Rebuilding The Village with Kayana Sessoms and Tarsha Gale

On this episode, Donna and Sam sat down with Hitha Healing House Founder and Executive Director, Kayana Sessoms and Executive Director of Brilliant Detroit, Tarsha Gale to discuss how their partnership is helping Detroit moms and their families.

In February, Brilliant Detroit unveiled a new partnership with Hitha Healing House that will allow the nonprofit to continue its programming, including its signature maternal wellness program, Nurturing Roots via Brilliant Detroit’s Central Hub following a December fire that rendered Hitha Healing House’s programming space unusable. The Hitha Healing House provides holistic maternal wellness services grounded in cultural healing traditions and trauma informed care.

Through the partnership, Hitha Healing House’s Nurturing Roots program will offer mothers up to ten paid wellness sessions following birth, including nutrition counseling, massage therapy, lactation support, chiropractic care and emotional wellness services at Brilliant Detroit.

To learn more about the partnership between Hitha Healing House and Brilliant Detroit, click here. 

Detroit By The Numbers with Alex B. Hill:

• $500 million Property assessment valuation announced by the Sheffield administration. Read more on Detroitography!
• 254,700 occurrences of eBird observations within the City of Detroit boundaries (including Belle Isle). From the eBird Observation Dataset.
• 23% - Jobs in City pay 23% more than state average (UM RSQE - research seminar in quantitative economics)
• 6,500 Respondents to the Detroit Rise Higher community survey from Mayor Mary Sheffield, if you haven’t yet check it out and provide your input.

Transcript

Welcome And Episode Setup

SPEAKER_02 0:00

Up next, Authentically Detroit welcomes Hitha Healing House founder and executive director, Kayana Sesams, and Executive Director of Brilliant Detroit, Tarsha Gale, to discuss how their partnership is helping Detroit moms and their families. But first, our segment with Alex B. Hill of Detroit. Detroit by the numbers. Keep it locked. Authentically Detroit starts after these messages.

SPEAKER_03 0:20

Eastside

Community Announcements And Survey

SPEAKER_03 0:21

Community Network is proud to support Rise Higher Detroit, a transition guided by community built on collaboration. Mayor Sheffield wants to hear from Detroiters and your input in this citywide survey will help shape what comes next. Stop by ECN and ask for Juanita to complete the survey in person. Or take the survey today by visiting our website at ecn-detroit.org.

Hosts Introduce Guests And Theme

SPEAKER_02 1:17

Broadcasting live from Detroit's East Side at the Stademeyer inside of the East Side Community Network. I'm Sam Robinson. And I'm Donna Givens-Davidson. Thank you for listening in and supporting our efforts to build a platform of authentic voices for real people in the city of Detroit. We want you to like, rate, and subscribe to our podcast on all platforms. First of all, happy Women's History Month, everyone. Today we're joined by two women, Tarsha Gale and Kayana Sesams, whose partnership is allowing maternal wellness programming to continue for Detroit moms and their families. We also have Alex Hill of Detroitography on the line for our monthly segment, Detroit by the Numbers. Tarsha and Kayana, welcome to Authentically Detroit. Thank you guys for joining us.

SPEAKER_07 1:57

How are you? Good. Glad to be here. Awesome.

SPEAKER_02 2:02

Yes, yes.

Donna Givens Davidson 2:02

But a way to kick off Women's History Month, um, talking to women who are all about helping mothers and and and families led by women for the most part. Um really appreciate your presence.

SPEAKER_02 2:13

Yeah.

unknown 2:14

Thank you.

Detroit By The Numbers Begins

SPEAKER_02 2:15

Now it's time for Detroit by the numbers, highlighting significant data and numbers from the past month for Detroiters. Here with Alex B. Hill of Detroit and the chairsperson of the City of Detroit's Go Data Commission. The Go Data Commissioners are a diverse group of stakeholders, including data experts, community leaders, and representatives from various sectors. The Commission is dedicated to ensuring that the city's open data initiatives serve the needs of all residents and promote informed decision making. Sometimes there are numbers and data points in the news, but it's hard to know the context behind them. Let's talk about them and dig in. What numbers do you have us have for us this month, Alex?

Property Valuations And Crypto Sales

SPEAKER_01 2:52

Hey, yeah. So the first number I've got uh for this past month is 500 million. Um and that was the new property assessment valuation that the Sheffield administration announced. Um from the uh uh well, you know, they go through a long process of looking at home sales across the city. Um the the thing I'll call out though that um some some colleagues from uh a group called Graschett Labs noticed was that the the crypto real estate company, um real token, uh a lot of the home sales that went into that valuation were that company just selling properties back to itself. Um so in in the the neighborhood of Jefferson Chalmers in particular, it was something like 70% of those home sales used in the valuation um were just real token selling the properties back to itself.

Donna Givens Davidson 3:52

Wow. So um yeah, I I I question those valuation numbers. I have um when they were announced by the former mayor, and um I imagine that these numbers that were um announced by uh Mary Sheffield, Mayor Mary Sheffield are based on the previous work. But there has been this um suggestion that black homeowners have really been gaining housing wealth as a result of a lot of the interventions. Um and it's happening in some key areas, but there's a whole lot of areas where the housing values are pretty flat. And if they're flat, they that means they're declining in value. Um I'm interested though in how somebody would benefit from selling a house to himself or herself. Like what does that look like and how how does that benefit someone?

SPEAKER_02 4:38

Yeah, you can read more about that from Aaron Mondri of Outlier. I know he has done a ton of reporting on the topic. When I'm on the parcel viewer looking at my new house, I see that a number of properties in the uh in the block are real token properties.

Donna Givens Davidson 4:52

Yeah, but can you explain how the property values you buy it and you sell it to yourself? What can you briefly explain that? Um I I want to read it, but I want our listeners to kind of understand how that m how that happens.

