Detroit is Different

Tap Into It, Dr. Rose Moten on Healing, Detroit Roots, and Living in Full Bloom

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 11:00:00 -0000

“Our job now is to help people unlearn the stuff that is not serving them, help them tap into the remembrance of the (inspirational) things that lie within our DNA.” Dr. Rose Moten’s story is one of bloom—of growing through responsibility, grief, faith, and purpose into a life devoted to healing others. In this powerful Detroit Is Different conversation, Dr. Rose—clinical psychologist, author, speaker, life-transformation specialist, and founder of Life in Full Bloom—reflects on the roots that shaped her, from her family’s deep foundation of love, education, and community to the life-changing experience of helping care for her father as a teenager after his health declined. What began as a daughter’s need to understand “what happened to my father’s brain” became a lifelong calling to explore the relationship between the mind, the brain, trauma, emotion, and wellness. She shares how those early experiences shaped not only her path into psychology, but her broader approach to healing—one that honors presence, emotional awareness, trauma release, and the possibility of transformation at every stage of life. This episode is a meditation on what it means to bloom through hardship, to turn pain into purpose, and to help others come back to themselves with compassion, clarity, and care.

Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different.

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I Knew That’s What I Wanted to Do, Gerald McBride on Radio, Detroit Love, and Legacy

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 10:30:00 -0000

“Once I saw that, I knew that’s what I wanted to do. I wanted to be on radio.” That spark carries this rich Detroit is Different conversation with Gerald McBride author of the new book God and the DJ. Gerald McBride is a legendary radio DJ, voice-over master, and filmmaker, whose story stretches from the soul team reporter days of 1970s Detroit radio to becoming one of the city’s most recognizable voices. Gerald takes listeners inside a living archive of Black Detroit sound, sharing how watching Donnie Simpson work the board with a grease pencil and razor blade made radio feel like magic, and how hearing his own family name on air made the dream real. He reflects on a time when Detroit radio was deeply tied to community, when DJs had personality, creative freedom, and real relationships with listeners. From memories of Martha Jean “The Queen” and the power of WJLB to stories of being live with Roger Troutman of Zapp and building beloved R\&B artists battles, this episode is joy, history, and cultural testimony. Gerald’s journey also points forward through film, including his work telling the story of Black teenagers playing hockey—proof that Black Detroit creativity keeps evolving, teaching, and inspiring future generations.

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Being in Community is Wellness, Dr. Demarra West’s Journey

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 10:00:00 -0000

“My heart bleeds for Detroit” is how Dr. Demarra West opens this rich Detroit is Different conversation, and that one line sets the tone for an episode rooted in healing, belonging, and Black community care. Therapist, author, leadership expert, and founder of Be Well Beautiful People, Dr. West reflects on how spending more time in Detroit has deepened her connection to the culture, the people, and the lifestyle that speaks to her spirit. She shares why Detroit holds unique power as a place where “we can amplify wellbeing for Detroiters” and why being in community is not extra, but essential medicine. In this powerful exchange, she breaks down the difference between treatment and true wellness, reminding us that “the healthcare system is really about treating disease,” while real wellbeing calls us back to mind, body, spirit, joy, rest, and relationships. She also gives listeners a glimpse into the upcoming Hearth Summit, a gathering helping place Detroit on the map as a leader in culturally rooted wellness. This episode connects the ancestral wisdom of our past with the urgent healing work of our future.

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From Black Pages to Detroit Smart Pages: Beverly Smith’s Media Journey

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 11:00:00 -0000

“Everybody was moving to the north for jobs,” Beverly Smith says, and in that one line she opens a powerful story of migration, Black ambition, and building something lasting in Detroit. In this Detroit is Different conversation, the founder and CEO of Detroit Smart Pages reflects on arriving in Detroit from Lake Charles, Louisiana in 1968, just after the rebellion, with her husband and young child, chasing opportunity and a bigger life. What unfolds is a rich journey through entrepreneurship, from early business ownership with Black Pages roots, to photography, to becoming a longtime publisher uplifting Black business, neighborhood stories, and Detroit’s living legacy. Smith’s voice carries the wisdom of someone “of the community, in the community,” and her reflections on mentors like David Rambeau and Ron Scott connect her personal path to a wider tradition of Black media, activism, and cultural documentation. This episode matters because it shows how Black Detroit has always created its own platforms, archives, and celebrations of “legends, luminaries and legacy.” Beverly Smith’s story is about more than publishing—it is about how community storytelling preserves the past while giving future generations a roadmap for self-determination, visibility, and pride.

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The Right Time Is Right Now: Portia Roberson on Leading Focus: HOPE Into Detroit’s Future

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 11:00:00 -0000

“The right time is right now” sets the tone for this powerful Detroit is Different conversation with Portia Roberson, CEO of Focus: HOPE, as she breaks down leadership, legacy, and what it means to serve Detroit with purpose. From her years as a Detroit attorney learning to “really practice law” in Frank Murphy Hall of Justice, to working on Barack Obama’s historic 2008 campaign, to now guiding one of Detroit’s most iconic institutions, Portia shares a journey rooted in Black political possibility, organizational discipline, and community care. She reflects on Focus: HOPE’s origin after the 1967 rebellion, its role as an advocacy organization, and why she believes in returning to the core mission because “all money’s not good money.” This interview connects the past and future of Legacy Black Detroit through stories of partnership, food justice, early childhood education, workforce development, and multigenerational responsibility. Portia also offers deep insight into Black leadership, Detroit’s legal culture, the emotional meaning of Obama’s rise, and the ongoing work of building institutions that truly help families. This is a rich conversation about strategy, service, and sustaining community through change.

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Community Power and the Politics of Housing, Conversation with Haley Stevens

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 10:30:59 -0000

“Housing is a human need, and policy has to meet people there.” Haley Stevens says in this Detroit is Different conversation, and that line sets the tone for an interview grounded in family legacy, public service, and a belief that community is built through organizing. Stevens reflects on her family’s deep ties to Detroit—from her grandfather coming for Ford work, to her father’s stories of Comstock Street, to her mother’s pride in working in the Fisher Building—and explains how a blue-collar, union-connected, small business-oriented upbringing shaped her understanding of people power. She shares how witnessing the labor movement, thinking deeply about racial justice as a young person, and later working on Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign helped frame politics not as performance, but as bringing people together around real needs. The discussion also looks forward, as Stevens connects Michigan’s housing challenges to public policy pathways that can expand access, protect working families, and create more opportunity for residents. This is a rich conversation about Detroit’s past, Michigan’s future, and why organizing still matters.

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From Buick City to Black Food Futures: Terry Campbell’s Detroit Journey

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 13:00:00 -0000

“‘You got to love your way through this’ is more than a quote in this Detroit is Different conversation with Terry Campbell—it’s the thread connecting a life built through Detroit legacy, Black migration, industry, policy, and purpose.” In this rich episode, Terry traces her family’s journey from Alabama, Florida, the West Indies, and Windsor into five generations of Detroit life, reflecting on Black Bottom, Northwest Detroit, Cass, Henry Ford, and the neighborhood values that shaped her. She shares how growing up in an engineering-minded household led to a career at General Motors, where years of building management and leadership skills in Flint factories and the GM Tech Center taught her how systems work, how communities are affected, and why “at some point, it wasn’t fun anymore” watching industry decline. That experience became a gateway to transformative public service—first helping lead Eastern Market, then stepping into U.S. Senate offices to advocate for urban agriculture, food justice, transit, infrastructure, and Detroit neighborhoods. With lines like “people are people” and “everybody’s got to do their piece where they fit in,” Terry offers a masterclass in Legacy Black Culture, civic responsibility, and how Detroit wisdom can shape the future.

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I’m From Detroit. Everybody Knows That — Angela J. Sikes on Black Excellence, Marketing Power & Legacy

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 12:00:00 -0000

“I was never raised to think that there was something that I couldn’t do.” That spirit lives all through this rich Detroit is Different conversation with Angela J. Sikes, Founder and Principal of Ruby Global Marketing Consultancy, and a proud daughter of Detroit whose journey stretches from Seven Mile and Cass Tech to FAMU, Georgetown, Under Armour, and some of the biggest brand strategy rooms in the country. Angela breaks down how a Black woman from a family rooted in HBCU legacy, education, music, and faith built a career at the intersection of “brand, creativity, culture and commerce,” while never losing the authenticity of home. In this episode, she reflects on Detroit roots, pop culture, data, storytelling, Boomerang, Black representation in marketing, mentorship, and why curiosity, courage, and critical thinking still matter in every room. Her story uplifts the preservation of Black history and family legacy while showing how Black cultural knowledge is not a side note, but a powerful asset that has shaped successful campaigns and opened doors for future generations. This is a powerful listen on precedent, purpose, and preserving Legacy Black Culture while building what comes next.

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Everybody Needs That Bridge: Mama Njia Kai on Legacy, Love, and Detroit Culture

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 11:00:00 -0000

“Everybody needs that bridge.” In this Detroit is Different conversation, Njia Kai—Mama Njia of NKSK Events and Productions—pulls up with the kind of wisdom that only comes from building culture for decades. She celebrates the next wave of Detroit creators, saying she loves seeing “a continuum… the foundations aren’t totally forgotten,” and laughs at how our kids swear they’ll never be like us—until “what you nurtured… shows up in their lives later.” Khary and Mama Njia talk village economics in real time: pulling cables, finding last-minute food, and the “mutual support and reciprocation” that keeps Black Detroit experiences alive. With tenderness, she reflects on the loss of her daughter Indica and how community showed up—“this feels like home… this is how they used to do it”—drummers, chairs, food, altar, love. She drops game on legacy: teach the “root” so young people can innovate, balance “the intellect and the intuition,” and remember elders as “wisdom keepers… the baba tree.” From travel myths to mentoring, she reminds us: “All things are possible,” so stay curious, stay present, discern who’s “born to serve,” and keep building what comes next for Legacy Black Culture because Detroit’s future depends on memory turned into motion—together, always.

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Environmental Justice Was Born Off the Backs of Black Women, Theresa Landrum

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 10:05:00 -0000

“Women are the backbones of family, of community,” Theresa Landrum ( of the Original United Citizens of Southwest Detroit) declares in a Detroit is Different conversation that moves with power, memory, and urgency. In this episode, Landrum traces how her family came from Tennessee into the “triple cities” of Ecorse, River Rouge, and Southwest Detroit, where Black families built businesses, bought homes on land contract, raised gardens, and created what she calls “our own Harlem Renaissance.” She lifts up a world where “we were our own mecca,” rich with doctors, teachers, churches, artists, and everyday people making life together under the pressure of redlining and racism. But this story is also a warning and a call to action. Landrum makes plain that “Jim Crow never ended, it just evolved,” and shows how pollution, industry, and disinvestment made environmental justice a life-or-death issue in Black Detroit. Her words, “the environmental justice movement was born off the backs and the work… of Black women,” frame this interview as both history lesson and organizing guide. This episode matters because it connects Legacy Black Culture to the future: protecting Black community means protecting Black air, Black land, Black health, and Black survival.

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We Have to Speak & Do More: Edythe Ford on Black History, Community, and the Fight for Legacy

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 10:00:00 -0000

“You are a Black Panther. You’re a Malcolm X. Do something.” That charge from Edythe Ford, Executive Director of MACC Development, sets the tone for a powerful Detroit is Different conversation rooted in memory, movement, and the living responsibility of Black legacy. In this rich interview, Ford traces her family’s journey from Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee—“the place that the Ku Klux Klan started”—to Detroit, sharing how her ancestors carried courage, skill, and strategy north during the Great Migration. She reflects on family Bibles as legal records, barber surgeons as early Black professionals, and the importance of protecting stories before they are lost: “History will have you think your family wasn’t great.” From surviving racist violence and childhood civil rights protests to building community on Detroit’s east side today, Ford makes clear that Black history is not distant—it is personal, present, and unfinished. This episode is a masterclass on preserving family truth, affirming dignity, and understanding why Black history matters to both the past and future of Detroit. It’s a conversation about inheritance, responsibility, and why legacy must be documented, defended, and lived.

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Detroit, Trust, and the Business of Being Seen with Pam Perry

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 11:00:00 -0000

“I’m your publicist, not your therapist.” Publicist and brand strategist Pam Perry pulls up to the Detroit is Different studio and drops gems that hit like a drumline—because, as she reminds us, before “content creation,” our people were already “getting the word out” through bells, drums, and community signal. From Coney Gardens roots and Hamtramck church connections to Cass Tech, the RenCen, Wayne State, and the Detroit Free Press, Pam maps Detroit as a training ground for messaging, hustle, and legacy. She breaks down the marketing suite—“public relations, publicity, advertising, promotions”—and why every creator, church, business, author, and speaker needs strategy, not vibes. Pam talks Great Migration family history, the power of Black press—“we have to create our own narrative, our own media”—and the discipline of charging for skilled work: “You got to invest time or money, it ain’t for free.” She explains spotting the “it factor,” preparing clients for national stages, and leveraging PR as “a traffic builder” with systems like email lists and owned platforms. In an era where “you don’t know what’s real,” Pam’s blueprint connects Detroit’s past signal-makers to the future of Legacy Black culture. And her advice: “Get a mentor…have longevity.”

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There’s Always a Market for the Remarkable: Rachel Lutz and the Peacock Room’s Detroit Blueprint

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 10:00:00 -0000

“Everything is political—fashion is political,” says Rachel Lutz, owner of the Peacock Room, and this conversation makes you feel that truth in your bones. Rachel takes us from working retail at Nordstrom alongside women who “retired after decades at Jacobson’s and Hudson’s,” to realizing modern shopping got too same-same—“you walk into a department store and things just all look the same.” She shares why the Peacock Room exists as an antidote: “I wanted to give other people something better than what I had experienced,” especially after growing up with messages that her body was “wrong.” We dig into Detroit business legacy—Rachel is a “fourth generation Detroit business owner”—and how history lives in the spaces we build today, from the Fisher Building’s grandeur to the hard stories of exclusion. She breaks down why she resists tech-for-tech’s-sake—“technology is not always the answer”—and why the Peacock Room centers human connection, pricing across the spectrum, and a luxury feeling for everybody. It’s a masterclass in women-led entrepreneurship, Detroit retail “bleed out,” and how the past can guide a more inclusive business future.

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With the Community: Welcome, Ownership, & Detroit’s Next Renaissance with Diallo Smith of Life Remodeled

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 12:00:00 -0000

“When I'm ask Detroit? Why? My question is—why not?” Diallo Smith, President & CEO of Life Remodeled, pulls up to Detroit is Different with a love letter to the city that raised him and a blueprint for what comes next. He traces three generations of Detroit roots—from Louisville to “Conant Gardens” to Arkansas sharecroppers who “escaped” Jim Crow to find a future. But Diallo refuses the escape narrative: “I didn’t escape from anything… I was nurtured through good, bad, and indifferent,” held by barbershops, beauty salons, neighbors, and accountability—the everyday infrastructure of Legacy Black Culture. From Wilberforce dreams (with Tech CEOs on his dorm room wall) to corporate Houston, he breaks down how “your habits define your future,” why ownership must include “distribution channels,” and why Detroit neighborhoods are the region’s smartest investment. He explains Life Remodeled’s “with—not to, not for” approach to engage communities, the power of warm welcomes (“how you get treated when you walk in the door”), and why Detroit can be first — this time in showing the world how a majority-Black city revitalizes with dignity.

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I’ve Broken That Myth: Dr. Yusef Bunchy Shakur’s Blueprint for Community Power

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 11:00:00 -0000

“Before I leave this earth, I want to tell you about all the greater things I’ve done with others. That is the legacy I want to leave.” That’s Dr. Yusef “Bunchy” Shakur laying it plain—legacy isn’t a title, it’s a collective practice. In this in-studio conversation, Bunchy and Khary move through the full arc: from “a self-proclaimed predator” and “street aholic” in Zone 8 to a transformed leader who says, “I’ve broken that myth” that you can’t return home and build. He talks trailblazing—Urban Network to Mama Akua House—while naming the discipline of humility (“I literally do the work”) and the politics of authenticity in spaces that want you to “play the game.” As the first Black and first formerly incarcerated Executive Director in the Michigan Roundtable’s history, he lays out a vision to “build community power, dismantle stigmas” and shift from “like-minded” to “value people.” This episode connects Detroit’s past—elders, Panthers, block wisdom—to our future: a model of Legacy Black Culture that survives by organizing, not performing, and by building together what we couldn’t get alone.

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Lord, Don’t Let ’Em Take My Smile: Lou Beatty Jr. and the North End Blueprint

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 00:14:12 -0000

“Lord, please don’t let ’em take my smile.” Actor Lou Beatty Jr. steps into Detroit is Different with a life that reads like a Detroit map and a history syllabus—North End porches, Oakland Avenue storefronts, and the labor that rebuilt churches and neighborhoods after white flight. He traces his family’s Great Migration from Union, South Carolina—“the automobile industry… afforded these people… a way to make the dollar”—to a Detroit where Black artisans raised steel, laid brick, and even helped build C.L. Franklin’s church: “We hung the steel girders, created altars.” Lou remembers a city alive with sound—“I used to see Smokey walking down the street”—and a worldview sharpened at St. Emma Military Academy and in radio ad sales where he learned, “In business, you want all the money coming at you.” Then Hollywood: “He signed me on Thursday… I was on national TV two weeks later,” but Lou keeps it grounded: “All jobs are honorable… I got to take care of my family.” This episode ties past to future—craft, community, and cultural memory—showing how Legacy Black Detroit survives by turning skill into sovereignty and story into a blueprint. And he reminds us: “Learn it from the bottom up—don’t skip steps.”

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Never Stop Learning: Brandon Young on Detroit Work Ethic, Grief, and Building Jobs

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 00:06:56 -0000

“The one thing I would tell the younger generation is to never stop learning.” In this special Detroit is Different x I Am a Genius collaboration, host Candace Cox-Wimberly (She’s a Genius / I Am a Genius) sits with Brandon Young, CEO and co-founder of Safety Ops Specialists, for a conversation that feels like Detroit porch wisdom with a business plan attached. From “Linwood… the stumping grounds” to “east side, also downtown,” Brandon maps how Legacy Black Detroit raises builders—wearing “suits since I was two years old,” shaped by the Nation of Islam, Aisha Shule, and the discipline of being “unapologetically me.” He breaks down entrepreneurship as “getting your time back,” but keeps it real: “It doesn’t start off the gate… you need to… build… a well-oiled machine.” The interview hits deep when Brandon shares how grief became fuel after losing his brother to COVID: “That pain pushed you forward,” leading him to create “between 50 and 60 jobs” and watch people go from “sleeping in their car” to “now I got a house.” He ties mentorship to survival—“closed mouth don’t get fed”—and ends with Detroit prophecy: “our work ethic is second to none.” This episode connects our past discipline to a future of entrepreneurship, wellness, and community-owned opportunity.

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Don’t Let the Bully Take Your Lunch Money: Abdul El-Sayed on Power, Pain, and a Michigan Movement

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 11:30:06 -0000

“Trump is not the disease of our politics—he’s just the worst symptom,” Abdul El-Sayed tells Detroit is Different, and from that line he builds a whole Michigan-rooted case for why progressives can’t just run against villains—they’ve got to run for people. In this deep, story-rich conversation, Abdul traces his Detroit foundation from an Egyptian father who “literally studied into existence the life I got to live” to a multiracial Michigan family that forced him to “explain myself to people my whole life,” and he connects that lived truth to organizing: the courage to face the bully, because “once you let them take your lunch money once you’re never going to eat lunch.” He breaks down public health as moral politics—“15 hours or 15 minutes” can mean a ten-year life expectancy gap—and calls out a system where CEOs get rich “while denying healthcare to people who they know need it.” From rebuilding Detroit’s health department (glasses vans outside schools) to refusing corporate money, Abdul lays out a liberal, progressive, activist spirit that echoes Michigan’s long tradition of labor, civil rights, and community-led power: “It’s not enough to say what you’re against—you got to say what you’re for.”

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Why Natasha T. Miller keeps Accountability for her Ideas

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 11:00:00 -0000

“You don’t get a blueprint in Detroit—you just have to be good and consistent.” Spoken word artist, poet, experience creator, and filmmaker Natasha T. Miller joins Detroit is Different for a deeply grounded conversation on what artistry means when it’s rooted in family, responsibility, and legacy Black culture. With humor and honesty, she reflects on being “300 cousins deep,” tracing her lineage back to Highland Park and a 14-bedroom family home that survived without lights or water—proof that Detroit creativity has always been born from endurance. T. Miller opens up about grief, raising her nephew after the loss of her brother, and how those life shifts reshaped her art: “It wasn’t a burden—it was what I was supposed to be doing.” She challenges the myth of the starving artist, insisting that sustainability is part of integrity: “If you’re making a decision to be a professional poet, you need to make money in that decision.” From the explosive era of Detroit’s spoken-word movement to her current work archiving grief, parenting, and memory through film and performance, this episode connects past and future. It’s a testament to Detroit’s experimental spirit—where art feeds community, accountability fuels creativity, and legacy is something you actively build.

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Misha Stallworth West on how watching a Rich Detroit Legacy in Community Leadership as a Child inspires her Today

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 16:23:00 -0000

“I wanted a red brick house in Detroit. That’s all I wanted.” In this Detroit is Different studio sit-down, Misha Stallworth West—Senior Program Officer at the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation—traces a five-generation arc from Selma to Detroit and family full of community organizers. She remembers a “stoic” grandfather, and a grandmother Alma Stallworth nicknamed “the Rep,” whose fierce love for children helped shape the Northwest Activity Center, Beaubien Junior High, and the Black Caucus Foundation of Michigan’s drug, tobacco, and violence prevention work. Misha explains how growing up in meetings made her “a well-trained introvert,” and why she’s “never asked herself if I’m allowed to speak in any space—ever.” From Grant Park Chicago IL on election night of Barack Obama, to part of Detroit’s first school board after emergency management, she connects Legacy Black Detroit’s political education to today’s care economy. Her current focus is caregivers of older adults: “every time you go get a box for my auntie house, I’m talking about you,” and “you can’t pour from an empty cup.” This episode is a blueprint for how Detroit’s past-built institutions can power our next future. and how we honor elders.

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The Piano Bench to the Picket Line: Bill Meyer’s Road from Music to Movement

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 15:42:47 -0000

“My life will be better if everybody else’s life gets better”—that’s the heartbeat of this Detroit is Different conversation with musician and lifelong activist Bill Meyer, where jazz isn’t just sound, it’s a human-rights practice. Bill takes us from his family’s Depression-era move from Canada to Detroit, to learning piano out of pure little-brother defiance—“the only way I could stop him was if I went and sat on the piano bench”—and into the moment he first saw racism up close as a child and knew something was deeply wrong. He breaks down how he didn’t understand “the politics” of jazz until college, when Vietnam-era organizing radicalized him, and he started naming the truth: “Jazz is black music,” and too often “the black people created it…and the white people made all the money.” From producing a 1987 Detroit tribute to Paul Robeson to building a 24-year jam-session institution at Bert’s, Bill calls community-building “a political project”—using music to cross lines, support Black business, and push peace and justice. This episode connects past movements to future ones with a simple charge: “Music is love…bring people together.”

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Don’t Know the beauty of our Black City till You Leave: Aaron Foley on Being Raised on Detroit Culture

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 12:30:00 -0000

“You don’t know that you live in a Black city until you leave.” Aaron Foley pulls up to Detroit Is Different with that truth and four generations of Detroit in his pocket—from Conant Gardens to the North End—unpacking how Legacy Black culture was built through homes, institutions, and the Black press. He paints his great-aunt Joyce's house as “JoAnn Fabrics full of patterns and clothes,” a creative HQ where couture fashion shows happened in the living room, and laughs at family lore: “I kicked that man out of my dressing room,” his grandmother’s story after mistaking Lou Rawls for an intruder. From Pershing to Northern, Four Tops doo-wop to Smokey “out in these streets,” Foley shows how Detroit genius was neighborhood-deep. Then he brings it to the Michigan Chronicle, where he grew up watching the paper “come to life,” learning why “papers like The Chronicle…were very important in documenting our stories.” Now back at the Chronicle himself, he’s focused on “what kind of stories…you can only read this in The Chronicle,” writing pieces meant to “stand the test of time” and seed the next wave of Black journalists. This episode is a love letter to our past—and a blueprint for our future.

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‘It’s For the Community’: Bryce Huffman on Journalism, University District, and Detroit’s Future

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 12:00:00 -0000

“It’s for the community. It’s about the community. It is community centered”—and Bryce Huffman brings that energy from the first minute, taking us from deep family roots (“Granddad… from Alabama by way of The Bahamas”) to the neighborhoods that raised him—Conant Gardens, Anderson Memorial, Bagley/University District—where “thank God because this is my city” isn’t just a line, it’s a life stance. In a conversation packed with Detroit geography, humor, and hard truth, Bryce breaks down how growing up across the city (and seeing the suburbs up close) shaped his lens on journalism, power, and Legacy Black culture—our churches, our hustles, our street-corner wisdom, and the stories outsiders miss. He opens up about the moment Ferguson flipped his purpose—“I can use these skills… to force people to talk about things that matter”—and how that throughline led him home to Bridge Detroit. Looking ahead, Bryce lays out a 2026 vision rooted in “civic accountability,” including Bridge’s Porchside series in District 5, where residents invite journalists into the neighborhood to talk solutions—because the future of Detroit depends on people knowing “what can you do about it?”

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Pocket Watches, Power, and Black Business: Arthur Chapman on 100 Years of Jewels

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 15:26:10 -0000

"We really have exactly 100 years in Detroit,” Arthur Chapman says, and that one line sets the whole episode on fire—because this isn’t just jewelry, it’s Legacy Black Detroit economics. Arthur walks us from Yazoo City, Mississippi to Black Bottom, where family relationships became the real infrastructure, and where his grandfather “Daddy E” (Eli Chapman) stayed in motion as a serial entrepreneur—record store, bowling alley, whatever it took—before a bus driver’s tool of the trade opened the door: pocket watches. When the DSR/DDOT watch vendor retired, Eli didn’t hesitate: “I’ll give you X amount of dollars for your inventory and for your contract with DDoT,” and a work relationship turned into a supply chain, then into rings, diamonds, and Detroit success. Arthur also names the barriers—“There were no jewelers willing to sell to him”—and the breakthrough moment when a supplier finally said, “As long as your money is green, I’ll do business with you.” We hear how safety, community, and partnership mattered—“you are your security”—and why returning home for Arthur was the future: Detroit is the culture that raises the next generation, because the goal isn’t just survival, it’s to “go a thousand years.

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Triniti Watson learned from an OG Archivists: Family Memory, Detroit Roots, and The Critical Mix

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 15:11:32 -0000

There’s this interesting thing with time where the past collapses within the present.” Triniti Watson—Curator-in-Residence at the Boggs Center for Nurturing Community Leadership and visionary lead of The Critical Mix—pulls up with Detroit roots deep as the Great Migration and a mission to make “lost histories… more visible.” From her grandma’s West Side St. Mary’s Street house—Jeopardy on the big block TV, journals, photo albums, and “these are your people” images—Triniti traces how Black women become the “OG archivist,” holding our stories when institutions and trauma leave gaps. She breaks down how COVID-era stillness pushed her to say, “I cannot allow an institution to define who I am,” and why memory work is freedom work. Then she invites Detroit into the Boggs Center’s 30-year legacy with First Fridays (1–4 PM), where community safety history meets Detroit’s sonic future: DJs create mixes responding to texts from the exhibit, so visitors feel “the textures of liberation” while learning the names, movements, and traditions that built us. The series launches Friday, February 6, 2026 for Black Histories/Black Futures Month—pull up, bring friend, and follow @boggscenter for updates. Free, intergenerational, and Detroit as ever—Legacy Black culture remembered on purpose, and remixed for what’s next.

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The Charter, the Choir, and the Ballot: Building Legacy Black Detroit with Jonathan Kinloch

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 13:05:00 -0000

“Politics taught me and prepared me for a world that is more political than politics.” Wayne County Commissioner (District 2) and 13th Congressional District Democratic Party Chair Jonathan Kinloch joins Detroit is Different for a Detroit-rooted, world-spanning conversation that starts at Second & Myrtle—“you know you’re Detroit when you remember” it was once Myrtle, now MLK—and reaches back to South Carolina and New Jersey family migrations. Kinloch breaks down how elders like Erma Henderson wrapped their arms around a young volunteer, handing him the City Charter and saying, “I want you to read that and… explain it to me,” then sending him to police, planning, and historic commission meetings to learn how power really moves. From Northwestern’s Motown pipeline—meeting Esther Gordy Edwards—to giving artists civic honors, Kinloch reveals the thread between culture and governance: legacy is built when we protect the block, the schools, and the ballot. He names Reagan-era disinvestment, party infrastructure fights, and why “this bipartisan thing is… bull crap” when working families need results. This episode ties past and future Black Detroit: migration, mentorship, music, and the mandate to organize precinct by precinct so our people steer what’s next. Tap in for stories, strategy, and Detroit love.

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From Watts to Paradise Valley: Chungalia, the US Organization, and Detroit’s Melanin Miracle

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 13:00:00 -0000

“Detroit is different… it’s all because of the melanin that we’re getting from the sun.” In this Detroit is Different conversation, Brother Chungalia—an original member of the US Organization founded by Dr. Maulana Karenga, creator of Kwanzaa, and among the first to celebrate it—takes us from post-riot Los Angeles to the deep roots of Black Detroit. He calls his move here “inevitable,” recalling LA’s Congress building politics—“Jesse Jackson had an office there”—and the discipline of a movement that spoke Swahili daily. He stitches together Conant Gardens, Paradise Valley, and the Blue Bird Inn with a moment of Black memory so wild it feels like spirit work: “She remembered me… from 1959 and spotted me in 1974,” leading to “the only time I cried tears of joy.” From there, he flips elder testimony into future blueprint—“What’s the most important thing in your whole life?… breathing”—and warns that “technology is killing humanity,” pushing him to claim, “I’d rather be known… as a humanitarian,” even while rooted in Black nationalism. This episode is a bridge between the past that made Detroit’s African-centered movement possible and the future our children deserve—where the Nguza Saba isn’t nostalgia, it’s a survival manual for Legacy Black culture today.

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S12E2 -From Cass Tech to Compuware to Sisters Code: Marlin Williams talks Tech, Trust, and Legacy

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 10:05:00 -0000

“We can’t just walk up in people’s neighborhoods and not come the right way—it’s not going to end well for you.” In this Detroit is Different conversation, Marlin Williams—Founder of Intentional Technology and the force behind Sisters Code—shows why tech decisions are really decisions about people, power, and legacy. From Alabama roots to growing up on Commonwealth and Six Mile/Outer Drive, Marlin traces how Legacy Black Culture travels: migration, church, cousins, and the “nice to be nice” relationship code. She remembers entrepreneurship before the label—Amway, pots-and-pans parties my parents held—and says the real lesson was making folks feel “like they’re the only person in the room.” Then she takes us into Cass Tech, FAMU freedom, Wayne State, and Compuware’s 13-week programming gauntlet—“seven languages in 13 weeks”—that launched her into building systems behind banking and auto. Marlin reflects on helping move Compuware downtown with community-minded intent, and how Sisters Code was born onstage when she saw people “getting left out.” Today, her mission is simple: be intentional—“make sure your work gets all you need”—so our organizations save time, money, and protect our peace for the future. Detroit’s past built it; our choices build tomorrow.

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S12E1 -One Loving Adult: How Andre Ebron Builds Safe Spaces for Black Youth (and Grown Folks Too)

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 10:00:00 -0000

“You can be aware without being exposed.” That’s the kind of Detroit-grown wisdom Andre Ebron drops in this powerful studio conversation—equal parts laughter, truth-telling, and strategy for building environments where Black people can breathe and become. Andre traces his roots from Marion, Alabama through the Great Migration, the Boblo childhood memories, and landing in Detroit in 2004—“June 2004… I was there” at the Pistons championship rally—before pouring 21 years into youth, schools, nonprofits, and equity work. He breaks down why “poverty provides infrastructure for disaster,” and why mentorship can’t be performative: “Children don’t need another failed relationship in their life.” You’ll hear stories from classrooms where he refused to be the “heavy,” choosing restoration instead—“before you challenge, express concern and care”—and a reminder that legacy is built in choices: “If you have a chance to exit, exit because your life is worth it.” This episode connects Detroit’s past—migration, blocks, schools, survival—to our future: liberation-minded leadership that protects our kids, honors our elders, and grows Legacy Black Culture into a more intentional tomorrow.

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S7E79 -Walimu Raised Me: Dr. Tierra Bills on Mobility, Black Bottom, and Repair

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 11:30:18 -0000

“‘We said pledges about remembering our ancestors… loving Black (at Aisha Shule)” In this episode, Dr. Tierra Bills—Assistant Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Public Policy at UCLA—returns home through memory, tracing her family’s East Side roots and the African-centered foundation of Aisha Shule, where “as the daughter of one of the Walimu… I had to set the tone.” She honors Mama Easter’s “big presence” and the rituals that taught students their history “did not start with slavery,” then shows how that cultural grounding carried her from FAMU to UC Berkeley and into transportation engineering. Bills breaks down “mobility as a system,” asking not just how we travel, but “how easy can I get to my desired destinations?” and what happens when data, scooters, robots, and roadwork reshape daily life. From 696 detours to the I-375/Black Bottom rebuild, she insists engineers must measure real community impacts: “80% of the businesses will be shut down,” “your travel time has ballooned,” and “those who are bearing the worst impacts are those who are also most vulnerable.” It’s a Detroit legacy lesson—culture as preparation, and policy as repair—and an invitation to show up at public meetings.

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S7E78 -From Bates to the Bargaining Table: Kevin Tolbert’s Detroit Story of Faith, Work, and Power

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 11:25:50 -0000

“Wake up people, we stay asleep”—and from that call, this Detroit is Different conversation with Kevin Tolbert, 12th Congressional District Democratic Party Chair, moves like a family reunion and a strategy session. Four generations deep—Kentucky, Tennessee, Black Bottom, then East Side to West Side—Tolbert maps how Legacy Black Detroit culture gets made through migration, work, and neighborhood bonds. He shares a laugh and love of how his parents and older siblings discovered his intellect at an early age, then turns serious about Bates Academy and Dr. Gibson’s lesson: “Excuses are tools of the incompetent.” From there the talk widens to labor power and city politics—how unions built an American & Detroit' Black middle class, why government contracts “make millionaires,” and why Coleman A. Young mattered because he changed the power dynamics. Tolbert connects the past to today’s fights over media narratives, water, data, and corporate greed, warning that when people stop learning history, they repeat it. It’s a Detroit story about family, discipline, and organizing—why our legacy is a toolkit, and why the future depends on whether we wake up. He honors the skill, talent, and brilliance of Black Detroit and insists, “we’re made of something different”— and at our best when faith and collective action are at our center.

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S7E77 -Stop Playing Small: Lanasia Angelina on Worthiness & Power Within

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 11:19:13 -0000

“Worthiness. We all want to feel worthy… but just who we are being validates us.” That’s the energy Lanasia Angelina brings to the Detroit is Different studio—fresh out of the church service, East-side rooted (48205, Black Bottom lineage, Gratiot-Gunston memories), and ready to shake the room with her new book 'Stop Playing Small: How to Go From Stuck to Unstoppable.' From sleeping under pews at Perfecting CHurch as a child during choir rehearsal to blue-collar lessons (“my dad worked for Chrysler… my mom was a phlebotomist”), Lanasia breaks down how Detroit survival can harden us—and how healing can free us. She talks sisterhood, moving schools, and the kind of grit where you learn quick, then flips it into compassion and perspective about what we all carry as children carry. Her Pretty Girl Campaign years (serving 2,000+ girls) taught integrity: “I wanted to really hold that integrity so that I was really walking what I was talking.” In a city shaped by displacement, faith, and hustle, she names the trap of chasing titles and things—“they’re looking for something outside of themselves when it’s all within”—and offers a blueprint for Legacy: disrupt what shrinks you, rebuild your inner authority, and pass that power forward.

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S7E76 -Can You Consent If You’re Not Informed?” Malachi Barrett on Politics, Power, and News/Media

Thu, 25 Dec 2025 14:34:04 -0000

“Government power is derived from the consent of the governed—and can you consent if you’re not informed?” BridgeDetroit’s Malachi Barrett joins Detroit is Different for a candid, funny, and urgent conversation about the broken information environment shaping American politics. A military kid who was “always the new kid,” Malachi maps his route from Battle Creek to Lansing’s “blue blood” Capitol pipelines to Detroit in 2022, choosing to cover City Council so residents don’t have to sit through (at times) “eight hours” of government jargon to understand what’s really being decided. He warns we’ve “slipped into this collective psychosis,” where outrage beats reporting, “news influencers” outrun qualifications, and AI threatens any shared set of facts. Yet he calls the work “patriotic,” pushing back on the idea that journalists are “enemies of the people,” because accountability is how a city protects itself—especially in a battleground state where local choices echo nationally. From canvassing neighborhoods Malachi and Khary land on a simple ethic: “with great power comes great responsibility.” Detroit is Different, he says: the stakes are personal—and that’s the point. In a city remaking itself, that clarity links Detroit’s past, present fights, and future votes.

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S7E75 -Use Your Mind: Matthew Jones Detroit Story of Rage, Redemption, and Fighting Racism with Wisdom

Thu, 25 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0000

“Aneb and I met in 1974 when I was incarcerated in prison,” Matthew D. Jones Jr., LMSW, ACSW tells Detroit is Different—and from that first line, this episode becomes a masterclass in how Legacy Black Detroit culture survives, adapts, and teaches. Jones walks us from Black Bottom (“Chene & Gratiot”) to Forest & Van Dyke, where “seniors… looked out for the kids” and community love was “the normal process for black folks at the time.” He doesn’t dodge the hard truths: the “Big Four” police harassment, the anger it produced, and the 1966 case that changed his life—plus the haunting image of a military tank rolling through Detroit during the 1967 rebellion. But the heart of this interview is transformation: “the only way I was going to get out… was education,” reading thousands of books, earning degrees inside, and being guided by elders like Dr. Gloria "Mama Aneb” House. When a freedom fighter challenges him—“violence is not going to save us… use your mind”—Jones turns pain into purpose, and his memoir Fire in My Belly becomes a roadmap for our past and a strategy for our future.

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S7E74 -Healing Is the Legacy: Kayana Sessoms on Safe Spaces, Spirit, and Detroit

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 11:10:00 -0000

“Creating safe spaces has always been important to me,” says Kayana Sessoms—and that truth runs like a healing current through this Detroit is Different conversation with the founder of Hitha Healing House, a sacred space born from legacy, loss, and love. Kayana traces her roots through Mississippi, Arkansas, and Detroit’s west side, grounding her story in three generations of Black migration, creativity, and care. From being a “JoAnn Fabrics kid” turning her childhood home into a museum of imagination, to becoming a teenage peer mentor holding space for families in crisis, Kayana shares how affirmation, artistry, and community shaped her calling. She reflects on learning early that healing requires ritual—“ground yourself,” “protect your energy,” “listen in silence”—and how Eastern practices, mind management, and ancestral wisdom became tools for survival and service. Her journey stretches from Detroit to Sierra Leone, Atlanta to Osborne High School, always circling back to access, equity, and Black maternal wellness. The founding of Hitha Healing House after the loss of her father and the birth of her son becomes a powerful meditation on legacy Black culture—how we carry the past, heal in the present, and build futures rooted in care. This episode is a masterclass in why healing is culture, and why Detroit has always known how to do it.

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S7E73 -From Pots & Pans to Plates & Legacy: Johnny Cannon and the Spirit of Joe Louis

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 11:05:00 -0000

“Sometimes you don’t know what you had until it’s gone—and then you realize it was community.” In this powerful Detroit is Different conversation, Johnny Cannon of Joe Louis Southern Kitchen takes us on a journey that weaves food, family, faith, and legacy into one rich Detroit story. Born and raised on the east side, five generations deep, Johnny reflects on roots stretching from Tuscaloosa and Greensboro to Black Bottom and Paradise Valley, reminding us that “food and culture go hand in hand.” From stumbling into the restaurant business as a dishwasher to building beloved spaces like New Center Eatery, Sweet Magnolias, and now stewarding the global legacy of Joe Louis, Johnny shares how Detroit grit and divine order shaped his path. He speaks candidly about meeting Joe Louis Jr. “over Brussels sprouts and a beer,” and realizing that preserving Joe Louis’ story wasn’t just business—it was cultural responsibility. Through memories of elders banging pots in the streets, seniors gathered around radios, and customers learning history from photos on the restaurant walls, this episode connects the past joy of Black celebration to the future of Black ownership, storytelling, and pride. This is an episode about how legacy lives on the plate, in the neighborhood, and in the choices we make to honor our people.

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S7E72 -From Black Bottom to the Breakfast Table: The Joe Louis Legacy Lives On, Joe Louis Barrow II

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0000

“Long before Black people mattered in America, they mattered in Detroit.” That line alone sets the tone for this powerful Detroit is Different conversation with Joe Louis Barrow II, founder of Joe Louis Southern Kitchen and son of the Brown Bomber himself. In this episode, Barrow reflects on Detroit as sacred ground for Black legacy—where the Great Migration, Black Bottom, industrial labor, women’s liberation, and quiet acts of resistance all converged to shape Black America’s past and future. He shares how Detroit didn’t just celebrate Joe Louis the fighter, but protected and preserved Joe Louis the man, keeping his legacy alive seventy years after he left the ring. Barrow speaks candidly about entrepreneurship as community responsibility, reminding us that his father “was never seeking attention—he wanted people to see themselves in him.” From boxing to business, from activism done quietly to food done with love, this conversation traces how legacy isn’t about nostalgia—it’s about modeling possibility. Joe Louis Southern Kitchen becomes more than a restaurant; it’s a living porch, a gathering place where generations sit together, taste memory, and pass down values. This episode connects Detroit’s history of dignity, labor, and Black excellence to a future rooted in community, patience, and hope—because as Barrow reminds us, “Change is not possible without hope.”

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S7E71 -We Hate Poverty: Maureen Taylor on Legacy, Liberation & Detroit’s Future

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 11:15:00 -0000

“We hate poverty. We have to find a way to eliminate it.” That’s how Maureen Taylor— a historic Detroit frontline warrior for the poor—sets the tone for this electrifying Detroit is Different conversation recorded inside the historic General Baker Institute. From the moment she says she’s “a blue-collar African American from way back,” Maureen unfolds a legacy woven through Black Bottom, the Great Migration, and Detroit’s first Black-owned cab company founded by her grandfather who came north “my grandfather chased by the Klan but driven by purpose.” She recounts the wealth, ingenuity, and community care that shaped her childhood on McDougall—Halloween streets full of thousands of kids, Polish and Italian neighbors trading pierogis and cheesecake, and a Detroit where “we didn’t need anything else from anybody else.” Her stories move into activism: meeting General Baker after throwing rocks off a college roof, being “saved” by Maryann Mahaffey, organizing with Marian Kramer, and fighting water shutoffs all the way to the Vatican—literally. Maureen’s voice bridges Detroit’s past and future, reminding us why legacy Black culture isn’t nostalgia, but instruction. This episode is a masterclass in resistance, family, faith, and the unbreakable spirit of Black Detroit.

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S7E70 -I Enjoy Joy: Erika Monaé Lewis on Connection as a Superpower

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 11:10:00 -0000

“I enjoy bringing joy for us all.” That’s how Erika Monaé Lewis — founder of The EMG Network and creator of Networking on Purpose — explains the spark that’s been in her since childhood. In this Detroit is Different conversation, Erika unpacks how growing up on the East Side near the old city airport, running the block with friends, and soaking in the wisdom of the neighborhood shaped her gift for connection. “I want to see you win. I want to see you grow,” she says, tracing her journey from DSA drama major and pomerette to HR leader refusing to “sign off on injustice,” to a coach teaching professionals how to turn relationships into results. Erika breaks down why networking isn’t small talk — it’s self-leadership, imagination, and joy rooted in legacy Black Detroit culture. From migration stories out of Olive Branch, Mississippi to the discipline it takes to step fully into entrepreneurship, Erika reminds us that “failure is never final,” and that authentic relationships are a form of wealth our grandparents modeled long before LinkedIn. This episode is a bridge — from the past practices that kept Black Detroit alive to the future strategies that will keep us connected, empowered, and winning together.

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S7E69 -My Legacy is My Daughters: The Purpose That Found Ken Chandler

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 11:05:00 -0000

“‘I finally realized my purpose the moment my daughter was born’,” Ken Chandler says as he opens up in a rare, vulnerable, and powerful first-ever public interview on Detroit is Different. In one sweeping, emotional journey, Ken traces his family’s three-generation Detroit legacy—from his grandfather’s East Side business empire to the hard truths of what happens when legacy isn’t passed down. He speaks candidly about childhood trauma, gang culture, becoming a chameleon for survival, and the lifesaving mentorship that guided him out of the streets. But it’s fatherhood—“my legacy, my purpose, my healing”—that becomes the heartbeat of this conversation. Ken breaks down the generational curse of absent fathers, the moment a panic attack in the hospital revealed his calling, and how his nonprofit aims to rebuild the community accountability Black families once relied on. This episode is an emotional bridge between Detroit’s past and its future, showing how Black men reclaim legacy through love, presence, healing, and the reimagining of what fatherhood means. Overflowing with honesty and Detroit grit, Ken’s story reminds us why legacy Black culture evolves not through wealth, but through intentional fatherhood and community roots.

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S7E68 -If It’s Not There, Build It: Jahra McKinney's Story Behind Detroit Sound Conservancy

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 11:00:00 -0000

“If it’s not there, you build it.” With that declaration, Jahra McKinney—Director and Director of Collections at the Detroit Sound Conservancy—steps into the Detroit Is Different studio and delivers a masterclass on legacy, love, and the power of preserving Black culture. In this rich conversation, Jahra traces her family’s Detroit story from her grandmother Essie’s legendary Oakland Avenue beauty shop—“she was meticulous… a matriarch”—to the vibrant West Side community that raised her during Detroit’s golden era of neighborhood life. She reflects on becoming an artist and organizer shaped by jazz greats like her late husband Harold McKinney and the intergenerational music ecosystem that “kept Detroit excellent by passing the torch.” Jahra shares how losing Harold revealed the urgent need for a Black-led archive—“I realized nobody was preserving us… so I had to learn to do it myself”—and how that mission fuels the Detroit Sound Conservancy’s restoration of the sacred Blue Bird Inn. This episode is a living bridge between the Detroit that was and the Detroit being rebuilt through cultural memory, community love, and creative discipline. It’s a celebration of the people who “stood on shoulders and became shoulders”—a blueprint for honoring the past while preparing space for the next generation of Black Detroit brilliance.

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S7E66 -When Organizers Step Into Office: Stephanie Chang on Legacy, Justice & Detroit’s Future

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 11:30:00 -0000

“We can use the same skills we learned organizing on the block to organize inside the halls of power.” That’s how Senator Stephanie Chang frames her journey—from a young volunteer knocking doors with Detroit activists to becoming one of the most grounded and community-rooted legislators in Michigan. In this Detroit Is Different conversation, Chang reflects on learning politics at the true street level, honoring water warriors like Mama Lila Cabbil (RIP) and Monica Lewis-Patrick, and carrying forward the multiracial advocacy traditions that shaped Detroit—from Vincent Chin to Black Bottom. “The issues I’m fighting now,” she says, “are the same ones I cared about before I ever thought about running.” With stories of living at the Boggs Center, lessons from Grace Lee Boggs’ organizing tree, and reflections on raising Black and Asian children in today’s Detroit, Chang unpacks how identity, justice, and policy collide. This episode is a bridge—connecting Detroit’s radical past to its rapidly shifting political future—and shines light on why grassroots leadership still matters in a city where water, land, affordability, and dignity remain at the center of the struggle. It’s an inspiring reminder that movements make leaders, and leaders must stay accountable to the movement.

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S7E65 -One Opportunity to Make That First Impression: The Gospel of Hot Sam’s with Tony Stovall

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 11:00:00 -0000

“Detroit would be a sad place if we weren’t all different,” says Hot Sam’s co-owner Tony Stovall, opening a conversation that moves like a masterclass in Black Detroit legacy, style, and spiritual grounding. In this Detroit is Different episode, Tony traces his journey from East St. Louis to the Eastside, from a 15-year-old getting his first suit to becoming co-owner of Detroit’s oldest Black-owned clothing store, a century-strong institution that shaped generations of our city’s fashion identity. “You have one opportunity to make your first impression,” he reminds us, weaving lessons on manhood, mentorship, and the power of loving our people out loud. Tony shares how he and Mr. Green built Hot Sam’s through grit, customer devotion, and faith—“Nothing comes between me and my partner but me or him”—and how Detroit’s flair impacts the world. This episode speaks to past and future: migration, Motown elegance, Black entrepreneurship, and why keeping the Black dollar circulating is a cultural responsibility. If you love Detroit, if you believe in legacy, if you believe that style is spiritual—this is required listening.

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S7E67 -By Us, For Us, About Us, Near Us: Gary Anderson on Black Theater in 2026

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 10:30:00 -0000

“If we don’t remember what 1926 taught us, we’ll miss what 2026 is calling us to do.”In this electric Detroit Is Different episode, Gary Anderson—Artistic Director of Plowshares Theatre Company—pulls us deep into the crossroads of past and future Black liberation through the lens of Black theater. Anderson reminds us that W.E.B. Du Bois’ 1926 call for theaters “by us, for us, about us, and near us” still hits with urgency today as America heads toward its 250-year anniversary. Through stories ranging from the rebirth of the KKK to Black women losing jobs in record numbers, he argues that the same pressures that shaped our ancestors’ creative resistance are re-emerging—and theater remains one of our sharpest tools for truth-telling, healing, and institution-building. Anderson shares why Plowshares’ 36-year legacy matters, how Black theater has always whispered the messages our people needed, and why 2026 will launch work like Roberto Clemente: A Diamond Within to unite Black Detroit across generations. From FUBU to Killmonger, from collard greens to cultural survival, this conversation is a masterclass in how Black Detroit remembers, creates, and fights forward. If you care about legacy Black culture—its roots and its next chapter—you need this episode.

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S7E64 -No Compromise: Dwan Dandridge on Building Wealth for Black Detroit

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 04:47:53 -0000

“Boycotting is good, but building is better.” In this Detroit is Different conversation, Black Leaders Detroit CEO & Founder Dwan Dandridge breaks down what it really means to build a Black future funded by Black people—one dollar a week at a time. We talk about why a simple commitment like, “We should be able to prioritize five minutes to donate a dollar,” is not just crowdfunding, it’s a direct continuation of the Million Man March energy where, as Dwan remembers, “They told us to pull out a dollar and said, ‘This is what they fear.’” Dwan walks us through how Black Leaders Detroit has moved over $5 million in no-interest loans and grants to Black-owned businesses, from barbershops to boutiques to natural hair pioneers like Textures by Nefertiti, proving that “$2,500 or $5,000 might not be a lot to some, but it can save a building, a legacy, and a block.” He also gets deeply personal—sharing how he flatlined in 2018, now lives with a pacemaker, and still chooses a leadership style rooted in sacrifice: “Everybody else gets to run to safety. If anybody goes under the bus, it ends up being the leader.” From telling funders “we don’t do any ass kissing here,” to refusing to water down the name Black Leaders Detroit even as attacks on DEI rise, Dwan’s ethic is simple: “I don’t allow myself to want anything bad enough to compromise what’s right.” This episode is about legacy Black culture as living practice—cooperative economics, spiritual courage, and the kind of reputation where, as Dwan says, “If I’m not who I say I am, I want to get exposed.”

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S7E63 -Not Just Diversity: Darlene King-Turner on Equity, Detroit, and Black Men in Leadership

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 04:45:16 -0000

“We were really tired of the media narrative around Black men.” From that frustration, Darlene King-Turner – CEO & President of The Unity Collective – helped birth the National Black Men in Leadership Conference, now in its fifth year and returning to Huntington Place this December as a direct response to the murder of George Floyd and generations of distorted images of Black manhood. In this Detroit is Different episode, she traces her roots from Georgia and Alabama to the downriver 48217/Southwest Detroit corridor – a Black community of steelworkers, teachers, Black doctors, and midwives – and connects that history to today’s environmental injustice, noting that those zip codes carry some of the state’s highest cancer rates while being “forgotten when it’s time for capital and funding.” Darlene walks us through being sent as a 17-year-old to a mostly white Christian college in the U.P. so she could “learn how America really operates,” then coming back to Wayne State in the early ’90s as Africana Studies, Kente stoles, and Black graduation reshaped campus culture. From building Wayne RESA’s first professional development and events department to crafting its first diversity strategy, she breaks down how “diversity brought people in the door, inclusion tried to make them feel like they belonged, but equity is what really shook the table,” and why equity isn’t “taking something from you to give to someone else,” but giving people what they need to thrive. We unpack DEI’s current backlash and Project 2025, why Black men still hold only 3.2% of leadership roles nationally, and why some are now afraid to even attend a conference with “Black” in the title, even as Darlene insists that “until Black men are in the boardrooms and the C-suites, this country will not grow in the way it needs to.” She frames this year’s theme, The Power of Us, as both a call to action and an extension of the Civil Rights fight – from Detroit’s African-centered education battles to today’s reparations and racial equity work – making this episode a blueprint for how legacy Black Detroit is shaping the future of Black leadership and why loving on Black men in public is essential to the next chapter of our culture.

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S7E62 -“Detroiters Are Our Assignment Editors: Orlando Bailey on Truth, Power & Black Leadership”

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 04:43:27 -0000

“Detroiters are our assignment editors.” That line from Orlando Bailey sets the tone for a conversation that is both legacy-rooted and forward-looking, as he sits back in the Detroit is Different studio and walks us through his evolution from a kid in Youth on the Edge of Greatness to Executive Director of Outlier Media—one of Detroit’s most trusted sources for civic truth. In this episode, Orlando reflects on growing up East Side under the watchful love of giants like Maggie DeSantis and Donna Givens Davidson, describing ECN as an organization that “walked right beside me my entire life.” He breaks down the weight of Black leadership today, especially in a media landscape where “the truth is incendiary to the chambers of power,” and shares how becoming an ED forced him to be “as open, as honest, and with as many eyes on my stuff as possible.” We talk collard green juice on the gym floor, judges who need robes, and why Detroit storytelling—done authentically—remains the strongest defense against erasure. With wisdom, humor, and Detroit cultural fluency, Orlando unpacks everything from the future of local journalism to the politics of public transit to the spiritual power of Black people telling the truth about themselves. This episode is Detroit past, Detroit present, and Detroit future talking to each other in real time.

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S7E61 -Write It Down, Make It Plain: Cornetta Lane Smith on Legacy, Lineage & Detroit Love

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 04:41:04 -0000

“Write it down, make it plain.” That’s how Cornetta Lane Smith steps into the Detroit is Different studio—rooted, ready, and carrying her grandmother’s legacy with her. Across this powerful conversation, Cornetta drops stories that pull you straight into the heart of Black Detroit lineage: her grandmother migrating from “two blocks of Grand Junction, Tennessee” to Greenlawn; discovering their sharecropper past through census records; and standing on the road where the plantation her ancestors survived once sat—“We realized the street changed from Plantation Road to Elliot Road. I said, this has to be it.” She shares how grief, curiosity, and faith led her to create Recipes of Resistance, a docu-series blending food, memory, and truth-telling, because “the role of the storyteller is to humanize people—especially now, when trust is disappearing.” Cornetta opens up about love, loss, religion, politics, Arab–Black Detroit relationships, and why understanding where we come from is essential to shaping where we go as Black Detroiters. This is an episode that stitches together the past and future of Legacy Black Detroit with the tenderness of a family recipe and the urgency of a people reclaiming their story.

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S7E60 -The Man Who Recorded a Movement: Marsha Music on Her Father, Hastings Street, and the Birth of Detroit Sound

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 20:21:38 -0000

“He was one of the first Black independent record producer of the postwar era — and nobody knew.” That’s the spark Marsha Music brings into this powerful Detroit Is Different conversation as she unravels the epic, unsung story of her father, Joe Von Battle — the man who recorded Reverend C.L. Franklin, who cut Aretha’s first records, and who captured the raw blues heartbeat of Black Detroit before Motown ever learned to walk. Through laughter, testimony, and hard truth, Marsha paints a living portrait of migration from Macon to Black Bottom, of a father who “refused to ever work for another man,” and of a city built by people who “carried their music wherever they went.” She shares how tuberculosis quarantines, foundry labor, postwar factory shifts, and the destruction of Hastings Street shaped — and scarred — her family’s journey. But she also gives us the beauty: John Lee Hooker sleeping on their couch, Kenny Burrell’s first recording happening behind the record-shop glass, and the way the Franklin sermons were rushed to the Guardian Building to be broadcast across the country on CKLW. Marsha doesn’t just talk history — she makes it breathe. She shows how the past explains the present: why the rebellion still echoes, why Detroit sound can’t be separated from Detroit struggle, and why honoring “the people who built this place with their hands and their voices” is the key to our cultural future.

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S7E59 -From Black Bottom to the Tracks: The 94-Year Journey of Ardena Vaughn

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 20:19:50 -0000

From her living room in Romulus, 94-year-old Ardena Vaughn takes us from Black Bottom to the “tracks” in Romulus, weaving a lifetime of memories that tell the story of Legacy Black Detroit’s past and its unfinished future. Born at Herman Kiefer and raised on Cameron Street, Ardena remembers marching in the alley when “Joe Louis would win” with tin tubs and cans, feeling the whole block erupt when the Brown Bomber put Detroit on the map. She recalls walking past the Chesterfield Lounge, hearing Dinah Washington and the hum of Black nightlife she was “too young to understand, but old enough to feel.” In this conversation she breaks down what it meant to move from the heart of the city to Romulus in the 1940s, where “the tracks” literally divided Black and white neighborhoods. Ardena shares how she became the first Black supervisor at a micro-measurements plant supplying airplanes and automobiles—“I don’t even know how I got that job.” She talks about Saturdays riding back into the city for piano lessons, eating hot waffles with ice cream Kresge, and then coming home to build a life rooted in AME church, choir, and family. Still, her wisdom for future generations is simple: “Love everybody… try to be a good example… stay busy.” She still drives her 20-year-old Grand Am, still hosts the holidays, and still plays weekly Scrabble.

