Thursday, December 4, 2008

God Works in Monroe

By Sarah Bently

In 2005, Monroe, Michigan offered no regular services to help the homeless and poor. A large number of needy families existed in the city, but until 2006, they had been largely ignored. It can be assumed these families would have gone on being neglected if not for the hard work of a local man named Jeff Weaver.

A resident of Monroe his entire life, Weaver is an individual who feels strongly about his community. When Weaver learned of all the people in need in his own home town, he was determined to help.

In 2006, Weaver organized a program to feed the needy once a night. His vision of ensuring that those who needed food got access to it every day led him to look at renting a kitchen, but unfortunately, the costs of renting the space and providing the food were too expensive.

Weaver was not deterred, and turned his attention toward his own church. St. Paul?s United Methodist Church agreed to sponsor the dinner one night, but were unable to lend the building other days because of other activities. It was then that Weaver began to raise money and organize, which resulted in the church?s ability to put on a dinner once a week.

The success of what Weaver calls ?God Works? meal program, was astonishing, and with Weaver?s continual efforts, it began to grow. As more people began to show up in need of meals, more people volunteered their time and money to the program. Success of ?God Works,? spread quickly, prompting other local churches to open their doors for a night to the homeless.

Currently, there are seven local churches that offer a meal one night of the week, ensuring that the needy have access to food every day. On any given night. the churches can expect around 150 individuals coming to the meals, and the numbers seem to be growing.

?God Works? success is based solely on the community coming together and offering their services. Thanks to great leadership skills and his strong desire to help, Weaver was able to not only organize the program, but also keep the momentum going.

The members of the community have been offering money and services to provide daily meals to others in their community who are struggling for nearly a year, and Weaver couldn?t be happier.

Those involved in ?God Works? seem to be just as enthusiastic about the program as when it first began. Evans Bentley, a minister at St. Paul?s United Methodist Church, is also a part of ?God Works,? and feels the program does a great service to the community.

?It is a great program,? said Bentley. ?Not only does it help a lot of people, but it brings the community together as well.?

While there are now many citizens and churches involved in the program, there isn?t a single individual who has forgotten the man who started the program. Bentley and many others cite that it is Weaver?s vision, commitment, passion, and his drive that make this program possible. Thanks to the help of Weaver and his community, it seems that, at least in Monroe, God does work.

Hip Hop Effects on America

By Mike Bojanowski

Over the past century, American music has had a profound impact on popular culture, and when a new genre emerges, the music itself seems to be making a statement against the establishment of the time, before becoming the popular music of the day. During the roaring 1920?s, jazz prevailed and angered the elders. In the1950?s, it was rock-n-roll that worried parents, and now, it is Hip-Hop music that is making an impact on youth culture in America.

When a new wave of music bursts onto the scene, it appears to challenge the prevailing moral and ethical standards of the day. It has been said that Hip-Hop music makes a bad impression on youth, and is the cause of violence, drug use, and sexual promiscuity. The music is seen as ?anti-establishment,? and is seen by the nation?s political leaders and educators as the leading reason behind ?youth corruption.?

Hip-Hop, despite being put through the rigor, is not the only genre of music that has been scrutinized and labeled as a supposed ?deteriorate of moral values.? In the 1920?s, jazz was looked upon by proponents of prohibition as the corrupting music of the day, and was believed to be the facilitator of all the social problems that occurred during that time. The same thing happened with rock-n-roll in the 1950?s. It was seen as the ?devil?s music,? and was connected with counterculture movements and sex among the youth. It, too, was blamed for all the social ills of the time, just as jazz was before, and Hip-Hop was after it.

The irony behind the backlash and condemnation that Hip-Hop has received is that the proponents of previous popular music, such as jazz and rock-n-roll, are using the same criticisms against the new genre as their elders did.

?I?m sick and tired of the rap out there,? said Laura Chabot, 49, mother of two. ?It?s bad for our kids, and portrays violence and drugs as cool. I won?t let my kids listen to it.?

Chabot went on to say that her favorite music growing up was rock-n-roll, and named Elvis Presley as her favorite. Presley, who was despised by the elder generation, was a musician who received a lot of political and religious criticisms. Presley, now dubbed as the beloved ?King of rock-n-roll,? was seen as an insolent rebel of the 1950s, who encouraged youth to be just as rebellious and disrespectful.

