Black-owned businesses, which employ over half of Detroit's workforce. Under President and CEO Charity Dean's leadership, MBBA has directed $12 million in funding to Black-owned businesses and helped create or retain nearly 5,000 jobs since its founding during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on a survey of over 200 Black-owned businesses, MBBA has developed a 2025 platform that advocates for policy changes addressing structural inequities in capital access, regulatory frameworks, and procurement practices. The organization plans to host public forums and release candidate report cards to ensure Detroit's elected officials prioritize Black entrepreneurship as central to the city's economy. # Who is affected * Black-owned businesses in Detroit * Detroit's workforce (more than half of which is employed by small businesses) * Black entrepreneurs seeking to build generational wealth * Detroit residents relying on the economic contribution of Black businesses * Detroit's commercial corridors along Dexter, Grand River, and Seven Mile # What action is being taken * MBBA is challenging all Detroit mayoral and city council candidates to release comprehensive agendas supporting Black-owned businesses * MBBA is conducting policy advocacy and maintaining statewide partnerships to increase access to capital and decision-making power * The organization is hosting public forums and developing candidate report cards to evaluate plans for supporting Black businesses * MBBA is pushing financial institutions to publish data on who receives loans and funding # Why it matters * Black businesses were disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic * Current regulatory frameworks often treat small Black-owned businesses the same as multinational corporations, creating undue burdens * Despite Detroit being over 80% Black, Black business participation in city contracts remains disproportionately low * Entrepreneurship is one of the few tools available to build generational wealth in the Black community, yet Black entrepreneurs face significant structural disadvantages * Many COVID-era funding programs were one-time initiatives that are now ending, threatening progress made # What's next * MBBA will spend the rest of the year hosting a series of public forums * The organization will release a report card evaluating candidates' plans * MBBA will continue advocating for the Small Business Concierge proposal currently under consideration by City Council * The organization will push for financial institutions to publish data on Black business funding

Volunteers of America Michigan (VOAMI) has launched "Breaking the Stigma," an innovative pilot program at their Detroit Veterans Housing Program to help veterans struggling with mental health and substance use disorders. The initiative, funded by the Michigan Health Endowment Fund, embeds a therapist and case manager directly in the transitional housing facility to provide on-site care and build trust with veterans who are often reluctant to seek help. The program offers comprehensive support services including individual and group therapy, case management, 12-step meetings, and healthcare navigation assistance, utilizing evidence-based treatment approaches. VOAMI reports that approximately 70% of veterans in their transitional housing program face substance use challenges, while more than a third of their social service clients have diagnosed mental health conditions.

Detroit City Council has postponed a decision on a $410,000 demolition contract for a historic building at 17205 Lahser Rd to explore preservation possibilities, despite safety concerns about the structure's condition. The demolition would be funded through American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money, but preservation would require finding alternative funding sources since ARPA funds are subject to federal deadlines. Additionally, the Council delayed a resolution to allocate $9.4 million in remaining ARPA funds across council districts for various community initiatives including mental health, neighborhood beautification, violence intervention, and home repair programs. Council meetings are canceled this week as members attend the Mackinac Policy Conference.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer warns that Republican-proposed Medicaid cuts would severely impact healthcare access for millions of Michigan residents. She emphasizes that Medicaid supports 2.6 million Michiganders, including nursing home residents, children, people with disabilities, and expectant mothers, while also sustaining rural hospitals and school services. The proposed cuts would potentially eliminate coverage for over 500,000 Michigan residents and reduce funding by hundreds of billions of dollars nationwide. Governor Whitmer highlights her career-long commitment to healthcare access, including her work on Healthy Michigan and recent executive directive to study the impacts of potential Medicaid cuts.

The Detroit Pistons are launching their 2025 "Pistons Academy" Youth Basketball Camp season with 16 camps across Michigan, beginning June 9 at Detroit Country Day High School. The program, supported by the Children's Foundation and Priority Health, offers specialized camps including the new "Mini Cruisers" camp for grades 1-3 at Wayne State Fieldhouse and a returning all-girls camp in partnership with Jr. WNBA. Participants will receive professional instruction, Pistons-branded merchandise, tickets to a future Pistons game, and some will even train at the Henry Ford Pistons Performance Center where the professional team practices. The camps span numerous locations throughout Michigan with prices ranging from $195 to $399, featuring early-bird registration through June 2.

The I-375 Reconnecting Communities Project in Detroit is facing divided opinions as Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) moves forward with plans to replace the freeway with a boulevard. While MDOT frames the project as improving safety and infrastructure, many community leaders, including Wayne County Executive Warren Evans, criticize the plan for failing to address the historical injustice of displacing over 100,000 people from Black Bottom and Paradise Valley neighborhoods during the freeway's original construction in 1964. Despite receiving a $104.6 million federal grant and conducting numerous engagement sessions, concerns persist about whether the project genuinely repairs past harm or simply facilitates redevelopment that may not benefit those originally impacted, with critics noting that MDOT avoids using the term "reparative" in its materials.

The Honorable Ulysses Whittaker Boykin, a pioneering African American judge who passed away on May 10, 2025, at age 79, left behind a profound legacy in Michigan's legal community. Born in Detroit in 1945, Judge Boykin's distinguished career included co-founding the Harvard Black Law Students Association, becoming the first African American attorney at Dickinson Wright, serving two decades on the Wayne County Circuit Court after his 1999 appointment, and dedicating himself to mentorship and community service. Throughout his career, he held numerous leadership positions in legal associations while receiving recognition including the 2016 Champion of Justice Award, all while maintaining an unwavering commitment to opening doors for others and strengthening institutions through his involvement with various boards, commissions, and his church community.

Opportunity Resource Fund, a community-based financial institution that has invested over $300 million to support underserved Michiganders, marks its 40th anniversary with a significant leadership transition. Christine Coady Narayanan, who built and led the organization for more than 35 years with a focus on economic justice and financial inclusion, is stepping down as CEO. Byna Elliott, a Detroit native with over 25 years of experience in the financial industry, will take over effective June 23, 2025, continuing OppFund's mission of providing capital to those excluded from traditional lending systems. This transition occurs at a critical time for Michigan, which faces widening racial wealth gaps and housing affordability challenges, positioning OppFund to deepen its impact under Elliott's leadership while maintaining its commitment to using finance as a tool for community empowerment.