SPEAKER_01 5:06

Yeah, you know, in this case in particular, it's um uh uh it seems to be just that real token has set up just separate entities. Um and so you know, they're looking to uh to increase the value of the properties that they're holding on to. Um and uh in this case it's just they've it's pretty much every single one of these sales is um for fifty-four thousand dollars, um, every single one, which also um you know makes it easy to to note in the data. Um but uh you know, a lot of the work I've done previously on land speculation, um, you know, the when a corporate entity sells a a property to another corporate entity that it controls, it's very often trying to drop the the tax debt. Um and so in this case it's it's a bit odd. I don't know exactly why the the crypto real estate groups are are shuffling properties around.

Donna Givens Davidson 6:14

We'll have to get Aaron on the show and have Aaron sort of break it down for us because um there is a reason why people do that. Um they benefit, and I'm really interested in whether or not those increased valuations that are caused by this end up having any kind of impact on adjacent properties, whether or not these properties are serving as um as um comparable sales. And the other question I have is around property taxes and how that kind of action impacts um valuations or assessed valuations of other property nearby, because if these are not real increases in value, but they are you know constructed increases in value, then you could end up having a negative impact without meaning it. Or maybe you're having a positive impact because now my home is worth more and I can sell it from where I'm really interested in learning more about that. What's your next number?

SPEAKER_01 7:03

Right. Yeah, yeah. Um yeah, and sorry, in this instance, it's all the whole neighborhood of Jefferson Chalmers gets impacted by those 70% of the home sales that are from that crypto company.

Vacant Lots And Land Bank Strategy

SPEAKER_01 7:18

Um the the next number I've got is is also property related. It's uh 122,000. Um, and that's um I think it was uh a cranes headline um looking at the number of vacant lots in Detroit. Um 48% of those are held by the Detroit Land Bank. Um so that's you know about 60,000. Um and within that 60,000, uh the land bank has about 20,000 that are available in their their side lot or neighborhood lot programs.

Donna Givens Davidson 7:52

Okay, wow. So um is that number decreasing or increasing, or is it about the same? Do you have any sense of how that number is changing?

SPEAKER_01 8:05

Yeah, I think the the big um change here, you know, the uh the inventory, I I don't like that word, but the inventory of property is still relatively the same. Um it's just in this case now the land bank has maybe 3,000 properties that have a structure on them. Um and then the vast majority um of the properties that they're holding on to are just empty lots. Um so some people say, you know, we've got an empty lot now, there's a lot more possibility. Um and there's been some talk about um creating a a land conservancy um to hold those properties. And um uh I think it's the Detroit Future City that's looking at what could be done with all those vacant properties.

Donna Givens Davidson 8:58

And of course, you know, a lot of residents want to know how they can access some of these properties for their own visions. Um we're gonna be talking to two young women now who are actually, I believe, working in properties that got rescued and repurposed for the community. And that's something that ECN and other organizations are doing. Um, so I think you know, the more that we can also allow for community members to come up with solutions, the more just our city becomes. Um so let's let's go through your other numbers. Um, you have a couple more?

SPEAKER_01 9:29

Yeah, so next one I've got 23%.

Job Pay Premium And Who Benefits

SPEAKER_01 9:32

Um, and that's uh related to jobs in the city. Um so um jobs in the city of Detroit pay 23% more than the state average. Um and this number comes from the University of Michigan Research Seminar in Quantitative Economics. They put out a quarterly economic forecast that the city uses. Um I think they they put it out for the whole state as well. Um and I think you know that really speaks to the the economic engine that Detroit serves uh for our region, but um then there's always the question of well, who is who's holding those jobs, and we know it's about 70 percent um of jobs that are held by commuters in our region.

Donna Givens Davidson 10:18

Yeah, I was gonna say that um we have to be honest that Detroit residents do not earn um 23% more than the state average. Um so this speaks to the fact that other people are getting these jobs, and it's very unfortunate to see that kind of improvement. Um, while the um the the median income is relatively static. And so um, yeah, 70% of those jobs are held by commuters, but I wonder what percentage of those 27% of Detroit jobs are actually at this 23% higher, and what percent of the Detroit jobs are really at a you know a median that is closer to the the the area median income or the Detroit median income, not that in the area itself.

SPEAKER_01 11:02

Right. Yeah, exactly.

Donna Givens Davidson 11:03

Okay, and then um your final or do you have yeah, final number?

Rise Higher Survey Participation

SPEAKER_01 11:09

Uh I've got 6,500. Um, and at the end of February, that was the number of Detroit residents um who had uh responded to the Detroit Rise Higher Community Survey. Um I know the um uh the Sheffield administration and transition committees, the goal is to reach 10,000 responses on that survey. Um so I I'd love to encourage folks to to check that out and to submit. Um go to uh DetroitRiseHire.com backslash survey and and let the new administration know what their priorities are and what they'd like to see uh happening in the city.

Donna Givens Davidson 11:49

Yeah, I appreciate that. Also, you can go to ecnetroit.org because we are helping to um gather signatures. And so um if you go to ecnetroit.org, you can learn more about our programs and also access the survey there. Um there will be a community meeting here on Thursday that the city is hosting, where the city is going to talk about community and neighborhood well-being. And so um please join us if you're listening on Thursday. Um, I believe that we have about space for about 200 people to show up and actually talk to um folks. As you probably know, I'm the co-chair of the housing, development, and planning committee for the transition team. And so I will be there at one of the tables having conversations, as well as many other people who co-chair other committees, and um, you can fill out a survey then if you haven't done so before you then.

SPEAKER_02 12:42

Alex, thank you so much. Excellent.

SPEAKER_01 12:45

Thank you.