Today, it is rap musicians are categorized and judged in the same way that Presley was. Rappers are seen as individuals who live flashy lifestyles, make bold statements against the establishment, and are responsible for the violence, drug use, and sexual deviance of today?s youth.

However, rap, just like with rock-n-roll and jazz, has been underestimated in its power, impact, and ability to affect those who may or may not listen to it. A recent example of Hip-Hop?s reverberating message is when rapper Kanye West, who appeared on a benefit show for the victims of hurricane Katrina, made the controversial statement, ?George Bush does not care about black people.? West?s statement made national headlines, but he was only one individual among many to openly and publicly criticize the President and the government for their actions.

West also wasn?t the first rapper to speak out against the injustices that black Americans face. The government?s handling of the poverty situation in America is something Tupac Shakur alluded to in his songs of the early 1990?s, and the conduct of America?s police forces were a central theme of rap of the 1980?s and early 1990?s. NWA was another group who released music that bluntly stated what many in America?s poorer neighborhoods felt about the police forces throughout the country. With the Rodney King beatings in Los Angeles in 1992, the music and criticisms give credence to the argument that the establishment does not care about the low income population of the United States.

?The police are racist,? said Jerome Bates, 20, an Eastern Michigan University student who grew up on the East side of Detroit. ?They profile all the time. Don?t they have anything better to do than mess with us all the time??

The government and rappers have been long-time critics of one another. The government has been known to blame gangsta rap for gun violence and prevailing high crime rates in America?s poorest cities. Rappers are also seen as the ones who exacerbate the dreary state in the ?hoods? of the country.

Rappers, however, see things from a different perspective. As the ones who have lived within the most violent and poorest neighborhoods, they feel the government is simply attacking things that they do not understand or know about. Rappers view the government as being oppressive, and believe they spew out convenient, political rhetoric to appease the middle aged affluent voters that want to blame hip hop for the social problems of the country.

It is because of their popularity and affects on youth and government that jazz, rock-n-roll, and Hip-Hop all have been able to survive. Each genre has been the brunt of social and governmental backlash and criticism, and yet, the music and messages within it have been able to prevail. Every song may not be filled with challenges to social institutions and inspiriting, poetic lyrics, but each genre has had the ability to change perceptions and promote new ideas.

Just like with jazz and rock-n-roll, rap, though still controversial, is slowly becoming much more accepted as part of the music scene. Rappers still aren?t looked upon fondly, but with that label of ?pop music,? rap and Hip-Hop cannot be considered as counterculture, because just like with its predecessors, it has become the culture, and will remain so until the current youth generation comes of age, and a new one emerges to challenge it.

LOCAL FASHION DESIGNER HOPES TO MAKE BIG SPLASH IN DETROIT

By Kristen Grech

Michael Delon Wilson, 25, is a local designer who is working with Pure Detroit Design Lab owners, Shawn Santo and Kevin Borsay, to open the Detroit Fashion Incubator?s (DFI) retail shop. Wilson is the creative director and founder, and is also namesake of the company. Delon Detroit, started by Michael Delon Wilson, is a company that hopes to provide resourceful, creative, uncompromising quality, and stylish apparel, all the while, giving great customer service in a comfortable and appealing environment.

The DFI?s retail shop will also feature other local designers such as Kate Bennett, Paul Patterson, Smantha Bullock, and Dana Keaton. The DFI itself was created as a way to bring together the city?s fashion design community, and help designers build their own businesses.

The two lines that will be presented at the DFI?s retail shop are Delon Prit-Porter and Atelier Delon. Delon Prit-Porter is an upscale, downtown collection with chic details. It is a classic line with modern twists that keep the collection fun and fresh. Atelier Delon is a very extravagant, ?one of a kind? line that fits the specific customer superbly with its intricate tailoring and contoured seams.

In a statement made to the Detroit News in December of 2006, Wilson stated that his fashion is, ?less about wearable art or re-worked vintage garments,? and more about ?sophisticated, well constructed men?s and women?s clothing and accessories.?

While DFI has had its share of skeptics and critics, it is widely known and acknowledged that being a local designer can be tough. Though Eastern Michigan University (EMU) and many other colleges offer programs specifically geared toward becoming a fashion designer, the many years of schooling, the hours of practice on the sewing machine, and the re-making of garments can truly put a damper on any designer. However, regardless of the criticisms and the hours of grueling labor, there are those that feel the efforts and hard work will eventually be noticed and rewarded.

