There is something tender and knowing in the way Isiah Thomas speaks about the earth. It is the tenderness of a man who understands struggle and sunlight, who respects what grows slowly and what survives storms. When he began describing how his journey into renewable materials first took root, he started not with profit sheets or projections, but with the living world beneath our feet. “I began by understanding the plants and the soil,” Thomas told Black Press USA. “Rice, corn, soy, all of these crops work directly

Real Times Media is once again celebrating the excellence that defines Detroit. The Who’s Who in Black Detroit yearbook is officially open for nominations, spotlighting the people shaping the city’s culture, commerce, and community impact. The publication — a staple under Real Times Media’s Who’s Who brand — has long served as a living archive of Black achievement. From Cleveland to Chicago, Atlanta, Baltimore, Charlotte, to Columbus, the Who’s Who series has honored business leaders, educators, artists, public officials, faith leaders, and community advocates whose work continues

Dr. Lloyd Crews of Southfield, MI lived a life rooted in faith, family, and service. He accepted Christ at an early age and was a lifelong member of Greater Christ Baptist Church in Detroit. A proud product of the Detroit Public Schools, Lloyd graduated from Cass Technical High School before earning both, Bachelor's and Masters' degrees in Political Science from Clark Atlanta University. His thirst for knowledge and commitment to leadership led him to earn a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from Wayne State University, and

Mary Sheffield is Detroit’s new mayor-elect. For the first time in 12 years, Detroiters elected a mayor other than Mike Duggan, who announced earlier this year that he would forego a bid for a fourth term as mayor and instead run for governor of Michigan in 2026. Sheffield’s opponent in the race, Triumph Church pastor Rev. Solomon Kinloch Jr., was unable to make up his 30-point deficit from the August 2025 mayoral primary and was defeated soundly, with the race being called in Sheffield’s favor just after

“This is a platform that does not just report culture, it has helped define it.” — Chloe Gibert Baller Alert has announced the appointment of Detroit native Chloe Gibert as its new Chief Marketing Officer. Known for her innovative approach and intentional storytelling, Gibert brings a proven record of success and a unique ability to blend creativity with strategy. Baller Alert is one of the most influential digital media platforms in entertainment. The company reaches more than 18 million combined social media followers and generates over 1.2 billion monthly

The daughter of political trailblazer Robert Millender carries a family legacy of service into her art, teaching, and community while shaping what aging looks like in Detroit showing what it means to keep living fully — and to bring others along. The music starts and Patricia Millender is already in motion. Inside a bright room at Detroit’s Hannan Center, she joins other elders stepping through the hustle, a dance she only recently added to her schedule. At first, she could hardly make it halfway through without catching her breath, but now her feet

When Detroit native Onjila Odeneal stepped into her new role as the first-ever chief executive officer of Detroit Promise on October 1, it symbolized much more than a career milestone. For Odeneal, it marked a defining moment for a city determined to make higher education a reality for all its young people. Her appointment arrives as Detroit Promise, the city’s tuition-free scholarship program, officially transitions into an independent organization after more than a decade of transformative work. Since its founding in 2013, the program has provided more than 6,000 Detroit high school graduates with

By Julie Riddle  To Detroit entrepreneur Dazmonique Carr, almost any patch of dirt can be a farm, and almost anyone can be a farmer. Eight years ago, Carr established Deeply Rooted Produce, a farmer-to-consumer food distribution service, after learning about Detroiters’ lack of access to healthy food in a nutrition education class at Wayne State University. The business provided local farmers of color with a reliable income by marketing their fresh, locally grown food to Detroit residents. But Carr’s service revealed a gap in the burgeoning urban farming scene: suppliers/farmers

By: Darryl Jacobs ESPN & CBS Sports Networks Analyst/Commentator  Before Caitlin Clark was rewriting record books, before Dawn Staley became a household name, there was Debra Walker—a Detroit powerhouse who left her mark on the game long before women’s basketball had the national spotlight it commands today. From dropping 63 points in a single high school game without a three-point line, to anchoring Cheyney University’s historic run to the first ever NCAA Women’s Championship game in 1982 —the only   HBCU ever to reach that stage—Walker’s journey is both a Detroit story and an