Political Update: Whitsett Steps Aside

SPEAKER_02 12:46

Before we get into our interview with Tarsha and Keana, I wanted to mention just today, we are recording this on Monday, March 2nd. Uh, we have news that State Representative Karen Witsett uh will not be seeking re-election. Now, she of course lost her city council race to District 7 Councilmember Denzel McCampbell, whose campaign was powered by volunteers, door knockers with Democratic Socialists of America, as well as the Working Families Party. Uh Karen's campaign was powered by three donations from PAX. She received no individual donations in her campaign for city council. She told me that she had prayed uh the night before the election that she would lose. So when you see Democrats celebrating today, including the chair of the Democratic Party, Curtis Hertel, is saying good riddance on his Twitter account and you know, response from a number of lawmakers. Uh I saw Dana Polhanke chimed in as well. Uh, you see a number of Detroit advocates, activists, and spectators under the replies of my tweet um saying, you know, this is this is worth celebrating. Uh, you know, I still haven't talked to Karen on the phone. I plan to do that, um, but she has been texting me um today and throughout the last several months. Um, and I've been interested, Karen. What are you gonna do? What are you gonna do? We finally heard today, it was two days after Rosalind Ogburn. She is a Rashida Taleb-backed candidate um who wants to represent that same fourth state house district that Karen currently represents. Um, we heard from her at her launch on Grand River at a community center. She feels that she is going to have the community support. She feels that um she is going to be the candidate who is going to make it through that primary. Now we have several months before um that August primary to decide who is the candidate that's going to face the Republican candidate. Of course, uh Detroit's fourth house district is a Democratic majority district, and so whoever comes out of that primary will most likely be the state rep. And now we know that it will not be Karen Whitsett. She has told me that she will never run for political office again. She's citing her commitment to Jesus Christ. Karen has become a Republican over the last several years and months and weeks, and it's sort of culminating on her Facebook page. If you go look at it, it's full of you know conservative memes.

Donna Givens Davidson 15:18

Yeah, I mean, um I don't have a problem. Well, I do have a problem with her political points of view, but I think when you're representing a district, you have to represent the needs of that district and not represent your um personal beliefs. And you know, you're talking about one of the poorest districts in the state with a concentration of black women and men and children who need things. And it's your job when you're elected to represent them at the state level to do your best. And that sometimes means just showing up and voting. Sometimes that means listening to them and making sure that whatever it is you're recommending is aligned with their needs. And if it's not aligned, explain it. But what I saw was a lot of dishonesty. I saw a lot of um going behind people's backs and getting into kinds of conversations that didn't make any sense, and then um using her your position as for attack lines. So be a Republican, be whoever you are. Um, I don't have the right to tell people what to be, but I do think it makes sense for representatives of any community to represent the needs of the people of the community, and I can honestly say that's not what I saw.

SPEAKER_02 16:29

Yeah, Curtis Rattel told me today that the party had already taken away her access to uh Democratic voter data, contact info, and other campaign tools. I mean, she was not just actively working with Republican Speaker Matt Hall, but she was, you know, joining in on fundraisers and working with him, not on policy but on political activities.

Donna Givens Davidson 16:49

And she she did that her first term as well. Um, I also want to acknowledge that there's a correlation between some of the things that she says and some of the things that we're hearing from at least one of the gubernatorial candidates for governor. I mean, one of the obviously gubernatorial candidates for governor, one of the candidates for governor.

SPEAKER_02 17:07

Which has been one of her key allies.

Donna Givens Davidson 17:09

Which has been one of her key allies. And I think, you know, you have to own your friends. Uh Mike Duggan and Karen Whitsett have been aligned in many ways. And I think both of them are people who have um lost faith and respect for or willingness to work with the Democratic Party in the state of Michigan. And it's not just tactical. I think there are some philosophical differences between where they stand and where the party stands. And I am by no means a Democratic apologist, but I think that the alternative to that is something that you have to really look at. Um, I know people who are independent who stand for things like economic justice and environmental justice and um and racial justice. And I know there are people who are independent who um don't necessarily agree with MAGA, but otherwise would be Republican. And I think that sometimes that's what we're seeing, and and I think with her, she's very comfortable with MAGA, but also with other candidates, they're not. Um, figure out who the bedfellows are, and then you have to ask yourself, do I want that bedfellow representing me at the state level, whoever they are? Um, this is a really important time in our history. I I'm on the um the um advisory committee for the poverty task force for the state of Michigan. And we had a meeting on Friday. And when I tell you that people who are working at the state level who are dealing with poverty issues on the state level are demoralized, are scared about what they're seeing happening and and and feel powerless to help people who they need to help because that's their job. Um, I you know, so it gets real personal to me. And I want it to be personal again to elected officials. I want them to care enough that they're gonna fight for people in ways that people want to be fought for. Not like I'm gonna fight for you to find Jesus because I've decided that that's your problem, but I'm gonna fight for you to eat because you're hungry. Um, I'm gonna fight for you to have housing because you are, you know, and and if you believe in Jesus, you might even think that's what Jesus wants, but that's a whole nother conversation. I'm saying that your private uh, you know, uh religious beliefs should not uh steer you away from the professed needs of the people that you serve. And so hats off to Denzel McCampbell for winning District Seven in City Council. Um, I think he is a person who has demonstrated through his words, deeds, and you know, his his support for other people where he stands. And I look forward to continuing to observe him. And you know, hats off to you, Sam, because you do get the news first.

SPEAKER_02 19:37

And yeah, I mean it it it only came because, you know, I I lend an ear to Karen, and I think a lot of the times when reporters are interacting with Detroit lawmakers, especially black women, honestly, they they don't know how to even start because

Values, Representation, And Policy Stakes

SPEAKER_02 19:52

they're from Okamis or West Michigan.

Donna Givens Davidson 19:54

There's many, there's many black women who don't know how to talk to her either. So I just I just want to give you I want to give you your props uh because you do have that ability to um maintain relationships in place, and and and that's important for a reporter. So I'm not saying that um tongue in cheek, I'm saying that really seriously, that that's how we know things. And you have been uh um, as you pointed out, before we started, a Karen Whisperer.

SPEAKER_02 20:18

What's that whisperer? I'm sorry. What they call me. I I don't know if I put that on myself, but I've been called that.

Donna Givens Davidson 20:24

Well, you are, because we've had many conversations on this show where we've had debates, and you have been willing to at least uh you know approach giving her side of the story under my relentless attack. So thank you.