?To design your own clothes is truly a talent. You have to have the creativity aspect, as well as a steady hand when sewing and cutting,? said Eastern Michigan University design student Annie Griffore. ?I have spent many sleepless nights re-doing hems and pleats, but in the end, it?s my passion, and I hope that one day, all the hard work will pay off.?

Millions of Children Slipping Through the Net According to UNICEF in Annual Study

By Katie Ochs

According to the United Nations Children?s Fund (UNCF), hundreds of millions of children are suffering from exploitation, discrimination, and are nearly invisible to the world. In an annual report called, ?State of the World?s Children 2006: Excluded and Invisible,? UNICEF reported that millions of children disappear each year, and are trafficked for sex trade or are forced to work in domestic servitude.

UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman said, ?there cannot be lasting progress if we continue to overlook the children most in need, the poorest and most vulnerable, the exploited and the abused.? The report also stated children in four basic circumstances are most likely to become forgotten and thus neglected:

? 1. Many children are without a formal identity. In most countries birth certificates are required to enroll in school or receive any other government service. In many Third World countries, more than 50 million children are born each year and are never registered at birth. As a result, these children are not guaranteed education, health care, or other basic necessities.

? Many children are without parental care. In this circumstance, they are often not treated as children. UNICEF reports that approximately 143 million children have one or fewer parents. Thus, many live on the streets and are exploited in numerous ways, and more than a million are being held in jails and prisons, waiting trail for minor offenses.

? Many children are forced into adult roles. Many are involved in wars, and work as messengers, cooks, and sex slaves for armed groups. While many countries have laws against early marriages, UNICEF reports that over 80 million girls are married before age 18. The report adds that 171 million children are working in hazardous conditions such as mines, factories, and agriculture.

? Many children are exploited. Approximately two million are used in the commercial sex trade, where they face sexual and physical violence. An unknown number work as domestic servants to pay off their family?s debts.

?The information in this report is shocking to me,? said Michelle Fox of Manchester, a sophomore at Aquinas University. ?I am a social work major, and I find this information very disturbing. I am hopeful that more information like this is brought to the publics? attention.?

Veneman, who served as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture under President George W. Bush, prior to heading UNICEF, said reported that fixing the problem will depend on finding and reaching the vulnerable children in the developing world. She also feels that a massive push is needed to get essential services to those children in need.

Another prevalent issue is the rapid spread of HIV, not only around the world, but especially on the African continent, where one in every 13 children is estimated to be infected with the HIV virus.

?This is really a long term issue that we are looking at. Many people think that Hollywood can do a couple of fundraisers and the Red Cross can do a special fund drive and the problem will be fixed,? said Sarah Everett, Michigan State University junior and native resident of Saline. ?Unfortunately, it doesn?t work that way.?

UNICEF reports that the problem cannot be solved without the participation of governments through legislation, budgets, and other federally funded programs.

?We certainly do not have enough money or resources, but even if we can save one, a hundred, or even a thousand children from these unfortunate circumstances, that would certainly make a difference,? said Ashley Weathers, an education major at Eastern Michigan University and Ann Arbor resident. ?And for those we cannot get to, perhaps seeing others get help will give them hope.?

The UNICEF report stated that many nations must go beyond their current efforts to help fix the problem, and governments must bear most of the burden. The report also indicated that government must increase research, monitoring and reporting, enact new laws and enforce existing laws, build budgets to help combat the issue, and adopt new programs aimed at carrying out these initiatives.

Michigan's Collegiate Educational System

By Jordan Miko

Encouraging the high school youth of the United States to enroll in college and receive a higher education is a large enough task by itself. In addition to this task, however, is convincing them that the minimum twenty thousand or so investment will be worth it in the long run.

The Eastern Michigan University (EMU) financial aid office, however, has a slightly different view on why it is a challenge to get American youth enrolled in college. Getting the finances organized in order to pay for many years of university education is a tall task, and according to Gretchen Ward at Service EMU, the largest deterrent for aspiring college students is not applying for financial aid early enough, whish results in students not receiving enough money for the following semester ahead of them.

