ABOUT THE MAGAZINE: The Ultimate Black Man Magazine was created by Author Renetta J. Cochran. This magazine will feature African American Men and one youth from all walks of life that represents a positive image in their community.
MISSION STATEMENT: To promote Integrity, Leadership, Economic and Educational Responsibility of the Community with positive images of the African American Man around the Globe. DESCRIPTION: The Ultimate Black Man Magazine will target males of all ages. With our global market, the magazine has a universal message: Community Social Education Healthy Living Adequate Health Care Economic and Entrepreneurial Awareness Leadership Empowerment Servitude Knowledge Information Dismantling Negative Images The Ultimate Black Man Magazine is different and unique to a market where the images of African American Males are generally negative and demeaning. Our main focus are mentors, pastors, and everyday heroes bringing them to life for the young men and women to reach out and touch. We want them to understand that great figures are not always on TV, but can be right next door. We are always looking for writers, graphic designers and advertisers for our magazine that currently have a global following. Our issues will cover the life of black men’s love, marriage, health, social and economic issues. Historical issues will also be issued to educate the masses about the history of the black men. Please visit our website at TheUbmm.com or email us at TheUbmm@yahoo.com
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“The Ultimate Black Man Magazine is the one and only magazine that features and honors the African American Men for their accomplishments in their community as well as being great husbands, fathers and overall great men”. Hello and thank you for being a part of this Special Issue of The Ultimate Black Man Magazine “The Men of Pontiac, MI”. This special issue is a small journey into the lives of these Ultimate Black Men that I had the pleasure of interviewing. Please take time out of your business schedule to find out who they are and what they mean to their community. The Ultimate Black Man Magazine is the first self-published magazine that focuses on the Black Man. Our vision is to reach all communities all over the world and to teach them the value of black lives. If we can reach one then we can teach one.
Photo by: Greg Martin
The Ultimate Black Man Magazine will be an online distribution and marketed via Email, Text, Facebook, and many other social networks. It is the face of the new Digital Communication/Publication that is sweeping the nation. Please join us in celebrating the new face of The Ultimate Black Man Magazine and thank you for supporting our vision. Please visit our website at TheUbmm.com for all our latest events. Sincerely, Renetta J. Cochran President/CEO The Ultimate Black Man Magazine (810) 962-4819 Photos by: Lamont Wright
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Page 2 . . . . . . About the Magazine Page 3 . . . . . . From the Publisher Page 6 . . . . . . Musicians William “Wil” Black Keith “Bubby”Webb Quincy Stewart III Page 8 . . . . . . Truly Grand Sports Promotion Page 10 . . . . . . Brien Becks Page 12 . . . . . David and Steve Coleman Page 14 . . . . . Black Men Healthy Check-up Page 15 . . . . . Chris Riley Page 16 . . . . . Kaino Phillips—On The Cover Page 18 . . . . . Young Entrepreneurs Perry Earl, Jr Jermaine (Max Maine) Branner Sean Preston Dustin McClellan Page 22 . . . . . Sport Figures Dazon Cole Eddie Dewalt Page 25 . . . . . Black Men Dressed for Success Page 26 . . . . . Kwanzel Howerton Page 28 . . . . . Stephen and Solomon Bonner
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© 2019 The Ultimate Black Man Magazine All Rights Reserved No part of this Magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any information storage retrieval system, without the written permission of the author.