SPEAKER_02 20:38

You know, that you've got to see the humanity in everyone, and I think there are obviously two sides or even more than that of one story. But of course, the story um that folks will remember of Karen is that, you know, when it came down to the final days of the Democratic-controlled legislature, she joined Republicans and and protested the uh Joe Tate's decision not to put the paid sick leave bills up for a vote. She joined Matt Hall and Republicans. In doing that, and Democrats were unable to have a quorum to pass bills that had already previously been passed by the state senate. Water affordability was probably the biggest um uh Detroit-affecting piece of legislation uh that folks here and advocates here had really worked hard on uh, you know, trying to cap people's water bills, something that you know they had campaigned for in 2022 when Democrats took control of the legislature. Not to mention she went to the White House to champion hydroxychloroquine with Trump. She went to the White House with Biden at one point, but she did tell me that she enjoyed meeting President Trump more than she did meeting President Biden. Um, however, good luck to Representative Witsett in her future endeavors. We're gonna take a break, and then when we come back, we're gonna talk to Tarsha and Kayana about what it is they're doing um with uh the Hitha Healing House in Brilliant Detroit.

SPEAKER_03 22:09

Interested in renting space for corporate events, meetings, conferences, social events, or resource fairs, the Sodomar Wellness Hub and Mass Detroit Small Business Hub are available for rental by members, residents, businesses, and organizations. We offer rentals for activities such as corporate events, social events, meetings, conferences, art classes, fitness classes, and more. To learn more about our rentals and reserve space, visit ecn-detroit.org slash space rental.

SPEAKER_02 22:49

Welcome back,

Fire Displacement And Partnership Form

SPEAKER_02 22:50

everyone. In February, Brilliant Detroit unveiled a new partnership with Hitha Healing House that will allow the nonprofit to continue its programming, including its signature maternal wellness program, Nurturing Roots, via via Brilliant Detroit's central hub following a December fire that rendered Hitha Healing House's programming space unusable. Hitha Healing House was recently displaced after the fire affected the location where its community wellness programs were held. The Hitha Healing House provides holistic maternal wellness services grounded in cultural healing traditions and trauma-informed care. Through the partnership, Hitha Healing House's Nurturing Roots program will offer mothers up to 10 wellness sessions following birth, including nutrition counseling, massage therapy, lactation support, chiropractic care, and emotional wellness services at Brilliant Detroit. The collaboration reflects a relationship that has been years in the making. Hitha Healing House founder and executive director Kayana Sesams first connected with Brilliant Detroit more than a decade ago while serving as program director at Osborne Neighborhood Alliance, where she partnered, where she participated, excuse me, in community engagement efforts supporting the development of Brilliant Detroit's neighborhood hub work. She later supported engagement and outreach at Brilliant Detroit hubs through contact contract work that shared history and trust and collaboration that made it possible for the organization to move quickly to ensure families could continue receiving services after the fire. Talk to me, guys, about that fire. I mean, what was it like the night of? And just I can imagine that was that was a before before we do

Break And Space Rentals

SPEAKER_02 24:20

that.

Donna Givens Davidson 24:20

Can I just welcome Tarsha?

SPEAKER_02 24:21

Yeah.

Donna Givens Davidson 24:22

Um I we're partners with Brilliant Detroit, and it's my first time meeting you. Yeah. Um, it's very exciting to have you in that role. Um, I just met with Cindy just about a month ago, and she's really excited about you, and this is evidence of something really good happening.

SPEAKER_00 24:37

Nice to meet you too. Yes, so glad to be here.

SPEAKER_07 24:40

Yes. So anyway, the fire. Oh, yeah. All right. So um let's go back in time uh to 2025. Yeah. Uh December 11th. Uh, my team and I were sitting with our children as we often do, planning for a very important meeting with a funder the following week. And we were just really in the such a such a beautiful space to feel and project what the the future of the year was gonna look like and how we were gonna get all of the funds to do all the work that we're envisioning. Uh and we would have never fathomed or imagined the phone call that I would have received hours later that would change the trajectory of this how we activate the space. Um and so uh um left out about 11 o'clock. We were having murals um painted on the the door

What Hitha Healing House Stands For

SPEAKER_07 25:41

uh entryway, and some some work was being done inside. So as we left, the paint was drying, and um I get a phone call the following morning by my neighbor, and he just stated, the house is on fire, the house is on fire. And you know, at four, five o'clock in the morning, it takes a second to register when something so traumatic is being shared. And I was like, wait, what? And so I'm thinking I'm thinking about what he's saying, and I'm thinking about my son and and how he's asleep and how I need to kind of manage to process to get things moving. And I was like, okay, okay. So I remember hanging the phone up and just taking a moment to just process because I don't like to act out of like just panic because it doesn't help anyone. Uh, and so I had to get my son dressed and explain to him we need to go check on something at the house. And uh we drove over about 5 30 we arrived, and from a distance you could just see the flames, and as you if you've ever witnessed a fire, you see all of the sirens and the colors and everything, and it was just really bright. And um I just remember taking some deep breaths and not knowing how to feel in my body, but knowing that it was gonna be okay.

Donna Givens Davidson 27:10

Can you talk about the house before the fire? Yeah, um, you know, I've heard of the house, but I was not I've never been there. What was it like? Can you put the microphone just a little closer? Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_07 27:22

Oh gosh. Um, so the house was intentionally created for exactly what its name is. Hitha means all things good in Sanskrit, and healing is very universal. We all know what healing stands for. It means transformation to something in our bodies or minds that is of a positive form. Um, and house was the dwelling, so all things good to healing within the body, mind, spirit, and soul for every person that walked through that space, including the handyman. So you, if you ever had the opportunity to walk through the front door,

Nurturing Roots: Holistic Postpartum Care

SPEAKER_07 28:05

you felt something different. You just noticed something was different, and that was a continued con like I wouldn't I didn't say compliment, but observation of every person that would walk in. They felt different, they felt something and they they felt safe. Um, and so the space was intentionally created um during COVID in 2020. Um I started this project. I purchased a house from the land bank in 2019 at the end of um the year. And initially I wanted to create a house for my dad. Um, he was in a senior home, and my grandma had created a house for her parents, built a house for her parents, and I had always wanted to walk down those steps. Um, and so I showed my dad the house, and he's like, Okay, you're crazy. This is insane. Um and started to work a little bit on it in 2020, and then COVID hit. And um little did I know my dad was gonna be about one of the first rounds of going into um the hospital of those that didn't know what were going what was going on, and he didn't make it out. And so my dad transitioned on Earth Day, and that changed the trajectory of my life um in many ways, and how intentional it was to create the space, uh, not only for other people's healing, but as well for my own. Uh, and so this space became my journal, it became my um ultimate life life uh puzzle and creating something that can really provide uh a safe place for all.