While there is not actually a set deadline for financial aid applicants, there is a roughly measured ?priority deadline? set by the university, and without enough money to cover the costs of classes, a student will have a ?hold? placed on his or her account, which results in the student being unable to enroll in future classes until the outstanding balance has been paid.
Ward went further to say that not only is the collegiate financial aid system large and intimidating, but there is also ?a learning curve? when it comes to navigating the paperwork.

According to Ward, getting an applicant to understand the Fast Track financial aid system and navigate through the EMU web infrastructure to accept loans and register for classes a huge obstacle. However, despite the hardships, Ward reports that the Financial Aid office works very hard to ensure that students get the adequate help they need during the loan application and accepting process.

To get a more broad view of how the collegiate financial aid system is perceived and felt by the students themselves, a poll was conducted, and of those questioned, three stated that financial aid concerns did not influence their choice on whether or not they would attend college. Two other individuals reported feeling that there were occasional mishaps with their financial aid, but by their senior year in college, they had begun to anticipate those problems and planned ahead. Three others reported that they did not have any financial aid concerns, as their college educations were being funded by their parents, and four other students stated that they do not have financial aid concerns, as they never seem to be loaned enough money to cover the entire cost of their classes. Two individuals, however, also stated that their lack of collegiate funding was due in part to tardiness of applying.

While some students admit to being untimely with their applications, the vast majority of road blocks, however, could be avoided by the individual universities financial aid departments. One, simple phone call or e-mail notifying the student of their upcoming financial aid obstacles and ?holds? would greatly reduce the number of students that drop out due to financial aid issues.
America?s collegiate financial aid system is in minor disarray. While not completely beyond redemption, the system is in need of repairs, but not a complete overhaul.

Ecorse Creek's Pollutants Under Investigation

By Jacqueline Ventimiglia

The Wayne County Department of Enviornment is currently investigating the condition of several sewage pipes surrounding an area of Lincoln Park near Ecorse Creek.

Sue Thompson, who works for the department, stated that the antiquated sewage system had a history of releasing discharge, and this could, with heavy rain, enable waste to flow into Ecorse Creek, and eventually, into the Detroit River.

The quality of the creek, which passes through nine downriver cities, has been an environmental concern in the area for a long time. It recently received attention for serving as a mass grave for over a thousand of gizzard chad fish.

According to Thompson, the chad was introduced to the area recently, and their death was due to their susceptibility to drastic changes in temperature.

River-keeper Robert Burns, a member of Friends of the Detroit River, agreed that temperature change was the leading cause of death among the chad, but he also credited poor water quality as playing a role in the fishes? demise.

?To call the death of the fish purely natural is a misconception,? stated Burns.

Burns also reported that pollutants, such as gasoline, fertilizers, and animal waste make their way into the storm drains, are flushed into the creek, and eventually, reach the Detroit River.

Burns also believes that in addition to refraining from pouring car fuel down drains that can make their way into the water supply, people should use low phosphorous fertilizer.

The river-keeper also contends that phosphor can help produce algae, and these algae deplete oxygen levels in the water, thus leaving little hope of survival for the bottom feeding organisms.

Bruce Szczechowski, an environmental science teacher at Southgate Anderson High School, agrees. He is an active participant of the Stream Team, a program in partnership with several schools in the downriver area that endorses the improvement of the environment.

Szczechowski stated that highly phosphorous materials can put the entire aquatic food chain in jeopardy.

Detroit Residents Go to War with Utility Companies

By Erin Medell

?We have to fight for a fair rate system,? said Russ Bellant, a Detroit histoprian present ant the Michigan Welfare Rights Organization (MWRO) meeting on June 13, 2006.

Bellant has not been alone in voicing dissent toward utility rates in the Detroit area. The MWRO, a grassroots social agency, has been working tirelessly to reduce rates for utilities and to prevent shut-offs for low-income and unemployed residents who cannot afford to pay their utility bills.

Residents who attend MWRO meetings voice their concerns and share stories about their struggles with utility companies. Many residents in affiliation with the MWRO are victims of illness, and as a result, been unable to pay their utility bills. Often, these residents lose their water or power without warning, forcing them to rely on neighbors, or go door-to-door and ask for water and other basic necessities.