Published by Author Renetta J. Cochran
Email: renettacochran@ymail.com For more information call: 810-962-4819 To request a interview and feature in The Ultimate Black Man Magazine Speaking engagements or any other special events please contact:
The Ultimate Black Man Magazine Website: TheUbmm.com Email: TheUbmm@yahoo.com
Cover Designed by: Jay Johnson (Jay Covers) Magazine Design by: Author Renetta Cochran
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William (Wil) Black, Husband, father, producer/songwriter and business owner of a music production company Black Gypsy Music. My interest in music began at an early age of 7 when my dad passed away. The late Willie Black was a prominent figure on the music scene in Pontiac in the 70’s. I started off as a drummer and by high school I was singing, rapping and writing my own songs. I learned early that I was good at putting things together musically and became more interested in being behind the scenes, writing and producing for others. On September 11, 2013 I released “Quantized Confuzion” an instrumental album for ME on which did very well. I’ve released 5 albums and several singles since then. I started Black Gypsy Apparel on accident because of the interest in our logo. It’s an honor to be featured in The Ultimate Black Male Magazine because personally it’s a celebration of growth and becoming a man. I think for years I had this picture of what success looked like and didn’t see myself in that light until recently. Being the ultimate of who you can be requires constantly striving to push beyond the person you were yesterday. Ultimate black men aren’t just the ones with the college degrees and the fancy suits, they are the ones that have made mistakes, has scars, and owns up to them, learns from them, and becomes better from them. For that I am honored to celebrate all men that are grinding to get better and reach and help others get to their full potential. Please visit my website at Blackgypsymusic.com
Quincy Stewart III, musician, composer, educator, writer and activist, was educated in Pontiac Public Schools and caught both the music and writing bug early in life. “Early on, I knew I wanted to play music,” says Stewart, 61. ”I used to take the window shade sticks out of the shades and act like they were a guitar.” Quincy has been playing what he now calls, American Black Music instead of calling it “Jazz” for some years now, winning the Eastern Michigan University Jazz Competition in 1983 and travels to Europe to the Montreux Switzerland Jazz Festival. Quincy has opened for such acts as Stanley Clarke, Najee, Billy Cobham, Larry Carlton, Isaac Hayes, The Isley Brothers, Wayman Tisdale, Donald Byrd, the Count Basie Orchestra and Spyra Gyra. Quincy has one solo album out to his credit, “Pathological” in 1995 and one upcoming solo project due out by year’s end called “Soul Folks.” A multiinstrumentalist, Quincy’s love is the trumpet and he holds degrees in Instrumental and General Music Education (Cert. K-12) from Oakland University and Social Work and Psychology. Quincy is also a writer with some 500 articles to his credit. Quincy is also a 21-year teacher in Pontiac, Detroit and now Harper Woods Public Schools teaching Music Education and Black History. When asked about how he feels about being profiled in the Ultimate Black Man Magazine, Stewart said, “I have been profiled nationally on PBS and had many articles done on my work both in the classroom and on the stage as well as the street corner activism. I feel that this one is very special because the magazine is singularly dedicated to black men. What an honor and profound privilege it is to be a part of something as powerful as that.
An encounter with Keith “Bubby” Webb’s music is like having a bowl of piping hot gumbo, you get a variety of flavors! He can fuse R&B, jazz, hip-hop, roc and gospel or use them one at a time. Bubby is a funky drummer, organic keyboardist, soulful composer, bumpin’ producer, and a master recording engineer who is bound to have you lining up for seconds. Drumming started it all. He was inspired by his father, Johnny Borders, Jr. (former drummer of Orange Lake Drive), and his uncle, Larry Webb, who was also a percussionist. From age five, Bubby would accompany his father to all the rehearsals and gigs he could. At age 14 he was introduced to the keyboard and started coming into his own. He mastered the Roland D-20 by the time he turned sixteen. Then he formed Beatmob Productions with friend Frank “B-Nice” Williams and they produced tracks for several hip-hop heavy weights. Most recently, he produced the single for Universal Motown R&B recording artist Saui. Whether he’s laying a groove down on a track or slugging a beat on his Pearl Master Customs. Keith ”Bubby” Webb has the sound that will have you coming back for more. Visit him at his website www.beatmobproductions.com
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Official Flint Tropics Professional Minor League Basketball Team Has Been Announced
The Flint Tropics Basketball team has been announced in Flint as a Professional Minor League with the help of two Flint natives and will be holding tryouts soon. The halftime shows are gonna be insane! Flint native Myke Darrough who owns Truly Grand Sports Promotions (an International Sports Broker Company based out of Michigan), as well as being the director of Corporate Sales & Entertainment in the IFL (Indoor Football League) Myke brings a ton of experience to the table. Along with his partner, Flint native Delano Burton II who is a very successful entrepreneur and is making strides in the local medical marijuana community with his private club, Highly Sociable located on 414 S. Dort Hwy. Which he intends to eventually turn into a research center to help provide credible medical marijuana data for the state of Michigan.
