Newlab at Michigan Central opened its doors in April 2023 and embodies the story of revitalization and transformation in Detroit. It houses 90 startups in a range of industries from EV off-road vehicles to smart wheels. Newlab CEO Cameron Lawrence talks about efforts to make Detroit a destination for technology and innovation.
Read MoreOne Detroit Producer Will Glover talks with Detroit PBS President and CEO Rich Homberg and Detroit PBS CFO/COO Ollette Boyd about the excitement surrounding the TV station’s new name and new location in Detroit. They share their vision for the new headquarters and discuss plans to expand programming, foster partnerships with local organizations, and provide resources to underserved communities.
Read MoreThe Wolverine Bar Association hosts its 62nd annual Barristers’ Ball, a cornerstone event in Detroit’s African American legal community. This year’s theme is “Motown: Back Down Memory Lane.” Wolverine Bar Association President Diane Hutcherson and State Bar of Michigan Diversity Director Gregory Conyers talk with host Stephen Henderson about the event and diversity in the legal profession.
Read MoreToronto transplant and Integral CEO Ashok Sivanand has chosen to call Detroit home. One Detroit contributor Zoe Clark sat down with Sivanand at the Detroit Policy Conference to talk about what drew him to work in the city and make Detroit his home. Sivanand talks with Clark about the sense of community he found in Detroit and the opportunities to grow as a member of the community.
Read MoreUnited Way for Southeastern Michigan (UWSEM) President & CEO Dr. Darienne Hudson shares details with guest host Trudy Gallant-Stokes about the latest round of Racial Equity Fund recipients. The grants total $1 million and were awarded to BIPOC-led nonprofit organizations to help them address racial inequities in the region. Plus, they talk about the expansion of the fund into Washtenaw County.
Read MoreThe 2024 Detroit Policy Conference gears up to explore initiatives and policy strategies that could bolster Michigan’s population and make it an alluring hub for talent and business development. Detroit Chamber CEO Sandy K. Baruah previews the conference and the pressing issues and potential solutions that will be explored by attendees.
Read MoreFormer engineer turned baker Rachel Liu Martindale shares what propelled her to quit her corporate job to become an entrepreneur and how she’s navigated the challenges of building a business. Plus, she shares the cultural importance and meaning behind the name of her new bakery, Q Bakehouse and Market, opening in early 2024.
Read MoreNestled on the vibrant corner of Monroe and Village Drive in Dearborn, Black Box Coffee stands as a testament to Michigan’s entrepreneurial spirit. The Alcodray family, who created Black Box, talk about the origin of the coffee shop and entrepreneurship in Michigan. Plus, they share steps for entrepreneurship and what it takes to run a small business.
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Attracting businesses, talented workers and population are high priorities for Michigan, and the national competition is fierce. Join the Detroit Economic Club’s panel of speakers as they collectively discuss their attraction plans and provide their outlook on Michigan’s 2024 economy. Results of the 12th annual Michigan Economic Outlook Survey will also be shared.
Read MoreIn the heart of Southwest Detroit lies Riverside Park — a place battling for harmony amid the clash of competing interests. The renovated park is near industry, leaving residents grappling with the challenge of enjoying nature amid truck noise and concerns over air quality. Contributor Bryce Huffman has the story.
Read MoreNicole Wells Stallworth has been selected as the new CEO of The Children’s Center, a long-standing nonprofit that has advocated for Detroit-area children and families since 1929. She sat down with host Stephen Henderson to share her vision for the organization and express her commitment to bettering children’s mental and emotional health.
Read MoreIn 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. The market is poised to make history as the first Black-owned grocery store in Detroit in nearly a decade.
Read MoreThe Michigan Diversity Council’s National Black Men in Leadership Summit will explore the themes of Black entrepreneurship, racism and mental health, fatherhood in the Black community, policing in America, the legacy of Black Greek letter organizations and historically black colleges and universities, Black philanthropy, and more.