The struggle, anger, and feeling of helplessness, however, are not the only things concerning these residents. Utility rates in Detroit became a particular concern for residents when former President Clinton signed the Welfare Reform Act (WRA). Under this bill, welfare recipients were encouraged to find work and refrain from dependence on welfare assistance. Many unemployed residents has previously received assistance with some of their utility costs under the program Vendor Pay, but under the WRA, the recipients found that once they entered the workforce, they received bills for the unpaid portions of their utilities, with payment expected in full.

In October 2002, the utility companies completely cut out the Vendor Pay program, leaving nearly 30,000 Detroit residents to pay their entire bills immediately, or experience shut offs. According to DTE Energy statistics, 9,800 homes were without lights and gas in August 2002, and an additional 20,000 homes were in shut-off status, meaning that they were to lose their gas and electric services shortly thereafter.

According to Detroit Water and Sewage Department (DWSD) figures, over 45,000 homes were without running water in 2003, following shut-offs that resulted from their inability to pay. DWSD is a not-for-profit entity, is a direct branch of the Detroit city government, and is also the third largest water and sewer utility in the US.

MWRO organized a front to combat these conditions, and began by working on a request to the United Nations to seek foreign aid for the impoverished residents in Detroit. The MWRO also collaborated with other groups to form a movement to bring back Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), a welfare program that could assuage many of the financial woes Detroit residents face.

Concerning a fair rate system for utilities, a proposal for Detroit city government was crafted by MWRO as well. This also inspired work on a proposal to ban utility shut-offs, and is a proposal that MWRO hopes will influence the sate of Michigan, the nation, and the world.

According to DSWD figures, the average amount billed to Detroit customers in August 2005 was $46.76 per month, while suburban customers were billed an average of $21.47 per month. According to the same data, recent rate increases are a result of outdated infrastructure, expensive treatment regulation, and federal state mandates.

?Due to DWSD success in controlling operations and maintenance costs, a minimal increase is needed to cover the costs of day-to-day operations in the department,? said Victor Mercado, DWSD director.

While the number of residents without water and electricity increases with the prices, the goal of MWRO remains the same. They consistently seek to organize low-income workers, fight for the rights of the disadvantaged, eliminate poverty, and to ?build an army prepared to battle for the economic and human rights of millions of disenfranchised Americans.?

Taylor, MWRO?s fiery front leader, has served as State Chair of the organization since 1993, and is also a member of various boards and committees around the Detroit area, and represents public assistance recipients at the Michigan Department of Human Services offices over case disputes.

Taylor feels that the DSWD is causing un-necessary harm to the residents who are struggling to pay their bills, and in response to the rise in prices and shut-offs, MWRO and several utility clients file a complaint with DWSD. Following the filing, the water issue became even more serious. Not only were Detroit area residents having their water shut off, Highland Park residents also began to experience widespread foreclosures due to their water bills being attached to their property taxes.

The water affordability proposal posed by MWRO has been revised since its original release in 2005. The proposal cites the need for burden-based and fixed credit programs, and also includes a price limit on annual rates. It states that not only would this proposal increase the number of residents with satisfactory living conditions, but that it would also save utility companies money by decreasing disconnection requests, as well as disputes broken by payment plans.

?If you want to help the customers at large in the water department, you need to have a water affordability program,? said Sylvia Orduno, MWRO member.

Orduno also noted that the program?s implementation has been stalled by the attempts of city attorneys that are dissatisfied with the funding required for the program, which is estimated to be approximately $24,000.

According to a recent city council meeting release, Detroit recently approved $30,435.68 for wireless meter testers, and in the mean time, DSWD maintains that it is among the lowest in term of rates for water usage in metropolitan areas. This is particularly significant when it is considered that DWSD, unlike many locales, receives no subsides from property taxes.

DTE Energy was approved for a rate increase that started in October 2006. The company reported that the increase was in response to mandated environmental upgrades and capital investments.

?We understand the impact of rising energy prices on our customers,? said Robert Buckler, President and Chief Operating Officer of DTE Energy. ?An we are committed to doing everything we can to operate as efficiently as possible in this challenging and ever changing environment.?

?DTE Energy is committed to working with customers who may be having difficulty paying their energy bills,? added Eileen Dixon, a Media Relations employee of DTE Energy. ?In order for us to help them, it is important that they alert us to their situation before they?re facing service shut off, so we can direct them to the appropriate resources and programs.?

