michigan news

Wayne State University's Mike Ilitch School of Business and its Division of Entrepreneurship and Economic Development have received a $500,000 two-year grant from JPMorganChase to enhance student programming and community engagement. The investment will strengthen entrepreneurship and innovation initiatives while significantly expanding the Multicultural Professional Readiness Education Program, which aims to increase its capacity by over 140 percent by fall 2027. The funding will enable both programs to add staff members, broaden their service offerings, and forge deeper connections with Detroit-area communities. Additionally, the commitment will facilitate partnerships with numerous small businesses and provide approximately 50 students with practical, hands-on learning experiences that complement their academic studies.

Suzanna Shkreli, a former Michigan Lottery Commissioner and cabinet member in Governor Whitmer's administration, has entered the Democratic race for Michigan Secretary of State, joining three other candidates already competing for the party's nomination. The winner will be chosen by Democratic delegates at an April 19 convention rather than through a primary election, and will face a Republican challenger amid concerns from Democrats about potentially losing the office. Shkreli's platform includes implementing digital driver's licenses, accelerating election result reporting, and expanding senior services at state branches. Her candidacy emphasizes her prosecutorial experience and immigrant background, framing the race as crucial for protecting democratic institutions against what she characterizes as extremist threats. # Key Takeaways

In 2021, Detroit voters approved a reparations ballot initiative, leading to the formation of a 13-member Detroit Reparations Task Force that spent years examining how municipal policies systematically harmed Black residents through discriminatory practices, displacement, and economic neglect. The Task Force submitted a comprehensive 558-page report in October 2025 that proposes sweeping reforms across housing, economic development, policing, utilities, education, environment, and cultural programs designed to repair generational harms inflicted on Black Detroiters. The plan includes specific eligibility criteria for descendants of those who experienced systemic disenfranchisement and recommends both direct assistance and structural policy changes, funded through mechanisms like land value capture and corporate taxation. However, implementation now depends entirely on Detroit City Council's willingness to adopt these recommendations, with the incoming mayor's administration currently reviewing the proposals and no definitive action yet taken. # Key Takeaways

Dr. Anthony O. Kellum's Thanksgiving message urges Black Americans to pursue homeownership as a critical tool for building generational wealth and closing the racial wealth gap. He argues that despite historical barriers like redlining and discriminatory lending practices, property ownership remains the most powerful avenue for economic empowerment and stability. The article emphasizes that waiting for perfect market conditions is a mistake, as numerous resources including grants and down payment assistance programs are currently available but underutilized. Kellum frames homeownership not merely as a financial transaction but as a strategic act of claiming opportunity, honoring ancestral sacrifices, and transforming community outcomes for future generations.

Iron Forums is a faith-based peer community established in 2003 that brings together Christian business leaders, entrepreneurs, and executives who seek fellowship while navigating the challenges of leadership. The organization, named after a biblical proverb about mutual strengthening, provides a supportive space where members can integrate their Christian faith with their professional roles without apology. Leaders like Chrissy Thornton, CEO of Associated Black Charities in Baltimore, and Dr. Frances "Toni" Draper, CEO of AFRO News, have found the organization transformative in helping them balance their spiritual beliefs with business responsibilities. The group facilitates meaningful discussions through structured curricula and self-assessment processes while expanding to new chapters, including a recently launched women's forum in Baltimore.

Detroit Opera is launching its 2025-26 season with "Highways and Valleys," a double-bill production featuring two American operas centered on love and struggle. The December performances pair William Grant Still's *Highway 1, USA*, which explores a Black couple's pursuit of the American dream, with Kurt Weill's *Down in the Valley*, receiving a world-premiere staging set in a Birmingham jail. The production reunites acclaimed artists including director Kaneza Schaal and several celebrated vocalists, with costume and scenic design that honors Detroit's working-class heritage. Detroit Opera is amplifying the event's impact through community programming at churches and libraries, while offering discounted tickets to make the performances accessible to diverse audiences.

