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