One of these programs, called The Winter Protection Plan, had an estimated 50,000 customers enrolled in the winter of 2005 and 2006, compared to the estimated 25,000 for the winter of 2004. In the mean time, MWRO water affordability proposals are still being considered, and regardless of the high prices and shut-offs, there is still hope that the proposal will be implemented.

Del Tha Funkee Homosapien and One Be Lo: Similarities and Differences Among Their Music

By Anthony Devee

Teren Delvon Jones, also known as, ?Del Tha Funkee Homosapien.? is a well known rapper among the underground hip-hop community. Born in Oakland, California, he got his start with his cousin Ice Cube?s backing band, da Lench Mob. As Ice Cube rapped about gangs and the dark side of the streets, Del focused more on humor in his music. His debut album, ?I Wish My Brother George Was Here,? was produced by Ice Cube, and established Del?s spot in the underground hip-hop community.

With songs such as ?Mistadobalina,? one can tell he has a creative, fun approach to his writing, and while he may not have a message to get across, his songs are and have been described by listeners and critics as melodically catchy and memorable, as well as brash, boisterous, messy, gusty, druggy, humorous, and silly.

Another Rapper of the underground community is local Pontiac, Michigan based MC Nashid Sulaiman, also known as ?One Be Lo.? Sulaiman, born Raland Scruggs, converted to Islam after a stay in prison for armed robbery, now creates music that is tense, hypnotic, gritty, literate, and earthy. With self-reflective lyrics, listeners are given a glimpse into the life of not only del, but also the lives of those around him.

While Del may address the same issues, One Be Lo induces thought provoking questions, and has musical arrangements on his tracks that are meticulously arranged to deliver a stronger message. The fan bases of both artists aren?t too different from each other. Listeners of underground Hip-Hop share the same thirst for original beats, words, and delivery, and Del? and One both accomplish this in their music.

In this time of war and poverty, music has the power to bring enlightenment to those who are unaware of the world around them. Words and music are such powerful communication tools, and Del tha Funkee Homosapaien, and One Be Low, are two different artists who convey life that is real, raw, controversial, and ultimately, universal.

Detroit Cultural Center Report

By Amy Clark

Although it was an unexpectedly beautiful October day in downtown Detroit, I spent the day inside.

I spent the day at the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) and the African American History Museum. I found cold images mixed with inspiration and courage. I saw heartbreaking, frightful things, and yet, I couldn?t look away.

The DIA wasn?t too busy, but I somehow found myself heading straight to the Diego Rivera court. I had seen a small picture of it online and was hoping that it was as incredible as it looked.

Indeed, it was.

The court is bright and the walls are tall. Each wall is beautified by one of Rivera?s murals. The murals, titled, ?Detroit Industry,? were breathtaking. Not because of their size, but because of their detail, colors, and most importantly, their message.

On the north wall, there is a factory scene that portrays workers using all of their strength to produce their product. There is a huge fire at the top of this picture, which the museum indicates is a blast furnace melting metal to make cars. The south wall is also a factory scene, but depicts an assembly line shows workers being watched, either by bosses or the public, and finally, there are the top panels and the upper corners of the court, which portray Rivera?s love for Mother Nature.

The exhibit is very moving in that it shows what seems to be a very true portrayal of the auto industry. The hard work, the bad conditions, and the rich bosses always watching in the corners, are depicted in the exhibit that feels life-like and realistic. In one part of the south mural, long lines of workers are shown with lunch bags, although not everyone has something to eat. They are shown standing a huge parking lot, which makes me assume they are all driving, or are possibly being forced to drive, the cars they produce.

A local woman, whom asked to remain nameless, seemed mesmerized by the top panels of the north and south walls.

?There is just so much going on underneath these pictures,? she explained. ?Yet, they send such a clear and profound message.?

The panels that are located just above the murals depict two women lying down and holding things that come from the earth. Behind them, on hills, are hands reaching out from the soil, also holding things like iron, sand, and coal. Again, Rivera was pointing to Mother Nature and how he believed that everything was derived from the earth.

Although this exhibit was moving, nothing could have prepared me for the emotional rush from the African American History Museum.

Located behind the Detroit Science Center, the museum is one that welcomes people of all ages to view the exhibits. In the main exhibit, there are seven different stations that viewers must follow, but before I could even reach station number one, I was stopped in my tracks.

