community

By Hugh Burrell

For several years, Young

Young Boys, Inc.

The Memory Train

Boys, Inc. was the most pow- erful and profitable Black business enterprise in Amer- ica. The federal government estimates that the world trade in illegal drugs is about $400 billion per year. Americans being the largest consumers of illegal drugs made this the land of opportunity for at least one Black family in Detroit, the Chambers.

Surprisingly not college ed-

ucated, the Chambers brothers built Young Boys, Inc. into an astoundingly successful and profitable business empire. The brothers’ enterprises gen- erated approximately $3 mil- lion a day in revenue. Their business employed nearly $500 people and set chilling new standards and concepts in marketing drugs. The brothers specialized in recruiting and employing young boys under 14 years of age from the South to carry and sell drugs. The boys were well trained market- ers and collection enforcers.

The most imaginative

aspect of the family business was the age of the drug sell- ers. because they were only 14 years or younger, they were beyond prosecution by law. With a central office in Detroit,

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

March 24-30, 2010

spicuous consumption and painted a target on their own backs. This would be the end of Young Boys, Inc. It is un- fortunate that they could not use their skills in a legal busi- ness.

Well, we lost another great

entertainer from Detroit, Ron Banks. Even though I was a few years ahead that “musical Capital of entertainment,” Northern High School,” I ran into him and the Dramat- ics during the days when I was performing with the Blue Pigs. What a great group, and here’s “a toast” to a great per- former. His style and grace was money in the “Banks.”

Hugh Burrell

Young Boys serviced nearly all of the Midwestern states. Their annual sales of more than one billion dollars in cocaine and marijuana made it the big- gest and most profitable in America. They had made a video of themselves swimming in a pool literally filled with money, and the tape fell into the hands of law enforcement.

Like most Blacks who

engage in illicit activities for profit, the Chambers broth- ers did not have an econmic structure in their community through which to launder their ill-gotten gains. What did they do? They engaged in con-

I WOULD like to thank all

of you wonderful readers for the kind things you say about The Memory Train. And I thank you for all the calls and wonderful letters. To all of you young people, “Shoot for the stars, not at each other.” And one other thing: I will be per- forming at the Polish Century Club with some very talented friends. I will give you the lo- cation and dates next week.

Until next time, “I’ll plant U

now and dig U later, Peace and chicken grease!”

Hugh Burrell can be con-

Hughburrell@aol.com.

Detroit groups hold Census assistance forums

Now that Census 2010 questionnaires have

been mailed out to households across the coun- try, local groups and advocates are providing in-language Census questionnaire assistance to community members to ensure a complete count for Detroit.

Organizations will be hosting dozens of

forums within the next two weeks to help fami- lies fill out census forms and answer questions regarding the process. The organizations are focusing their outreach efforts on communi- ties which traditionally have been undercount- ed – immigrant communities, low-income resi- dents, children, and people of color.

“We want to ensure Detroit receives its fair

share of more than $400 billion in federal funds every year for the next decade, and that we have fair representation in Congress,” said Rachid Elabed of Access Community in Detroit. “To reach the communities we’re most concerned about, we’re focused on meeting people where they are, and making sure they get the help they need to fill out their census forms.”

March 22-26 (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) ACCESS 2651 Saulino Court, Dearborn, MI 48120 Contact: Brigitte (313-842-7010)

(Assistance in English, Arabic, and Spanish available)

March 22-26 (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) ACCESS 6451 Schafer, Dearborn, MI 48126 Contact: Amne (313-945-8380)

(Assistance in English, Arabic, and Spanish available) March 22-26

(Open 24 hours) Neighborhood Service Organization (NSO) 3430 3rd Street, Detroit, MI 48201 Contact: Erica (313-832-3100)

March 22-April 3 (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) Urban Neighborhood Initiative (UNI) 8300 Longworth, Detroit, MI 48209 Contact: Christine (313-841-4447) (Assistance in Spanish available)

March 23-24 (9 a.m. to noon) Salina Middle School 2623 Salina Street, Dearborn, MI 48120-1594