SPEAKER_02 29:46

You talk about it as it's not a home but a sanctuary, you told Bryce Huffman.

SPEAKER_07 29:51

Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 29:53

Talk about why, how that you know came from house for your dad to what it was.

SPEAKER_07 30:00

Yeah. So um during 2020, as you all can recall, we couldn't really move around as much as we were used to. For me, um, when I would need my own personal healing or I wouldn't need a reset, I would jump to the ocean. I would jump to somewhere where I knew I could get revived and come back and serve the community in whatever way, shape, or form I needed to show up. And that was not happening at that time. And it put me in a reflection of how many other people don't have a space to recharge,

Outcomes: Doulas, Careers, Confidence

SPEAKER_07 30:35

rejuvenate, to feel seen, heard, and healed. Uh, and so that's kind of when um the direction of this sanctuary space um community convening of wellness really became vision.

Donna Givens Davidson 30:51

So Hitha was formed right around the time that the Stademeyer Wellness Hub was created as a wellness hub. Um you didn't purchase a home for that purpose, but then you saw the opportunity to use it for that purpose. Absolutely. All right. And so that's kind of in keeping. I'm gonna bring you in, Tarsha, because um the um Brilliant Detroit has been around certainly longer than that, but what is the purpose of Brilliant Detroit and how does that connect to Hitha Hilly?

SPEAKER_00 31:17

Yeah, as I listen to Kayana, um, similar, but for families. So if we think about families having a safe space and children and parents being able to come together in a safe space, right, in their neighborhoods, that's the purpose of Brilliant Detroit. So um I'm born and raised in Detroit and um have spent my life working with families in Detroit, and specifically before I joined Brilliant, working with families that were in crisis, uh, families that were being separated by a system that wasn't designed to keep them together. Um and so just knowing that families have a space and community where they can come together and love on their children and meet other parents who they can share a meal with, they can uh share a class with to learn how to better uh support their children's literacy and growth and development. Um, it's very similar. So when you walk into a brilliant house, you you see community, you see families together. It's not this structured uh programming type of place. It is a home. It looks like a home, it feels like a home, it smells like a home. There are people gathering as they would in a home together, and uh that really aligns with with Hitha as well, being a space for safety and belonging and healing for families.

unknown 32:47

Okay.

Donna Givens Davidson 32:48

So um you experienced the fire, you had the big loss, then what?

SPEAKER_07 32:58

I had that big meeting the following week. So then what was we had to keep pushing forward um and preparing uh because as we're a new organization, um one meeting can make or

Navigating Hospitals And Doulas’ Role

SPEAKER_07 33:10

break the organization. And so with a fire that was so tragic, not preparing properly for this meeting would just be detrimental to um the trajectory of our programming, lifeline, and everything. And I was not going to sacrifice that in the midst of the the tragedy. So we pushed through um and we had that Zoom meeting instead because we were supposed to meet at the house. Um and then following that meeting, I was our team was really able to breathe because we were laser focused and making sure everything was aligned um to to meet the presentation in which what was set before us. Um but uh following that things became really real based in relationship to okay, this is this is this happened, um, and we have to process and we have to troubleshoot what and how we're gonna keep moving. And Brilliant being um such a great partner for so many years, I believe so many people were reaching out at that time and offering space up. Um, but it felt most aligned to reach out with to brilliant to uh have that conversation and further explore opportunity there.

Donna Givens Davidson 34:30

Now, is that space that they're providing or is it a partnership?

SPEAKER_07 34:34

It's both. Okay. It's both. It's a it's it's a partnership and relationship to opening our arms to the families in which they serve and they um are currently engaged with. Um, but also they have gifted us in being able to utilize their space and carve out a special space uh within their central hub that we can call our own. Okay. All right. And the central hub is located in 803 Hazelwood and Piety Hill. Yes, okay.

Donna Givens Davidson 35:07

Oh, okay. So I was thinking so Piety Hill, so in Lisa Johan, and in that area where um Central Detroit Christian is located. Yeah, not far from at all. All right, wonderful.

SPEAKER_02 35:18

I'm interested in what what the uh flagship program Nurturing Roots, what does that look like? I mean, describe for folks uh what that work is. I understand it's you know holistic services. What is that to somebody that isn't familiar already?

SPEAKER_07 35:33

Nurturing Roots was born out of making sure moms have access to the most quality care prior to um birth, but especially in postpartum. And it's really about shifting the narrative in relationship to uh what postpartums, postpartum experiences are uh for mothers, families. Uh and so in nurturing roots, we have been honored to work hand in hand with families and creating wellness plans. We like to lean into what's called intergenerational wellness, where

Brilliant Detroit’s Neighborhood Model

SPEAKER_07 36:10

at this pivotal point in a mother's life, birthing a child, bringing in a new vessel into their household, they have opportunity to rebuild what we call their wellness trajectory of what they want their family to really lean into. How do they want to shift maybe um what has been passed down to them and and not pass on to their children through adopting better nutrition uh practices or you know, dealing with some of those generational pieces that we've heard of so many times uh in relationship to trauma. Um, so we offer counseling, we offer classes and workshops, we offer hand-on um uh support when it comes to some of those really tough conversations that people may be experiencing during postpartum. Uh, but most importantly, we also offer body work, which is something that if you look around the world when it comes to postpartum care, body work is essential in recovery for moms to be able to fall back into their bodies in the proper way. Um, and that's something that we are uplifting and making sure that every mom has access to.

SPEAKER_02 37:25

Amazing.

