News — michigan

Tiffany Cartwright was an assistant attorney general and administrative law judge for the State of Michigan but she was laid off due to budget cuts in 2012. Cartwright returned to the bench in 2015 but released again in 2016. “I went from University of Michigan Law School, Assistant Attorney General and Administrative Law Judge to unemployed, no health insurance, no money, and a bridge card. I lost everything!,” Cartwright told The Bobby Pen.

For the next weeks and months, she went job-hunting but was unsuccessful. Many jobs felt uncomfortable hiring a former judge while others felt she was overqualified for the job she was applying for. As a result of her unemployment status, Cartwright decided to venture into entrepreneurship. She often created her own body scrubs to clear her daughter’s eczema and even gifted some to her neighbors and other family members. She turned her homemade remedy into her own line of body scrubs.

She founded Amarra Beauty Products and launched her G.L.A.M. body scrubs. The former judge took her product to Shark Tank, made it past auditions, and moved to the next round to pitch Amarra products to the Sharks. After pitching her product on Shark Tank, her business started recording success. She also took advantage of an initiative targeting Black businesses in the U.S. and successfully pitched her products at a 2018 Walmart Open Call.

She got a deal to get her product tested and that was how she landed a move to have her product on the shelves of Walmart. Her G.L.A.M. body scrubs sold out in stores. “When my buyer said yes, I literally cried. They had no idea what I went through just to get there,” Cartwright shared.

Aside from starting a business, Cartwright is also a certified minority and woman-owned small business. She is an author with three books to her credit. She is also a proud mother of two children.

Asked by the website Women Owned what she loved about being a business owner, she responded: “I love the freedom and flexibility afforded and the opportunity to work harder for yourself than any employer, as well as being in a position to bring real change.”

She also advised aspiring entrepreneurs to “never give up on your business, your dreams, your purpose or your vision.”

Nora Langdon may be nearing her 80s but she is just blowing our minds and proving that age is just a number. At 78 years old, the Michigan resident is a powerlifting star holding 19 world records and can bench over 200 lbs.

It all started in 2007. Langdon, who was a realtor at the time, wanted to get in shape so she went to the Royal Oak Gym. “It was intimidating but I said I’m not going to look at everybody else, I’m just going to look at my trainer and keep going,” said Langdon.

Art Little is Langdon’s coach. He told Fox 2 how Langdon got into powerlifting. “She watched us getting ready for a powerlifting meet and asked a question I’ll never forget it; ‘Do you have any old broads doing that?’ And I said ‘Yeah,'” Little said. “She came and watched us at the meet and said she wanted to do it.”

Langdon was then 65. But being determined as she was, she started with the basics of lifting with her coach. Langdon, at that moment, found a new passion — weightlifting. Today, while most septuagenarians are retiring, Langdon keeps achieving success and setting world records as she pursues her career in fitness. Some of her wins include the 2008 International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Masters Powerlifting Championships, the 2012, 2016, and 2018 World Powerlifting Congress (WPC) World Championships, and the 2019 APF Nationals.

Last year, she had to put her powerlifting plans on hold due to the pandemic though she was able to compete early that year at the 2020 American Powerlifting Federation (APF) Michigan State Meet.

Langdon said she deadlifts close to 400 pounds- squats 380 and bench presses up to 185. “When I squat this is what I say, I say ‘Holy Spirit fall on me,’ and I just do it and I come right on up,” she said.

The 78-year-old star is surely living a long and healthy life and staying active in the process. Anyone can do that too, irrespective of their age, she said. “Get up off that couch, go walking, walk a mile starting, then you can end up with five miles,” Langdon advised. “You just have to be consistent and keep doing it and don’t let your mind or people tell you you can’t.”

To her coach, Langdon has been an asset to the gym and to the whole powerlifting field. “To see somebody at that age doing what she’s doing it’s a blessing,” Little said.

In a video clip posted to @powerliftinglegends on Instagram, Langdon is seen squatting a colossal 159kg (350 lbs). “78 years young – Nora Langdon dunking 159kg/350lbs. Strongest granny right there,” the caption reads.

“Her best squat in competition is 413lbs at 76yo and 189lbs BW – 2.2x Bodyweight.”

In a social media post on Monday, Austin Chenge, a Nigerian-American Trump loyalist and GOP gubernatorial candidate for Michigan, said he’s going to cancel Black History Month in the state if elected as he deems it “offensive.”

Instead, he said he’ll introduce what he calls “American History Month.”

A U.S. Army veteran, Chenge immigrated to the United States from Nigeria with his family in 2008, and they subsequently naturalized five years later, according to Michigan Radio. The 35-year-old, who has reportedly never held any public office, describes himself as an entrepreneur and conservative Republican in his Twitter bio.

In the post which was met with swift backlash, Chenge tweeted: “I will cancel #BlackHistoryMonth in #Michigan. It’s offensive, unfair, maybe illegal… Americans from all backgrounds deserve a revered history. I’ll declare American History Month.”