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S7E58 -Sweet, Not Soft: April Anderson on Growing a Business on the Avenue of Fashions

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 20:11:19 -0000

“We knew from the beginning we wanted to be that third space” — that’s how April Anderson, owner of Good Cakes and Bakes, breaks down why her organic bakery on Livernois is more than a storefront, it’s a whole ecosystem. In this on-location Detroit is Different conversation, April and Khary sit in the middle of fall rush and neighborhood kids’ events to unpack what it really takes to build and keep a Black business alive for 12 years on the Avenue of Fashion, the largest African American–owned business corridor in the country. She talks about the community that “showed up for us from day one and stayed with us through COVID,” and what it meant to fight through busted zoning rules, missing inspectors (“FBI came and shut down BSEED”), and a streetscape project that almost killed half the block. April gets honest about the tightrope of Black entrepreneurship in Detroit — trying to “work on the business and not just in the business,” learning that “money isn’t the motivator, people want to feel valued,” and figuring out how to keep staff paid when ingredients, labor, and everything else keep going up. She breaks down the joy and tension of working with family (“my mom had to listen to the manager too”), what she’s learning from fearless Gen Z employees who question everything, and why she refuses to chase Instagram trends that don’t fit her Southern-rooted story: “It has to connect with me and our story, or I’m not doing it.” Tied to the long line of Black Detroit shops that held neighborhoods together and looking ahead to who comes after her, April issues a challenge to any business thinking about moving onto Livernois: talk to the people first, bring what the community actually needs, be consistent, and know that “this neighborhood will support you—but they will hold you accountable.”

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S7E57 -Gridiron to Grind Mode: How Chase Money Found His Flow

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 11:10:00 -0000

“Man, I used to sell Skittles at school — got in trouble for it too — but that’s when I knew I wanted to be my own boss.” From that moment of hustle to becoming a collegiate athlete and rising rap artist, Chase Money embodies the new generation of Detroit legacy. In this powerful episode of Detroit is Different, Chase sits down with Khary Frazier to trace his roots from Louisiana and Eastside family ties to the quiet drive of West Bloomfield, all the way to Youngstown State, where football dreams collided with pandemic realities — and a new passion for music was born. “I never wanted to just do it for fame,” Chase says. “I wanted to do it right, respect the craft, make it mean something.” The conversation flows like a Detroit cipher, blending lessons on independence, family, artistry, and discipline, while honoring the matriarchal roots of Detroit hustle — a nod to his grandmother, media trailblazer Charlene Mitchell-Rogers. From backyard ball to studio sessions, Chase Money represents how Legacy Black Detroit keeps evolving: grounded in faith, shaped by family, and still hungry to build something that lasts. As Khary puts it, “That’s what this city does — we make creativity a survival skill.” This episode bridges generations — showing how hip hop, athletics, and entrepreneurship continue to define Detroit’s rhythm and reimagine its future.

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S7E56 -How his Past Guides his Future, Shri Thanedar's Political Journey

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 11:05:00 -0000

From a small town in southern India Chikodi, where “we slept on the floor,” Shri Thanedar’s story moves from caste system expectations he rejected to a life built on duty — “I worked as a janitor at 14 and gave my pay to my mother.” He traces the thread of Indian culture that raised him: reverence for education (“public school and university were free — that investment lifted me”), family obligation (sending $75 of his $300 stipend home each month during grad school), and the ethic of care that shaped his first career as a health chemical physicist—“my job was protecting workers who can’t see from a danger you can’t see.” Eventually building a business in America and rebuilding it after the Great recession. He speaks tenderly of grief — losing his first wife to mental illness — and the policy it birthed: “put counselors in every school; fund mental health like lives depend on it, because they do.” Detroit, he says, recognized the familiar grind: “Detroit chose me because I’ve struggled too.” This episode threads his India-to-America-to-Detroit journey through immigration, caste, class, and kinship, and lands on a future where policy matches the love that raised him — safe work, and strong accessible education for everyone.

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S7E55 -The Cost of Cool: Keir Worthy on Culture, Design, and Legacy Detroit

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 11:00:00 -0000

“You can’t call it a comeback when we never left,” says Keir Worthy, reflecting on Detroit’s cultural rebirth with a mix of reverence and reality. In this in-depth conversation, Keir—designer, cultural connector, and proud Detroiter turned New Yorker—dives into what it means to carry Detroit’s creative DNA across coasts while staying rooted in the spirit of home. From helping shape Crain’s Detroit Homecoming to mentoring the next generation of Black designers at the Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design, Worthy unpacks how legacy Detroiters are reclaiming visibility in a city long defined by reinvention. He calls out the “cost of cool”—the price of gentrification that displaces the very artists who make a city vibrant—while celebrating the optimism of Detroit’s young creators who are building new lanes through collaboration and entrepreneurship. Through stories that span from Russell Simmons’ Def Jam days to the rise of Detroit’s design renaissance, Keir and Khary trace how creativity, music, and faith in community remain Detroit’s truest exports. This episode is a reflection on what’s been lost, what’s being rebuilt, and why “legacy Detroit” still has the blueprint for America’s cultural future.

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S7E54 -From Grandma’s Bedroom to 500: The Pulse of Legacy Black Detroit

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 12:05:00 -0000

“Back in Detroit is Different studios—my grandma’s house—where the organ once sat and the stories still breathe.” Episode 500 turns the mic on founder Khary Frazier, with Kahn Santori guiding a deep dive into why this platform became the safe space for stories of contemporary Legacy Black Detroit. Khary maps his roots—“Rosa Parks, Linwood, Davison, Dexter”—and how a choir-director grandmother and entrepreneurial parents, shaped a curiosity that became a catalog. In 2014 at Le Petit Zinc: “I wanted to introduce people to the Detroit I know,” from Malik Yakini and D-Town Farms to The New Dance Show’s Henry Tyler, Rev. Ortheia Barnes, Sharon McPhail, and even Slow's BBQ Owner Phil Cooley. “Detroit is clickish, but I had connections across the cliques”—into subcultures (car clubs, Hamtramck’s Eastern European community, the North End’s legendary Aknartoons) and the fractures of the 96 freeway. Khary rejects clickbait—“this ain’t the place for that”—and builds community instead: pandemic roundtables, a garden, and the Collard Green Cook-off born from a CashApp Crowdfunding campaign. He’s candid about platform attacks—“with success comes attention you don’t want”—and future films on the Detroit Phoenix Black firefighters and the New Bethel incident, linking elders’ truth to tomorrow’s archive. The heart lands where it began: “Opening this space with my Mom was my proudest moment,” a living memorial that keeps the past pulsing into Detroit’s future.

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S7E53 -From Voting Tests to Community Benefits Agreements: Brenda Butler’s Detroit Playbook

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 12:59:10 -0000

“Council is empowered — they’re not using their power.” Brenda Faye Butler from Birmingham to Detroit—walks us through a life that links the Civil Rights South to the Eastside today: a coal miner’s daughter who landed here after the 1967 uprising, trained at 14 by Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth to knock doors and teach neighbors the civics needed to pass voter tests, and later inside the Wayne County’s first executive administration of Bill Lucas “setting up how government would run.” Brenda unpacks why council-by-district matters, how ARPA and CDBG dollars should “follow the people,” and why CRIO must truly monitor deals “If a developer says they met with the community—who?”. Brenda Butler is a community voice that represents the Eastside residents where politics and business connect. She's real about development math, tax abatements, and the difference between promises and delivery: “Stop saying jobs; people want careers.” We trace her organizing arc—from Chandler Park meetings during the housing crisis to tracking Stellantis benefits and flood relief gaps—tying it all to Legacy Black Detroit’s past (migration, unions, church-led civics) and future (youth seats on CACs, manufacturing training, climate resilience). And as a write-in for District 4’s Community Advisory Council, she makes it plain: “Bring everyone to the table. That’s equity.” By the time she spells the ballot line—“Write in B-R-E-N-D-A F-A-Y-E B-U-T-L-E-R—coal miner’s daughter working for us”—you’ll hear why her voice maps where Detroit has been and where we’re going.

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S7E52 -Delivering Justice: How a Detroit Son Reconnects, Joe Drew-Hundley

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 12:55:51 -0000

"My father used to say, ‘If you’re gonna deliver mail, own the block you walk on.’ That stuck with me.” Joe Drew-Hundley, Deputy Director of the Michigan Roundtable for Just Communities, sat down with Detroit is Different to trace his family’s Detroit roots from Waynesboro, Mississippi to the east side post routes that built Black stability and ownership. In this powerful and personal conversation, Joe shares how his family’s migration story mirrors Detroit’s — the grind, the grief, and the genius of making something out of what others overlook. He breaks down the journey from Ford Motor Company to the military to the post office, the lessons of growing up in Detroit then navigating suburban schools, and how those experiences shaped his work building just and beloved communities today. “My mom worked to finance small Black businesses, my dad bought homes on his mail route — community work was our inheritance.” From the Great Migration to today’s movement for racial and economic justice, Joe’s story bridges the past and future of Legacy Black Detroit: how we moved, how we built, and how we keep giving back.

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S7E51 -Speak Life, Live Love: a Detroit Poet Goddess, One Single Love Rose

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 12:52:13 -0000

“You speak life—I try to speak life every time I open my mouth,” says One Single Love Rose, and from there this episode blooms into a living archive of Legacy Black Detroit: four generations from Black Bottom to the East Side, Creole kitchens to jazz guitars, a mother born a “call bearer” whose veil marked prophetic gifts, and a daughter who learned in second grade that “words have power—to hurt or heal.” Rose traces family roots from Shreveport red clay to McClellan Street porches, then walks us into Detroit’s spoken-word renaissance, where she evolved from page to stage—touring Europe, mentoring “great-mentees,” and crafting sets that move “from the bedroom to the boardroom.” She breaks down playful, sensual erotics done “with love,” the discipline of listening for spirit at 3 a.m., and why young writers must “write for everybody so you can go everywhere.” It’s an irresistible, funny, soulful ride that ties Black Bottom’s vanished jazz bars to the future of Detroit’s cultural power—proof that when Detroit women speak life, the city’s ancestors answer back, and tomorrow’s artists find their cue.

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S7E50 -No Code to Switch: Megan Douglass on Diaspora, Grief, and Growing Black in Michigan

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 10:48:16 -0000

“Jamaica taught me that Blackness didn’t need to be cleaned, civilized, or educated away.” With that declaration, scholar-activist Megan Douglass sits down with Khary Frazier for a Detroit is Different conversation that bridges continents, generations, and movements. In this deeply layered interview, Megan traces her roots from Greensboro, North Carolina to Kingston, Jamaica to Ipsy and Detroit, weaving a narrative of diaspora, struggle, and healing. She talks about being the daughter of a Jamaican mother and a Southern father who “believed the jailer becomes jailed,” about growing up Black in supposedly liberal Ann Arbor, and about how moving to Jamaica redefined her understanding of liberation: “When everybody around you is Black—your doctor, your teacher, your prime minister—you realize the problem ain’t us.” Her story flows through farming in the hills of Ocho Rios, grief and rebirth after loss, and her return to Detroit to study movement sustainability and spirituality at Wayne State. “I bring my activism into everything I do,” she says, breaking down the false divide between scholarship and struggle, art and organizing. From Riverwise Magazine’s fusion of poetry and protest to her reflections on community care, grief, and the legacy of her father’s mentorship programs, Megan embodies the past, present, and future of Legacy Black Detroit—rooted, radical, and revolutionary. This episode is more than a conversation; it’s an ancestral roadmap for what’s next.

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S7E49 -From District 81 to Films the Hustle of Ty

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 08:30:19 -0000

“Man, I was selling football cards out front of my mama’s house before I even knew what entrepreneurship was.” From hustling mixtapes and vintage football cards to building District 81, one of Detroit’s most iconic streetwear brands, Ty’s story is a testament to the grit and creativity that fuel Black Detroit’s legacy. In this Detroit Is Different episode, Ty sits down with Khary Frazier to chart his journey from Inkster block parties to national fashion floors, from designing for Fairlane’s elite shops to co-owning restaurants, nightclubs, and now producing films like My Man, My Man, My Man. Through it all, Ty keeps circling back to the spirit that defines Detroit hustle: family, resilience, and vision. “The streets always hiring,” Khary reminds him—and Ty shows what it means to flip that same survival instinct into generational business. Their conversation connects Detroit’s past—the migration from Mississippi, the rise and fall of factory jobs, the pulse of 90s hip-hop—with its future in fashion, film, and food. This episode is a masterclass in how Legacy Black Detroit keeps reinventing itself, always with love, risk, and rhythm at the center.

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S7E48 -The Game Ain’t Changed—Just the Product: E-40 Talks Ownership at Taste of Black Spirits Detroit

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 10:30:00 -0000

"I don’t boycott temporarily—I just say, ‘I’m not rockin’ with you no more.’” That line from Earl “E-40” Stevens set the tone for one of the most electric Detroit is Different conversations yet — a masterclass in legacy, ownership, and staying power from a Bay Area legend whose hustle feels right at home in the Motor City. Recorded live at the 2025 Taste of Black Spirits Detroit, this episode captures the rare chemistry between E-40 and Detroit is Different host Khary Frazier as they dig deep into the parallels between Detroit and Oakland — two Black cities that built American culture from the ground up. E-40 breaks down how selling tapes out the trunk became selling bottles from his own distillery, how the “independent hustle” of the ‘90s hip-hop era birthed today’s Black spirits movement, and why “collective behavior” — Black folks choosing to work together — is the new currency of liberation. From the story of Mango Moscato to his upcoming ventures in Ghana, to his respect for Detroit’s own Lazar Favors and the network behind Taste of Black Spirits, this conversation is a toast to both past and future. It’s about turning cultural capital into generational wealth — and doing it with flavor, integrity, and fun. This episode bridges eras — from trunk sales to tech-driven distribution — showing how Black entrepreneurship, creativity, and community economics have always been two sides of the same Detroit coin. Whether you’re a fan of hip-hop, business, or Black excellence, E-40’s blueprint for ownership speaks directly to Detroit’s next generation of legacy builders.

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S7E47 -Denzell McCampbell on Detroit’s Fight for Equity

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 08:30:34 -0000

"Poverty is a choice to allow that to go on in the city," says Denzell McCampbell, and that fire fuels this Detroit is Different conversation. In this episode, Khary Frazier sits down with McCampbell—four generations deep in Detroit, raised in a Persian neighborhood rooted in union jobs and Alabama migration stories—to unpack his run for City Council in District 7. From his mother’s firsthand memories of Selma’s Jim Crow violence to his father’s UAW legacy, McCampbell threads together personal history and public service. He breaks down what it means to organize against environmental racism where factories sit next to family homes, why “our solutions are in our neighborhoods,” and how expanding voting rights and fighting disinformation are extensions of Detroit’s long struggle for self-determination. This isn’t just campaign talk; it’s a vision of Detroit’s past and future colliding—one that calls back to Mayor Coleman Young’s political movement while looking ahead to what equitable development and true public safety could mean for Black Detroit today. Whether you lived through Eyes on the Prize on PBS or you’re just waking up to how policies shape your block, this is a powerful sit-down that roots politics in people and legacy.

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S7E46 -From Pac-Man to Pages: Jelani Stowers on Books, Philosophy, and Black Detroit’s Future

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 07:35:56 -0000

“Nobody was the right person for the job … it just had to be me right now.” That’s how Jelani Stowers breaks down the whirlwind journey of taking ownership of Pages Bookshop in Rosedale Park, a cultural anchor in Detroit. In this conversation with Khary Frazier, Jelani traces his family’s roots—grandparents who migrated from Alabama and Virginia to Detroit for Wayne State, a father balancing electrician work with film, and a mother who shaped young lives as a preschool teacher. He talks about growing up in Rosedale Park, remembering the neighborhood-wide yard sales that felt like “Halloween with treasures,” and how early lessons at the African-centered Nsoma Institute taught him to respect Africa, compost waste, and even see Pac-Man through a philosophical lens. From coding internships to studying philosophy at Wayne State, Jelani connects gentrification, democracy, and Detroit’s cultural resilience into a philosophy of action. The heart of this episode? How saving a bookstore became about more than books—it’s about legacy, community continuity, and ensuring that Black Detroiters still have space to gather, learn, and dream in their own neighborhoods. If you care about Detroit’s past struggles and its future possibilities, this is a conversation you need to sit with.

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S7E45 -From Van Dyke to Hampton to Healing: The Journey of Mindful B Anthony

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 06:25:57 -0000

"Gratitude is the space where we humble ourselves to the blessing of life itself." From the jump, Mindful B Anthony sets the tone for a Detroit story rooted in legacy, resilience, and transformation. In this Detroit is Different conversation, he takes us on a journey from his family’s four-generation hold on Van Dyke and Mack—where his grandmother insisted “this land will always have value”—to the bus routes that taught him the city block by block, and the classrooms that sparked his love for math, language, and purpose. He reflects on leaving Renaissance for Southeastern, catching the 6 Mile across town before dawn, and navigating Hampton University’s business of education while rediscovering his true calling in healing, creativity, and entrepreneurship. What begins with childhood alley basketball games and honor roll trophies unfolds into a life of activism with We the People of Detroit, a mentorship lineage through Charity Hicks and Tawana Petty, and the artistry of copper and crystals turned into “energy tools disguised as jewelry.” This episode is a blueprint of how Black Detroit’s past—our migrations, our neighborhood pride, our community organizing—feeds the future of culture creators who, like Anthony, are shaping new ways of living, healing, and building legacy. If you’ve ever wondered how Detroit blocks, schools, buses, and bands prepare us for the world stage, this is the conversation you need to hear.

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S7E44 -Dexter to Delray to DPSCD: Arlyssa Heard on Saving Detroit Schools

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 11:34:02 -0000

“Schools are the very center of communities—close a school and in three years you’ll see what happens to the neighborhood.” From the first laugh about “getting lost in my own neighborhood” to hard truths about policy, Arlyssa Heard of 482Forward sits with Khary Frazier and maps a Detroit story stretching from Delray pulpits to Dexter & Fenkell porches and into Lansing’s halls of power. She honors Southern roots (“Atlanta was becoming the Black mecca before our eyes”), a preacher father (“I’m a daddy’s girl”), and a childhood of full blocks where “every house was occupied,” then names the turn: vacancies, blight, and the weaponization of policy—Milliken v. Bradley, white flight, and emergency management that left her son with “an entire year without an English teacher.” Heard walks us through the rise of African-centered schooling—Paul Robeson, Malcolm X, Aisha Shule—and the organizing lineage of Helen Moore, Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu, and Queen Mother JoAnn Watson, reminding us that “Detroit families have always exercised choice,” but too often against rigged funding: “If you can’t shut something down, starve it—don’t fund it.” She distinguishes being anti–starvation from anti–charter, exposes post–Count Day push-outs, and puts receipts on how 482Forward helped “get DPSCD its board back” while blocking a New Orleans–style takeover.

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S7E43 -From Foreclosure to Liberation Zones: Writing Detroit’s Future with Ru Colvin

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 11:24:44 -0000

“I went to grad school out of spite—to learn how to beat developers at their own game.” From that first thunderclap, author-organizer Ru Colvin takes us on a deeply Detroit journey that stretches from their grandmother’s migration from York, Alabama to the east side blocks of Jefferson Chalmers, where “we grew up around the water” and a school culture that was “very Black—we sang ‘Lift Every Voice’ every morning.” Colvin threads memory and movement: a violin at Cass, Black Planet-era fan fiction, Wayne State in Obama ‘08, then the dissonance of working downtown as foreclosure swept neighborhoods—“they called it a comeback while my family lost our home in 2014.” That rupture births purpose: corporate book clubs turn to street-level facilitation, AmeriCorps in the East Side Solutionaries, and the mantra “our communities are up to us.” They name names—Land Bank tours full of non-Detroiters, bedrock power reshaping blocks—and still insists on possibility, writing a house’s autobiography in Home and imagining “liberation zones” in gardens where a family home once stood. With Khary,they honor teachers like Ms. Green who kept their pen alive. Along the way, Colvin reframes planning as protection, storytelling as strategy, and memory as infrastructure: “Translating what people say into something we can use.”

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S7E42 -From Redistricting to the Ombudsman: Sherry Gay-Dagnogo on Power, Schools & Service

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 09:56:10 -0000

“What about us?” Sherry Gay-Dagnogo asks, cutting straight to the bone as she joins Khary Frazier to chart how Detroit’s past battles shape tomorrow’s wins for Legacy Black Detroit. In a conversation braided with urgency and receipts, Sherry salutes community media—“Education is key and your platform provides that”—then lays out why she’s seeking Detroit’s Ombudsman post: a 10-year, people-first watchdog who can “scale excellent service” across city departments and build real partnership with DPSCD. She refuses business-as-usual politics: “African Americans have been the backbone of the Democratic Party,” yet too often policy priorities like CVI, juvenile lifer reform, police accountability, and fair auto insurance are stalled while candidates chase culture clout—“through rappers”—instead of respecting the 92% of Black women who show up. She revisits the redistricting fight she led—“we deserve African-American representation”—and the unanimous court ruling that followed, tying it to a longer arc of emergency management, EAA missteps, and school closures that hollowed neighborhoods. From bus routes to literacy, from Brightmoor to Birmingham lines drawn wrong, she calls for audacious leadership rooted in elders like Coleman Young and JoAnn Watson: “Justice will always ultimately prevail—but only if we demand it.” This is Detroit memory and muscle, a blueprint for accountability that insists our institutions serve the people who built them.

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S7E41 -Water We Inherit: Entrepreneurship, AI, and Detroit’s Blue Economy with Brittany Vanderbeek

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 09:53:57 -0000

“The biggest word that inspired us to be here is grit.” From that charge, Brittany Vanderbeek of Aqua Action and host Khary Frazier dive into Detroit’s bluest truth: “the greatest asset in the world…water,” and how our city’s relationship to it will shape what comes next for Detroit. Brittany lays out Aqua Action’s mission to “build a water-secure future through entrepreneurship,” explaining how everyday residents—not just agencies—can be “the people with a voice in water innovation.” Why Detroit is the hub (“so many opportunities…for water entrepreneurs to pilot their technologies”), how municipalities and startups can partner, and why design thinking means “start with the people.” The episode also gets real about tech: AI’s thirst—“one simple prompt takes energy and water”—and the need for alternatives to water-cooled data centers. Brittany connects the global and the local—from a binational AquaHacking program (“anybody with an idea”) to Detroit River kayaking. If you care about Belle Isle, clean taps, and Detroit’s right to define and benefit from the Blue Economy, this one’s a listen.

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S7E40 -Jit, Murals & Joy Phillip Simpson Builds The Smile Brand

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 12:00:46 -0000

It's not about showing your teeth—it's a reminder to be kind, Phillip Simpson, founder of The Smile Brand, takes it from Sojourner Truth Homes and seven & Hoover to DSA hallways, a U-M critique that birthed his iconic smile, and the ATL streetwear era that sharpened his business grind. He breaks down jitting, mentors like Joyce Ivory and Tyree Guyton, closing the Baltimore Gallery, and why Black men’s joy is resistance—not performance. This one is Detroit to the bone: family, faith, murals, and a mission to make kindness contagious. Tap in and catch the full journey behind the face you’ve seen all over the city.

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S7E39 -We Can Do Our Own Planning: Lauren Hood & the Institute for Afro-Urbanism

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 10:00:36 -0000

“We can do our own planning… I want to see Black people living well and thriving.’ —Lauren Hood, Institute for Afro-Urbanism” Lauren Hood pulls back the curtain on Afro-Urbanism and flips the script on who gets called an “expert.” In this Detroit is Different conversation, she breaks down the pivot from disruptor to builder, why abundance beats scarcity, and how Detroiters’ lived experience is technical knowledge. From a fellowship spanning ages 18–70 to global interviews shaping a Detroit-centered practice, Hood shows how culture, metaphysics, and social capital move policy and place. Tap in to hear what it really takes to plan a future where Black Detroit thrives and feels like home.

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S7E38 -Land Taught Me I’m a Creator, Treetop Grows & the Future of Legacy Black Detroit

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 09:05:53 -0000

“All of the opposition that opposed me has no comparison to the opportunity that upholds me.” From that declaration, Mama Tree—Latrina Conaway of Treetop Grows Farm—takes us on a Detroit journey that’s as raw as it is restorative. Mama Tree frames her half-acre East Davison sanctuary as “a space of reconciliation.” The land, she says, “taught me that I am a creator,” pulling her out of a “neo-colonized mindset” into an Indigenous-and-African-centered practice of food sovereignty: a 2,156-sq-ft hoop house, cherries, peaches, apples, and the sweetest collards at Detroit is Different’s Collard Green Cookoff (yes, “60 pounds of collard greens” moved with love). As a wife and “mom of seven,” she’s building policy-minded youth and cross-block coalitions from E. Davison to Hamtramck, because “we are in 48212… in a space of critical climate change,” and legacy means leaving soil, skills, and standards, not just stories. This episode is Detroit past-present-future in one voice: Black Bottom roots, 1990s survival, and today’s climate-just, organic farming that heals body, spirit, and block. Tap in to hear how Mama Tree braids memory with movement so Legacy Black Detroit keeps growing—on our terms, in our voice, for our next generations.

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S7E37 -“Serving Your Soul One Plate at a Time” — Ms. Kisha’s Kitchen on Detroit is Different

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 09:00:29 -0000

“Serving your soul one plate at a time,” Ms. Kisha declares—and from there her story cooks: taught collards by “my grandma, my mom,” rooted in Tuscaloosa-to-Detroit migration “for the motor industry,” raised on the East Side and Kettering ’95, where a senior-year leap into swimming turned into being “seventh in the state,” all because of “somebody just believing in my ability when I didn’t even see it.” That belief now seasons her kitchen—family-run with “kitchen kin folk,” a husband she calls the engine of the business, and a commitment to community-first numbers: “I’m not going to take you down half the size and still charge you $2 more.” She breaks down sourcing like a Detroiter who knows the land and the people—Eastern Market relationships and an instant bond with Mama Tree (“we went directly to the farm”) to marry agriculture and culinary at the Collard Green Cookoff, where 60 pounds of greens won her the championship (“I cook them 10 pounds at a time… my hands are still hurting”). Khary and Ms. Kisha connect it all to Legacy Black Detroit—the grandma’s party store on Helen & Lambert she’d rename “Verna May Harris Boulevard,” the porch-to-pop-up continuum, the Big Three jobs and backyard grills—showing how our past nourishes our future, one plate, one farm partner, one family recipe at a time.

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S7E36 -More Is Caught Than Taught How Umoja Debate League is Rewriting Detroit’s Civic Culture with Jerjuan Howard

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 10:00:27 -0000

“Leaders have to be a little delusional and have a lot of audacity.” From the first minutes, Jerjuan Howard plants that flag and then shows the receipts—why “youth development, community development must go hand in hand,” how a Gen Z squad of 30-and-under staff is running a league of 300 students across 20+ schools, and why “Detroiters…have everything that we need already—it’s just about coming together to make it happen.” In this Detroit is Different conversation, Jerjuan and Khary trace a straight line from porch talk to policy: debates on whether to demolish the RenCen, backyard chickens and food grading ordinances, and the big one—“African cultural sovereignty… vs. political representation.” Jerjuan calls himself a middleman between elders and the youth—“my grandma used to say, ‘eat the meat and throw away the bones’”—so Umoja turns what kids already love (“kids already like to argue”) into a vehicle for critical thinking, city pride, and leadership. We dig into the audacity behind taking Detroit kids to Africa, the team-captain model that makes students league ambassadors, and why “indirect action is… just as responsible” as bad policy when communities are ignored. He lays out the build on Puritan: the open-air Umoja Village, a once–25-year-vacant building becoming a Black-authored bookstore and third space one block away (“for us and by us”), and a community-driven health clinic on deck—proof that Legacy Black Detroit isn’t nostalgia, it’s blueprint.

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S7E35 -From Conant Gardens to City Hall Renata Miller’s Detroit Story

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 02:17:39 -0000

“To whom much is given, much is required,” Renata Miller shares her love of Detroit from four generations of Detroit love and responsibility. Miller roots her run for City Council District 5 in a lived archive of Legacy Black Detroit: East side summers “by the river,” Conant Gardens pride where her grandfather “laid bricks you can still read in Hamtramck,” and Black Eden pilgrimages to Idlewild. She honors a Mother who’s “still a nurse at church at 76” and a Father, a Navy veteran and Detroit Fire captain, who raised her on union halls, service calls, and straight-arrow integrity. Miller is adamant that development must mean jobs and single-family dwellings for kids to have homes with a backyard. It’s a conversation that braids Coleman Young era fights to Erma Henderson, JoAnn Watson, and Barbara-Rose lineage, then points forward: block clubs, church basements, and porch-to-porch organizing—“I’m a grassroots advocate; I’ll be on the streets.”

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S7E34 -It Ain’t Fly Without Us: Lazar Favors on Unusual Business & Black Spirits Power

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 02:09:01 -0000

“It ain’t fly without us.” From that truth, Lazar Favors gives an hour of game on how Taste of Black Spirits is rewriting the rules of an industry that too often locks Detroit out. Lazar salutes Detroit is Different as “day one, step one,” then breaks down why he and Marshalle are a true "power couple" — we weaved it together,” fusing Taste of Black Spirits with the Detroit Black Film Festival to build culture and commerce at the same time. He explains their strategy to do 'unusual business' skip the middlemen, bring the decision-makers to the community, and redirect the dollars,” while schooling listeners on distribution gatekeeping, data, and survival in a shifting market. We get stories that sing Legacy Black Detroit: John Lee Hooker’s “Boogie Chillen’” whiskey line carried by his grandson. Also an E-40 cameo (Mr. Earl Stevens) with a portfolio from Tycoon to tequila. He pushes collective moves—“call it collective behavior”—linking Black-owned brands with Black-owned distilleries to scale faster.

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S7E33 -You Think You Know Detroit? Keisha Brooks Brings the Vibe and the Vision

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 23:05:26 -0000

“You can go your whole life and not look back... until it’s necessary.” Keisha Brooks shares a soul-stirring journey through Detroit’s West Side porches and East Side power, weaving a story that reclaims ancestry, heals through touch, and reminds us why the Mack Alive Parade still marches strong after 35 years. In this intimate conversation with Khary Frazier, Keisha reflects on growing up on Hazelwood and Greenview, her transition from Mumford Mustang to Western Michigan student, and finding her calling in healing arts through massage therapy. From the hip hop shop on 7 Mile to Cafe Mahogany, Keisha gives voice to the women who shaped the city’s culture in the 90s—and reveals how today’s work with Mack Alive brings it full circle. “I’m massaging ancestors out of people’s backs,” she jokes, but the impact is serious. Learn how Praise in the Park and the East Side’s biggest parade are not just events, but Black Detroit legacy in motion—from Jackson, Mississippi roots to Connor and Harper streets, and back again. This is a masterclass in how memory, music, and movement continue to define Detroit’s healing future.

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S7E32 -Black Film is Our Birthright: Marshalle Favors on Building Legacy in Detroit

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 23:03:40 -0000

“We’re more in control of our own destiny now.” That’s the charge from Marshalle Favors, founder of the Detroit Black Film Festival and creative visionary behind The Collective—a 13-filmmaker-owned production hub that’s changing the game for independent Black cinema in Detroit. In this powerful episode, Marshalle builds with Khary Frazier about the art, business, and unapologetic legacy of storytelling from the heart of the Blackest city in America. From working as an extra in Sparkle alongside Whitney Houston, to curating an international festival rooted in Detroit soul, Marshalle shares how Black film is being reclaimed—on our terms. They dive deep into the sixth year of the Detroit Black Film Festival, why venues like the Charles H. Wright Museum and the Love Building matter for cultural connection, and what it means to create a platform where “everybody wants to see each other win.” If you’re a creator, this episode is your push: “It doesn’t matter how small you start. It matters how consistently you build.” Whether it’s a courtroom scene shot in Southfield or a social justice doc playing at the Downtown YMCA, this is a masterclass in building Black Detroit’s future from its brilliant past. The message is clear: Detroit isn’t just a music or car city anymore—it’s a film capital in the making.

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S7E31 -"You Gotta Lead with Your Curiosity," Denzell Turner’s Blueprint for Black Podcasting Power

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 12:46:49 -0000

Episode Notes

"You gotta lead with your curiosity if you want to build a platform." That’s just one of the gems Denzell Turner drops in this in-depth Detroit is Different episode hosted by Khary Frazier. Denzell—founder of the Black Fridays Podcast—shares his journey from growing up on Ashbury Park, surrounded by four generations under one roof, to crafting media that speaks directly to Black Detroit’s present and future. The conversation digs deep into how Turner’s experiences at Cass Tech, U of M, and the Midnight Golf Program shaped not only his understanding of business and marketing but his mission to amplify Detroit’s underrepresented voices. “I had to figure out how to put the Denzell spin on it,” he says, recalling his inspiration from Earn Your Leisure. With a studio of his own, a new podcasting course, and nearly a million impressions across his content, Denzell is part of a new wave of Legacy Detroiters transforming the creative economy. This episode is a full-circle moment—documenting a Detroit story generations deep, with a future rooted in cultural storytelling and community power.

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S7E30 -Backpacks and Beloved Community: Dr. Yusef Shakur on 20 Years of Healing Zone 8

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 12:42:43 -0000

“When we first started this, we were up against a powerful current—guys just around the corner selling dope, others robbing folks. Meanwhile, we were giving out book bags and feeding people. And slowly they began putting the dope away, putting their guns down, and coming over—not because we preached at them, but because we showed them love,” Dr. Yusef Bunchy Shakur. In less than 30 minutes, this powerful interview between Khary Frazier of Detroit is Different and Dr. Yusef Bunchy Shakur, Executive Director of the Michigan Roundtable for Just Communities, reveals how two decades of love, resistance, and vision have transformed Detroit’s Zone 8 through the Ava Joe and Durron Festival & Backpack Giveaway. With over 30,000 backpacks distributed, a crack house turned community hub, and the memory of elders guiding the way, this story is a blueprint for building a just and beloved community. It’s raw, real, and rooted in the grit, dignity, and joy of Black Detroit. Watch this and be inspired to plant seeds and pour water where you stand.

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S7E29 -To Dream Is Crazy, the Vision of Desmond 'Clever' Lester

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 10:05:19 -0000

"To actually dream is crazy... you gotta have something wrong with you to really do something you've never seen done before." In this soul-stirring Detroit is Different conversation, Khary Frazier sits down with Desmond “Clever” Lester—media innovator, promoter, and community connector whose journey from Joy Rd to Oak Park and the airwaves of Detroit radio has shaped a legacy of creativity and resilience. Clever shares powerful reflections about Black Detroit’s deep Southern roots, his family’s move from Nashville in 1959, and the vibrant culture of neighborhoods that felt like home, not "the hood." From interning at WJLB under Chris Kelly to launching Clever Vision and co-creating events that brought a new wave of comedy and culture to the D, Lester opens up about his calling as a storyteller and his commitment to showing love to the community—like giving up prom money to help after his house burned down. "The barbershop used to be our church," he says, explaining the origin of The Fellowship—a monthly men’s gathering rooted in integrity and brotherhood. Packed with humor, Detroit history, real game about promotion and production, and heart-wrenching stories like his father's Olympic boxing dreams cut short, this episode is a tribute to the past and a call for Black Detroiters to honor, heal, and build the future together. “Perception is reality,” Lester says—so listen close, and see legacy in motion.

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S7E28 -The Cook-Off That Tastes Like Legacy: Khary Frazier on Collards, Culture & Chandler Park

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 01:53:11 -0000

"We love some collard greens. Black folks love collard greens." – Khary Frazier. In this deeply flavorful episode of Detroit is Different, the mic flips as host and producer Amber Ewing interviews Khary Frazier—founder of Detroit is Different and creator of the Collard Green Cook-Off—about the cultural power and future of this beloved community gathering. From Chandler Park to ancestral Vicksburg, Mississippi, Khary roots the cook-off in Black agricultural legacy, experiential marketing, and family storytelling: “The collard green traveled with us during the Middle Passage. That’s our culture in every leaf.” They explore how a dish once dismissed by colonizers now brings together urban farmers, soul food chefs, and thousands of Detroiters in celebration. With over 480 pounds of greens, a live show, and a judging panel featuring Detroit legends like Howie Bell, Coco, and Orlando Bailey, the 2025 Cook-Off is more than food—it's a movement. The conversation dives into creativity (yes, collard green sushi), cultural pride, regional expansion, and the power of turning "slop" into sacred. This episode embodies what it means to honor Legacy Black Detroit—by nourishing body, memory, and future through community.

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S7E27 -Reviving Legacy: Cheryl Ajamu & the Detroit Football Classic

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 01:49:11 -0000

“Detroit gives me free concerts, the architecture, the river — I told my friends, ‘Detroit got this.’” In this rich and inspiring episode of Detroit is Different, Cheryl Ajamu joins Khary Frazier to share her journey from Memphis to the woman behind the revival of the Detroit Football Classic. Cheryl is the Owner & Executive Producer for the 2025 Detroit Football Classic August 30, 1pm at Ford Field, Central State University vs Kentucky State University. Cheryl recounts arriving in Detroit in 1996 and falling in love with the city’s cultural soul—its historic architecture, its cooler summers, and its abundance of free concerts: “95 is much better than a hundred.” From ad sales at BET Detroit to helping promote the city’s neo-soul underground through Urban Organic, she describes how she “lived on both sides of the equation”—connecting Black creatives with major brands while keeping community at the center. But this story isn’t just about the past; it’s a roadmap for the future. Cheryl discusses ownership, empowerment, and strategy as she brings back the Classic—not as a nostalgic tribute, but as a declaration of Black cultural and economic power in Detroit. “I own this,” she says proudly, marking her place in a space traditionally dominated by men. This episode weaves Detroit’s historical Black pride—from Paradise Valley to Motown to the architecture she once explored alone—into a call for intentional cultural preservation, community building, and ownership. Cheryl’s story is a powerful reminder that Detroit’s legacy isn’t just history—it’s still in the making.

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S7E26 -Rooted in Story, Powered by Data: Jane Fran Morgan on Healing Legacy Detroit Communities

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 05:16:07 -0000

“My dad quietly made some very significant contributions… he brought Rosa Parks to Detroit for the first time.” In this powerful episode of Detroit is Different, Khary Frazier sits down with Jane Fran Morgan of JFM Consulting Group. As the conversation moves forward, she recounts how her academic wanderings—through sociology and vet science at Michigan State—led her to urban planning and community-driven data work. The heart of the episode pulses in her help bringing to life the Neighborhood Vitality Index: a Detroit-born tool designed by residents, for residents—measuring safety, housing quality, upward mobility, and community pride. Advocating for neighborhood voices in policy conversations, Jane weaves together personal narrative and professional purpose, showing how data becomes power only when the people shape it. This interview is essential listening for anyone invested in the soul of Legacy Black Detroit—and in what it takes to heal and rebuild through culture, connection, and collective data-driven action.

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S7E25 -Gatekeepers of Cool Black Narrative, Hustle & Home in Detroit for Kiana Montgomery

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 05:11:33 -0000

“I belong anywhere I want to be.’ That moment snapped the energy for this episode, where Kiana Montgomery dives deep into her legacy as a third-generation Detroiter and how her public relations work is rooted in uplifting Legacy Black Detroit. She shares, “If you want to engage with that audience… that’s the audience I’m looking to connect with,” weaving stories of family reunions enduring a 74% decline, summers spent in New Jersey, her grandfather’s journey from Alabama with just a dollar in his pocket, and building a business servicing Detroit’s cultural gatekeepers. Along the way, she reflects on how her military brat upbringing and HBCU experience at FAMU shaped her voice and how the city—with its cold winters and resilient communities—became her chosen home during the turmoil of 2020. You'll hear how she strategically connects national brands to local narratives, the power of organic networking (even through "statement piece" shoes), and why Detroit is “Clique‑ish”—a badge of respect she leverages to elevate neighborhood voices on a national stage.

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S7E24 -"I’m Working on My Obituary": Alex Washington on Journalism, Detroit Roots, and Telling Our Stories

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 11:15:00 -0000

"I'm working on my obituary," Alex Washington says with a laugh, but the weight of her words hits home. In this intimate, in-depth conversation with Khary Frazier, journalist and culture writer Alex Washington dives deep into her Detroit roots, her love of storytelling, and the fierce loyalty to her city’s people and legacy. From memories of Renaissance High to her first feature in the Free Press, she reflects on how being raised by union workers and a village of elders shaped her vision for journalism. Her start in Detroit hip hop journalism during the mixtape era—covering artists like Big Sean and Danny Brown—revealed the city’s raw cultural power and inspired her commitment to documenting the stories others overlook. “Detroit taught me how to be a neighbor, a friend—it taught me how to love people.” Alex opens up about the grind of Black journalism, content creation, and why the stories that don’t go viral—like the woman hand-making Kwanzaa kinaras or the mom-and-pop flower shop on Six Mile—matter the most. She also unpacks the state of Detroit journalism today, from shrinking newsrooms to the shifting roles of legacy institutions and independent outlets. “Detroit is not a monolith,” she reminds us. This episode is a must-listen for anyone who cares about preserving the authenticity of Detroit’s Black legacy while imagining its future.

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S7E23 -Facts About the Shooting Death of Sherman Lee Butler | Victoria Camille of CPTA Speaks

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 10:00:00 -0000

“He didn’t say he wanted to die. He said he didn’t give an F about dying. That’s different.” — Victoria Camille. In this powerful and deeply sobering episode of the Detroit is Different podcast, host Khary Frazier sits down with Victoria Camille of the Coalition for Police Transparency and Accountability (CPTA) to examine the disturbing details surrounding the July 12, 2024, shooting death of Sherman Lee Butler.

“Nothing about this looks like self-defense to me.” — Khary Frazier. Sherman Butler was killed during an eviction at his apartment on Manderson St., near Palmer Park in Detroit. He was tased by Detroit Police officers and then fatally shot by a Wayne County Bailiff—while recovering from foot surgery and experiencing mental distress. “We all have a story. Show compassion. Sherman deserved to live.” — Victoria Camille

What You’ll Learn in This Episode: Detailed Analysis of the Footage: Victoria Camille and Khary Frazier analyze the DPD-released bodycam footage, breaking down how the incident escalated—despite clear protocol violations.

Critical Facts Revealed: The bailiff used a DPD-issued radio improperly. DPD officers did not follow policy requiring them to control the scene. Mental health teams were called but failed to respond promptly. Tasers were used on a person visibly in mental and physical distress—against DPD policy. A DPD officer read the eviction notice, an act outside of their scope.

“Nothing about this looks like self-defense to me.” — Khary Frazier

“This wasn’t just a policy failure; it was a moral one.” — Victoria Camille

After Months of Advocacy: The community organized protests, FOIA requests (led by Taura Brown), and weekly meetings demanding transparency. On December 23, 2024, a partial video was finally released. Victoria Camille’s Op-Ed led to a formal Citizen Complaint, triggering a deeper investigation by the Board of Police Commissioners’ Office of the Chief Investigator.

Policy Violations Found: At least 10 DPD policy violations identified by the OCI. Mental health co-response teams were eating at McDonald's while the call was active. The bailiff continued to conduct evictions after the shooting.

What the Community Demands: Accountability from DPD, Wayne County Prosecutor, and the media. Clarity on reforms for Bailiffs and Officers. Passage of the Video Release Ordinance by MLK Day 2026—requiring release of all use-of-force videos within 7-37 days.

Stay Informed. Stay Active. Share This. This episode isn't easy to hear—but it's necessary. Join us in healing community through truth, culture, and advocacy.

Support the Coalition for Police Transparency and Accountability (CPTA) Email: DetroitCPTA@gmail.com Website: DetroitCPTA.org

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DetroitIsDifferent #JusticeForShermanButler #PoliceAccountability #VictoriaCamille #DetroitCPTA #EvictionCrisis #MentalHealthJustice #PoliceReform #CommunityHealing

S7E22 -Meditation, Mac‑Fixes & Digital Clones: A New Era for Blacks in Tech with Brandon Cooper

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 17:34:00 -0000

“I wish I could just clone myself…have a digital version of me doing the work while I get paid” – that line from Brandon Cooper set the tone for this electric conversation on Detroit Is Different. In this compelling episode, Khary Frazier sits down with Brandon Cooper—Detroit native, former Apple Senior Advisor, meditation advocate, and the visionary CEO behind Aphid AI—to explore the intersections of legacy Black Detroit, tech innovation, and ancestral wisdom. They take listeners on a journey from Rosedale Park and Seven Mile playgrounds where bike‑built forts and street basketball sparked young Brandon’s creative ingenuity, to the spiritual practices—including chakra work and Qigong—that awakened him to the concept of energetic frequencies shaping our lives. Along the way, Brandon reflects on growing up fatherless, witnessing his mother’s unshakeable strength, and navigating elite spaces like DAP‑CEP and Michigan State where stepping outside comfort zones shaped his worldview. As he shifted from hip‑hop culture and early app‑store entrepreneurship to managing end‑to‑end Mac troubleshooting at Apple, Brandon developed a rare blend of technical fluency and spiritual insight. Now, with Aphid, he’s building “digital clones” that can replicate human work through autonomous AI agents—positioning Black creators and founders on the leading edge of a future Detroit can command. Whether unpacking the power of intuitive flow or calling for banishing violent rap from the soundtrack of youth, Brandon’s perspective holds one central thread: the stories we write in Detroit’s past light the path to transcendent, tech‑empowered futures.

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S7E21 -From Jazz Prodigy to Techno Impact: Inside Ian Fink’s Detroit Renaissance

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 17:20:00 -0000

“I started taking piano lessons when I was four… and by twelve I had swapped classical sheet music for jazz improv—I was playing from my head, not the page,”—Ian Fink dives deep into the layered roots of Legacy Black Detroit, bridging generational migration, jazz lineage, and the raw ingenuity of Detroit’s music scene. In this rich, in-depth episode of Detroit is Different, host Khary Frazier sits down with Ian Fink—a pianist, producer, and conduit of Detroit’s legacy Black culture—to unpack how jazz camp with Rodney Whitaker and Marcus Belgrave set the tone for his artistry, how early classical training at age four paved the way for profound improvisation, and how his classical-jazz foundations seamlessly birthed a sonic switch into house and techno influenced by Detroit icons like Theo Parrish and Scott Grooves. They dig into family history—from Dexter/Linwood’s Jewish-Black narratives to movement between Detroit and West Bloomfield—bringing light to how personal origin stories shape cultural creation. Ian chronicles his transition from working through Video Seven—an artist collective of critical thinkers turned performers—to independently launching Freak Press, producing annual showcases during Movement Festival, and crafting a forthcoming solo piano album under his label. Along the way, he reflects on the significance of reading Black liberation texts, embracing intergenerational Black resistance, and returning to musical performance with ‘a revitalized sense of purpose.’ By threading together stories of legacy, creativity, and reinvention, this episode shows how Detroit’s past and future collide in the sound and vision of a modern-day local legend.

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S7E20 -From Beads to Bronze: Konstance Patton’s Detroit‑Born Legacy

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 17:05:00 -0000

“I didn’t think if I stayed, I’d be alive’—that electrifying moment, when Konstance Patton revealed how everything changed the moment she stepped out of Detroit, sets the tone for this compelling episode. In a deeply resonant conversation with Khary Frazier, Patton weaves together the threads of her Black Detroit legacy—from ancestral roots in the Carolinas, Virginia, and New Orleans to intergenerational artistry that stretches back to her grandmother’s kiln in Brightmoor and massive bead‑worked Last Supper in a Petoskey museum. She reflects on formative childhood memories riding a bike past seven‑mile gravesites, the comfort of her grandmother’s quilts and pottery, and how early encounters with classical violin and swimming taught discipline and collaboration. Through her travels—from a shocking culinary awakening in London to soulful inspirations in Egypt, India, Italy—Patton found her voice in visual storytelling. Now, drenched in paint at her annual ‘potluck’ gatherings at Detroit’s Talking Doll Studios, her immersive events bring together healing, yoga, music, food, and multi‑generational Black creatives. She tears back the curtain on how grief, burnout, and pandemic‑era protests catalyzed her bold new goddess sculptures—resin and bronze Venus figures cast with beads and needles from her lineage—and how her guerrilla‑style Imani portrait in NYC still stops strangers in their tracks. With upcoming shows at the DIA and deep ties to Detroit institutions like Bird’s bar and Talking Doll Studios, this episode captures a living legacy—rooted in the past, dynamically shaping the future of Legacy Black Detroit.

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S7E19 -A Community-First Vision for Congress Donavan McKinney

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 09:03:54 -0000

“It’s not about me—it’s about my community waking up and taking back our future!” In this electrifying episode of Detroit is Different we welcome Michigan State Representative and 13th District U.S. Congress candidate Donovan McKinney for a powerful conversation that spans from the struggles of his childhood—“we lived in cars, we lived in shelters, we didn’t know where our next meal was coming from”—to his bold legislative victories like statewide community violence intervention funding. McKinney shines a light on Detroit’s legacy of resilience and the responsibility of service: “My life no longer belongs to me… When I meet my Maker, I want Him to say, ‘well done.’” This candid discussion is packed with personal milestones, critical truth-telling on gun violence, budget battles in Lansing, and the vision for a future rooted in legacy Black Detroit—a future he’s running to represent on Capitol Hill.

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S7E18 -A Movement, Not a Campaign: How Legacy Shapes Todd Russell Perkins’s Mayoral Run

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 09:00:48 -0000

“This is a movement, not a campaign—from the North End to the future of Legacy Black Detroit.” In this powerful, deeply personal episode of Detroit is Different, host Khary Frazier sits down with Todd Russell Perkins—attorney, community leader, and mayoral candidate whose roots run as deep as his passion for Detroit. Todd opens up about the intergenerational legacies that shaped him—from his father’s resume‑building work during GM layoffs to the entrepreneurial and educational values instilled by his parents. He traces Detroit’s historical pillars—its innovation, Motown legacy, and the foresight embedded in municipal law—and weaves them into a bold vision for the city’s future. With candid reflections on family, law, city governance, and mobilizing Detroit’s Black political power, Todd challenges listeners to see Detroit’s next chapter not as another election but as a movement rooted in purpose, unity, and generational uplift. Tune in to hear why this conversation matters—for the past, present, and future of Legacy Black Detroit.

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S7E17 -Hidden Figures of U.S. Currency: Jen Ingram and Numismatics Noir

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 08:57:44 -0000

“Most folks that came north from the South weren't migrants—they were refugees,” Jen Ingram declares, setting the tone for this powerfully layered conversation. In this Detroit is Different episode, we trace coins and culture with Numismatics Noir founder Jen Ingram, whose passion for Black coin collecting merges family legacy, precious metals, and African American storytelling. “I’m building this bridge for them,” she recalls from a poem her great-grandmother recited, honoring the journey of her fourth-generation Detroit family from Mississippi to a duplex on Whitney. Jen shares her Detroit roots, her professional climb through healthcare and philanthropy, and the entrepreneurial leap into calibrating cultural pride through currency. From Harriet Tubman’s golden likeness to the hidden Black faces of U.S. money, Jen reveals how coins hold both historical weight and future economic promise. This episode is a masterclass in legacy, wealth, and Detroit soul.

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S7E16 -Engineering Freedom: Ali Dirul on Energy Justice and Solar

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 08:47:23 -0000

"Solar power is just sunlight hitting your skin, because your skin is a semiconductor too." That quote from Ali Dirul of Ryter Cooperative Industries launches a Detroit is Different conversation that electrifies history and reimagines the future. In this powerful episode, Ali breaks down energy democracy, off-grid engineering, and building a sustainable Detroit from D-Town Farms to Highland Park's streetlights. "We’re not just placing panels—we’re placing power back in the hands of the people," he says. With stories tracing back to his grandfather’s Ford Model T factory job, African-centered schooling at Aisha Shule, and a capstone project at Oakland University, Ali ties Black legacy to Black futures. This is innovation rooted in community, fueled by melanin, and structured with purpose. It's a conversation that honors how Detroit built the world—and now might just rewire it.

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S7E15 -Protect Your Crown, James Tate on Healing, Policy, and Mental Health for Black Men

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 10:47:47 -0000

"People don’t care about policy—they want to know if you care about them." Detroit is Different is back in studio with District 1 Detroit City Councilmember James Tate, and we’re getting deep. Tate returns to the mic not just as a policymaker but as a Black man opening up about what it truly means to protect your crown—mentally, spiritually, and politically. In one of the most personal Detroit is Different interviews ever, Tate unpacks his own mental health journey, revealing how heartbreak and betrayal spiraled into alcohol dependency, and how that pain sparked a long road toward healing. “I was a functioning alcoholic, self-medicating while trying to keep a public face,” he admits, sharing the raw truth of how anxiety manifests in his life and why he's no longer hiding from it. From behind the wheel of his car, sweating through moments of panic, to behind the podium of city council meetings, Tate discusses how mental health impacts leadership, legacy, and being a Black man in a society that expects stoic strength.

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S7E14 -Prayers, Property, and Purpose the Story of Glenn Wilson

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 10:43:07 -0000

"If you don’t impact your environment, your environment’s going to impact you." That’s how Glenn Wilson, President and CEO of Communities First Inc., sets the tone in this powerful Detroit is Different episode. What started as a casual connection in New Orleans blossoms into a deeply honest conversation about housing, healing, and hope. Glenn shares the raw journey from surviving a childhood house fire in Flint to leading a multi-state nonprofit developing thousands of affordable housing units. From reflections on faith—"Statistically, I shouldn’t be here"—to breaking down what “capital stack” really means in community development, this interview is a must-listen. With tales of hot plates on broken stoves, bird nests in rooftops, and turning trauma into mission, Glenn reminds us: “The very things we take for granted are the very things people pray for.” This is about more than real estate—this is about legacy, trust, and doing the work. "It’s not about being a gatekeeper. It’s about being a gate opener.”

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S7E13 -Kicking Knowledge on Flavor TV Before YouTube: Brother Sayeed Sanders Speaks

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 10:36:23 -0000

"Hip hop wasn’t just music—it was a mirror, a movement, and a megaphone for the unheard. We weren’t just playing records; we were broadcasting revolution."Detroit is Different episode featuring Brother Sayeed Sanders, executive producer of the legendary 1990s Detroit/Windsor-based hip-hop TV show Kicking Knowledge. From Mississippi roots and snowy first days on Linwood to being recruited into engineering at MSU with Black Power speeches featuring Malcolm X and Elijah Muhammad, Sayeed breaks down a layered life of Black resilience, radical education, and revolutionary media-making. "People thought rap was noise, but I saw poetry and power." Sayeed shares behind-the-scenes stories from his time interviewing Public Enemy, Outkast, LL Cool J, and launching Flavor TV across the border. "We didn’t just shoot shows—we preserved culture." He also speaks on Detroit’s failing sewer infrastructure, cultural censorship, and the politics of Black image in media. A blend of engineering mind, cultural vision, and community-centered storytelling—this episode is for every Detroiter who remembers what came before YouTube, and why it still matters.

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S7E12 -Prostate, Power, and Purpose: Ray Stone’s Detroit Wellness Revolution

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 10:31:42 -0000

"Man, I felt taller, lighter — like I lost a burden I didn’t even know I was carrying.” That’s how Ray Stone describes the moment everything changed. In this powerful and provocative Detroit is Different interview, Stone breaks down the realness behind his health journey, the legacy of Detroit’s Black neighborhoods, and the deeper meanings of healing and ownership. With quotes like “All problems begin within” and “The body is your mind, too,” Ray dives into the colon cleanse that transformed him, the firehouse culture that shaped him, and the books he wrote to make holistic health accessible to Black Detroiters. From South Carolina State to South Beach, and back to the 6 Mile and Hubble block of his roots, Ray shares how healing, family, and purpose intersect. This is more than a talk about food — it’s about freedom, manhood, and finding your way back home. Don’t miss this episode packed with truth, grit, and inspiration.

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S7E11 -I Know Who Killed My Son – Mama Shu's Fight for Justice

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 10:22:01 -0000

"I saw who murdered my son—why won't the justice system believe me?" In this gripping and emotional episode of Detroit is Different, Shamayim "Mama Shu" Harris returns to the studio to share a raw and heartbreaking account of the murder of her son, Chinyelu Humphrey, in the winter of 2021. Mama Shu opens up about the pain of witnessing the crime, the years of being ignored by law enforcement, and her relentless pursuit of justice. "It's disrespectful to Chin, to me, and to our whole community," she declares, as she details the broken systems that have failed her family. This is more than a mother’s grief—it’s a call to action for anyone who believes in safety, accountability, and justice. Tune in for a conversation that will challenge your spirit and stir your soul.

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S7E10 -Detroit Made Me: Saunteel Jenkins on Grief, Grit, and Growing Up on Joy Road

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 08:56:57 -0000

"You can't fix what you don't understand, and I understand Detroit because I've lived it." This week on Detroit is Different, Saunteel Jenkins takes the mic and the city into her heart as she opens up about growing up on Joy Road with six kids, one bathroom, and more love than space. “I didn’t even know we were poor,” she laughs, describing a Detroit childhood full of dance routines, Kool-Aid houses, and lessons in resilience. From Focus: HOPE to fighting for public policy with City Council, Saunteel shares how a moment of grief after her brother's murder pushed her to finish school — not just for him, but for the kids who took his life. “They needed the love he had,” she says. Now running for mayor, she reflects on lessons from working with Maryann Mahaffey, how her father’s 47 years as a letter carrier shaped her work ethic, and why every city employee should be a customer service rep for Detroiters. “This isn’t just politics — it’s personal.” You’ll hear why this isn’t just another campaign; it’s a calling.

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S7E9 -Liquid Silver, Soul Detroit, and Spectacles, the Legendary of Zana Smith

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 08:52:10 -0000

"You’ve got to have something you control—and for us, that’s Soul Detroit." Zana Smith, founder of Spectacles Boutique, as she reflects on 41 years of fashion, funk, and fearlessness in Detroit’s ever-changing downtown. In this deep-dive episode of Detroit is Different, Zana opens up about starting on Dexter in the psychedelic '70s, when “we were one of the first head shops with Easy Widers and Liquid Silver chains,” to anchoring downtown Detroit with Black fashion, music, and soul. “You don’t go into business for your friends and family. You go into business for your customers,” she states firmly, detailing how her “marriage” to her boutique built the blueprint for longevity. From housing pop-ups and DJs to launching iconic Soul Detroit gear, Zana has cultivated more than just a shop—she’s built a cultural institution. This episode is packed with Detroit history, hard-won wisdom, and humor that only decades in the game can deliver. “Sometimes what’s unknown becomes the biggest reward.”

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S7E8 -Black Wall Street to Belgrave: Timashion Jones on Film, Family, and Detroit Legacy

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 08:46:57 -0000

"If you want to make $100K as a filmmaker, all you need is $11.40 an hour—24 hours a day." That’s the kind of paradigm-shifting wisdom Timashion Jones drops in this electric episode of Detroit is Different. From childhood summers flipping on mattresses in west side alleys to building cinematic masterpieces screened on Tubi and PBS, Timashion shares how his upbringing in a tight-knit Detroit neighborhood, rooted in Black entrepreneurship and creative hustle, shaped his vision as a filmmaker. "We caught the bus everywhere," he says. "But once I got that Pontiac 6000, we were EVERYWHERE." He breaks down how being raised by a mother who ran transmission shops and bounce house businesses inspired his leap from engineering to independent film. From the Emmy-winning "Cody High" documentary to his latest hit "Mirror of Deception," Timashion tells stories that uplift, educate, and heal. This episode is a journey through legacy, Detroit culture, family, faith, tech, and tenacity. “My mom told me, 'What’s the worst that can happen? You just go back to work.' So I bet on myself.”

