(L-R) Mayor Steven L. Reed of Montgomery, AL, Mayor LaToya Cantrell of New Orleans, LA and Mayor Andre Dickens of Atlanta, GA Credit: Monica Morgan Photography   At the most recent Pancakes and Politics forum III, three prominent Southern mayors, LaToya Cantrell of New Orleans, Steven L. Reed of Montgomery, and Andre Dickens of Atlanta, convened to discuss the unique leadership challenges faced by African American and female mayors in Republican-dominated states. The conversation was live-streamed on Facebook and YouTube, which drew national attention. Along with a mix of civic

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

Underneath the weight of inequity, Christine Coady Narayanan built a vessel that carried thousands of Michiganders toward ownership, dignity, and possibility. That vessel is Opportunity Resource Fund—a community-rooted institution that’s leveraged over $300 million to uplift people who’ve been told “no” by traditional lenders. This year marks 40 years of that work—and with it, a shift that echoes the heartbeat of Detroit’s legacy of reinvention. After more than three decades of leading the charge for capital justice, Narayanan is preparing to step down. In her place, a new

Michigan State University’s Arlynn Dailey has been named to the newly established Michigan Board of Dietetics and Nutrition, a state body tasked with setting licensing standards for dietitian nutritionists. Appointed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Dailey will serve a term through June 2029, helping shape the future of nutritional practice across the state. As the community engagement and outreach administrator for Michigan State University’s Health Sciences and the College of Human Medicine in Detroit, Dailey bridges the university and the community. Her work is focused on building genuine relationships

The weight of legacy doesn’t always show up in speeches or statues. Sometimes, it breathes through the pages of a son’s testimony—a man raised in the echoes of a movement, shaped by a house where history gathered on hardwood floors and change strategized at the kitchen table. "My Father’s House," penned by John Conyers III, is not just a recount of political milestones. It is a deeply personal ledger of love, absence, inheritance, and the complexity of growing up within the orbit of a civil rights legend. John

The Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House, has announced a powerful new collaboration with Tamira Chapman’s Storehouse In A Box (SIAB) to launch Storehouse Voices™, a bold new imprint focused on elevating Black voices in the literary world. Aimed at bridging the representation gap in publishing, Storehouse Voices promises to become a cultural touchstone, amplifying the diverse stories and rich history of the Black experience. Tamira Chapman, an award-winning entrepreneur and philanthropist from Detroit, is the driving force behind the imprint. As the founder and

Joe Tate has officially entered the race for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat, becoming the first Black candidate to join the 2026 Democratic primary field. His announcement adds weight to a race already viewed as one of the most important for Democrats hoping to regain Senate control next year. Tate confirmed his candidacy on Sunday, May 12, stepping forward to run for the seat being vacated by Democratic Senator Gary Peters, who is not seeking re-election after two six-year terms. Tate, a native Detroiter, former Marine, and the

The 13th Congressional District has always been more than a collection of neighborhoods. It has been a living, breathing story of resilience, told through the voices of working families, elders on porches, young dreamers, and laborers whose sweat built this city. As a new election season rises over Detroit, two Black men stand ready to carry that story forward, offering visions shaped not by millionaire boardrooms, but by the real struggles that built this city’s soul. Donavan McKinney, a 32-year-old Democrat and current State Representative for Michigan’s 11th