Chenge, who is the first Republican gubernatorial candidate for Michigan and has set his sights on taking the seat from incumbent Democratic governor Gretchen Whitmer in 2022, is described as being “deeply conservative”, according to Detroit Metro Times.

Among his campaign promises, Chenge says he’ll sever the state’s contract ties with Dominion Voting Systems on his first day in office if elected. A section of pro-Trump supporters has accused the election technology supplier of manipulating the 2020 presidential elections in favor of Joe Biden. Those allegations are, however, unfounded and baseless.

In an interview with Detroit News, Chenge also defended the pro-Trump rioters who forced their way into the U.S. Capitol and clashed with law enforcement agents during protests against the 2020 presidential election results. Five people died in the aftermath of the January 6 incident.

“Some of them were overcome by passion, more passion than others and may have acted in a way that they didn’t intend to when they went there,” he said. Asked if it was right for the rioters to besiege the building, he said: “If someone is motivated by passion to do something, it’s more subjective than it is objective.”

Meanwhile, Chenge could become the first Black governor of Michigan if he wins the seat. He, however, told Michigan Radio that being a potential trailblazer isn’t of great significance to him as he feels it causes a divide.

“I don’t actually see myself as a minority, or a Black American, or a Black anything or a minority anything. I just see myself as an American,” he said. “When we start focusing on a person’s gender or race or anything that causes division, we lose our unity as Americans.”

“If I become the governor of Michigan, I’m not going to be the first Black governor of Michigan. I’m going to be just another American governor.”

Black-owned breweries have been popping up all over the United States. Now, there’s one in Michigan thanks to Terry Rostic and Jamaal Ewing.

In 2020, Rostic and Ewing opened Black Calder Brewing Company. These two Michigan natives are making history with beer that provides a platform for innovation, art, culture, and inclusion.

“We appreciate the significance of being recognized as Michigan’s first Black-owned brewery,” Rostic said in a statement. “It’s something Michigan and the craft beer industry has been longing for, but it’s not the only thing we want to be known for. Our motto is simple: ‘Make dope beer for dope people.’”

The Grand Opening

Rostic and Ewing celebrated the opening of Black Calder Brewing Company with the launch of Black IPA. It’s a preview into a series of Black Calder Beers that are expected to come on the scene. Black IPA is dry-hopped with Idaho 7 and Mosaic hops. It contains an ABV of 7%.

The two men are on a mission to bring something new to Grand Rapids. Many of their beers will focus on the barrel- and wood-aged beers, imperial stout, lagers, craft ciders, kettle sours, fruit ales, and IPAs. Rostic told WLNS, “we’re going to do stouts, we’re going to do IPAs, we’re going to do lagers, and sours things that will open the gates for people to try a lot of different flavors. We are very flavorful people so we would like to get some flavors out.”

The Journey to the Brewery

The two “Craft Beer Heads” are excited to see their dream come true. But the journey was far from easy. This success story took years of work and persistence.

“We met in 2016 at an event and quickly realized the passion we both had for craft beer, community, and togetherness,” Rostic says during an interview. “We didn’t see a lot of diversity in the breweries we frequented or themes that were representative of our culture.”

Rostic adds, “We started kicking around the idea of starting our own brewery and, in 2018, we pitched the idea at a local business competition called 100 Ideas sponsored by Start Garden and won.”

The path to the brewery has been derailed on multiple occasions. The team had to overcome trademark disputes as well as rebranding challenges.

They’ve also had to work through the pandemic. “It has been a struggle to launch during a pandemic, but we also see it as somewhat of a blessing in disguise,” Ewing says. “Our original plans were to launch with a taproom at the end of 2019, which would have been disastrous for us a few months later.”

Rostic and Ewing spent more than a decade supporting other breweries in Michigan and working with mentors. Now, it’s their time to make their presence known in Michigan.

Expanding Diversity in the Craft Beer Industry

Michigan has become a national leader in both the number of breweries and beer production. According to the Brewer’s Association, at the end of 2019, Michigan ranks sixth in the number of breweries. The state had 400 breweries, ranking behind California (907 breweries) and Colorado (435 breweries). These were the two most populated states for breweries.

Although Michigan is gaining a reputation as the epicenter for craft beer in the midwest, Ewing and Rostic see even more opportunity ahead. “The passion that brewers, owners, and staff put into creating a unique experience was refreshing,” Ewing said in a statement. “What we didn’t see was diversity and themes that spoke to the culture that we represent.” Black Calder Brewing Company is one step closer to adding more flavors to Michigan’s craft beer scene.

Rostic and Ewing told Grand Rapids Business Journal that they are proud to be part of the movement of diversity and inclusion in the craft beer scene. The two history makers hope they are providing the representation needed to inspire more people to open breweries.

Authorities have charged Rev. Stricjavvar “Strick” Strickland of the Second Baptist Church in Kalamazoo, Michigan, with sexually assaulting four teenage boys aged between 15 and 17 and also paying them to have sex with his wife while he watched.