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S7E7 -City of Trees: From North Minneapolis to Highland Park’s Cultural Revival with Joshua LaMere

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 08:43:41 -0000

"I came to Detroit and realized—this ain’t a city you read about. This is a city you live." In this Detroit is Different episode, Joshua LaMere unpacks a cultural journey that spans from North Minneapolis to the heart of Highland Park, and what it means to truly fall in love with a city that keeps it real. “Detroiters don’t wait for a crisis to care,” he reflects, contrasting the stiff, buttoned-up culture of Minnesota with Detroit’s open-armed grit. Joshua shares how his life changed forever after discovering Nandi’s Knowledge Cafe. “This ain’t gentrification, this is cultural resurrection,” he says, pushing a vision of Highland Park as the next Harlem. Whether it’s Dutch Girl at 2 AM or lessons from Malcolm X, this conversation is Detroit culture.

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S7E6 -You Can’t AI Artistic Soul: Sydney G. James on Murals, Memory, and Making Detroit Seen

Thu, 29 May 2025 10:33:56 -0000

"Are you gonna paint that, or feel that?" Sydney G. James drops that kind of heat in this no-holds-barred Detroit is Different conversation. She brings the stories behind the Blackout Walls, the politics of public art, and the legacy of Black family in Detroit into vivid focus. “People don’t understand—when I painted at MOCAD, folks walked in and said, ‘This feel like Grandma’s house.’ That’s art!” Sydney shares her journey from drawing cartoons at three to setting visual standards with murals that honor, heal, and celebrate Detroit. “We need pamphlets with every house in Conant Gardens,” she says, lifting up the deep lineage of culture in neighborhoods dismissed as 'red zones.' From Cass Tech to CCS, from LA TV sets to East Side lots, this episode is a masterclass in keeping it real, bold, and Black in the city that raised her. “I didn’t paint next to another Black woman until I hired her,” she reveals—making clear why Black women artists must not just be included but lead.

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S7E5 -Weaving Community: The Art and Faith of Sarah Jane Mark

Thu, 29 May 2025 10:28:37 -0000

“I had to unlearn the industry to remember my soul.” That’s the heartbeat of this Detroit is Different episode featuring Sarah Jane Mark—a fiber artist, educator, and spiritual architect of community healing. In this conversation, Sarah Jane shares her journey from the fast-paced fashion world of Los Angeles to the soulful streets of Detroit, where she co-founded Neighborhood Art School and Selah House with her husband, Billy Mark. She delves into how her experiences in artist residencies and spiritual communities have shaped her approach to sustainable fashion and community engagement. Listeners will be inspired by her commitment to creating spaces that nurture creativity, spirituality, and communal living. Join us as we explore the transformative power of art, faith, and community in Sarah Jane's life and work.

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S7E4 -Don’t Send Me Home—Lisa Whitmore Davis on Surviving, Speaking Up, and Serving Detroit

Thu, 29 May 2025 10:22:21 -0000

"‘Don’t send me home—I’m in pain.’ That’s what I told the ER doctor. If she hadn’t listened, I probably wouldn’t be here today." Lisa Whitmore Davis sits down in the Detroit is Different studio on Mother's Day and unpacks a journey that touches the soul and strikes a chord in every Detroit family. From her upbringing in Benton Harbor—"We were the only Whitmores in the phone book"—to leading cultural change in organizations like AARP, Lisa’s story is rich with service, legacy, and resilience. In this powerful interview, Lisa speaks candidly about her battle with breast cancer, the power of Black women’s voices in healthcare—"I had to fight to be believed"—and the documentary project birthed from her pain. Along the way, she shares why she chose Detroit over Birmingham, how her daughter’s school sat next to the Charles H. Wright Museum, and the spirit of service instilled by her missionary father and nursing mother. This episode dives deep into culture, caregiving, spirituality, community, and the healing power of storytelling. “Culture is identity,” Lisa says. And her identity is deeply Detroit.

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S7E3 -It Costs More to Be Poor: Real Talk on Housing, Hustling & Higher Ed for Shawntae Harris Mintline

Thu, 22 May 2025 01:23:50 -0000

"I used to think I had it all together—until I saw my own Facebook post saying I was studying in the library the same semester I failed every class." This brutally honest, powerful, and uplifting Detroit is Different episode features Shawntae Harris Mintline, Detroit Center Director for Grand Valley State University’s OMNI program, who shares her incredible story of resilience through housing insecurity, financial struggle, and academic burnout. From couch surfing through the Great Recession to eventually earning multiple degrees and shaping innovative higher ed solutions, Shawntae breaks down how navigating systemic gaps turned her into an empathetic, radically student-centered leader. With raw reflections on poverty (“It costs more to be poor”), emotional truths about being a first-gen college student, and sharp insights into building support systems for adults with unfinished degrees, Shawntae shows how lived experience becomes expertise. Hosted by Khary Frazier, this episode is a masterclass in how personal transformation meets institutional change—with Montell Jordan playing in the background and a trip to Bert’s BBQ sealing the Detroit stamp of approval. Tune in to hear why Grand Valley’s Detroit Center is not just another campus—it’s a place where doors open, people say “yes,” and education bends to meet you where you are.

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S7E2 -Beloved Community, Unbreakable Roots: The Kevin Jones Story

Thu, 22 May 2025 01:20:41 -0000

"If you never lived in a beloved community, you'll never know what it's all about." In this powerful and personal episode of Detroit is Different, Coach Kellogg known on the ballot as Kevin Jones—steps into the studio not just as a lifelong Eastsider but as a griot of the neighborhood he loves and serves. From growing up on St. Aubin and Leland to organizing one of Detroit’s largest neighborhood cookouts and now running for City Council in District 5, Kevin drops gems like, "We are not just restoring homes, we are restoring hope." This conversation covers everything from his family’s Great Migration story out of Bessemer, Alabama, to the transformative power of youth basketball leagues, and the resilience it took to turn incarceration into community planning. As he says, "My nonprofit was born behind prison walls, but its mission was born from love." If you’ve ever questioned what real grassroots leadership looks like in Detroit, this is the blueprint. Tune in for a dialogue packed with purpose, Eastside pride, and the kind of truth that makes you lean in and listen harder.

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S7E1 -Sweet Leadership: April Anderson on Business, Balance & Building Culture

Wed, 21 May 2025 23:25:39 -0000

"You only sustain a business when your team feels like family and your customers feel like home." In this powerhouse episode of Detroit is Different, entrepreneur and Good Cakes and Bakes founder April Anderson returns to the studio to deliver game like only she can. From rocking Chadsey gear around the Northwestern representer, territory to diving deep into the ever-evolving landscape of Detroit’s small business ecosystem, April keeps it raw, insightful, and inspiring. She unpacks what 12 years of entrepreneurship has taught her—especially post-pandemic—about leadership, empathy, culture, and customer service. Whether it’s discussing her journey from building an e-commerce platform before it was trendy, maintaining payroll through lean seasons, or how she’s learned that she might need to be less of a boss and more of a bridge, this episode is pure gems. April lays out the real on building a team, making tough calls, and the pivot from selling sweets to sustaining community. It’s about legacy, leadership, and lemon meringue cupcakes. Don't miss this masterclass in Black business brilliance from one of Detroit’s most respected voices.

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S6E119 -We Don’t Work for the System—We Build Our Own: Bryce Detroit’s North End Vision

Thu, 15 May 2025 09:12:50 -0000

“The breath is the spirit, and your diaphragm is the altar.” In this episode of Detroit is Different, Bryce Detroit opens the mic and the mind. From respiratory therapy to rap, ancestral stories from Lexington, Mississippi to Kinston, North Carolina to the East Side of Detroit, Bryce reveals the roots that shaped his revolutionary rhythm. “You know your breath ain't right when your shoulders rise—that's not breath, that's stress.” A deep dive into the soul science of breathing, Black migration, music engineering, and building Black economic infrastructure. Bryce drops life lessons, laughs, and liberation philosophies. “We’re not mimicking the system—we’re building our own damn machine.” Tune in for ancestral tributes, Halle Raiders memories, Cast Tech revelations, and how a Merlot Benz, Jarvis from Iron Man, and Trading Places all connect to healing through culture. “Call yourself the thing, then do the thing—identity is the key to behavior.” You’ll learn, feel, and be inspired to build the new Detroit.

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S6E118 -From Vinewood to Victory: Victoria Camille’s Journey through Detroit’s Soul

Thu, 15 May 2025 09:10:57 -0000

"You don't know Detroit 'til you know Vinewood!" In this deeply-rooted, powerful conversation, Victoria Camille takes us on a journey through generational migration, community transformation, and grassroots organizing. From her granddad “Kid Heney” the boxer at Joe Louis Arena, to growing up in River Rouge and Santa Rosa, to facing the harsh realities of returning to a declining Vinewood, Victoria brings layered Detroit truths: “I thought I saw a ghost—it was Auntie Lulu on my porch.” This Detroit is Different episode spans from field trips in a hippie teacher’s van to fighting off street racers with flower beds and block clubs. Victoria shares the real reasons she’s running for Police Commissioner in District 7: “We need to move from policing to true community safety.” If you’ve ever wondered how to turn inherited homes into healing spaces or how to push yourself to the edge like a 400-meter sprint, this one’s for you.

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S6E117 -Words Are Spells: Shaun Moore-Bey’s Journey from X-Men to Malcolm X

Thu, 15 May 2025 08:01:41 -0000

"Supporting your people isn’t always convenient—but it’s powerful.” That’s the gospel according to poet, author, and creator Shaun Moore-Bey. In this soul-stirring Detroit is Different episode, Shaun takes us on a journey from Conant Gardens to the Cass Tech classrooms, from Mississippi family reunions to standing-room-only poetry readings. “I was the nerd with a hundred X-Men toys, making up universes,” Shaun recalls. But his imagination and deep ancestral lessons from his grandfather—"Jesus is Black" being the first eye-opener—planted a seed that bloomed through hip hop, community activism, and the written word. From prison time to poetic purpose, Shaun's story is a testimony to transformation. He speaks candidly about internal healing, cultural pride, and why “words are spells” that can build or break a people. Tune in to hear how this Positive Poet uses storytelling to uplift Black women, honor elders, and create a legacy for the next thousand years. "To love me is to love Black women," he says. "We’re not separate—we’re two sides of the same coin."

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S6E116 -Raised by Revolutionaries, Built for the Future: Fred Durhal III Is Running Detroit His Way

Thu, 08 May 2025 10:28:30 -0000

"I never ran for office thinking that I was going to be rich. I already knew. How did I know? Because your dad, my dad, we weren't poor as folks would like to say. Folks don't like to use the word poor anymore. But we weren't in poverty, or we weren't unfortunate in a lot of ways, but we weren't rich. We still had tough times." From family councils and tech legacies to state politics and AI innovations, Fred Durhal III’s life is a masterclass in leadership forged through Detroit's unique cultural and political terrain. Raised in a family that counted MLK allies and owned tech firms before Black tech was a trend, Durhal says, “Public service was never a choice — it was a calling.” He shares how music shaped his leadership style, the reality of being a Black state rep under constant scrutiny, and why he's running for mayor: “I want to rebuild Detroit through the strength of our families.” This Detroit is Different interview dives into roots, representation, and the relentless hope that fuels his vision.

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S6E115 -Detroit’s Rock & Soul Rebel: Steffanie Christi’an on Music, Motherhood & Making It

Thu, 08 May 2025 10:25:44 -0000

"I sang before I could talk,” says Steffanie Christi’an, capturing the essence of a voice born in rhythm and raised on soul. In this powerful Detroit is Different interview, Steffanie weaves a narrative of musical lineage rooted in Southfield, church choirs, and impromptu jam sessions with her grandfather who taught her guitar and blues. She reflects on her time at Aisha Shule, calling it "one of the most enlightening and enriching experiences in my life," and opens up about the real grind behind artistry—from acapella basement recordings to demo sessions in New York. Her journey, blessed by mentors like Proof and molded by family legacy, affirms the beauty of persistence. “I always wanted to be Beyoncé before Beyoncé,” she laughs, before revealing how redefining success keeps her creating across genres, from rock and roll to house music with Inner City. As she puts it, “Rock and roll is just the blues sped up,” and Steffanie Christi’an’s story is a soundtrack of resilience, reinvention, and unapologetic Black womanhood in music.

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S6E114 -My Family Taught Me to Code: How Bryan Campbell Hacked Life and Built His Own Lane

Thu, 08 May 2025 10:21:55 -0000

“My grandmother taught me how to program when I was seven,” Bryan Campbell shares, setting the tone for a story that stretches from East Side Detroit roots to Silicon Valley boardrooms. In this powerful Detroit is Different interview, Bryan opens up about hacking school systems as a teenager, building websites for Michigan State before they even knew what email was, and becoming a key engineer behind ad systems that generated billions at Google. With family ties to tech pioneers and civil rights activism, Bryan’s journey includes personal battles—divorce, depression, and alcohol abuse—during his tenure at tech giants like Google and Amazon. Yet his story transforms when he returns to Detroit and builds his own firm, Pec Tech, from the ground up. “I didn’t walk away from Amazon; I walked toward healing,” Bryan says, reflecting on faith, failure, and finding purpose beyond corporate success

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S6E113 -Community is the Curriculum: Kim Sherobbi on Legacy, Leadership, and Love

Thu, 01 May 2025 08:52:10 -0000

“An abandoned house is not an abandoned house unless I see it as that.” In this soul-stirring Detroit is Different interview, Kim Sherobbi reflects on her lifelong commitment to community, tracing her purpose from childhood fashion shows on Bethune Street to founding the Birwood House as a space of radical love and collective leadership. Guided by a lineage of powerful Black women like her grandmother Lula White—"block club president for real"—and shaped by organizers like Ron Scott and the Boggs Center, Sherobbi affirms, “We can figure out how to go through this journey no matter what.” Her story illustrates how deeply community, family, and grief interweave into our purpose: “Community is big… people came to us and loved on us.” Through organizing block parties, teaching physical education with intention, and nurturing youth through programs like Community Lens, Kim lives the ethos that supporting others in finding their power is where transformation begins.

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S6E112 -Housing is Healing: How Ken Elkins is Building More Than Homes in Detroit

Thu, 01 May 2025 08:48:52 -0000

“You can’t put love into a house you don’t own.” That one quote encapsulates the spirit of Ken Elkins’ journey, vision, and mission as founder of Renewed. In this powerful Detroit is Different interview, Ken speaks truth to the generational impact of housing instability, sharing how growing up in a series of rentals shaped his understanding of pride, permanence, and purpose. From his early days in Saginaw, working at Chuck E. Cheese and joining the Navy Reserves just to find a path to college, to co-founding Ferris State’s “Black Leaders Aspiring for Critical Knowledge,” Ken’s life is a testament to how community can turn potential into power. “When I owned my first home, I felt value for the first time,” he reflects. Now, he’s pouring that lesson back into Detroit, offering affordable homes where the mortgage is never more than 25% of your income. It’s not just about equity—it’s about emotional stability, dignity, and the ripple effects of ownership for families who have long been priced out of their own neighborhoods. As Ken puts it, “I can't stop the developers, but I can flip one house and keep that in the community.” Filled with laughter, real talk, and a deeply rooted love for the culture—yes, lamb chops, buffs, and all—this episode is a masterclass in what it means to build legacy through healing and homeownership.

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S6E111 -Pause, Reflect, Breathe: The Life Journey of Orena Perry

Thu, 01 May 2025 08:45:59 -0000

"We are not here for ourselves—we are here for other people. Period." These words from Orena Perry don't just summarize her perspective—they declare her purpose. Her story, like so many rooted in Detroit, is a vibrant blend of faith, family, and fearless entrepreneurship. From her great-grandmother’s home on Calvert to the stages of Jazz on the Boulevard and the halls of Redford High, Orena’s life journey has been one of intention, perseverance, and spiritual grounding. “I’ve always been a servant,” she says, reflecting on years organizing events, empowering Black-owned businesses, and uplifting voices through conferences, prayer breakfasts, and women’s luncheons. After surviving a near-fatal car accident in high school, Orena’s life took on a deeper clarity—faith became more than a belief; it became her strategy. “God can tell you when to move, when to stop, and when something is over—but you’ve got to be able to listen,” she shares. As a mother of three daughters who each embody her entrepreneurial spirit—one in design, one in administration, and one leading programs for autistic youth—Orena has turned her business into a family legacy. Watching them blossom, she says, is her proudest accomplishment. Whether mentoring young boys through the Loop It program, or sharing stages with legends during her Detroit Black Expo days, her impact has always extended far beyond any resume. “It was never about me,” she insists. “It was always about them.” With a laugh that warms the soul and a conviction that can organize armies, Orena Perry walks in grace, models resilience, and reminds Detroit—and the world—that healing begins when we make space to breathe, listen, and serve. What in Orena’s journey inspires you to listen more deeply to your own calling?

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S6E110 -Remember to Remember: Raúl Echevarría on Culture, Community, and the Power of the Impossible

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 17:41:20 -0000

“You all live in the realm of impossibility because you’ve been conditioned by Western society to understand why a thing is not possible. Unlike you, my friends, I live in the realm of the impossible.” In this rich and deeply introspective episode of the Detroit is Different podcast, community organizer and cultural educator Raúl Echevarría shares a powerful narrative of transformation, memory, and resistance through his journey from Chicago's Puerto Rican Humboldt Park to Detroit's vibrant but complex Southwest. With profound insight into community organizing, Raúl emphasizes the spirit and commitment it takes to truly work within and uplift neighborhoods: “You’ve got to come correct,” he says, reflecting on his own approach to entering Detroit’s unique cultural landscape. This isn't just talk—it's a testament to a life of praxis rooted in justice, spirituality, and cultural preservation. He unpacks his work saving the oldest Puerto Rican mural in Chicago, “The Crucifixion of Don Pedro,” noting, “We own our own shit,” affirming a community’s right to its land and legacy. Through storytelling, Raúl brings the listener into the sacred act of community dreaming, describing workshops where “memory energy” transforms defeat into imagination. He challenges the false idol of rugged individualism, reminding us that “we’ve always been collective,” and that collectivity is a form of resistance in a system that benefits from our fragmentation. From maroon communities resisting colonial empires to the reawakening of African memory through Puerto Rican Bomba, Raúl’s perspective connects dots across time, space, and struggle. “Part of the challenge for the organizer,” he explains, “is can the organizer adopt the motif of vision caster... who goes into the other realm and then convinces the people?” This episode is a masterclass in organizing as spiritual and cultural labor, where remembering itself is revolutionary.

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S6E109 -Healing Starts at Home, Detroit Love Story with Krystal Larsosa

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 17:40:00 -0000

We need to be healed as a community.” Krystal Larsosa, co-founder of the Black Marriage Movement, sits down to share an intimate and powerful journey rooted in love, healing, and transformation through marriage. Raised on the same Detroit block where she met her now-husband Jasahn at age 12, Krystal opens up about the realness of growing into womanhood in the heart of the city, the impact of protection and stability in relationships, and the vision she and Jasahn share for healing Black families through the institution of marriage. From weathering literal fires in their home to building the Black Marriage Movement from the ground up, Krystal speaks with vulnerability and wisdom on the challenges and triumphs of cultivating a love that not only nurtures a household but strengthens a community. She speaks candidly on learning the true roles of wife and mother, reshaping narratives around submission and support, and creating spaces like the Detroit Wives Club and Birth Fathers Detroit to educate, affirm, and uplift Black love. This episode is a rich blend of personal storytelling, cultural critique, and community visioning, echoing the foundational Detroit is Different mission of “healing community through culture.” Krystal’s story is more than a testimony—it’s a blueprint for rebuilding the foundation of family, legacy, and power in our neighborhoods.

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S6E108 -Building Love, Building Legacy: Jasahn Larsosa on the Power of Black Marriage

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 17:37:06 -0000

"The gift of God to us in marriage is that it perfects our love." In this powerful second installment of the Black Marriage Movement series, Jasahn Larsosa shares an emotionally resonant reflection on what it means to grow as a man, a husband, and a father within the framework of love, commitment, and community. Joined in life and purpose by his wife, Krystal Larsosa, Jasahn unpacks the complex journey from his early ideals shaped by television portrayals of Black family life to the real-world models of married couples in his Detroit neighborhood—people who anchored and enriched the block. His story of longing for Krystal since they were teenagers, detouring through revolutionary activism and spiritual searching, and ultimately returning to build a life together, is filled with depth and honesty. From navigating the unspoken fears Black men carry around provision and protection, to enduring a house fire that reshaped their home and outlook, Jasahn reveals how marriage has refined not only his sense of responsibility, but also his sense of self. Together, the Larsosas are redefining Black love through the Black Marriage Movement, a ministry of healing, truth-telling, and empowerment that challenges dominant narratives and uplifts the unseen strength of Black fathers and husbands. This isn’t just a story of partnership—it’s one of purpose, legacy, and the sacred work of building family as a revolutionary act.

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S6E107 -Detroit Essence, Black Excellence: How Jessica Blair Built Her Beauty Supply Legacy

Thu, 17 Apr 2025 00:51:37 -0000

“You know Detroit is about the look, the feel, it’s a Detroit essence to the culture.” That essence radiates through Jessica Blair, the visionary behind Jessica Blair Beauty, a proudly Black-owned beauty supply store in the heart of Rosedale Park on Grand River. From learning hair care in her grandmother’s community-rooted home on Blaine Street to launching her own store after midnight shifts in psych hospitals, Jessica's journey is one of resilience and intention. “It sounded crazy, but I felt like it was God telling me — no, this is what you need to do,” she shares. Her shop bridges tradition and trend, offering everything from natural hair essentials like TGIN to bundles and silk press staples. And she’s not just selling beauty — she’s restoring a legacy. “It was very community oriented,” Jessica remembers of her upbringing, a value now baked into her brand. Through thefts, floods, and pandemic pivots, she turned setbacks into success. Her grand opening on February 21 marked more than a business launch — it’s a celebration of Detroit beauty, Black womanhood, and the power of doing it yourself, for your people.

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S6E106 -From Mumford to Movement: Kristian Hill on Techno, Legacy, and Telling Detroit’s Truth

Thu, 17 Apr 2025 00:49:21 -0000

“God said, give 'em drum machines—and see what happens.” That’s the dream Mike Huckaby shared, and it’s the heartbeat of God Said Give 'Em Drum Machines, the acclaimed documentary by Detroit filmmaker Kristian Hill that restores techno’s true story—deeply rooted in Black Detroit creativity, culture, and resilience. “We had a grocery store on Hastings Street. My grandfather ran numbers,” Hill recalls, grounding his storytelling in generations of Detroit legacy, from his grandmother Mabel White teaching home economics at Kettering and cooking for Aretha Franklin, to DJing with friends like Al Ester and parking cars outside Cheeks while legends like Jeff Mills and Stacey Hale spun inside. The film traces the untold journey of techno’s pioneers—Juan Atkins, Kevin Saunderson, Derrick May, Eddie Fowlkes, Blake Baxter, and Santonio Echols—as Hill and his team follow the music from Detroit to Amsterdam, Japan, South Africa, and even Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, where locals called it “the Detroit of Russia” and clubs pulsed with Detroit’s sound. “We got the stars,” Hill says, referring to the Belleville Three and others, “but nobody ever tells the story.” Fueled by years of footage and shaped in long, late-night edit sessions, the documentary is not only a cinematic reclaiming of techno’s Black roots but a personal odyssey of creative purpose. “It’s not just a link. It’s an experience,” Hill emphasizes, reminding audiences that this is more than a movie—it’s Detroit history set to a beat that moved the world.

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S6E105 -From Detroit to Hollywood: Spanky Hayes Breaks Down Life, Laughter, and Legacy

Thu, 17 Apr 2025 00:45:39 -0000

“I told my mama, ‘I want to take my dad to school,’ and she said, ‘Pick a man you like.’ I said, ‘Richard Pryor.’ She said, ‘All right, that’s your daddy.’” That’s how Spanky Hayes kicks off a raw, hilarious, and deeply Detroit story in his Detroit is Different interview. From dodging gang members in LA while wearing a bloody borrowed T-shirt, to his Cuban roots in Havana where “it’s like being in 1984,” Spanky brings humor and heart. His reflections on Hollywood hit just as powerfully: “To be a star, you gotta be likable—people gotta want to be around you for 30 days straight on set.” He opens up about the ups and downs of holding deals, the pain of seeing his original crew’s idea become Wild 'N Out without the proper credit, and how he helped build it from the ground up. “We didn’t get the deal, but Nick did—and he kept his word.” Spanky also breaks down how the internet changed comedy forever: “It’s not about talent anymore—it’s about who’s posting the most.” Despite the challenges, he’s still committed to the craft: “I’m the Morpheus for Detroit comedians in LA. I’ve got the keys to the game.” With stories from backstage with MC Lyte to acting dreams sparked by Juice, Spanky blends street wisdom, comedic hustle, and cultural commentary in a way only a Detroiter can.

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S6E104 -Culture Cures, History Heals: Kalimah Johnson on SASHA Center and the Power of Voice

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 00:46:52 -0000

"My mother said, 'You are what you say.'" Kalimah Johnson—also known on Detroit’s hip hop scene as the legendary emcee Nikki D—graces the Detroit is Different studio with a life story that echoes through generations, cultures, and communities. This deeply moving and powerful episode journeys through Kalimah's evolution from North End storyteller and spoken word champion to founder and CEO of SASHA Center, Detroit’s leading resource for sexual assault healing centered on Black women. "Hip hop prepared me for audience energy," she reflects, tracing her artistry back to freestyle battles with Mozzy Ski and her tenure at World One Records where “they took good care of me.” We hear of ancestral roots from the Bradley Plantation in Kentucky to Black Bottom Detroit, and we witness the impact of “culture curing and history healing.” She speaks of spiritual fortitude—“There is something spiritual and transformative about using your voice”—and boldly confronts trauma with a call for love and accountability: “Violence doesn’t have a gender. We all need a soft place to land.” The episode dives into Kalimah’s multifaceted life as a natural hair cultivator, poet, social worker, and visionary, creating sacred spaces for Black men and women to reclaim their narratives. “You can’t make sense out of nonsense,” she and host Khary Frazier agree, as they unravel the cultural, political, and personal threads shaping Detroit’s soul.

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S6E103 -The Frequency of Black Excellence: Piranhahead’s Soundscape of Detroit

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 00:42:30 -0000

"This record is somebody's pathway to not jumping off that ledge." With that profound truth, Maurice “Piranhahead” Herd ushers listeners into a sonic and spiritual odyssey on Detroit is Different. A master craftsman of music and energy, Piranhahead unpacks how his Mississippi roots led through Muskegon to Detroit’s east side, eventually shaping a global funk and house music legacy rooted in community and Black excellence. From making cassette deck beats as a kid to orchestrating full string arrangements for legends, he reflects, “It’s more to life than the funk.” His stories stretch from shoveling snow at Grandma’s to jamming with Enemy Squad, to late-night spiritual calls with mentor Paul Riser. Whether recalling his Detroit studio days with Mollywop or being moved by Donny Hathaway, Piranhahead reminds us, “Some records will change somebody’s life… everything, the heart got to be there.” He challenges Detroiters not to give up their land, not to forget their sound, and to reclaim the city’s rhythm. “Detroit is heaven now... got a little hell in it though.”

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S6E102 -Betting on the People: Jonathan Barlow’s Vision for a Spirit-Led Detroit

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 00:36:17 -0000

“Detroit deserves to be known for its spirit—grit, grind, hustle, love.” With this rallying cry, mayoral candidate Jonathan Barlow sat down with Detroit is Different for a powerful, deeply rooted conversation that stretched far beyond politics and into the soul of a city. From the foundational lessons of his grandfather, Reverend Joseph B. Barlow—a pastor turned community pillar in Ecorse during the turbulent years of Detroit’s rebellion—to the political tutelage under Rev. Dr. Fred Sampson at Tabernacle Baptist Church, Barlow's path has been paved with purpose. “Tabernacle was the epicenter,” he shared, reflecting on the church’s revolutionary role in shaping faith-based activism. His memories of walking alone through Montgomery summers, under the watchful spirit of his grandmother who worked on Maxwell Air Force Base, illustrate a childhood forged by trust and responsibility. “I was a point guard—I always knew it was about building teams, not being the star,” Barlow said, tying his Renaissance High School athletics to his community organizing ethos. Through reflections on his mother’s work behind the scenes on Detroit’s school board and his own campaigns to pass citywide legislation—like the 2017 cannabis ordinances—Barlow paints a vision of leadership grounded in legacy and people-power. “Anybody can change the law,” he insisted, echoing his commitment to civic education and community action. And as millions pour into Detroit’s political race, Barlow declares, “I’m betting this election on the people.” His campaign might be underfunded compared to others, but the depth of his roots, the clarity of his vision, and his unshakable belief that Detroiters deserve more, make this interview one of the most compelling Detroit is Different conversations to date.

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S6E101 -Bringing Horsepower to Hope Village: David Silver’s Ride with Detroit Horse Power

Thu, 03 Apr 2025 08:52:11 -0000

“When I said I wanted to bring horses to Linwood, people started clapping before I could even finish the sentence.” David Silver’s journey from Westchester County, New York to Detroit’s 12th Street-Davidson area is anything but typical—but it's also exactly what makes his work with Detroit Horse Power so impactful. On this episode of Detroit is Different, Silver reflects on a life shaped by horses, privilege, and a growing awareness of inequity. “I grew up in a bubble,” he admits, describing his upbringing in an affluent community where he had access to elite horseback riding training. But when Teach for America brought him to Burns Elementary on Grand River and Greenfield, his world expanded—and so did his mission. “I had students who were persevering through life every single day, but didn’t realize that was a strength.” He saw firsthand the character traits needed to thrive—resilience, empathy, confidence—and began to connect them back to his own experiences with horses. The result: a vision for a program that introduces Detroit youth to equestrian life while building essential life skills. “You fall off a horse, you get back on. That’s life.” With community support and a forthcoming $12 million equestrian center being built in Hope Village on the former Paul Robeson Academy site, Silver is literally transforming empty space into a sanctuary of possibility. “This ain't Mr. Ed,” he jokes. “This is about power, about confidence, about trust.” His 10-year journey to this point has been one of endurance and evolution, driven by community relationships, the guidance of Detroit elders, and a powerful belief that “every kid deserves the chance to say, ‘what else can I do?’” This conversation is a deep dive into how culture, education, and nature can intersect to heal communities.

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S6E100 -Carlos Nielbock’s Journey from Germany to Detroit’s Heart

Thu, 03 Apr 2025 08:50:26 -0000

In this powerful two-part conversation, Detroit is Different welcomes Carlos Nielbock—master craftsman, historian, and visionary artist—to explore his transatlantic journey of forging identity through the skilled trades. “I'm a child of occupation,” Carlos begins, recounting how he was born in Germany to a Black American GI and a German mother, in a time when their union was illegal. At 24, he came to Detroit seeking his father and instead discovered “a kinship with everybody I encountered” and a calling rooted in Black life and community. Carlos reflects on his early days squatting in abandoned buildings, discovering Detroit’s architectural jewels, and turning ruins into sanctuaries. “What I saw was chaos, but inside it—liberty, creativity, and survival.” He talks about the Fox Theatre restoration—his first major project—and the value of old-world craftsmanship: “You can't 3D print what I do. You have to live it.” His artistry blends the sacred with the practical, shaped by monastic blacksmithing and Detroit hustle. “I'm not here to make weapons; I'm here to make beauty that outlives generations.” Joined by co-author Paul Draus, Carlos shares the story behind their new book, Forging Identity, a chronicle of craft, culture, and community. He speaks passionately on uplifting Detroit’s youth through skilled trades and the legacy of Detroit’s historic architecture: “Detroit used to be the Paris of the Midwest. We can bring that back—not with gentrification, but with education, empowerment, and our own hands.”

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S6E99 -Windmills & Identity: Paul Draus Journey into understanding Carlos Nielbock

Thu, 03 Apr 2025 08:46:05 -0000

In this special two-part Detroit is Different episode, we dive into Forging Identity: The Story of Carlos Nielbock with Dr. Paul J. Draus, a University of Michigan-Dearborn sociology professor whose Detroit journey began back in 2005. “We first met Carlos through his creations,” Draus recalls, describing towering windmills and ornate gates built from salvaged materials on Detroit’s east side that sparked a friendship and a story worth telling. This episode traces Draus’s own path from Chicago to Wyoming to New York to Dayton, and ultimately to Detroit, where community partnerships led him to Carlos—an artist, a craftsman, and a character whose life mirrors Detroit’s own transformation. Draus shares how Carlos, a Black German immigrant raised in Europe, navigated identity, racism, and the post-industrial city with resilience and creativity. “It’s a mock-heroic narrative, almost like a Don Quixote story,” Draus explains, reflecting on Carlos’s work turning Detroit’s discarded industrial relics into symbols of hope and sustainability. From scrapping in junkyards to preserving historical architecture, Carlos’s story challenges notions of identity, place, and revitalization in Detroit. As Draus puts it, “There’s something in each of us that is not reducible to environment or genes,” and Carlos embodies that beautifully. The book’s reception has been heartfelt, with community members like Mama Myrtle saying it “brought her to tears.” It’s a Detroit story with global resonance, touching on art, sociology, community, and courage. Tune in to learn how this story came to life and why it matters now more than ever.

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S6E98 -No Phones, Just Healing: A Detroit Ra'Marie’s Path to Purpose

Thu, 03 Apr 2025 01:38:48 -0000

"I just took time for myself," says Ra'Marie, reflecting on the transformative journey that led her from childhood trauma to community healing. In this powerful Detroit is Different interview, Ra'Marie opens up about growing up on Fenkell, surviving instability, and rediscovering purpose through self-reflection. "I was born and raised in Detroit, so my whole life, so I'm rooted in Detroit. This is my city." From family dinners at grandma's to her mother’s addiction and her own battles with anger and trust, Ra'Marie walks us through the layered experiences that shaped her resilience. "I had to grow up real fast. I had to take care of my family quick." With authenticity, she discusses being kicked out of DPS, learning to teach herself, and ultimately healing through art, dance, and mirror work. "Don't run from it... sit in your thoughts, recognize your thoughts." Today, Ra'Marie leads healing arts sessions across the city, pouring into others what she had to first pour into herself. "I'm not here to collect money. I'm just here to help and do my part." From community cleanups with her children to founding free therapy workshops, Ra'Marie embodies radical love in action. Her testimony is a deep call to Detroiters to reclaim our mental, physical, and spiritual wellness: "We have to start with the mind to keep the community clean."

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S6E97 -Keeping the Flame: Marcia Black on Black Women, Archives, and the Legacy of Black Detroit

Thu, 27 Mar 2025 02:25:33 -0000

"If we don’t tell our stories, who will? And if they do, will they tell it right?" — This question grounds the work of Marcia Black, a powerful cultural steward who’s leading the charge at Black Bottom Archives, celebrating 10 years of preserving and honoring Black Detroit’s legacy. In this Detroit is Different podcast, Marcia shares how her passion was sparked by early roots in environmental justice organizing through EMEAC, where she witnessed the brilliance and resilience of Black women leading on the frontlines. That experience lit a fire, and inspired by pioneers like PG Watkins and Camille Johnson, Marcia embraced the responsibility of archiving Black life, especially the voices of Black women too often erased from historical narratives. From growing up between Detroit and Duval County, Florida, her journey is a mosaic of Black Southern and Midwestern cultural memory. Guided by the radical education at Marygrove College and the example of her entrepreneurial, Catholic, beauty-salon-owning, computer-working, reverend grandmother, Marcia now curates community through exhibits, storytelling, and cultural programming. “Black women have always been the keepers of the flame,” she says, and her work ensures that flame continues to burn bright—one story, one installation, one memory at a time.

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S6E96 -From Jalisco to Justice: Officer Yahaira Gomez on Community, Culture & the Call to Serve Detroit

Thu, 27 Mar 2025 02:22:37 -0000

In this powerful Detroit is Different podcast episode, Officer Yahaira Gomez shares her deeply personal and inspiring journey from Guadalajara, Jalisco, to the heart of Southwest Detroit, painting a rich portrait of how her life, family, and cultural roots led her to serve as a Detroit Police officer. Her story intertwines immigrant perseverance, military discipline from her time in the Marine Corps, and a passion for building stronger family and community connections through service. Raised in Southwest Detroit, a vibrant hub of Chicano culture, Officer Gomez reflects on the importance of neighborhood relationships and how her experiences shaped a sense of duty and care. She speaks on balancing her roles as a mother, Marine, and public servant while emphasizing the importance of mental health, faith, and purpose. Host Khary Frazier adds his critical lens, connecting her story to broader systemic issues, acknowledging that crime and violence in Detroit are often symptoms of deep-rooted economic disparity and lack of opportunity. Together, their dialogue highlights the nuanced complexities of policing, community trust, and healing in a city where trauma and resilience walk hand in hand. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different.

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S6E95 -Pen, Passion, and Power: Darralynn Hutson Writes Her Way Into History

Thu, 27 Mar 2025 02:05:29 -0000

From the spark of curiosity ignited in Detroit to the cultural epicenter of Atlanta, Darralynn Hutson has been scripting stories since “my first article was written in 1990 in the 1900s,” she jokes, weaving words with love and purpose across decades. “I've been writing for over 25 years on Black culture. I love it.” And that passion first bloomed when a young Darralynn immersed herself in magazines like The Source, saying, “How else can you find out about who’s the king of New York hip hop?” Her storytelling foundation was deeply personal too—growing up as an only child, “my joy, my passion, my excitement came from outside my house,” and writing became a tool to explore, escape, and express. She fondly recalls imagining “Twilight Zone episodes from a Black perspective,” like one where a family’s rat takes over household responsibilities, embodying her early creative genius. That creative fire took her from Cass Tech to Spelman, where “Detroit demanded respect” and the AUC campus became its own cultural ecosystem. “We were developing it,” she says of Atlanta's evolution into a Black cultural mecca, remembering moments like OutKast performing in “hole in the wall concerts” and Spike Lee recruiting students for School Daze. Post-college, it was another Spelman sister, Sheila Brown of Upscale Magazine, who turned Darralynn’s passion into profession, teaching her how “to use a mouse, how to interview, how to research,” and most importantly, how to trust her voice. Now an international journalist and TV/film writer, she honors that journey by capturing not only celebrity stories but also deeply personal ones, like writing obituaries for over 27 family members—a responsibility she holds sacred. “Everybody has a role to play,” she says, “I’m the writer of the family.” Whether it's penning features for Essence, profiling unsung icons, or celebrating Detroit's soul, Darralynn's pen remains her passport and purpose. “Writing was always something I did for fun. It was a passion. I didn’t know it could be a profession.” Lucky for us, she found a way to turn her passion into pages that speak to our culture, our past, and our power.

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S6E94 -Hood Research, Haunted Houses & Harlem Roots Story of Theo Broughton

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 17:46:25 -0000

"You stay vibrant, you stay young, you stay healthy by participating in the life that's going on around you." On this episode of Detroit is Different, we sit down with the incomparable Theo Broughton, a true pillar of Detroit’s Black political and cultural community. As the co-founder of Hood Research, Theo has spent decades shaping political awareness, fostering community engagement, and preserving Black history in the city. From Harlem’s jazz era—where her father played saxophone with Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong—to the mid-1950s when she arrived in Detroit, Theo shares her journey through the city's evolution. We dive into her deep involvement in Detroit’s political landscape, from working alongside the legendary Barbara-Rose Collins to leading community forums with greats like Dr. Claud Anderson and Bob Law. She recounts her groundbreaking haunted house project that brought joy and excitement to Detroit’s youth, her years of activism through media, and her relentless push for civic engagement. Theo’s wisdom, passion, and storytelling bring history to life as she reflects on how Detroit has changed and what the future holds for its people. Tune in for a conversation that is as inspiring as it is deeply rooted in Detroit’s legacy of resilience and empowerment!

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S6E93 -From Georgia to the D Thomaesa Bailey’s Mission for Black Political Power

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 17:42:50 -0000

"Hate pushed me to leave the South, but love brought me to Detroit." In this electrifying episode of Detroit is Different, we sit down with powerhouse attorney, political strategist, and self-proclaimed vanguard of the New Great Migration, Thomaesa Bailey. From her roots in Eatonton, Georgia—home of literary icon Alice Walker—to making waves in Detroit’s political scene, Thomaesa shares her passionate journey of advocacy, civic engagement, and Black political power. She’s not just talking policy—she’s making it plain, breaking down legislative complexities, and bringing the people into the process. With experience in the Umoja Debate League, Detroit City Council, and grassroots mobilization, she’s on a mission to educate, activate, and empower. We dive deep into Detroit’s over-assessed property taxes, redistricting, and the larger fight for community self-determination. Plus, find out why an alien visitor’s first stop in the D should be the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center! Tune in for an unfiltered, inspiring conversation about the future of Black Detroit, political power, and what it truly means to be ten toes down for the people.

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S6E92 -From Detroit to Jackson Chokwe Antar Lumumba’s Fight for the People

Thu, 13 Mar 2025 12:15:16 -0000

"Our problem was never just the pothole—our problem is that we don’t control the decision-making process that determines whether the pothole gets fixed." In a time when Black leadership is under attack, Detroit is standing strong with Jackson, Mississippi Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba. This special Detroit is Different show introduces you to a leader who has carried the torch of self-determination, justice, and empowerment from Detroit to Jackson. Facing politically motivated charges, Mayor Lumumba is in the fight of his life—not just for himself, but for all of us who believe in Black power and progress. Join us for a powerful conversation on the legacy of struggle, the urgency of organizing, and why Detroit’s support is critical in this moment. It’s more than an interview—it’s a call to action. Let’s show up, speak out, and stand with Chokwe Antar Lumumba!

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S6E91 -Philanthropy, Power & the People Angelique Power Re-thinking Schools relationship with Communities

Thu, 13 Mar 2025 11:50:39 -0000

“We are in relationship with each other, and the perception of cultural difference is just a perception,” Angelique Power. In this thought-provoking episode of Detroit is Different, Angelique Power, President & CEO of the Skillman Foundation, sits down with Kari Frazier for a deep dive into the evolution of education, community organizing, and the intersection of systems that shape young people’s futures. From her South Side Chicago roots, where activism was as common as dinner table debates, to her commitment to disrupting inequitable structures in Detroit, Angelique shares her journey with wisdom, candor, and a bit of sneak-out-the-house teenage rebellion. They unpack everything from the lasting impact of Harold Washington’s election to the power of youth-led philanthropy and the complex web of Detroit’s school landscape. Check out this episode for an inspiring, critical conversation about education, policy, and the future of Detroit.

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S6E90 -Art of Sensuality: Bryana Williams on Boudoir, Black Beauty & Self-Love

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 11:07:40 -0000

"I know I'm not the only one that enjoys taking sexy photos, and I know I'm not the only one that may avoid it because of unwanted behavior." Photographer Bryana Williams takes us on a journey through her artistic evolution, from childhood violin recitals to finding her purpose behind the lens. In this engaging episode, Bryana shares how her passion for photography led her to create a safe, empowering space for women through boudoir photography. We dive into her family's deep Detroit roots, her love for natural light, and the balance between sensuality and self-confidence. Plus, she breaks down the artistry behind capturing Black beauty and the challenges of navigating a male-dominated industry. Listen in as we explore the power of self-expression, art as therapy, and the importance of seeing yourself reflected in the world around you. Experience her work for yourself by visiting bmoreyouphotography.com and scheduling a shoot.

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S6E89 -Sailing the World & Setting Her Own Path: The Imani Elie Story

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 11:02:55 -0000

"I never saw myself working for anybody as a kid. I said, ‘I want to be a celebrity. I don’t want to work for nobody.’" Imani Elie turned her love for travel into a thriving business, Detroit Travel Co., and in this episode, she shares her incredible journey from Detroit’s east side to the Navy, traveling the world, and finally building her own travel agency. From navigating military life on an aircraft carrier to mastering the art of curating unforgettable travel experiences, Imani takes us through the highs and lows of her adventure-filled career. Hear about the moments that shaped her—from discovering peanut stew in Ghana to driving a ship near Dubai—and learn how she’s helping Detroiters see the world. Whether you're a seasoned traveler or just getting your passport stamped, this conversation will inspire you to explore beyond your backyard.

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S6E88 -From Airbrush to Bars: The Unfiltered Artistry of Mr. Cliffnote

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 15:00:35 -0000

"I just want to add creativity and let it be okay to be your damn self." Detroit's own Mr. Cliffnote is a force in the world of art, music, and comedy, weaving together raw talent with an unapologetic authenticity that defines true creativity. In this in-depth conversation, he shares his journey from sketchbooks and rap notebooks as an only child to airbrushing murals that became landmarks in the city. From sharpening his pen game in Detroit’s battle rap and comedy scenes to building a sustainable business at Northland Mall (even as it crumbled around him), his story is one of resilience, passion, and the hustle that defines so many in the Motor City. This interview dives into his roots, the influences that shaped him, and why being yourself—unfiltered and undiluted—is the ultimate flex. Tune in for laughs, history, and a masterclass in Detroit creativity.

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S6E87 -Rest Like a Queen: Dr. Demarra West on Self-Love, Detroit, and Breaking Barrier

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 11:51:34 -0000

"When you set out to heal the world, you realize that you yourself have healing to do.” In this Detroit is Different episode, Dr. Demarra West, founder of Rest Like a Queen Retreat & Day Retreats in Detroit, shares her journey of self-discovery, purpose, and community impact. Having moved to Detroit just eight months ago, she reflects on how the city called her to do deep healing work, both personally and for others. As a licensed therapist and holistic healer, Demarra unpacks trauma, resilience, and systemic barriers, discussing how poverty and racism block access to true healing. She and Kari dive into the complex dynamics between Black men and women, the shifting power structures in Detroit, and the need for reciprocity and respect. “Joy, prosperity, peace, and purpose are birthrights,” she declares, emphasizing self-love and community-driven solutions. Of course, no episode is complete without classic Detroit questions—Demarra recalls her first Ford Focus, picks Glorilla and Usher for the Detroit fireworks finale, and says if an alien landed in Detroit, she’d take them straight to the Charles H. Wright Museum for a lesson in Black excellence.

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S6E85 -Detroit Land, Detroit Power: Who Really Runs the City? with Anthony Adams

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 03:30:00 -0000

"If You Don’t Own Land, You Don’t Own Power." Ownership is the key to generational wealth, but in Detroit, that power is constantly under attack. From over-assessed property taxes to deed fraud and predatory real estate schemes, Black Detroiters are losing land—and with it, the foundation of community stability and wealth-building. In this powerful discussion, Anthony Adams, a legal and political mind with deep experience in city government, breaks down the policies, politics, and legal maneuvers that determine who truly owns Detroit. From the impact of the Land Bank and Community Benefits Agreements to the controversial shifts in Detroit’s tax structure, Adams lays out the real game being played with our neighborhoods. Host Khary Frazier challenges Adams to make sense of how we fight back—whether through land trusts, cooperative economics, or radical restructuring of city policies. This conversation is a must-listen for anyone who cares about Detroit’s future and their own financial empowerment. Don’t get caught on the wrong side of the deal—tune in and learn how to protect what’s yours.

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S6E86 -The Power of Independent Media: Unfiltered Truth from Detroit with Sam Robinson

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 02:56:52 -0000

"Detroit is more than a city—it’s a movement, a rhythm, a story waiting to be told." In a media landscape where legacy outlets are losing their grip and independent voices are rising, Detroit is Different brings you the raw, unfiltered stories that shape the culture and politics of the city. This episode features journalist Sam Robinson, a writer who doesn’t just report on Detroit—he lives it. From covering state politics in Lansing to exposing community challenges in Cass Corridor, Sam brings a fresh and fearless perspective on what’s really happening in the D. We talk about the shifting landscape of independent media, the power of storytelling, and why voices from the margins deserve the mic. Get ready for a deep dive into the intersections of journalism, activism, and Detroit’s ever-evolving cultural heartbeat. Tune in for a conversation that’s insightful, engaging, and unapologetically Detroit.

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S6E83 -Crowning Glory, Kristina’s Journey from Hair Styling to Fine Art

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 13:00:51 -0000

"My grandmother died when I was four months old. From the stories I got, she just had the gift of gab. One, she was beautiful. Two, she was also a hairstylist." The world of hair artistry, entrepreneurship, and cultural storytelling with Kristina the Glam Tech, a Detroit-born stylist and artist whose journey is nothing short of inspiring. From braiding hair in her basement as a teen to making waves in the entertainment industry in Los Angeles, Kristina’s passion for hair has transformed into a thriving career. Raised by a lineage of strong women—including her grandmother, a self-made hairstylist and property owner, and her mother, the first in the family to attend college—Kristina was immersed in the entrepreneurial spirit of Detroit. Her career took off with Hair Wars, where she showcased elaborate, gravity-defying designs, and later with "My Hair, My Story, My Glory" at the Charles H. Wright Museum, an event celebrating the artistry and history of Black hair. Now in LA, she is shifting her focus to fine art, using hair as a medium to tell powerful stories, proving that creativity knows no bounds. With raw honesty, humor, and determination, Kristina shares her experiences navigating both the beauty industry and the art world, offering insights into what it takes to turn passion into purpose while staying true to her Detroit roots. Tune in for an engaging conversation filled with laughter, real talk, and a masterclass in Black creativity and resilience.

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S6E84 -Pouring into the Community, Story of Brix Wine & Mikiah Glynn

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 13:00:33 -0000

“I believe in my heart and in my core, it’s all because I had to get me together. So this right here, this is what I am on the inside. What you see in here, what you feel when you walk in—this is what I feel on the inside.” In this deeply personal and inspiring episode of Detroit is Different, we sit down with Mikiah Glynn, the visionary owner of Brix Wine, to explore the journey that led her to create one of Detroit’s most inviting and community-centered wine spaces. A third-generation Detroiter with roots stretching back to Alabama and Tennessee, Mikiah grew up in a household of 13 siblings, surrounded by music, community, and entrepreneurship. Watching her mother run a successful daycare business while cooking unforgettable meals for the family, she learned early on that building something of your own requires passion, resilience, and love. Her introduction to wine at age 21 sparked a curiosity that grew into a full-fledged passion, leading her to launch Brix, a place where wine, culture, and community come together. But success didn’t come without setbacks—when the original Brix location closed, it forced Mikiah into a period of deep reflection, healing, and personal growth. Through prayer, meditation, and grief work following the loss of her mother, she emerged stronger, ready to bring Brix 2.0 to life with a renewed vision. Now, she’s not just running a wine bar—she’s building a movement, creating a space where Detroiters can gather, connect, and celebrate their culture over a glass of thoughtfully curated wine. With plans to add a nonprofit component featuring a community garden and farm-to-table programming, Mikiah is proving that wine is more than just a drink—it’s a story, a connection, a legacy. Tune in to hear her candid reflections on entrepreneurship, spirituality, and the power of reinvention, and discover why Brix is more than a business—it’s a love letter to Detroit. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different.

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S6E82 -Sweet Success: Dr. Velonda Anderson on Wellness, Wealth, and Sweet Potatoes

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 00:21:10 -0000

Dr. Velonda Anderson’s journey from military service to health-focused entrepreneurship is a testament to resilience, purpose, and community impact. Originally from Washington D.C., she lived in cities like Oakland and Atlanta before making Detroit her home in the 1980s. With a background in nursing, data processing, and personal training, she pursued a doctorate in nutrition, eventually founding Sweet Potato Delights, a company specializing in vegan, sweet potato-based baked goods. “I think the biggest thing is about having the conversation with folks,” she says, highlighting the importance of community dialogue in her work. A firm believer in financial literacy, she stresses, “You have to get friendly with your financials,” crediting programs like the Goldman Sachs Black in Business cohort for sharpening her business acumen. Through partnerships with local organizations like the Detroit Black Community Food Sovereignty Network, she not only promotes food access but also mentors aspiring entrepreneurs, ensuring that knowledge and opportunity are passed forward. “No matter what I’ve learned, it’s not for me, it’s for me to move it back to the community,” she affirms. Dr. Anderson’s work embodies the intersection of wellness, economic empowerment, and cultural preservation, making her a vital force in Detroit’s food and health movement.

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S6E81 -From Corporate America to Tech Entrepreneur: Gale Henderson’s Journey

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 00:18:51 -0000

Gale Henderson’s story is one of resilience, reinvention, and deep-rooted community values. A third-generation Detroiter with family ties to Alabama, she grew up on the west side of the city, where her family owned multiple homes and businesses, fostering a strong sense of connection and support. Her journey took her from journalism to corporate communications in the automotive industry, where she learned firsthand the challenges of being a young Black woman in a male-dominated field. “If you incorporate right, you're going to go in there and you're going to be undervalued for sure,” she reflects, emphasizing the importance of mentorship and support in navigating corporate spaces. When she lost her job, she took a bold step into software development through a coding bootcamp, ultimately launching her own digital communications firm. Now, she’s a leader in Detroit’s tech scene, advocating for diversity and teaching coding to youth. Through it all, her foundation has remained unwavering: “I am my sister’s keeper. This is who’s supposed to have you in a hard time when you need to come home and reset your life.” Gale’s journey is a testament to the power of adaptability, community, and self-determination.

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S6E80 -Acting Out for Justice: Helen Moore on Activism, Coleman Young, and Fighting for Our Schools

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 13:02:00 -0000

The legacy and wisdom of Detroit’s own Helen Moore, a trailblazer in community organizing and education advocacy, as she shares an inspiring journey spanning nearly nine decades. From surviving the racial tensions of 1940s Detroit to her pivotal role in shaping the city's educational landscape, Moore reflects on her family’s migration story, Detroit’s history of rebellion, and her relentless fight to empower Black children through equitable education. Listen as she weaves stories of courage, strategy, and collective action—taking on systemic racism, advocating for African-centered education, and mobilizing parents and communities to keep the vote and protect Detroit’s schools. This episode is a masterclass in resistance, resilience, and the power of a united community to create change.

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S6E79 -From Spoken Word to Soul Work: Ber-Henda Williams on Creativity and Healing in Detroit

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 13:01:00 -0000

Journey into the heart of Detroit's vibrant culture as we welcome Ber-Henda Williams to the Detroit is Different podcast. In this powerful and introspective conversation, Ber-Henda reflects on her journey as an educator, poet, and community leader rooted in the legacies of Detroit’s Black history. From the resilience of her family’s migration story to her father’s dynamic contributions as a Southfield volunteer, Ber-Henda weaves tales of artistry, hope, and transformation. A bilingual poet and Spanish educator, Ber-Henda shares how embracing the Espanol has expanded her world, built bridges across cultures, and added a unique layer to her artistry and community work. Whether performing bilingual spoken word or teaching poetry in schools where she speaks Spanish from the time she enters until she leaves, Ber-Henda’s journey highlights the power of language to create connections and deepen understanding. Together, we explore themes of healing through community, the role of creativity in navigating life’s transitions, and the grounding power of poetry as a tool for self-expression and connection. This episode is a celebration of heritage, love, and the unwavering strength of Detroit’s soul.

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S6E78 -Rebuilding Black Political Power Empowering Change Through Leadership & Legacy with Brandon Jessup

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 13:00:52 -0000

Unapologetic conversation with political strategist Brandon Jessup, who’s on a mission to ignite Black political power and transform grassroots organizing in Michigan. In this episode, we dissect the frustrations fueling voter apathy, explore how systemic disenfranchisement has left Black communities politically homeless, and chart a bold path forward. As a national leader in advancing equity and a candidate for chair of the Michigan Democratic Black Caucus, Jessup delivers an inspiring blueprint for building community power, from empowering precinct delegates to mobilizing around reparations. He unpacks how Detroit’s unique political and cultural landscape can spark statewide change while emphasizing the importance of intergenerational leadership, economic justice, and staying grounded in community values. Whether you’re a seasoned activist or new to organizing, this conversation will leave you informed, energized, and ready to take action.

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S6E77 -Legacy, Laughter, and Detroit Pride: T.Barb’s Trailblazing Journey

Thu, 23 Jan 2025 00:00:13 -0000

T.Barb, a powerhouse comedian and entertainer, proudly represents the Detroit is Different family, bringing laughter and light to the heart of Detroit and beyond. A natural-born performer, T.Barb’s talent is rooted in her family’s rich legacy of creativity, with her father and great-grandparents blazing trails in entertainment before her. She has taken the stage by storm with her comedy album, Retired Hood Rat Podcast, and her newest venture as executive producer of the hit Tubi series Only in My Hood. Through triumphs and challenges—including the profound losses of her brother and sister—T.Barb remains resilient, turning personal pain into creative inspiration. Boldly declaring herself one of the best stand-up comedians in the nation, she is unapologetic about her greatness and passionate about elevating Detroit’s incredible talent. T.Barb also embraces her role as a mentor, grooming her son Reggie to continue the "family business" and championing the importance of community and collaboration. With her unshakable confidence, sharp humor, and heartfelt dedication to her city, T.Barb is amplifying Detroit’s unique stories on national platforms and proving that her voice—and Detroit’s—is unforgettable.

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S6E76 -Kid that loved a Detroit Youth Summer Job gives bigger opportunities for youth, meet Maria Franklin

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 22:00:09 -0000

Get ready for an inspiring conversation with Maria Franklin, a powerhouse leader committed to uplifting Detroit’s youth and community. A fourth-generation Detroiter, Maria’s journey from a military upbringing to becoming Executive Director of the non-profit Life Leaders is a testament to resilience, adaptability, and purpose. She shares how losing her father at 16 shaped her work ethic, and how teaching nutrition in Detroit schools exposed her to systemic challenges like poverty, food insecurity, and limited opportunities. Fueled by these experiences, Maria now leads efforts to empower young people through leadership and entrepreneurship training, offering them mentorship, resources, and a vision for success. In this candid discussion, Maria delves into the importance of youth voices in decision-making, the transformative power of exposure, and her unwavering commitment to fostering opportunities for Detroit’s next generation. With her eye on the future, Maria Franklin proves that when young people are empowered, entire communities can thrive. Don’t miss this conversation packed with wisdom, passion, and actionable insights for change.