The CHAMPAINT event series, founded by sisters Siana and SuVon Treece through their Artistic Expressions Gallery, recently held a successful sold-out holiday edition at Detroit's Beacon Park. The festive sip-and-paint gathering brought together art enthusiasts of varying experience levels in the park's Design House Tent for an evening featuring champagne and painting activities. The business is currently growing through private event bookings and newly launched online paint kit sales. An upcoming collaboration with Remembering Cherubs is planned for early January, featuring a vision board fundraiser that combines artistic creation with charitable giving. # Key Takeaways

Debut author Donny Wilson has written *Motor City Magic*, a novel that reimagines Detroit as a city infused with hidden supernatural elements woven into its iconic landmarks and everyday spaces. The story centers on Nolan, a café owner on a journey of self-discovery who finds that his coffee shop serves as more than just a gathering place—it becomes a conduit for magical encounters and emotional connection. Drawing on his filmmaking background, Wilson crafts cinematic scenes that capture Detroit's authentic spirit of resilience and reinvention through characters grappling with personal struggles. The author aims to honor Detroit's unique energy by showing that magic exists not in distant fantasy realms but within the city's neighborhoods, markets, and community spaces that locals already recognize as special. # Key Takeaways

Ernesto Cuevas Enciso, a 34-year-old construction worker and DACA recipient, was detained by ICE while driving to work in Ypsilanti, despite having pending legal permanent residency applications and valid work authorization. Community leaders, including Michigan state senators and Detroit city council members, are demanding his release, arguing he was following proper immigration procedures and should be allowed to remain with his wife, a U.S. citizen, and their one-year-old child. The detention represents a shift in ICE policy under the Trump administration, which now arrests individuals with pending immigration applications rather than waiting for application outcomes. Cuevas Enciso is being held at a reopened for-profit detention facility near Baldwin, Michigan, and is one of several Detroit-area residents recently detained, including four students who advocates say are also in federal custody.

Holiday Detroit, an annual performance showcase, will present its seventh edition at the Music Hall on December 18th. Producer and Director Lisa McCall is leading an expanded production featuring over 100 performers, including eight musicians, multiple vocalists, dancers, student performers from Voyageur College Preparatory High School, and nationally recognized artists. The show blends diverse musical styles from Motown to gospel and hip-hop with choreography and storytelling that celebrates Detroit's cultural heritage. McCall, an entertainment industry veteran with nearly three decades of experience who has worked with legends like Aretha Franklin, has received numerous honors for her contributions to the arts and Detroit community. # Key Takeaways

Dr. Carolyn Haliburton Carter argues that artificial intelligence systems are digitally replicating America's historic One-Drop Rule by learning and perpetuating racial biases embedded in historical data. She traces how racial classification systems from slavery—which used fractional measurements like "Mulatto" and "Octoroon" to control people through quantified ancestry—now manifest in AI technologies that categorize identity through facial recognition, DNA testing, and algorithmic decision-making. These modern systems reproduce structural racism in areas like hiring, policing, healthcare, and financial services, with facial recognition showing significantly higher error rates for darker-skinned individuals and algorithms reinforcing historical patterns of discrimination. While scholars like Joy Buolamwini and Dr. Ruha Benjamin are challenging these algorithmic hierarchies, Carter emphasizes that communities must reclaim technology through increased literacy, accountability for developers, and community-led data projects that prioritize restoration over ranking. # Key Takeaways

The National Park Service announced that Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth would no longer be fee-free entry days at national parks in 2026, replacing them with June 14th, which coincides with both Flag Day and Donald Trump's birthday. The author argues this decision represents a discriminatory erasure of Black history and civil rights commemoration from national policy. By removing holidays that provided symbolic recognition and practical access for marginalized communities, the administration prioritizes personal glorification over meaningful historical acknowledgment. The columnist contends this policy change demonstrates how public institutions are being repurposed to minimize Black American experiences while centering nationalist symbolism around a single political figure. # Key Takeaways

Michigan State, ranked No. 7, hosted No. 4 Duke at the Breslin Center in a highly anticipated matchup between top-10 teams, with the Spartans seeking to solidify their elite status after recent wins over ranked opponents. Despite a strong defensive first half that limited Duke's star Cam Boozer to just two points and excellent playmaking from Jeremy Fears Jr., who recorded 13 assists, Michigan State struggled offensively throughout the contest. The game featured multiple lead changes and remained competitive until the Spartans went cold from three-point range over the final 12 minutes, failing to capitalize when Boozer sat with foul trouble. Duke ultimately prevailed 66-60, maintaining their undefeated record while handing Michigan State their first loss of the season.

