By Dr. Darienne Hudson Dr. Darienne Hudson has been named chair of the Detroit Public Schools Community District Foundation Board of Directors, succeeding the late Dr. Iris A. Taylor as both the foundation and Detroit’s public school system move through a period of leadership change. Hudson, president and CEO of United Way for Southeastern Michigan, has served on the DPSCD Foundation board since 2020. Her appointment places a longtime education and nonprofit leader at the helm of the organization as it continues expanding investments in Detroit students, families and schools. “I

by Biba Adams What would you do if you had the resources, skills, and abilities to live your dream life? What if you found out that you already do. Entrepreneur Daniel C. Jones owns a multi-media company that he grew with a camera and a dream to a seven-figure business serving major clients. Goodboy Multimedia delivers full-scale multimedia production—video, photography, graphic design, DJ services, and more—for clients across sectors. That includes high-profile names like the State of Michigan, Motor City Casino, and the Detroit Branch NAACP. His next accomplishment is

When Kala Gibson was 12 years old, he was already learning what it meant to be a banker. He had a paper route. He was making his own money and putting it in the bank, learning early about saving, entrepreneurship and financial literacy. Then one day, he went to his neighborhood branch and found the doors closed. His mother told him there was another branch around the corner. But Gibson noticed something else. “When that branch left the neighborhood, everything else left,” he recalled. “So it went from

Dr. Sheila T. Gregory There are lives whose influence is so expansive that telling their story means telling the story of a city, a movement, and a nation. Dr. Karl Dwight Gregory, born March 26, 1931, stands among the most consequential yet understated figures in American public life. Economist, civil rights strategist, educator, institution builder, soldier, and global advocate, he dedicated his life to advancing justice through intellectual rigor, community service, and institution building. His journey connected Detroit, Washington, D.C., Ann Arbor, Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Caribbean, yet

Black business and government leaders across Metro Detroit were honored on Thursday, Aug. 28 during the Michigan Chronicle’s 2026 Young Gifted & Black celebration. The annual event honors a generation of leaders shaping the future of Southeast Michigan. Real Times Media President Cathy Nedd and WDIV host Jay Scott Smith served as the hosts Thursday evening at the Harmony Club in Paradise Valley downtown Detroit. The area has returned as a hotspot of Black business. The event celebrated the honorees achievements and inducted the group into a network of alumni. Special

More than 60 years after he became a leading voice in the Detroit radio market, Jay Butler retired from WDET 101.9 FM radio on Aug. 2. “This is it,” Butler declared toward the end of his final broadcast. “Before I go, I need to say thank you to the people of Detroit. Thank you for accepting me… I was just a small-time country boy from Jackson, Tennessee. You took me into your homes with open arms. I took me into your kitchens, your living rooms, your cars on

One of Southeast Michigan’s most influential philanthropic leaders is preparing to lead a new chapter in the region’s efforts to expand opportunity for children and families. Kylee Mitchell Wells, a longtime champion for equity and community investment in Detroit, has been named the inaugural chief executive officer of MoveUp Southeast Michigan, a newly established independent philanthropy created by Connie and Steve Ballmer to continue and expand more than a decade of investments across the region. The announcement, made July 1, positions Mitchell Wells at the helm of a permanent, locally led organization dedicated

Denzel McCampbell is not shying away from the greys that have overtaken his beard he’s been wearing at full length for a few years now. Men that grow out their facial hair know how deceptive a salt-and-pepper beard can be; the greys do tend to age people prematurely, with people incorrectly assuming said beard wearers to be older than they are. McCampbell jokes that he can actually use that to his advantage. “They” – “they,” being constituents, voters, other Detroit residents, whatever applies in the moment – “are probably like, ‘instead of 34, oh, maybe you’re a little

Janae L. Wilson is the founder of JLW Professional Services and an economic justice organizer raised and nurtured in Detroit. For the past decade she has worked in community organizing and economic development spaces. She currently serves as Deputy Director at Dream of Detroit, a Black Muslim-led organization combining community organizing with housing and land development through a community land trust and long-term neighborhood stewardship programs. Wilson has worked closely with entrepreneurs, local changemakers, and community organizations to turn community priorities into practical economic opportunities. She leads through relationships and