Read MoreDetroit Food Academy is revolutionizing the lives of young Detroiters by blending the art of cooking with life and leadership skills. BridgeDetroit’s Micah Walker learns about the work they do to prepare the next generation of young leaders.
Read MoreAt the intersection of positivity, community and eating healthy is well-known Detroit restaurant and culinary business The Kitchen by Cooking with Que. Founded by Quiana “Que” Broden, a renowned chef and entrepreneur, her business specializes in providing delicious vegan and vegetarian meals and promoting healthy, plant-based eating options.
Read MoreAs small businesses across the nation grapple with the lingering effects of the pandemic, “American Black Journal” examines the impact of rising inflation and a looming recession on small businesses, the focus of The LEE Group’s 9th annual Small Business Workshop.
Read MoreWareologie, a Michigan-based medical device company, is making waves in the healthcare industry with its groundbreaking advancements in mobile and at-home caregiving. We talked with Wareologie Founder Gina Adams to talk about the inspiration behind her products and the process of getting them to market.
Read MoreUrban Consulate launches a new video series titled “Urban Consulate: In Session,” featuring African American changemakers who offer knowledge in their respective fields of expertise.
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American Black Journal and BridgeDetroit team up to examine the barriers Black developers face breaking into the real estate industry and the solutions that are helping support Black development in Detroit.
Read MoreAs the pandemic’s impact on businesses wanes, host Stephen Henderson examines the economic outlook for 2023 and its impact on African American entrepreneurs and consumers with Mark S. Lee, president of The LEE Group.
Read MorePingree Detroit Co-Founder Jarret Schlaff talks about the company’s unique worker-owned business model and how it’s creating new opportunities for residents and veterans to learn valuable skills and share in the company’s success.
Read MoreMillennials are expected to make up nearly three-fourths of the global workforce in the next two years. How can Michigan attract more of them to move here? The Detroit Regional Chamber’s Devon O’Reilly shares strategies for attracting a young professional workforce.
Read MoreStrategic Staffing Solutions President and CEO Cindy Pasky shares what workers want from their workplace, and how employees and employers are navigating the post-pandemic landscape.
Read MoreLess than 10% of the businesses downtown are Black-owned and less than 2% of the buildings downtown are Black-owned. How did we get here in a city with a nearly 80% Black population? Metro-Detroit Black Business Alliance CEO Charity Dean shares how downtown Detroit can invest in and empower Black businesses.
Read MoreMichigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II talks about what’s happening in downtown Detroit and the administration’s economic plans for investing in transportation infrastructure and stronger business ecosystems at the 2023 Detroit Policy Conference.
Read MoreVenturing into the world of entrepreneurship comes with challenges, but for Black women entrepreneurs, the hurdles can be much higher and different. A national study shows 42% of U.S. businesses are owned by women, yet those businesses grow at only half the rate as businesses owned by men.
Read MoreAfter Hurricane Fiona wreaked havoc on Puerto Rico in September, Southwest Detroit residents quickly came together at the weekly Fantazma Market, hosted by the Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation, to raise funds for disaster relief. One Detroit’s Chris Jordan took a visit to Fantazma Market’s Salsa Bachata night for an inside look at the weekly market turned fundraiser for Puerto Rico.
Read MoreWhat will it take to create a bright future for Michigan’s workforce and economy? One Detroit producer Will Glover sits down with Centrepolis Accelerator, Michigan’s only manufacturing product incubator, Executive Director and Founder Dan Radomski to learn more about the accelerator’s impact on Michigan’s business environment and economy.
Read MoreAs traditional media outlets like local newspapers and television stations make way for newer forms of news consumption through podcasts, online coverage and citizen reporters who document public meetings, are consumers’ media diets changing with the digital age? One Detroit senior producer Bill Kubota examines how journalists and news outlets are adapting to an evolving media diet.