Now details on tryouts are coming soon. With this being an actual professional minor league there is an opportunity for players to make really good money if their skills are up to par. And the word is that tryouts will be nationwide. The plan Is to develop a very serious team, and the only way you can do that is by being open to all walks of talent, not just the ones in Flint. But that's not the part that excites me the most. Myke and Delano wanna focus on making the halftime show the main attraction. With obvious inspirations coming from the movie Semi-Pro starring Will Ferrell, expect to see Jackie Moon themed half time shows which is sure to bring massive crowds to the event just to see what's going to happen next! They also wanna have a huge focus on bringing the community together by bringing family fun entertainment to the city of Flint. And I have been told, that you may very well see a bear wrestling match in Flint when The Flint Tropics basketball games takeoff in 2021. I can't tell you how excited I am about that! Stay posted for more details. So far we know that tryouts for the team will be in 2020 along with Cheerleader tryouts, details on official merchandise, and more. We don't know yet which arena will be home to the Flint Tropics but we should get details on that very soon. Let's get TROPICAL!
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Brien Becks, Jr. is a 16 year old senior at West Bloomfield High. He lives with my parents and younger sister. He is a Linebacker on the Varsity Football team. He says football is a great passion of his and he has been playing the game since the age of 7. He says”I have learned a lot about myself and my abilities while playing this sport. My goal is to continue to play while in college. While in college I plan to major in criminal justice”. He is currently the Vice President of the Clarence E. Phillips Ascend Foundation T.R.U.T.H Youth Coalition and being a part of this group has been a blessing to him. He was recently a recipient of the Upstart Community Champion Award for Service given by the foundation. He stated “I feel like being a young black man from Pontiac comes with a stigma of its own, but having a great support system is key. T.R.U.T.H has been a great outlet for me and countless other young men and women who have been a part of the Coalition”. He does a lot of community service, from helping at picnics and youth activities to serving meals to the elderly and homeless. He said “Helping at
certain events has been humbling and it makes you appreciate the things you have”. He believes that Kaino Phillips and the Foundation will continue to have an impact on the community and our young people for years to come. He recently was accepted into the Midnight Golf Program. This is a scholarship program that teaches the game of golf along with life skills. The mentors in the program will help him navigate through his final year of high school and follow him through his college years. Out of 2,000 seniors across Detroit and surrounding communities Brien was one of the few chosen to take part in this life-changing program. He looks forward to all of the opportunities that the Midnight Golf program will bring. He states “I know that having yet another support outlet will help me to continue to be successful in life”. Brien stated “I am really happy that I was given the chance to be a part of this magazine. I hope to inspire other young men to reach for greatness”.