A federal judge has approved the distribution of over $600 million in settlement payments to nearly 26,000 Flint, Michigan residents affected by the 2014 water crisis, marking the first concrete financial compensation a decade after the disaster began. The crisis originated when a state-appointed emergency manager switched the city's water source to the Flint River without proper treatment, causing lead contamination that government officials repeatedly dismissed despite mounting evidence. Payment amounts will range from approximately $1,000 for property claims to around $100,000 for young children who documented lead exposure and health impacts, with nearly 80% of funds reserved for those who were minors during the crisis. Many residents still distrust tap water despite official safety assurances, and the city faces ongoing infrastructure challenges due to declining population and revenue instability. While these payments represent significant movement toward restitution, they cannot reverse the developmental damage to children or restore public trust eroded by this environmental disaster. # Key Takeaways

Faith and community leaders across the United States are spearheading an economic boycott called "We Ain't Buying It," urging Black Americans and justice advocates to withhold spending from major retailers during the holiday season. The movement, which builds on an earlier Target boycott from spring that successfully pressured the company regarding its $2 billion commitment to Black businesses, asks participants to avoid corporations like Target, Walmart, and Amazon for at least seven days while redirecting their purchases to Black-owned and locally-owned small businesses. Organizers emphasize that Black consumers control approximately $1.7-2 trillion in spending power, and even a 5% reduction in corporate sales could force major retailers to reconsider their positions on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Leaders frame this action as both an economic strategy and a broader statement against policies they view as harmful to marginalized communities, including cuts to social services and immigration enforcement practices.

This article examines the deep-rooted medical mistrust among Black Americans that influences their decisions about organ donation, using personal stories to illustrate broader systemic issues. The piece focuses on Tamika Smith, a New Orleans woman who endured over a decade of medical dismissal before finally being diagnosed with endometriosis and lupus, leaving her unwilling to register as an organ donor despite maintaining regular preventative care. A Word In Black survey found that 57.6% of Black respondents believe Black transplant patients aren't treated with equal respect and dignity, reflecting concerns shaped not just by historical medical racism but by ongoing contemporary experiences of discrimination and neglect in healthcare settings. The article argues that this mistrust is a rational response to systemic oppression across multiple institutions, not simply a legacy issue, and it has significant consequences since Black Americans represent 30% of kidney transplant waiting lists despite being only 13% of the population. Researchers and physicians emphasize that addressing this mistrust requires comprehensive institutional reform, increased diversity in healthcare, and acknowledgment of present-day mistreatment rather than dismissing concerns as historical artifacts. # Key Takeaways

The Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation (DESC), Detroit's workforce development agency, has appointed Talitha Johnson to serve as its communications director, where she will oversee messaging and branding for major workforce programs including Detroit at Work and Grow Detroit's Young Talent. Johnson previously held the communications director position at Downtown Detroit Partnership and brings extensive experience from organizations including Detroit Regional Partnership, Michigan State University, and UAW-Ford. DESC operates as the centralized resource hub for workforce development in Detroit, managing career centers, training programs, and employer services while implementing the Mayor's Workforce Development Board vision. Johnson, a Detroit native and Wayne State University graduate, replaces the retiring Robin Johnston and started her new role in mid-November.