Read MoreThe Michigan Barber School celebrates 75 years of teaching Black barbers and hairstylists. Michigan Barber School Director Saul Green talks with guest host Trudy Gallant-Stokes about the barber school’s founding and its success throughout the decades.
Read MoreThe Detroit Chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) announces a yearlong slate of events to celebrate its 40th anniversary. Guest Host Trudy Gallant-Stokes talks with anniversary co-chair and Chalkbeat Editor-in-Chief Nicole Avery Nichols about the events planned, NABJ’s history, and a scholarship program for youth.
Read MoreOne Detroit Senior Producer Bill Kubota talks with BridgeDetroit’s Malachi Barrett about the $60 million tax abatement Detroit City Council narrowly approved, in a 5-4 vote, for Dan Gilbert’s Bedrock Detroit development at the former Hudson’s Department Store site downtown.
Read MoreA new fund, the Ebiara Fund, created by the Detroit-based economic growth nonprofit Invest Detroit, in partnership with URGE Imprint and with funding from The Kresge Foundation, will provide early-stage capital and process resources to minority-owned development firms working to grow and strengthen Detroit’s neighborhoods.
Read More“American Black Journal” host Stephen Henderson sits down with The LEE Group President Mark S. Lee and Nikki Pardo, from Global Alliance Solutions, for a candid conversation on the state of DEI efforts in the workplace at corporations across America and the status of new Chief Diversity Officer positions that were created. Plus, Henderson examines the amount of resources that have been allocated to DEI efforts and how they compare to the commitments made two years prior.
Read MoreFuture of Work host Will Glover learns about the design jobs currently available in Michigan, the investments Michigan needs to create and build a design network that generates new jobs, and how to attract stakeholders, like garment manufacturers, reputable galleries and media partners, to Michigan to help bolster the state’s budding design industry from a panel of design industry experts.
Read MoreAmerican Black Journal producer AJ Walker takes viewers to the ribbon cutting of the new Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters training center to hear from leaders about how the project came to fruition and what skills training the organization will provide at the new center
Read MoreKim Trent, the deputy director of prosperity for the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO), joins “American Black Journal” host Stephen Henderson to talk about the 11 policy recommendations the Black Leadership Advisory Council (BLAC) recently shared with Gov. Whitmer to reduce racial equity gaps and make Michigan a more inclusive state.
Read MoreSome of Michigan’s top business leaders gathered together to answer these questions about making Michigan more competitive and how exactly the state should do it at the Detroit Regional Chambers 2022 Mackinac Policy Conference.
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The Detroit People’s Food Co-op will be part of the larger Detroit Food Commons, a Black-led community development complex on Woodward Avenue expected to include an incubator kitchen for culinary artists and food entrepreneurs, a West African and Detroit-centric healthy foods cafe and will have space for community meetings, events, lectures, films, and performances.
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This Week on American Black Journal: Small Business Workshop Covers Business Recovery,...
Read MoreTwo African American developers want to convert the former Fisher Body Plant No. 21 into housing and retail with a proposed $134 million redevelopment. Orlando Bailey talks with the developer duo leading the project to learn more about their vision for this multi-million dollar renovation.
Read MoreHost Stephen Henderson explores a new organization, Detroit United Front, advocating for better equity and inclusion of Black businesses in Detroit. Stephen hears more about the mission of Detroit United Front, plus the organization’s leaders share their thoughts current state of Black businesses in Detroit.
Read MoreWhile some might think owning and operating a vineyard in Detroit might be impossible, Detroit...
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The University of Michigan, University Musical School and The Philadelphia Orchestra team up to bring a unique ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ concert performance to the Hill Auditorium in Ann Arbor. Then, explore the life and legacy of Dr. Charles H. Wright, founder of the Museum of African American History. Plus, from “Detroit Remember When: Made in the Motor City,” viewers take a nostalgic trip back to learn about the rise and fall of the Velvet Peanut Butter company. In closing, singer/songwriter Aaron Lewys performs his song “Stop Wasting My Time” for Detroit Performs: Live From Marygrove.