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The QTMC music and entertainment amazing legacy began 33 years ago when 14-year old Steve Coleman wrote a song entitled “My Buddie” with one of his friends. That song was #1 for 9 weeks at WJLB Radio, and launched a legendary career which is yet to reach its zenith. They formed a 5member singing group called QTMC “Quite Talented Microphone Controllers” which later became “Quest To Make Change” with Steve as a solo artist. QTMC performed more than 1,200 dynamic, motivational youth concerts for millions of students at many schools, conferences, churches, and television events. Their hiphop concerts include strong music and thought-provoking lyrics to elicit audience interaction, to encourage youth to make positive choices instead of destructive decisions. Showcasing his talents as the ultimate Entertainer, The Harlem Globetrotters chose Steve as their Assistant Tour Manager/Emcee. While on tours, Steve performed at every major NBA arena in the USA and Canada. He is currently Stage Manager and DJ for the Detroit Pistons, plus Executive Producer for his CENTERSTAGE Recording Studio which produced (8) QTMC albums and
more. Meanwhile, for Mr. Coleman, the journey of striving to be God’s most humble servant started at Thanksgiving 1997 after the Coleman’s had opened CENTERSTAGE. He read the following powerful scriptures which guide him daily and are highly recommended for all readers because they seem to lay out a roadmap to success and receiving Mr. Coleman has spearheaded several community efforts as President of QTMC, Inc. 501c3 Charity, and has been a phenomenal humanitarian force in the Pontiac community: Director of CENTERSTAGE Homeless Shelter Distributes food weekly to Pontiac community from local Food Banks Hires Homeless/Needy and Veterans as daylaborers Allows offenders to complete their Community Service with QTMC Charity Host of Annual Memorial Day and Thanksgiving Day Dinners to community Host of twice-monthly Coffee House for “Special Needs” persons Provides assistance to Group Homes, plus Hope Center Homeless Shelter Ministers to incarcerated at Oakland County Jail Visits children with toys at local hospitals at Christmas time Vehicles Coordinator and Santa’s DJ for the annual Pontiac
Christmas Parade For their community involvement, Steve and Mr. Coleman have amassed numerous distinguished awards notably, Humanitarian Award, Family of The Year, Lifetime Achievement Award, and Olympic Torchbearer; plus received gifts such as a new pickup truck and (2) new 20-ft trailers. Mr. Coleman is a Notary Public and also serves on the Board of (4) Charities. He has written (4) books. Visit www.QTMCDAD.com in order to consider “TREASURE”, his latest book. To him, it’s important to pledge allegiance to the flag, and to not bow a knee at sports events, because someone paid the price, and sometimes ultimate sacrifice with their life, for us to enjoy the freedoms that we have, especially if you’re Black. The Coleman’s are highly motivated persons of strong family values and integrity. It is an honor to have been selected to appear, and they feel worthy to represent in this magazine based on their unique accomplishments and the sincere advice that they offer to all of its readers. Married (50) years to his bride who recently succumbed to heart disease, Mr. Coleman thanks Juanita Sheppard Coleman for helping them become the Ultimate Black Man.
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Smoking Afr ican-American men should know that smoking causes more bodily harm than just lung cancer; it also contributes to heart disease, a connection that Black men don’t often make. Although African-American men smoke a little less than their White counterparts, they tend not to be told by health professionals that they should quit smoking once they have been diagnosed with heart disease.
Obesity and Hypertension .. The number of Afr ican-American men over the age of 20 who are obese stands at 38.1 percent. And when you look at the number of men who have hypertension, which is often related to obesity, it’s 37.6 percent.
Stress Relief Black men need to par ticipate in mor e str ess-relieving activities such as meditation, yoga, extracurricular activities and hobbies. There is a huge relationship between stress and physical illness, but because of the pressures in our lives—discrimination, work and HIV/AIDS In the United States, 1.1 million people live with family—we do not participate in stress-relieving activities. We must pay HIV. More than half a million of them are African-American, attention to what the real implications are of stress and relief.
which is astounding because although Blacks only represent 12 percent of the U.S. population, they account for about 44 percent of new HIV infections and an estimated 44 percent of people who are living with HIV. African-American men have the highest rate of new HIV infections, more than twice that of Latino men, which is the second-highest group. Black men need to do a better job of taking the necessary precautions when it comes to sexual activity. This means using condoms, being more selective of partners and screening them better, including making sure their partners are getting tested and then looking at those results. This doesn’t guarantee that your partner is not going to introduce potential risks in the relationship, but at least you will know as a starting baseline what the person’s HIV status is.
Prostate Cancer Black men seem to have a higher r ate of diagnosis of prostate cancer than other races, and they seem to have a more progressive form of this cancer. They need to be aware of the history of the disease in their family. They most likely should be screened at about the age of 40, so they can get a baseline. The screening should include two tests: the digital rectal exam, which is a manual exam that most men don’t like to get, and the Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) exam.