A historic 22-story Detroit apartment building faced an imminent power shutoff after its owners failed to pay over $50,000 owed to DTE Energy as part of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy case. Management initially instructed residents to vacate by December 3rd, prompting many tenants to begin moving out, but a bankruptcy judge subsequently granted owners until Thursday to pay the debt through a $1.2 million high-interest loan tied to the building's eventual sale. Despite the court-approved reprieve allowing residents to remain, many tenants—predominantly Black seniors—expressed uncertainty about their future and continued relocating anyway. The building, which originally opened as a 700-room hotel in 1927, also houses the Leland City Club, a popular underground music venue whose supporters raised over $34,000 through crowdfunding efforts. # Key Takeaways

The Detroit Transportation Corporation has launched its first online retail store, PeopleMoverStore.com, featuring branded merchandise and celebrating with a limited-time promotion offering free T-shirts through December 8th. This retail expansion follows the system's transition to fare-free service in February 2024, which has successfully increased ridership and improved accessibility for downtown Detroit commuters. The store partners with Corktown-based supplier MyLocker, which uses print-on-demand technology to manufacture customizable items locally while employing Detroit residents. The initiative represents another effort to strengthen community engagement with the elevated rail system, which has connected downtown destinations since 1987 and serves as an established component of Detroit's transportation infrastructure.

A Michigan community leader is advocating for the state to reduce its legal blood alcohol content limit for drivers from 0.08% to 0.05% in response to the state's persistent drunk driving fatality problem. According to recent data, impaired driving caused 447 deaths on Michigan roads in 2024, with the state typically losing 250-350 people annually to alcohol-related crashes. The author argues that this policy change would be cost-free to taxpayers and is supported by scientific research showing that driving performance becomes impaired at 0.05% BAC. The letter emphasizes that Michigan lags behind most industrialized nations and other states that have already implemented lower BAC limits and experienced reduced crash fatalities as a result.

The United States Geological Survey mistakenly issued an alert on Thursday morning warning of a magnitude 5.9 earthquake near Carson City, Nevada, which turned out to be completely false. The erroneous warning, generated by the USGS's automatic earthquake detection system, reached people as far as the San Francisco Bay Area and triggered automatic safety alerts telling residents to take cover. The agency quickly canceled the alert and removed it from their website within minutes, stating this appears to be the first time they have issued a completely fabricated earthquake notification. Law enforcement agencies near the supposed epicenter confirmed no seismic activity had occurred, and the USGS has launched an investigation to identify what caused the system malfunction.

R&B artist Usher and Detroit rapper Big Sean are investing $1 million to establish an entertainment production studio and innovation incubator at the Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan's new Michigan Central location. The 13,000-square-foot facility, scheduled to open in February 2026, will provide young people aged 14-24 with access to advanced production equipment, business education, and mentorship opportunities in entertainment and emerging technology fields. Both musicians are Boys & Girls Club alumni who are contributing through their respective foundations, alongside partners including Ilitch Sports + Entertainment and Emory University's business school. The incubator aims to help Detroit youth build careers in industries ranging from film production to artificial intelligence without having to leave their city.

The Transportation Security Administration will begin charging a $45 non-refundable fee starting February 1st for domestic air travelers aged 18 and older who arrive at airports without REAL ID-compliant identification or other approved government documents. While the REAL ID requirement was implemented in May, passengers previously could pass through security with additional screening and a written warning at no cost. The identification standard originated from security legislation passed after the September 11th terrorist attacks, requiring states to issue licenses meeting federal verification standards, though implementation has been delayed repeatedly since its original 2008 target date. Approximately 94% of travelers already use compliant identification, and the new fee structure aims to encourage the remaining passengers to obtain proper documentation or face potential denial of airport security access if their identity cannot be verified through TSA's alternative system.

The Detroit chapter of the Public Relations Society of America held its annual meeting at Wayne State University on November 20, selecting leadership for 2026 and recognizing outstanding communications professionals. Antonice Strickland from 98Forward was elected as the chapter's 2026 president, emphasizing themes of collaboration and accessibility for practitioners at all career stages. The organization also appointed new board members and officers representing major institutions across corporate, nonprofit, government, and educational sectors throughout metro Detroit. Individual honors were awarded to longtime industry leaders, including Tina Kozak's induction into the chapter's Hall of Fame and distinguished service awards to Sharon Garcia and Georgie Kirsten. # Key Takeaways

