Serving Metropolitan Detroit Since 1944
Serving Metropolitan Detroit Since 1944
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The month of October brings certain inevitabilities into the world. Halloween, leaves will change colors, breast cancer awareness, and the Western Wayne County NAACP Freedom Fund Dinner. Months of planning brought local, and professionals from across the country to meet. This is where the Western Wayne County NAACP acknowledge and celebrate the individuals who have been instrumental to moving the people forward. Westland welcomed students, elected officials, clergy, veterans, educators,...
The North American International Auto Show is upon Detroit once again. For different reasons the Auto Show has always been a part of the Motor City's legacy. The event shows how Detroit got its name, bringing out tourists, journalists, and car enthusiasts from across the world to Detroit's waterfront. This year the Auto Show is running parallel to a historic event. The United Auto Workers strike. Let's take a moment to acknowledge the Union's hard work amongst this troubling time. The goal is...
The past weekends in River Rouge were a hard one to miss. There was so much going on! From Friday to Sunday the city has been lit up like the Vegas strip. Friday the annual River Rouge Days carnival opened. This year was different from the Rouge Days of before. There was a two dollar fee upon entry, and children under seventeen had to be supervised. The carnival portion took place inside a secured gate while vendors and events like wrestling and an old school car show took place. This new order...
Google defines Reparations as the making of amends for a wrong done, by paying money to or otherwise helping those who have wronged. Reparations are not a new concept in modern history and can be acknowledged in many ways. For Example. The United States Government publicly recognized its wrong doing for its role in Japanese citizen internment in 1942. The United States has also issued a Reparations package to the Native American population of this land. Lastly, for now. The German government...
The Summer season is coming to an end. Graduating seniors of 2023 are making their transitions to adulthood, while current students are rising through the ranks themselves. After a safe Summer filled with family and friendly fun, it is finally time for the hallways to be filled and opened up again. Through the weekend the community has banned together to ensure that students have everything they need before the first day of school. Micalah Matthews and Chaunsey Moore of Monumental Mentoring...
The NNPA is a nation wide network of black owned newspaper publishers. For over a hundred years, the black press has been instrumental in telling the stories of black people. Fighting the good fight with a pen not a pistol. Every year the NNPA hosts a conference to allow publishers to share information that will better their papers, and their organizations as a whole. The Nashville JW Marriott was packed to the brim with publishers, writers, politicians, and media connoisseurs to exchange...
Detroit has a reputation of spitting out people who can achieve just about anything. Musicians, athletes, and business gurus only make up a small number of the city's prodigies. These people go on to change the world, and shift the culture as we know it. Garrick Smith is one of these game changers. The Cody High School graduate has been a computer wizard for most of his life. Smith has used his skills to gain clientele, build his skills, and find steady work. He currently lends his hand at All...
Growth and development are vital steps to the human experience. No individual can control what outside forces may affect their lives, but there is one thing we can control. How we cope, react, and move forward from the circumstances. Methods of coping vary from person to person but one thing remains as a universal truth. Unsavory states of affairs from the past have to be dealt with before you can walk through the door of a bright and promising future. Toriana Willaims is making progress as a...
When a neighborhood possesses business real estate, the possibilities are endless. There are more things to do, less trouble for residents to get into, and more opportunities for camaraderie in the community. The Downriver Bar and Grill has set a standard and expectation for this. It has been reopened for eight months, and has been a prime source of Downriver nightlife. In a quick trip down the street, The Downriver Bar and Grill has everything possible for a long night out. The community can...
Every third Monday of January Martin Luther King Jr day is celebrated. Although the nation first recognized it as a holiday in 1986, opinions, and practices have always varied on the holiday. Depending on the job, employees are granted an off day. My generation will always remember it as a day off of school. Lastly, for purposes of context. There is a large portion of people who were thriving when the third Monday in the month of January, was simply the third Monday in the month of January....
Downriver is in the process of upgrading its infrastructure. Small business are emerging every month. Each one serves the community in its own unique purpose. Yoshi Hibachi is bringing the experience of a Japanese steakhouse to South West Detroit. This is the first time a restaurant like this has been opened in the neighborhood. Yoshi Hibachi specializes in carry out orders, so customers can make it back home to their safe spaces with their hot food. All of your favorite hibachi items are...
With a man as physically big as Coach Eric Pettway, it would be impossible to say he lived in anyone's shadow. Coach Pettway is an accomplished man of his own merits. He had proved himself on the field in various levels of football, and got the chance to coach high school football. This was all before he made a home at River Rouge where he and a dear friend got to build a program of their liking, from the ground up. Over the years, Coach Pettway has grown himself to be more of a people person....
Those who attended school with Brittany Chriswell would remember her as a relatively quiet young lady. She stuck to herself, and stayed close to her friend group. Brittany wasn't a loud student, nor did she compete, or desire to be in River Rouge High School's limelight. She played in the band, where she was adored, and looked at as a younger sister by some of her bandmates. After graduating in 2014 Chriswell set off to find a lane of her own. Eventually she ran into a family member who had...