Diabetes Afr ican-American men have one of the highest rates of diabetes and have a disproportionate amount of diabetics who are undiagnosed. This particularly relates to type 2 diabetes, which accounts for about 95 percent of all diabetes cases. The good news is, there’s a very simple screening that can be done on a yearly or biannual basis, which takes a matter of minutes. Exercise plays a tremendous role in diabetes Sexual Dysfunction This is extremely common for all men. management. People who drop their weight by 10 percent can someThere are psychological reasons, which means something is happening times decrease the risk by 50 percent. biologically. African-American men should not feel ashamed or stigmatized. We, as a society and particularly for African-American men, Mental Health Black Amer icans ar e lar gely undiagnosed with their overcorrelate sexual performance and sexual dysfunction with one’s mental illnesses for three major reasons. There is stigma attached to it, manhood and one’s strength and they are completely unrelated. Sexu- so African-American men do not seek diagnoses or treatment. Black al dysfunction is not a sign of weakness. It is not restricted to men tend to be in the higher-risk groups for those who develop mental older men; younger men face it, too. It can be a side effect of illness, such as the homeless and people in prison. And finally, AfricanAmerican men tend to seek help in nontraditional places for issues relatmedications they’ retaking. ed to mental health, and these nontraditional places tend not to be as effective at treating the disease. Asthma Almost 4.5 million Blacks r epor ted having asthma. Afr ican -Americans are 30 percent more likely to have asthma than nonHispanic Whites, and they are three times more likely to die from asth- Heart Disease Some of the major r isk factor s for hear t disease ar e ma-related causes compared to Whites. African-American men must high blood pressure, diabetes, lack of regular physical activity and poor begin making sure their primary environment is as free of asthmatic nutritional habits. And for African-American men, obesity. irritants as possible. They need to get diagnosed and into treatment, which is very effective. Once getting a treatment regimen, men need to Ian Smith, M.D., is author of Shred: The Revolutionary Diet. Find him be compliant. on Twitter @doctoriansmith.
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Chris Riley Pontiac native and founder of Sky’s The Limit Student Athlete Club, so inner city student athletes that love the game of basketball will have a safe, quality proven organization to help develop their skill and reach their maximum potential and abilities. STL has grown to over 100 student athletes participating in his organization. Sky’s The Limit’s motto is “Master’s Degree by 23”. STL encourages their student athletes to dual enroll when they reach high school as well as learn a skilled trade. Each student will graduate with a high school diploma, a certification in a skilled trade and an Associate’s Degree and STL continues to support them until they receive their Master’s Degree before their 23rd birthday. STL currently has student athletes between the ages of 5-16. Chris has a Bachelor’s of Business Administration from Northwood University. Chris has years of coaching experience, playing experience and awards for all his accomplishments.
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he name Kaino Phillips is synonymous with the empowerment of children, training of soft skills for employment opportunities, strengthened educational programs for the enhancement of academic achievement and a fighter for the underprivileged. He has worked feverishly to create a total system to penetrate and revitalize financially shambled urban cities through promoted self-empowered initiatives and created resources. He has done this by pushing a 360-degree model to minimize a walking apocalyptic philosophy that is breading a degree of hopelessness. As President and CEO, Phillips, a Pontiac,
The Ascend Foundation was founded on behalf of the late Mayor of Pontiac and Michigan State House of Representative Clarence Phillips back in 2011. It is an organization that worked from its precursor in the late 1990’s. The push was to promote the power of education, community service and the arts along with mentoring components and life readiness skills within the Pontiac community. This became necessary because of challenges that were taking place in the political realm that was hindering the progression of services to the masses. It was this ideology that served as the catalyst in providing the inertia that became the very genesis of this organization.
MI product born and raised, has been a driving force in turning this Foundation into an upstart powerhouse. The fire behind this push he credits heavily to his Pontiac upbringing and his educational experience he received at Grambling State University in Louisiana where he matriculated in the educational concentration of Pre-Law (Political Science and Mass Communications). Professionally, he spent over 18 years in the world of Corporate Sales and Management for various Fortune 500 Companies before he totally walked away to enter into the non-profit/service sector.