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S6E75 -The Power of Story, Dance, and Determination: How Mama Lohren Uplifts Detroit

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 09:16:22 -0000

Detroit’s legacy breathes through the lives and voices of those who’ve carved pathways of resilience, creativity, and cultural pride, and Mama Lohnren’s journey is a testament to this spirit. Lohren Carter-Nzoma story is a vivid tapestry of cultural preservation, family legacy, and transformative education rooted in Detroit’s Black community. A second-generation Detroiter with familial ties to Alabama’s rich agricultural heritage, she embodies a connection to both the South’s resilience and the North’s industrial promise. Her mother’s fearless advocacy for justice and her father’s unyielding discipline instilled a foundation of excellence that shaped Lohren's Pan-African identity. From navigating racially divided schools in Waterford to leading Montessori classrooms in Pontiac, Lohren’s journey is a masterclass in bridging gaps and fostering unity. Her discovery of African dance and drum at Oakland University, sparked by a chance meeting with the legendary Mama Safiya Tsekani, unlocked an immersive understanding of African-centered education. This ignited a lifelong passion for grounding youth in the stories, movements, and rhythms of their ancestors. Through Nsoroma Institute, she cultivated a space where children thrived in cultural empowerment and collective responsibility, ensuring that education extended beyond books to embrace community, tradition, and the richness of Black identity.

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S6E74 -From Paris to the North End: Loke’s Odyssey Through Detroit’s Beats, Streets, and Soul

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 23:00:50 -0000

Every Detroiter carries a tapestry of stories woven from history, resilience, and boundless creativity, and Loke’s narrative is a masterclass in how place shapes purpose. Detroit native Loke embodies the vibrant intersection of culture, creativity, and community that defines the city. Rooted in generations of storytelling, from his grandmother's migration from Eufaula, Alabama, to Detroit for opportunities during the Great Migration, to his mother's Parisian roots as the daughter of a veteran, Loke’s lineage is as rich as the Detroit soil that nurtured him. Growing up between Midtown’s cultural corridors and suburban enclaves, he absorbed a dynamic worldview shaped by both struggle and progress. His educational journey began at Flix, an immersion school where language and cultural diversity built his foundation of global awareness. At U Prep, he explored ancient Egypt and grassroots organizing, experiences that now resonate in his multifaceted artistry. From freestyle ciphers to poetry inspired by the Last Poets, Loki’s creative path weaves Detroit’s hip-hop legacy with his own vision of uplifting communities. This passion carried him to stages like the KRS-One benefit concert for Highland Park's Avalon Village, where his words connected Detroit's historical legacy to its present struggles and triumphs. Through collaborations with organizations like Detroit Future City and Vanguard CDC, Loki’s work transcends art, becoming a beacon of empowerment for Detroiters navigating a rapidly evolving cultural and economic landscape.

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S6E72 -Microphones & Motor City, Detroit Amplified with Miles Dixon

Thu, 09 Jan 2025 02:19:07 -0000

Step into the Detroit is Different studio for a dynamic conversation with the legendary Miles Dixon, a trailblazer in Detroit's podcasting and hip-hop scenes. From humble beginnings to becoming a cornerstone of Motor City storytelling, Miles's journey is as vibrant as the city itself. Raised in a family rich with resilience and creativity, Miles’s roots span from a father who worked with jazz legend Miles Davis to a mother with ties to Philly soul, including a deep connection to Teddy Pendergrass. His upbringing on Detroit’s west side shaped his commitment to community and culture. In this episode, we explore Miles's groundbreaking work in Detroit hip-hop, from being one of the first MCs to perform with a live band to his production work in legendary Detroit studios alongside artists like George Clinton. His story is steeped in a love for music, innovation, and a commitment to the grind, from performing to producing and now pioneering Detroit’s podcasting space. Learn how Miles has carried his family’s legacy of courage into building platforms that amplify Detroit’s voices, culminating in endeavors like the Pod Awards and daily live shows. With insights on content creation, community building, and the unyielding spirit of Detroit, this episode is a masterclass in turning passion into a platform. Tune in for laughter, wisdom, and a celebration of the culture, family, and creativity that fuel Detroit’s heartbeat.

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S6E71 -Planting Seeds of Change: Hip-Hop, Urban Gardening, and Brent Smith’s Vision

Thu, 09 Jan 2025 02:15:59 -0000

In this dynamic episode of Detroit is Different, we dive deep into the rich, multifaceted journey of Brent Smith—a hip-hop artist, urban gardener, and community builder. Raised in a family steeped in the legacy of Detroit and Flint, Brent’s narrative threads through generational agriculture, black artistry, and grassroots organizing. Discover how his early days performing in local open mics and forming the rap group "Cold Men Young" shaped his artistry and how the hustle of music tours and urban gardening ignited a new vision. From growing collard greens for downtown restaurants to activating spaces for hip-hop in Detroit’s urban gardens, Brent reflects on balancing creativity, culture, and community. This conversation is a vibrant tapestry of resilience, innovation, and Detroit pride, showcasing the power of hip-hop and agriculture to transform spaces and inspire growth. Tune in for a story about breaking molds, growing roots, and cultivating legacy.

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S6E69 -From the Kitchen Table to Hollywood: The Laughter and Legacy of a Comedy Visionary, Howie Bell

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 03:14:28 -0000

Find out what does a tunk strategy, family humor, and the perfect collard greens have in common? In this episode of Detroit is Different, we’re joined by Howie Bell, a comedic force whose story is as inspiring as it is entertaining. From his roots in Detroit’s Mumford neighborhood to graduating from King High School, Howie shares how his family built a legacy of laughter. We delve into the art of tunk, exploring how this beloved card game reveals strategies and perspectives on life. Howie takes us on a journey to Hollywood, where he found success, hosted legendary house parties known for incredible food, and became a fan-favorite judge in the Collard Green Cook-Off. With humor, heart, and a dash of culinary wisdom, Howie Bell’s story is a testament to perseverance, family, and creativity. Tune in for an unforgettable conversation that blends comedy, cooking, and culture.

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S6E68 -From Hip-Hop to Healing: The Detroit Storytelling Journey of Kahn Davison

Thu, 26 Dec 2024 07:13:06 -0000

Step into the vibrant world of Detroit hip-hop and cultural storytelling with Kahn Santori Davison, a writer whose work has become the heartbeat of the city’s artistic narrative. From losing his parents in a tragic incident and being raised by his grandparents, to building a legacy as a columnist for The Michigan Citizen and Metro Times, Kahn has spent over 20 years chronicling the evolution of Detroit’s rap scene and community resilience. In this captivating episode of Detroit is Different, Kahn shares powerful reflections on his time with Grace Lee Boggs at Detroit Summer, his contributions to the Detroit Institute of Arts, and how hip-hop has transformed into a cornerstone of American culture. Don’t miss this intimate and inspiring conversation with a voice that has shaped the stories of a city that refuses to quit.

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S6E67 -Eric Cook: Rooted in Detroit's Legacy, Running for Community Change

Thu, 26 Dec 2024 07:09:02 -0000

Eric Cook’s story is a testament to Detroit’s spirit of perseverance and innovation. With roots in the historic Number Streets on the Westside, Eric’s journey is woven into the fabric of the city, where he’s built a thriving presence along the iconic West McNichols corridor. As the proud owner of Raw Space, located at 8420 W McNichols Rd, Detroit, MI 48221, Eric has transformed this venue into a hub for creativity, connection, and community. From high school days in New York to earning a history degree at Eastern Michigan University, his path reflects a deep commitment to education, culture, and community building. Now a logistics professional and community advocate, Eric invites you to join him for a 5K walk, jog, and run on Saturday, January 4, 2025, at 11 a.m., starting from Pillar and Pride to Raw Space. This event symbolizes his dedication to blending Detroit’s past, present, and future into a movement for health, unity, and empowerment.

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S6E66 -MaBus Bettis: The Heart of a Champion, a Family Legacy, and Detroit’s Super Bowl Story

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 11:00:08 -0000

In the summer of 1967, as Detroit was embroiled in one of its most transformative moments, Glady's Bettis found herself halfway across the globe in Germany, where her journey as a trailblazer began. In this inspiring episode, Glady's—known affectionately as "MaBus"—shares her incredible story of leadership as a big sister, her role as a guiding force for siblings, children, and NFL moms, and her unwavering commitment to family. Discover how she initially resisted her son Jerome's passion for football but became his biggest supporter, never missing a game. Dive into the Bettis family's deep love for bowling, their fierce dedication to one another, and the heartwarming tale of how her husband, John Bettis Sr., literally swept her off her feet. Their enduring love and legacy laid the foundation for one of the greatest Super Bowl stories in NFL history, culminating right here in Detroit. Don’t miss this captivating episode of Detroit is Different, featuring Glady's "MaBus" Bettis!

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S6E65 -Reimaginings in Verse: Jason “Squeeze” Ford on Creativity, Culture, and Community

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 13:56:42 -0000

In this episode of the Detroit is Different podcast, host Khary Frazier welcomes Jason Ford, widely known as “Squeeze,” a Saginaw-born and Detroit-rooted writer, poet, actor, performer, and producer whose spoken word artistry and theatrical writing have transformed stages and sparked dialogue across the city. Squeeze reflects on the journey that led him from Eastern Michigan University’s cultural organizing spaces to the heart of Motown’s creative scene, including the honor of becoming a Motown Mic finalist. Along the way, he delves into his book, The Sub American Dream, and previews forthcoming work that continues the series, illuminating the intersections between art, activism, and everyday life. From strolling through Detroit’s Fitzgerald neighborhood and engaging community members on foot, to capturing truth in verse and performance, Squeeze explores how staying visible and present can nurture deeper connections, leaving listeners with inspiration for their own paths of cultural enrichment and community building.

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S6E64 -Rooted in Vision: Alexis Smith’s Journey to Mentorship and Creativity

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 13:51:49 -0000

"Cultivating Queens of Creativity": In this enlightening episode of Detroit is Different, host Khary Frazier welcomes Alexis Smith, whose radiant passion for nurturing young Black girls’ artistry beams as bright as a mural on a summer day in the city. Smith, shaped by the rich history and legacy of Malcolm X Academy and guided by the vision of Dr. Watson, reflects on being among the first female students and one of Nefertari’s mentees to carry forward this spirit of empowerment. With vivid recollections of singing in choirs, honing her culinary artistry, and exploring a world of visual expression, Alexis shares how these early experiences inspired her to pay it forward. Today, she’s creating a girls’ program that braids together the cultural threads of African-centered mentorship with a deep appreciation for culinary, visual, and performing arts, weaving a supportive tapestry that honors the past while uplifting the next generation of creative Black girls in Detroit.

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S6E63 -Building Futures: Shalece Daniels on Detroit, Business, and Community

Thu, 28 Nov 2024 15:22:12 -0000

Discover how dreams, community, and history intertwine in the heart of Detroit with Shalece Daniels. Listen to our conversation about transformative community initiatives and personal journeys on the Detroit is Different podcast.

Transitioning from personal history to present endeavors, Shalece and Khary delve into the significance of community work and homeownership in Detroit. Shalece's involvement in two dynamic initiatives—Renewed Homes and Black Leaders Detroit—highlights her commitment to serving the community by providing opportunities for financial literacy and homeownership education.

Renewed Homes focuses on rehabilitating properties for individuals who might otherwise struggle with creditworthiness, offering pathways to ownership below market value. This initiative is not just about real estate; it’s about nurturing a sense of pride and responsibility in homeownership, fostering stable and sustainable communities.

CommunityInitiatives #DetroitHistory #PassionAndPurpose

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S6E62 -Detroit's Hip Hop Roots: A Conversation with P Gruv from Da Enna C

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 23:17:41 -0000

Dive into the heart of Detroit hip hop history with P Groove! From the legendary Rhythm Kitchen era to today's scene, discover the beats and stories that shaped it all. Through thick waves of artistic evolution, P Gruv grows his skill set during his school years, embodying the diversity of hip hop culture. Highland Park High School becomes a breeding ground for networking and artistic exchange, leading to influential connections with names like DJ Butter, Super MC, and others who share his passion for the craft. During this time, he also earns a reputation in both production and engineering, navigating Detroit’s studio scene and innovating within hip hop's sonic framework. P Gruv, a figure rooted in Detroit's hip hop scene, shares his journey in the industry, starting from his early days influenced by Run DMC, breakdancing, and forming his first group in high school. The conversation delves into the formation of his group Da Enna C, their early projects, and their DIY approach to music production. P Gruv discusses his family's migration from Alabama to Detroit, his father's influence and entrepreneurship, and the pivotal role of iconic Detroit figures like DJ Dez and J Dilla in his musical growth. The interview also touches on the changing landscape of music production from analog to digital and the importance of creativity over competition.

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S6E61 -Nourishing Detroit's Future: Organizing & Food Justice with Malik Yakini

Thu, 14 Nov 2024 12:39:37 -0000

Detroit is Different welcomes back Baba Malik Yakini for the 10-year anniversary episode of the Detroit is Different podcast. As both a witness and a catalyst for change, Baba Malik shares his personal growth over the years. Understanding the importance of vision, institutional resilience, and community engagement, he reflects on the challenges and triumphs of building a sustainable movement. His commitment to creating spaces where Detroiters can reclaim agency over their food systems stands as a testament to the city's enduring spirit of ingenuity and self-determination.

Baba Malik was the first guest on the podcast, which initially began at Le Petit Zinc restaurant without a formal studio. Over the years, the podcast has evolved, and Baba Malik, an influential mentor and community leader, returns to reflect on Detroit's Black community. Baba Malik also shares updates about the Detroit Black Community Food Sovereignty Network and the Detroit People’s Food Co-operative, which opened a community-owned grocery store on May 1st. Throughout the discussion, he emphasizes the significance of sustained community effort, the importance of organizing, and his own journey towards self-care and balance after stepping down as Executive Director. The episode delves into history, personal growth, relationships, and the evolving roles and rites of passage at different life stages.

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S6E60 -Detroit's First Lady of House: DJ Stacey Hotwaxx Hale's Journey from Sears to Legend

Thu, 07 Nov 2024 14:41:45 -0000

From humble beginnings at a Detroit club (now a laundromat) on Livernois and McNichols, DJ Stacey Hotwaxx Hale emerged as Detroit's first female house music artist, guided by her engineering background and inspired by her mother's groundbreaking work in federal government contracting in the 1970s. Known as the Godmother of House Music, Hale's masterful ability to play the right song at the right time has taken her from underground dance clubs like Studio 54 and The Warehouse to prestigious venues, including the Apollo Theater and Fox Detroit, where she continues to blend dance floor hits with orchestral melodies and live music, cementing her legacy in American music culture.

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S6E59 -Deeply Committed to Justice for Detroit, Tonya Myers-Phillips

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 14:00:38 -0000

Tonya Myers Phillips, an attorney deeply committed to justice for Detroit, has long advocated for Right to Counsel for residents facing foreclosure and many other community-centered causes. At the Sugar Law Center, where she serves as Community Partnerships & Development Director, Tonya collaborates closely with local organizations, working to establish community benefits agreements and offer legal guidance on economic issues impacting Detroiters. Now a candidate for Michigan State Representative for District 7, Tonya's journey is rooted in a strong educational foundation from Renaissance High School and the University of Michigan (both undergraduate and law school). Her dedication to public service is demonstrated by her time as a Commissioner on the Detroit Charter Revision Commission from 2010 to 2012, where she was known for treating colleagues and constituents with dignity and casting votes aligned with her values of community service. In this episode of Detroit is Different, Tonya shares her story of commitment to Detroit and its people.

Visit www.tonyamyersphillips.com for more information.

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S6E58 -Metro Detroit's Largest Small Business Shopping Experience, All Things Detroit & Jennyfer Crawford

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 13:53:56 -0000

All Things Detroit is Metro Detroit's largest small business shopping experience, bringing hundreds of local vendors and thousands of shoppers together in Eastern Market's Sheds 3, 4, and 5 each Spring and Fall. Curated by Jennyfer Crawford over the past decade, the event showcases Detroit-made food, clothing, candles, and even Faygo jams and jellies, creating a unique celebration of local culture and commerce. In this interview on Detroit is Different, Jennyfer shares her vision for the next decade and the ways she pours her passion into supporting both buyers and sellers at All Things Detroit.

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S6E57 -Baba Ari Shen Reflects on 56 Years of Sculpting Black Hair, From Indiana Roots to Detroit's Rich Culture

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 11:18:03 -0000

Baba Ari Shen has been cutting, sculpting, and celebrating natural Black hair for over 56 years, from the 1970s to now, witnessing the transformation of Black hair culture through different eras. His journey began in Indiana, where he learned from legends in Black hair care and became a master of his craft. His work has taken him across the country to cities like Seattle and Los Angeles, but it was Detroit that captured his heart. Since the early 1980s, Baba Ari Shen has embraced Detroit's rich Black culture, expression, and history, finding it to be the most profound Black experience of his life. In this dynamic Detroit is Different episode, he reflects on his roots, the influence of Gary, Indiana, including stories of the Jackson 5 before Motown, and his love for natural hair that continues to inspire his work today.

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S6E56 -Carolyn Baker of the General Baker Institute Honors Her Parents' Legacy and Inspires Social Justice Through Innovative Education Programs

Thu, 17 Oct 2024 08:47:38 -0000

Carolyn Baker of the General Baker Institute shares her passion for preserving the legacy of her father, General Gordon Baker, Jr., and her mother’s advocacy, while also honoring other legends in the fight for Black social justice. The General Baker Institute (GBI) is dedicated to providing educational courses, programs, and activities for the community, with a focus on young people. It examines the revolutionary life of General Baker (September 6, 1941 - May 18, 2014), his contributions to human rights struggles, and his co-founding of transformative organizations. As a center for teaching the history of Detroit and Highland Park, GBI critically explores their connection to global social movements while addressing contemporary issues. In the interview, Carolyn reflects on how her father’s love of basketball shaped her own passion for coaching, and she highlights GBI's innovative educational approaches, such as their first Educational Fashion Show, which combines fashion and political education to make bold statements and inspire change.

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S6E55 -Ajara Alghali: Cofounder of TéMaTé Institute on Dance, Culture, and Resistance — Highlighting the Diaspora's Rhythmic Roots at the Convening for Dance and Culture in Detroit

Thu, 17 Oct 2024 08:46:10 -0000

Ajara Alghali, co-founder and Director of TéMaTé Institute for Black Dance and Culture, is a performance artist and thought leader at the intersection of dance and cultural representation. Drawing from her Sierra Leonean-American roots, her work highlights the connections among African people across the diaspora. The TéMaTé Institute, a social justice organization, uses dance as a tool for community engagement, focusing on dance justice and cultural equity. Inspired by the Temate dance of the Yacouba and Whêbe people from the Ivory Coast, the institute honors the joy and relationship between people and the land. The 4th Convening for Dance and Culture, featuring dance and drum workshops on October 19 and 20 at SAY Detroit Play Center and a concert with Afriky Lolo and Detroit’s House of Jit on October 19 at Detroit School of Arts, embraces the theme "Rooted in Rhythm," symbolizing our shared rhythm and interconnectedness, much like the roots of a tree. This grassroots, artist-led, and self-funded organization works to uplift diaspora arts, and in this Detroit is Different feature, Ajara shares insights into her roots, family, and the geopolitical role of dance as a tool for tradition, spirituality, and resistance against colonialism.

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S6E54 -Furqan Mohammed, nephew of Elijah Muhammad, sharing the remarkable Story of his Life and Family

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 12:23:53 -0000

Furqan Mohammed, nephew of Elijah Muhammad, gives his first exclusive podcast interview to Detroit is Different, sharing the remarkable story of his life and family. Furqan opens up about how his family collectively joined the Nation of Islam, tracing their strong and self-determined beginnings from Georgia to Detroit's historic Black Bottom. He details how the teachings of WD Fard Muhammad in Black Bottom welcomed his family, and how his uncle Elijah Muhammad rose to leadership as the messenger for the Nation of Islam. Furqan also shares memories of his family running a restaurant next to the Nation of Islam Mosque on Linwood for generations. This interview offers a unique glimpse into Detroit's history, Black history, and American history through the lens of Furqan's family. Attorney Gregory Reed, who will be traveling and exhibiting artifacts of Furqan's father, made the interview possible.

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S6E53 -Founder of Yum Village Godwin Ihentuge speaks about Developing through Vision

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 12:21:22 -0000

Restaurants often struggle in their first three years, but Yum Village, a fusion of African and Caribbean cuisine founded by Godwin Ihentuge, opened its doors on Woodward Avenue during the challenges of COVID-19. This venture was the realization of Godwin’s life vision, rooted in his upbringing on Detroit's Westside as the eldest son in a Nigerian family. Once an introvert, Godwin developed a skill set in empathetic listening that has been key to building a strong team. Yum Village, which began as a smartphone app, has evolved into a full cultural experience, blending food with fashion and more. This Detroit is Different feature explores how defining and committing to a vision can lead to extraordinary growth.

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S6E52 -Working Tirelessly to Uplift her Community & Beyond is Toni McIlwain's mission

Thu, 03 Oct 2024 02:39:36 -0000

In the 1970s, Toni McIlwain was drawn to Detroit by the promise of a thriving Black business community. Leaving Akron, Ohio, she set out with her four children in search of a fresh start. However, the road was not easy; for 18 months, she and her family were unhoused, grappling with feelings of hopelessness. It was during this trying time, while searching for food to feed her family, that Toni made a heartfelt prayer, vowing that if she could receive help, she would dedicate her life to helping others. This pledge became the guiding principle of her life. Her journey of service began in her own neighborhood, where she organized a block club to help her neighbors reclaim their streets from crime and build a safer, more united community. From those small beginnings, Toni went on to lead the Ravendale Community Network, working tirelessly to uplift her community and beyond. She remains a powerful example of faith in action, demonstrating that with determination and divine purpose, transformation is always possible. Check out Toni McIlwain and her work at Ravendale Community Network.

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S6E51 -Understanding of Structure, Discipline, and Leadership make films for Renika McQueen

Thu, 03 Oct 2024 02:39:00 -0000

Renika McQueen’s journey in managing a correctional facility and producing films reflects her understanding of structure, discipline, and leadership in both arenas. Her passion for writing, which began in childhood, has always been a way for her to express her emotions, thoughts, and talents. What started as a simple outlet has grown into a flourishing career in film. In this Detroit is Different feature, Renika discusses her latest TV series on Tubi, The Stranger in Our House. She shares the evolution of her storytelling from urban novels to screenwriting, as well as her approach to balancing business and maintaining her creative spark. Renika also opens up about how the pillars of family and marriage have played crucial roles in keeping her grounded and focused on her work.

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S6E50 -Journey in public service and public affairs rooted in the values from Detroit's Westside for Evan Daugherty

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 23:30:50 -0000

Evan Daugherty's journey in public service and public affairs began at an early age, rooted in the values of his politically and socially active family on Detroit's Westside. Growing up in the close-knit, walkable community of Rosedale Park, he developed a deep understanding of social justice and racial equity, which became central to his life's work. Alongside his passion for hip-hop and music, these influences shaped his artistic and professional path. Today, Evan serves as the project manager for the Detroit Reparations Task Force, where he addresses issues that have long affected the city. In this Detroit is Different interview, we delve into how the Great Recession and Detroit's bankruptcy have influenced his perspective and career trajectory. Meet Evan Daugherty, and discover how these experiences continue to shape his approach to justice and equity.

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S6E49 -The Legendhood of Mersiless Amir, Worldwide Emcee

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 12:28:17 -0000

"A Day Without a Rhyme" is a song that captured the heart of the Hip-hop world, solidifying its place in Detroit's music legacy. Eminem's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame further underscores the song's profound impact on his career and the genre at large. Mersiless Amir, a DJ by origin, continues to make waves with his forthcoming release Legendhood, building on a deep-rooted background in Hip-hop. In this episode of Detroit is Different, we explore how Amir's family’s business ventures and global travels have shaped his creative and entrepreneurial journey. From Los Angeles to New York to Europe, Mersiless Amir has lived and breathed Hip-hop worldwide. Join us for an engaging conversation about his humble beginnings, the lasting influence of his music, and the legacy he's creating today.

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S6E48 -Explore Black Ownership in Spirits at the Taste of Black Spirits: National Conference Cocktail Concierge with Lazar Favors

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 12:53:15 -0000

Get ready for a truly unique and exciting experience at the Taste of Black Spirits: National Conference Cocktail Concierge! In this engaging podcast, we explore the role of Black ownership in the liquor industry and what it signifies. Whether you're a seasoned connoisseur or simply curious to discover new flavors, this event promises something special for everyone. On Saturday, September 28, 2024, from 6:00 to 11:00 PM (Eastern Daylight Time), join us at the elegant 525 West Lafayette Terrace Room in Detroit, MI. This stunning venue sets the perfect backdrop for an unforgettable evening of fine spirits and exceptional company. At the event, you'll savor a wide variety of handcrafted cocktails, expertly crafted by talented mixologists. From classic favorites to innovative creations, each drink highlights the diverse flavors and cultural richness of Black-owned spirits. Don't miss this celebration of taste, culture, and community!

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S6E47 -Marshalle Favors Leads the 5th Annual Detroit Black Film Festival, Showcasing Black Independent Filmmakers Nationwide

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 12:51:58 -0000

Marshalle Favors leads the 5th annual Detroit Black Film Festival (DBFF), continuing its mission to showcase the voices and stories of Black independent filmmakers from across the nation. In this episode, we explore how film production plays a pivotal role in curating the festival and more. DBFF is committed to screening exceptional films from both seasoned and emerging filmmakers, offering a rich spectrum of stories that reflect African American experiences, narratives, and culture. Special thanks to the Ford Foundation for their generous support and our host venues: the Michigan State University Detroit Center, the Carr Center, the Doubletree Hotel, and the Downtown Detroit Boll Family YMCA. This year's DBFF coincides with The Taste of Black Spirits National Conference, themed "Cinema & Culture over Cocktails," and will take place from Wednesday, September 25 to Sunday, September 29, 2024, across five locations.

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S6E46 -Shelby Love Ignites Detroit’s Art Scene as Head Artist and Director of “Detroit Does It Better: Art Exhibition

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 12:39:10 -0000

Shelby Love is pouring her passion for art and expression into the vibrant Detroit art scene. In this episode, we explore how her creativity was ignited through music and song from her mother, while her father’s love for sketching nurtured her talent for visual art. As the Head Artist and Director of Detroit Does It Better: Art Exhibition, Shelby is bringing the city’s artistic culture to life on September 21st. This event highlights Detroit’s incredible talent through graffiti, paintings, sculptures, photography, makeup, and body painting, all inspired by the city’s rich culture. You'll discover the unique stories behind each original piece created by Shelby and her team. Whether you're a collector or simply appreciate art, this exhibition is a must-see. Join us for an evening of inspiration, connect with fellow art lovers, and experience the best of Detroit’s vibrant and positive art community in person! Don’t miss this incredible opportunity—mark your calendars today!

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S6E45 -Miss Eva's: Speakeasy Experience with some African Diaspora and Neo-Soul Vibes from Jay Williams

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 18:59:59 -0000

Miss Eva's is an upcoming speakeasy experience in the Grandmont Rosedale Park community, offering a unique blend of crafted cocktails inspired by the African diaspora, along with exceptional non-alcoholic options. This intimate venue will also serve as a destination for live neo-soul and R&B concerts, creating a cozy yet vibrant atmosphere. The venture is spearheaded by Jay Williams, a construction engineer who grew up in Rosedale Park and draws inspiration from his grandmother, Miss Eva, who was deeply rooted in both business and community work. Jay credits his career in construction engineering and project management with equipping him for this new business endeavor. Learn more about Jay Williams and his vision for Miss Eva's on Detroit is Different.

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S6E44 -Detroit Equity Action Lab has some of the flavor and touch of Conant Gardens from Asandi Conner

Fri, 30 Aug 2024 09:45:10 -0000

Asandi Conner's journey with the Detroit Equity Action Lab and Wayne State University is one that unfolded in ways she never anticipated. Growing up in the historic Conant Gardens on Detroit's Eastside and proudly graduating from Osborn High School, Asandi's early years were steeped in writing and fueled by a dream of becoming a newscaster—a dream that naturally transitioned into a passion for journalism. As a student at Wayne State University, she chronicled the Black student movement's efforts to establish a Black studies department, honoring esteemed professors like Dr. Gloria House, affectionately known as Mama Aneb.

This period of activism and advocacy set Asandi on a path of leadership, which later saw her contributing to the Nsoroma Institute and eventually stepping into her current role. A dynamic and thoughtful creative, Asandi reflects on how her life's work has always been about amplifying voices, inspiring change, and championing equity.

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S6E43 - Corporate & Entrepreneurial Success provided Confidence for Crystal Gunn and Faith gave Wisdom to navigate through when the Plans Changed

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 10:12:23 -0000

Crystal L. Gunn is a Financial Strategist and Women's Empowerment Coach who has built a career dedicated to empowering others with the knowledge she has gained from her own experiences. Raised in a home where reading and writing were emphasized, she now uses these talents to inspire, collaborate, and uplift others. From her early business education at Cass Tech and Michigan State University to becoming the youngest vice president of a Credit Union in Michigan, Crystal has successfully navigated the corporate world. Her journey through business has seen her develop successful ventures while also understanding the consequences of unmet expectations. This episode of Detroit is Different highlights the valuable knowledge, wisdom, and lessons that Crystal has accumulated and now shares through her work.

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S6E42 -Drumline was more than a Movie for Kamau Inaede; it Built the Beat that he Plays in Success and Focus for Business & Community

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 10:09:40 -0000

Kamau Inaede is a unique blend of roles seldom seen together: Cigar Social and Networking enthusiast, Life Insurance Sales Agent, Curator, Musician, and Board Chairman. His journey of creativity and initiative began at an early age as one of the founding members of the internationally touring Spain Elementary Marching Band, which grounded him in structure and discipline. Music and rhythm have always aligned with his sense of purpose. Kamau shares insights on his community upbringing, his passion for teaching and empowerment, and his years of experience in entrepreneurship and wealth building. On this episode of Detroit is Different, Kamau delves into college organizing, the significance of cigar meetings, and the political dynamics shaping Detroit's Black legacy.

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S6E41 -Images and Ideas of how to relate messages to people is what Karen Dumas Knows and does Best

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 14:28:53 -0000

In high school, running cross country provided Karen Dumas with a competitive edge that she carries with her today. Growing up on the lower Eastside by the Detroit River, where she still resides, Karen found clarity in her career path after one year at Michigan State University, realizing her passion for business. She founded Ideas and Images, a communications firm that has thrived under her leadership. Karen excels at helping clients connect their messages to people, demonstrating her exceptional skills and talent in communication. Her understanding of the intricacies of sender, receiver, response, and feedback sets her apart, turning what many find exhausting into her area of expertise. In this episode of Detroit is Different, we explore how Karen navigates the intersections of business, politics, and public attention, discussing both the benefits and challenges. Meet Karen Dumas on Detroit is Different.

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S6E40 -Class Clown that learned the art of attention and now focuses beyond just that, Chris Massey

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 14:26:59 -0000

Detroit is Different, started in 2014, is often regarded as an original podcast from Detroit, but it is part of a broader legacy that began with Chris Massey and The Chris Massey Show years earlier. Chris, born on Detroit's Eastside to two hardworking parents who provided a strong foundation, has woven a rich tapestry of music, storytelling, and discussions throughout his career. His life journey, which includes significant time spent in New Orleans, Washington D.C., and Detroit, has allowed him to cultivate deep-rooted relationships in these iconic Black cultural centers. In 2008, Chris launched The Chris Massey Show, focusing on the Divine 9 and the Black community, quickly capturing a loyal audience on internet radio that continues to thrive. Chris shares his intentional path and journey, emphasizing his dedication and purpose. Meet Chris Massey on this episode of Detroit is Different.

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S6E39 -Josh Adams 40th Birthday Comedy Show at Detroit House of Comedy, Embracing 40 and it ain't no Joke

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 01:35:56 -0000

Last NFL season, the Detroit Lions made a significant achievement by reaching the playoffs and winning two games, marking their first playoff run since 1991. This momentous occasion was captured on NFL Hard Knocks, where comedian Josh Adams played a key role in boosting the team's morale. Just like the Lions, Josh Adams embodies resilience and dedication, having hosted the "Josh Adams Podcast" on Detroit is Different After Dark for the past five years. As one of Detroit's most distinctive comedic voices, Josh Adams now brings a fresh perspective to the stage as a 40-year-old, offering insightful and humorous observations on life. He joins Detroit is Different to discuss his upcoming Birthday Shows at the Detroit House of Comedy on Friday, August 9, and Saturday, August 10. Don't miss out on Josh Adams' unique comedic flair on Detroit is Different.

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S6E38 -10,000 Acres of land and What to Do? Tepfirah Rushdan and Khary Frazier discuss

Thu, 25 Jul 2024 15:45:42 -0000

Detroit, once home to nearly 2 million residents due to a bustling industrial age, became a focal point for the deindustrialization of America. As the city's industrial base declined, Black leadership emerged, with figures like Coleman Young, Erma Henderson, Bill Becham, Fannie Peck, and George Crockett striving to manage a city under-resourced and neglected by both the American nation and the state of Michigan. This shift in leadership marked the beginning of an exodus of residents and raised a critical question, "What to do with Detroit's vacant land?" Tepfirah and I explore this question in this discussion. We discuss the Solar Farm initiative, supported by the executive administration, with Tepfirah speaking as the leader of the Office of Sustainability. Our conversation delves into topics such as forests, urban agriculture, and much more, offering a rich dialogue intended to provoke critical thought and analysis.

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S6E37 -Knowing, Working, and Fighting for Community for Life, Imara Hyman

Thu, 25 Jul 2024 15:44:04 -0000

Mama Imara, a proud and confident gardener in Southwest Detroit, embodies the balance of one of the most poignant and strategic minds in community activism, always accompanied by a life-filled laugh and smile. As a member of Detroiters for Tax Justice, she advocates for her beloved city, driven by a lifelong love of books and libraries. As a child, Mama Imara saw libraries as castles full of fairy tales, information, and more. However, the tax captures from the executive administration have left her cherished branch closed for years, fueling her commitment to the cause. Her work continues the legacy of the League of Revolutionary Workers, movements for Black Studies in high schools and colleges, the Republic of New Afrika, and the Shrine of the Black Madonna. Discover more about Mama Imara and her vital contributions to the community.

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S6E36 -Black Love for Detroit brought Hill Harper here from Hollywood

Thu, 25 Jul 2024 15:41:32 -0000

The impact of Detroit politics on American politics, focusing on the upcoming August primary election featuring a Hollywood star. Hill Harper, who gained insights into community leadership and the Black power base in Detroit while studying at Harvard Law, has decided to run for office. Inspired by legends like Congressman Conyers, Congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, and Congressman Charles Diggs, Harper learned about their significant contributions to the city from two classmates. Now, as he raises his son, Harper has chosen to move to Detroit and aims to empower Michigan if elected. We delve into his vision for Detroit and why he believes it's crucial to advocate for the city.

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S6E35 -From Camping to Community: Tepfirah Rushdan's Journey to a Sustainable Detroit

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 02:16:37 -0000

In this episode of Detroit is Different, we delve into the journey of Tepfirah Rushdan, Detroit's Director of Sustainability, whose love for camping blossomed into a career dedicated to sustainable land use for Detroiters. A Cass Tech graduate rooted in the 7 Mile and Wyoming neighborhood, Tepfirah shares her insights on self-sustainability and community reliance through farming. As a founding member of the Detroit Black Farmer Land Fund, she has become an expert in urban agriculture and land access, advocating passionately for Black people to join her in this journey. Tune in to hear Tepfirah's inspiring story and her vision for a more sustainable Detroit.

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S6E34 -Rocki's Reality: A Journey Through Words and Detroit

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 02:12:36 -0000

Writing and storytelling are talents that Rocki Harris has passionately developed into professional skillsets. Raised on Detroit's Eastside, with a grandmother dedicated to teaching grammar, writing, and language, Rocki has been in love with words for a lifetime. Today, she hosts Rocki's Reality Podcast, which airs on Rocki's Reality YouTube and Facebook accounts on Thursday nights, podcasting live in studio from Detroit is Different studios. In this feature, she opens up about her understanding of the Mack neighborhood, her experiences at Cass Tech and U of M in the late 1990s, and much more. Learn how her background in writing and social work has led her into journalism and beyond. Check out this Detroit is Different feature with Rocki Harris, host and producer of Rocki's Reality Podcast.

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S6E33 -Moudou Baqui's Journey: Civil Rights, Street Life, Black Independence & Healing in a Psychedelic

Thu, 11 Jul 2024 12:21:03 -0000

In the 1990s, Detroit had a profound impact on Moudou Baqui and his entire family. They had moved from Tennessee to escape racism and limited opportunities, eventually establishing roots in Detroit. The Petty family began to settle in Detroit when the land beyond 8 Mile Road was still farmland, owned and cultivated by them. This included the area where the Kroger at 8 Mile and Wyoming now stands, which was seized through eminent domain, resulting in the loss of 200 acres of farmland. Moudou's family history is a testament to Black independence and resilience in the face of the systemic challenges imposed by America. Moudou, born Jason Petty, has a story that intertwines civil rights, street life, Black liberation, African-centered education, and healing, reminiscent of a modern-day Forrest Gump. In this interview, he shares his insights on healing, movement, and much more. Tune in to "Detroit is Different" with Moudou Baqui to learn more about his remarkable journey.

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S6E32 -Alabama, Inkster, and Photos all connect Jason Turner to Community

Thu, 04 Jul 2024 11:11:34 -0000

Inkster, MI, became a suburban destination for Black families in the Metro Detroit region in the 1970s. Jason Turner's family moved there in the late 1960s. Today, Jason works within his community alongside his family, focusing on creativity and community initiatives. He is a founding member of Building Black Brick Masters, an intergenerational Black men's community organizing group. Jason shares his experiences of navigating two realities after his parents separated, reflecting on how street life, photography, and recreation have all played significant roles in his life.

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S6E31 -How Black Tech Saturdays is rooted in Community for Alexa & Johnnie Turnage

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 01:47:27 -0000

Community engagement, advocacy, and social change are lifelong passions for Alexa and Johnnie Turnage. They share how a chance meeting on a flight to Detroit led to a friendship that blossomed into marriage. The Turnages' Black Tech Saturdays has evolved into a national effort. In this interview, they discuss how this initiative aligns with their shared passion for using technology to unite communities around social change. They also delve into how their family roots have inspired them to build and develop community, and highlight how Johnnie's mom was ahead of her time in website development and coding. Tune in to "Detroit is Different" with Alexa and Johnnie Turnage, founders of Black Tech Saturdays, for more insights.

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S6E30 -Build Institute is Jamming with Sheila E August 14, Find Out Why with Regina Ann-Campbell

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 01:45:29 -0000

Collective enjoyment, live entertainment, dancing, and Prince music have made Detroit summers popular for years. On Wednesday, August 14, 2024, Build Institute will host an interactive and fun fundraiser at the Aretha Amphitheater, featuring the extraordinary drummer Sheila E. Regina Ann Campbell, CEO of Build Institute, will join us to discuss the fundraiser and much more. Discover how Build Institute is expanding its business development services to help businesses grow! We'll also explore the relationship between Build Institute, Detroit is Different, and community engagement. This is a fun and engaging conversation. Tune in to Detroit is Different with Regina Ann Campbell, CEO of Build Institute.

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S6E29 -The 1st National Hip-hop Tour connects to Hair Wars through Hump the Grinder

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 20:52:29 -0000

David 'Hump the Grinder' Humphries, a pivotal figure in Detroit's Black culture of music and hair design, has been producing Hair Wars since the era when Mojo's radio shows kept people dancing through the night. Returning to Detroit is Different, Hump discusses the upcoming Hair Wars and his experiences traveling with Hip-hop's first tour, 'The Fresh Fest' from 1984 to 1986, and street team promotions. On July 20, 2024, join Hump and the hair designers at Artist Village for the Hair Wars Party and Strolling Hair Show, promising a unique party experience from 6 PM to 3 AM.

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S6E28 -From the Walk Fashion Show to Oak Park's School Board to now running for State Representative for Crystal Bailey

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 02:21:36 -0000

Crystal Bailey's advocacy for mental and behavioral health on behalf of young people in the juvenile justice center inspired her to run for the Michigan State Representative District 5 position. Her work in the juvenile justice system has given her profound insights into tragic realities, motivating her to take action. In this interview, Bailey shares how her involvement in organizing a fashion show helped her forge deeper community bonds. From being a parent volunteer at her daughter's school to serving on the school board, Bailey's journey has enriched her understanding of the community's needs and the essential changes required to support families in our collective growth. Meet Crystal Bailey on Detroit is Different.

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S6E27 - a Collard Green Cook-Off: What, Why, How and with Khary Frazier

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 02:18:59 -0000

The Collard Green Cook-Off was a cultural experience that connected with hundreds of Detroiters last year. This year, Detroit is Different will expand the experience by adding the Collard Green Cook-Off Playoffs. The Playoffs will be held this Thursday during the Juneteenth Jubilee Celebration, organized by Black Leaders Detroit and led by Sharea Ayers. In this Detroit is Different interview, Khary Frazier is interviewed by Sterling Toles, who explores the idea, concept, and energy of the Collard Green Cook-Off. This engaging and introspective discussion highlights ten years of Detroit is Different and delves into visions for the next decade. Don't miss this episode of Detroit is Different with Khary Frazier and Sterling Toles.

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S6E26 -Spoken Word Poetry, Politics, Activism, Organizing, and Detroit all inspire Omari Barksdale

Wed, 05 Jun 2024 20:38:21 -0000

Omari Barksdale’s roots in Alabama, Palestine, and Detroit’s Westside have instilled in him a profound understanding of resilience, strength, and creativity. Today, he advocates for men to build healthy and constructive relationships with women, shares the factual history of race relations in America through artifacts, and lobbies for equity for all people. His extensive work began with organizing initiatives during his teenage years. Omari discusses the lessons learned from his grandparents and mother, which continue to influence him deeply, and how the Honorable JoAnn Watson shaped his understanding of politics and Pan-African support. This enlightening and impactful discussion includes moments of retrospective laughter. Check out Omari Barksdale on Detroit is Different.

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S6E25 -Old Soul with Something you Never Heard before, Drey Skonie

Wed, 05 Jun 2024 20:32:30 -0000

Faith producing works is an adage often shared in conversation, and Drey Skonie has witnessed it throughout his life. As a soul singer, he adds the feel of hip-hop, funk, house, and dance to the legacy of legends like Eddie Kendricks (of the Temptations), Philippé Wynne (of the Spinners), and Ron Banks (of the Dramatics). Drey stands out with his unique style, and his music reflects the vibe of his band, the Klouds. In this episode of Detroit is Different, we explore how he saw his grandparents build a church from the ground up with church funds and delve into much more of his experiences. Drey, a contestant on MTV's Making the Band with Diddy, shares insights beyond the infamous cheesecake run, discussing the intricacies of the music industry. He also reveals his vision for his music and style and opens up about his role playing Mr. Entertainment, Jackie Wilson. Check out Drey Skonie on Detroit is Different for a deeper look into his journey.

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S6E24 -Understanding our full potential is the Way Constance 'Ma Spice' Davis Loves Us All

Thu, 30 May 2024 13:15:52 -0000

Managing people, personalities, and custom fashion stores came naturally to Constance Davis, who opens up about her can't-lose Homecoming Queen campaign and lifelong knack for people skills and smarts. Her son, Anthony 'Spice' Adams, applies similar creativity and genius to grow his brand after an NFL career. We delve into her experience managing high-end fashion stores, working in the Renaissance Center when it first opened, and the faith and realities required to serve as a drug counselor, truly connecting with people in times of need. Meet Constance 'Ma Spice' Davis on Detroit is Different.

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S6E23 -In the Business of Food with Ederique Goudia

Thu, 30 May 2024 13:13:31 -0000

Louisiana is known for its great food and warm hospitality. Ederique Goudia grew up loving both cooking and tasting a variety of dishes, surrounded by a family deeply rooted in Louisiana culture, where everyone from her mother and father to her aunts, uncles, and cousins cooked. Discovering in high school that she could turn her passion into a career, Ederique has been in the culinary industry ever since. For over 20 years, she has lived in Detroit, witnessing many changes in the city's culture and cuisine. Dedicated to empowering creative culinary artists, she helps them ensure their businesses meet all necessary expectations to thrive, providing guidance on profit and loss, pricing strategies, and more. Meet Ederique Goudia on this episode of Detroit is Different. Contact Chef Ederique Goudia at eg@ibfdetroit.com

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S6E22 - From Football, to Business, to Black Republican to Reparations Keith Williams shares his Why

Thu, 23 May 2024 13:00:01 -0000

Football was the gateway that took Keith Williams to Eastern Michigan University, where his knack for sales soon took hold. In the 1980s, he was selling business forms and starting a printing company. We explore his transition from the Republican Party to help develop a farmers market of the Lodge Service Drive and Livernois. His love for Black people was his motivation. Keith opens up about a decision he regrets and discusses how politics is fundamentally about interests. He sees Black business and Black ownership as the primary interests at hand.

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S6E21 -His Grandmother saw the his future now Tarence Wheeler lives it

Thu, 23 May 2024 12:54:03 -0000

Serving the people was a mission instilled in Tarence Wheeler at a young age by his grandmother. Today, he channels his passion, talents, and skills to inspire everyone, especially young Black individuals, to take initiative in empowering their communities. The Southwestern and Arizona State University basketball star opens up about how basketball was a gateway to opportunities, but his true passion has always been the community. Tarence shares his experiences with the 1980s Detroit PSL team (excluding Southwestern players) and much more about hoops. We also discuss the journey of community work and the commitment it requires. Check out Tarence Wheeler in this edition of Detroit is Different.

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S6E20 -Creating Opportunity for his People Kirk Mayes' Mission

Thu, 23 May 2024 12:50:20 -0000

Before he was born, Kirk Mayes' great-aunt inspired his mother to serve their community in the hills of Jamaica. Decades later, Kirk Mayes has fed hundreds of thousands of families during a pandemic, driven by his mission to be a resource for his community. In this dynamic episode of Detroit is Different, Kirk opens up about his journey of learning how a Non-Profit Organization can support a community. Friendship, family, education, and culture have all shaped Kirk's character and guided his path. Tune in to hear Kirk Mayes on Detroit is Different.

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S6E19 -The Black Designer is So Detroit & Keir Worthy Knows Why

Thu, 23 May 2024 12:48:27 -0000

Black designers in fashion, furniture, and even aluminum cans are changing the world from Detroit. Keir Worthy returns to Detroit is Different to discuss his role as the Executive Director of the Organization of Black Designers. We explore the significant contributions Black people have made in establishing style and coolness globally and delve into the cultural dynamics of Detroit and New York. Tune in to this episode of Detroit is Different featuring Keir Worthy.

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S6E18 -Traveling to Africa to learn, teach and experience Art, Sabrina Nelson

Thu, 23 May 2024 12:44:04 -0000

Sabrina Nelson is embarking on a transformative journey to Africa, driven by her passion to learn, teach, and immerse herself in the world of art. With a rich history of creativity showcased during her original appearance on Detroit is Different, Sabrina has dedicated her life to sharing her artistic talents. Today, her artistic expression flows in sync with the rhythm of her spirit, seamlessly blending music, fashion, painting, sculpture, and beyond. As she prepares for her upcoming adventure to Africa, Sabrina eagerly anticipates the opportunity to both impart her knowledge and absorb the diverse artistic influences of the African Diaspora. Through teaching, learning, and experiencing artistry firsthand, Sabrina aims to further enrich her own creative journey while fostering cross-cultural connections and understanding.

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S6E17 -The Black Family is the Black Community and Kenyatta Stephens

Thu, 23 May 2024 12:38:08 -0000

American Street was a cherished emblem of family, love, and community for Kenyatta Stephens. Her grandparents paved the way, instilling a legacy of service as stewards, dedicated to empowering their community with access to opportunity, success, and an enhanced quality of life. Today, at the helm of Black Family Development, Kenyatta channels her familial affection and experiential passion, recognizing the transformative power of robust mental health support in uplifting humanity. Delving into her journey, we uncover her drive to expand access to such support, bridging the gap from communities where Black representation was lacking to places like Detroit, where we stand as a majority. Kenyatta's profound comprehension of the importance of listening, empathizing, and walking alongside the community has propelled her to cultivate an innate love for the current and evolving definition of Black success.

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S6E16 -Africana Studies, Family, and Artistry with Stephanie Fazekas

Thu, 23 May 2024 12:30:47 -0000

Stephanie Fazekas stands as a beacon of cool, her roots intertwined deeply with Detroit's Eastside and Westside. Seamlessly blending her innate understanding of the city's culture with her passion for art, Stephanie is poised to debut her inaugural art exhibition alongside her son Tory, a fitting celebration for Mother's Day 2024. Together, we embark on a journey through the origins of Crockett High School, the vibrant tapestry of Detroit's salon culture, and the transformative impact of Wayne State University's Africana Studies program on Stephanie's worldview. Delving into the annals of history, Stephanie illuminates how the convergence of the Labor Movement and the Black experience has profoundly shaped Detroit and reverberated throughout the fabric of America, offering keen insights into the intricate dynamics of race and power. Amidst our conversation, Stephanie graciously shares her foray into children's literature and the evolution of her characters through art, while Tory joins us to provide a glimpse into their collaborative process and offer a sneak peek into their upcoming art show, showcasing the magic of merging their creative energies.

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S6E15 -U of M Business School is Studying the Ways Racism Impacts your Health led by Dr. Bill Lovejoy

Thu, 23 May 2024 11:33:31 -0000

Dr. Bill Lovejoy boasts a distinguished 30-year tenure as a professor at the University of Michigan, where his expertise spans the realms of academia and business. His academic journey, rooted in a background in mathematics, has been enriched by extensive travels around the globe, affording him unique opportunities to showcase the alignment of his talents with both scholarly pursuits and practical business applications. Currently, Dr. Lovejoy leads a pivotal survey study at the University of Michigan, delving into the emotional toll experienced by African Americans living in a racially charged society. Drawing upon his wealth of experience and scholarly insight gained from reviewing previous studies on the psychological impacts of racism on Black Americans, he spearheads this crucial examination. Partnering with the Ross School of Business, the University of Michigan Detroit Center is set to host an afternoon event on Saturday, May 4, 2024, inviting African Americans aged 18 and above to anonymously share their perspectives through a one-hour survey session. Dr. Lovejoy's forthcoming discussion promises to illuminate the findings of this study and elucidate its significance in addressing pressing societal issues.

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S6E14 -Friends of the Children-Detroit walking with Detroit Children for life led by Derschaun Brown

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 08:16:47 -0000

Detroit kids navigate life in uniquely dynamic ways, shaped by the city's distinct signature. However, the tragic under-resourcing of Detroit's institutions profoundly impacts their experiences, amplifying the challenges they face. For these children, the reality is intensified, underscoring the crucial role of organizations like Friends of Children in our city. Derschaun Brown, a proud DPS graduate and former teacher, epitomizes the transformative power of support. Her journey from exploring fashion in high school to her current role as Executive Director of Friends of the Children-Detroit reflects the resilience and potential within Detroit's youth. Through this organization, children facing multiple adverse childhood experiences are paired with dedicated mentors for a 12-year journey of guidance and support. These mentors, like Derschaun, are driven not only by a paycheck but by a genuine calling to make a difference in the lives of Detroit's children. Meet Derschaun Brown of Detroit is Different.

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S6E13 -West Seven Mile is Keeping Healthy with Sea Moss & Alkaline Water, Brother Bey & Moor Herbs

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 08:13:24 -0000

Finding purpose for Isaiah Orton-Bey was discovered in his quest for deeper understandings of life. Along the stretch of West Seven Mile between Greenfield and Southfield in Detroit, a vibrant scene unfolds outside Moor Herbs—a health market specializing in vitamins, alkaline water, wholesome foods, and healing literature. In a revealing Detroit is Different interview, Isaiah Orton-Bey shares his journey into the world of health-conscious living, supplements, and holistic practices. He delves into his exploration of the teachings of Noble Drew Ali and the Moorish Nation, spanning from the Eastside to the Westside of Detroit, and even reaching as far as South Carolina. Through this enriching narrative, Orton-Bey's pursuit of purpose is vividly illuminated, offering a glimpse into the diverse tapestry of Detroit's cultural and spiritual landscape. Meet Brother Bey on this Detroit is Different.

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S6E12 -Pan Africanism and Black Militancy are the Roots of Malik Shelton

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 08:00:29 -0000

When Malcolm X delivered his historic 'Message to the Grassroots Speech' at King Solomon Baptist Church, a young Malik Shelton had the opportunity to meet him, igniting within him the roots and understanding of self-determination and Pan-Africanism. As a teenager, Shelton organized a series of Black organizing and militant actions to safeguard their Southwest Detroit neighborhood from intimidation by motorcycle gangs and police. Today, Shelton is a journalist and political activist delving into municipal bonding and electoral politics. In this "Detroit is Different," we delve into the myriad relationships of Black organizing and the pivotal role self-determination played in 1970s Detroit. Meet Malik Shelton on this Detroit is Different.

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S6E11 -Vegan Gumbo, Collard Greens, and the Brewster Projects all connect to Chef Buddah

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 03:40:05 -0000

Chef Buddah's journey sounds fascinating, especially with his deep roots in Detroit and his culinary adventures spanning from the Brewster Projects to various esteemed restaurants like Hudsons and the Summit Restaurant. Winning the 2023 Collard Green Cook-Off must have been a proud moment for him. His Vegan Gumbo sounds like a unique culinary experience, combining flavors and spices in a way that reflects his love for Detroit and its diverse food scene. Exploring his story through food is surely a journey worth taking for anyone passionate about food and community.

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S6E10 -Local Government and Private Business, Theo Pride talks Macro & Micro Economics impacting Detroit Community

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 11:39:39 -0000

The longstanding business relationship between Detroit's municipal government and corporations traces its roots back several decades. Theo Pride, of Detroit People's Platform, offers insightful analysis, delving into both macro and micro perspectives on the historical trajectory and current dynamics. Through examining entities like the Downtown Development Authority and the significance of Community Benefits Agreements, alongside considerations of resident empowerment, we gain a comprehensive understanding of this complex landscape. This discussion serves as a crucial framing for understanding ongoing developments and fostering balanced expectations among residents and corporations alike. Tune in to the Detroit is Different feature with Theo Pride for a deeper exploration.

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S6E9 -From tall grass to opportunity to a whole community, Katrina Watkins and Bailey Park NDC

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 11:34:31 -0000

Katrina Watkins was spurred to action by the sight of grass towering over people in her neighborhood, propelling her to instigate change. Transitioning from passive waiting for city intervention to proactive engagement, she founded the Bailey Park Neighborhood Development Corporation, now a beacon of hope on Detroit's Eastside. A true Detroiter, Katrina lives and breathes the transformation of her community, epitomizing grassroots empowerment and community-driven change. In this insightful Detroit is Different feature, we delve into the tangible impact of her work, from revitalizing landscapes to fostering holistic neighborhood growth. Experience the inspiring journey with Katrina Watkins as she navigates the landscape of real community empowerment in Detroit.

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S6E8 -Building Opportunity for the Community at AGI, Luis Ali and Tanya Saldivar-Ali

Thu, 28 Mar 2024 13:18:15 -0000

Embark on a journey to Southwest Detroit with Luis Ali and Tanya Saldivar-Ali on Detroit is Different, where Mexican American culture thrives and community empowerment is at the heart of everything. Through decades of experience and observation, Tanya witnessed the resilience of her mother as she owned and operated a neighborhood bar, sustaining their family against all odds. Meanwhile, Luis's military service provided him with invaluable insights beyond the borders of Southwest Detroit. As their relationship flourished, so did their entrepreneurial endeavors, culminating in the leadership of AGI Construction. This captivating episode explores the intricate intersections of society, background, access, opportunity, and culture within one of Detroit's most vibrant neighborhoods. Join us as we traverse through Italy, Atlanta, and Florida, before returning home to the vibrant streets of Southwest Detroit, guided by the inspiring journey of Luis and Tanya.

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S6E7 -Black Philanthropy and a Family that Gives, Collin Mays

Thu, 28 Mar 2024 13:15:42 -0000

Join Collin Mays on Detroit is Different as he delves into the transformative power of philanthropy within the Black community. With a focus on inclusivity, Collin explores how Black philanthropists have long been instrumental in enhancing the quality of life for their fellow community members, whether through supporting education, churches, food banks, or public spaces. Drawing from his own Detroit roots and family background—his father an architect and mother an attorney—Collin offers a personal narrative interwoven with broader themes of tradition, history, and urban planning. Through candid reflections, he shares how his journey towards physical health and mental resilience parallels his vision for strong, empowered neighborhoods. Additionally, Collin sheds light on the invaluable role of friendship in the life of a Black man. Tune in to Detroit is Different for insightful conversations that celebrate and uplift the spirit of community and philanthropy.

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S6E6 -Detroit and U of M are the cultures that represent Feodies Shipp

Thu, 28 Mar 2024 13:00:31 -0000

Feodies Shipp III, hailing from Detroit's Bagley neighborhood, holds a deep appreciation for both the vibrant culture of the University of Michigan and the rich tapestry of Detroit. With roots entrenched in family ties to Hartford Memorial Baptist Church and the Great Plains, Feodies' journey encompasses his formative years at U of M in the 90s to his current roles, including spearheading operations at the University of Michigan Detroit Center. Having traversed the nation while representing the university at college fairs, Feodies brings a nuanced understanding of American culture to his role. Today, as the host of the Distinctly Detroit Podcast, he engages in discussions spanning topics from community policing to icons like Jalen Rose, all against the backdrop of events like Concert of Colors. Dive into the multifaceted world of Detroit with Feodies Shipp III on the Detroit is Different podcast.

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S6E5 -The Queen Hip-hop Poetry jessica Care moore

Thu, 21 Mar 2024 11:15:43 -0000

The Queen Hip-hop Poetry is from Detroit, jessica Care moore. A true embodiment of the city's spirit she puts forth a Blue Collar attitude towards poetry. From her roots in blue-collar Detroit to her diverse talents spanning poetry, music, activism, and art, jessica Care moore is a force to be reckoned with. Join her as she delves into her deep connection with hip-hop, literature, and community activism, offering unique insights into justice, culture, and family dynamics. This feature highlights many legends of Detroit culture that have passed on: Amp Fiddler (Funk/Soul), Legacy (Spoken Word Poetry), J Dilla (Hip-hop), Proof (Hip-hop), Baatin (Hip-hop), JoAnn Watson (Social Justice) Chokwe Lumumba (Social Justice) and her Father. This interview also travels the world because that is the eclectic nature of jessica Care moore. Meet jessica Care moore on Detroit is Different. Follow her journey on Instagram: @jessicacaremoor and @wearescorpio

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S6E4 -Mrs. Michigan is an advocate for Black Mental Health, Latrice Delgado-Macon

Thu, 21 Mar 2024 11:09:46 -0000

Embark on a journey of empowerment and resilience with Latrice Delgado-Macon, the founder of Detroit Fashion Community and a passionate advocate for Black Mental Health, as she shares her remarkable story on Detroit is Different. With a rich family history in fashion design and modeling, Latrice's mission is to foster creativity and innovation within the fashion community, empowering individuals to discover their unique voice. From organizing confidence-boosting fashion shows at Wayne State University to her ventures in film styling, luxury store openings, and fashion walks, Latrice's experiences exemplify strength in adversity. Join us as Latrice opens up about overcoming grief and emerging with unwavering confidence. As a mother, wife, and business leader, she's now setting her sights on winning the title of Mrs. Universe this summer, embodying the spirit of determination and possibility. Follow Latrice Delgado-Macon on Instagram @latricedelgadomacon for more insights into her journey and the world of fashion.