SPEAKER_07 37:25

What kind of outcomes are you seeing? Oh God, well uh we are seeing dynamic outcomes, and I'll first start. One of my favorite ones that I love to uplift is moms when they come through our program, I have six moms that have already completed doula certification programs. They find passion within this process of hands-on approach, support within um the motherhood community. So they're finding their life work. I love that um when my moms that we work with are, and I can't take compliments, but I'm, you know, I'm a vessel, but just being able to say uh we've provided them an opportunity to see what their passions are, that is what we're doing here, is really laying out a platform for them to to find a new career that they are excelling in. I've got one mom that's gonna be going into midwifery um that had no idea that this was going to be the trajectory of where she wanted to pivot. Um, but by seeing how we work together, seeing the power and support, because that's what this is really about, um, at such a sensitive time, it's leading young moms, uh well, moms of all ages, because then whatever. Um, and so into a work that's vital, especially for um black women.

Donna Givens Davidson 38:47

Yeah. Super important, you know, when you look at the alienation and isolation so many women face right now, dealing with systems that aren't, you know, judgmental, inaccessible, um, and not necessarily helpful. Don't always listen to them to create a community of experts, expertise and shared expertise.

Scaling Nationally While Staying Local

Donna Givens Davidson 39:09

It kind of makes me, puts me in mind of that village that we were stolen from, you know, our ancestors and that the the the shared knowledge, right, absolutely that people had, and this idea that, you know, wellness is not health care. That wellness is this comprehensive thing, it's a way of being in this world. And when we're not well, we have to look at more than medicine. So I love that approach, and I think more holistic interventions are needed, especially for mothers, um, especially in a world where young black mothers are just not seen as having value. Um, I have been, um I have, let's see, three grandchildren now. So I've been through three hospital experiences, and it's a beautiful thing. I mean, the birthing process is a beautiful thing, and it's a really, really, really scary thing, right? Especially now that you have all this knowledge about maternal, you know, from a mother's standpoint, grandmother's standpoint, it's like, wait a minute, is my baby okay? Every time the monitor goes off. How are you helping families really cope with that hospital experience, or are they giving birth in hospitals?

SPEAKER_07 40:13

Oh, a little bit of both. Um, so currently we have um 13 moms that are new to the program that are all pregnant, so they are gonna be going through that hospital experience. Um, I have one that is seeking to do a home birth, so we'll see. Um, but we connect and work very closely with doula's uh Motor City Doula Association. We partner with them and pair them with the doula that they can work with um throughout their uh prenatal phase and learn and understand what that hospital space is going to be like and help them navigate through that, right? I think the biggest piece is we just don't know. We just don't know. Um, and you can't know how to prepare for something unless you're told and properly able to pack your your your first aid kit, right? On how to respond or what this means. Uh and so that's why doulas are essential in a process of um preparing mothers and fathers and families for those navigating hospital medical spaces. Um and I

Community Engagement And Co-Design

SPEAKER_07 41:20

would say that for anyone, just having an advocate uh when it comes to the medical space is imperative nowadays. Uh really helping you understand the language, um helping you understand the process, um, and understanding that there's no dumb question. Yeah.

Donna Givens Davidson 41:37

Yeah. And then after the child is born, that's another period where the doulas really play a significant role, right?

SPEAKER_07 41:44

Absolutely. Fourth trimester is what we call it.

Donna Givens Davidson 41:47

And um that's a period where you're dealing with postpartum emotions, and all of the things come in postpartum. What are you seeing there?

SPEAKER_07 41:56

You know, so for I'm trying to recall, last year we had 94% of our participants were navigating through our program with really high outcomes and not having any symptoms of postpartum. And that's because they were working with our nutritionists. They were working with our counselors and they were seeing um, they were engaging with community. And like you said, it takes a village when it comes to these things. That's ex that's one of the prescriptions I say um when it comes to anything that we're really going through in life. Depression, um, when it comes to all of these heavy things, we need we need people to wrap up their arms around us to be seen, heard. It's not a it's not a weakness.

Donna Givens Davidson 42:43

Yeah, it's not a failure of the individual. It is how humans are constructed to be there for each other, right? And we live in a society that's so individualistic that we think that I should be able to exist without other people when that's just not how we are made. And so I love the fact that you're bringing that in. Um I have some questions about nutrition because grandmother, once again, right, I forget what happened when I was, I mean, my youngest will be 31 in June, so it's been a minute. But when my um my my daughter went to, you know, CNOBGYN, they gave her things she should not eat. And there's this long list of things that if you look on it and you look at the food you can get from WIC, it's like there's a whole lot of things that WIC is providing to women who are expecting that they should not eat. Um how do you develop your um nutrition list and how do you educate mothers about that so they can understand how to nutritionally support their um children during the So I can I can speak I'm not a certified nutrition.

SPEAKER_07 43:49

We have a certified nutrition that works individually with our moms. So case to case basis, depending on what they're experiencing, um, that we really lean into a lot of our moms are breastfeeding. And so we want to focus in on what are the um foods or things that they need to lean

Final Break And Winter Classes

SPEAKER_07 44:05

into versus stay away or what to stay away from in relationship to what can uh kind of close your milk supply. Um but when it comes to how she plans with moms, she really does look at budget and what they can work within. Um because as we know, uh grocery prices are very high. And uh we really need to consider um what's accessible, what's realistic to creating a healthy nutritious plan for anyone. Um and she's very, very, very good um at making sure that her recommendations match the lifestyle and the um uh the the support that the family needs to meet their goals.

SPEAKER_02 44:56

Is providing. I want to key in on on you for a second. You joined um uh you became the executive director of of

Shout-Outs And Gratitude

SPEAKER_02 45:05

uh Brilliant Detroit last May. Correct me if I'm wrong, because the founder became the national director. Um what is that like, uh a local organization going national?

SPEAKER_00 45:19

Um it's a process, and it is an exciting time for an organization that was born here in Detroit, and being able to uh successfully scale and take our model to other cities is is exciting. But there is also a period of transition and making sure that we are um keeping resources here in the city of Detroit for our families here, uh, which is why we brought on uh myself, the executive director specifically for Detroit, uh, to focus on our families and the needs that are here, while we are also creating this model that can go across the country and serve communities that truly um, like we were just talking about, need to be connected.

unknown 46:08

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 46:09

Yeah, one of the things that one of your chairs people said, Michael Tyson, uh, that that uh the organization seeks to reject uh the status quo or business as usual in in our neighborhoods, right? I guess what is that business as usual when it comes to cities servicing kids and you know youth development in neighborhoods?

