From Jail to Judge, From Screen to Stage: Judge Greg Mathis Brings His Life Story Home to Detroit
When famed and critically acclaimed judge Greg Mathis steps onto the stage at Detroit’s historic Music Hall on January 16 and 17, it will represent the culmination of a life journey that many once believed would end behind prison walls. For more than 26 years, Mathis has been a familiar face to millions through his groundbreaking television courtroom show, becoming the longest-running African American host in television history. Yet the man Detroit knows as “Judge Mathis” says the upcoming stage production, Don’t Judge Me, reveals layers of his story that audiences have never fully
Detroit Man’s Split-Second Instinct Turns into Heroic Moment for 6-Year-Old Girl
On the cold morning of Dec. 8, in Detroit, as most of the city eased into its beginning-week routines, 32-year-old Joshua Threatt was simply heading home from the store. He wasn’t looking to stand in the glare of national attention. He wasn’t planning to go viral. He was thinking about coffee, work, and the day ahead. But within minutes, those plans would be swept aside by a moment that demanded instinct, courage, and – perhaps most importantly – empathy. “It was just like God put me there at the right place at the right time,” Threatt recalled. His voice is steady retelling the story,
Detroit’s ‘Mr. Basketball’ Darius Acuff Jr. Returns Home to Host Free Camp
On Tuesday, Dec. 23, one of the country’s most exciting young basketball talents will return to his hometown to give back to the next generation of players. Darius Acuff Jr., a freshman guard for the Arkansas Razorbacks and one of the top players in the 2025 recruiting class, will lead a free basketball camp at the ACC Youth Center on Seven Mile Road. The event, open to local youth, offers an opportunity for campers to develop skills, learn fundamentals, and play the game alongside a rising star who
Linda Hannah Named 2025 National Career Mastered Top Entrepreneurial Woman to Watch
Linda Hannah, a Detroit-born speaker, author, and mindset mentor, has been named one of Career Mastered Magazine’s 2025 National Top Entrepreneurial Women to Watch. The recognition, announced this week, honors 35 women across the country who are leading change through business innovation, industry leadership, and purpose-driven entrepreneurship. Hannah, founder of Linda Hannah Speaks, was selected for her commitment to empowering women through storytelling, mindset development, and personal transformation. Career Mastered CEO and Publisher Dr. Lisa J. Lindsay Wicker described the honorees as catalysts for progress in a shifting economic
Detroit’s Own Johnathon Banks Returns to Kronk to Empower Next Generation of Champions
On August 1, the hallowed red and gold walls of the Kronk Boxing Community Center echoed with the sounds of gloves snapping, shoes sliding, and laughter rising. But beyond the flurry of jabs and footwork, something deeper was unfolding. World-renowned boxing trainer and former heavyweight contender Johnathon Banks, a proud son of Detroit and product of the legendary Kronk gym, returned home to host a free, one-day youth boxing camp that combined athletic instruction with powerful life lessons. Dozens of local boys and girls, many stepping into the
From Dirt to Dreams: Nicole Scott Brings the Black Rodeo Back Home to Michigan
Nicole Scott didn’t grow up with the sound of hooves pounding against dirt arenas or the sight of cowboys racing through open chutes. She’s a daughter of Inkster, Mich., and her early experiences didn’t include rodeos—especially not ones showcasing Black riders, ropers, and wranglers. But fate, family, and faith would pull her into a world that would soon become her life’s calling: producing and championing Black rodeos across the country. Her journey began in Denver, Colo., where her family relocated years ago. There, she met extended relatives she’d
Boys & Girls Club renames Highland Park location after ‘Michigan Chronicle’ Publisher Hiram E. Jackson
Photos by Monica Morgan As a teenager attending Detroit Country Day School, Hiram E. Jackson once got into a fight after another student disparagingly said to him: “You can take them out of Highland Park, but you can’t take the Highland Park out of them.” But on Monday, April 7, 2025 – standing in front of hundreds of friends, family members, mentors, colleagues, elected officials, and other dignitaries at the Boys & Girls Club of Highland Park– Jackson said that hearing that exact phrase today would be a compliment
Boys & Girls Club Renames Highland Park Location After ‘Michigan Chronicle’ Publisher Hiram E. Jackson
Photos by Monica Morgan As a teenager attending Detroit Country Day School, Hiram E. Jackson once got into a fight after another student disparagingly said to him: “You can take them out of Highland Park, but you can’t take the Highland Park out of them.” But on Monday, April 7, 2025 – standing in front of hundreds of friends, family members, mentors, colleagues, elected officials, and other dignitaries at the Boys & Girls Club of Highland Park– Jackson said that hearing that exact phrase today would be a compliment
A Landmark ‘Year of Firsts’ for Black Leaders in Detroit
Photos by Monica Morgan Photography In a city that is nearly 80 percent Black, it shouldn’t be a surprise to hear that some of Detroit’s most hallowed institutions and organizations have Black leaders at the helm. But when reality sets in and the layers get peeled back, it’s easier to see that despite the demographic makeup of the residents, many of these institutions have been slow to call on Black women and men to lead. Certainly, there are Black leaders across all spectrums – business, law enforcement, nonprofit, education,
Suzanne Shank’s Commitment to Black Women Was on Full Display at the Mackinac Policy Conference
“Don’t settle for average. Bring your best to the moment. Then, whether it fails or succeeds, at least you know you gave all you had. We need to live the best that’s in us.” – Angela Bassett The 2024 Mackinac Policy Conference was a watershed moment in Michigan’s political landscape, and the conference chair, Suzanne Shank – President, CEO, and Co-Founder of the largest Black-owned full-service investment banking firm – was the driving force behind so much of its success. Shank, a renowned business leader and advocate for diversity