Focus: HOPE, a Detroit nonprofit organization, is recruiting volunteers for its annual Senior Holiday Delivery event on December 20th, which will provide food boxes to 1,500 homebound elderly residents throughout Southeast Michigan. The initiative addresses growing financial pressures facing seniors on fixed incomes who struggle with rising grocery costs, delayed government benefits, and unpredictable assistance programs that force difficult choices between food, medicine, and utilities. Beyond providing essential nutrition, the delivery program offers critical human connection to isolated seniors, many of whom live alone and may not interact with anyone else that day. The volunteer effort represents both practical support and community recognition of the contributions Detroit's elderly residents have made throughout their lifetimes to sustaining the city's neighborhoods and institutions. # Key Takeaways

The Michigan Chronicle hosted its Power 50 dinner at Detroit's Harmonie Club, bringing together 50 influential Black leaders from Southeast Michigan to address critical issues facing the city during a pivotal mayoral transition. Publisher Hiram E. Jackson convened this diverse group of business executives, judges, philanthropic leaders, and public safety officials to move beyond celebration and engage in substantive problem-solving. Participants tackled longstanding structural challenges including the tension between real estate and economic development, educational system deficiencies, youth support, and intergenerational poverty. Rather than serving as a ceremonial recognition event, the gathering functioned as an accountability checkpoint where leaders with decision-making authority committed to ongoing collaboration and developing tangible solutions for Detroit's most pressing problems. # Key Takeaways

The inaugural Strong Youth Strong Communities Summit brought together approximately 400 Detroit-area students at Wayne State University before Thanksgiving, organized through a partnership between the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Meridian Health Plan of Michigan, and community organizations. The event addressed critical challenges facing Detroit youth, including high poverty rates exceeding 45% and chronic absenteeism affecting nearly two-thirds of district students during the 2023-2024 school year. Pro Football Hall of Famers Darrell Green and Aeneas Williams, along with former college basketball player Iman McFarland, shared personal stories about overcoming adversity while leading interactive sessions focused on resilience and life skills. The summit represents part of a nationwide Centene Corporation initiative aimed at empowering teenagers through mentorship and community support to help them navigate challenges and build positive futures.

The article explores the U.S. organ transplant system through ten key questions, using the story of Micah Clayborne, a teenager who received a life-saving heart transplant after being diagnosed with Danon disease. While 2024 saw a record 48,000 organ transplants, over 105,000 Americans remain on waiting lists, with approximately 17 people dying daily while awaiting organs. The piece examines how the system operates through nonprofit organ procurement organizations (OPOs) and the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), which manages allocation through a computerized matching system. The article also addresses racial disparities and mistrust in Black communities, debunking myths about donor treatment while noting that Black Americans comprise the second-largest group on transplant waiting lists with roughly 32,000 people waiting for kidneys.

Detroit's incoming Mayor Mary Sheffield is conducting an unusually comprehensive transition process that includes extensive public input sessions to shape her first 100 days in office. At a community meeting held at the Marygrove Conservancy campus, approximately 50 residents discussed Sheffield's key policy priorities including public safety, affordable housing, transportation, and economic empowerment. Sheffield has received 1,200 job applications for 21 key positions and plans to create several new city departments focused on issues like gun violence prevention and senior services. Her transition team, which includes nearly 230 members across 18 committees, is expected to continue advising her beyond the inauguration, representing a departure from previous mayoral transitions. Sheffield, who served 12 years on City Council, aims to conduct what she calls the most inclusive and community-driven transition in Detroit's history.

On November 29th in Detroit, R&B legends Brandy and Monica brought their co-headlining tour to Little Caesars Arena, performing together for the first time in 25 years since their hit collaboration. Despite snowy weather, enthusiastic fans filled the venue to watch a star-studded lineup that included opening performances from Jamal Roberts, Mya (substituting for an ill Muni Long), and Kelly Rowland. The headliners delivered a creative multi-act show that alternated between competitive "versus" segments, individual solo spotlights, and collaborative performances, featuring multiple costume changes and special guest appearances by Detroit artists including Kash Doll, Skilla Baby, and Icewear Vezzo. The evening concluded with an emotional finale of their iconic duet "The Boy Is Mine," with the 32-city tour produced by Black Promoters Collective set to wrap up on December 14th in Jacksonville, Florida.