JUNE 22 • 2023 | 15

Black communities,
” he adds.
Douglas Bitonti Stewart, exec-
utive director of the Max M. and 
Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation, 
echoes the same sentiment.
“Our founder Max Fisher knew 
the power of combined strength,
” 
he explains. “He, along with other 
leaders such as Judge Damon 
Keith and Arthur Johnson, in 
1967 formed New Detroit — a 
coalition of leaders and organi-
zations from the communities to 
achieve racial equity.
”
This “combined strength,
” 
Stewart explains, is essential to 
ensuring businesses in the city 
that are Jewish, Black and of 
all backgrounds have the same 
access to capital.
“When our communities don’t 
work together, we are leaving 
opportunities on the table,
” he 
says. “We are overlooking and 
underinvesting in ourselves and 
our combined potential.
”
Ride for Equity partici-
pant Beth Brandvain, 66, of 
Farmington Hills and an Adat 
Shalom member and Hebrew 
Free Loan board member, 
describes a growing need for 
support.
“In the case of access to capital 
for Black entrepreneurs, having 
good credit and an excellent 
business history is not always 
enough,
” she explains of road-
blocks in systemic racism. “Black 
Leaders Detroit is there for those 
businesspeople when the bank is 
not.
”

CONTINUING 
COLLABORATION
All participants say the most 
impactful moments of the state-
wide ride were the Speak for 
Yourself discussions that touched 
upon issues facing the Black com-
munity.
“My most memorable moment 
of the trip was listening to a busi-
ness owner from Saginaw during 
one of the Speak for Yourself 
events BLD organizes along 
the way talk about how it feels 

continued on page 16

TOP: The riders built strong relationships through-
out the ride — this was a fun dinner in Traverse 
City. BOTTOM: Matt, Carl, David, Keith, Ken and 
(in front) Dwan stretching out before the final leg 
of cycling. 

COURTESY OF DAVID CONTORER