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S6E3 -Behind the Scenes of Lights, Camera and Action with Rachel Simone

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 21:00:19 -0000

Behind the scenes of the film industry, where meticulous planning and coordination precede the glitz and glamour of Lights, Camera, and Action is where Rachel Simone thrives. Hailing from generations entrenched in Detroit, she embodies the spirit of Detroit, having grown up embracing the Dexter Blvd neighborhood as one of the many Broad Street Parade kids (like me and so many others). Now, her expertise in production spans globally, as she shares her journey from humble beginnings to working with renowned names like Dave Chappelle and CNN. In this episode, we delve into Rachel's unwavering passion for defying expectations in spaces historically unwelcoming to young people, Black people, and Women. As Production Bae, her success paves the way for others, demonstrating the transformative power of creativity in creating opportunities. Join us as we talk about Rachel's inspiring vision of success and her dedication to the art of production in this Detroit is Different.

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S6E2 -From Mumford, to Howard, to Ghana Attorney Jeff Edison is in Style and Black Pride

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 20:56:51 -0000

Attorney Jeff Edison radiates the essence of African style and grace, setting a remarkable tone upon meeting him. With a warm smile and infectious laughter, he captivates attention effortlessly, revealing himself as one of the most adept and eloquent communicators one could encounter. Rooted in Detroit, his journey began amidst the fervent struggle to integrate Black history, literature, and studies into the high school curriculum in the late '60s. Witnessing the transformative impact of activism firsthand, from protesting for change at Mumford High School to challenging racial barriers at Wayne State University Law School alongside luminaries like Chokwe Lumumba, Edison's commitment to advancing Black self-actualization remains unwavering. In this Detroit is Different, we delve into his experiences navigating the intersection of advocacy and entrepreneurship in America, working with to freedom fighters like his friend and my mentor the late Attorney Chokwe Lumumba. We also talk about his journey exploring the interconnected threads of our ancestral heritage and living half the year in Ghana. Surprisingly we talk about Bunchy Carter and his family's involvement in the battle for Black liberation with the LA Black Panthers. Join us as we uncover the Detroit is Different perspective through the lens of Attorney Jeff Edison's remarkable life.

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S6E1 -Detroit and U of M are the cultures that represent Feodies Shipp

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 20:54:27 -0000

Feodies Shipp III, hailing from Detroit's Bagley neighborhood, holds a deep appreciation for both the vibrant culture of the University of Michigan and the rich tapestry of Detroit. With roots entrenched in family ties to Hartford Memorial Baptist Church and the Great Plains, Feodies' journey encompasses his formative years at U of M in the 90s to his current roles, including spearheading operations at the University of Michigan Detroit Center. Having traversed the nation while representing the university at college fairs, Feodies brings a nuanced understanding of American culture to his role. Today, as the host of the Distinctly Detroit Podcast, he engages in discussions spanning topics from community policing to icons like Jalen Rose, all against the backdrop of events like Concert of Colors. Dive into the multifaceted world of Detroit with Feodies Shipp III on the Detroit is Different podcast.

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S5E25 -Donna Givens Davidson and Orlando Bailey talk Community Led Political Leadership

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 17:58:19 -0000

Join Authentically Detroit as they venture into the heart of Detroit is Different for an enriching conversation delving into the profound legacy of Donna Givens Davidson's family in Black activism, organizing, and the pursuit of freedom and justice. Hosts Orlando Bailey and Donna Givens Davidson delve into the essence of community empowerment in Detroit's Black community, drawing upon Donna's revelations about her father's struggles as a Black physician during times of inequality, and her grandmother's influential role in international nation-building and human rights advocacy. Reflecting on the legacy of the Honorable JoAnn Watson as a beacon of political empowerment, Donna and Orlando emphasize the importance of amplifying voices and fostering stronger ties between local political leadership and the community. This episode serves as a compelling discourse on practical steps towards fostering a grassroots, community-centered reality in Detroit. Authentically Detroit, a weekly podcast, offers insightful discussions with guests on the forefront of Detroit's community engagement, providing an unfiltered perspective on issues impacting the city's residents.

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S5E24 -Founding Teen Hype taught Ambra Redrick lessons on Faith in Works

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 15:50:29 -0000

For over two decades, Teen Hype & Ambra Redrick have challenged the age-old notion of children being seen and not heard. Ambra candidly shares her journey co-founding Teen Hype on Detroit is Different, tracing back to her upbringing by her nurturing grandparents in a Leave it to Beaver style household. Transitioning into motherhood as a teenager in high school, Ambra's reality took a significant turn, leading her to discover her purpose in connecting with people and giving back to her community through various roles including social work and the Department of Corrections. Returning to her alma mater, Cooley High School, marked the inception of Teen Hype's whirlwind journey, which has since empowered tens of thousands of Detroiters with a deeper understanding of the world and themselves. Now celebrating two decades of impact, Teen Hype engages middle and high school students across Metro-Detroit, offering transformative experiences through theater, peer groups, and interactive sessions that equip young people with knowledge on sex, relationships, community engagement, and self-discovery.

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S5E23 -Good Cakes and Bakes is much more than where you get your Favorite cupcakes, its community and entrepreneurial excellence from April Anderson's team

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 14:26:00 -0000

Good Cakes and Bakes is more than just a bakery; it's a cornerstone of community spirit, innovation, and delectable treats along the Avenue of Fashions. With its recent expansion into downtown Detroit in 2023, Good Cakes and Bakes now offers an array of savory delights, artisanal coffees, and unique sweets that are exclusive to each location. For April Anderson, this expansion marked a realization of her dreams and prompted a reevaluation of the business's operational strategies. In this Detroit is Different interview, we delved into the intricacies of managing and marketing a quick-service restaurant, revealing our shared enthusiasm for industry dynamics. This conversation also explored the nuances of operating in downtown Detroit compared to running a neighborhood establishment. April provided invaluable insights into assessing one's business position and recognizing opportune moments for strategic pivots. Central to April's philosophy is the recognition of time as a precious asset. Leveraging time effectively is instrumental in achieving the exceptional service quality synonymous with Good Cakes and Bakes. This interview is a treasure trove of lessons for entrepreneurs, emphasizing the importance of adaptability, understanding market shifts, and maximizing resources to elevate business performance.

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S5E22 -KUA, gifted in divinity connected through Shrine of the Black Madonna for Dr. Shelley McIntosh

Thu, 08 Feb 2024 13:14:53 -0000

Learn about KUA and much more from Dr. Shelley McIntosh, an educator who has dedicated decades to shaping young Black minds in empowerment and community. From her roots as a preacher's kid on Detroit's Eastside to her education at Southeastern HS and Wayne State University, Dr. McIntosh shares her journey and how it led her to find purpose within the Shrine of the Black Madonna. As one of the founding members of the Houston TX Church, she delves into her commitment to the church's mission as a space for the development of both people and community. In this interview, Dr. McIntosh shares the values instilled in her by the vision and leadership of Pastor Jaramogi Abebe Agyeman (Albert Cleage).

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S5E21 -Legacy Black Detroit runs deep in Christianne Malone roots to Georgia, Alabama, Westside & Eastside

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 10:25:30 -0000

Christianne Malone is deeply rooted in Detroit, having spent her childhood just blocks away from Belle Isle and regularly visiting her grandparents' house in the Westside Linwood neighborhood. Today, as the Chief Program Officer at TechTown Detroit and Assistant Vice President for Economic Development at Wayne State University, she plays a crucial role in providing significant opportunities for local entrepreneurs and fostering creativity in business. Her professional journey commenced at the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce, where she discovered the immense value of networking, not only for herself but for countless others, introducing them to various opportunities. Beyond her professional pursuits, Malone is passionate about lacrosse, actively coaching and mentoring on the field. Known as an "Encyclopedia kid," she possesses an insatiable thirst for information, considering it a core value. Dive into the insights of this Detroit is Different interview with Khary Frazier as they explore Malone's multifaceted contributions and her profound connection to the city.

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S5E20 -Hip-hop drives Every form of Media Dean Beanz Knows

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 03:47:00 -0000

Dean Beanz, the visionary behind EVRY Media, serves as its owner and creator. EVRY Media is a dynamic content creation firm specializing in crafting cinematic pieces across various media platforms. Dean wears multiple hats as the host, director, and producer of the LateAF talk show, as well as the director and producer of the EVRY Woman Talk Show. His creative journey ignited from a deep love for hip-hop, evolving into an exploration of music creation. In this interview, we delve into the nuanced aspects of Dean's creativity, exploring how his relentless drive led him to venture into realms such as rap, graphic design, and ultimately, hosting cinematic talk shows. To witness the culmination of his artistic endeavors, be sure to check out and subscribe to EVRY TV+ on YouTube today. Immerse yourself in this captivating Detroit is Different interview with the talented Khary Frazier.

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S5E19 - Black Empowerment and Enlightenment with the Basketball as a Gateway with Toby Tansil

Tue, 23 Jan 2024 20:11:07 -0000

Toby Tansil discusses the documentary he helped executive produce, "Walk Through the Valley." This compelling film emerged from a student's challenge to empower their community, shedding light on Detroit's history with Black people and the iconic Paradise Valley. Set to premiere at the Detroit Historical Museum Theater on February 11, the documentary features prominent figures like Ed Vaughn, JoAnn Waton, Jamon Jordan, and more. Toby shares his personal journey, utilizing basketball as a platform for growth and development, especially in working with Alkebu-Lan Village and community building. Explore the intersection of basketball, Black liberation, and the Schoolcraft neighborhood in this captivating episode, delving into the rich tapestry of Detroit's cultural heritage.

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S5E18 -Being a Father was LoDeez Life Purpose, Now he's back and Rapping

Tue, 23 Jan 2024 20:01:28 -0000

The dynamic world of Lawrence 'LoDeez' Burnside, a seasoned hip-hop artist whose journey in music has taken him to new heights. I share my personal connection rooted in high school rap battles with him, LoDeez's trajectory has soared with the release of his latest album, 'Dope House Gone Mad.' In this engaging podcast episode, delve into the artist's profound reflections on fatherhood, resilience amidst high school challenges, and surviving a daunting motorcycle crash. Join the candid conversation between two friends as they explore the essence of Detroit rap, discuss the evolving landscape of hip-hop, share anecdotes from their high school days, touch upon the importance of family, and delve into the intricacies of staying creatively inspired.

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S5E17 -Bevlove and Music are for Life

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 16:15:15 -0000

Detroit is Different invites you into the soulful world of Beverly Johnson, known to Detroit as Bevlove. Born into a family steeped in music, Bevlove's journey from her mother's lullabies to becoming a soulful sensation is a tale of love, passion, and unfiltered honesty. In this podcast, Bevlove shares the profound impact of years of journaling on her lyricism, giving birth to soul-stirring tracks like "Truth" and "Beautiful." Delve into her formative years at Cass Tech's theater department under the guidance of the Tony-winning Marilyn McCormick, where Bevlove not only honed her craft but also took center stage as Carmen Jones. Whether captivating audiences in Los Angeles or bringing it back to her roots in Detroit, Bevlove's music, available on SoundCloud, Spotify, and iTunes, reflects the essence of a truly gifted artist whose heart remains rooted in the city she calls home.

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S5E16 -Dr. Charles Simmons talks Pan Africanism, Community, and Black lens on World Affairs

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 03:17:45 -0000

Dr. Charles Simmons graces 'Detroit is Different' with Khary Frazier, unveiling a life steeped in honor, community, and a relentless pursuit of truth. Through his odyssey, Simmons found solace and purpose within the embrace of the King Solomon Baptist Church community, a sanctuary that resonated amidst his global sojourns. His worldview expanded exponentially during his tenure in the Air Force, delving into pan-Africanism as he forged connections with Ethiopian comrades and Congolese brethren. These encounters unfurled a profound understanding of America's intricate involvement in the colonization of Black communities worldwide, shaping Simmons' advocacy for justice and equity.

His narrative unravels further at Wayne State University Law School, where the legendary Ken Cockrel Sr. became a guiding light, igniting the spark that birthed Uhuru alongside luminaries like General Baker. Through the corridors of education, Simmons' journey intertwined with Dr. Sandra Simmons, a cherished soul whose wisdom and compassion illuminated their path. Their joint tenure at EMU birthed not just knowledge but a beacon of hope—the Hush House—expanding from a humble space to a transformative community bastion, echoing their commitment to upliftment and enlightenment. In Dr. Charles Simmons' saga, we encounter a tapestry woven with resilience, enlightenment, and an unyielding dedication to nurturing communities toward a brighter, more equitable future.

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S5E15 -Natural Hair is about the Greatest Love of all for Nefertiti Harris

Wed, 25 Oct 2023 14:00:57 -0000

Nefertiti Harris of Textures by Nefertiti speaks on her journey through the Shrine of the Black Madonna to engage in the mission of empowering Black people by recognizing the beauty of our natural hair. This year Nefertiti is being honored at Detroit is Different’s My Natural Hair Show. Nefertiti shares her how she’s moved with purpose to create and redefine beauty for Detroit by helping Black people find inner love.

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S5E14 -How Black Women see themselves from the Bible's Perspective in the Art of Poetry and Sculpture, with Scheherazade W Parrish

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 17:01:29 -0000

In this episode of "Detroit is Different," the spotlight is on Scheherazade Washington Parrish, a multi-talented individual with a diverse background in writing, art, psychology, and community engagement. Scheherazade's artistic journey is deeply rooted in her exploration of various forms of expression, from personal narratives to formal verse. She skillfully deconstructs complex societal, personal, and political themes, especially focusing on concepts of duty and family.

Having pursued psychology at Wayne State University, Scheherazade brings a unique perspective to her creative endeavors. Currently serving as a program manager with Allied Media Projects in Detroit, she continues to inspire and engage the community through her work.

Scheherazade's contributions extend beyond the confines of traditional publications. Her work has found its way into journals, and anthologies like "The Detroit Neighborhood Guidebook," as well as large-scale visual art installations and murals. In this interview, she delves into her creative process, discussing the interplay between form and content in her pieces, a theme highlighted in her intriguing project titled "Tools of Redaction: Form." Tune in to gain insights into the mind of this prolific writer, artist, moderator, and muse, as she shares her passion for storytelling and her unique perspective on Detroit's vibrant cultural landscape.

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S5E13 - From Dick Gregory to Mel Farr and Broadcasting in Boston Charlene Mitchell-Rodgers has Stories to Tell

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 15:22:55 -0000

Listen to this enlightening episode of Detroit is Different as we sit down with the remarkable Charlene Mitchell Rodgers, a true trailblazer in the world of media and broadcast. Charlene takes us on a captivating journey through her illustrious career, starting as an anchor in Baltimore and later managing public relations for the iconic comedian legend, Dick Gregory, during his historic cross-country run.

Her story unfolds as she shares her experiences working in Boston during the tumultuous bussing crisis and then making her mark in Detroit, where she founded her own successful public relations business. Charlene played a pivotal role in the expansion of Mel Farr's Oak Park dealership, which grew into an empire with 15 locations across America, solidifying its place as one of the most prosperous Black businesses in the nation.

Discover her rich history in radio with "Mind Your Business" and her exciting new venture into the world of new media with her own podcast. Charlene Mitchell Rodgers' journey is a testament to resilience, excellence, and a passion for storytelling that continues to inspire.

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S5E12 -Faith, Creativity, and Business are keys to success for Mikki Godfrey

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 11:18:13 -0000

Discover Mikki Godfrey's inspiring journey, a testament to faith, creativity, and business acumen in the heart of Detroit. As the driving force behind the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation's BuyDetroit program, Mikki's story is one of resilience and determination. Her path to leadership was paved with exceptional sales and management skills, demonstrating her unwavering commitment to Detroit's economic growth.

In this captivating video, you'll gain insight into how Mikki confronted adversity and trauma, transforming these challenges into invaluable lessons for personal and professional growth. Her story is a testament to the power of perseverance and focus in the face of life's hurdles.

Today, Mikki Godfrey stands as an impresario, leaving her mark on various creative realms. Join us as we delve into her remarkable journey, celebrating the indomitable spirit that drives her success and the positive impact she continues to make in Detroit and beyond. Discover how faith, creativity, and business acumen have shaped Mikki's extraordinary story, and be inspired by her unwavering dedication to Detroit's growth and prosperity.

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S5E11 -Coco - From Nurse to Legendary Comedian | Life, Laughter, and Lessons

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 17:51:07 -0000

Get ready to dive into the captivating journey of the legendary comedian Coco as she sits down with host Khary Frazier on this exclusive Detroit is Different interview. In this episode, Coco takes us back to her roots, sharing anecdotes from her upbringing in Highland Park and her unexpected career path from nursing to comedy.

Nursing to Comedy: Coco's story is one of true inspiration. Discover how she transitioned from her role as a nurse to the world of stand-up comedy. Hear about the pivotal moments that led her to take the stage and embrace her natural gift for laughter, even in the face of personal grief and challenges.

A Journey of Resilience: Join us as Coco opens up about the emotional journey of losing her older sister and how that experience shaped her determination to succeed in the entertainment industry. Through her humor and authenticity, Coco teaches us valuable life lessons about resilience, finding joy, and turning adversity into strength.

Rise to Radio Fame: Learn about Coco's breakthrough on the WJLB morning show and how she made her mark on the airwaves. Discover the intriguing connection between Coco and Chris Gardner, the man behind the inspiring story of "The Pursuit of Happyness." Find out how Chris Gardner played a crucial role in negotiating Coco's first radio contract.

Laughter and Life Lessons: This interview is not just about comedy; it's a celebration of life. Tune in for a dose of hearty laughter as Coco shares hilarious anecdotes from her journey as a comedian. But it's not all about laughs—Coco imparts wisdom and life lessons garnered from her unique experiences.

Navigating Stardom and Relationships: Coco dishes on what it's like to date celebrities while being a celebrity herself. Gain insights into the world of fame, relationships, and the balancing act required to keep it real in the limelight.

Join us for an unforgettable conversation filled with laughter, inspiration, and wisdom. Coco's Detroit is Different interview is a testament to the power of pursuing one's passion, overcoming obstacles, and embracing the beauty of life's unexpected twists.

Don't miss out on this exclusive interview that offers a rare glimpse into the life of a true Detroit icon. Like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated on all things Detroit is Different!

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S5E10 -Why is France at War in Africa? - Abayomi Azikiwe

Fri, 25 Aug 2023 13:17:41 -0000

As global attention turns to France's intricate involvement in African affairs, Abayomi Azikiwe's forthcoming interview with Detroit is Different provides a captivating insight into the historical and contemporary dynamics underpinning France's presence in Africa. A seasoned analyst and the mind behind the Pan African News Wire, Azikiwe delves into the complex relationship between France and its former African colonies, shedding light on the motivations driving France's actions on the continent.

Detroit is Different's feature meticulously traces the roots of France's colonial history, a legacy that remarkably stretches across continents and centuries, even encompassing the city of Detroit in the United States. Azikiwe unveils the intricate connection between colonial undertakings and contemporary conflicts, highlighting how this history reverberates in the present day.

Central to the discussion is France's insatiable thirst for African resources, an exploitative trend that dates back to colonial times.

Former French president Jacques Chirac "without Africa, France will slide down into the rank of a third [world] power," March of 2008.

French President François Mitterand "Without Africa, France will have no history in the 21st century," 1957.

The interview brings into sharp focus the recent developments in Niger, a West African nation currently at the forefront of conflict with France. The suspension of Niger's constitution and the dissolution of institutions following a military coup underscore the nation's determination to assert its autonomy over its abundant natural resources, particularly its significant uranium reserves, ranked seventh largest globally. This valuable radioactive metal serves as a cornerstone for various industries, including nuclear energy, cancer treatment, naval propulsion, and weaponry.

Azikiwe exposes the historical narrative behind Niger's natural resource industry, revealing how French corporations have dominated this sector, leaving the nation's government with only minority holdings. The struggle for self-determination in Niger represents a wider sentiment across other West African nations once colonized by France, as they rally behind Niger's bid to break free from neo-colonial shackles.

As the interview unfolds, Azikiwe's expertise navigates the nuanced layers of France's engagement in Africa, encapsulating not only the historical context but also the contemporary complexities surrounding economic exploitation and political autonomy. This preview only scratches the surface of the profound insights that Detroit is Different's conversation with Abayomi Azikiwe promises to unveil, offering a platform to understand the intricate web of power, resources, and history woven between France and its African counterparts.

For more information on the current conflicts between France and Niger and/or other Pan-African News visit http://panafricannews.blogspot.com/ today.

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S5E9 -Bringing the Neighbor Back to the Hood: Yusef Bunchy Shakur hosts the 18th Annual Ava Jo Back Pack Give Away

Wed, 09 Aug 2023 11:02:47 -0000

Relive the heartwarming moments of the 18th Annual Ava Jo Back to School Backpack Giveaway, an unforgettable event hosted by acclaimed author and community leader, Yusef Bunchy Shakur. Held at the Mama Akua House in the Zone 8 Neighborhood on August 5, 2023, the day was a remarkable testament to unity and support.

The event catered to all generations, offering a wide range of activities that delighted families. Children reveled in games, bounce houses, and face painting, while grandparents enjoyed the atmosphere of camaraderie. An Animal Zoo added a touch of magic with its inhabitants, including kangaroos, horses, and majestic turtles. The air was filled with laughter and wonder.

The dynamic My Detroit Players band set the stage on fire with their unique fusion of trip-hop and jazz over progressive rock-infused funk. Bassist Emily Rogers led the ensemble, accompanied by producer Nick Speed, drummer JR Gotthe HitS, keys maestro Shaphan 'Maestro' Williams, guitarist Duminie Deporres, turntablist DJ Los, and an ensemble of horns. The music added a vibrant backdrop to the festivities.

This year's event held deep significance as it carried on the legacy of Yusef Bunchy Shakur's mother, Ava Jo. As the driving force behind the event until her passing in 2022, her dedication resonated throughout. Over 200 families were provided with essential school supplies, clothing, and medical aid, easing their journey into the 2023-24 school year. The event's impact goes beyond numbers, as it annually feeds over 500 people, nourishing both bodies and spirits.

An introspective conversation between Yusef Bunchy Shakur and Detroit is Different host Khary Frazier explored Yusef's journey as a soon-to-be PhD graduate. The focus on the strength and influence of Black Mothers in the Black community added depth to the celebration.

Rooted in the philosophy of fostering authentic connections, the event epitomized its motto of "bringing the neighbor back to the hood." The day was a tribute to community, honor, and presence, encapsulating the essence of togetherness.

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S5E8 -Basketball and Nightlife were the gateways for Keith Bennett to connect with Detroit Community Part I of II

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 12:45:14 -0000

Keith Bennett is known to many in Detroit as the mind behind Flip the Script. The journey to helping returning citizens came from a love of basketball. As a high school student, Bennett was a basketball mastermind that became a student assistant coach. In this interview, he discusses how Curt Jones became the gateway for him to fall in love with basketball and leave baseball. The study and work ethic attracted the attention of coaches. This led to his journey of promotions in the nightlife of the 1970s and 1980s in Metro Detroit. This is Part I of the Keith Bennett interview on Detroit is Different.

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S5E7 -The Dream of Detroit from the vision of Mark Crain

Thu, 27 Jul 2023 14:00:31 -0000

Mark Crain's dedication to community and development has forged a profound connection with Dream of Detroit, where his commitment to family, business acumen, passion for the Woodrow Wilson community, and Islamic faith have converged to drive transformative change in the heart of Detroit.

Mark Crain's business acumen has been instrumental in Dream of Detroit's growth and impact. His strategic thinking, financial expertise, and networking abilities have helped secure funding and collaborations, enabling Dream of Detroit to initiate transformative projects in the community. Mark's business background has also instilled in him a sense of accountability and efficiency, ensuring that every effort contributes to sustainable, long-term development in the area.

The Woodrow Wilson community holds a special place in Mark's heart. It is a neighborhood rich in history and potential, yet plagued by decades of neglect and disinvestment. Mark's connection with the community runs deep, as he witnesses firsthand the challenges faced by its residents. His Grand Fathers Locksmith shop across the street from Central HS grounded Mark there as a child. Dream of Detroit's mission to revitalize the Woodrow Wilson community aligns perfectly with Mark's vision for a thriving, inclusive, and vibrant neighborhood that residents can take pride in.

Mark Crain's Islamic faith serves as a guiding principle in his life and work. The values of compassion, social justice, and service to others, as emphasized in Islam, resonate deeply with his commitment to community development. Through Dream of Detroit, Mark channels his faith into action, working tirelessly to create positive change and empower those in need. His faith reminds him of the importance of humility and selflessness, qualities that have earned him the respect and trust of the Woodrow Wilson community.

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S5E6 -Glamping and House Music in Idlewild is the Summer Oasis Music Festival & Cedric McDougle's Passion

Thu, 27 Jul 2023 13:30:28 -0000

The Summer Oasis Music Festival in Idlewild, MI, has emerged as the ultimate glamping experience that the house music and dance culture needed, enticing DJs worldwide to visit this picturesque destination. At the heart of this exceptional event lies the vision and dedication of Cedric McDougle, whose passion for music, culture, and community led him to create a festival like no other.

Cedric McDougle, a visionary entrepreneur and music enthusiast, envisioned a festival that would not only celebrate the electrifying beats of house music but also pay homage to the rich cultural history of Idlewild, MI. The town, renowned for its significance as a historic African American resort, served as a source of inspiration for Cedric. He wanted to create an event that would foster a sense of unity and empowerment, drawing from the vibrant legacy of the town's past.

The idea of combining glamping with the immersive experience of house music and dance culture sprang from Cedric's desire to offer festival-goers an unparalleled experience. He believed that providing luxurious amenities in the midst of nature would enhance the overall festival vibe, attracting a diverse audience from all corners of the globe.

Cedric McDougle's vision for the Summer Oasis Music Festival was to create more than just a music event; he aimed to cultivate a community. He wanted festival-goers to feel a sense of belonging, to connect with one another through music, and to share in the joy of celebration. By curating workshops, talks, and interactive experiences, he ensured that the festival became a space for dialogue, creativity, and networking for artists and industry professionals alike

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S5E5 -Eric Thomas knows what he wants from Life

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 13:00:27 -0000

Eric Thomas is a signature presence in and around Detroit’s cultural scene. The glasses, ponytail, and always in a suit or sports jacket his style is a signature too. Behind the style is a creative that delves into many mediums. Graphic design, photography, videography, writing, and of course social media are mediums he has mastered to the degree he gives master classes. The key to many ethics of Eric is to develop deep understandings that challenge comforts toward better communal awareness. In this interview, we explore his path through the Joy Rd Cody High community to the Detroit City storyteller. Get a better understanding of the man curious enough about life to question beyond what is conventionally accepted. Check out the Detroit is Different Eric Thomas feature.

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S5E4 -Artistry has given the talent of Dmareae a platform

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 12:00:24 -0000

Basketball was the only outlet at a young age Dmareae placed his love and focus. As the journey on the hardwood took a pivot for him, hip-hop took his heart and is now what he loves. His love for hip-hop has opened up the world of artistry for him to fall in love with photography and video. The cost of paying for his music videos dove Dmareae into a research task that carries through till today. Learning the basics of photography and the functionality of the equipment through YouTube, Online Courses, one on one lessons has prepared his eye for the lens. We discuss music and more in this Detroit is Different feature with Dmareae.

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S5E3 -Teenage Interest became an Opportunity that now Powers the Quality of Life for Terrance Campbell

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 22:48:51 -0000

The 1980s mixed a cultural movement that highlighted electronics and technology. As computers moved from government spaces to businesses to homes some American children became mesmerized with the personal computer. Terrance Campbell was one of the many American children in that group. Being an African American kid from Flint Terrance stood out in this group. Am interest grew into a love that now is the business. Terrance opens up about Flint Hip-hop, Michigan Transportation, and much more. Get an understanding of coding languages and much more in this Detroit is Different feature.

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S5E2 -All around the world to be grounded in Detroit, Nusrat Moghul

Tue, 11 Jul 2023 12:44:42 -0000

Nusrat Moghul, is a charismatic real estate broker who is as enchanting as the city itself. With a deep-rooted passion for Detroit, Moghul has an everlasting love for Motor City.

From the moment you meet her, Moghul's energy is infectious. Her unwavering enthusiasm for Detroit's housing stock, architecture, and community runs deep. Her travels across the world, living in the UK, and experiences with internationally rich and famous people have not been as fulfilling as her times in Detroit. With a keen eye for hidden gems and untapped potential, she breathes new life into all neighborhoods, transforming them into vibrant communities.

Moghul's love affair with Detroit goes beyond her profession. She wholeheartedly believes in the city's resilience and creativity. She works in the North End and lives in the North End and Loves it! Her dedication to preserving Detroit's rich history while fostering growth is nothing short of remarkable.

In this interview, Moghul shares her journey from Pakistan to the United States and Metro Detroit. Learn about her work as a Lawyer in the UK and now Real Estate Broker & Realtor specializing in the Detroit market. In a city filled with dreams and possibilities, Nusrat Moghul stands tall as a beacon of hope and a driving force behind helping families fulfill theirs by finding homes.

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S5E1 -The Laughs, Cries, Creativity, Motivation and Storytelling of Satori Shakoor

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 15:32:50 -0000

Confessions of a Menopausal Femme Fatal is the one-woman show experience by Satori Shakoor happening July 21 – 23 at Detroit Public Theatre. Satori comes back to Detroit is Different to open up about her show and much more. We discuss the Secret Society of Twisted Storytellers and the role story telling plays in society, civilization, and life.

Satori Shakoor, founder of The Secret Society Of Twisted Storytellers® holds nothing back in her solo, standup storytelling concert. Satori's riveting performance reflects on 12 years of her journey through the change of life. Wrought with twists and turns, Satori discovers early on that change comes at a very high price. She must confront and overcome a dark secret from her past. As Satori confesses her crime and owns it, she finds freedom and the grace to be fully ALIVE. Confessions of a Menopausal Femme Fatale is a mood-swinging, hot flash of emotion, told through music, song and in Satori’s unique style. In a jaw dropping, taboo-busting, drop the mic performance, her story will leave audiences giddy with laughter, moved to tears, breathless and cheering in triumph.

Two million women enter menopause every year. It's shocking that no one is talking to them, with the exception of drug companies, who focus mainly on alleviating the physical symptoms. Confessions of a Menopausal Femme Fatale speaks to a hunger women over 45 have to hear stories that more fully represent their experiences. Confessions will encourage women to break the silence, end the shame and inspire conversations that are uplifting, informative, thought-provoking and supportive. Come out. Share stories. Celebrate this rite of passage called menopause, “the change of life!"

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S4E38 -Driving Force for Detroit's Community, Rooted in Faith and Purpose, meet Angela Whitfield-Calloway

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 10:58:18 -0000

Standing as a beacon of hope and inspiration for the community is her purpose. Angela Calloway is the District 2 Detroit City Councilmember and so much more. With an unwavering belief in God and deep roots in Detroit, Calloway is driven by a steadfast commitment to uplift and empower her Detroit community. Her tireless efforts to bring positive change and promote unity have made her a friend to neighborhood groups and associations alike. A woman of strong faith, Calloway draws her strength and determination from her belief in a higher power. She firmly believes that her purpose in life is to serve others, guided by the principle. With God as her foundation, she approaches every decision with unwavering integrity and a deep sense of responsibility to her community. Born and raised in the heart of the city, she has witnessed firsthand the struggles and triumphs of her neighbors, instilling in her a profound sense of connection and dedication. Her experiences have fueled her passion for community development, inspiring her to fight for equitable opportunities, improved education, and safer neighborhoods. Meet Angela Whitfield-Calloway on Detroit is Different.

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S4E37 -Overtime, the Work and Purpose have changed Malik Yakini; learn what’s next in his Journey

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 10:47:26 -0000

Malik Yakini is the original Detroit is Different guest in April of 2014. Nine years later, his work and efforts continue to blossom in introspection and observation about how strengthening the Black Family and Community are related. During this third appearance on Detroit is Different, Baba Malik opens up about the sabbatical and authoring of his book. Learn about his journey from working at a Record Store to working with the Detroit Black Food Security Network. We also explore the relationship between generations and the value of intergenerational organizing and community building. Understand how Baba Malik has grown his views on many social justice perspectives today. This was an insightful and rich discussion. Check out the 2023 Detroit is Different feature with Baba Malik Yakini.

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S4E36 -In Rhythm of Life, Business, and Creativity is the way of Achsha Jones

Thu, 08 Jun 2023 10:29:20 -0000

Dexter is one of Detroit’s most spoken-of streets. Kash Doll’s new album introduced hip-hop listeners to the street worldwide. For Achsha Jones, it was home for her family through the 1980s and 1990s. Achsha is the founder and director of Trip Slip to people that meet her in the technology space. In this Detroit is Different feature, you are introduced to the kid from Dexter who witnessed how crack cocaine, the prison industrial complex, and poverty strengthened her for the rollercoaster of American Life. Achsha shares her love for creativity. Find out about her journey as a 1998 graduate of the Original (old) Detroit High School for Fine and Performing Arts. She shares how watching an idea become a reality is an impactful inspiration that drives her today. Check out the Detroit is Different feature with Trip Slip’s Achsha Jones.

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S4E35 -Michigan’s Poet Laureate is a Legacy Detroiter with a descriptive pen, Meet Nandi Comer

Wed, 17 May 2023 13:11:36 -0000

Nandi Comer is Michigan’s first Poet Laureate in over 60 years. Her writing is flavored with descriptive adjectives painting pictures of time, place, space, and much more. The Poet Laureate of Michigan has roots in the Shrine of the Black Madonna, found a love of poetry in a Summer Job, Fan of attending Luche Libre Wrestling in Mexico, and is also a friend of Detroit is Different. Her work advocating for, creating, and appreciating art is life-fulfilling. Discover more about Nandi’s background and how her journey has left an impression on her that is now shared amongst the world in poetry.

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S4E34 -The Jokes on You, Comedy is Life for Mic Larry

Wed, 17 May 2023 13:08:00 -0000

Comedy is a joke to many but for Mic Larry, it has been an inspiration, motivation, and purpose. From the Cooley neighborhood, the Redford Huskie basketball player was a gifted athlete from birth. Mic Larry’s life has been a testimony to finding glory through storms. Learn his approach to utilizing time and taking advantage of the opportunity. Comedian Mic Larry opens up about starting from scratch and making a way in life again and again. Get introduced to one of the masters at the craft of comedy, Mic Larry.

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S4E33 -Bringing the Party to Life is Zsa Zsa Purpose

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 14:30:50 -0000

Laughs, smiles, Joy, and love are acts in life that fulfill life. Zsa Zsa has spent a lifetime adding this flavor to her family. In this feature, Zsa Zsa opens up about the pain that brings trauma and tragedy to many families in our community. Zsa Zsa shares how hee solutions of adding life, imagination, creativity, and fun have centered loved ones in times of need. Today her talents and skills have her hosting events, radio programs, and much more. The 910am host of the "Yea I Said It" show opens up about her background. Check out a powerful and inspirational feature on Detroit is Different.

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S4E32 -The Stand is Free the Land for Bomani

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 14:00:00 -0000

Grand River Ave and Joy Rd have taken on many iterations of the Black experience. Bomani has witnessed them all since the 1970s. Bomani began connecting to a community of Black consciousness as a die-hard enthusiast. Today in a role of leadership for the Detroit Chapter of the Malcolm X Grassroots Organization he is sharing the knowledge he has gained. May 19th in honor of the Birthday of Malcolm X Detroits chapter will be hosting an event. Learn more about the passion and process of Bomani in his Detroit is Different feature.

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S4E31 -Grafitti, Chicano Revolutionaries, and Black Farming are connected by Antonio Rafael

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 14:24:30 -0000

Depending upon when and how you and when you meet Antonio Rafael, you could have an engaging exchange on many things. When connecting with Antonio, concepts from the community will be balanced with the world or vice versa. Antonio’s journey from Southwest Detroit and having working-class parents left grand impressions of ways development impacted the community. Studying at Eastern Michigan University strengthened Antonio’s global understanding of how corporations exploit people internationally. Today Antonio works in art, farming, and advocacy. This was a classic back-and-forth conversation between micro and macro concepts that is thought-provoking and enlightening. Check out the Detroit is Different feature of Antonio Rafael.

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S4E30 -Developing the Character of the Child is Jasmine Noble’s Passion

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 16:21:42 -0000

East Pole Town to many Detroit residents is Chene, over there by the old Packard Plant, or Tyree Guyton’s artistic footprint. For the families that live in the community, it is a place with rooted traditions. Jasmine Noble taught at the James and Grace Lee Boggs School and had the plan to connect the school to the community. Jasmine was in love with the Boggs approach of collective learning, leadership, and community. This inspired her nonprofit ComeUnity One Stop to start as a wrap-around service provider for young people 18 – 24 years old. Jasmine joins the Freedom Dreams collective with her organization and is now steeped in a community project about family empowerment. Learn more about Jasmin Noble’s journey and story in her Detroit is Different feature.

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S4E29 -Courage and Confidence are keys TeShayla Coates offers in Communications

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 16:17:24 -0000

Wisdom is the application of lived experience. TeShayla Coates has walked many paths in life, providing an in-depth relationship in understanding how to connect with people. Coates Communications gives clients assets to share their messaging locally and internationally. TeShayla’s path to building the business was from playing a role in retail services, paying for school out of pocket, and raising a child at a young age. Confidence and courage empowered TeShayla to bet on herself and venture on her own to start Coates Communications. Learn more about her journey and story.

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S4E28 -Detroit needs Guaranteed Basic Income -NOW! (Kofi Kenyatta)

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 16:08:47 -0000

Arlyssa Heard struggles with crushing debt from student loans and a high-interest car payment. The single mom was excited to get a promotion at her job, but did not want a huge raise.

“The extra $150 extra take-home in my paycheck meant losing benefits worth far more,” she said.

Detroit residents like Heard hear over and over again they’re to blame for their financial situations and the state of their neighborhoods. They’re told they can pull themselves up by the bootstraps if only they try hard enough. Yet the system that’s supposed to help Arlyssa keeps her from getting ahead.

Our current economic system is not working to improve the lives of people in this city. Every day, Detroiters are struggling to make ends meet while enduring exploitative, poverty-wage jobs and punitive, deficit-based social support programs. For decades now, Detroit has been ranked among the cities with the highest rates of poverty. As a native Detroiter, this sobering reality hits home. Detroiters deserve better…Detroiters demand better!

Guaranteed income is a powerful tool.

More than 100 community groups and faith leaders, residents and businesses have signed a letter to elected officials demanding that Detroit join the growing number of municipalities with a guaranteed income pilot. The goal is to push for a federally-funded guaranteed income by demonstrating the benefits. By setting aside at least $1.5 million in ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) dollars – to be matched by a philanthropic partner – we can invest in our Detroit neighbors immediately and lay the groundwork for much-needed changes to our social support systems.

Here’s how it works: Participants get recurring cash payments that they can use however they want, without any restrictions or preconditions. (Guaranteed income is different from Universal Basic Income, which distributes cash transfers to an entire population. Rather, guaranteed income distributes cash to a specific group of individuals who experience systemic challenges inadequately addressed by current programs.)

Direct cash is a proven tool that works. Data from multiple guaranteed income pilots across the country—as well as the expanded monthly Child Tax Credit in 2021—have shown that direct cash payments are one of the most efficient and effective ways to lift people out of poverty. Participants experience drastic improvements to job prospects, food and housing security, financial stability, and their overall well-being and mental health. We have to let go of harmful stereotypes that people experience poverty due to their own failings. We need to embrace a policy shift that recognizes that Detroit residents are experts in their own lives. People need investment in their goals and full control over their choices. They deserve the dignity to choose their pathways to economic mobility.

“We’ve made plenty of gains and we keep on climbing, but we aren’t at the level where we should be,” said Heard, who signed the letter calling for a guaranteed income. “We need this because when we benefit, everyone else benefits.”

What we’ve been doing to reduce poverty in this city isn’t working. Poverty is a policy choice, and as Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “The solution to poverty is to abolish it directly by a now widely discussed measure, the guaranteed income.” In this upcoming budget cycle, Detroit has an opportunity to take a step in this direction by making an investment in its greatest asset, the people.

Kofi Kenyatta is the Senior Policy and Practice Director at UpTogether. Via www.bridgedetroit.com

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S4E27 -Content Creation is Journalism when you apply skill, talent, and creativity for Chanel Stitt

Thu, 30 Mar 2023 17:49:16 -0000

Ypsilanti is a city between Detroit and Ann Arbor that mixes a bit of both culture. Chanel Stitt grew up in Ypsilanti with interest in Detroit. Detroit captured her heart at a young age. U of M Dearborn was Chanel’s gateway to activism, culture, entertainment, restaurants, and small business throughout Detroit. Chanel joined many student organizations and eventually interned with the Detroit Free Press. Today she covers many small businesses and local businesses throughout the city. We discuss Generation Z take on the quality of life through COVID-19, Detroit business, and social media.

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S4E26 -All Behind the Scenes of Events, Production, and Entertainment with Nina Payne

Thu, 30 Mar 2023 17:46:54 -0000

Entertainment, cultural events, and live productions add to the essence of Detroit Summers and make Detroit Winters enjoyable. Nina Payne and Foundation Management have been a key part of high-level productions for years. Now she will welcome a collection of her friends, colleagues, and contacts in the production world to share on the All Behind the Scenes podcast. Nina shares what’s kept her working in the field, her love for events, and why she is starting her podcast.

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S4E25 -Bigger pictures are filled with details for success, and Regina Ann Campbell proves this

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 21:07:24 -0000

The legendary Maryann Mahaffey took a chance to work with a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed Regina Ann Campbell while serving office. Today leading Build Institute Regina applies that same selfless understanding of the people to advocate for them to systems bigger than their present state. Business development, training, and opportunity are ideas that occupy Regina’s mind. Leading Build Institute, she’s facilitating relationships between the business system and Detroit’s Small Business owners to heighten the quality of life for Detroiters. Regina’s journey is an unexpected path that is rich in community, family, academics, and prosperous relationships. Check out the Detroit is Different feature of Regina Ann Campbell.

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S4E24 -Helping Families get the house to make their Home is what Tansley Stearns Loves to do

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 21:05:19 -0000

Buying a home is a benchmark of success and a sign of stability for economists and people in finance. For a family owning a home creates a place to develop culture, ethics, and find comfort. Tansley Stearns has assisted Michiganders in this journey leading Community Financial Credit Union. Tansley’s travel in career began in the world of marketing and communications. Early on in her career, she had the opportunity to work with a credit union in what has become a lifelong passion. In this interview, we discuss the Path to Homeownership, the value of diversity, and the relationship between the workplace & Generation Z. This dynamic interview explores Tansley’s drive to build relationships and bonds. Check out the Detroit is Different feature of Tansley Stearns.

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S4E23 -Came to Detroit for the Soul the East Coast did not have, Mahogany Jones

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 05:19:19 -0000

If Erykah Badu and Jill Scott rhymed over something with essence was the sound Mahogany Jones was searching for. An emcee battle led her to discover Detroit as the place with that for her. Mahogany is a world-traveling emcee that mixes energy, spirit, and joy to deliver live performances that win over the most hardcore hip-hop fan and the elder that hates rap music. Mahogany opens up about her music and Detroit's role in developing her sound. We explore the role of women emcees in hip-hop, popular culture, and hip-hop culture. Check out the vibe of Mahogany Jones in her Detroit is Different feature.

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S4E22 -Smart kids become Smart Moms, making the Smartest Children Myka Burley knows it

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 05:16:17 -0000

Intelligence is as different as Detroit. One of God's greatest gifts is how our minds process, interpret, and understand information and apply it. Myka Burley had a family of love that poured into brilliance from a young age. A Grandbaby Baby, Myka grew up doted and dolled over at an early age. The principles and ethics of spending time with her elders gave Myka a mature and discipline disposition that anchors her today. Myka works to connect people and communities experiencing the digital divide to resources to succeed in today’s world of information technology. This is while assisting her son to tap into his genius of invention and love for scientific engineering. Check out the Detroit is Different feature with Myka Burley better to understand the relationship between Family & Gifted Children.

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S4E21 -Missions bigger than self takes the courage of collectives, and Rebecca Irby has been gathering the people for that

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 15:16:33 -0000

New Jersey is more than the home of blue-collar work and the backdrop for Bruce Springsteen records; it’s a place filled with the grit and tough attitude Detroit has. Rebecca’s journey to Detroit started long ago, transversing many places. The grit and attitude place her right at home in Detroit. Rebecca’s start in missions much more significant than herself started with connecting students to essential support labeled as additional support. From a few schools, an initiative started by Rebecca was eventually implemented across the state of New Jersey. As the program's growth spawned, the realities and limitations of the political infrastructure of America imposed the capacity restrictions of working with the people vs. the corporations. This same bold attitude in collecting thought led Rebecca to dig deeper into her experience and skills through research, data, analysis, and how that can change the community. This is an informative discussion about how developing something takes an insightful commitment. Check out the Detroit is Different feature with Rebecca Irby.

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S4E20 -Why Belief and Faith are anchors in the life of Sherry Gay Dagnogo

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 15:11:46 -0000

Acknowledging the brilliance of being Gifted and the essence of being Beloved are ways family poured into Sherry Gay Dagnogo as a child. Her love for Detroit runs deep from a tradition of family working for the ‘Fords’ and walking with Faith. Gospel music, math, and science were platforms that grew Sherry’s confidence to take on the world. One of the first of many college graduates from her family, Sherry blazed an unprecedented path. Her passion for teaching and delivering the best education for students moved her into community work. Learn how she keeps pace, focus, and optimism that peaceful successes and opportunities can reign upon us all. Check out the Detroit is Different feature with Sherry Gay Dagnogo.

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S4E19 -Revolution inspires Creativity, and Gia Scott-Heron has that Legacy

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 01:25:04 -0000

Source Booksellers welcomed the poet, performer, and all-around creative Gia Scott Heron for a special in-store Detroit is Different podcast recording. Gia Scott-Heron is the daughter of the revolutionary artist and creative Gil Scott-Heron. Spectrum Legal Services, led by Attorney Michael Fortner, welcomed Gia here to perform in honor of the ‘Different Rules Documentary screening.

In the podcast, Gia opens up about the relationship between herself and creativity. Gia speaks to the growth in her voice and now vision in artistry. How her Father’s struggles with proclivities impacted the family. The beauty of Gia and Gil’s relationship is the ways they work together. The spirit and light of an empowering message with culture, revolution, and spirit speak in Gia’s works. Check this interview out to better understand Gia's and her family's strengths.

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S4E18 -Before Content Creation was conceptualized, Kristy Love was Creating

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 01:22:29 -0000

Kristy Love is a Detroit original sharing her love of life with the world. At a young age, Kristy began honing her talents in video, audio, graphics, and more. Taking lessons learned in her broadcast journalism major and applying them immediately strengthened Kristy’s confidence, talents, and skills. Kristy explains how exploring self-growth, motivations, and passions bounced her back. We discuss the pressures of expectations and misunderstandings we have of expectations. The love of process and self-discovery gave Kristy the tools to find purpose. This is an essential discussion about motivation and why. Today Kristy is publishing books, speaking at events, and coaching others on connecting to self-love and self-discovery. Check the Detroit is Different feature with Kristy Love out today.

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S4E17 -How a Jam Session became a Collective to become the Organization getting Detroit Artists performing music on stages, the Story of D Cipher

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 16:00:19 -0000

Jam sessions are a kinetic, eclectic, and improvisational expression of creativity. Juuni, Nique Love Rhodes, and Sophiyah E have expanded that energy into D Cipher. Juuni is a world-class drummer. Nique Love Rhodes is a band-leading emcee meshing live instruments and hip-hop. Sophiyah E is an expression of keys and mixed medium art. Together with (Allandra Bulger, aka Insite The Riot) created a mastermind collective of musicians, a non-profit advocating for music equity in Detroit and beyond. Juuni, Nique, and Sophiyah E sit down with Detroit is Different and open up about how, why, and what their work means to Detroit’s musical performance artists. Learn how their roots connect to deeper culture across the diaspora into Haiti, Jamaica, New Orleans, and certainly Detroit’s Joy Rd.

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S4E16 -As Trauma Opened his eyes to the World, Faith guided the vision for Dexter Sullivan

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 16:00:00 -0000

Dexter Sullivan’s family’s roots are grounded deep in Detroit. Passion for the people, culture, and essence of Detroit is the reality for Dexter Sullivan. Today his work in mentorship, communication, and Faith all place him in positions of influence nationally. In his Detroit is Different feature, we discuss the ways he discovered opportunity in having the courage to leave Detroit for Tulsa, OK. The Oral Roberts graduate further developed skills, talent, and self-confidence. Returning to Detroit, Dexter better understands how he plays a role in all community development. We also discuss the lack of Black Men in the church and why. This feature is a fruitful discussion.

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S4E15 -On Campus organizing led Brandon Jessup into Social Justice Fights with Data & Technology

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 13:08:16 -0000

Eastern Michigan University welcomed one of the largest collections of Legacy Black Detroit students from 2000 – 2015. Ypsilanti was filled with an active Black Greek Life, Spoken Word Poetry collectives, Open Mic Hip-hop, and a rebellious NAACP Chapter. Brandon Jessup was one of the Legacy Black Detroiters ready to debate, challenge, and engage any students about the best practices and methods towards advocacy and empowerment. Brandon’s brash attitude and intellect connected him to the Proposal 2 Affirmative Action fight. Since then, he has become an experienced analyst in political strategy and community organizing. In this Detroit is Different, I introduce you to one of my homies and a key asset for Detroit politics, Brandon Jessup. We discuss voter suppression, political media, Black Male Leadership in Detroit, and more.

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S4E14 -The Afro-Latina experience of 90’s Detroit & Puerto Rico has shaped Angela Lugo-Thomas’ World

Wed, 08 Feb 2023 13:00:14 -0000

The 1990s welcomed the talking points of melting point, the Browning of America, and English as a Second Language programming. Today these concepts are seen as insensitive at worse and antiquated at best. For Angela Lugo-Thomas, the dual reality of living in Detroit and Puerto Rico impacted her deeply. Metro-Detroit is home to many cultures of the Arab world, Asian world, and a huge Mexican population. The ways other Latino cultures have a presence in Detroit are similar to the Caribbean cultures here. Living as a proud Boriqua (Puerto Rican Woman) left an impression on Angela to love culture and understand the value of identity. As a wife and mother, this has strengthened her journey of connecting with Highland Park’s social & political landscape. Today Angela has raised a family in Highland Park and poured love, commitment, and understanding into the city initiative. Our interview discusses the relationship between Highland Park & Detroit & Michigan. Surprisingly this also has similarities to Puerto Rico and America. Check out this Detroit is Different feature with one of the anchors of Detroit’s Black Land Farmer Fund.

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S4E13 -Almighty Dreadnaughtz, Big Proof, and a Grand Dad protecting Linwood’s Black Jesus, Supa Emcee has stories to tell

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 03:29:49 -0000

Battle rapping, performing, break dance, and hip hop culture captured the heart and mind of Supa Emcee as a child. One of the youngest emcees to cipher and freestyle with Proof (RIP & honor) has become a staple in all things Highland Park, MI. Kent ‘Supa Emcee’ Brown has used hip-hop as a gateway through Hollywood, NYC, Atlanta, and every stage rapper's travel in Detroit. His charisma and presence are signatures and are recognized by any that have witnessed his talents. His music and voice have become part of Detroit’s hip-hop soundtrack. We discuss the Almighty Dreadnaughtz, Iron Fist Record, Proof, also the interesting relationship his grandfather had with Linwood Ave’s Black Jesus.

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S4E12 -Curiosity of the Detroit Everything is what drives Daily Detroit and Jeremiah Staes

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 13:30:52 -0000

Gaining an understanding of Detroit culture has grounded Jeremiah Staes for a lifetime. Living a life in a majority Black populated and politically influenced city gives Jeremiah a different perspective on Metro Detroit. A Mother that passed at a young age and a Father that was a visual artist added to Jeremiah's connection to the city. Raised in the culture of Detroit's artisan class of the 80s and 90s impacted his belief in arts, his need for culture, and his love for the city. We discuss the start of Daily Detroit and how independent media is Different than traditional media. From years of experience working in TV news, he knows the depth of understanding that most Detroit news needs. The lens of race and class color all Detroit issues, and exploring them are imperative. In this interview, we talk about content. Why giving voice to Detroit stories is essential too. Check out the full Detroit is Different feature of Daily Detroit founder Jeremiah Staes.

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S4E11 -The Sweet Spot of the Avenue of Fashions with April Anderson of Good Cakes and Bakes

Wed, 18 Jan 2023 14:48:15 -0000

The Sweet Spot of the Avenue of Fashions is Good Cakes and Bakes. April Anderson loved baking sweets and witnessing people fall in love with her gift. After college, career, grad school, and marriage, she makes the entrepreneurial leap. Her story is about learning to develop quality sweets and business systems and enjoying the process. April’s understanding of where she fits into her business is explored here. Many gems are shared about money, time, family, and balancing the self.

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S4E10 -Mission, Vision, and Purpose aren't just words for Racheal Allen

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 15:55:44 -0000

Mission, vision, and purpose are associated with organizational development. Racheal Allen has spent a lifetime re-entering herself around these concepts. Racheal's journey from Southern California to Detroit Eastside's Sojourner Truth homes is a start to a grand understanding of the Detroit Community. Racheal is a Margrove graduate and now works on the campus of Marygrove, bringing to life the business dreams of others. In this interview, her experience as a daughter, mother, manager, salesperson, wife, and creative are expressed in love. Learn so much more behind the mind of a woman advocating empowering Black women entrepreneurs through Operation School.

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S4E9 -Disco Tech by Detroit Digital Justice Coalition with Kodjo Lee

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 15:27:37 -0000

In the Fall of 2022, The Detroit Digital Justice Coalition green-lighted Tawana Honeycomb Petty bringing together an eclectic mix of creative working in technology, media, and music to deliver a DiscoTech. DiscoTechs, short for Discovering Technology, has the potential to provide a positive and hopeful experience for youth and seniors, creating a platform where we can teach and learn with each other in ways that allow us to investigate ourselves and our communities. This creates pathways toward solving problems collectively rather than waiting for others to solve them. The Disco Tech allowed families to engage with electronics, the internet, the community, media, and public policy inside their community. At Alkebu-Lan Village on Detroit’s Eastside, attendants had the bonus of delicious vegan pizza from its Food Detroit and roller skating to enjoy their time. Detroit is Different was there to gather perspective from a series of attendants creatively offering this dynamic event.

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S4E8 -Disco Tech by Detroit Digital Justice Coalition with Megan Douglass

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 15:26:24 -0000

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S4E7 -Disco Tech by Detroit Digital Justice Coalition with Mindful B Anthony

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 15:25:16 -0000

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S4E6 -Disco Tech by Detroit Digital Justice Coalition with Mama Myrtle

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 15:23:51 -0000

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S4E5 -Disco Tech by Detroit Digital Justice Coalition with Tawana Honeycomb Petty

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 15:21:26 -0000

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S4E4 -Disco Tech by Detroit Digital Justice Coalition with DJ Jungle

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 15:16:09 -0000

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S4E3 -Disco Tech by Detroit Digital Justice Coalition with G Mac

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 15:06:12 -0000

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S4E2 -Black Leaders Detroit is a lifelong mission for Dwan Dandridge

Sat, 31 Dec 2022 15:13:55 -0000

Self Determination and collective responsibility are pillars in the principles of Kwanzaa, but also ethics of life. Dwan Dandridge’s work with Black Leaders Detroit challenges Black people to delve deeper into our resources to resource our organizations, businesses, and entrepreneurs. Dwan’s story of arriving in this space is a mix of commitment to community, development of a business, and passion for supporting Black people. Dwan’s dynamic journey to founding and leading Black Leaders Detroit began from his testimony in learning best practices to build infrastructures that can empower others and support families. We talk about George Washington, San Antonio, School to Prison Pipeline, and even Detroit is Different’s original guest Malik Yakini. Dive deep into the mind of an authentic and collaborative thinker in Dwan Dandridges’ Detroit is Different feature.

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S4E1 -Hope Village Revitalization's Native Son takes the helm of Leadership, Congratulations Jeff Jones

Fri, 30 Dec 2022 15:12:05 -0000

Community leadership in Detroit looks in many ways. Jeff Jones is stepping into an uncommon community leadership position a community resident leading a community development corporation. Hope Village Revitalization is the community development corporation Jeff Jones now leads as President/CEO. He has spent his whole life walking around, talking with, and enjoying the residents of the HVR community. Formerly the organization's board president, he now proudly assumes the role of President and CEO. Jeff’s passion for the community and what can be done is abundant. Witnessing the changes that have impacted the quality of life for HVR residents and the welcoming of more renters into a traditional home ownership area are concepts Jeff understands and intimately knows. Jeff shares what to expect from HVR in the future with personality, honesty, and enthusiasm.

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S3E35 -Dr. Carl Taylor and Yusef Bunchy Shakur talk about Legacy Detroit and Black Detroit Today

Wed, 28 Dec 2022 15:00:17 -0000

Ph.D. studies are immersive. Dr. Carl Taylor stands as a native Detroiter that’s traveled the world as a professor, writer, and researcher. To many across Detroit, he is an ally to brothers like Yusef Bunchy Shakur. As Yusef is moving closer to completing his Ph.D., his relationship and bond with Dr. Taylor have strengthened. This Detroit is Different was a special feature welcoming you as a guest to a conversation shared about the ways the community has changed. The concept of the Third City and the Third Hood are highlighted. This discussion is a preview of the State of Black Detroit Address hosted on Friday, December 30, 2022, at the Mama Akua Community House.

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S3E34 -The owner of the Green House is Marvin Elliot, this is his Story

Mon, 26 Dec 2022 15:00:06 -0000

Marvin Elliot is the owner of the Green House where the Means Logistical Park is being built around his residency. Marvin shares his story of how a development imposed upon his neighborhood has ruined his quality of life. This was a powerful one-on-one discussion of how corporations violently engage communities like Highland Park and Detroit.

