The City of Detroit will kick off Juneteenth 2020 with a weeklong series of thought-provoking virtual conversations celebrating Black culture and educating viewers on important issues impacting the Black community.

The celebration begins June 15 and concludes June 19 with a Freedom Rally at Spirit Plaza and the unveiling of an uplifting message painted on Woodward Avenue. All conversations will be streamed live from the City of Detroit Facebook page.

Juneteenth (short for June 19th) is a holiday marking the effective end of slavery in the United States.

The schedule is:

June 15 at 6 p.m. – Juneteenth Kickoff Event
A curated discussion on the history of Juneteenth and Detroit

June 16 at 6 p.m.  – Black Mental Health Matters
Staying sane during two pandemics — COVID-19 and Racism

June 16 at 7:30 p.m. – Live workout with certified fitness instructor

June 17 at 6 p.m. – Black Education Matters
A conversation on the importance of education and equity in the black community

June 17 at 7:30 p.m. – Growing the Black Dollar (Building generational wealth)

June 18 at 6 p.m. – Criminal Justice Reform

June 18 at 7:30 p.m. – Black Business Matters

June 19 at 10 a.m. – Juneteenth Freedom Rally and Street Art Unveiling at Spirit Plaza

For more information on the events, go to detroitmi.gov.

DETROIT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WILL PAINT MURAL AS PART OF JUNETEENTH WEEK

As part of Juneteenth events, high school students will paint a message of resilience and power on Woodward Avenue downtown under the guidance of a local artist serving as project manager. The work will be unveiled during the Juneteenth Freedom Rally in Spirit Plaza June 19.

The work will be done by art students from the Detroit Public Schools Community District and students from Detroit Heals Detroit, an organization that fosters healing justice for Detroit youth who have suffered trauma.

The mural will cover the west lanes of Woodward Avenue from Larned to Congress. The painting will be completed over a 24-hour period on June 16 & 17 allowing time for it to dry in advance of the Juneteenth rally.

The project is being funded by the Knight Foundation and Bedrock. Paint was donated by Motor City Paint.

Detroit salon and barber shop employees and independent contractors can still get a free COVID-19 rapid test at the Detroit Health Department (DHD) and get the results on site. Under the State of Michigan’s guidelines, hair and nail salons and barber shops began reopening this week.

The testing is only available to employees at Detroit businesses, who can be retested every two weeks. To schedule an appointment, which is required, call (313) 251-4488 Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.  Appointments are available from 7 a.m. – 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

The test is expected to take 30 minutes, with results within 15 minutes. Individuals who test negative will receive a sticker to display at their work place. Individuals who test positive will be provided a consultation.

In addition, individuals will receive a small PPE care kit with two surgical masks, two pairs of gloves and a face shield.

The Health Department is located at 100 Mack, east of Woodward.

There is still time to get on the list for the Detroit-only priority application for positions at the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) assembly plant under construction on Detroit’s east side. The next priority application window opens July 6.

FCA job readiness events are available online through Detroit At Work. Visit http://bit.ly/FCAJobs2020 to learn how to sign up for online events or to log in to your account.

Individuals not on the list can watch a video by visiting the Detroit at Work YouTube Channel: http://bit.ly/FCAJobs2020.

Complete the Census and protect essential funding for your family, your community!

There are several ways you can complete the 2020 Census from the comfort of your home:

• Go online to my2020census.gov
• Call the toll-free number at (844) 330-2020 for English
• Call the toll-free number at (844) 468-2020 for Spanish
• Also, you can visit the Census kiosks located next to the DivDat machines across the city.  To find the nearest location, go here.

You don’t need a 12-digit code to fill out the form.

The Census requires you to use the address where you actually stay, even if it’s different from the address on your license. Also, your Census information is protected by federal law and cannot be shared for 72 years.

Health Department Hotline

• U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) at https://www.cdc.gov/
• State of Michigan at http://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus

Meals Available for Detroit Families and Seniors
For information on locations, go to detroitmi.gov/food.

Need Your Water Turned On?
During the COVID-19 outbreak, Detroiters living in households with no water service can sign up for the Water Restart Plan to restore service and keep their water flowing for only $25 per month. Thousands are already participating: sign up here!

Income Tax Deadline now July 15
The City of Detroit has pushed back the deadline for residents and non residents who must file City income taxes to July 15.