In order to reach the first station, I had to walk over a bridge. On either side of me were statues of African American people stored in what was supposed to represent the bottom of a slave boat.
They were in shackles, torn shirts, and barefoot, and yet, some of them looked like they were content. I even believe one was smiling, while others had no look of emotion on their faces at all.
After a few moments, I walked left the bridge, and started to read about the history of Africa at station number one. As I walked through the stations, I saw the history of the African American population unfold. It began with slave trading all over the world, then focused specifically in America. Through out each of the exhibits there was hope, but there was also despair. It all seemed so unimaginable.

At one point, while I was looking at the many different and horrible torture devices they used on slaves, a young African American girl, about the age of five, ran up to me.

?That?s what they used to tie them up with,? she said, pointing at the shackles. She then ran away, giggling, to go find her mother.

It broke my heart to see a young girl learning so much about her history, and yet, knowing that once she gets a little bit older, she won?t be able to just laugh and run away and forget what she saw.

Although most of the images I saw were dark and disturbing, I was able to walk out onto the city block and be confident that although many of the displays depicted issues that are still prevalent in today?s society, they aren?t as extreme as they once were. I suppose this is why so many people have hope, because hope creates change, and whether change is positive or negative, it always seems to get the world one step closer to where it needs to be.

New Venue Reaches out to Community, Redefines Entertainment

By Amanda Slater

A new local hotspot is scheduled to open in Westland, Michigan. The new venue, called, ?The Redline Café,? promises to foster a positive environment while providing quality entertainment.

Masterminded by 22 year-old Jon Carlisle, 19 year old Jason Overbee, and local pastor Joe Kinbrough, the venue is open to people of all ages. The café will be a place where local and national rock, rap, techno, stand up comedy, and poetry acts will be showcased on a regular basis. Eventually, the café also hopes to host outdoor activities and car shows in addition to live entertainment. Some of the Redline Café?s unique features include serving specially non-alcoholic drinks, milkshakes, and pizzas, and purposes to be a drug and alcohol free, positive environment.

?Our outreach is giving youth and adults a place to go on the weekends,? said café director Pastor Joe Kimbbrough. ?We want to break down the stereotype of what people think rap, techno, rock, poetry, and stand up comedy is. We want to give a positive spin on these genres, free from drugs and alcohol. We want to show people that you can come and have a good time without all that.?

The Redline Café is unique for a number of reasons. Perhaps one of the most unusual aspects of the venue is that it was pioneered by young people who hope to serve as positive role models for youths attending the café. The café?s general manager, Jason Overbee, was able to witness the needs of community first hand while working as an EMT.

?Working in the EMT field, I saw people shooting drugs in themselves, and kids trying to find a way to make themselves happy,? said Overbee. ?Even now, I see a lot of unhappy teens just walking down the street. I?d like to see teens getting away from drugs and seeing entertainment in a new light, and I hope this club accomplishes that.?

The café also aspires to be a place of community, where individuals can seek help for any need. Redline Café has also integrated an open forum discussion time, during which young people are encouraged to share what is on their minds.

?We deal with real issues,? Kimbrough stated. ?We talk about the choices people make and how they impact their own, personal lives.?

The café, although connected to the Church of Rock, reaches out to all individuals, and a large number of communities, including Westland, Canton, Wayne, Novi, Northville, Livonia, and other near by cities. The venue anticipates hosting three to four bands on a typical night, all of which will be exclusively Christian based. In addition to the positive entertainment, an admission fee that settles between $3 and $5 will be charged, and the proceeds will go toward the Church of Rock and the purchasing of new equipment for the venue, with the remainder being split between the staff in appreciation for their time and dedication.

Redline Café, while having some tentative plans, does have some long term goals and aspirations. Many staff members are hoping to see the community get involved with the venue, and hope that the café can be a place that brings people together and allows for them to feel safe and accepted.

The Café?s doors open at 7 PM, and shows have been scheduled for approximately one Saturday night a month, but are anticipated to increase to every other Saturday at a later date. The café uses ?Kirk of our Savior? Presbyterian church?s building, and is located on Cherry hill road between Wayne and Newburg, next to John Glen High School.

For more information on the café and its events, visit the Redline Café?s official websites: www.myspace.com/redlinecafe and www.theredlinecafe.com