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S3E33 -Khursheed Ash-Shafii from resident, to activist to Public Service

Sat, 24 Dec 2022 15:00:53 -0000

Khursheed made his way to Highland Park, MI, from Chicago’s Northside. He came to HP looking for a home for his family that supported his Islamic faith and entrepreneurial spirit. In 2010 he learned from a home-buying program in Highland Park that HP needs much more love. Since a deal in bad faith to buy a home, Khursheed has been driven to provide justice to HP residents that have been wronged. Today he is a city council elect candidate and is fighting more valiantly for citizens. This is an informative and spirited discussion about rights, wrongs, and the will of the people.

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S3E32 -Justice for Legacy Detroiters moves in all ways for Sarida Scott

Wed, 21 Dec 2022 15:25:07 -0000

From the Eastside to Renaissance High School Sarida Scott is deeply rooted in Legacy Detroit. She joins Detroit is Different to open up about her story and her family story. Learn the relationship between education, family, and love that built her vision. Sarida tells her story in activism and empowering activists. We also discuss how development is imposed on communities using resources allocated for people who rarely access them. This was an insightful interview.

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S3E31 -Community Meeting Sued Last Summer (the Violent Act of Industrial Gentrification)

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 19:23:37 -0000

The renaissance and revitalization of Metro-Detroit is a story being told by corporate media. The story of how a city rose from the ashes of bankruptcy under the visionary leadership of Mayor Mike Duggan and business leader Dan Gilbert is a story that reaches media outlets worldwide. The media has exhaustive stories of how risk-taking visionaries like John Hantz and Chris Lambert utilize the barren and blighted space of Detroit to build. The other side of this story involves the story of how these projects involve, engage, and include the residents that reside in these Detroit communities.

Detroit is Different is located in a community labeled as impoverished, blighted, and a resource desert. Currently, a development project is impacting Detroit is Different and our neighbors. The Means Logistical Park is a warehouse development that the project that now enters our community.

This is an introductory presentation of how the Means Logistical Park impacts our community. The core of this presentation is a filmed community meeting. Exerts of interviews with Highland Park City Council Elect Khursheed Ash-Shafii and Highland Park homeowner Marvin Elliot are also included.

If you have any questions and/or comments on this matter, please email kharyfrazier@detroitisdifferent.com.

If you are interested in supporting Detroit is Different please give to Cash App $detroitisdifferent and/or Paypal paypal.me/detroitisdifferent today.

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S3E28 -Devon O’Reilly talks NeighborHUB Grant and more

Thu, 08 Dec 2022 16:14:44 -0000

Devon grew up a basketball junkie in Dearborn, MI. His love for sports led to a passion for Sports Marketing. Today he works with the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce to empower small businesses. The NeighborHUB Grant was awarded to Detroit is Different to support our 2022 a Lot of Studio project. The grant helps businesses and non-profits in Detroit fulfill projects and programs in underserved communities. Devon opens up his ideas of Detroit business culture, engaging community, and more. Devon, as a podcaster, asks me questions too. This was a rich discussion about Detroit, business, community, and what empowerment looks like moving forward.

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S3E29 -Renegotiating Power between the DIA and the Community

Wed, 07 Dec 2022 16:38:52 -0000

Halima Afi joined Detroit is Different to share information about an upcoming public meeting on December 19, 2022 for the Wayne County Arts Institute Authority. The DIA currently receives $25-$30 Million dollars per year in public funding through the Tri-county millage. Over the next ten years, the DIA will receive an estimated $330M! In the current service contract, only $1.3M/yr of this funding is assigned to specific activities; the remainder is spent entirely at the DIA's discretion, i.e. with no public oversight In 2022, the Service Agreements that define the relationship between the DIA and the Tri-counties are up for renewal. This is a once-in-a-decade opportunity to renegotiate the relationship between the DIA and the community. Right now is a once-in-a-decade opportunity to negotiate a better deal for the residents of Wayne County, as they are set to sign the new Service Agreement on December 19, 2022! Please tell the Wayne County Arts Institute Authority DO NOT SIGN the new Service Agreement with the DIA until: There are Checks and Balances in place! There is 100% transparency and reporting on ALL public (millage) money! There is a process for public input and participatory budgeting! There is a commitment of public dollars going toward the local arts ecosystem! $15/hr min. for all workers at the DIA!

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S3E27 -Greg McKenzie gives the how-to guide on building the World’s Largest Kwanzaa Kinara

Wed, 07 Dec 2022 15:49:15 -0000

Greg McKenzie celebrates Kwanzaa by living and honoring the Nguzo Saba daily. 2022 tasked Greg with the mission of building the World’s Largest Kwanzaa Kinara for Detroit. In this interview, he shares the project management of what it took and how he made it happen. I also provide more context to Kwanzaa and its role in the Black community. Detroit’s annual celebration will be honored at King Solomon Baptist Church this year. Learn about the steel, wood, engineering and work needed to make this idea come to life.

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S3E26 -Moving UpTogether in Community with Kofi Kenyatta

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 12:19:00 -0000

‘Free Game’ is what we call valuable information that can be applied to life. Kofi Kenyatta joined me to share ideas and ‘Free Game’ from the lens of UpTogether. UpTogether is a national organization with hundreds of thousands of members that focuses on empowering the community. UpTogether is an organization that listens to the community and follows the lead of the grassroots leaders in our neighborhoods. This interview speaks to reparations, electoral politics, capitalism, and community leadership. We also introduce the brand new podcast ‘Moving UpTogether,’ which explores the dynamics of these subjects and much more.

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S3E25 -Detroit City’s Multi-Billion Dollar Budget is being decided on, and the People’s Platform lets you know YOU HAVE A SAY!

Wed, 16 Nov 2022 03:49:33 -0000

Theo Pride from the Detroit People’s Platform joined Detroit is Different again to give an overview of Detroit’s Multi-Billion dollar budget. Did you know how much money Detroit has to spend beyond the general fund on Detroit? Do you know Detroit has hundreds of millions allocated to home and building demolition? Pride breaks down how money can be reallocated to keep Detroit homeowners in homes.

This interview is an interactive experience highlighting the PowerPoint presentation that the Detroit Peoples’ Platform created to educate us on the Detroit budget. The City council has till February 2023 to approve the year’s upcoming budget. We can all add our thoughts, suggestions, wants, and needs to this budget by emailing yourbudget@detroitmi.gov (CC info@detroitpeoplesplatform.org). This accountability will help strengthen our communities and neighborhood.

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S3E24 -Boniswa Brock knows Every Child is a Genius

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 13:45:23 -0000

Boniswa Brock is a fifth-generation educator. The tradition of education her family leads is institution building. Boniswa’s passion for science began early, questioning life and discovering nature. What began as questions have led to a career empowering young people with the gift of discovery. Mama Boniswa was one of my many beloved teachers at the African-Centered School Aisha Shule. She shares how motherhood and the bond with children led her to her family’s calling. Today she is opening a school inside Avalon Village carrying the African Centered wholistic traditions with Mama Shu.

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S3E23 -Science, Arts, and Family are all explored by Raenita Glover

Wed, 02 Nov 2022 15:07:16 -0000

Rae is a creative that dives in and out of many disciplines. Rae is a Detroit Eastsider that lived throughout the Eastside as a child. In this interview, Rae opens up about family and how from Georgia to Detroit’s Eastside was a gateway for her roots. Experience the balance of family and life and why it impacts last generations. Rae shares her work with the Better Detroit Youth Movement and why it was important for her to mentor, learn from and engage young people. For over a decade now Better Detroit Youth Movement has provided outlets for art and access to opportunity for young people.

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S3E22 -Black Enterprise, 2000's Blogging, and Internet Radio all in the Quincy Q Lewis Story

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 19:06:08 -0000

E Block Radio is one of the many media offerings by Quincy Q Lewis. What started as fun between friends has become a staple in Detroit podcasting. Lewis has experience in journalism that goes back to Black Enterprise and being mentored by the late great Mr. Earl Graves. Lewis shares his journey from Martin Luther King Jr. Sr high school football to journalism today. Eastern Michigan University, Charles Woodson, 911, CNN, Podcasting for Black people, and so much more are all shared. Lewis is a big voice in podcasts and opens up about how and why Detroit is Different.

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S3E21 -The Detroit Bus in the 1980s and 1990s with Charles Wilson

Wed, 19 Oct 2022 15:20:03 -0000

Charles Wilson joins Detroit is DIfferent to discuss the Detroit Department of Transportation bus system in the 1980s and 1990s. Wilson shares how as a Vietnam vet, he navigated beyond that to sustain his family. He shares stories from famous routes like Fenkell, Woodward, Dexter, and Gratiot. Wilson also opens up about how Detroit's poor busing route system kept many passengers from arriving to work on time. Learn the difference between Chicago, New York, and LA bus systems. The agreement between SMART bus and Detroit. It was an interesting and insightful interview with Mr. Wilson.

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S3E20 -Dr. Sebi, Laila Africa, and other Natural Healers all worked with Dr. Jesse Brown

Mon, 12 Sep 2022 00:22:17 -0000

In 1987 the Detroit Wholistic Center launched on Dexter and Clairmount. Dr. Jesse Brown opens up about how he saw a need for natural healing in our community. For over 30 years, alkaline water, treatments beyond mucous and PH, and so much more were all knowledge provided by Dr. Brown. In this interview, learn more about his methods in healing and natural life. Today he leads the Wholistic Training Institute online with classes for those interested in the wisdom of natural self-care.

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S3E19 -Helping lead Detroit Public School Community District towards success against odds but with faith & vision, Angelique Peterson Mayberry

Wed, 07 Sep 2022 02:23:19 -0000

Vision, faith, and community anchor Angelique Peterson Mayberry. Detroit Public School Community District Board president (running for her second term currently) has worked tirelessly to ensure DPSCD is ready to fulfill students' dreams. Her work to empower students, teachers, parents, administrators, and community groups grew from the work ethic that committed her to Ford Motor Company and UAW. Madam President opens up about her son’s organizing of a school walkout to further encourage her can-do spirit. Today DPSCD has more strides to make, but in the shadows of the pandemic, DPSCD is much more efficient than other media reports. Learn of her vision, responsibility, and passion for her position.

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S3E18 -Black Children need educators that know the Black Experience, Marini C Lee

Wed, 31 Aug 2022 14:59:41 -0000

Stanford University undergraduate in education led a Bay area grad to Michigan State University and the mitten state. Marini C Lee is enthusiastic and driven to connect best with Black students. For years her passion built Summer, After School, and Weekend teaching efforts throughout Black communities. This Saturday, she kicks off another with the Literacy Lounge that will take place at Harmony Café at 12041 Dexter Blvd (visit www.gracelearning village.org for more information. Marini opens up about the disconnect between students, schools, and the community inside the Black community. Her steps in empathy, understanding, and resourcing students and teachers are eye-opening. Check out this great interview with Marini C Lee.

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S3E17 -Corina Malone opens up about how Hustler’s Spirit is the Family Business

Wed, 24 Aug 2022 05:11:35 -0000

Engineering is a discipline often misunderstood. Engineering is creative problem-solving. Design, bio-medical, civil, and social engineers are common disciplines where engineering is applied. Detroit is an American oasis of many engineers from across the world. Corina Malone’s education in Bio-Medical Engineering has led her on a path leading to Premier Care Physical Therapy today. In her Detroit is Different feature, she opens up about growing up across Detroit and even Southfield. The hustle and resilience of her family are crystalized in this feature. She sees Corina’s focus as an extension of her mother's work, Uncles, and more. This story features the world-famous Dapper Don, the Street Lords, and everything YOU need to know about experiencing injury from a car accident.

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S3E16 -John Cloud shares his dynamic family background and how now his hip-hop is healing

Wed, 10 Aug 2022 12:19:43 -0000

John Cloud is an emcee that has witnessed and participated in the origins of Detroit Hip-hop. His time in Home Grown, performing across the nation and region, shaped his understanding of performance. Currently, he is crafting the ‘Black Cloud’ album with producer Joe Black. The project is recorded at the Detroit is Different incubator and captures the essence of late 90’s & 2000’s hip-hop with lyricism & musicality. John Cloud opens up about his past on this project. For his Detroit is Different feature, Cloud shares the story of his family in Alabama, his family from Baltimore, and healing from witnessed trauma as a child. Watching the murder of his father at the age of seven is explored within the interview and album. John Cloud’s story is interesting and certainly a glimpse into what makes Detroit Different!

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S3E15 -Photography in the Lux Experience and Luxe Collective with Brandi Young

Thu, 04 Aug 2022 14:45:15 -0000

Brandi Young is the STEM student that added the A for STEAM. A Cass Tech graduate and proud Eastside Detroiter, her path to supported success began from parents instilling the values of hard work. Today Young leads the Lux Collection birthed from her work with Navy B Rae Photography. After graduating from Oakland University, she began work in project management in technology. Her artistic calling for photography brought her back to the hobby she loved as a child. Today her once hobby is a thriving business that has become an enterprise welcoming partners, clients, and a wealth of referrals. “We create an experience for you with no stress,” Brandi Young describes the Lux experience. Learn about the vision of the Luxe Collective experience. Get the opportunity to offer the customer service immersive approach for your business with the Lux Collection. Check out the interview with Brandi Young and contact her directly on Instagram at @navybraephotography.

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S3E13 -Make-up in the Lux Experience and Luxe Collective with Shay Bailey

Thu, 04 Aug 2022 14:24:46 -0000

Oakland University brought together a friendship circle that is now a business group. Lux Collection offers a unique glamour experience for clients seeking an inclusive photography experience to capture photography that expresses personality, character, and style. Shay Bailey adds the touch of makeup to the glamour experience matching clients' personalities with her artistry. Bailey grew up embracing art and transitioned from canvas to faces and skin for her expression. Working years in corporate and freelance spaces, Bailey has captured some of Detroit’s most iconic figures, and her touch has been seen by you before. Learn about the vision of the Luxe Collective experience. Get the opportunity to offer the customer service immersive approach for your business with the Lux Collection. Check out the interview with Shay Bailey and contact her directly on Instagram at @shaybbeautiful.

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S3E12 -Healthy Stores in a Black Community DeShanda Edwards (Project Enhanced Fitness)

Wed, 27 Jul 2022 04:25:05 -0000

Enhanced Fitness is more than a business name for DeShanda Edwards it’s a lifestyle. The lifelong Detroiter applied her passion for exercise and supplements and started a business. Today 2715 Puritan Ave Detroit MI 48238 Mon – Fri 10 am – 6 pm (9 am – 6 pm Sat) are the welcoming hours for your to experience Project-Enhanced Fitness. DeShanda offers a health solution in the heart of a Detroit community needing healthy options. Her journey residing throughout Detroit’s vast Westside as a child and eventually attending and graduating from Northwestern HS (my alma mater) provided her some insight into Detroit culture. After HS, she graduated from Northwood University with a dual degree in management and marketing, assisting in her current business growth. In this interview, learn about sea moss, vitamin D, Northwestern HS’s great teachers, and how to grow a business in a Black neighborhood.

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S3E11 -Changing the Narrative Live Discussion with Jazz Legend Stanley Clarke and Mutual Aid leader Stephanie Rearick

Wed, 27 Jul 2022 03:11:09 -0000

Detroit is Different supporter Kim Sherobbi invited me to co-host a discussion held at Marygrove College Sunday, July 24. Jazz icon Stanley Clarke performed and spoke in support of his son Frank for the How We Will Change conference hosted in Detroit this past weekend. I hosted this discussion with my podcast network partner in creativity Piper Carter. Stephanie Rearick also performed her interactive blend of folk music and spoke about her commitment to Mutual Aid work. The discussion was impactful. Talking points from Detroit Jazz great Ralphe Armstrong and founder of B More Radio Dennis Talbert are also shared.

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S3E10 -Family, Community, Farming, and Black make up Erin Bevel

Wed, 13 Jul 2022 12:20:40 -0000

From the East Coast to Metro Detroit was the journey for a young Erin Bevel. Today the Howard University professor and law school graduate is driven by family and towards Black Liberation. Black Farmers Land Fund, Detroit Black Food Security Network, and Mollywop are creative, cultural, and professional works for Erin, but family is first. In this interview, we explore her work in Washington DC inside the capital and learn the inner workings of our government. Today Erin is an asset to Detroit's Grassroots Black Community.

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S3E9 -Building Community Value and the work with Chase Cantrell

Wed, 13 Jul 2022 12:14:02 -0000

Building Community Value is beyond conceptual for Chase Cantrell. The visionary leader of the organization has taken his talent and skill set and applied this ethic. The Building Community Value Detroit organization has been providing lessons in property development for Detroiters for years now. Chase's journey as an Attorney in real estate law, U of M student in the Prop 2 fight, and Renaissance Phoneix all provide layers of knowledge and understanding. In this interview discover his work at Mr. Alan's, his love for the Cooley HS neighborhood, and his vision for West 6 Mile rd.

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S3E8 -Gary Anderson Artistic Director of Plowshares Theater Company

Thu, 07 Jul 2022 15:01:51 -0000

Hastings Street is a work that Plowshares Theater Company is in the best position to present. July 21 – 31 at Detroit’s Music Hall the company re-launches post-COVID-19 welcoming audiences to a very special show. The show captures the story of the center of Detroit’s historic Black Bottom community. The musical captures the essence of Jazz, song, Soul, and much more. In this Detroit is Different feature Gary Anderson that is the Artistic Director of Plowshares Theater Company opens up about this show and much more. Learn about his journey to Detroit and Wayne State University’s theater program in the 1980s and Detroit 1980s being an eclectic center. Check out this feature on Gary Anderson and the work of bringing to live theater in Detroit for decades.

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S3E7 -Alyssa Space is making up a standard of Beauty

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 10:38:51 -0000

Beauty is a philosophy in Western studies. Aesthetics make up the study of what Western scientists have written and expressed as the standard of beauty. The challenge in this philosophy is that the objectivity of beauty is dependent upon background, taste, and culture. In America, the standard of beauty for people outside of Western civilizations arch is prominent and abundant. Alyssa Space is a chemist with a concentration in skin and beauty design. Alyssa’s work developed For Her cosmetics. This line of beauty products is natural, safe, and expressly embraces the shades of Black beauty cosmetic lines don’t embrace. Alyssa’s journey as a chemist, entrepreneur, and creative is explored in this interview. Learn about water testing, natural standards, and why it’s important for Black women to be in the space of cosmetology design and manufacturing.

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S3E6 -Putting in Work and getting Results, Director Kwende "Street Lord Rook" Ried

Wed, 15 Jun 2022 03:01:53 -0000

Independent films from Detroit have taken the industry by storm. The narratives of street life are being captured in live-action with the minds of Detroit’s historic Hip-hop scene at the helm. Filmmaker Kwende "Steet Lord Rook" Ried, joined Detroit is Different to talk about his new feature ‘Chedda Boys’ premiering next Friday, June 24 at Bel Air Luxury Cinema (tickets on Eventbrite). We talk about the work of producing, directing, writing, and casting films. Rook shares his vision of reaching higher and higher goals.

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S3E5 -Community Voice & Relationships are Detroit Councilmember Tate’s Keys to Success

Wed, 15 Jun 2022 02:57:32 -0000

Radio, Television, Broadcast, and Media were the life James Tate led before serving the city of Detroit as a council member. Entering a third term in the seat today Tate’s understanding and perspective for what council is expected to do, what council does, and how that balance is anchored is key. In this interview (my first with a sitting Detroit city council member) we explore District 1 and its roots there. We also discuss the marijuana ordinances (city laws) Councilmember Tate has sat at the helm on since his start on the council. The vision Councilmember Tate sees for providing access for local Detroiters to make and shape the ways marijuana will change the city. Business and community and the ways businesses enter the community were insightful in this discussion. Check out the Detroit is Different feature with Councilmember James Tate. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different.

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S3E4 -Why do Detroiters feel unheard Today? with Orlando Bailey

Wed, 01 Jun 2022 06:16:36 -0000

Detroit, and particularly Detroit's Eastside fills the mind, heart, imagination, and ambition of Orlando Bailey. A voice for the Authentically Detroit Podcast, host of the Urban Consulate community conversations, and journalist for Bridge Detroit Orlando speaks life to the history while embodying the present and future of the city. In this interview, we explore his roots in the community and why he was drawn back to Detroit from college. We also speak to the Tell Us Detroit Community Town Hall Series presented by Detroit is Different & Bridge Detroit hosted by myself (Khary Frazier) & Orlando Bailey. Learn our opinions on why we recognize the voiceless feeling many Detroiters have in media.

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S3E3 -Detroit Diaspora Day Party with Drake Phifer

Thu, 26 May 2022 13:27:07 -0000

Urban Organic is the brand and it was a vision of Drake Phifer. The vision was a place and space for cool Soul and people to vibe together. In the early 2000’s the space for Neo Soul, Afro Beat, House, and Future music from a Black lens was rare.

Today 20 years later the brand has traveled the Metro Detroit area, Michigan, the Nation and world alike. This weekend the brand carries the essence with Day Party is King. In its 4th Memorial Day Installation, the Detroit Diaspora Day Party returns to delight dance floor fanatics both near and far with DJ sets from: Marilyn Griffin | Griffin Gardens, Phifedom | Urban Organic, Diviniti | HoneyComb Music, DJ Vern English | The Tandem, DJ Righteous | D.R.U.M.M, DJ Duane Powell | SoundRotation – Chicago

The day will include: 5PM- 6PM - Diaspora Tribute Dinner Honoring Zana Smith of Spectacles Boutique and internationally renowned musician, Amp Fiddler prepared by Chef Nik R Cole of Fried Chicken and Caviar

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S3E2 -Engineering, Design, Rock, & Rap ... all Creativity by Volcano

Wed, 18 May 2022 04:28:07 -0000

Engineering is a very creative discipline. Volcano's work to the masses for years was Hip-hop Artist & Rock & Roll Emcee. For over 15 years The Fillmore, CroFoot, The Emerald, are only a few venues in the area crushed by Volcano. As a recording engineer, rapper, music producer, and musician he's touched thousands. As an engineer and designer, he's changed the way we move in cars, planes, and even barbeque food. In this interview, we explore his family's roots from Mississippi to Detroit and the unique perspective of his family during America's Reconstruction era. Learn how Volcano has a niche in manual machining, 3d design, and building solutions to technical challenges. Check out how www.volcanicengineering.com is a staple and flagship for providing needed experience and knowledge for Black engineers.

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S3E1 -Dunham Dance built up Mayowa Reynold’s confidence as Pastor, Principal, and earn a Doctorate

Wed, 11 May 2022 03:51:48 -0000

Doctor in Theology, Principal of the Detroit High School for Fine & Performing Arts, Pastor of Fellowship Chapel, and my BIG cousin are only some of the titles held by Mayowa Reynolds. Joining me for a second Detroit is Different interview we discuss the role of mentoring and teaching. Her passion as a child was sparked and flourished through dance. Mayowa is one of the few and proud formerly trained Katherine Dunham dancers. Her start honing a craft and talent in a competitively formal space has empowered her role reaching heights of success. Today her passion is to inspire others and empower their dreams. We discuss differences between students today and ‘back in the day,’ and so much more. This was a fun and colorful interview which will inspire you.

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Mayor Monique Owens is Dynamic, Driven, and Divine

Wed, 04 May 2022 18:23:46 -0000

Mayor Monique Owens is dynamic, driven, and divine. For her, Detroit is Different interview Monique opened up how her love for East Coast Hip-hop and Church was a balance she found. This is the same energy that connects her as an Eastpointe resident turned Police Officer, Comedian, now Mayor, and candidate for State Senate. Monique Owens is what many identify as a trailblazer. Setting the standard high as an influential leader with poise, integrity, and historical determination, Monique Owens continues to show what excellence looks like. She was born in Detroit, Michigan, on February 21, 1984, and although she was considered gifted and inquisitive by her teachers, it was at the age of 34 years old when her historic journey began. Monique Owens was elected in 2017 as Eastpointe Michigan’s first black councilwoman. In 2019, only two years into her term, she decided to run for mayor and became Eastpointe’s first black woman and youngest mayor to hold office in Macomb County’s history.

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Are you in your Right s(h)elves? Sterling Toles MOCAD Exhibit

Wed, 27 Apr 2022 14:25:17 -0000

Sterling Toles key expression is love. Sterling's friendships and relationships are built on connecting people to his understanding of love. As a music producer, public speaker (when requested), DJ, and visual artist, Sterling's works make waves. His current visual art showing at the MOCAD is an exploration of how we identify ourselves through seeking external validation while lacking internal peace. The S(h)elf exhibit is showing in the white house space on the campus of MOCAD. The home welcomes you into the mind of Sterling's concepts on how we lack connection with others. The lack of connecting with others impacts how we love ourselves and best express who we are. There is a mix of paintings, display pieces, 3-D video work, and abstract interpretations. We discuss in depth how the showing came about and what his inspirations were for this show. Also learn about his peaceful approach toward creation.

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How the Government is excluding Black Business from the Marijuana Industry

Wed, 20 Apr 2022 13:03:38 -0000

The Marijuana movement is upon America. In my lifetime the taboo and underground world of indulging in Marijuana has now become a business of interest and popular culture.

State and local governments across the United States of America began sanctioning medical marijuana whereas now recreational use is welcome and open to the world. The federal government still classifies marijuana as a schedule 1 drug substance. This creates many banking and taxation challenges on a Federal level. These challenges are exclusionary barriers creating a very low glass ceiling for many Black business people to enter the marijuana industry.

Levels of capitalization, Internal Revenue Service code IRC 280-E, and the State of Michigan (and many others) Metric system all can be logistical nightmares if not executed well.

Greg Frazier CPA (my Father) comes back to Detroit is Different and shares his understanding and knowledge of the barriers in existence and the way to operate out of jail and debt entering the marijuana industry in Michigan. This is an in-depth video covering many of the ideas and concepts associated with accounting that are imperative to run, operate, and have a marijuana business in compliance with the US Government and the State of Michigan.

For more information and inquiries please contact Greg Frazier CPA at www.gregfraziercpa.com or through LinkedIn

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Tennis courts, homework houses, vendors market for women, basketball court, all from Mam Shu’s mind to Avalon Village

Mon, 11 Apr 2022 22:40:35 -0000

Buy the block is a phrase often spoken. Mama Shu was fulfilling this mission and purpose before the concept was trendy. Avalon street is a community that, in the mid to late 2000s, saw so much more attention and intentionality. During her many journeys, Mama Shu was drawn to the street owning and operating the Black Hole community space in unions and in partnership with others. Avalon started as a property she exclusively believed in and now welcomes tens of thousands annually to s actual space. Learn more of Mama Shu’s background at Kettering HS, Alkebulan Village, Aisha Shule, and even working at the Belle Isle Big Boys. Mama Shu is a staple in her neighborhood and has a can-do spirit to meet and match the creativity, vision, and passions through providing access and opportunity. Mama Shu’s willingness to dream big, think big, and act big has inspired many, many more (like myself) to engage the community. All this is through the lens of two sons tragically murdered, which pushes her through in spirit towards success.

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Men’s Healing Circles are developing holistic strength in our Community with Prostell Thomas

Mon, 11 Apr 2022 22:27:01 -0000

Mental Health is a buzzword today. The cohesive nature that makes up us all easily forgotten is Mental Health. Mental Health for Black men is genuinely an unspoken condition to heal, deal with, and prosper. Prostell Thomas joins Detroit is Different to open up about how to deliver in this space through the synergy of connecting with others. Learn about his time on Detroit’s historic North End, Aknartoons, Northern HS Jayhawks, etc. Prostell shares his process of spending mornings with music, technique, and thought to build up his resolve to engage the world. Please find out how he fills his tank to engage with many who feel like no one cares. Join HEAL: A Community Mental Health Conversation @ Avalon Village on April 24, 2022, 12 pm - 4 pm. Give to the GoFundme drive HEAL: A Mental Health COnversation as well.

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All Things Detroit is when Eastern Market has its the best offering of small business vendors to Pop Up Shop all because Jennyfer Crawford created it

Wed, 06 Apr 2022 12:58:31 -0000

All Things Detroit is a holiday honoring the event Jennyfer Crawford designed to help small businesses. What began in an apartment now has a partnership with Chase bank, welcomes thousands of buying guests, and sells out vending space for hundreds of vendors in days. All Things Detroit is a cultural experience because it’s an extension of the passion Jennyfer has for Pop-Up shops. Sunday, April 10, 2022, 10 am – 4 pm visit Eastern Market and see what All Things Detroit is all about. Watch the interview with Jennyfer Crawford to see how an idea becomes a plan than a reality. After the passing of Jennyfer’s father, her commitment to the mission and goal strengthened in the storm of the pandemic to keep going. How a woman grew her business that was 85% live events when live events were non-existent is phenomenal.

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How your Detroit business can get access to vendors giving at minimum $500,000 buys is through Buy Detroit … Keyra Cokely’s vision

Wed, 06 Apr 2022 12:56:47 -0000

If you have a business ready for national and international distribution, Buy Detroit is the event you need. Keyra Cokely of the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation had a vision of making the procurement and buy process between large-scale businesses and small Detroit businesses easy. The bonding, insurance, financials, and work are given a process Keyra has made plain for you. She opens up about how her grandfather’s view of plain business inspired this vision. Learn how Keyra’s understanding of fund development and process was groomed from real-life experience and wisdom. Her young age is anchored to the experience of reading everything she has seen working with the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation for years. Buy Detroit is a program that fits the niche for miscommunications and misunderstandings between businesses and industry. Learn how the event in July is only a start to changing the footprint of many Detroit small businesses.

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Friendship sparked through Mumford HS leads to a great podcast on Sisterhood, Spirit Says

Wed, 30 Mar 2022 10:48:10 -0000

The Spirit Says podcast is a space and place where we are welcomed into a conversation of two women driven to inspire the minds of young people and follow their spirits. Bria Warmsby & Korey Butler host the Spirit Says podcast. The focus of the podcast is welcoming listeners into the journey of where the Spirit moves Bria and Korey through life. Here meet how the Eastside culture of Detroit impacted both women. Inner City Sub Center, Eastland, Chandler Park, and Alkebu-lan Village are all highlighted in this interview. Connect to the essence of classic Detroit stories and Eastside Detroit culture.

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Imari Alaji shares how her experience in African & modern dance empowered her lifestyle to a business

Wed, 23 Mar 2022 14:51:35 -0000

As a professional Personal Fitness Trainer, Health/Wellness coach, stretch/yoga instructor, lifestyle+Mommy blogger; I understand that a big part of wellness can be attributed to physical fitness, however, it takes having balance in your Physical, Mental, Spiritual, and Emotional health to gain overall complete wellness and self-care.

A large part of self-care commitment is not only doing something “nice" for yourself but making sure we are replenishing all of the care and love we give so freely and effortlessly to our community, children, partners, family, staff, jobs, career, daily.

I have a combined 17 years of experience in health, wellness, and fitness. From following my first love as a professional dancer in world-renowned dance ensembles to training under master yoga instructors, to gaining fitness certifications, to spending years learning massage therapy, crystal healing, and much more. I take pride in knowing multiple angles of how to help incorporate wellness and healing practices for my fellow healers and community. I am passionate about helping people transform the lives of others by showing them how to gain the tools to practice wellness daily, live a happy/healthy, and fulfilled life. I offer custom workout regimes, tailored meal plans, and individualized coaching to help build healthy habits. Best of all, all these healing techniques and practices can be learned and absorbed virtually as well. This means you can fit in your workouts, meditation, and healing sessions with confidence in the comfort of your own home all while achieving the fitness/wellness goals you deserve.

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How Vegan Pizza is Brittany March’s way of building Community in Black Detroit

Wed, 02 Mar 2022 13:12:50 -0000

Brittany March has always found Detroit fascinating. Her story of basketball, Allen Iverson, and being the daughter of a Mumford HS teacher is classic. Brittany tells how Allen Iverson, hip-hop, fashion, and Hartford Memorial Baptist impacted her life. Learn how attending ‘Walled Lake Central HS’ and ‘Southfield High HS’ made an impression on her life, how her parent's desire to have her in a ‘good school’ was not the right fit for her. Discover how her time after school with her mother playing basketball at Mumford HS was a needed signature on her attitude, style, and love of Detroit. After pouring over, Brittany’s passion for Detroit city to create a documentary as a tapestry of stories of all types of Detroiters featuring Shushana Shakur led to her introduction to Khary Frazier (Detroit is Different). Hear Brittany’s impression of Detroit is Different in 2017. Learn how March’s passion for pizza is a grand vision for the community. Her lifestyle and understanding of Dr. Sebi’s work connect Brittany to want to make a pizza for children in the community to grow up loving. Find out how to make vegan pizza a pizza that tastes good and how Brittany’s research and work are paying off. Every Sunday and first Saturday, you can visit Alkebu-lan Village (7701 Harper Detroit MI) and try the fantastic menu of vegan pizza, snacks, and food. This was an almost tearful interview for me (Khary Frazier) as Brittany shares how Detroit is Different inspired her.

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Fighting Systemic Racism, Farming, and Family Business: Tusk (Hemp) Liquor

Wed, 23 Feb 2022 04:34:43 -0000

Elephants travel in packs and as a family. The story of the Tusk liquor brand connects deeply to that concept on many levels. Maurice ‘Mo’ Morton shares the story of how land originally purchased after his ancestors' enslavement created Tusk spirits. After enslavement, Mo’s great 5x grandparents purchased over 50 acres of land stolen through racial discrimination and later returned to the family in 1906. The disconnect from the farm in Halifax, VA, only recently brought the family back to tend the land. Upon wishes of Mo’s grandfather to his living decedent daughter, retired from the federal government and committed to not sale, lease, or lease her family’s land. Today collectively, the family built a hemp farming business that now produces Tusk spirits of vodka and rum. In this interview, hear the dynamic story of ingenuity, family, and entrepreneurship. At the Garden Theater, Tusk was another favorite at the inaugural Taste of Black Spirits event on Saturday, February 19, 2022. Tusk Spirits Rum & Vodka produced from Hemp seed | www.tuskspirits.com | Halifax, VA | Instagram: @tusk_the_brand |

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Dr. Kenfense Chike shares knowledge from his Ph.D. in African Centered Education & Africana Studies in American Education

Wed, 16 Feb 2022 16:49:24 -0000

Dr. Kenfense Chike joins Detroit is DIfferent for a fruitful interview about African Centered Education. His personal experience teaching at Aisha Shule and NSOROMA Institute only drove his Ph.D. on the topic. Currently, he is one of the eight instructors leading the Black Education Workshop Series hosted by Alkebu-lan Village every Saturday through March 26, 2022, 8:30 am - 1:30 pm (at Alkebu-lan Village & Online virtually). We discuss the call to action for African Centered Education and the spiritual values, confidence, and knowledge. Dr. Chike also shares what it took for these institutions to start. He provides how his Academia journey began from the Wayne State University protest for Black Studies on campus. How the Aisha Shule’s Pyramid Performing Theater African Drum and Dance supported the students protesting and locking themselves in at WSU sparked his interest. Kenfense explains how African Centered Education is a movement from revolution and the fight for independent schools (Freedom Schools). The Black and Brown people in this land want to build their children up with self-knowledge. Dr. Chike shares the naming brand of Aisha Shule; being a home for ‘the Gifted Child’ was a foundation of value. The spiritual sustenance African Centered Education provides a whole family.

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From Dayton to Detroit and the world of music, film, and performance for Tamara Jewel

Wed, 09 Feb 2022 04:31:12 -0000

Based on a True Story (BOATS) is the ep debut album effort from vocalist Tamara Jewel. Jewel’s vocals lace the soundtrack of many of Detroit’s most known hip-hop anthems (Payroll Giovanni, MJ the Don, and many others) and at the start of 2022, she released her first solo work. In this Detroit is Different interview we explore her start from Dayton OH (another D) to come to Detroit. The choir, church, poetry beginnings that led to her embracing the stage today are what sparked her journey connecting her creativity to the world. Jewel talks about the collective work of writing songs in unions with other artists and how to ensure the business is taken care of. BOATS is Jewel’s personal effort mixing personal experience and artistry to give songs like ‘Mr. Rebound’ and ‘If it Aint Love.’ Jewel's approach to the studio and work ethic of recording for self and production is her love and science. Finally, learn about Tamara’s love for acting on stage and film as well.

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Los Angeles, New York, and Leeds Alabama impact the approach of his art but Devin Laster’s Detroit roots center his Actions

Wed, 02 Feb 2022 18:47:58 -0000

Watercolors and acrylics are the paints Devin Laster loves. Laster’s Pop Art collection has featured Beyonce, Wolverine, the Obama Family, and many more. His take on colors, shadows, and shapes adds character to all people he captures. In this Detroit is Different feature we explore so much of what has led Devin to his passions. Devin’s first love for acting and performance began while attending Cass Tech learning under the tutelage of the historic Ms. McCormick. Devin shares what he learned then appearing in the Cass Tech production of School Daze and so much more. Devin provides insight on how being present of mind and availability through production has led to more and more opportunities. Living in Los Angeles now and formerly living in New York City, Devin opens up about the New York and Harlem feel. How working on the ‘Sweeter without Sugar’ film provided him a film credit at the age of 17. Finally, Devin talks about his current short film projects connecting him to work with Studio Lumumba and others.

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Shimekia Nichols shares how Green Justice, Family, Education, and Community Work is African-Centered

Wed, 26 Jan 2022 04:53:01 -0000

Living, working, and raising a family in Highland Park has committed Shimekia Nichols to a mission larger than just her own. The Executive Director of Souladarity has rich roots grounded from her family’s background in Detroit’s Southwest neighborhood 48217, known for being the most environmentally polluted zip code in Michigan. After that, in keeping pace with her creative, African-centered, and knowledge-seeking mother, Shimekia followed suit. An Aisha Shule & W.E.B. DuBois Preparatory Academy graduate Shimekia’s African-centered orientation to the world is put to the test as she and her organization work to restore the streetlights that were repossessed by DTE Energy in 2011. In this interview, she shares stories of her experience at Aisha Shule, one of the first African-centered institutions in the state; and the instruction there assisting in her confidence and journey. Shimekia shares how traditional 9-5 work left her disinterested and unfulfilled. The void led her to volunteer at D Town Farms, Detroit Food Security Network, and We The People Detroit. Witnessing the unified effort, peopled pace and strategic brilliance of Baba Malik Yakini and Monica Lewis Patrick inspired the path Shimekia walks today. Today she leads Souladarity, a small but mighty non-profit housed in Highland Park that has become a locally and nationally recognized leader in energy democracy that aims to be a model of energy resilience and Just-transition toward clean and community-owned solar. This movement in red, black, and Green environmental justice is a journey she shares as a Black woman with the goal of liberating divested communities and empowering them to become self-determining and subject matter experts in the solutions that address their own needs. Shimekia remains humble as she provides an understanding and balances style when it comes to the Black community and the Green Justice movement.

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African Centered Family, Education, & Food are Jefani Edison’s Orientation

Wed, 19 Jan 2022 03:16:28 -0000

Faniz Bites is the brainchild of Jefani Edison. The daughter of one of Detroit’s premier attorneys (Jeff Edison) has a business in meal prep, seasonings, and catering. Jefani opens up about her upbringing with parents centered in Pan-Africanism. Jefani talks about her love for Nataki Talibah and Howard University. Learn about her perspective on the similarities and differences between the chocolate city of Washington DC and Detroit. Jefani shares about her time working and managing LePetit Zinc as a Black woman operating a French restaurant in Detroit owned by a Black woman (Karima Sorel). Finally, Jefani talks about her business and how to connect with www.fanizbites.com and her seasonings. Get a better understanding of how she personalizes meals for diets, taste, people that don’t cook, and people that can’t cook.

Jefani Edison is the owner of www.fanizbites.com

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Deolis Allen III opens up about guiding the minds of Young Black Men navigating today

Wed, 12 Jan 2022 23:51:23 -0000

Michigan is a mid-western heartland welcoming people worldwide for beautiful Autumns, rich apples & cherries, and American tradition. The essence of the state through the lens of a Black Man magnifies the dual consciousness highlighted in literature by Ralph Ellison, Amiri Baraka, Richard Wright, Yusef Shakur, and many more. Deolis Allen III joined Detroit is Different to share his story giving an insightful perspective to this all. Allen was born in Ann Arbor as his parents finished their collegiate journeys at the University of Michigan. Allen’s parents eventually settled in the Highland Park community to stand as a presence of intellect, value, and success inside a Black community. Allen opens up about Cass Tech, Eastern Michigan University, and the role of Black men in the community. He provides a grand historical overview of the relationship between young men and older men. A member, facilitator, and teacher of the Better Men Outreach program, Allen shares how basketball has been a key in developing relationships and instilling value into young Black men of Detroit.

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State of Black Detroit 2022

Thu, 06 Jan 2022 19:14:47 -0000

January 1, 2022, Yusef Bunchy Shakur delivered the State of Black Detroit 2022 Address and it was impactful. Initially, Yusef defined Black Detroit and its importance. The depth of the relationship between the Great Migration, legacies of revolutionaries, history of resilience, and the bonds between families were prominently addressed in Yusef’s message. The interactive dynamic from Detroit is Different’s live stream was a success as well. Rev. Teferi Brent, Brandon Jessup, Nadia Love, Prostell Thomas, Alfonso Pugh, and many others all joined in providing perspective and insight.

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Yusef Bunchy Shakur on Collective Work and Responsibility

Wed, 29 Dec 2021 17:40:08 -0000

Yusef Bunchy Shakur joins Detroit is Different to talk about his upcoming State of Detroit address. Yusef Bunchy Shakur tells the story of how Henry Ford Hospital is gentrifying his neighborhood. Yusef shares how he has informed through hearsay that a closed meeting about the future of his community. Yusef walked into the meeting to witness an urban planner tell him his Mother’s house will not exist in Henry Ford Hospital’s plans. Yusef Bunchy Shakur tells the story of how his grandmother and kept morals, character, and integrity. The discussion moves on to share what role social capital plays in a Black neighborhood.

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Greg Frazier CPA on Business, Family, & Black Community (Father & Son)

Thu, 23 Dec 2021 16:22:33 -0000

Greg Frazier CPA was born in Little Rock, AR but grew up in Cincinnati, OH. In this interview, he opens up about his childhood and father (my grandfather Don Scott). We explore the dynamics of his upbringing and motivation to prove himself to his father. We also provide the perspective of Don Scott and his brilliance and business and vision.

Greg Frazier offers his story of how he recognized the glass ceiling in corporate America as a Black man. How General Motors rewarded fellow white co-workers up the ladder to have Blacks that trained them to become their subordinates.

Greg Frazier provides the launch into his career as an entrepreneur sub-contracting computer programming work with Jerome Sheppard. Greg shares the story of choosing work as an independent contractor over an employee is given and his fears and thoughts leading up to the opportunity.

Greg Frazier CPA and Khary Frazier discuss how the Detroit is Different NFT will give a platform to quantify the value of Detroit is Different social capital. Perspectives on the Federal Reserve and fiat currency vs. bitcoin are explored. Finally, Greg Frazier’s building design of the Detroit is Different NFT is given.

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Baba Malik Yakini on Detroit is Different 2021

Mon, 13 Dec 2021 21:07:06 -0000

Malik Yakini is a Detroit original. Naturally creative and driven towards a higher quality of life through Black Liberation, Gardening, and seeking Knowledge are pillars of life I’ve witnessed from Baba Malik. He was the original guest on Detroit is Different and seven years later he joins me again to speak in more of the macro on philosophy, theory, and the need for action in our community. Malik is dynamic from works leading reggae band (Akoben), helping found an African centered school (Nsoroma Institute), book stoor (Black Star Community Bookstore), Urban Farm (D-Town Farms), Food Co-op (Detroit People’s Food Co-op), and a food justice institution (Detroit Black Community Food Security Network), and the funk/hip-hop/reggae/soul fusion band (Mollywop) all are connected to Malik Yakini. In this conversation, we explore his takes on media today and information. A great count and counterpoint discussion on capitalism and white supremacy is had as well. This was a fun talk with laughter, thought, and inspired some actions on my behalf. Check out this interview and the original Detroit is Different interview with Malik Yakini. Also support Malik Yakini at www.mollywopjams.com, www.detroitpeoplesfoodcoop.com, and www.dbcfsn.org

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Mike Willingham of Grind Ave

Wed, 08 Dec 2021 03:11:05 -0000

Design is the key to all art. Mike Willingham is an artist that has used design to guide a career, business, and opportunity. Michael Roze Artistry has a portfolio of jewelry, visual arts, clothing, and more. He joins Detroit is Different to discuss the impact of Cass Tech, his Father, visions, and plans for art, and more. This is an insight into how a designer thinks about art and more. Witness more of the art on Instagram at Grind Ave and RozeGoldJCO today.

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Khary Frazier on Why Detroit is Different needed a 501c3

Tue, 30 Nov 2021 23:39:11 -0000

Give to the Detroit is Different Ca$hApp Crowdfund Campaign at $Detroit501c3 on CashApp

Detroit is Different Community Group is a nonprofit Michigan corporation formed by Khary Frazier to bridge the gap between marginalized Black Detroiters and traditional local media outlets by producing an annual 12-week summer series entitled a lot of Studio.” An obvious play on words and true to its name, a lot of Studio creates the live studio audience experience within the heart of a westside Detroit neighborhood by conducting live weekly podcasts with in-person guests on four vacant lots which serve as the “studio” for the production. a lot of Studio consists of three distinct components that each serve to empower its audience and address the issues that are important to them:

The podcast series;
The urban farming produce giveaway component; and
The entertainment component.

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DJ Butter curating the Detroit Hip-hop Scene

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 15:29:37 -0000

Detroit Hip-hop has roots that reach through the 1990s, connecting rappers, producers, and DJs. DJ Butter was one of the first hip-hop DJs with an official mixtape, I remember. Kill the DJ was an album he pressed up thousands of albums independently distributing and marketing. In this Detroit is Different interview, we discuss J Dilla, Proof, his start in Highland Park with hip-hop, and more. Today DJ Butter helps anchor the work of J Dilla and others. He joins me for a Detroit is Different interview while in town visiting from the West Coast to produce a concert with Boldy James.

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From Mentee to Mentor through Brotherhood in Business, G Mac

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 15:27:20 -0000

Mentorship and seeking brotherhood were tenets of life that guided Greg G Mac McKenzie at an early age. The master emcee of hip-hop helping lead vocals for Detroit's eclectically African-centered band experience of Mollywop opens up about his journey as a child. Boxing, hip-hop, and joining a gang were his understandings of brotherhood until destiny connected him with the Alekebulan Village. In this Detroit is Different we talk about how his past was an anchor for today.

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T Barb: Laughing through a Quality Life

Tue, 09 Nov 2021 13:37:44 -0000

T Barb’s laugh, smile, and joking style have been a beckon of light in tough times and a gateway for business opportunities. The lifelong Detroiter groomed in the Mackenzie neighborhood is now a national brand. The Vegan Chef, Author, Business Consultant, and Comedian are hats she wears, but her personality anchor her in many things. Learning about her journey through a rougher childhood connected her to becoming a social worker. See what an invitation to a comedy night connected her to a new passion and more. T Barb is a creative offering the feel, energy, and thought of making the irony of Detroit life into comedy.

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Charlie Beckham: Detroit’s Black History is American History

Tue, 09 Nov 2021 13:35:19 -0000

The original interview with Charlie Beckham was fun, engaging, and eye-opening. Today he is back to talk more about his life story. The one-man stage play is now a film shown on Thursday, November 11, 2021, at 7 pm at the Charles H Wright Museum. His story opens up about the targeting of leaders and public officials under a microscope from the FBI. This interview explores in more detail the roles public officials play in Detroit politics. This is another piece of the puzzle into the wit, character, and savvy of being smart while honoring public service. Charlie Beckham is a Detroit signature in 6 Mayoral administrations, and one of the best Detroit is Different interviews.

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Stefany Washington

Thu, 04 Nov 2021 17:30:24 -0000

Stefany Washington is a self-proclaimed “whole vibe” and interviewing her was a joyous experience. Frustrated with the city’s approach to economic development, this local Detroiter decided to do something about it. Not only did she put in her bid as a mayoral candidate, but she has also been helping community members understand the ins and outs of home improvement, homeownership, and navigating policy jargon. Along with Steffany’s community efforts, she also discusses her goals to change the narrative around professional dress for female millennials and create a safe space for women to confront important issues affecting their mental and physical health.

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Tia Ervin

Thu, 04 Nov 2021 17:28:08 -0000

Tia Ervin is a legitimate hustler, social media influencer, and young parent-turned advocate. She works in the field of education and community outreach. Although she has a number of projects that she’s working on, her priority is supporting her children to cultivate their goals into businesses. In this interview, we explore the background of this Detroit native, what makes her different, and what her mantra “I Am for My Four” truly means. Join me as we talk a little trash with Tee!

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Steve Spreitzer of the Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion

Thu, 28 Oct 2021 01:53:10 -0000

Steve Spreitzer of the Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion joins me in a deep discussion on race in America and Detroit. Steve opens up about the current collaboration with MRDI and Dr. Carl Taylor. This was a deep conversation where I share more on the history of race in America and why race is so important. Learn about the leadership initiative with MRDI and ways the organization is assisting institutions to recognize and make progressive equitable changes against systemic racism.

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Darren Brown Film Director & Executive Director

Thu, 28 Oct 2021 01:36:54 -0000

Darren Brown is a visionary. In this interview, we explore how he began filming with the dream and learned the rest through experience. We talk Sibley’s Shoes, Rap videos in the 2000s, and today’s Detroit movie industry. Friday, October 29 Darren’s new movie Dymez premiere’s at the Bel Air Luxury Cinema. Check out this interview to learn more about Detroit films as a director and executive producer.

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Colleen Ivana Jones Lifted Literacy and Arts Organization

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 14:18:03 -0000

Episode Notes

Colleen Ivana Jones, also known as Vonnie Pill, is a less seasoned Detroiter that is making a big impact on the city’s art scene. She is the art director for the Juneteenth Jubilee Detroit Committee, a proprietor of Lifted Literacy and Arts organization as well as Luxana Body & Locs. She is very adamant about including and uplifting local artists by creating events that will showcase the talent Detroit has to offer. Within this interview, she highlights her artistic influences, her talented family, the power of words, and her journey as a “functional artist.”

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Why Vote Yes on Proposal P Detroit (Attorney Richard Mack)

Wed, 28 Jul 2021 03:47:12 -0000

Episode Notes

Richard Mack is a lifelong Detroit that represents the people in what he does. Attorney Mack works on behalf of workers and labor rights against the greed and exploitive nature of business. Attorney Mack is also one of the elected Detroit City Charter Commissioners that has worked tirelessly with his colleagues to ensure Detroit has an equitable and progressive charter. He joined Detroit is Different to speak about the NEED to VOTE YES on Proposal P and much more. Mack unpacks the value of Proposal P and the process of getting it made. He also shares why the campaign against Proposal P is being led by corporate interest and not the people of Detroit.

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Vaughn Arrington on Motivating past Incarceration

Wed, 21 Jul 2021 18:03:50 -0000

Episode Notes

Vaughn Arrington is memorable. The laugh, smile, inspirational perspective, and stories stand out. Vaughn opens up about his childhood and living in the 1980's Detroit as both his parents dove into the street economy. After serving a 10-year sentence starting at the age of 16 Vaughn returned to Detroit inspired. Today Vaughn's work with Detroit Public Schools, the President Biden campaign, and many more organizations and groups touches tens of thousands. Also, learn about the Human Flyer business and how the idea collaboratively from Khary Frazier and Vaughn Arrington has birthed a very successful business and brand.

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Beverly Kindle Walker Candidate for Detroit City Clerk

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 02:39:36 -0000

Episode Notes

Beverly Kindle Walker Candidate for Detroit City Clerk. Riverwise Magazine & Detroit is Different 2021 Candidate Interview Series for Mayor of Detroit. This is a special election feature for the August 2021 Primary election for the City of Detroit. These interviews feature one-on-one question-and-answer content about Detroit public safety, water rights, property taxes, and visions for Detroit’s future. Please share and enjoy the content of the people seeking office in Detroit.

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Kinda Anderson Write-In Candidate for Detroit City Clerk

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 02:38:19 -0000

Episode Notes

Kinda Anderson Write-In Candidate for Detroit City Clerk. Riverwise Magazine & Detroit is Different 2021 Candidate Interview Series for Mayor of Detroit. This is a special election feature for the August 2021 Primary election for the City of Detroit. These interviews feature one-on-one question-and-answer content about Detroit public safety, water rights, property taxes, and visions for Detroit’s future. Please share and enjoy the content of the people seeking office in Detroit.

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Linda Bernard Candidate for Detroit Board of Police Commissioners for District 2

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 02:36:30 -0000

Episode Notes

Linda Bernard Candidate for Detroit Board of Police Commissioners for District 2. Riverwise Magazine & Detroit is Different 2021 Candidate Interview Series for Mayor of Detroit. This is a special election feature for the August 2021 Primary election for the City of Detroit. These interviews feature one-on-one question-and-answer content about Detroit public safety, water rights, property taxes, and visions for Detroit’s future. Please share and enjoy the content of the people seeking office in Detroit.

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Lavish Williams Candidate for Detroit Board of Police Commissioners for District 2

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 02:34:39 -0000

Episode Notes

Lavish Williams Candidate for Detroit Board of Police Commissioners for District 2. Riverwise Magazine & Detroit is Different 2021 Candidate Interview Series for Mayor of Detroit. This is a special election feature for the August 2021 Primary election for the City of Detroit. These interviews feature one-on-one question-and-answer content about Detroit public safety, water rights, property taxes, and visions for Detroit’s future. Please share and enjoy the content of the people seeking office in Detroit.

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Scott Boman Candidate for Detroit Board of Police Commissioners for District 4

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 02:32:39 -0000

Episode Notes

Scott Boman Candidate for Detroit Board of Police Commissioners for District 4. Riverwise Magazine & Detroit is Different 2021 Candidate Interview Series for Mayor of Detroit. This is a special election feature for the August 2021 Primary election for the City of Detroit. These interviews feature one-on-one question-and-answer content about Detroit public safety, water rights, property taxes, and visions for Detroit’s future. Please share and enjoy the content of the people seeking office in Detroit.

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Gabriela Santiago-Romero City Candidate for Detroit City Council for District 6

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 01:55:16 -0000

Episode Notes

Gabriela Santiago-Romero City Candidate for Detroit City Council for District 6. Riverwise Magazine & Detroit is Different 2021 Candidate Interview Series for Mayor of Detroit. This is a special election feature for the August 2021 Primary election for the City of Detroit. These interviews feature one-on-one question-and-answer content about Detroit public safety, water rights, property taxes, and visions for Detroit’s future. Please share and enjoy the content of the people seeking office in Detroit.

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Ane Bomani Candidate for Detroit City Council for District 4

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 01:53:13 -0000

Episode Notes

Ane Bomani Candidate for Detroit City Council for District 4. Riverwise Magazine & Detroit is Different 2021 Candidate Interview Series for Mayor of Detroit. This is a special election feature for the August 2021 Primary election for the City of Detroit. These interviews feature one-on-one question-and-answer content about Detroit public safety, water rights, property taxes, and visions for Detroit’s future. Please share and enjoy the content of the people seeking office in Detroit.

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Mary Waters Candidate for Detroit City Council for Council at Large

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 01:51:45 -0000

Episode Notes

Mary Waters Candidate for Detroit City Council for Council at Large. Riverwise Magazine & Detroit is Different 2021 Candidate Interview Series for Mayor of Detroit. This is a special election feature for the August 2021 Primary election for the City of Detroit. These interviews feature one-on-one question-and-answer content about Detroit public safety, water rights, property taxes, and visions for Detroit’s future. Please share and enjoy the content of the people seeking office in Detroit.

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Nicole Small Candidate for Detroit City Council for Council at Large

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 01:49:57 -0000

Episode Notes

Nicole Small Candidate for Detroit City Council for Council at Large. Riverwise Magazine & Detroit is Different 2021 Candidate Interview Series for Mayor of Detroit. This is a special election feature for the August 2021 Primary election for the City of Detroit. These interviews feature one-on-one question-and-answer content about Detroit public safety, water rights, property taxes, and visions for Detroit’s future. Please share and enjoy the content of the people seeking office in Detroit.

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Virgil Smith Candidate for Detroit City Council for District 4

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 01:46:22 -0000

Episode Notes

Virgil Smith Candidate for Detroit City Council for District 4. Riverwise Magazine & Detroit is Different 2021 Candidate Interview Series for Mayor of Detroit. This is a special election feature for the August 2021 Primary election for the City of Detroit. These interviews feature one-on-one question-and-answer content about Detroit public safety, water rights, property taxes, and visions for Detroit’s future. Please share and enjoy the content of the people seeking office in Detroit.

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William M Davis Candidate for Detroit City Council for District 7

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 01:44:18 -0000

Episode Notes

William M Davis Candidate for Detroit City Council for District 7. Riverwise Magazine & Detroit is Different 2021 Candidate Interview Series for Mayor of Detroit. This is a special election feature for the August 2021 Primary election for the City of Detroit. These interviews feature one-on-one question-and-answer content about Detroit public safety, water rights, property taxes, and visions for Detroit’s future. Please share and enjoy the content of the people seeking office in Detroit.

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Davion Reeder Candidate for Detroit City Council for District 4

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 01:42:14 -0000

Episode Notes

Davion Reeder Candidate for Detroit City Council for District 4. Riverwise Magazine & Detroit is Different 2021 Candidate Interview Series for Mayor of Detroit. This is a special election feature for the August 2021 Primary election for the City of Detroit. These interviews feature one-on-one question-and-answer content about Detroit public safety, water rights, property taxes, and visions for Detroit’s future. Please share and enjoy the content of the people seeking office in Detroit.

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Ericka Murria Write-In Candidate for Detroit City Council for District 7

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 01:40:26 -0000

Episode Notes

Ericka Murria Write-In Candidate for Detroit City Council for District 7. Riverwise Magazine & Detroit is Different 2021 Candidate Interview Series for Mayor of Detroit. This is a special election feature for the August 2021 Primary election for the City of Detroit. These interviews feature one-on-one question-and-answer content about Detroit public safety, water rights, property taxes, and visions for Detroit’s future. Please share and enjoy the content of the people seeking office in Detroit.

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Angy Webb Candidate for Detroit City Council for District 7

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 01:37:30 -0000

Episode Notes

Angy Webb Candidate for Detroit City Council for District 7. Riverwise Magazine & Detroit is Different 2021 Candidate Interview Series for Mayor of Detroit. This is a special election feature for the August 2021 Primary election for the City of Detroit. These interviews feature one-on-one question-and-answer content about Detroit public safety, water rights, property taxes, and visions for Detroit’s future. Please share and enjoy the content of the people seeking office in Detroit.