SPEAKER_00 46:30

Yeah, um the quickest way to answer that would be systems. Um that is the the model of business as usual. You know, kids go to school, they get what they need from school, um, kids learn how to read at school. Um, kids go to the doctor and get the medical treatment and nutrition information that they need, um, like we were just talking about from a list that's provided, um, from our our you know, systems that are in place. So, what we do at Brilliant is we bring that back down to community and listen to the community, and we bring that into the connection that we know is needed for families and that generational uh knowledge that's passed down and uh what it looks like to raise a family that is in love with literacy and giving them the resources and the things that they need to have books with people that look like them, um, to have tutors that look like them and that tutor them um throughout the whole school year and not a stranger coming in and working with them. So they're excited to see their tutors, they're excited to do the work. Um, and then those families support each other as well. So that is another piece to it, and it's right within their community and in their neighborhood within walking distance. So they don't have to drive to this side of town to get this, and then drive to that side of town to get that, and then hopefully get home in time to prepare dinner, and then you know, all the other things that they have to do as a family, it's right there within walking distance with relationship to their community.

Donna Givens Davidson 48:05

How many homes do you have so far?

SPEAKER_00 48:06

We currently have 18 homes that are open across the city, which is amazing.

Donna Givens Davidson 48:11

Um, it's such an exciting model, right? Um, one of the things that happened with the Chandler Park House, which is directly across the street from an elementary school, is we started seeing other development start take place adjacent to that house. Have you seen sort of this impact that you've had on the neighborhood itself?

SPEAKER_00 48:32

Mm-hmm. That's a really good uh observation because our model is designed so that we are joining with the community and we are bringing resources to a community that already has individuals and people that are doing the work in the community. So we have, we see um uh community gardens that develop as a result of people coming together and sharing their interests and their ideas. Um, we we see like we have pocket parks uh next to a lot of our hubs. So we see families coming together and then deciding to, you know, um go to the movies together or to uh paint a mural together, you know, to uh do a lot of things within their community. It makes the community more vibrant, it makes neighbors become friends, um, and then those ideas just grow from there.

Donna Givens Davidson 49:22

Yeah. So Kayana, you were really integrally involved in helping to organize the people and get them engaged. Can you talk about that process a little bit? How you got people involved in the first place?

SPEAKER_07 49:34

Uh yes. Um, well, it started You have such a beautiful, soft-spoken voice. Okay, sorry. So it really started by um word of mouth and my story, um, and just wanting to provide access to moms in that first year. And that first application or intake, we received 25 families or moms. Um and we had uh an amazing year. Uh and so it was by word of mouth referral. And um, you know, when you're doing something as a pilot program at first, it's you're just figuring it out as you move along. And then the word kept growing, and more people were wanting to get involved, uh, more moms were wanting to get placed on the waiting list. And um so far we have touched over in our nurturing roots program 48 families. Wow. And we've held two motherhood conferences where we have touched over 200 families and just providing um information, education, and resources too. So that's that's amazing. Thank you.

Donna Givens Davidson 50:48

And you know, the um the waiting list is the proof of concept, right? It's people come and you've obviously tapped into a need. Um, but even before then, when Brilliant Detroit was just getting started, and you had to get people to come together because um I know something about the process because we helped support that process here with the Chandler Park House, but it was a really involved process that really spoke to tapping into existing leaders, tapping into existing resources, pulling them together, and then giving them some power over the whole planning process. Can you talk about that also?

SPEAKER_07 51:24

Yes, of course. Uh so at that time, you're referring to Osborne uh when we were opening up that hub and really leaning into the community leaders there. Uh and you know, we go back to just simple conversation, uh, really being able to have listening sessions in relationship to uh the concept. What do you guys think about this? Do you see the need? What would this look like? Asking those questions, but really leaving them open-ended so that we could hear from the community in which we are looking to serve. Uh, and you know, I think Brilliance Model is really built on having intentional dialogue with those that live

Closing And Ways To Engage

SPEAKER_07 52:04

in the communities in which they're serving and helping them draw and color in the lines of what these spaces look like. And literally, we colored in lines, we created murals over in Osborne together. So um that's that's kind of how the process has has happened and I've seen happen across the city. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 52:24

All right. We're gonna take our final break after we come back. We are going to go through some shout-outs. We're gonna highlight people that matter to us, and we're gonna hear uh more from Kayana and uh from Tarsha. Stick with us, we'll be right back.

SPEAKER_03 52:48

Winter classes have started at the Sodomar Wellness Hub from chair yoga and strength-based fitness to nutrition, cooking, and wellness-focused classes. There's something for every person and every starting point. At the Sodomar, our hope is to offer movement, nourishment, and community to support you throughout the cold season. Learn more at ecn-detroit.org slash classes. Or give us a call at 313-571-2800.

SPEAKER_02 53:25

Welcome back, everyone. We're here with Tarsha Gale and Kayana Sesams of Brilliant Detroit in the Hitha Healing House. We want to take this time to do our weekly shout-outs. Uh, Donna, I know you are gonna have a a shout-out to give. Who would you like to dedicate this to?

Donna Givens Davidson 53:44

A couple people. Um, first of all, um Stacy Clayton at Wayne State, she is the person who oversees regional government relations or something like that. I don't know. Have to remember job titles, but she is um a force in the community who has helped to bring persons like myself together to give advice to the community so that we give, we are part of a presidential group that gives um advice to the president of Wayne State. There is a new president of Wayne State, and she made sure that we had input into that process. But she also brought me in contact with an author named Anna Maleka Tubbs of the book The Three Mothers, where she's talking about the mothers of James Baldwin, Martin Luther King, and Malcolm X, and really speaking to the impact those mothers have on the scholarship and the leadership of the men they raised. And a lot of history is in there. If you think you know anything about those mothers, you don't. Um, because she had to go on piece together research. She went to um Louise Little's birthplace on the island of Grenada and had to reconstruct records that did not exist. Bertus Baldwin's um James Baldwin's mother, she had to document her educational journey. And of course, the joy of um speaking to um um oh my goodness, I'm gonna not think of her name. Um, Alberta Um King and her family legacy. It was just beautiful. Um, she's a young, brilliant author. Um, and I had the opportunity to interview her in front of an audience at Wayne State as part of a courageous voices series last Thursday. And so shout out to Anna, shout out to Stacey, and to everybody who made that possible.