Contact: Linda Hallick (313-909-5834 or 313- 827-6600)

March 27 (1 p.m. to 4 p.m.) Chinese Community Center

32585 Concord Dr., Madison Heights, MI 48071

Community Assistance and Questionnaire As- sistance Center

(Assistance in English, Chinese, and Hindi available) Contact: Samira Ahmed (248-396-8302)

April 3 (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) American Moslem Society 9945 W. Vernor Hwy, Dearborn, MI 48120 Contact: Mansoor (313-849-2147)

To commemorate its 100th

Urban League launches I AM EMPOWERED initiative

anniversary, the National Urban League will usher in a new era of civil rights, taking advantage of advanced tech- nology to introduce the first ever social services social mobilization platform targeted toward urban America.

This massive, comprehen-

sive SMP is a major compo- nent of I AM EMPOWERED, a bold new initiative that will in- spire the nation and allow the Urban League to engage, con- nect and serve urban America like it never has before.

The initiative takes the

Urban League’s tradition of pulling people out of poverty and putting them on the path to economic empowerment to the next level. With I AM EM- POWERED, the National Urban League is challenging itself and the nation to eliminate racial gaps and disparities in housing, education, employ- ment and health care. The organization will encourage people around the country to take the I AM EMPOWERED pledge and commit their time and talents to achieving goals in these important areas by

2025. The I AM EMPOWERED SMP

is a vast, interactive Web com- munity that uses 21st centu- ry technology to unite people from all walks of life with the Urban League, its affiliates, coalition of supporters and one another in one location. Members can access informa- tion, services and to engage to advance the cause of equal- ity 24 hours a day, seven days week in real time, online.

The I AM EMPOWERED

viral empowerment communi- ty harnesses all social media vehicles, including Facebook and Twitter, to let members customize their experience, create profiles and sub-groups, advocate on issues and upload and share videos, content and information with others. Mem- bers also can obtain assistance on issues such as home own- ership and entrepreneurship through an ever-expanding set of tool boxes and other guided experiences. The online and mobile platforms also con- nect the Urban League and its family of nearly 100 affiliates in one continuous community for the first time.

Page C-3

People can become a part

of this special community and take the I AM EMPOWERED pledge at www.iamempowered.

com.

Individuals also can text

EMPOWER to 69866 or down- load the IAE mobile applica- tion, available at the Apple App Store, Android Market and coming soon, the Black- berry App World, to take the pledge.

I AM EMPOWERED has the

support of celebrity ambas- sadors and has an Honorary Centennial Committee with prominent individuals such as former president Bill Clin- ton, Bill Cosby, Quincy Jones, Magic Johnson, Muhammad Ali, Colin L. Powell and Spike Lee.

The legacy of the National

Urban League stands on a strong foundation of service that began in 1910. The move- ment grew out of the 20th cen- tury Black migration, when Blacks flooded the North to flee economic, social and po- litical oppression in the south. Since its inception, the Na- tional Urban League has been at the forefront of the freedom movement.

Detroit Pistons ‘Pack the Palace for Charity’ night to benefit Children’s Leukemia Foundation of Michigan

Join Children’s Leuke-

mia Foundation of Michigan, a statewide agency helping families cope with leukemia, lymphoma, and blood-related disorders, as they “Pack the Palace for Charity” on March 31 and April 7.

There is a cost to attend.

All ticket proceeds will go di- rectly to the patients and fami- lies who are supported by the Foundation, if ordered through

Children’s Leukemia Founda- tion of Michigan office by call- ing (248) 530-3000. The more people that “Pack the Palace,” the more money that is raised for a worthwhile cause!

Can’t make it to the game

but still want to support the event? Simply purchase tick- ets and donate them – Chil- dren’s Leukemia Foundation of Michigan will distribute the tickets to patients and fami-

lies, giving them a fun night out to relax and have some fun together.

The Troy-based Children’s

Leukemia Foundation of Michigan has provided more than $6.5 million in research dollars to Michigan’s compre- hensive cancer institutes. For more information, call (800) 825-2536 or visit www.leuke-

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