Janine Folks has spent her career helping people when they need it most. Her spirit has comforted families at funerals, in hospitals, even weddings and churches. At the same time Janine has built a reputation for being a prolific writer, she has written over ten books over the course of her career, and has even been a writer for the Telegram newspaper. Recently Janine was able to combine her talents and interests. She teamed up with Rachel Matthews, and was able to host the first Books & Bling...
River Rouge is undergoing a major political change. There will inevitably be new people in mayoral, treasurer, city council, and school board positions. The race is on. The polls will be opening on November 8th. The neighborhood has been redecorated with signs and banners, and candidates have held events pushing their campaign. The auditorium of River Rouge High School was home for a public forum hosted by the Western Wayne County NAACP and Just Transition. All candidates on the November 8th...
Times are changing. New spaces constantly arise that include lifestyles not prevalent to popular culture ten, or twenty years ago. Simply put, more people have been given opportunities. These opportunities give society a chance to step away from home, and still be comfortable with the situations and people they encounter. Lo Cunningham has always had his thumbs around the paradigm shift. Cunningham crafted a name and professional career for himself doing something my mother never allowed me to...
Zaniya King walked across the stage of River Rouge High School in June. She has been running across the country for quite some time now. In the 6th grade, King joined the track team. The coaches quickly recognized her talent, and encouraged the King family to consider track outside of middle school athletics. This encouraged Zaniya and her family to adapt to track on as a lifestyle. The 2022 River Rouge alumni joined AAU track, and was accepted with open arms into the Track Life family....
Fashion is a subject that can be recognized throughout all corners of the Earth. Every group in some way, has their own unique idea of fashion; which could be accepted or denied all the same by another area. This can be a frightening factor when it comes down to fashion. Some can be denied without being given the proper opportunity. Sierra Latrice has experienced growing up without that fair opportunity in the fashion world. Sierra grew up with bigger feet than her peers. Causing her to feel...
Ecorse High School is going through a culture of change. From academics, to athletics, even down to the student culture. This is not the same land Red Raiders walked on fifty, twenty, or even five years ago. It seems as if a new set of commandments are becoming etched into stone. Ecorse has a man in its building dedicated to leading that change. He was offered an opportunity almost four years ago, and declared himself committed to the cause. Gerrod Abram was hired by Ecorse High School to coach...
"It was great, everything ran smoove, that boys came out and did what they were supposed to do. Which was to show up and work hard. Today it was just done in front of an important audience." Proclaims new River Rouge head football coach, Eric Pettway. His team did not disappoint, nor miss a beat. Panther Stadium held host to hundreds of college coaches. Each one curious to see the progress the Panthers have made during the off season. The offensive line proved itself to be a topic of interest. F...
Are there any specific personality traits that come to mind when you envision an entrepreneur? Talent? Intelligence? Charisma? Colleen Ivana Jones. Simply known as Ivana, or Vonnie possess these qualities, and handfuls more. Miss Jones is not the way she is by accident. She cites her upbringing, on a supportive mother, literature driven father, and a sister who always had time for her shenanigans. Ivana is originally from Romulus Michigan. Later on, she moved to Livonia. Growing up she was into...
I'Esha Mitchell is the newest writer to be welcomed to Downrivers' club of authors. Mitchell has already sold out of her first title, "Malanie, The Perfectly Unique Swan!", and is waiting patiently for the next shipment. Malanie tells the story of a young swan, finding herself in the world that Mitchell has created. Malanie lives in a community of beautiful swans, where everyone shares the same physical attributes. Like most of Mitchell's audience, Malanie was born different from the bunch....
The 2020 season was a very unique one for every high school in the country. Games were canceled, seasons cut short, and extended at the same time. Some games leaked into the new year. The pandemic paused the program. But it didn't keep the River Rouge Panthers out of the MHSAA championship. The Panthers of Rouge fell short to the Panthers of DeWitt in a January MHSAA championship bout. Now, River Rouge is back into full stride, and ready to move forward. The Panthers first game will be against...
Shotcallerz barber shop has had a reputation of making their customers crispy. You come in one way, and you're guaranteed to leave out looking and feeling different. Markeisha Ezell is keeping the tradition alive. She is setting up shop for Kezell's By Shotcallaz. A boutique will specialize in embroidery, and sublimation work. Kezell's grand opening is set for July, but Markeisha has already made orders of facemasks, and shirts. Markeisha is no stranger to hard work. During the pandemic she...
Specialist Bakers Bible & Bookstore has been a valuable resource for communities, across the community of Detroit. The white building on Grand River Ave., and the corner of Woodside has been in service since November of 1993. The history of the man who keeps it running stretches longer than that. Mr. Baker was born in Alabama in 1932*. There he lived through the normal prosecution blacks faced in those times. His family migrated north, to Detroit where he learned the ways of the city. Baker...
