ARTS & entertainment
ARTS & entertainment ‘mixing’ it up New play addresses race and diversity BY JEREMY HULL There’s a bully in the system in America, says Jennifer George. The Ferndale playwright believes the bully to be racism, and Caucasians the meek bystanders unwilling to help minorities victimized by the bully. “White people are just happy they’re not being hit with racism, but that doesn’t make it right,” said George. “It’s important for everyone to stand up. If you don’t say anything, then it’s almost as if you’re collaborating with that racist mentality.” Spurred by this belief, George, 37, began several years ago writing “Mixed,” a play involving the themes of bi-racial identity, discrimination and abandonment that culminated with a locally created theatrical production at the Boll Family YMCA Theatre in Detroit. George also received inspiration from candid discussions on race with African- American friends, talking with her students at Marygrove College and Oakland Community College and reading works by such anti-racism activists as Tim Wise. Among the greatest inspiration for “Mixed” was George’s upbringing. Born in Granada, Spain, to a Chaldean father and an American mother, her parents divorced when she was 3 years old. George returned to the Metro Detroit area with her mother and brother, with her father following several years later. Growing up with ethnically diverse parents, George said she always viewed herself as being different from other Caucasians, even though she didn’t look like relatives from her father’s family. The cast of “Mixed”: Ann Ledbetter (left), Anton Berry, Kerry Banish, Yusef Thomas and Shaquanna Meeks. Knowing that she was half-Chaldean – but not looking the part – served as the basis for an eyeopening encounter while working at a Wayne State University bookstore during the first Gulf War. After a customer mentioned that her son was in the Marines, George replied that her boyfriend at the time was also serving in the Marines. “The woman then said, ‘I just can’t stand all of the Arabs on campus…I just want to spit on them when I see them,’” recalled George. “I felt that if I looked more Chaldean then she wouldn’t have said anything.” Looking different sits as the very core of “Mixed.” Presented in three acts, it tells the story of three generations of African-American women in the post-Civil War South. The youngest, May, begins asking her grandmother, Roberta, why she raised her and why she is a different color. “The granddaughter’s questions provide an impetus for them to touch on issues the family had never really faced,” said George. “Those discussions help them to close the circle and find a healing place.” Within each act are ensembles that include as many as 10 actors, which eventually lead into character monologues by a single actor on the stage. The ensembles involve various issues of contemporary society, including “It’s Time,” which calls for social advancement, and “Daddy,” which speaks to the father crisis in America. George believes that with its themes of discrimination, ignorance and reconciliation, “Mixed” will get people talking locally about topics normally considered taboo. “I think the play’s going to drop a little bomb on the Detroit area, and I think it’s going to serve as a springboard for discussion.” – JENNIFER GEORGE “I think the play’s going to drop a little bomb on the Detroit area, and I think it’s going to serve as a springboard for discussion,” she said. “There are a lot of wounds here, and I think people really need to start talking.” “Mixed” runs every Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m. through March 11 at the Boll Family YMCA Theatre, 1401 Broadway in Detroit. Tickets are and for senior citizens and students. For ticket information, call (313) 309-9622 or visit www.ymcametrodetroit.org. 36 CHALDEAN NEWS MARCH 2007
Keeping the Books: It’s easy with professional help Christine Loussia loves a challenge. Give her box after box of old check stubs, bank statements, invoices from vendors and payroll receipts, and she’s off and running. Presto! Your jumbled financial information is transformed into an easyto-use system that enhances how you do business. Loussia is the owner of Keeping the Books, which specializes in helping small companies manage their finances. Loussia, who has a bachelor’s of science degree in finance from Wayne State University, founded the business in August 2005 with her classmate Melanie Nafsu. “I started business school in accounting but found I liked finance more,” Loussia said. “I like understanding how numbers work and how they affect a business.” Before starting Keeping the Books Loussia, well, kept the books for an advertising agency and a wellknown restaurant chain. Like so many in the Chaldean community, her entrepreneurial spirit came calling. “I wanted something a little more challenging than internal accounting,” she said. “I like the idea of working with different people and different businesses on a daily basis.” Many small business owners regard bookkeeping as an afterthought rather than an effective tool. “They just let everything pile up and by the time they get to it, they get lazy and just try to skim by the information,” Loussia said of many entrepreneurs. “Before they know it, they don’t even know how much is available in their bank account.” Keeping accurate books means more than just looking at the bottom line. Detailed financial reporting gives business owners an accurate picture of exactly what they are spending money on, how they are making a profit, and where funds are being lost. “With that information, you can analyze where you are at and what direction you want to go in to grow,” Loussia said. QuickBooks is Keeping the Book’s software of choice due to its versatility and ease of use. “It’s a great program with many features, but you only get out of it what you put into it. To get the most out of the software you need a custom set-up and to understand how all the features work,” Loussia said. “I come in and learn exactly how a company operates, and then create a custom QuickBooks company file that best fits their business.” With QuickBooks, a business owner can locate all financial information instantly – customer, vendor, employee, bank, inventory and payroll information. “You enter your information and it provides you with the big picture,” Loussia said. “It is a great tool that helps organize all your information in one place and allows you to effectively manage your business.” QuickBooks interacts with other programs such as Excel. Most banks also allow clients to download activity from their account right into QuickBooks, so information can be reconciled. It’s easy to learn and use. Loussia likens her services to teaching a child to ride a bike. She may spend more time in the beginning setting up the proper QuickBooks templates and training clients to use it. Christine Loussia helps client John Dangelo set up an accounting system. TIPS ON KEEPING YOUR BOOKS Start managing your finances as soon as you start your business Set aside a certain time every week to catch up on the books Back up your data every week on a USB drive or CD-ROM Reconcile your bank statement each month in QuickBooks Use a certified public accountant at tax time; QuickBooks is not a tax program Most clients quickly catch on. “You start out with training wheels and build them up to a point where they can do it on their own,” she said of her clients. “You don’t have to be a genius to use QuickBooks. If you know enough to start and operate a business, then you know enough to operate the program.” Keeping the Books helps business owners save time on a daily basis so they can focus on the tasks that require their time and talent. “I make it so customized that all you do is fill in the blanks,” Loussia said. “You tell me exactly what you need and I set it up so you are not reentering the same information over and over again. For instance, a shopping center can invoice its tenants every month with just a few clicks.” Sound financial practices are mandatory for any business. “Using Keeping the Books is a small investment,” Loussia pointed out. “This is a system you will use during all your years of business.” Keeping the Books, Inc. 5759 Perrytown West Bloomfield, MI 48322 Phone: (248) 230-9537 Fax: (248) 683-2422 www.ktbconsultants.com PHOTO BY DAVID REED ADVERTORIAL MARCH 2007 CHALDEAN NEWS 37