Read MoreOne Detroit contributor and American Black Journal host Stephen Henderson checks in with marketing consultant Mark S. Lee, president of The Lee Group, MI LLC, on where diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) are in the workplace. They explore the progress that’s been made in regards to DEI efforts and what’s still lacking nearly two years after the topic re-emerged into the mainstream, after George Floyd’s death.
Read MoreArts Engine Host and professor of Arts Leadership and Entrepreneurship at the University of Michigan Aaron Dworkin sits down with John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts President Deborah Rutter to talk about the ways the John F. Kennedy Center has pivoted, with its Couch Concerts and Arms Across America livestreams, to still provide artistic programming during the pandemic. Rutter shares her suggestions for how artists can continue to promote themselves and their work during tumultuous times, as well as her opinions on the responsibility of arts organizations to foster relationships with diverse audiences in their local community.
Read MoreSmall Businesses across Michigan are facing challenges on many fronts. From navigating COVID-19 to inflation and workplace changes, some small businesses are struggling to survive. One Detroit contributor Nolan Finley talks with Michigan Small Business Association President Brian Calley about what these businesses are doing to cope with the challenges.
Read MoreGrocery store shelf space can be tough to come by for local and regional food producers. Meijer’s latest Rivertown Market has made the search for food entrepreneurs easier by dedicating shelf space for their local products. Offering local food and produce may be the next big trend for grocery stores, but the question remains: how can these local food producers scale up, build their brand, and deliver to more stores? Bill Kubota checks in with these Detroit entrepreneurs and meets a few more.
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New training center hopes to be a catalyst to revive a west side neighborhood while providing more workers to sustain the city’s building boom.
Read MoreA special episode exploring how the arts community has been affected during this time of crisis.
Read MoreChristy, Nolan and Stephen talk about the devastating impact of COVID-19 in Detroit and Michigan.
Read MoreChristy talks with Detroit Public Schools Community District Superintendent Dr. Nikolai Vitti about how his district is working to make sure students don’t fall behind while schools are shut down for the remainder of the school year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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If how you touch the lives of other people is in any a measure of a good life, then Swanson Funeral Home founder O’Neil D. Swanson lived a good life and we are all the better for it.
Read MoreStephen has a frank conversation with Pastor Barry Randolph of Detroit’s Church of the Messiah on how the outbreak is impacting residents in city neighborhoods.
Read MoreChristy talks with Ron Bartell, owner of Kuzzo’s Chicken & Waffles on Livernois Avenue, about how the coronavirus outbreak is affecting his business.
Read MoreWe learn how the River Rouge school district is providing students with food and learning materials while schools are shut down in wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
Read MoreUniversity of Michigan professor Alford Young, Jr. talks about his groundbreaking book on low-income African Americans living in Ypsilanti and their views on navigating a world of work that focuses on technology.
Read MoreThe National Business League (NBL), founded by Booker T. Washington in 1900, is hosting The Black Economic Agenda Summit in Detroit this month. Stephen talks with NBL leadership about the event and economic strategies to empower the Black community.
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Since its first broadcast in 1968, American Black Journal has continued to act as a forum to discuss culture, public affairs and societal concerns from an African American perspective.
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Hygrade Deli on Michigan Avenue has been a staple of Corktown for many years. The current owner, Stuart Litt, sat down with Nolan Finley to speak on the historic highs and lows of owning a business in the city.
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Nikki’s Ginger Tea is on the move as products line the shelves in Royal Oak at the new Meijer Woodward Corner Marketplace.
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In celebration of Black History Month, TechTown presents: Boss: The Black Experience in Business: A Film Screening and Storytelling Event in partnership with Detroit Public TV and In Good Co.Detroit.
Read MoreStephen talks with actor and philanthropist Hill Harper about his decision to invest in Detroit by purchasing an historic home and a business in the city.