SPEAKER_02 55:21

I want to give a shout out to a special person. Her name is Kim Robinson Arnett, she's a hospice nurse in Midland. She services Midland County, doing the hard work of uh being at people's deathbeds and watching them pass away and dealing with the family, uh, the aftermath of all that. Uh Kim is my mother, and I feel it is women's month that I give a shout-out to the most special woman in my life. All of what I am able to do uh is made possible by her. You guys would not know who I am without Kim Robinson Arnett. Thank you, Kim, my mom, mom, uh, for supporting me throughout this journey of not just home buying, you know, getting laid off uh a couple years back, uh, trusting me that I was gonna do my own thing and that was gonna work. It did. Um, and the trust that you've had in me throughout my whole life, you know, I've never said this out loud or even to you, but after this, I'll give you a call and tell you that I just said this on the podcast. Make her listen. Yeah, you can listen to it first. I you know, I I really just appreciate you. You're not properly, I have not adequately um um done that. And I know that you know, you I love you and you love me and everything, but I don't even have the words, right, to properly describe the admiration and respect that I have for you. I truly think that you are one of the best people that has ever lived, like on earth. And I don't even say that in the bias of you're my mother. I say that in like, geez, lady, what how do you do this? Driving around all day, one by one, seeing people die every day, and then just having a smile to come back and and do it all again the next day.

Donna Givens Davidson 57:04

And it's got to be guided by a worldview uh philosophy that she brings with her into that space because you don't just do that because it's a job, because you can get another job. So Yeah, she could have.

SPEAKER_02 57:16

She could she could have stayed with the assisting living facility with her CNAs that didn't want to get the COVID shot. That's the reason why she's not a director of nursing anymore.

Donna Givens Davidson 57:23

But right. But she she transitioned into something well, she she she did like her son, right? Yes. And she said, I'm gonna create something all my own for herself. And so um so she certainly gave you that. But I'm really interested in how she shaped your political philosophy, your thinking, because she was your first teacher, right?

SPEAKER_02 57:41

She was, you know, and she is a you know, ancestral Polish woman, white woman, lives in Midland, lived in Baltimore, Maryland for 20 years. Um so yeah, my mom's political, you know, I don't share political perspective with my mom, but that is what has shaped it. You're correct in that. Okay. So I mean, she she is a uh uh you know uh uh a democratic voter. I'll leave it at that.

Donna Givens Davidson 58:08

All right. I was just thinking that I'm a journalist reporter.

SPEAKER_02 58:12

I don't know.

Donna Givens Davidson 58:14

But you're thinking about justice, you're thinking about um human values, and that I wasn't really talking about politics as much as you're thinking about life and values, because we get that from our parents. You know, it's normal for the next generation to rebel against us and to tell us we don't know what we're doing, you know. As a mother and a grandmother, I can certainly see that in my own life. But I certainly hope that I've implanted those values, those very essential things that say people matter. I got that from my mother, although we were politically different, and I certainly hope I passed that on to my children. Yeah, that's what I was really getting at. Um, in in in light of the book, The Three Mothers, and in light of your um your shout-out to your mom.

SPEAKER_02 58:50

Yeah, so shout out to her. Tarsha and Kayana, I want to put you guys on the spot uh to shout out the incredible individuals or places or spaces in your life that you feel deserve some attention here on the show. They're looking at each other now. Who's gonna go first?

SPEAKER_07 59:05

Yeah, I'll so I I can't not speak on my mom and my grandmother. Um, they have laid the foundation for me to to be here, but also have um a lens to life in ways that I am most appreciative of. Uh, and I say this to my mom whenever I get the opportunity to, but I am deeply in gratitude for being able to learn who she is as my mother. Um, it's different than having like a mother, but knowing the mother, right? Knowing who she is and learning who she was before me. Um, it's been an honor to do that. And, you know, she says I'm her hero, but ultimately she is mine uh because she is so vibrant and filled with life, and she has really set principles down in relationship to health and wellness that I value and will pass down to my family and the community in which I serve. And that goes to my grandmother as well. Um, they're both scholars, they are both just um women that inspire me and will inspire me for the rest of my days on this planet. So, mom, I love you. Grandma, I love you as well, and I thank you for everything you implanted um on me, my sister, and my entire family.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:30

Um as I was thinking about it, I want to give a shout out to a friend who started off as a mentor, uh, one of the individuals that saw something in me and gave me the courage to step into the leadership role that I was very hesitant to step into, um, which led down the path of me being where I am right now. Um her name is Star Alan Petway. She is the CEO of Matrix Human Services. Um, she was my former boss, mentor, and now really good friend. Um, really, really good friend. So I just want to to lift her up um as we celebrate women's month and we think about black women who support one another. Um, she's just an amazing human being.

Donna Givens Davidson 1:01:17

So start, I had the opportunity to serve on a panel last year, and we were supposed to be talking about um, I don't even know where it was we had such a spiritual connection to each other. I love her. And I I just felt like we could see the world through those eyes of really women supporting women and the community coming together to support itself. So I um admire her so much and I second your shout out.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:45

Yeah, she's an amazing, she is amazing human.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:47

Yes, beautiful. If you guys have topics that you want to see discussed on Authentically Detroit, you can hit us up on our socials at Authentically Detroit on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, or you can visit our website authentically-detroit.com. We want to thank you for joining us for another episode of Authentically Detroit. Please like, rate, and subscribe to our show on all platforms. Donna, thank you for the kind words to my mom today. She's gonna really enjoy that listening back to this. Uh she enjoys listening to this program. And and Tarsha and Kayana, thank you guys for telling us about the work that you guys do. Uh, it is Women's History Month, so we're gonna keep with that theme this month. Keep it locked, guys. Thank you so much for listening to Authentically Detroit.