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It was only after Mayor Phillips’ passing in 2010 that the physical name of the organization found life as The Clarence E. Phillips Ascend Foundation, in his honor. Since its inception, the organization has pushed forward with the vision and diligent structure of tireless community service for the people of Oakland, Wayne and Macomb County with a STRONG emphasis on the urban community dynamic. The Foundation has served as a lifeline and had both a social and economic impact on families and individuals with a low-income base. This has been accomplished through a suite of programs and services. A few of these efforts include: Distribution of close to a million dollars in scholarship money since 1994 to worthy individuals to further their educational dreams.
Adoption of over 400 families and Senior Citizens in need since 2011.Fed, provided supplies and clothing to over 3000 homeless every year since 2011. Creation of a Regional Scholarship and Career Planning Fair for any career path and Skilled Trades. It brings in over 1600 children every year. The creation of the Ascend T.R.U.T.H Youth Coalition which has over a hundred and fifty kids on its roster and they fight against substance abuse in their neighborhoods and schools. This serves as an incubator for leadership development.
Photo by: Gil Garrett
These programs have brought the Ascend Foundation a multitude of recognition ranging from: Federal Congressional awards, State Legislation awards as well as county, city and National organizations. “Our growth has been seismic since the beginning. It couldn’t have grown as fast as it did without our: STRONG & GIFTED Board of Directors, Leadership Team but more importantly the over a thousand volunteers we have had bless us over the years.” “The Village is alive and STILL FIGHTING!!!” To volunteer or for more information about the Clarence E. Phillips Ascend Foundation, visit: www.theascendfoundation.org or contact us at: (248) 434-8045 or info@theascendfoudation.org
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Perry Earl Jr.
Born and raised in Pontiac, Michigan where he graduated from Avondale High School. Growing up in a single-parent household, Perry was constantly inspired by his mother’s hard work, devotion to her family, and her resilience – attributing his strong work ethic to her. Perry’s passion for community service started when he was nine years old and was taken under the wing of Mattie McKinney Hatchett, a pillar in the Pontiac community, to assist in building a local park. Little did he know the impact one park would serve in his role as a community activist. On any given day, you can find Perry at various parks organizing beautification projects, uniting neighborhoods with fellow community leaders to push violence out of the city, or hosting ice cream socials and block parties. While Perry has faced many hardships in his twenty-seven years, says he has always worked off of love and relationships.
Owner of The Max Effect program and Co-owner of Anytime Fitness in Pontiac, MI. The accomplishments that I have achieved several accomplishments within the last three years that has made my family extremely proud and have been inspiring to my city.
Jermaine Branner
I’ve received three Proclamations: One from Mayor Deidra Waterman, one from State Representative Brenda Lawrence, and one for Health from State Representative Brenda Carter. I have been featured on Fox 2 news for fitness accomplishment, I’ve donated close to 400 bikes to the youth, and helped over a thousand people lose weight across the country. I have received numerous awards such as the "Leadership in Businesses” from the Women's Business Council and Corporations of the Year from the Ascend foundation. However, being a productive citizen in
Known for overcoming obstacles, Perry has continuously been recognized for many accomplishments within the city of Pontiac. Perry is the youngest elected official and serves as the vice-chairman of the Pontiac Public Library. Working closely with the Oakland County Sheriff Police Athletic League (PAL), Perry brought a STEM/ robotics program to the library at no cost for the participating children. He has received a Certificate of Recognition from the Oakland County Board of Commissioners for his work in the Pontiac Community, was named the Political Figure Community Champion by the Ascend Foundation, and the Pontiac Park Champion Award. Perry is also an active member of National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). He plans to continue his work throughout the city and will be running for City Council in the upcoming election
my community wasn't who I've always been. Six years ago I was sitting in a prison cell for delivering drugs in the same city that I am now fighting to help become healthier. I was the little hyper boy that got into legal trouble in high school and wasn't expected to make it. Now, my goal is to give hope to all men and women coming out of prison, letting them know that anything is possible if you keep going. I want to inspire all parents that are being told they have a mentally disturbed child to not give up hope but to KEEP GOING. Being in Ultimate Black Men Magazine is an honor. It gives the world a chance to show that despite where you come from, your ethnicity, age, mistakes and poor choices you make in life, if you find something that you are truly passionate about and work hard you can succeed in bringing it into fruition. All you have to do is Keep Going...