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American Black Journal celebrates the stories and accomplishments of African American men and women of our past, present and future.
Read MoreChristy takes a look at some of the progress and challenges in Detroit over the past decade. Plus, we’ll highlights from Mayor Mike Duggan’s conversation at the Detroit Policy Conference, and Nolan and Stephen offer their perspectives on where the City stands in 2020.
Read MoreStephen talks with the African-American businessman who made history by signing a multi-million dollar contract with the City of Detroit to provide fuel for the city’s fleet of vehicles. And, a national non-profit organization is putting young people to work and helping them learn how to become self-sufficient.
Read MoreThe Detroit Economic Club presented a conversation with Chief Justice Bridget Mary McCormack and Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist streamed live from the Masonic Temple by Detroit Public TV on Tuesday, January 28.
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Detroit future city is expanding its efforts to drive change in the city. The non-profit has added a new department called the “center for equity, engagement and research.”
Read MoreThe nonprofit Detroit Future City opens a new center that will use extensive research, data and stakeholder engagement to promote economic equity in Detroit. Plus, we’ll have advice for business owners on how to navigate the challenges and opportunities of 2020.
Read MoreThe Detroit Economic Club presents a conversation with Steve Forbes, Chairman & Editor-in-Chief of Forbes Media. It will be streamed live from the TCF Center by Detroit Public TV on Monday, January 13 from 12:35-1:30pm ET.
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The Detroit Economic Club presents a conversation with Grant Thornton Chief Economist, Diane Swonk, and Jeff Donofrio, Director of Michigan’s Labor and Economic Opportunity Department. It will be streamed live from the MotorCity Casino Hotel by Detroit Public TV on Tuesday, January 7 from 12:30-1:30pm ET.
Read MoreStephen takes a look back at some of the notable interviews and topics on the program during 2019.
Read MoreOur special roundtable guests take on some of the stories in 2019 that had a significant impact on African Americans. We’ll talk about President Trump’s impeachment, the Black Lives Matter and Me Too movements, and the digital divide.
Read MoreThis episode takes a special look at some of the venues One Detroit has visited over the past year of production. Christy talks with the owners/general managers.
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In November of 2018, a majority of Michiganders voted for the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act, which allows for the use, cultivation, and sale of Marijuana products statewide. The act went into effect on December, 1st, 2019, much sooner than expected.
To find out the answers to the most common questions people have about this new marijuana regulation, One Detroit Associate Producer, Will Glover, talked with Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Executive Director of the Marijuana Regulatory Agency, Andrew Brisbo.
Nolan gets a tour of the new apartment and retail space near the Fisher Building, known as The Boulevard. It’s the first new residential building in the New Center area in 30 years. He talks with the developer about this neighborhood investment and the affordable housing it offers.
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Who benefited from the foreclosure crisis? Reveal reporter, Aaron Glantz, wanted to know. The details are in Glantz’s book, “Homewreckers: How a Gang of Wall Street Kingpins, Hedge Fund Magnates, Crooked Banks, and Vulture Capitalists Suckered Millions Out of Their Homes and Demolished the American Dream”. He sat down for an interview with Sarah Alvarez of Outlier Media, who’s been covering the foreclosure crisis in Detroit.
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One Detroit takes a look at the history of Better Made potato chips in this excerpt from Detroit Public TV’s “Detroit Remember When: Made in the Motor City” documentary.
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Christy gives viewers highlights of the Detroit Regional Chamber’s just released State of the Region report.
Read MoreThis episode takes a special look at some of the venues One Detroit has visited over the past year of production. Christy talks with the owners/general managers.
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The Detroit Economic Club presents a conversation with CEO and President of Flex-N-Gate, Shahid Khan. It will be streamed live from the Masonic Temple by Detroit Public TV on Tuesday, November 19 from 12:30-1:30pm ET.
