another step forward
another step forward Detroit’s Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick meets with the community BY VANESSA DENHA-GARMO In an event designed to smooth the relationship between Chaldeans and the City of Detroit, nearly 200 businesspeople gathered at Shenandoah Country Club last month to meet Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. The evening was sponsored by Associated Food Dealers (AFD) and the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce (CACC). “We are very successful businesspeople, Mr. Mayor,” said Jane Shallal, the new president of the AFD, in her welcoming remarks. “We are here because we want to share our success. We want to share our talent. We want to share our time with you. We believe by working together, we can make progress. Life is filled with challenges. We believe meeting those challenges head on is progress — today is progress.” Sitting at a head table, Kilpatrick listened attentively. Referring to the mayor’s inaugural speech in which he urged love for Detroit, CACC Chair Saad Hajjar said that he, among many other Chaldeans, will be proud to say they are from Detroit. “It may not look like it at first glance, but Chaldeans and the City of Detroit have so much in common,” said Hajjar. “Chaldeans have faith in the City of Detroit, so much so that they continue to live and invest in a city they have called home for more than 40 years.” The purpose of the meeting was to create a foundation for growth and for Chaldeans to build a relationship with the City of Detroit. “At the heart of the development in the City of Detroit is the neighborhoods and the schools,” Kilpatrick told the audience. “The key to the neighborhood development is retail and the convenience stores. You have been at the forefront of a lot of that. There is no reason that there should not be a tremendous, honest and genuine partnership with this community and the City of Detroit, particularly the Mayor’s Office.” Kilpatrick referred to the fact that Chaldeans own an estimated 90 percent of Detroit’s independent grocers. “Many of you have said that when PHOTO BY DAVID REED Farmer Jack moved out, when Kroger moved out, when all of those big chains moved out - you moved in and you sustained retail in the community, a positive image, a clean store, a nice store and a community connection,” Kilpatrick said. “You did not leave our community. I believe there is something to be said about that.” The mayor continued his thought, which garnered applause from the crowd. “I also believe there is a better opportunity to put Chaldean businessmen and women together with African-American men and women to solve some of the social issues we engage in our community.” Kilpatrick said he is looking forward to moving beyond the excitement of the Super Bowl and building a relationship that helps not only Chaldean business owners, but the city at large. “I am looking forward to your bottom lines improving,” he said, “and you giving some of that back to the City of Detroit.” After the 20-plus-minute speech, Kilpatrick took questions from the audience. Topics included police response times as well as his own concerns about some stores allowing illegal activity such as drug dealing and prostitution on or near the premises. “There is a response issue in Detroit with police. We took 12 precincts down to six and people are mad,” Kilpatrick admitted. “We have a record number of retirees and a record number of calls in. That is when officers call in sick.” Currently, the city is working on the morale and attitude in the police department, he said. “You say you call the police when there is a robbery and they don’t show, but an officer comes into your store and harasses you during an inspection. I have heard the complaint and I have seen it, I know it is not fiction,” he said. “At that same time, there are businesses that Saad Hajjar (right) welcomes Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick allow illegal activity to go on in and around their stores and you get labeled as having that.” Chaldeans need to help change the perception about the community that exists among Detroiters. Kilpatrick said. “I need your help,” he said, asking members of the community to help identify and rid the city of stores that allow illegal activity. The event was a chance to clear the air of misconceptions and the so-called bad blood between Chaldeans and the City of Detroit. “I don’t care who you supported in the election,” said Kilpatrick. “I won and we must now move forward.” 42 CHALDEAN NEWS FEBRUARY 2006
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