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Founder and President/CEO of the Pontiac Community Foundation (PCF). PCF is a vision that developed in Dustin’s heart in the fall of 2017. He currently leads the charge of inspiring hope and leading change in the city of Pontiac. Prior to serving at PCF, Dustin served 8 years as Director of The Power Company Kids Club in Pontiac, a mission devoted to empowering children and building champions in the inner city. He led the charge of investing in the lives of 1,400 children weekly, alongside a staff of over 50. Dustin also spent two years serving as Executive Pastor of EPIC Church, a church plant on the east side of Kansas City that grew to encompass a fullservice coffee shop, daycare center, and community sports center.
was also honored as a member of the 2017 Oakland County Executive’s Elite 40 Under 40 class, one of 40 individuals recognized for their innovation, talent, and leadership. He is a graduate of Leadership Oakland’s 29th Class (LOXXIX). In his “spare time” Dustin also serves as a Marketing and Development Consultant for Key of Hope. Key of Hope is an international non-profit in Durban, South Africa that reaches children affected by poverty and AIDS with the hope found in Jesus Christ through long-term mentoring relationships.
In 2012, Dustin met the love of his life, Collett, who serves as his “partner in crime.” The two have been married since August of 2014 and reside together in Pontiac In addition to his duties in Pontiac, Dustin where they are expecting their first child. serves on the teaching team at Bridgewood Dustin is honored to be featured in this speChurch in Clarkston, Michigan, sits on the cial edition of the Ultimate Black Man MagaBoard of Directors of Leadership Oakland, zine: “I am proud to be a black man, dedicatAccent Pontiac and the Pontiac Regional ed to making a difference; growing businesses Chamber, and is a member of the Oakland and non-profits; and raising a family. My County Sheriff’s Relations Team. He also hope is that young black men like me, will serves as Chairperson for Pontiac’s District continue to push the envelope and change the Two Community Group and the Center for world’s narrative about us. This magazine is the start of that important message!” Success Local Advisory Committee. Dustin
Sean Preston
Husband, father of three, Entrepreneur, Activist and Rapper. At the age 20 I started serving in my local Church and a year later I married my wife. I was in a Rap Group called New Unity where we would perform at numerous events in Churches and in the community. We performed at this event for a community group called Transform Pontiac and that’s where my community service would began. Our group would eventually brake up and I found myself being a solo artist. Over the next eight years I would host multiple concerts,
Dustin McClellan
community events and volunteer a lot of my time with local grass roots organizations. In 2018 I started my apparel company Yaktown Don’t Back Down. Received the Millennial Neighborhood Champion Award from The Clarence E Phillips Ascend Foundation. In 2019 I received the Pontiac Friends of the Parks Park Champion Award. Being in The Ultimate Black Man Magazine is embodied within this motto I call #GFMC God Family My City. Keep God first, take care of your family and your community.
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Starting my love for the game of baseball began at the age of 4, with my brother and uncle by my side helping and guiding me through my career. My uncle’s training and teaching of the game has gotten me to where I am today. When I was younger I dreamed of playing with the best of the best.