A probable cause affidavit that was filed at the Kalamazoo County District Court last week indicates that Strickland, 37, has been charged with 11 felonies in relation to the alleged incidents that occurred between August 2015 and August 2018. Strickland, who has served as pastor at the church since 2012 and was previously president of the NAACP Kalamazoo Chapter, is yet to turn himself in through an arrest warrant was issued for him August 21.

The accused was also allegedly engaged in similar activities with his ex-wife while they resided in Mississippi some years back.

Speaking to MLive, Strickland’s attorney, Michael Hills, said they were preparing to turn him in. He faces two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct on a student as well as one on a 13 to 15-year-old. He also faces another count by force or coercion and four counts of human trafficking of a minor for commercial sexual activity. Three more counts of child sexually abusive activity have also been leveled against him.

“It has been two years since these allegations first came forward and Pastor Strickland has remained in contact and available. He is not running from this,” Hills said. “Pastor Strickland remains ready to turn himself in and deal with these charges accordingly.”

Per his warrant, he faces 15 years behind bars for each of the first four charges and 20 years for each of the other seven charges if found guilty, MLive reports. Kalamazoo County Assistant Prosecutor Christin J. Mehrtens-Carlin has also urged the court to bar the suspect from contacting the alleged victims, his wife Jazmonique, as well as any person under 18 years in the bond recommendation filed together with the arrest affidavit.

“Per the reports, the defendant and his wife would use their employment at Phoenix High School (in Kalamazoo) and to some extent, the defendant would use his work as a pastor, to find male teens to engage in sexual activity with the wife, while the defendant watched and masturbated,” the bond recommendation states.

Elaborating on the allegations against the accused in the probable cause affidavit that was filed on August 18, Michigan State Police Detective Sgt. Scott Ernestes wrote two of the juveniles and one of their fathers first got in touch with him in 2018 accusing Strickland of sexual assault against them between 2015 and 2018. They commenced investigations based on the complaint.

The juveniles said they met Strickland and his wife when they were students at Phoenix High School during the 2017-18 academic year. According to their account in the affidavit, they alleged they were each paid $100 to sleep with Jazmonique in different instances while her husband watched. Strickland also allegedly paid them $100 each for his wife to perform oral sex on them so he could watch, MLive reports.

One of the boys was also paid to send nudes to the pastor while he also allegedly sexually assaulted one of them on another occasion. He gave the latter money after he told him to stop.

The third victim told Ernestes during an interview in 2018 his first encounter with Strickland was in 2015 when he was 16. According to the juvenile, Strickland allegedly offered him money in exchange for nude photos, adding that the accused also performed oral sex on him after he was coerced when he was 17. Strickland allowed him to drive his car in exchange for that.

The fourth victim told the detective Strickland allegedly paid him $200 in 2015 to sleep with his wife in their home basement when he was 15. He said he slept with Jazmonique in subsequent periods between that year and 2016.

Meanwhile, Strickland has denied any wrongdoing, telling MLive on Tuesday the charges against him are “absolutely preposterous.”

“All I can say for now is that we are prepared for this fight,” he said. “God will prevail.” The couple initially proclaimed their innocence in 2019 some days after the fourth victim was interviewed.

Two small businesses, The Mitten Brewing Co. and Malamiah Juice Bar, are ready to start taking pre-orders for limited-run editions of locally printed Black Lives Matter merchandise, including garments and masks according to Grand Rapids Business Journal.

The two Grand Rapids, Michigan-based companies will donate 100% of the sales to the Black and Brown Cannabis Guild.

Mitten Brewing co-owner Chris Andrus, and Malamiah Juice Bar owner, Jermale Eddie, have partnered and contracted local custom design and screen printing business Ambrose at WMCAT, and its fundraising platform, Bound As One, to launch the project.

“Malamiah Juice Bar is rooted in West Michigan, and we are proud to give back to our community through the Bound As One initiative in support of BBCG,” Eddie said. “And we are all just that — bound as one in a community that cares deeply but one that is in need of greater social equity and justice.”

“The work that the Black and Brown Cannabis Guild is doing is vital for individuals in our community who have barriers to opportunity because of a drug record — many of which are eligible for expungement. When you buy a T-shirt or mask, every penny goes directly to support communities of color that are benefiting from BBCG’s advocacy, network, and guidance; an incredible mission that The Mitten Brewing Co. fully supports” said Andrus.

“We believe that this work is not charity, it is justice,” Black and Brown Cannabis Guild’s founder and Executive Director Denavvia Mojet said. “We know that our government disproportionately harmed communities of color as a byproduct of a racist political agenda, and we work to help those harmed communities thrive in spite of those convictions. We believe this is what equity looks like, and we are grateful to be supported in these efforts.”

The back of each shirt also has the names of victims of police brutality, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Philando Castile, and more individuals. Pre-orders will be taken on ambrose-print-shop.printavo.com until Oct. 30.