October 16, 2025

The New Citizens Press

News For, By and About People

Headlines

Retire Smart: Lessons from Detroit

Rina Risper08 mins

By Jill Schlesinger
Tribune Media Services
 
  On July 18, Detroit filed for Chapter 9 federal bankruptcy protection. At over $18 billion in liabilities, it is the country’s largest-ever municipal bankruptcy case. Although there have been rampant accusations of financial mismanagement and scapegoating, the main culprit for Detroit’s woes was demographic: The city’s population, which peaked at 1.8 million in the 1950s, now stands at 700,000 after many middle-class workers and businesses fled the city, taking their tax dollars with them.

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Interpersonal Edge: Make verbal abuser accountable

Rina Risper06 mins

By Dr. Daneen Skube
Tribune Media Services
 
  Q. I have a coworker who is constantly verbally abusive. He calls me names, yells and puts my work down. I have to work with this guy a lot, and I’m ending up calling in sick just to avoid him. When I go to my boss, she just tells me to work harder at “getting along,” like it is my fault. I like my job but can’t tolerate my coworker. What can I do?

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African culture thrives in ‘Mother of George’

Rina Risper05 mins

By Samantha Ofole-Prince
 
Slow, steady and stylish are three words that best describe Andrew Dosunmu’s latest offering “Mother of George.”
 
For Dosunmu, a Nigeria-born director, New York is once again the city of choice. It’s where he filmed his last movie “Restless City” and it’s in Brooklyn we follow the life of Adenike (Danai Gurira), a Nigerian newlywed who resorts to drastic measures after she discovers that she’s unable to conceive a child.
 

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Break Bread While Breaking the Ice: Fellowship Luncheon is Once Again a Success for Local Professionals

Rina Risper011 mins

“Fellowship Fellas”  started meeting for lunch and decided to invite others to their very popular fellowship luncheon Above: (Top Right) Lindsay Huddleston, Jackie Jerome Marks and Dennis McCants
Seated:  James Butler III and Judge Donald Allen
TNCP photos

 
 
By Deborah M. Walker
 
“It’s not about me, it’s not about the founders, it’s about us,” said Jackie Jerome Marks as he addressed guests at the semi-annual fellowship luncheon.
 
Looking around at the sea of smiling faces it’s easy to see the comradery that the fellowship luncheon brings. A chance to network, share ideas and connect with old friends the fellowship luncheon is a hot spot for young black professionals in the Lansing area.

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Apocalypse Lifestyle

Rina Risper09 mins

 Rina Risper will return in the next edition with “Excuse me are you listening?”.  Her son, Gianni Risper has been writing for the paper for almost 5 years.  He is a 21-year-old student at Lansing Community College.
“Apocalypse Lifestyle”
 

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Inside The Mind of a Sportsaholic: A Couple Of Requests 

Rina Risper06 mins

By Jimmy L. Wilson, Jr.
 
Football season is back! For many, this is start of what could be considered the sports fiscal year. From September to June, we immersed in football, and basketball. There is not much that we ask from people who are not as enthralled as we are during these months. However, there are a couple of requests that I would like to make on behalf of myself, and other sports fanatics. Even though you all may not be able to grant the requests, please indulge me, and see if you can work with any of them. 

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Nina Davuluri Is America’s Future

Rina Risper06 mins

Nina Davuluri 
was crowned Miss America and made history as 
the first 
Indian-American to hold the title.
 
Photo courtesy of 
Miss America

 
By Andrew Lam
New America Media
 
Nina Davuluri is the first Indian American to hold the title of Miss America. It should be something for all Americans to celebrate. Alas, it’s a victory marred by waves of racist backlash in social media. Davuluri is called a “terrorist,” and derogatory references to convenience stores – “Miss 7-Eleven” – and Muslims are mentioned. But the biggest complaint? Miss America should be more “American.”

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MICHIGAN LEGAL HELP ASSISTS MORE THAN 200,000 SELF-REPRESENTED PEOPLE IN ITS FIRST YEAR

Rina Risper010 mins

 MichiganLegalHelp.org launched on August 17, 2012 and initial estimates  were expected around 3,000 visits per week to the legal information website. According to Michigan Legal Help Project Manager Angela Tripp, “This estimate proved too conservative. Starting in January, there were over 5,000 visits per week, and that grew to over 6,000 per week by July. We are very gratified that so many people have turned to the website for help.”

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Impending Cuts to Anti-Poverty Food Program Will Cost Michigan $183 million and Bring Greater Food Insecurity to Families and Children

Rina Risper07 mins

By Marissa Zamudio
 
On November 1, 2013, the temporary boost to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is due to expire, taking a slice out of the food budgets of families, especially, low income families with children. In Michigan, one in six people receive SNAP benefits and will be affected. Such a cut is likely to result in an increase of families with children going hungry – what policy experts call “food insecurity.” Food insecurity is identified as “the lack of consistent access to adequate food” in a May 2013 report titled “Food Insecurity in Households with Children” from the Economic Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.   

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