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Krystal Larsosa Candidate for Detroit City Council for District 1

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 01:35:44 -0000

Episode Notes

Krystal Larsosa Candidate for Detroit City Council for District 1. Riverwise Magazine & Detroit is Different 2021 Candidate Interview Series for Mayor of Detroit. This is a special election feature for the August 2021 Primary election for the City of Detroit. These interviews feature one-on-one question-and-answer content about Detroit public safety, water rights, property taxes, and visions for Detroit’s future. Please share and enjoy the content of the people seeking office in Detroit.

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Fred Durhal Candidate for Detroit City Council for District 7

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 01:33:52 -0000

Episode Notes

Fred Durhal Candidate for Detroit City Council for District 7. Riverwise Magazine & Detroit is Different 2021 Candidate Interview Series for Mayor of Detroit. This is a special election feature for the August 2021 Primary election for the City of Detroit. These interviews feature one-on-one question-and-answer content about Detroit public safety, water rights, property taxes, and visions for Detroit’s future. Please share and enjoy the content of the people seeking office in Detroit.

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Cheryl Webb Write-In Candidate for Mayor of Detroit

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 01:30:33 -0000

Episode Notes

Cheryl Webb Write-In Candidate for Mayor of Detroit. Riverwise Magazine & Detroit is Different 2021 Candidate Interview Series for Mayor of Detroit. This is a special election feature for the August 2021 Primary election for the City of Detroit. These interviews feature one-on-one question-and-answer content about Detroit public safety, water rights, property taxes, and visions for Detroit’s future. Please share and enjoy the content of the people seeking office in Detroit.

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Art Tyus Candidate for Mayor of Detroit

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 01:29:07 -0000

Episode Notes

Art Tyus Candidate for Mayor of Detroit. Riverwise Magazine & Detroit is Different 2021 Candidate Interview Series for Mayor of Detroit. This is a special election feature for the August 2021 Primary election for the City of Detroit. These interviews feature one-on-one question-and-answer content about Detroit public safety, water rights, property taxes, and visions for Detroit’s future. Please share and enjoy the content of the people seeking office in Detroit.

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Danetta Simpson Candidate for Mayor of Detroit

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 01:27:27 -0000

Episode Notes

Danetta Simpson Candidate for Mayor of Detroit. Riverwise Magazine & Detroit is Different 2021 Candidate Interview Series for Mayor of Detroit. This is a special election feature for the August 2021 Primary election for the City of Detroit. These interviews feature one-on-one question-and-answer content about Detroit public safety, water rights, property taxes, and visions for Detroit’s future. Please share and enjoy the content of the people seeking office in Detroit.

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Charletta McInnis Candidate for Mayor of Detroit

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 01:25:22 -0000

Episode Notes

Charletta McInnis Candidate for Mayor of Detroit. Riverwise Magazine & Detroit is Different 2021 Candidate Interview Series for Mayor of Detroit. This is a special election feature for the August 2021 Primary election for the City of Detroit. These interviews feature one-on-one question-and-answer content about Detroit public safety, water rights, property taxes, and visions for Detroit’s future. Please share and enjoy the content of the people seeking office in Detroit.

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Jasahn Larsosa Candidate for Mayor of Detroit

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 01:23:38 -0000

Episode Notes

Jasahn Larsosa Candidate for Mayor of Detroit. Riverwise Magazine & Detroit is Different 2021 Candidate Interview Series for Mayor of Detroit. This is a special election feature for the August 2021 Primary election for the City of Detroit. These interviews feature one-on-one question-and-answer content about Detroit public safety, water rights, property taxes, and visions for Detroit’s future. Please share and enjoy the content of the people seeking office in Detroit.

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Myya Jones Candidate for Mayor of Detroit

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 00:52:26 -0000

Episode Notes

Myya Jones Candidate for Mayor of Detroit. Riverwise Magazine & Detroit is Different 2021 Candidate Interview Series for Mayor of Detroit. This is a special election feature for the August 2021 Primary election for the City of Detroit. These interviews feature one-on-one question-and-answer content about Detroit public safety, water rights, property taxes, and visions for Detroit’s future. Please share and enjoy the content of the people seeking office in Detroit.

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Curtis Greene Write-In Candidate for Mayor of Detroit

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 00:50:47 -0000

Episode Notes

Curtis Greene Write-In Candidate for Mayor of Detroit. Riverwise Magazine & Detroit is Different 2021 Candidate Interview Series for Mayor of Detroit. This is a special election feature for the August 2021 Primary election for the City of Detroit. These interviews feature one-on-one question-and-answer content about Detroit public safety, water rights, property taxes, and visions for Detroit’s future. Please share and enjoy the content of the people seeking office in Detroit.

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Kiwana Brown Candidate for Mayor of Detroit

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 00:49:02 -0000

Episode Notes

Kiwana Brown Candidate for Mayor of Detroit. Riverwise Magazine & Detroit is Different 2021 Candidate Interview Series for Mayor of Detroit. This is a special election feature for the August 2021 Primary election for the City of Detroit. These interviews feature one-on-one question-and-answer content about Detroit public safety, water rights, property taxes, and visions for Detroit’s future. Please share and enjoy the content of the people seeking office in Detroit.

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Anthony Adams Candidate for Mayor of Detroit

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 00:46:23 -0000

Episode Notes

Anthony Adams Candidate for Mayor of Detroit. Riverwise Magazine & Detroit is Different 2021 Candidate Interview Series for Mayor of Detroit. This is a special election feature for the August 2021 Primary election for the City of Detroit. These interviews feature one-on-one question-and-answer content about Detroit public safety, water rights, property taxes, and visions for Detroit’s future. Please share and enjoy the content of the people seeking office in Detroit.

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Cliff Green Celebrates 100 Years of Hot Sam's Clothing

Wed, 07 Jul 2021 14:47:13 -0000

Episode Notes

Cliff Green is an example of professional cool. Green's style and perspective have been a guide for all men in Detroit looking for fashion ideas since the 1980s. Cliff Green is an owner of Hot Sam's Clothing celebrating 100 years of business. In this interview, Green opens up about the deal to buy Hot Sam's in 1994. Cliff shares how his family has played a role in the business and the success of business must be anchored with success in family. Cliff celebrates 100 years of Hot Sams Clothing.

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Tony Stovall Celebrates 100 Years of Hot Sam's Clothing

Wed, 07 Jul 2021 14:35:23 -0000

Episode Notes

Tony Stovall's presence is felt when you are in a room with him. The classic laugh, inspirational knowledge, and uncompromising support of Black business will make an impact on you. Tony is one of the owners of Hot Sam's Clothing which has been a staple in Detroit for 100 years. In this Detroit is Different feature we discuss the business, family, faith, and how the style changed over the years. Tony celebrates before the 100-year celebration of Hot Sam's Clothing.

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Piper Carter talks NYC Photography, Hip-hop, & High-end Fashion

Thu, 01 Jul 2021 15:50:21 -0000

Episode Notes

Piper Carter joins Detroit is Different to talk about her hiatus from podcasting on the Piper Carter show since her Mother’s passing. In this interview, we delve deeper into her love for hip-hop and photography. Learn about Piper's journey in NYC and how she navigated in NYC from Howard University. Listen to more about Nataki Taliba, Howard, Social Justice, and the need for safe spaces for Women in Hip-hop built We Found Hip-hop. The beauty and love of her Mother shine in a musical tribute at the end as well.

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Lazar Favors on Black-owned Liquor Brands

Wed, 23 Jun 2021 15:02:56 -0000

Episode Notes

Lazar Favors originally wanted to accent his wife’s (Marshalle) Trinity Film Festival with Uncle Nearest whiskey as a great touch. The idea led to his position as the official Michigan representative for the brand. The Uncle Nearest story of the Black man who taught Jack Daniels distilling is one of the many Black-owned liquor stories. Lazar today represents over one dozen different liquors, beers, wines, and mixers that all are Black-owned. “If we are going to drink in a Black city we should be drinking our spirits,” L Favors. In this Detroit is Different interview we explore the industry of liquor, nightlife, promotions, and why spirits are important.

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P-Dot and Chise on Hip-hop and Coney Island

Wed, 23 Jun 2021 15:01:16 -0000

Episode Notes

P Dot and Chise are two talented hip-hop artists in their own right and now collaboratively offering music. They join Detroit is Different with B Scarber and talk about their vision for the Coney Island mixtape and their Detroit stories. Listen to their journey in hip-hop and how today the work ethic of then pays off now. Also, get a peek into the ideas coming from this unique man-woman duo of hip-hop emceeing.

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Sharea Ayers on Juneteenth Jubilee

Wed, 23 Jun 2021 14:59:41 -0000

Episode Notes

Sharea Ayers is an advocate for Black History. Her passion was sparked as a child gravitating to any and all information about how Black people took initiative in creativity, business, community, and family. What began as an offering for students has now expanded to city wide celebrations. Juneteenth Jubilee 2021 will feature a collection of Black businesses on Detroit’s Avenue of Fashions with performance, discounts, food, games, activities, and more. Sharea joined Detroit is Different to share the vision of Juneteenth Jubilee and more.

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Jasahn and Krystal Larsosa on Community

Wed, 23 Jun 2021 14:57:13 -0000

Episode Notes

Jasahn and Krystal Larsosa are best friends, parents, community activists, and now candidates for public office in Detroit. The couple joined Detroit is Different and open up about their childhood, love for community, background in family, and more. Jasahn is currently running for Mayor of Detroit and Krystal is running for the office of city-wide city council member. Their traditional love and vision for the community are steeped in a modern understanding of ways people find, embrace, and connect with one another. Jasahn and Krystal open up about why their love for community and people is part of the love shared in the family in this interview.

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a Lot of Studio ... vacant lot to Summer Destination

Tue, 01 Jun 2021 18:53:16 -0000

Episode Notes

Khary Frazier the Founder of Detroit is Different is in the chair being interviewed by Sharea Ayers and Gigi Guida. The discussion explores the roots of Detroit is Different, a Lot of Studio, and love for Detroit. This is a creative discussion of what’s next for Detroit is Different and a great introduction to Sharea and Gigi content.

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Anthony Adams and Why he thinks a Black City needs Black Leadership

Tue, 18 May 2021 13:00:00 -0000

Episode Notes

Anthony Adams experienced the height of Black excellence in Detroit. The politics, culture, arts, sports, business, law, and style making Detroit an international hub for Black Genius. Adams moved here in 1981 leaving Georgetown Law and soon worked under the Coleman Young administration. Hear all about the planning and development for commercial flights for City Airport, his work with the Mayor Kilpatrick Administration, and Urban Development in private practice. Also learn the catalyst and platform he wants for Detroit. Why Adams thinks race is always an American issue to be addressed head-on and Detroit’s value.

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M Squared the Emcee AKA Madison the Emcee

Wed, 08 Jul 2020 15:54:49 -0000

Madison is also known as M Squared and performs Hip-hop. Her love for performance grew from performing for her family. Today she charts on Spotify with a mix of songs about being confident, growing up, and her style. Madison shares her perspective on balancing school and performance. Also, she speaks about her work with Mosaic Youth Theater. Madison also talks about how COVID-19 impacted her school year and how as a 12-year-old she handled it all. The discussion is also a deeper talk about the role of hip-hop and women for a young woman growing up like Madison.

Episode Notes

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Monda Mims on Detroit is Different

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 18:28:19 -0000

Monda Mims is a true creative. Living blocks away from Detroit is Different incubator Monda is making lifelike infant dolls selling across the nation and world. What began as an interest has become a business. Today people call, request, and ask for Monda to make dolls in memory of their lost children, grown children, and for those who can’t have children themselves. Monda’s creativity began in fashion as a teenager customizing her clothes with cuts, glitter, and airbrush. When her family wondered why Monda was building a grander vision. This is also a discussion on building a business while working and engaging a customer base. Her experience as a stylist for years is explored as to how to grow business. This is a fun and eye-opening discussion into a world of arts I knew nothing of.

Episode Notes

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Miguel on Detroit is Different

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 18:25:14 -0000

Miguel was born in Mississippi and as a child made his way to Detroit. Growing in Detroit in the late 1970s and 80s he navigated a new reality in the world of the Urban metropolis through the landscape of the phenomenon which crack cocaine swept Black communities nationwide. Incarcerated his senior year of Central High School Miguel never graduated but learned valuable business lessons that he applies to his properties and Sno-Cone business today. This discussion opens up the relationship between opportunity, street business, and legit business and how learning from each have strengthened Miguel.

Episode Notes

Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see, and experience more of what makes Detroit different.

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Bayan Founas on Detroit is Different

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 18:22:43 -0000

Bayan Founas is an educator. The Writing 4 Freedom Teen Summer Camp is a vision independently funded and started by Bayan and community support. The Camp takes place at Nandi’s Knowledge Café every Thursday in July 4pm – 7pm and is free for all participants. Bayan’s commitment to creativity and camp are her connection to enjoying Summers in the mosque sharing camps with friends and family. This interview explores her interest, passion, and works into social justice and poetry. She shares how being a teacher in Harper Woods was the gateway to her creative voice in spoken word poetry. This is an interview that delves into history deep as well.

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Ikaje Ajamu of Liberated Farms

Thu, 18 Jun 2020 16:05:18 -0000

Dr. Ikaje Ajamu is a Father, Farmer, and Community resource for Black people. Ikaje is the gardener helping develop the land in Detroit is Different to start the garden on Clements. Activating land and turning land into food from the Earth is one of Ikaje’s passions. In this interview, he goes in-depth about his tense encounters with Police, White neighbors, and American society against his journey in farming and more. Ikaje shares perspective on Black independence and strength. He discusses how he has enacted his vision for Liberated Farms nationwide while honoring the lessons of Baba Malik Yakini and others from D Town Farms.

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Jonathan Quarles of Sol Air Water INC

Thu, 18 Jun 2020 15:58:14 -0000

Jonathan Quarles comes back to Detroit is Different to discuss the chaos in American society balancing equity for Black people. Jonathan opens up about ways to hold political figures accountable now. Reviewing the relationship between Federal, State, and Local government and the role all play in sparking the Black economy and responsibility government has to the Black economy in a majority Black city. Jonathan gives his perspective on Black banking, and responsibility businesses have now to engage Black people. This is a practical and resourceful discussion on what we can do to empower our community.

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Ken Blanks Harrell

Thu, 11 Jun 2020 14:33:42 -0000

Ken Blanks Harrell is an investor. Working independently in the financial market and offering advice, solutions, and strategy to plan financially to grow families is Harrell’s skill and talent. As a man who engages and watches markets his understandings of the ways corporations have responded to the protests and uprisings in our nations is insightful. Harrell explores financial opportunities and ideas to empower the Black family using the systems of financial markets. Harrell speaks to ways to evaluate and hold corporations accountable in the financial market, securing savings, and financial planning. The asset of working the financial market to empower our community is explored while alleviating the institutions which perpetuate debt through predatory practices are explored here. We talk about banking, business, investment, and more for the Black community.

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Dr. Ken Harris of the National Business League

Thu, 11 Jun 2020 14:05:13 -0000

Dr. Ken Harris is one of the foremost thinkers in the economic steps to be taken to strengthen the Black community economically. Leading the National Business League he carries the banner of the organization founded by Booker T Washington in utilizing practical solutions to empower the Black community. Traveling the nation and engaging Black people across the diaspora Ken has been having conversations into ways to galvanize and access resources internally to address the socio-economic challenges presented by White Supremacy. We speak to Dr. Claud Anderson, Marcus Garvey, Fannie Lou Hammer, and more in this interview. Dr. Harris also presents perspective in ways Detroit must create a Black agenda for all political leadership Black, White, resident, and otherwise.

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Kofi Kenyatta and Chad King of the Black Bottom Gun Club

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 13:34:01 -0000

The Fight for Justice Black Men on Empowerment in the Black Community Series continues on Detroit is Different from Kofi Kenyatta and Chad King of the Black Bottom Gun Club. The Black Bottom Gun Club is the Metro Detroit chapter of the National African American Gun Association. Its goals are to promote and train for safe and responsible gun ownership, self-defense, and sportsmanship. The Black Bottom Gun Club recognizes the history and legacy of gun ownership among Black Americans and the sacrifices made to ensure that we have the inalienable right to self-defense so that those lessons can be applied today if applicable.

The goal of the National African American Gun Association is to establish a 2nd Amendment Organization that educates and trains our community on the rich legacy of gun ownership of African Americans, offering education, training, support, safety standards, and cultural inspiration.

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Corey Williams - Fight is for Justice I of VII

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 15:12:49 -0000

Corey Williams is a business owner that develops property, sells homes, and leads a Black Father’s organization. Corey’s work runs deep throughout Westside Detroit neighborhoods. Families, friends, and colleagues all rely on the work of Corey to offer perspective and advice. In this Detroit is Different interview we explore more on the relationship between Police and the Black Community in America. Corey’s original Detroit is Different interview (June 18, 2018) Corey shares the stories of him facing Police Brutality as young as 13 years old and more over time.

This is an in-depth heart to heart discussion as I (Khary Frazier) share perspective as well. The Fight is for Justice

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Raul Echevarria and Yusef Bunch Shakur

Fri, 29 May 2020 10:09:07 -0000

Community Development in Detroit Discussion II featuring Raul Echevarria, Khary Frazier, and Yusef Bunch Shakur Tuesday, March 10, 2020, at the University of Detroit School of Architecture in the Peter Peirce Room.

Presented by Community Movement Builders, Detroit is Different, Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion, and the University of Detroit

In this discussion, I (Khary Frazier) framed information and questions to focus on the business (money) of community development.

My premise was many corporations are using the distressed status (perpetually marketed by media of Detroit) to leverage subsidies, tax relief, unchecked lending, and neglectful investment. In this talk defining these practices with Yusef & Raul was important.

CDFI's (Community Development Financial Institutions) of Detroit have received over 182 Million dollars connected to the CDFI program that was established to assist housing, businesses, and non-profit organizations in community development. The CDFI program was started from the Riegle Community Development and Regulatory Improvement Act of 1994 (here is a link to the act that establishes CDFI's surprisingly very thorough https://www.fdic.gov/regulations/laws/rules/8000-5400.html). In 1996 the first Detroit CDFI monies from the US Treasury were sent to Shorebank receiving 3.75 million dollars. Here is an article by NYTimes as a brief overview of why Shore Bank failed (according to many financial analysts) https://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/23/business/23cncshorebank.html, many felt that the risks with homeowners were too much for Shorebank.

Currently, CDFI's have no needed oversight but there is a third party ranking system developed by Aeris that many use to audit their effectiveness. Here is a link to the Aeris website: https://www.aerisinsight.com/ . CDFI's can also receive funding from banks (like Bank of America) and foundations (like Kresge) in the form of investment and/or grants. Many banks pay for and submit the Aeris audit request to verify the livelihood and financial legitimacy of the CDFI (which I think is problematic because traditional lending has been so racist, here is a great book about the practice released last year: https://www.amazon.com/Color-Money-Black-Racial-Wealth-ebook/dp/B076526LW5).

CDFI, CDC, HUD, Urban Foundation, Community Development, Detroit, Raul Echevarria, Khary Frazier, Yusef Bunch Shakur, Community Movement Builders, Detroit is Different, Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion, University of Detroit.

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Gabrielle Knox on Detroit is Different

Fri, 08 May 2020 11:57:19 -0000

On Detroit is Different we feature Gabrielle Knox. Gabrielle Knox is young in years but wise in organization. Developing Detroit Poetry Society with a collective of friends propelled Gabrielle into visionary and leadership roles. The drive and interest of many poets like Gabrielle and Sheezy Bo Beezy connected artists eager to express spoken word seeking stages, venues, and opportunities. In this Detroit is Different feature learn about Gabrielle’s relationship with family and community. Today leading Operation Care Kit Detroit Gabrielle works providing resources to people in Detroit experiencing homelessness. This all rooted in ideas and lessons learned from Dabl, Malik Yakini, Honeycomb, and more.

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Jay Rayford on Detroit is Different

Thu, 30 Apr 2020 15:56:38 -0000

Jay Rayford is creating opportunity through his network. Business is about profit for some, but few find value in the connection of creating businesses that bring people together. Jay is one of the entrepreneurs that is driven to find products and services that bond people to experiences. IN this Detroit is Different discussion we talk about Social Sushi and how the business began. Jay opens up about his childhood and love for the Cody HS robotics team. Also, learn how work as a salesman has built Jay’s confidence in building a strong network and family.

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Greg Hines and Kevin Manuel on Detroit is Different

Thu, 16 Apr 2020 16:49:51 -0000

Greg Hines and Kevin Manuel are entrepreneurs that came into the business of caring for elders through know-how and need. Greg and Kevin both relocated to Detroit during a time of the burgeoning renaissance of Black business and corporate excellence. Their work in pharmaceutical sales and management were assets in a region looking to acquire talent. Friends for years decided to go into business together with owning an Amada Senior Care franchise. The two began with one client who taught them much about aging care and attention and now their knack for customer service has grown into an expansive practice. During this time of the COVD-19 crisis keeping proper care for their clients has made their work more appreciated for many families in the region. Kevin and Greg open up about their journey and friendship. How being in business has strengthened their bond and now is a stronghold for their families. Special Thanks to Charlene Mitchell-Rogers for this great interview.

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Njia Kai on Detroit is Different 2020

Fri, 10 Apr 2020 11:25:43 -0000

Njia Kai loves artistry. The life work of Njia has placed her in spaces to best present performance, projects, and programming related to culture. The way she helped make flyers and programs for high school events has now transitioned to the African World Festival, Campus Martius event planning, and so much more. Our first interview (2018) discussed her background and journey and this interview connects her ideas for the future. This is a deep conversation and fruitful perspective looking at how we can all reconnect with culture moving beyond this crisis.

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Sharea Ayers on Detroit is Different

Thu, 26 Mar 2020 16:06:12 -0000

The talent was recognized in Sharea Ayers at a young age through artistry. Sketches, paintings, Black history, and Women's history were a mix of interests Sharea had as a child. Today these interests carry on in her career. Sharea is the student that loved school and became a teacher. Over ten years of teaching from rural Ohio and Detroit city have provided her a better understanding of support resources needed for students. Now, Sharea supports Parents with projects and programming. We discuss her story and relationship with her Parents having a working mother and father who spent much of her childhood incarcerated. She opens up about the testament of her mother and the struggle of her father. Through that journey how her connection to learning has grown with students, parents, and teachers in the process of learning.

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Detroit is Different feature with Kesswa

Thu, 19 Mar 2020 16:19:13 -0000

Kesswa is a beautiful songstress that is offering a style of grace and love. Sterling Toles interviews her and has her open up about music, school, and her Nigerian roots. In this introduction, you get a peek into the process of how Kesswa creates and why she creates. Her music is soothing and heartfelt in a time of production filled with bigger & nosier feels. Learn more about one of the blossoming talents from Detroit touching the nation today.

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Detroit is Different of Ms. Annie Handy

Thu, 19 Mar 2020 16:15:07 -0000

Annie Handy is a good friend of my (Khary Frazier) Aunt Joyce Allen and when we met I was surprised to find a woman that’s 97 years old so social-able. It is humbling to know how much driving, talking, and community work Miss Annie still does today. Her interest in American history and Detroit history is humbling to witness and know she has first-hand accounts for most 20th century Detroit history. This interview begins with her sharing of how her mother was murder when she was a child. Her mother’s murder is a Detroit unsolved mystery that involves the infamous ‘Purple Gang’ and Miss Annie’s Uncle. The interview also explores her career as a nurse, social worker, and education from Hamtramck HS/ Wayne State University. Her career path had her working with Attorneys Ken Cockrel Sr. & Otis Culpepper. She also shares about dealing with a husband struggling with PTSD from WWII while raising her sons. Miss Annie’s life is fascinating and her sharing the stories on Detroit is Different wowed me!

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Tawana ‘Honeycomb’ Petty on Detroit is Different

Thu, 12 Mar 2020 20:22:15 -0000

The Detroit Police historically have had a strained relationship with the Black community. The 1943 Riot, 1967 Rebellion, the Sojourner Truth Housing incidents, the Big Four, Malice Green, Aiyana Jones, and many more dividing acts have created a tense connection between Black and Blue in Detroit. Tawana Honeycomb Petty’s relationship witnessing this is layered with officers in her family and neighbors experiencing harassment. Tawana opens up about her journey from poetry into becoming a Social Justice warrior. In the shadows of greats like Dr. Gloria House comes the connection between literary arts and social justice. Tawana stands as one of the strongest advocates against police surveillance and what that means for human rights. In this Detroit is Different feature we explore her works and path towards freedom for all.

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Ashley Nicole on Detroit is Different

Thu, 12 Mar 2020 20:16:49 -0000

Before venturing out into entrepreneurship fulltime Ashley Nicole had a growing base of Instagram support. ‘Watch Me Melt,’ is a journey where Ashley Nicole challenged herself to lose weight through the encouragement of her Instagram followers. Ashley’s idea has become a global program that has become a business of events, clothing, and more. In her, Detroit is Different feature Ashley shares her journey from salesperson and Wayne State University graduate to a fitness business person. Her work now is reaching globally and connecting so many people with others who optimistically are changing health lifestyles. Ashley also opens up about her journey at Cass Tech and love for performance with me (Khary Frazier & band General Population 2007 – 2016).

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Nina Payne on Detroit is Different

Thu, 05 Mar 2020 15:20:57 -0000

Nina Payne is helping ‘We Found Hip-hop’ grow. The institution developed to provide women safe, productive, and sustaining platforms to express Hip-hop. Nina’s experience in the world of music runs deep. Promoting parties, concerts, and managing tours are all tasks she took on in college. In her, Detroit is Different feature Nina opens up about her perspective of accompanying the vision of an artist as a business partner and more. Nina also shares some of her memories from the road touring with artists. This was an interview filled with how her talents and skills opened doors for her. Today Nina’s applying her wisdom with ‘We Found Hip-hop’ joining efforts with Piper Carter of the Detroit is Different Podcast Network.

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Rich Feldman on Detroit is Different

Wed, 26 Feb 2020 20:45:15 -0000

Attending the University of Michigan changed Rich Feldman’s life. The movements on the campus and activism outside the classroom inspired his lifetime of commitment to social justice. Anti-War, Anti-Racism, Anti-Capitalism, and Human Rights in action all have moved beyond theory, to practice, and action for Rich. For decades his understandings of strengthening people and community have been led by the works of Grace Lee Boggs and Jimmy Boggs. Rich Feldman currently carries on the vision and mission of both in today’s landscape of automation, information technology, corporate corruption, and environmental genocide that the Boggs foreshadowed. In this interview, we explore some of his stories and how his commitment to the struggle for progress has evolved over time.

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Jonathan Quarles on Detroit is Different

Wed, 26 Feb 2020 20:39:21 -0000

Flint MI is a kindred spirit with Detroit. Black pride, community love, and survival beyond industrial America are narratives that bind us together beyond the short distance in travel. Quarles' upbringing in Flint shaped an understanding for Detroit making him a top appointee to former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick in the Michigan Legislature and the City of Detroit. In this interview, we discuss his understanding of business, politics, race, opportunity, and growth. The importance of his historically black college experience and encouragement from FAMU classmates like Chris Shorter has helped ground through today. Listen and learn about how his styles and approach to work and opportunity have blossomed to success in this interview. Quarles speaks on Claud Anderson’s Black Labor White Wealth, opportunity cost, the propensity of Black spending, and other economic analysts of Urban America. This was an introduction into American Business from a Black perspective all entrepreneurs should listen to.

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Yusef Shakur Detroit is Different Feature

Thu, 20 Feb 2020 16:07:53 -0000

Yusef Bunchy Shakur is a revolutionary. His Autobiography ‘Window to my Soul,’ is an emotional read about his transformation from founding the gang Zone 8 to becoming a Black revolutionary organizer in his community. Today he is encouraged by his Father’s impact to become smarter, stronger, and committed to Black people. Building a relationship with his Father while in prison strengthened him to develop an understating for knowledge of self. Yusef is balanced by the work of his Mother who feeds, houses, and gives money to her community filled neighbors who are friends bonding as a family. We discuss Yusef’s love for Malcolm X, the Black Panther Party, and the recent Netflix documentary series ‘Who Killed Malcolm X.’ This is an informative interview where Yusef opens up about his work and reasoning behind his dedication to it. Learn more about the Urban Network, Community Movement Builder’s, and Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion all from the perspective of Yusef Shakur.

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Ismail Walton on Detroit is Different

Thu, 20 Feb 2020 15:58:28 -0000

This week’s features for Detroit is Different highlight Black men that express themselves in creativity that is not given mass appeal. Ismail Walton is one of Detroit’s original breakdancers. Jitting (jitterbug), popping and locking, breaking, and ticking all have deep roots in Detroit culture. Soul train and many late 80’s early 90’s New Jack Swing videos feature dancers, steps, and styles Detroiters like Ismail directly influenced. His Detroit is Different feature that gives perspective into how. Yusef Shakur is an Author. Yusef’s autobiographical work ‘Window to my Soul,’ is an emotional read about his transformation from founding the gang Zone 8 to becoming a Black revolutionary organizer in his community.

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Own Your Story the Detroit Initiative

Thu, 13 Feb 2020 14:17:31 -0000

The Black experience in America is often misunderstood. The context in which Black culture is developed, society engages it, and values are built upon it in America is historically problematic. ‘Own Your Story’ is a program led by TandemEd and partnering with Campaign for Black Male Achievement here in Detroit. The mission is to unite our neighborhoods in Detroit, and the Metro-Detroit area, around healthy perspectives and positive stories that we can be proud of, stories that will cast the vision for our future.

In this Detroit is Different interview I host a mix of the Own Your Story team, a Detroit Own Your Story steering committee member, and Detroit Own Your Story fellow to explore the programming here and vision for it. Jason Rivers (Own Your Story Managing Director - Pittsburgh PA), Alexander (Own Your Story Detroit Fellow - Martin Luther King Jr Senior HS Detroit MI), James Scrill (Own Your Story Detroit Steering Committee member - New Era Detroit) join me for this fruitful intergenerational discussion. You will find the perspectives of Black men in teens, 20s, 30s, and 40s to be interesting. I suggest listening to this Detroit is Different to gain a better insight of Own Your Story and Young Black Men today.

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Stephanie Johnson-Cobb of the Hope Village Revitalization

Mon, 10 Feb 2020 18:53:20 -0000

Stephanie Johnson-Cobb is and has been working within her neighborhood for years. Born and raised in the Linwood/Davison community she’s seen her community for decades with family, extended family, and now work. Stephanie works with Hope Village Revitalization bringing to life the interests, love, and passion of residents. In this interview, Stephanie shares how her mission to re-open and clear a park in the neighborhood strengthened her. Today Stephanie’s work is family, neighbor, love based engaging politicians, businesspeople, foundation representatives and more. Listen to this instructional, informative, and introductory interview with Stephanie Johnson-Cobb.

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Saviours’ Day in Detroit 2020 and the Nation of Islam

Thu, 06 Feb 2020 12:20:29 -0000

The Muhammad Family has made a mark on Detroit for generations. Jahleel carries the legacy of a Mother and Father who have played roles in and out of the house with many. The Father of three today stretches the reach more. Speaking, martial arts, and seeking knowledge is the evident value set Jahleel has shown in this interview.

We talk about the North End, Kettering HS, Minister Louis Farrakhan, and Black Faith in this interview. Deloris Bennett, Dawud Muhammad (former Minister for the Detroit Mosque for the Nation of Islam), and Bishop Edgar Vann working in the North End community are discussed as well. Also the gems of information about the foundation of the Nation of Islam taking place in Detroit.

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Ways Detroiters Fight Against Tax Foreclosure

Thu, 06 Feb 2020 12:07:37 -0000

Michelle Oberholtzer of the United Community Housing Coalition comes back to Detroit is Different to talk Detroit Homeowner's rights. Michelle shares how you can contest the tax assessment of your property and many of the injustices that exist within these systems. This was an information-based discussion that should prepare homeowners and inform those interested.

Michelle Oberholtzer (313) 963-3310 | moberholtzer@uchdetroit.org United Community Housing Coalition 2727 Second Ave #313 | Detroit MI 48201

The current tax foreclosure crisis in Detroit stems from changes to state tax laws in 1999, which shortened the foreclosure timeline and created new fees:

Taxpayers now face property tax foreclosure after being delinquent on payments for three years. Taxes that are delinquent for more than one year are charged interest at 1.5% per month, or 18% per year, plus fees. Since 2017, owners of foreclosed homes are banned from purchasing their properties back at auction

Displacement caused by property tax foreclosure has a severe impact on individuals and their communities, including:

A degree of homelessness
Illegal eviction by new owners who either do not know the eviction process or do not care
Forced moves to less desirable and more costly rental housing
Renters remaining in the same property, often paying more than 50% of their income for rent
Occupants entering into unethical lease purchase deals longer-term homeowners will often suffer some level of depression
Family relationships, jobs, education, and children frequently suffer
Vacant properties are vulnerable to vandalism and create blight

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Racial Equity & Healing in Community Development

Thu, 30 Jan 2020 15:56:37 -0000

Racial Healing and Equity in Community Development was a discussion held by the Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion led by myself (Khary Frazier) and Yusef Shakur. Tuesday, January 21, 2020, at the Urban Network (2433 Ferry Park Detroit MI 48208) we welcomed a small and impactful group of community-minded activists, thinkers, entrepreneurs, and organizers.

Documenting this discussion naturally led to the realization that more will be needed. Facets of Community Development Block Grants, Community Development Financial Institutions, and Detroit’s polarizing Detroit’s Community Benefits Ordinance were all discussed. This introductory forum served as a way for Yusef Shakur to speak to the racism that has systemically incepted bias towards neighborhood residents. The value of property over people was explored in depth. Philosophy of coping with racism and planning beyond oppression is shared as well.

Please enjoy this discussion and we welcome you to the next talk on Community Development for a neighborhood perspective with equity soon.

Questions asked: In what ways should philanthropists and foundations partner in community development to build neighborhoods? How can residents hold these organizations accountable for racial equity?

In what ways should government and HUD be included in community development that is residentially and racially equitable? How can residents hold government organizations accountable for racial equity?

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Art is a Voice and not a Passion for Sabrina Nelson

Thu, 23 Jan 2020 13:22:23 -0000

“Why You Wanna Fly Blackbird,” is an exhibit by Sabrina Nelson exploring the relationship between Black Women and children they’ve lost. In her, Detroit is Different interview Sabrina shares her story on growing up in Detroit and how Art is her voice. The joy of using designing clothes, painting, drawings, and more as a gateway to developing confidence and identity is explored in this interview.

Visit the “Why You Wanna Fly Blackbird” Exhibit by Sabrina Nelson at Madonna University 36600 Schoolcraft Livonia MI 48150 January 17 – March 16, 2020 (Monday - Thursday 8 am - 12 Midnight | Friday & Saturday 10 am – 6 pm)

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Curating an Experience: Shed Amin

Thu, 16 Jan 2020 20:47:48 -0000

Experiencing Detroit nightlife is something that has inspired the dance culture of Germany, has nightclubs mimic the feel in NYC, and from Madonna to Motown has soundtracked parties EVERYWHERE. Shed Amin began creating spaces and places for Michigan State University students from Detroit to gather and now has built a niche and career in the business. If you attend any events sponsored and endorsed by premiere liquor brands featuring Urban entertainment in Metro-Detroit it’s a 90% chance you are at an event Shed Amin is curating. Today the experiences he makes are anchored by the MLK Ski Weekend extravaganza he leads (happening this weekend January 17 – 20, 2020 in Collingwood Ontario CA). In this Detroit is Different interview we explore his background in real estate and interest in events. Shed also shares his perspective of doing business in Detroit and what that looks and feels like today.

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Books for the family with Stories for the Soul

Thu, 09 Jan 2020 16:18:02 -0000

Imagination is a tool that captures the essence of a child. SF Hardy used her imagination as a tool to teach, guide, and connect with her son. Storytelling was a gateway for the connection with her son to grow stronger. Today (as her son is in college) she uses the stories to help connect parents to their children. Her children’s book ‘Like a Salad’ has received national acclaim and presents the concept of diversity and inclusion to children.

SF Hardy opens up about her story growing up on Detroit’s Eastside in the historic Conant Gardens community. Her story also delves into the experience of being part of one of Crockett Technical HS's originating graduating classes. SF Hardy also speaks to being part of the African American Studies program at Wayne State University and learning about Black culture internationally, nationally, and locally. This is a great discussion on family, books, and purpose.

Episode Notes

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Politics and Community Leadership

Thu, 26 Dec 2019 15:21:39 -0000

Community Activism in her own neighborhood developed unity, confidence, and networks that have propelled Tiffany Tilley in life. Politicians and Community Leader are titles that Tiffany holds and carries. The love she’s given her children is the care she offers to the people. In this interview, we discuss her journey in family, activism, and leadership. Tiffany shares her motivation to be grounded in her work. We also discuss her role as a member of the Michigan State Board of Education and how to empower young people.

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DJ's Make the World Go Round

Thu, 19 Dec 2019 17:51:11 -0000

Blocks away from White’s Records (the Original White’s Records) a child was born into the love for vinyl. Leonard “Drummer B” Ware speaks with his hands and not through sign language, through DJing. Rome, Egypt, and Detroit’s St Andrew’s Hall all have felt the energy and influence of DJ Drummer B. In the interview, he opens up about working with Proof, Derrick May, Nick Speed, and Danny Brown. He also discusses the resource that Underground Resistance and Murals in the Market have been in the production of his ‘Space Bounce’ vinyl. Listen and witness how this Detroit Northern Graduate is impacting the world.

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JayFades Creativity and Community

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 02:26:08 -0000

JayFades is a creative that uses talents as a barber, organizer, model, actor, event planner, and public speaker to develop opportunities. Jay joins Detroit is Different to share how hit Mother’s roots from Honduras intersected with his Father’s family ties to Mack and Bewick giving him an international perspective of one of Detroit’s most historic neighborhoods. Jay shares his journey into entrepreneurship starting at the age of 12 and the ways family and community developed his understanding of the Black community. Today Jay’s barbershop located 17178 Livernois Detroit MI 48221 serves as a Launchpad for creativity, ideas, and community work. Learn about the Better Detroit Youth Project and how his wife’s (Raenita) vision is now part of his life’s work. This is a colorful and philosophical discussion covering the move ‘Us’ as well.

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Thornetta Davis and James Anderson

Fri, 22 Nov 2019 14:38:18 -0000

Thornetta Davis-Anderson and James Anderson share in love, art, and family. In their interview, they open up about meeting for the first time as ‘the Blackman’ DJ’ed a set. James and Thornetta also discuss where Blues music has taken them together as a couple and how Detroit Blues impacts the world. Thornetta shares how her ‘Honest Woman’ album took 20 years to write and her process of writing songs.

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Ron Taylor

Thu, 14 Nov 2019 13:38:24 -0000

Ron Taylor is the new President and CEO of Detroit Area Agency on Aging. For over a year he’s taken the helm of the organization that was run by Paul Bridgewater for years. Ron’s experience in organization, aging, and leadership has taken his travels through Atlanta and now he’s in the original chocolate city of Detroit. In his interview, we discuss his upbringing in Toledo, family, and aging care. We also talk about why so much Funk music was coming out of Dayton? This was a great introduction to Taylor’s understanding of developing relationships and building a team.

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Jennifer Harge

Thu, 07 Nov 2019 11:11:51 -0000

Jennifer Harge expresses thought, emotion, and spirit through the art of dance. Sterling Toles interview Jennifer on how she conveys poignant messages in motion. Jennifer shares her motivations in dance and visions on what’s to come next. This is a very interesting discussion on art, community, dance, society, and culture.

Episode Notes

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Senghor Reid

Thu, 07 Nov 2019 11:08:08 -0000

Senghor Reid is a visual artist, teacher, father, and close friend of Sterling Toles. Senghor opens up about how Cass Tech, Detroit, and Hip-hop all impact his visual arts. This was a discussion whereas a listener you connect with artists discussing their friendship, process of creativity, and vision.

Episode Notes

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Josh Adams

Thu, 17 Oct 2019 13:34:26 -0000

“I won Showtime at the Apollo and thought everything would change,” Josh Adams is immensely talented, smart, and always joking. The comedian’s journey on stage began in the middle of the 2000s and since then he has not gone 4 days without telling jokes as a stand-up comedian. In this interview Josh opens up about Mississippi, his parents, Livernois, and more. He also shares his thought process into being funny on stage. Josh also welcomes you to listen to his podcast weekly on Detroit is Different After Dark ... listen where you find podcasts.

Episode Notes

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Dara Harper the Writer

Thu, 10 Oct 2019 18:51:18 -0000

Dara Harper has been driven to share stories that offer the Black perspective for children and families. A life-long Disney fan never found stories in America’s mainstream that represented her beauty, character, and upbringing. Her ‘Sky Princess’ animation is available on Amazon streaming and features Vivica Fox and more known voice talents.

Dara was raised in the heart of Detroit’s Westside and now resides in Los Angeles. Currently, her play ‘Half Truths Full Plate’ is being produced in Los Angeles at the Stella Adler Theater. Her most known local work is ‘Passing’ which starred Mayowa Reynolds and ran off-Broadway and sold out the Charles H Wright Museum of African American History theater numerous times.

Dara is also my big sister (khary Frazier). We talk family, creative business, and story telling.

Episode Notes

Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culuture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see, and experience more of what makes Detroit different.

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Zana Smith of Spectacles

Tue, 01 Oct 2019 23:06:31 -0000

Zana Smith has been adding value to the culture of Detroit for years. Spectacles is a boutique that provides us with a peek into the cool Zana has helped curate. Clothes, music, accessories, books, and art are how other retailers would categorize what Spectacles offers us if you know it’s cool culture. Zana shared her story of how she started a boutique on Dexter Blvd and now stands as one of the only Black-owned retailers in Detroit’s Downtown today. Zana is joined by Piper Carter of We Found Hip-hop and we collectively asked Zana the “How’s & What’s” of Spectacle's. Zana is a staple for Detroit culture branded by the ‘Soul Detroit’ and so much more. This interview was special and a must-watch.

Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com for more #detroitisdifferent #SpectaclesDetroit #PiperCarter #KharyFrazier

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One Single Rose of Idlewild

Thu, 09 May 2019 11:41:06 -0000

Idlewild is a town that was established and maintained by a rich history of African American commitment and love. The town’s prominence as ‘Black Eden’ came to life in an America with explicit segregation where the African American affluent sought out a place to vacation and enjoy Summer on the water. Today families from Detroit, Chicago, St. Louis, and Milwaukee carry the tradition of keeping the town together.

There is a strong tie from Idlewild to Detroit and poet Tawana ‘Honeycomb’ Petty and Susan Matous provided access for Detroit is Different to interview some of the artists, residents, and business owners keeping Idlewild moving. This is a special Detroit is Different featuring Idlewild.

Interviews included are from 4th generation Idlewild homeowners, artists who perform at Idlewild, business owners who operate businesses in the town, and also visitors who love the Idlewild.

Listen to interviews from: Elizabeth Atkins, Judge Chris Blount, Blair Evans, Linda McClure, Cedric McDougle, Nikki Studstill, Tony Watts, and One Single Rose (Rose Wilson).

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Tony Watts of Idlewild

Thu, 09 May 2019 11:40:22 -0000

Interviews included are from 4th generation Idlewild homeowners, artists who perform at Idlewild, business owners who operate businesses in the town, and also visitors who love the Idlewild.

Listen to interviews from: Elizabeth Atkins, Judge Chris Blount, Blair Evans, Linda McClure, Cedric McDougle, Nikki Studstill, Tony Watts, and One Single Rose (Rose Wilson). Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culuture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see, and experience more of what makes Detroit different.

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Nikki Studstill of Idlewild

Thu, 09 May 2019 11:39:20 -0000

Interviews included are from 4th generation Idlewild homeowners, artists who perform at Idlewild, business owners who operate businesses in the town, and also visitors who love the Idlewild.

Listen to interviews from: Elizabeth Atkins, Judge Chris Blount, Blair Evans, Linda McClure, Cedric McDougle, Nikki Studstill, Tony Watts, and One Single Rose (Rose Wilson).

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Cedric McDougle of Idlewild

Thu, 09 May 2019 11:38:20 -0000

Interviews included are from 4th generation Idlewild homeowners, artists who perform at Idlewild, business owners who operate businesses in the town, and also visitors who love the Idlewild.

Listen to interviews from: Elizabeth Atkins, Judge Chris Blount, Blair Evans, Linda McClure, Cedric McDougle, Nikki Studstill, Tony Watts, and One Single Rose (Rose Wilson).

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Linda McClure of Idlewild

Thu, 09 May 2019 11:37:33 -0000

Interviews included are from 4th generation Idlewild homeowners, artists who perform at Idlewild, business owners who operate businesses in the town, and also visitors who love the Idlewild.

Listen to interviews from: Elizabeth Atkins, Judge Chris Blount, Blair Evans, Linda McClure, Cedric McDougle, Nikki Studstill, Tony Watts, and One Single Rose (Rose Wilson).

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Blair Evans of Idlewild

Thu, 09 May 2019 11:36:05 -0000

Interviews included are from 4th generation Idlewild homeowners, artists who perform at Idlewild, business owners who operate businesses in the town, and also visitors who love the Idlewild.

Listen to interviews from: Elizabeth Atkins, Judge Chris Blount, Blair Evans, Linda McClure, Cedric McDougle, Nikki Studstill, Tony Watts, and One Single Rose (Rose Wilson).

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Judge Chris Blount of Idlewild

Thu, 09 May 2019 11:35:13 -0000

Interviews included are from 4th generation Idlewild homeowners, artists who perform at Idlewild, business owners who operate businesses in the town, and also visitors who love the Idlewild.

Listen to interviews from: Elizabeth Atkins, Judge Chris Blount, Blair Evans, Linda McClure, Cedric McDougle, Nikki Studstill, Tony Watts, and One Single Rose (Rose Wilson).

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Elizabeth Atkins of Idlewild

Thu, 09 May 2019 11:32:49 -0000

Interviews included are from 4th generation Idlewild homeowners, artists who perform at Idlewild, business owners who operate businesses in the town, and also visitors who love the Idlewild.

Listen to interviews from: Elizabeth Atkins, Judge Chris Blount, Blair Evans, Linda McClure, Cedric McDougle, Nikki Studstill, Tony Watts, and One Single Rose (Rose Wilson).

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Denmark Vessey and Pete Rock connect making Detroit different

Thu, 18 Apr 2019 10:57:22 -0000

V Stylez is one of the most known Hip-hop acts from Detroit in Europe. Germany, Japan, France, and Spain have been moving along to the rhythms and lyrics of the V Stylez sound for years. The enthusiast of combat sports, his Fenkell neighborhood, and DePorres HS grad is also a stateman in Black history. The V in V Stylez carries the tradition of the Vessey tradition (Google Denmark Vessey and discover much of the make-up of the ways our constitution was designed). The manner Rev. Daniel Aldridge (Detroit is Different interview 2019) carries the historic family legacy stories of his Aunt Dorthy Height, V Stylez carries the family tradition for Denmark Vessey. This was a fun interview and very interesting. Explore the ways hip-hop, history, and society all intersect. Detroit is Different because of V Stylez.

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Source Booksellers 30 years of Non-Fiction

Thu, 11 Apr 2019 12:07:37 -0000

30 years of Business is an accomplishment that deserves recognition. The Source Booksellers began with interest from many readers in the books Janet Webster Jones was reading. “People were always asking me about the books I was reading, where they could buy them, and this led me to start …,” Janet Webster Jones. Today the Mother and daughter bond between Janet Webster Jones and Alyson Turner is shared in business, love, and reading.

On this Detroit is Different interview we feature the story of how The Source Booksellers began? Books that have been popular over the years. Finally how a non-fiction book store has been a place exposing culture to Detroiters and visitors worldwide for decades. Visit online at sourcebooksellers.com or on Instagram @sourcebooksellers.

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Jevona Watson

Thu, 20 Dec 2018 14:30:00 -0000

Episode Notes

Jevona Watson has brought her entrepreneurial vision of Detroit Sip to life. A Renaissance HS alumni and lifelong Westside Detroit now offers the experience she was determined to share. Watson spent years in East Lansing earning a Bachelor’s degree and Legal degree studying hours on end. The hours of studying at coffee shops in our State capital encouraged her to want to offer this experience to the community. Today Detroit Sip is one year open for business on W McNichols (6 Mile) between Livernois (University of Detroit) & Wyoming (Marygrove College). We discuss her passion for education and vision of Coffee Shoppe ownership. We also talk about how fulfilling connecting the community has been. Detroit Sip is one of the most available spaces in Detroit for community, family, and organizational events, Jevona shares how it all has come to life.

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Lola Damone

Thu, 20 Dec 2018 14:20:29 -0000

Episode Notes

The shy poet from Detroit toured the world before she was old enough to buy a glass of wine. Lola Damone shares the story of how her passion for poetry transitioned into a career as a rapper. Years of writing her thoughts, feelings, and imagination provided Lola a basis for rapping. The reality of being a young woman in the Rap industry has strengthened her in experience and more. Lola shares her story and goals for today.
Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culuture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see, and experience more of what makes Detroit different.

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Kyle Hoff & Alex O'Dell of Floyd Furniture

Thu, 13 Dec 2018 15:31:18 -0000

Episode Notes

Kyle Hoff & Alex O’Dell are back on Detroit is Different with a full furniture line. What began as creating a table for the millennial moving and un committed to one location is a full line. Bed frames, coat racks, shelving, and sofas are all in the works with Floyd Furniture now. Klye and Alex are not what you would expect to see as furniture architects and designers, but my friends are. The world has embraced their products and they are still driven and in humble appreciation of it all. We talked about the expansion f their business, traveling the nation and world, and what’s next for Floyd. This was a fun interview with two of my friends.

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King of Detroit Comedy Coolaide

Thu, 13 Dec 2018 15:24:57 -0000

Episode Notes

Coolaide is the funniest person I ever met in my life. The character, demeanor, and style of jokes about relationships, the Black community, and the Black family were courageous observations many did not have the guts to make. Last week he made his transition after a long fought battle with a rare cancer. His attitude through cancer was the same off-color and humble approach that would also make you laugh. His flirtatious nature self-titled himself ‘CancerNova.’ In this Detroit is Different I highlight the visit he shared with comedian Josh Adams on the Josh Adams Podcast which is featured on the Detroit is Different After Dark Network. His talents, skill, heart, and laugh will be remembered. Detroit lost a legend and in his honor thousands who have been touched will carry the legacy. Bigger than his ComicView Stages, Robert Townsend highlights, and recent tours with Lil Duval, Coolaide was electric.

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History of Detroit Hip-hop

Thu, 06 Dec 2018 04:05:10 -0000

Episode Notes

University of Michigan Ann-Arbor has a class that covers Hip-hop. It’s 2018 and people like Dr. Stephen Ward have moved the culture forward enough where the knowledge of Hip-hop is earning accredited college degrees. This semester I (Khary Frazier), Sterling Toles (Hip-hop Producer of Boldy James & more), and Buff1 (of Athletic Mic League & The Black Opera) all held an open discussion on the History of Detroit Hip-hop. The discussion is captured here. We talked World One Records (too much love to Butch Smalls), J Dilla, Payroll, Peezy, and Bogg Brown. It was a colorful back and forth, where we discussed the Bay’s (Oakland CA) relationship to Detroit as well.

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Uncle P

Thu, 06 Dec 2018 03:50:35 -0000

Episode Notes

The Underground Hip-hop Awards will be held Sunday January 6, 2019 at the Charles H Wright Museum of African American History. This is the 5th year where rappers, producers, movie directors, promoters and the people part of the scene of Underground Hip-hop will be recognized. If you have yet to witness a world of passion and creativity this is a can’t miss event. DJ Uncle P (Co-Host of Detroit is Different’s F What You Heard Podcast) shares his vision of why he launched this event and what to expect.

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The Undisputed Truth

Wed, 28 Nov 2018 17:19:27 -0000

Episode Notes

Undisputed Truth has a new album produced, mixed, played, and sung with the Funk & Soul of Norman Whitfield’s original vision. Joe Pep Harris who’s always been the original lead singer gathers BJ Evans, Dazzee Luv, and Jaki G Fondren all make the experience of Undisputed Truth real. Visit www.therealundisputedtruth.com to hear, buy, and get the music & message of Undisputed Truth. We discuss their musical journeys together, the vision of the group, and the making of the album. This was an honor and inspiration for creativity. Dan Aldridge & Joe Pep Harris came together to carry on the Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame, Grammy winning, Motown Records legacy of funk with a soul and concern of our community.

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Harvey-Quinn Anderson Family

Thu, 22 Nov 2018 15:21:30 -0000

Episode Notes

Blair Anderson and Caprice Quinn are life long Black Panthers. Blair was in the home and witnessed the FBI murdering Fred Hampton in Chicago. Caprice was a key organizer of Detroit’s Black Panther Party. Together they gave life to Alia Harvey-Quinn, Blair Harvey-Quinn, and Najanava Harvey-Quinn. The strength of Caprice’s wisdom, beauty, and love carried through to three daughters who actively are bringing change to Detroit in their own ways. This interview explores the struggles Blair has faced through imprisonment and fatherhood. This also is a candid discussion about nation building while balancing the development of a family. This is one of the most important Detroit is Different interviews. Thanks to the family and God Bless.

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Tene Dismuke

Thu, 15 Nov 2018 14:57:12 -0000

Episode Notes

Tene Dismuke is an entrepreneur groomed and raised in the matter of her Father as a Business Maker. Her creativity in dance has led to her owning and operating studios, classes, and choreographing projects. We discussed how dance has been her primary form of expression and through dance travels across the nation have begun. Her days living in NYC working in the music and television industry are explored as well. To her role as an entrepreneur bringing creativity to life while building her family as well. This is a fun interview exploring so much of the Detroit attitude being able to activate and make the most of any and all situations. Tene Dismuke is making Detroit Different!

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Rhonda Smith

Wed, 07 Nov 2018 15:06:28 -0000

Episode Notes

Rhonda Smith has been led into entrepreneurship through the admiration, intrigue, and interest of people aware of how she manages her household. Vegan, plant based foods and herb based home products are what Rhonda gives to her family out of love. Rhonda herself, her husband, and two sons were the first benefactors of Rhonda’s foods and goods adding to quality of life. Today she meal preps, plans, and guides many on their personal journeys in reaching the highest quality of life through health. We discuss her Father’s passion for Black History, the role of Faith in everything she does, and what’s next in her business.

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Monica Lewis Patrick

Wed, 10 Oct 2018 19:32:32 -0000

Episode Notes

Monica Lewis Patrick’s relationship with Detroit is tied directly to Willie Horton. Horton who is a Detroit Tiger legend one of Baseball’s greatest players is also Monica’s Uncle. Horton welcomed and sent for his family from the South throughout his Detroit journey. Horton’s relationships with Judge Damon Keith, Coleman Young (RIP), and Erma Henderson (RIP) connected Monica and her whole family to a network of Black Excellence and Advocacy that developed the Mecca of the Chocolate City Detroit was in the 70’s and 80’s. Monica’s work in building her family and commitment to education was inspired by these figures. Arriving back to Detroit in the 2000’s sparked Monica’s advocacy. Today her work and lessons from JoAnn Watson, Maureen Taylor, Marian Kramer, and Gloria House are saving the lives of many Detroiters. In the midst of a crisis of Detroit Public School facilities being filled with led contamination Monica and ‘We the People of Detroit’ have solutions. We discuss her work, drive, family, and commitment to advocacy.

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Hosts of the Unicorns Are Real podcast

Wed, 26 Sep 2018 15:33:22 -0000

Episode Notes

This episode: The Hosts of the Unicorns Are Real podcast

Asia Dobbins and Erin Palmore host the Unicorns are Real podcast. Asia & Erin are young artists in love with Detroit artistry. Unicorns Are Real is art. We are two quirky like-minded, yet very different young adult females (Asia aka “Miss Dobbins”/ Erin aka Pineapple or The Quirky Natural) exploring ALL aspects of art. A Unicorn is an artist--a one of a kind individual--with the compassion to create for oneself. We are Unicorns with a passion to construct art that will display our innerselves. Erin is well versed in various art forms such as painting, drawing, and poetry, but she excels in all things digital; her abilities behind the camera and on Adobe software are outstanding. Miss Dobbins is the complete opposite, she has little training in anything technological, but she thrives with a paintbrush and/or piece of charcoal. Miss Dobbins also dabbles in poetry, ink, and film photography. Our conversations will be with some of Detroit and the Metropolitan area’s most poppin’, upcoming, and flyest Unicorns. We want the public to obtain some insight on the life of a Unicorn; various obstacles, mental health, favorite artists, pleasurable segments, and good conversations will be the core of the Unicorns Are Real Podcast.

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The Hosts of The Cat's Meow Podcast

Wed, 26 Sep 2018 14:19:13 -0000

Episode Notes

This Week: The Hosts of The Cat's Meow Podcast

Sharron Fincher and Nicole Denson host the Cat’s Meow podcast. Sharron & Nicole work on behalf of and for Women’s & LGBTQ Rights. Their work and advocacy influences their show. We discuss what has inspired their work. Cat’s Meow podcast hosts open discussions about the LGBT community as well as women’s rights. Cat’s Meow celebrates Women and the LGBT community in a way that opens the doors of communication between people who may not otherwise be placed at a table to see that we are all more alike than we are different.

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Khary Frazier ep 100

Wed, 19 Sep 2018 13:00:00 -0000

Episode Notes

What began as a platform to share my music and introduce people to my friends, mentors, and people of Detroit I think are cool is now a strong media platform. Today through video, social media, podcasting, and graphic design Detroit is Different has impacted the world. Dr’s have used Detroit is Different interviews as material supporting research, magazines in Italy have used Detroit is Different content in publication, but the coolest thing is people like you follow Detroit is Different.

Today I’m interviewed by my great friend Sterling Toles. We talk Detroit is Different and the vision of it all.

Khary Frazier is the founder of Detroit is Different. Passion for music and Detroit built the website. Today Frazier discusses the interviews, visions, and ideas for Detroit is Different. From the 2014 start with Malik Yakini (of Mollywop & D Town Farms) till the shot and unposted interviews with dozens of Detroiters adding to the culture of the Motor City. Khary talks podcasting, video, and creating content. As a website has become a podcast network and soon to be a web series production house Frazier balances it all while leading Creative Differences Marketing INC as well. Frazier also shares the ideas of how the Detroit is Different incubator is a place that includes the family institution with Walsh College planning.