Read MoreThe Detroit Economic Club presented a conversation with EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler streamed live from the MotorCity Casino by Detroit Public TV on Tuesday, October 22.
Read MoreSmall business owners on Livernois Avenue in Detroit have been struggling to keep their doors open as they wait out a major streetscape construction project. Stephen talks with two business owners and City of Detroit executive Arthur Jemison about the impact and what the city is doing to assist the businesses. Plus, the late journalist and former Detroit Black Journal host Cliff Russell is being honored at a tribute dinner given by the Black Historic Sites Committee of the Detroit Historical Society. We’ll hear from Cliff’s family members and the hosts of the event.
Read MoreThe Detroit Economic Club presented a conversation with Citi CEO Mike Corbat streamed live from the Westin Book Cadillac by Detroit Public TV on October 8.
Read MoreOn the next American Black Journal, the newly-established American Basketball Hall of Fame gets ready to welcome its inaugural class of inductees. Stephen talks with some of the NBA greats who are being honored.
Read MoreLegendary Detroit entertainer Jackie Wilson receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Stephen talks with Wilson’s daughter, Brenda Wilson, and cousin Thelma Stubbs-Mitchell about the late singer who earned the nickname “Mr. Excitement.”
Read MoreOne Detroit is at The School at Marygrove with DPSCD Superintendent Dr. Nikolai Vitti on opening day. It’s a new high school in the Detroit Public Schools Community District, focusing on engineering and social justice. Plus, Nolan and Stephen offer their thoughts on the vision for the school.
Read MoreOn the next American Black Journal, The New York Times Magazine’s “The 1619 Project,” takes a comprehensive look at the start of slavery in America 400 years ago. Stephen talks with two of the initiative’s contributors about how the controversial project reframes U.S. history around the arrival of the first African slave ship in August of 1619.
Read MoreThe Detroit Economic Club presented a conversation with General John M. “Mike” Murray the commander of Army Futures Command streamed live from The Masonic Temple by Detroit Public TV onSeptember 5.
Read MoreA One Detroit report focuses on the massive streetscape construction project that is hurting businesses along Livernois, the Avenue of Fashion. Plus, Christy talks with the co-owner of Baker’s Keyboard Lounge about how the construction is impacting his business and what the City of Detroit is doing in response to Livernois Avenue business owners’ concerns.
Read MoreStephen talks with the new CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan, Shawn Wilson, about his partnership with Detroit rapper Big Sean and his efforts to transform the facilities in the area.
Read MoreChristy, Nolan and Stephen talk about this week’s big headlines, including the selection of a new Oakland County Executive, the status of funding for state road repairs, and Vice President Mike Pence’s message about the economy during his visit to Detroit.
Read MoreNolan and Stephen offer their thoughts on the political battle brewing in Oakland County over who will fill the term of the late County Executive L. Brooks Patterson, plus they debate the impact the trade war with China is having in Michigan.
Read MoreOn the next American Black Journal, the Detroit chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity celebrates its centennial this year. Stephen talks with the president of the Gamma Lambda Chapter about the men’s commitment to community service and the anniversary gala planned for October.
Read MoreChristy and One Detroit staff — Daphne Hughes, Zosette Guir, Bill Kubota and Will Glover — introduce their favorite closing stories from One Detroit.
Read MoreOn the next American Black Journal, Independent filmmakers from around the world are gathering in...
Read MoreStephen and Nolan are joined by two in-studio roundtable guests: Kim Trent of the WSU Board of Governors and Compass Strategies and Howard Edelson of The Edelson Group. They discuss the Democratic Presidential Debates in Detroit — the winners and losers, the topics, and the impact on Detroit and Michigan.
Read MoreNext on One Detroit:LINE 5: A special Great Lakes Now report tracing the history and controversy...
Read MoreOn the next American Black Journal, several of the 2020 presidential candidates give African American voters their solutions to critical issues affecting communities of color.
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