January is the traditional time to make — and break — resolutions. But not all changes involve eating, drinking, or exercising. Some are even more life-altering.
We’ve probably all had times when ditching the day job to do something totally different starts to sound attractive.
Oneita Jackson did it.
A few years back, the Howard University grad and former Detroit Free Press copy editor/columnist said goodbye to print deadlines.
“I always wanted to drive a cab … but I never had the guts to do it,” is among the many things this energetic “ambassador” told Associate Editor Jeff Waraniak when he took a guided tour of Detroit with Jackson.
We figured the auto show season was the perfect time to see what a visitor’s encounter with Jackson might be like. See the story here to find out why everyone from Oscar nominees to Pulitzer Prize-winning authors routinely opt for a ride in her cab.
Meanwhile, Louis Green has also chucked his job. As president and CEO of the Detroit-based Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council (MMSDC), he helped members secure a greater share of work with major corporations, particularly the Big Three. Now he’s stepped down to launch the $100-million-per-year Minority Business Access Fund. See “Spreading the Wealth” to find out more.
Stephanie Chang also hopes to make a difference. She assumes office this month as the first Asian-American woman elected to the Michigan Legislature.
As she explored a run for office, she asked herself: “Am I qualified? Would I do a good job? Could I win? And most importantly: Would I be able to make an impact?” Dorothy Hernandez finds out what Chang is hoping to accomplish in “Advocacy on the Agenda.”
Wanting to have an impact on your community is one thing. Sinking $3 million into it is quite another. Yet that’s what veteran restaurateurs Victor Dzenowagis and Linda Egeland did. The couple purchased the White Horse Inn, which had nearly been put out to pasture (it closed in 2012 when the previous owners couldn’t afford to keep up repairs). Find out what it took to reopen the 164-year-old Metamora mainstay in “Back in the Saddle.”
We also include ways to tackle a few more “traditional” resolutions in this issue, offering outdoor exercise tips, places to take “First Day” walks, and a visit to a really demanding Corktown gym.
We also follow a fashionable night on the town, and take a ride to the Top of the Pontch for a bite to eat and a great view of Cobo Center — where some “green” vehicles and modern “muscle cars” will be introduced at this year’s auto show.
And last but not least, we give a nod to the Detroit Athletic Club as they prepare to celebrate their 100th year on Madison Avenue. We even give them “The Last Word,” raising a toast to a cocktail recipe originated at the DAC. Cheers!
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