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Find out more at https://detroit-is-different.pinecast.co

Donnell White

Wed, 12 Sep 2018 13:19:30 -0000

Episode Notes

Donnell White and I have one of the most in depth talks about the role of the NAACP today. This was a pivotal discussion about the relevance of an organization with roots in Black professionalism, Black politics, and the Black church. Today the success, relevance, and impact of all these institutions are questioned more and more. Donnell opens up about the functionality of the Detroit NAACP and seeing the organization beyond Rev. Wendell Anthony, Donnell White, or any personality alone.

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Ralph Godbee and Kayla Godbee

Wed, 12 Sep 2018 13:12:28 -0000

Episode Notes

Ralph Godbee and Kayla Godbee sat down and joined me for a candid discussion on family, opportunity, and decision making. The connection and bond between Father and Daughter is vivid in this interview. The vulnerability shown and respect earned from Parent to Child is humbling. Kayla shares what childhood and growing up learning from her Father. Ralph opens up about the role spirituality, faith, and planning have played in his life.

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Mayowa Reynolds & Vicki Hooks Green

Wed, 05 Sep 2018 12:45:51 -0000

Episode Notes

Mayowa Reynolds and Vicki Hooks Green are Master Teachers. Vicki Hooks Green is an English teacher that’s met, touched, and engaged hundreds of Cass Tech students for years. We discuss her maturation from Beauty Pageant contestant to Beauty Pageant developer. Miss Black Star was creation of Vicki’s passion that became a family institution. Mother, brother, sisters uncle, aunts, and everyone puts hands in for the success of Miss Black Star pageant. Which led to a transition to start at Marygrove College. There her sister Mayowa Reynolds joined her. Today Dr. Mayowa Reynolds is the principal of Detroit High School for the Fine & Performing Arts. Mayowa is many things but dance is her expressive art. Her passion pushed her as a student, Mother, Pastor, doctor, teacher, and now principal. This was a fruitful discussion about growth and students.

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Eban Morales

Wed, 29 Aug 2018 11:49:31 -0000

Episode Notes

Eban Morales is a father advocating and working on behalf of other parents of Highland Park MI. Highland Park MI has been impacted in the most challenging ways in Post-Industrial America. The home of where the Model T Ford Assembly line ushered in the renaissance of Metro-Detroit & Michigan’s economic & social relevance internationally is experiencing a new day. Public systems attributed to common realities of water, fire, library, and schools have been diminished and/or non-existent. Eban is one of the citizens of Highland Park working to demand the representation with taxation. Eban’s work as an artist and love now for advocacy interplay with his open and optimistic vision for what can be. We discuss Highland Park past & present.

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Donna Jackson

Wed, 29 Aug 2018 11:45:31 -0000

Episode Notes

Donna Jackson has an eclectic spirit. The intelligence of an engineer, doctor, and theorist have culminated into a passion for expression through artistry. Planning and working on projects using graphics, paint, and curating the art of others has created platforms of success for Donna. We discuss how she moved from her Westside background to now welcoming international attention.

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Jeff Horste

Wed, 22 Aug 2018 13:58:25 -0000

Episode Notes

Unassuming and introverted is the natural disposition of a rising comedy star, Jeff Horste. Jeff was featured on Kevin Hart’s Comedy Central Hart of the City show in 2017 which led to his 30 minute Comedy Central special for Kevin Hart’s Next Level which will air Friday August 24 2018 at 11pm EST. Horste is one of the four Motor City Laugh Kings with Josh Adams, Darius Bennett, and Ron Taylor. His jokes on society, race, and America are cutting and thought provoking. The voice he’s found as a comedian proves that art and messages can be entertaining while enlightening. We discuss his past in Oak Park, love for teachers through his family, and time as a door to door salesman.

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Charlie Beckham: Detroit in many Acts

Wed, 22 Aug 2018 13:36:49 -0000

Episode Notes

Charlie Beckham’s Detroit story runs deep. Engineering at General Motors when GM was the largest company in the world began Beckham’s professional journey. Soon he joined his older brother Bill Beckham and worked with the Coleman Young’s Mayoral administration. Ever since his start with Coleman Young Beckham has worked on behalf of the city. The understanding of people, systems, and himself has crystallized to a humble wisdom of today. This was a gem of an interview discussing basketball, Russell Woods, Cadillac car, and much more. Beckham is presenting a one-man show about his life at the Charles H Wright Museum of African American History Saturday, September 15, 2018, @ 8pm

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Eric Campbell

Wed, 25 Jul 2018 13:22:59 -0000

Episode Notes

Eric Campbell is a Father who’s creating art he’s passionate about to inspire himself, his children, and his elders. Riverwise Magazine is part of the legacy of Grace Lee Boggs and carries the mission of social justice she executed her whole life. Campbell is the editor and a writer finding community voices to collaborate in giving their expression of what’s happening in Detroit. Campbell wrote a series of political, business, and community work for the Michigan Citizen Newspaper (Shout Out to the legacy of Charles Kelly and my big homie Mrs. T Teresa Kelly). Giving a soundboard for neighborhood work is the intentionality of Riverwise, and for years now it’s creative mission has provided a platform for many (I was featured as a Riverwise writer). In this interview, we discuss music, Detroit attitude, and more.

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Joel Fluent Greene

Wed, 25 Jul 2018 13:11:45 -0000

Episode Notes

Fluent like many of my guests I’ve known for years but through our interview now have a much more in-depth perspective of who he is. He was one of the youngest people to make his way to Café Mahogany when Zana (of Spectacles Boutique) provided him the opportunity to host. The techniques of shaping expression from hip-hop to poetry were laid and followed from Khary Kimani Turner (my name brother I just featured). Fluent’s work is experiential. The experience you get in Detroit. His eclectic blends of Dexter bus rides (shout out the 16!) with Detroit’s most exclusive art scene is his plot to place characters exploring Detroit.

In our interview, we discuss his upcoming show ‘Please, Her, Please Him.’ Honoring romance.

A few common definitions of the word PLEASE: 1. Cause to feel happy and satisfied. 2. Take only one's own wishes into consideration in deciding how to act or proceed. 3. To afford or give pleasure or satisfaction

Saturday, July 28, 2018, at 9 pm at the N'Namdi Center for Contemporary Art 52 E Forest Ave, Detroit, MI 48201

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Handsome Sam

Wed, 18 Jul 2018 11:14:17 -0000

Episode Notes

Sam (Handsome Sam) Spurill is a co-owner of one of the places in Downtown Detroit that brings in the essence of Millenial Detroit. Queens Bar at 35 E Grand River Ave, Detroit, MI 48226 since opening has brought in the energy of today's young Detroit. The essence of a venue packed with 24 & 26 year old Detroiters from different life walks is an extension of Sam's vision. Here Sam talks his start as a server, to bartender, to bar owner today. A relationship split between a Mother in some of Detroit's toughest places and Father in one of Metro-Detroit's most affluent suburbs. This is a great discussion on growing up, nightlife, parents, and even the Silverdome. Visit Queens Bar in Downtown Detroit any of the seven nights of the week. Also, share and like Detroit is Different visit www.detroitisdifferent.com and tell a friend.

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Tom Lawrence

Wed, 18 Jul 2018 10:47:35 -0000

Episode Notes

Tom Lawrence is a content creator. This interview goes deep into ways to continue to build podcasts, youtube channels, and more. Watch this to learn more about building an audience online and keeping an audience engaged online. Podcasting has provided him an opportunity to speak on Microsoft's campus ... about Linux. Youtube videos have provided Tom an audience and following of 10,000's into the cybersecurity and technology. We discuss the direction of content today and getting started and staying active in creating it. Check out Tom Lawrence on Youtube at TheTecknowledge and visit www.lawrencesystems.com. Also, share and like Detroit is DIfferent visit www.detroitisdifferent.com and tell a friend.

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Tom Choske State Representative Candidate for Michigan’s District 6

Thu, 12 Jul 2018 12:49:27 -0000

Episode Notes

Tom Choske State Representative Candidate for Michigan’s District 6

• What’s the culture of your district? • What businesses, organizations, and events add to the make-up of the communities there? • Who have been the most supportive people thus far in your candidacy for state representative? • What legislation do you plan to implement while in office? What people will be included in your process of drafting and enacting legislation? • What ways will you recruit political, community, and business allies? • If not elected in this campaign in what ways would you still engage the district? • What committees of the State house intrigue you most? • How do you plan on becoming more aware and cognizant of the dynamics impacting the lives of Michigan residents?

Gregory Creswell State Representative Candidate for Michigan’s District 1

Thu, 12 Jul 2018 12:48:32 -0000

Episode Notes

Gregory Creswell State Representative Candidate for Michigan’s District 1

Najanava Harvey-Quinn State Representative Candidate for Michigan’s District 7

Thu, 12 Jul 2018 12:47:49 -0000

Episode Notes

Najanava Harvey-Quinn State Representative Candidate for Michigan’s District 7

Jasmine Henry State Representative Candidate for Michigan’s District 8

Thu, 12 Jul 2018 12:46:55 -0000

Episode Notes

Jasmine Henry State Representative Candidate for Michigan’s District 8

Jeff Jones State Representative Candidate for Michigan’s District 7

Thu, 12 Jul 2018 12:46:10 -0000

Episode Notes

Jeff Jones State Representative Candidate for Michigan’s District 7

Samantha Magdaleno State Representative Candidate for Michigan’s District 6

Thu, 12 Jul 2018 12:45:23 -0000

Episode Notes

Samantha Magdaleno State Representative Candidate for Michigan’s District 6

The questions I asked are: • What’s the culture of your district? • What businesses, organizations, and events add to the make-up of the communities there? • Who have been the most supportive people thus far in your candidacy for state representative? • What legislation do you plan to implement while in office? What people will be included in your process of drafting and enacting legislation? • What ways will you recruit political, community, and business allies? • If not elected in this campaign in what ways would you still engage the district? • What committees of the State house intrigue you most? • How do you plan on becoming more aware and cognizant of the dynamics impacting the lives of Michigan residents?

Michele Oberholtzer State Representative Candidate for Michigan’s District 4

Thu, 12 Jul 2018 12:44:32 -0000

Episode Notes

Michele Oberholtzer State Representative Candidate for Michigan’s District 4

Gregory Reed

Wed, 04 Jul 2018 12:02:43 -0000

Episode Notes

Gregory Reed is an engineer that’s spent decades in the practice of Entertainment Law. Reed’s patience and understanding for systems led to his work into Entertainment Law. In the 1970’s relationships with fellow Michigan State Spartans (like Bubba Smith and more) created the opportunity to represent athletes. He soon wrote a book that has been cited and used as the standard for negotiating all athlete contracts. Today Attorney Reed is most known for his career in protecting the likeness and image of celebrities. His work with the honorable Rosa Parks is internationally recognized. He was also the exclusive Attorney for many Black theater companies, Kronk Boxing (RIP Emmanuel Stewart), Anita Baker, and many more acts. We discuss so much of his work into creating efforts outside of law alone. Today he is preparing for his Cruise’IN the D Car Expo (August 17 – 19, 2018), and Classic Women Whips & Wheels (Sat July 7, 2018). Please share, like, and send this to a friend in support of Detroit is Different. Also visit www.detroitisdifferent.com weekly to stay informed on the culture of the city.

Samuel Alvarado

Wed, 04 Jul 2018 11:56:52 -0000

Episode Notes

Southeast Texas, Mexico, and Southwest Detroit have interconnected ties that link all regions to families, culture, and food. Samuel Alvarado is a Mexican American with family roots in America dating back to his grandfather. His grandfather opened Mexican Fiesta restaurant in Dearborn in the 1960’s and since has sustained his Uncles, Father, and his family. The upbringing or education, culture, and love for Mexico have impacted Sam’s view of the world. Hard work, entrepreneurship, and family are the values Sam’s grown into truth overtime. We discuss Texas, Mexico, and how Mexican culture is loved and misunderstood in America. This was a fun discussion into what can expand opportunity, love, and vision of family growth. Please share, like, and send this to a friend in support of Detroit is Different. Also visit www.detroitisdifferent.com weekly to stay informed on the culture of the city.

Khary Kimani Turner

Wed, 04 Jul 2018 11:50:55 -0000

Episode Notes

Khary Kimani Turner is a working on behalf of HS students throughout Detroit in honor of Coleman Alexander Young. Today, Coleman A Young Foundation has a hip-hop touch under the leadership and servitude of Khary Kimani Turner. Initiatives like text drives for money are new approaches to support needed for our community. Turner talks music, fatherhood (he and wife Tunesia have the coolest son ever), and Detroit. The status of Black Bottom Collective music, performance, and legacy is also explored in this interview. My brother in name and an example in game made it out to the Detroit is Different incubator. Please share, like, and send this to a friend in support of Detroit is Different. Also visit www.detroitisdifferent.com weekly to stay informed on the culture of the city.

Nabeela Khan

Wed, 04 Jul 2018 11:45:18 -0000

Episode Notes

Nabeela Khan is a photographer inspired by the creativity of her Father. Her Father’s love for music while career in law encouraged her to stay expressing herself through artistry. Nabeela’s Muslim & Pakistani roots impact her life’s perspective and love for family. We discuss common American misunderstandings of the Middle East and Islamic culture. Also how her family grew an understanding for her photography. Please share, like, and send this to a friend in support of Detroit is Different. Also visit www.detroitisdifferent.com weekly to stay informed on the culture of the city.

Luke Cage Viewing S2E1

Thu, 28 Jun 2018 13:06:37 -0000

Episode Notes

Detroit is Different Podcast Network sits down and views and comments on Luke Cage Season 1: with Piper Carter of the Piper Carter Podcast; Maceo & Wae of Searching for Clair Huxtable; LaDonna & MarkQuisha from My Natural Hair; Sparkle & Tina Andramadon from Tiddies & Tacos; and Infinity & Pri-Smiilz from an Untitled Podcast soon to come.

Young Gifted and Black from Detroit but in DC

Wed, 27 Jun 2018 15:41:28 -0000

Episode Notes

Mishara Davis, Imani Coby, Nia Cleage, Julian Morgan are all professionals under 26 years old in Washington DC and from Detroit. Attracting talented young people and retaining talented young people is one of the most difficult challenges Detroit/ Metro-Detroit has. These Detroiters are in DC earning 3x - 4x as much as their friends in Detroit. We discuss opportunity, living in Detroit, future, family, and what Washington DC has given them that Detroit has not. This is an interesting discussion with a group of people often talked about and around but here it's with ... Young Gifted Capable Black People! I urge you all to listen to this talk and take into account their experience and perspective. Also, why would some of Detroit's most skilled young people travel 100's of miles away for professional careers? Continue to like, share, and invite friends to Detroit is Different. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com

Speak Roc

Wed, 27 Jun 2018 15:12:58 -0000

Episode Notes

Speak Roc is a podcaster, Motivational Speaker, Huband, and Father of 3 beautiful Daughters working in his business. From years of military service traveling the US he's come back to Detroit to provide ideas, support, and initiative for the community. We discuss his path leaving Martin Luther King Jr HS and returning to earn a diploma, later a degree, and years of military service. Today that drive and discipline he applies to community work and advocacy. Continue to watch, share, like, and invite a friend to experience Detroit is Different. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com

Karinda Washington

Wed, 27 Jun 2018 14:58:50 -0000

Episode Notes

Karinda Washington is a visionary. Influenced through her Mother's hard work impacting the community Karinda has launched efforts of culture, advocacy, and social awareness. Today she works in DC for Homeland Security and for years now has advocated for inclusion and transparency. Her talent and skill were recognized immediately in Washington DC and she talks about her current take and relationship with Detroit, her Detroit Family, and more. This is a special interview about what led her to DC and how she thinks about opportunities for young creatives in Detroit and DC. Continue to view, share, like, and invite a friend to Detroit is Different. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com

Keir Worthy

Wed, 27 Jun 2018 14:43:25 -0000

Episode Notes

Keir Worthy is a true Detroiter, someone with many skills and talents. Hip-hop Music's history is linked to Keir, International Design is linked to Keir, and African Centered Education is of Keir. While attending the University of Texas in the late 80's he introduced SXSW to all Black Music (including Hip-hop), and has worked in record promotions and marketing for of 25 years. Managing acts like Brand Nubian, 3rd Bass, Snow, and many more is his pedigree. Currently he's working on Wakandacon in Chicago August 3 - 5, 2018 and the Detroit is Different Film Fest in October 2018. This was an interesting discussion. PS Keir's cousin Sterling Toles sits in on this interview as well. Stay tuned, like, share, and invite a friend to the Detroit is Different experience! www.detroitisdifferent.com

Satori Shakoor

Wed, 20 Jun 2018 16:41:51 -0000

Episode Notes

Detroit is Different because people like Satori are here. Formally trained in classical music, she wound up baptized in the Funk performing with George Clinton and the Parliment for years. Then to Hawaii, LA, and Toronto, she's back in Detroit now. Satori's Secret Society of Twisted Storytellers is often imitated but sincerely missed because Satori is the gateway for the creativity. Satori shares perspectives on having a healthy quality life and artistry. I encourage all artists to watch this interview for inspiration. Take out some time and witness creativity in thought. Support Satori by visiting online at www.twistedtellers.org and getting tickets and tuning in (PS Big Announcements are soon to come from Satori and Twisted Storytellers). Also, share and continue to visit www.detroitisdifferent.com.

Corey Williams

Wed, 20 Jun 2018 16:38:26 -0000

Episode Notes

Corey Williams is a Detroit Property Developer with a background that's more Detroit than many Property Developers. Williams shares the stories of moving into U of D Law from the Cody (Rouge) background. Currently, he is an owner of the Wildemere located at W McNichols & Wildemere. Visit on a Tuesday soon for Shrimp, Beef, or Chicken tacos, and to meet Corey.

Julia Lynk

Wed, 20 Jun 2018 16:35:13 -0000

Episode Notes

Julia Lynk is a true Eastsider now offering Metro-Detroit a mix of specialized, custom, exercise classes. Fitness by Julie is a movement that is Yoga, Aerobics, Hip-hop, Youth, and You! Julie opened Commit 2B Fit Studio11839 Gratiot Detroit, MI 48213. She shares her journey of entrepreneurship, building a family, and working with all ages/ backgrounds/ and genders with fitness. Visit www.fitnessbyjulie.net to join a class and movement of Fitness by Julie. Also, share www.detroitisdifferent and tell a friend about where the stories of Detroit's culture are.

Chris Shorter

Wed, 20 Jun 2018 16:31:31 -0000

Episode Notes

Chris Shorter is from Vicksburg MS but grew up on Detroit's Westside. Central HS graduate and FAMU scholar Shorter now is in the mix of Detroit's sister Chocolate City. Directing Washington DC's Department of Public Works is a life journey but only one side of the prism. Father, Son, Brother, and DC homeowner (in DC) Chris shares his vision on Detroit, Leadership, and Community Development.

Stephanie L Hammonds

Wed, 20 Jun 2018 16:28:15 -0000

Episode Notes

Stephanie L Hammonds grew up learning music and now spends a majority of her time protecting the artistry of music creators. Publishing, copyright, negotiation, licensing, are all dynamics of intellectual property that are becoming more and more important by the day. The internet has changed the way people get entertainment (streaming, downloading, subscription service) so Attorney Hammonds and others in the field are working harder to ensure fairness on behalf of artists. We artistic independence, art, and content. Reach Stephanie at (313)340-0440. Also, share and like Detroit is Different visit www.detroitisdifferent.com and tell a friend.

Toby Barlow

Wed, 09 May 2018 06:19:24 -0000

Episode Notes

Philadelphia PA, Oakland CA, and Brooklyn NYC all welcomed the spirit and artistry of Toby Barlow. A career in advertising led Barlow on travels across the nation as he honed his skills as a writer (Huffington Post, Sharp Teeth) . His fiction novels have taken on a life welcoming thousands of fans enthralled in stories of people, life, and circumstances. The circumstances he covers best is horror writing. The creativity oozes from Barlow’s takes on life. In this Detroit is Different interview Barlow shares his upbringing, ideas on Detroit today, and staying creative in the Motor City.

Freda Samspon

Wed, 09 May 2018 06:16:37 -0000

Episode Notes

1971 ushered the Sampson Family to Detroit MI from Louisville KY. Dr. Frederick Sampson accepted the role as pastor of Tabernacle Baptist Church and brought with him a voice that’s changed the community. Membership at Tabernacle expanded from 1,500 to 5,000 in months. Throughout his 30 year tenure serving as pastor Sampson’s reign cast a shadow of the passion, commitment, and spirit that placed him in the esteem of Detroit preachers like Charles Adams, CL Franklin, and Jaramogi Abebe Agyeman.

May 19, 2018, Frederick G Sampson Foundation joins The Ecumenical Theological Seminary to honor the legacy of Dr. Fredrick G Sampson at the ‘Frederick G Sampson Symposium: Think I Said Something.’ The social activism and spiritual proclamation of Sampson’s work will be honored. Rev. Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. (Emeritus Trinity UCC IL), Rev. Dr. Frank A. Thomas (Christian Theological Seminary IN), Rev. Dr. Frederick D. Haynes III. (Friendship West Baptist Church TX), Rev. Dr. Mayowa Reynolds (Fellowship Chapel) and a host of many other guests in walks of Faith who were all impacted by Rev Sampson. This interactive event welcomes everyone. Click here to purchase your ticket to attend and be inspired.

Freda Sampson (co-host of Detroit is Different’s Black Coffee Podcast) joined me to talk about her Father’s legacy. This was a fun interview. Rev. Sampson was a preacher I remember impacting so much of Detroit. In this discussion, I learned about his relationship with Muhammad Ali in Louisville KY. We also talked about his time leading the Detroit NAACP, working with Dr. Martin Luther King, and much more.

the Exchange: Davante Burnley & Justice Akuezue

Wed, 02 May 2018 14:39:29 -0000

Episode Notes

Detroit is internationally recognized for Motown, Auto Motors, and today’s craft cocktails. The drink wizards using blends of natural juices, mixers (Shout Out Steve & Wolf Moon soon a guest again on Detroit is Different), and liquors are costing more than the traditional mojito, and so much better. Justice Akuezue & Davante Burnley are developing an experience through the Exchange combining fine dining and high-end drinks for Black culture. Both young Black men building their business with experience as the head chef for (Savannah Blue) and bartending experience (Grey Ghost & Detroit City Distillery) have the premise for a top-notch experience. Here Devantae and Justice give their takes on Detroit’s restaurant culture, Black business, and their aspirations.

Howard Hertz - Entertainment Law & Music Today

Wed, 02 May 2018 14:23:08 -0000

Episode Notes

Attorney Howard Hertz started his career as an attorney, in entertainment law, and developing artist platforms all organically. Decades of practice began through relationships of trust providing opportunity. Born in Canada and raised in the Linwood Davison neighborhood his perspective of life is from a Detroit state of mind. Today he is the founder of the Detroit Music Awards, represented a host of international icons, and a Blues player himself. This Detroit is Different interview is full of his strides in work from Wayne County’s Public Defender’s office in the 1970’s to represent George Clinton & Eminem. This was a fun, interesting, and insightful interview. Particulars as to representation, rights in music today, and independent artistry are explored.

Marcus Ware

Wed, 25 Apr 2018 14:33:20 -0000

Episode Notes

Marcus Ware has defied the odds on many levels. We originally met through his cousin DJ Drummer B (Leonard Ware) when Marcus was released from serving 4 years in prison. Finding Marcus, Leonard, Leland Stein Jr, and a host of other younger guys always saw me as someone finding my way through artistic entrepreneurship so pre-Detroit is Different they heard my takes on success, vision, and cool Detroiters. Ware has come to embody all of that and now is one of the stories I often share. From his WCCCD Associates degree to certification at Dorsey as a chef he used school as a platform of opportunity. Starting as a dishwasher he now is the head chef of the Menagerie Lounge in Pontiac MI. His time at Katoi running their kitchen, corporate pop-ups, and detail to making desserts all have welcomed this grand opportunity. The doors of the Menagerie Lounge opened a week ago and have been standing room waits since. In this interview we talk his family’s Mississippi roots, making vegetable stock (shout out to my Grandma Vel), and how cooking’s a family tradition.

Luther 'Badman' Keith

Wed, 25 Apr 2018 14:30:15 -0000

Episode Notes

Luther Keith is my example of mixing art, business, and community together to have fun. Keith joined me for a great interview where we talk family, journalism, and the Blues. Saturday, April 28, 2018, @ 9pm we open the ‘Bourbon, Blues, and the Badman,’ concert series at Tony V’s Tavern (5756 Cass Detroit MI). Luther Keith loves playing the guitar and belting out some originals and classic blues tunes. His show is a lot like his approach to life, inclusive and experiential. On this interview, we talk about his father’s work organizing ‘Negro History Week’ in Detroit, him being the first journalist to cover Emmanuel Stewart and the Kronk boxers, and the art of giving a show. As always Luther talks Detroit community and his passion for ARISE Detroit and Detroit love.

Herman Davis

Wed, 11 Apr 2018 15:07:32 -0000

Episode Notes

Herman Davis is full of joy and a classic smile. Davis believes and has discovered the value of kindness and work ethic are gateways to success. In his podcast interview, we explore how his life has been filled with knowing how recreation and fun add to the character of children. A Detroit School Board member in the 1970’s and as recent as the 2010’s between the time owned and operated Northland Roller Rink with his family. The family-run business for over 20 years was a destination for all Detroiters. He discusses the TV show on local CBS ‘Northland Roller Skating,’ DJ Doc Elliot, and how the need for wholesome recreation led him to the million dollar deal in 1980 that purchased Northland roller rink. He shares many gems of his business, family, and life success. Herman Davis also shares why today in leading the Cherrylawn Block Association is as much of a commitment as entrepreneurship.

Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to listen to the Herman Davis interview in full.

Cyndey Camp & Mark Denson - the Process

Thu, 05 Apr 2018 10:44:45 -0000

Episode Notes

Cydney Camp is creative. Cydney launched ‘the Process’ bi-monthly live art show and installation in February. Thursday April 19, 2018 6 PM – 10 PM @ the Tangent Gallery (715 E Milwaukee St, Detroit, Michigan 48202) will be the second presentation of this lively event. Mark Denson is an art collector that attended the event and was impressed by the experience, audience, and creativity of the Process. Cydney and Mark joined me for a discussion about art, value, and adding creativity to life.

La Donna Sims & MarkQuisha St Clair of Hair Goals 313

Thu, 05 Apr 2018 10:29:33 -0000

Episode Notes

Hair Goals 313 is a salon located in Grosse Pointes ‘My Salon Suites’ at 16824 Kercheval Ave, Grosse Pointe, MI 48230. Hair Goals 313 is a natural hair salon run by Markquisha St Clair & La Donna Sims. Locs, twists, and curls are coiled, conditioned, treated, and styled for men and women looking to love their hair naturally. The interest and movement connected to natural hair have also led to the ‘My Natural Hair’ podcast on the Detroit is Different podcast network. This Sunday April 8, 2018 La Donna & Markquisha will be at Detroit Sip at 2pm (7420 W McNichols Detroit MI 48221) to discuss ‘Finding a Natural Hair Stylist.’ ‘My Natural Hair’ is a podcast about natural hair, MarkQuisha & La Donna joined me on Detroit is Different to discuss their start into business and natural hair.

Robin Terry & Raina Baker of the Motown Museum

Wed, 28 Mar 2018 13:14:27 -0000

Robin Terry & Raina Baker are part of the team welcoming thousands of people weekly to tour, take pictures, and experience Motown. Hitsville USA is located in the heart of Detroit on W Grand Blvd. This small home was the place where so many stars were launched and today facilitates more. The Motown Mic Series featuring Spoken Word poetry, and the Motown Legacy series highlighting Black entrepreneurship is a taste of it all. In this Detroit is Different interview both Robin & Raina share their ties to Detroit and vision for Detroit.

visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to watch the Detroit is Different interview with Robin Terry & Raina Baker of the Motown Museum.

Charita Mona of Naturally U Health & Skincare

Wed, 28 Mar 2018 13:13:14 -0000

Charita Mona has developed a full line of skin care products saving people’s lives. What began as an interest in using she butter has become a passion encouraged by hundreds of people struggling with diabetes, surviving with cancer, and dealing with other ailments. With Detroit is Different Charita sits down and shares her story of fitness, health, and skin care. Learn how a great idea is now mass produced, marketed, and distributed.

Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to watch the Detroit is Different interview with Charita Mona of Naturally U Health & Skin Care

Jennyfer Crawford of All Things Detroit

Wed, 21 Mar 2018 11:03:17 -0000

Jennyfer Crawford is the creator of All Things Detroit. Jennyfer’s ambition in understanding a need and people has built a successful business in helping businesses reach others. All Things Detroit is an event that currently welcomes people to experience the makers, tasters, and creators of Detroit to offer what they have to an audience. This Sunday March 25^th you should attend to get an essence of something creative and alive! Crawford’s journey started from being frustrated with a job where she didn’t and a joy for connecting people to their desires. Her desire was to produce a maker’s fair that has now welcomed thousands to Eastern Market and given her a national platform. A star traveling the nation on incubating business is from the E Warren neighborhood by Southeastern HS. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com and check out the video interviews with Jennyfer and find more of the culture of Detroit.

Kim Tandy City of Detroit District 2 Manager

Wed, 21 Mar 2018 11:01:32 -0000

Kim Tandy is the District 2 manager for the city of Detroit. A lifelong Detroiters groomed and raised on Detroit’s Westside her roots run deep. In life, she followed in her father’s footsteps as an architect. A family business in architecture is the background she brings to all she does today. Managing district 2 Tandy is on the pulse of community meetings, neighborhood groups, and developing block clubs throughout Detroit. Renter’s association and youth city council are two of the blossoming projects she’s shaping. She joined me for a full discussion which is layered in thought, idea, and heart.Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to watch the videos and of the Kim Tandy interview and to get more of Detroit’s culture.

Shakur Sisters on Detroit is Different

Wed, 14 Mar 2018 21:09:24 -0000

The Shakur Sisters are beautiful, full of life, and kindred spirits. I met both through my friendship with my late mentor and friend Chokwe Lumumba. Itari Shakur & Shushanna Shakur are Attorney Chokwe Lumumba’s younger sisters. Itari’s work in music, fashion, and social justice all provide the essence of an African-centered and culturally aware spirit. Shushanna Shakur has worked as a teacher, poet, attorney, and social justice warrior as well. Both were impacted and influenced by their brother Chokwe Lumumba, but even more so from their parents. In this interview, we explore their family’s relationship to Boxing Legend and Detroit treasure Joe Louis (Barrow). We also explore the impact of community and kinship with a neighborhood that is beyond proximity. This is a fun and colorful interview about the role we play for justice, community, and righteousness. Click here to check out the Shakur Sisters Detroit is Different Podcast.

Shelia Cockrel on Detroit is Different

Wed, 14 Mar 2018 20:28:58 -0000

Shelia Cockrel is a 1^st generation Detroiter to parents of French Canadian & Irish backgrounds who respectively attended the University of Detroit Mercy (Dad) & Marygrove College (Mom). Shelia’s parents were advocates for human rights in a WWII era. Cockrel’s father’s stance against carrying a weapon in WWII moved him to front-line medical service during his tour of duty in WWII. Equity and fairness were ethics believed in and fought for by her parents impacting Shelia to take up fights on her own. Shelia’s work with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Poor People’s Campaign and witnessing of the vicious police brutality has impacted her life’s work since. This is a great peek into how the work and mission of parents impact the life of a child. Click here to check out the Shelia Cockrel Detroit is Different Podcast.

Karima Sorel LePetit Zinc & Around the World

Wed, 07 Mar 2018 11:32:53 -0000

Karima Sorel’s life is as interesting as Benjamin Button or Forrest Gump. She’s the daughter of Charles & Teresa Kelly who ran and owned the Michigan Citizen Newspaper for over 30 years. A Parson’s Art School Fashion Design graduate from the 90’s. Her relationships with NYC during the boom in Hip-hop fashion introduced her to the guardians of NYC hip-hop culture that influences the world today (Mos Def is the Father of her second oldest Daughter). Today many people in Detroit connect with Karima because she’s the owner of LePetit Zinc Restaurant which re-opened in Midtown Detroit. The authentic French cuisine embraced most by a collection of crepes was made by her ex-husband Charles Sorel whose experience has led restaurants in Paris, Rio De Janeiro, New York City, and Munich. Karima joins me and discusses her healing through Cancer, owning a restaurant, and high fashion. This is a fun conversation and only a peek into the thoughts of Karima Sorel.

Visit

Michelle Oberholtzer the Social Justice Advocate

Wed, 07 Mar 2018 11:31:21 -0000

Michele Oberholtzer is passionate and driven to apply her skills/ talents to advocate for people who don’t & won’t walk in the circles she does. Michele’s experience in engineering has refined her skills at analyzing problems technically & functionally. Closing 2017 Vice News on HBO ran a story (Vice has been doing a lot of Detroit coverage over the past 2 years) about how the Wayne County Tax Foreclosure Sale has transitioned many homeowners to renters. The systems in place where buyers purchase homes (in bulk often) and charge rent to people who owned their homes has become a reality. Michele has been advocating for residents to keep their homes by providing monies to help pay taxes, the $250 & 2% late fees, water bills, and more. We discuss Michele’s campaign for Michigan State Representative (District 4), Race in Detroit, Detroit’s Home Foreclosure Crisis, and more. This was an informational discussion.

Visit

Roderick Miller Advocate for Equal Urban Development

Wed, 28 Feb 2018 15:11:13 -0000

Roderick Miller has lived a life that reads like a Hollywood script. Born in small-town South Carolina the son of a military engineer & Baptist Pastor who traveled the world at a time America feared the danger of the USSR. Miller’s education placed him in Historically Black Colleges and Harvard for a Master’s degree in Urban Development. Work in Phoenix developing the Economic Growth & Community Development, and work in New Orleans in post-Katrina revitalization while starting a family. Recently he left a post leading Detroit’s Economic Growth Corporation. Today he’s working in Puerto Rico and fighting for the resources needed there for Americans being treated unfairly. This podcast is unique in exploring race, poverty, accessibility, and resources. Click here to visit and listen to the Detroit is Different podcast interview with Roderick Miller.

Kwame Kenyatta the Black Nationalist

Wed, 28 Feb 2018 15:08:45 -0000

Kwame Kenyatta’s journey connecting him to the discrimination of Black people in America began early as he was one of the original Black students in the state of Alabama to attend a formerly ‘White Only’ elementary school. There Kenyatta dealt with daily fist fights, rocks being tossed at him, and more. As he journey led him to Detroit he soon joined school walk-outs and rebellions throughout the 1970’s. Soon after Kenyatta was permanently expelled from all DPS schools for challenging the administration of Cooley HS for lacking African Centered education. His GED instruction was led by Mama Imani Humphrey (founder of Aisha Shule) and other teachers independently teaching students African Centered education (visit the Dan Aldridge & Njia Kai Detroit is Different interviews) and fundamental learning. Kenyatta later became a member of the Detroit Public School Board with the support of the Malcolm X Grassroots organizations and many others. In office Kenyatta led an initia [...]

Stretch Money the Rapper & the Thinker

Thu, 22 Feb 2018 10:54:41 -0000

Stretch Money’s a rap star. For over a decade his music has been played at Family Reunions, Roller Rinks, and even every strip club throughout Detroit. Eastside’s own son has embraced working with all rappers throughout Detroit regardless of style, age, and background. His voice and pattern in speaking arms him naturally to stand out in conversation and on the song he does as well. Charting the Billboard 100 throughout the 2000’s & 2010’s his time in jail changed his ethics in work and decision making. We explore creativity, free-styling, and leadership. Currently, Stretch Money is working with Fearless Rebels teaming with Crane Novacane producing music, clothing, and content. Opportunities and platforms for a team of young hungry Detroiters is his vision and through creativity, he’s doing it. We both go in depth about the lyricism of Tupac Shakur and examine the talent and skill displayed by Tupac on his song ‘(Shed) So Many Tears,’ (featured on Tupac Shakur’s [...]

Lumumba Reynolds from DJ to all Around Creative

Thu, 22 Feb 2018 10:53:18 -0000

Lumumba Reynolds is a creative consultant specializing in sound reinforcement, light design, audio engineering, videography, video editing, photography, and event production. Work with Mosaic Youth Theatre, Detroit’s Fellowship Chapel, the Detroit Windsor Dance Academy, Detroit High School of Fine and Performing Arts, and dozens of organizations and people all have benefited from the services of Studio Lumumba. In this podcast interview we explore his start into production, performing, and love for music. He opens up about starting off a career as a DJ and blossoming into a creative institution. Starting a technical career working at Specs Howards School of Broadcast Journalism, the New Dance Show with Henry Tyler & RJ Watkins, and music video shoots with World One Records. Lumumba tells the story of meeting his wife on the set of a hip-hop music video and how that led to 25 years of marriage with Mayowa Reynolds. The podcast is full of thought-provoking, comedic, and Detroit [...]

Amp Fiddler & Lauren Hood

Wed, 07 Feb 2018 05:08:39 -0000

Detroit is a place that intersects arts and advocacy often. Dr. Martin Luther King’s ‘I have a Dream’ speech was originally recorded by Milton Henry and released on Motown records. Dudley Randall of Broadside Press provided laureates of the Black community a platform to explore stories of police brutality, racial discrimination, and human rights as a premise and platform for a voice. The talents of Gwendolyn Brooks, Nikki Giovanni, and Haki Madhubuti all were given a national stage from the streets of Detroit’s Broadside Press.

The friendship and love between Amp Fiddler & Lauren Hood carries the tradition on. Amp Fiddler is the musical genius that’s always the coolest person in the room. Born and still residing in the Pershing HS neighborhood Amp travels the world and comes home to Detroit’s Eastside. His unique blend of Funk, Soul, and R & B was crafted through his work with George Clinton and late great brother Bubs Fiddler. His welcoming spirit to enc [...]

Butch Small the Percussionist

Wed, 07 Feb 2018 04:43:43 -0000

Learning percussion from listening alone led Carl ‘Butch’ Small to travel the world with the Undisputed Truth, the Dramatics, Parliament, and the Four Tops. Small’s understanding of music led to a respect, knowledge, and love for studio engineering which guided him to production, arrangement, and composition for Bootsy Collins at the height of his success in the 1970’s & 1980’s. Butch Small was a center piece providing all the sounds you notice but can’t recognize in records like Parliment’s ‘Tear the Roof Off,’ Dr. Dre & Tupac Shakur’s ‘California Love,’ and LJ Reynolds ‘Key to the World.’ Also, his love and support of his son led him to start Detroit’s flagship hip-hop record label World One Records. His encouragement of his son DJ Los moved him into open one of Detroit’s first studio’s welcoming rappers to perform, release, and shares their music with the world. Acts like Kaos & Maestro, DICE, and Nikki D all were given a national st [...]

RUNning Rebel (Acoustic)

Mon, 05 Feb 2018 08:29:36 -0000

Running Rebel was originally on the 2008 Khary WAE Frazier ‘Preaching to the Choir’ album released on General Population Music & EAPro. This performance features Joey Spina on acoustic guitar.

Written by K. Frazier & Produced by J. Spina | Recorded at the 1440 Studios Detroit MI

Dan Aldridge the Civil, Human, and Spiritual Rights Leader

Wed, 31 Jan 2018 10:03:29 -0000

From sharing a barber with Malcolm X to having Dorothy Height get you enrolled in college Dan Aldridge has a unique story. Aldridge was born in Harlem but has made Detroit his home since the 1960’s. We explore his work too many stories: him losing a job with Chrysler because his stance against Chrysler profiting from Apartheid in South Africa; his friendship with Milton Henry & CL Franklin; and how he was the rebel in Mayor Jerome Cavanagh’s office and a leader in Mayor Coleman Young’s office. Watch and listen to the Detroit is Different interview with Dan Aldridge.

Contact at jazzcity3729@gmail.com

Jackie Berg of the HUB

Wed, 31 Jan 2018 09:57:32 -0000

Do you want to know what’s happening in Detroit communities? Do you want to find out what neighborhood groups, block clubs, and businesses outside of downtown Detroit give to the city? The HUB is a true voice for Detroit. The HUB was founded by Jackie Berg. I had a one on one heart to heart with Jackie about her inspiration to start the HUB from the late Sam Logan who led the Michigan Chronicle for years. Jackie also talks about how corporate sales became a gateway for her to grow a love for Detroit neighborhoods. Watch and listen to the Detroit is Different interview with Jackie Berg.

Njia Kai the Event & Film Maker

Wed, 24 Jan 2018 05:05:06 -0000

The story of the 6 year old girl featured in the Michigan Chronicle who is now the event planner for over 500 events in throughout Detroit’s Downtown is a story for the ages. Njia Kai grew up in the heart of Detroit and excelling throughout her grade school years earning her scholarship to Howard University where she studied film. Howard University and Washington DC’s African Centered community groomed Njia in the ethics of value systems, leadership, and cooperative economics. Listen to the podcast where Njia shares and opens up her methods of understanding, process, and system. Njia’s Detroit Event’s Team is one of the most recognized and successful brands covering Noel Night, Campus Martius, Red Wing Championship Celebrations, African World Festival, and more.

S2E1 -Matt Dibble the Storyteller

Wed, 10 Jan 2018 03:55:02 -0000

Have you heard about the trend in storytelling? The idea of becoming a subject matter expert using videos, e-books, blogs, infographics, and speaking engagements is becoming more and more popular. What’s a story? How does a story develop? Why do people care about ‘storytelling’? Matt Dibble of Final 5 joins me for the first Detroit is Different Podcast of 2018 and we explore storytelling and more.

Hosted by Khary Frazier

Bowling for Turkey’s with Let’s Go Detroit

Wed, 01 Nov 2017 11:30:53 -0000

Come support us as we host our 3rd Annual Bowling for Turkey’s event! All proceeds go to those in need. Tickets include 3 hours of bowling. Live music from DJ Platinum! Raffles and giveaways! Sponsorships are available and donations are greatly appreciated! Help us as we give back to the city of Detroit!!

Get Tickets at www.bowlingforturkeys.org

Let’s Go Detroit, in partnership with Plum Hollow Lanes, The Xtraordinary Gentleman & Kill The Hate proudly present the 3rd Annual Bowling For Turkeys. Proceeds from this event will be donated to Alternative For Girls and United Sister of Charity. With your help, we will make an impact on helping people in need.

Bowling For Turkeys began as an idea that Loren Braxton (Let’s Go Detroit) had for helping the hungry and homeless. He wanted to throw an event around his birthday that would benefit people in need, rather than himself. His thought was to r [...]

Detroit is Different: Mike Forsyth

Thu, 04 May 2017 08:39:19 -0000

Today I feature a podcast interview with Michael Forsyth and discuss urban planning, Detroit, and his bar the Detroit City Distillery. Mike is currently working for the Live6 project gathering funds, support, and awareness for business owners, community groups, and advocates throughout the Livernois & 6 mile neighborhood. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com for more on people adding to Detroit’s culture.

Detroit is Different with Dara & David Harper

Thu, 27 Apr 2017 07:04:12 -0000

Dara & David Harper are creative. The couple met in NYC years ago both working in theater and film. Partnering to produce, direct, and write a series of plays, the Harper’s are a team of creativity. Their play ‘Passing’ which has started Mayowa Reynolds has been well received to thousands of Detroiters over the years.

Dara shares her process of writing and producing. Today she is finalizing touches on her animated feature ‘The Ice Princess.’ (FYI: since the interview The Sky Princess has been accepted into the Cannes Film Festival. Visit http://theskyprincess.com/ today and find out more about the movie today.)

Detroit is Different with Dr Paul Thomas

Thu, 09 Mar 2017 12:32:33 -0000

Detroit is Different is about culture and business makes up a lot of that for our city. The products, services, and the style/ process in which they’re delivered are uniquely Detroit. The gate of the Detroit River has welcomed world travelers for centuries. Today the port remains America’s busiest border for importing and exporting goods. I’ve always felt the best asset we’ve offered the world are Detroiters.

Dr. Paul Thomas is one of the Detroiters going against conventional wisdom. Dr. Thomas leads Plum Health which is a family medical practice. The likes of the conglomerate giants Henry Ford Health Systems, Beaumont, and the Juggernaut of the Detroit Medical Center has changed the way medicine is delivered here. America has witnessed the medical industry change over the decade to decade more than any other industry that flourishes. Dr. Thomas provides an old school style practice with today’s technology and savvy for clients. His 24 hour service, home visit, and [...]

Off Rip from 12th Street to making Dollar Signs

Thu, 16 Feb 2017 08:23:22 -0000

Off-Rip has since toured the nation with hits like ‘Don’t Show Up When I Blow Up’ and ‘Dollar Sign.’ He visited the Detroit is Different podcast studio to talk about creativity and music. We explore his ties to the 12^th Street neighborhood, basketball, his father Mr. Hariston, and even his travels with San Antonio Spurs head coach Greg Popavich. Rip is one of the many hip-hop artists bringing national attention to Detroit’s industry today. His work with artist Cap brands Detroit Hip-hop for national appeal. Rip’s music has garnered the same response from many fans as I do ‘Why don’t you move out of Detroit?’ and we explore that question.

This was a great podcast interview to introduce, re-introduce, and establish the connection between myself and one of the hip-hop artists I’ve worked with from the beginning (shouts out to Mike Posner, Earlly Mac, Big Sean, and Tone Tone, too). Listen to the Detroit is Different podcast interview with Off Rip [...]

Howie Bell - Detroit Laughs Out Loud!

Thu, 09 Feb 2017 06:33:54 -0000

Howie Bell! If you’re a live performer of any sort I suggest going to witness Howie Bell live on stage. Bell’s comedic style is a blend of energy, tone, and spirit that has a touch of drama with the rhythm of music. Bell began as an actor and transitioned to stand-up comedy. In the mid 90’s he worked on the production team for his brother’s play which starred Detroit legends Keith Washington, Tony Roberts, and more. Between takes and set-up he quickly learned that he had a calling for stand-up comedy. From backstage joking and sanctifying with Tony Roberts he took to the mic himself.

His stories of family, growing up, and Detroit life are hilarious. Classic TV appearances on BET’s Comic View and Showtime’s Bad Boys of Comedy have added to the cult legacy of those series.

Boldy James - the Detroit Hustle of Rap and Life

Thu, 02 Feb 2017 01:30:44 -0000

Boldy James is a rapper with a story many have. Boldy’s voice and approach to telling the story of a hustler is prolific. Born and raised in Detroit from family with Carthage Mississippi roots, Boldy James has spent a lifetime hustling. Boldy’s mixtapes ‘Trapper’s Alley,’ ‘Cosignment,’ and ‘Trapper’s Alley 2’ are music of street knowledge. His artistry welcomed the support of Nas, the Cool Kids, Alchemist, and more. Last week Boldy James and DJ Butter (a Detroit hip-hop legend) released the EP ‘Art of Rock Climbing.’ This feature is available on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, and other digital distribution/streaming services.

Boldy’s story of redemption, survival, vulnerability, is explicitly clear through stories of years of hustling. I sit down and have a deep and colorful discussion with Boldy about family, Detroit [...]

Entertainment Business with Attorneys Stephanie Hammonds & Daniel Hoops

Thu, 29 Sep 2016 07:27:24 -0000

The best asset anyone in entertainment can haveis a smart and dedicated attorney. I have a special Detroit is DifferentPodcast with Attorney’s Stephanie Hammonds & Daniel Hoops. This was a paneldiscussion hosted in August part of the Ortheia Barnes Music Festival.Stephanie Hammonds has been my attorney for years and I don’t trust anyone morethat her when it comes to contracts, representation, support, and businessadvice legally. Daniel Hoops is a friend/ mentor of mine that represents manyof my mentors. Attorneys Hammonds and Hoops join me for a fulfilling discussionabout planning, business, and protecting your assets.

Contact Attorney Stephanie Hammonds at stephanielyn [...]

Detroit is Different Techonomy Wrap-up Report

Tue, 22 Sep 2015 08:36:09 -0000

Detroit is Different Techonomy Wrap-up Report with Shelytia Cocroft and Heidi Jugenitz of Social Imagination.

Thomas Ermacora at Techonomy Detroit 2015

Tue, 22 Sep 2015 08:34:17 -0000

Thomas Ermacora founder of Clear Village

Find out more at www.clear-village.org

Natalia Petraszczuk at Techonomy Detroit 2015

Tue, 22 Sep 2015 08:32:58 -0000

Natalia Petraszczuk founder of VizBe

Find out more at www.vizbe.com

James Marsh at Techonomy Detroit 2015

Tue, 22 Sep 2015 08:30:42 -0000

James Marsh Assistant to the Dean Odette School of Business University of Windsor

Find out more at www.uwindsor.ca

Jess Kutch at Techonomy Detroit 2015

Tue, 22 Sep 2015 08:28:55 -0000

Jess Kutch founder of CoWorker

Find out more at www.coworker.org

Eric Thomas at Techonomy Detroit 2015

Tue, 22 Sep 2015 08:27:22 -0000

Eric Thomas founder of Saga Marketing

Find out more at www.sagamktg.com

David Kirkpatrick at Techonomy Detroit 2015

Tue, 22 Sep 2015 08:26:04 -0000

David Kirkpatrick founder of Techonomy

Find out more at www.techonomy.com

Andrew Yang at Techonomy Detroit 2015

Tue, 22 Sep 2015 08:24:27 -0000

Andrew Yang founder of Venture for America

Find out more at www.ventureforamerica.org

Detroit is Different with Todd Russell Perkins

Tue, 09 Jun 2015 07:26:37 -0000

Todd Russell Perkins shared a humbling amount of knowledge and commitment. The entrepreneur opened up about his interest in business and start of his now leading Perkins Law Group. The podcast interview was part of the 1^st Friday event hosted by Perkins Law Group highlighting Black businesses throughout Detroit. An active engaged audience asked about law, his views on the current Police brutality headlines, and reparations. The insight and drive of Attorney Perkins is evident and amazing.

Detroit is Different with Mike Willingham

Tue, 28 Apr 2015 00:42:15 -0000

Detroit is Different podcast interview with Visual Artist Mike Willingham by Khary WAE Frazier. Please visit www.detroitisdifferent.com

Detroit is Different with Jocelyn Rainey

Tue, 28 Apr 2015 00:39:39 -0000

Detroit is Different podcast interview with Visual Artist Jocelyn Rainey by Khary WAE Frazier. Please visit www.detroitisdifferent.com

Detroit is Different with Thornetta Davis

Tue, 31 Mar 2015 00:35:39 -0000

Detroit is Different’s March 2015 feature was the great Thornetta Davis. We spent a month together sharing stories, artistry, and ideas. Saturday March 31, 2015 at the Jam Handy Thornetta Davis joined me for a live recording of the Detroit is Different Podcast.

We discussed her start as a vocalist. During our discussion for the podcast she highlighted her interest in the Blues. Thornetta shared the story of her introduction into singing, writing, and performing the Blues. Thornetta is a gem to Detroit’s artistry.

The most intriguing fact she shared was the making of her [...]

Detroit is Different with Yusef Shakur

Tue, 24 Feb 2015 06:29:23 -0000

Yusef ‘Bunchy’ Shakur is an Author and Freedom Fighter. The month of February 2015 highlighted Yusef as the feature for the Detroit is Different website (www.detroitisdifferent.com). On this podcast I interview Yusef along with a host of audience members. This interview took place after Yusef delivered his 2015 State of Black Detroit Address.

Yusef ‘Bunchy’ Shakur 2015 State of Black Detroit Address

Tue, 24 Feb 2015 06:24:43 -0000

Saturday February 21, 2015 Yusef Bunchy Shakur delivered his 2015 State of Black Detroit Address at Nandi’d Knowledge Cafe in Highland Park MI. He discusses opportunity, conflicts of interest, Detroit’s status relative to the nation, and the need for Detroiters to see one another as resources.

Detroit is Different with Sharon McPhail

Tue, 25 Nov 2014 02:45:16 -0000

Detroit is Different’s November 2014 theme was Politics and as a podcast guest I welcomed the Honorable Sharon McPhail. We discuss her commitment, fight, plans for Detroit, and family.

I Oh My featuring Shiron Denise

Thu, 13 Nov 2014 09:50:55 -0000

I oh My

Performed by Khary WAE Frazier & Shiron Denise

Notes of an Artist/Activist album released in 2009

Produced by Ian Sherman

Written by K. Frazier & I. Sherman

Hip-hop Vocalist Khary WAE Frazier

Soul Vocalist Shiron Denise

Detroit is Different with Dr Robert Bland

Tue, 30 Sep 2014 02:08:13 -0000

Dr Robert Bland is a professor, historian, and school administrator. For over 40 years he worked throughout the Detroit community as an advocate for education. His life’s work of providing information as a lead historian on the Middle Passage (journey of kidnapped, captured, and enslaved peoples of Africa taken to Latin & North America).

Liz Shuler Techonomy Detroit 2014

Sun, 21 Sep 2014 15:48:25 -0000

The Michigan Citizen Newspaper presents podcasted interviews with participants of Techonomy Detroit 2014. Khary Frazier of Detroit is Different hosts the series of interview shorts recorded Tuesday September 16, 2014.

This interview features Liz Shuler. Liz is the Secretary Treasurer of the AFL-CIO, and Officer for Women & Youth Engagement.

Gabriella Gomez-Mont Techonomy Detroit 2014

Sun, 21 Sep 2014 15:46:00 -0000

This interview features Gabriella Gomez-Mont. Gabriella is the Chief Creativity Officer for Mexico City.

Charlie Molthrop Techonomy Detroit 2014

Sun, 21 Sep 2014 15:44:22 -0000

This interview features Charlie Molthrop. Charlie is a Venture for America Fellow working with Next Energy in Detroit.

David Kirkpatrick Techonomy Detroit 2014

Sun, 21 Sep 2014 15:41:52 -0000

This interview features David Kirkpatrick. David is the founder of Techonomy.

Marlin Page Techonomy Detroit 2014

Sun, 21 Sep 2014 15:38:37 -0000

This interview features Marlin Page. Marlin is the founder and speaker for Sister’s Code.

Laura Mather Techonomy Detroit 2014

Sun, 21 Sep 2014 15:35:00 -0000

This interview features Laura Mather. Laura is the founder and CEO of Unitive.

Arun Sundararajan Techonomy Detroit 2014

Sun, 21 Sep 2014 15:32:24 -0000

This interview features Arun Sundararajan. Arun is a NYU professor of Urban Science.

S1E6 -Justin Fox - Techonomy Detroit 2014

Sun, 21 Sep 2014 15:28:33 -0000

The Michigan Citizen Newspaper presents podcasted interviews with participants of Techonomy Detroit 2014 Khary Frazier of Detroit is Different hosts the series of interview shorts recorded Tuesday, September 16, 2014. This interview features Justin Fox. Justin is the NY Editor of the Harvard Business Review.

S1E5 -Living Proof (Young Black Youth)

Tue, 09 Sep 2014 08:45:32 -0000

Living Proof (Young Black Youth)

Written by K. Frazier Vocals performed by Khary WAE Frazier Produced & Composed by Joe Black Mixed by John Brown Jr. Recorded at Sights & Sounds Studios Southfield MI & John Brown Jr. Studios From the ‘Broken English Ideologies’ EP 2015

VERSE ONE Kids looking up to me I don’t know what to tell them Ain’t no options out here cause Detroit done failed them . . .So I try to just listen And offer them some love if they make a bad decision Though I wish things was different Hard for me to justify still living where I’m living Doing what I’m doing and getting what I’m getting In Detroit skies I can clearly see a ceiling Antiquated thoughts and old ideas Of assembly lines and unionized men Everything that’s left for the past 40 years What the politicians say they can bring back here And I wanna believe but its hard when you see A college grads options just like a GED And I wish things was different, . . .it ain’t up to me I accept the worse, . . it’s just what I think VERSE TWO Life ain’t fair and its worse if you Black It’s the land of the free but the ghetto is a trap it’s a state of mind not a place where we at That don’t trust people but it will trust cash we don’t understand how this philosophy is born Evans family here what Plato was to Rome So I brush it off with the books that I read to shake off the laziness, jealousy and greed with notes of Marcus Garvey thoughts of Faud Muhammad quotes of Dudley Randle and Assata’s sonnets cause without knowledge slavery’s not abolished and I find myself even shackled to a dolla //Hard places makes rocks get softer Can’t find work? streets got job offers Why young kids even robbing and shooting And we blame parents, teachers, and music VERSE THREE I got a little homie who just graduated Ex-dropout alternative education As he thinking now that he can just make it His alternative prison and basic training It’s a harsh reality but a sad truth When you can barely read college not you You ain’t got no money college got you You ain’t gotta plan life stops you Things stack up as time moves on thinking what’s next, not right or wrong Why I make decisions that might risk it all life is a hustle I can flip or I fall On a high wire I’m Dominique Dawes With my information that’s of value when I talk Coming together everything’s in my palms To catch all the snakes that fatten up the frogs

Detroit is Different with Phillip Cooley

Tue, 19 Aug 2014 06:31:01 -0000

This Detroit is Different podcast welcomes you all to listen to the interview I held with Detroiter, Creative, Entrepreneur, and Social Advocate Phillip Cooley. Phillip is best known in Detroit as the owner of Slows Bar B Q restaurant. In our conversation we discuss family, business, traveling, Chicago and Detroit.

The interview with Cooley gives insight to being and staying creative. His story into how Slows Bar B Q began is humbling. I gath [...]

Detroit is Different with guest Henry Tyler

Tue, 29 Jul 2014 08:20:00 -0000

Detroit is Different featured the theme of Summer for July of 2014. My podcast guest was Henry Tyler. Henry is a Detroit legend in media and broadcast. Tyler worked on the Detroit classic Dance show ‘The Scene.’ He and RJ Watkins later hosted the ‘The New Dance Show’ and grew to owning TV33 and 88.1fm. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com and read more about Khary WAE Frazier and the Detroit is Different movement.

Detroit is Different with guest Carolyn Striho

Mon, 26 May 2014 22:30:44 -0000

Detroit is Different featured Music for May of 2014 and the guest on the podcast is Carolyn Striho. Carolyn is a musician, vocalist, song writer, and passionate performer from Detroit. Her work has won many Detroit Music Awards and traveled the world.

On the Podcast we discuss her passion for music. Also her band with husband Scott Dailey (guitar). This is a fun and inspirational conversation. Join in and listen.

Also support the Detroit is Different movement online at www.detroitisdifferent.com.

Khary WAE Frazier

Detroit is Different with guest Malik Yakini

Tue, 29 Apr 2014 01:20:43 -0000

Detroit is Different is about exposing artistry, business, ideas, and the dynamic people, places, and things that I know make Detroit a mecca. The movement is supported by www.detroitisdifferent.com, social networking friends, an email list, and a podcast.

The Detroit is Different podcast starts off running. I hosted a live event where I recorded a conversation with Malik Yakini. The event was 7 o’clock Saturday Stories.

Malik Yakini is a person [...]