 JANUARY 7 • 2021 | 21

that disproportionately impact 
lower-income individuals.
Rebecca Driker-Ohren, 
an IfNotNow Detroit mem-
ber who was involved in a 
Black Lives Matter march in 
Huntington Woods in June, 
believes the plan is a positive 
step to take, but would like the 
plans to be more specific and 
well-rounded. 
Driker-Ohren and Zak 
Witus, another IfNotNow 
Detroit member involved in 
the June march, both raise 
questions about the plan not 
decreasing funding for the 
police, a major call from Black 
leaders during this year. 
“I’m kind of wondering if 
Huntington Woods is follow-
ing the Black Lives Matter 
movement, or if they’re taking 
their own lead and if that’s 
the best way of doing things,” 
Driker-Ohren said. 
Witus believes there’s some 
good things in the plan, and 
appreciates the framing that 
it’s not enough to “not be rac-
ist” and that people have to 
combat all of its forms and be 
anti-racist. 

Witus is also the coordi-
nator for the core organizing 
team of the new Huntington 
Woods for Black Lives group, 
which recently started a let-
ter-writing campaign seeking 
a “moral city budget”
. 
“It is fundamentally wrong 
for Huntington Woods to 
spend millions of dollars on 
policing — a full 40% of the 
budget — while our neighbors 
in nearby cities struggle to 
find adequate food, housing, 
and education for their kids,” 
Witus said. 
The city’s plan is current-
ly wrapping Phase I, which 
includes benchmarking as well 
as staff education and train-
ing. Phase II of the plan is set 
to begin in January and will 
include an unveiling of a full 
Master Plan along with space 
for community collaboration.
In Phase III, set to take 
place in July 2021, programs 
are set to be implemented at 
the library, recreation center 
and public safety areas, and 
the city will measure and eval-
uate what they’ve learned in 
the past year. 

Black Lives Matter protest 

in Huntington Woods
ANDREW LAPIN/JEWISH NEWS

Sunday, January 10, 2021 
at 2:00 pm 

Watch the performance starring Ed 
Asner and Tovah Feldshuh, then join 
our virtual discussion with playwright 
Jeff
 Cohen and Detroit News Film 
Critic Adam Graham. Learn more at 
www.holocaustcenter.org/upcoming

248.553.2400 • holocaustcenter.org

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