This Week on American Black Journal:
New Black-owned grocery store aims to tackle the food desert on Detroit’s eastside
In a promising development for Detroit’s Jefferson-Chalmers neighborhood on the city’s eastside, African American entrepreneur Raphael Wright is set to open the doors of Neighborhood Grocery LLC. This establishment is poised to make history as the first Black-owned grocery store in Detroit in nearly a decade.
The grocery store is a full-service market that promises to provide much-needed access to fresh, healthy foods in an area that has long struggled with limited grocery options. Detroit, like many urban areas, has grappled with food deserts where residents often have limited access to affordable, nutritious food. Wright’s venture not only aims to fill this critical gap but also demonstrates the power of grassroots efforts to create sustainable change.
Another key feature of Neighborhood Grocery is its business model and innovative approach to funding. The store is partially funded through a crowdfunding and profit-sharing model that allows Michiganders to invest in the project for as little as $50. BridgeDetroit’s Orlando Bailey spoke with Wright about his vision for Neighborhood Grocery, its innovative profit-sharing model, and its pivotal role in addressing food desert challenges while fostering a stronger sense of community.
Cooking with Que Founder Quiana Broden brings plant-based dining to Detroit with The Kitchen
At the intersection of positivity, community and eating healthy is Detroit restaurant and culinary business The Kitchen by Cooking with Que. Founded by Quiana “Que” Broden, a renowned chef and entrepreneur, the business specializes in providing vegan and vegetarian meals and promoting healthy, plant-based eating options.
The idea for Cooking with Que was born out of Que’s personal journey of adopting a vegan lifestyle. After facing health challenges, Broden made a conscious decision to change her diet. That’s when she discovered the benefits of plant-based cooking. Inspired by her own transformation, she wanted to share her culinary expertise and create a space where people could enjoy nutritious and satisfying vegan and vegetarian meals.
“American Black Journal” contributor Will Glover, a producer for “One Detroit,” visited The Kitchen to talk with Broden about how she kept her business thriving during the pandemic, how Detroit’s business community helps each other find success, and how her unyielding positivity motivates her desire to bring healthy food to neighborhoods across the country.
Detroit jazz bassist Marion Hayden discusses Detroit’s storied jazz culture
Around Detroit, Marion Hayden is well known as an educator, Kresge Arts Fellow and university lecturer on jazz, but on the city’s jazz scene itself, she is the co-founder of the popular all-female band Straight Ahead and a talented bassist. Contributor Cecelia Sharpe of 90.9 WRCJ sits down with the legendary jazz bassist to talk about her introduction to music and the legacy of Detroit’s jazz culture.
Plus, watch the “Detroit Jazz City” documentary featuring Marion Hayden and other jazz greats. The documentary takes viewers on a journey through the history of jazz in Detroit to meet the legendary artists whose contributions paved the way for the music genre. The documentary was produced in partnership with 90.9 WRCJ.
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Watch American Black Journal on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 9:30 a.m. on Detroit Public TV, WTVS-Channel 56.