Junior College, and getting drafted again in a higher spot (which didn’t turn out too well). I ended up being injured for the season while also facing adversity with playing time there. After one year at the Junior College, I attended CMU the following year. Three years later I was again drafted again, but this time by the Los Angeles In high school I attended Pontiac High Angels in the 25th round in 2018. for three years, within that time I was a three sport athlete: football, wrestling, I am Da’Zon Cole, a young black male and baseball. I had two college offers in born and raised in the city of Pontiac, 2012, my sophomore year, from Cen- MI. I’ve been blessed and honored to tral Michigan University (CMU) and be a part of something much bigger University of Michigan (U of M). I than I am, the Ultimate Black Man chose to attend Central Michigan Uni- Magazine. Being featured in this magaversity to continue my baseball career. zine means the absolute most to me, being a part of something with other Some of my high school accomplish- black males from this area that are ments were in 2013 I was named Pre- being recognized for their hard work: fect Game Preseason Underclassman through school, late nights/early mornAll American. In 2014 I was named ings training, the dedication that was Prefect Game Pre-season Allput into accomplishing the goals that American and All-Region team for we set for ourselves and also for the baseball. My graduating year from love of the city. To be honored with this high school was a big year for me, I has definitely been an amazing experiwas drafted by the Atlanta Braves in ence for my family and me. the 29th round. The offer was turned down in hope of attending a
My journey of becoming an Ultimate Black Man began at birth. Growing up in the city of Pontiac, everywhere you turn there is despair and people living in dire straits. I have always made it my goal to see and understand what put people in certain situations and do the opposite. The beginning part of that is making it a priority to become educated. Education can be a vehicle that can drive you into greater lanes of life. Most people dream of having lots of money, big homes, nice cars, and having freedom to enjoy their family and having a high level of education can afford you these amenities.
er. That little something was making sure my nephews grew up to become successful men.
The dangers of the streets of Pontiac can consume a misguided young black man and I wanted to make sure that they had a way to navigate through these streets and thrive. My big brother Kaino Phillips coins it perfectly; he says that I “mortgaged the farm”. My nephews are positive pillars of the community as they are pursuing professional baseball careers while also being college educated young men, and I myself, have changed my career path of being an engineer to engineering career paths for other youth of PonIn addition to being educated, I am tiac inside the classroom. also blessed to be a pretty good athlete. I excelled at Pontiac Northern Giving back to others without asking High School in baseball, basketball, for anything in return is what I confootball, and also wrestling. These sider being an Ultimate Black abilities afforded me the chance to Man. Taking the road less traveled become a scholar athlete in base- and blazing your own trail is the ball at Oakland University. While true path to success. For me to be there, I pursued a Computer Engi- featured in the Ultimate Black Man neering degree. After I graduated, Magazine is a blessing because it my baseball career began to take off, affords me the opportunity to give but I still was feeling a little incom- people a little insight on how my plete. I was contemplating leaving path was constructed from God and the state to pursue greener pastures shows people how much family elsewhere, however there was some- means to me. thing pulling me to stay a little long-
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Construction Of A Black Man’s Wardrobe Construction of the black man’s wardrobe is something of a serious nature. The context in which we will define construction will be: the commercial activity involved in repairing old structures or constructing new ones. Your image is a representation of what you have to offer the world. Are you struggling with your image? Are you a black man? So where do you start in building your wardrobe. The one thing many black are not taught growing up is the importance of their image. Black men either don’t care or don’t know what their image does for their lives. As a result being inattentive and not caring what you wear is what happens. You are judged within 10 seconds of meeting someone. It’s not always what you know in life, but what others think of you that creates opportunities. In the process of building your wardrobe there will be moments of trial and error. You will discover how you like your clothing and what types of clothing you like. The well dressed man you have been searching for will start to come out slowly. Don’t go out and purchase all of the items discussed all at once. It will not be in your best interest. It takes years to develop an all around wardrobe. The articles of clothing purchased will be considered an investment because you will get many years of wear out of them. The construction of your wardrobe will be one piece at a time. Do your homework and find out what article you're going to buy and where. Let’s start the construction of the black man’s wardrobe. The black man’s style is vibrant, rambunctious, and very alive.
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“I Got You, You Got Me, We Got Us” a saying that holds near and dear to so many hearts; but for so long this was not the story of the broken young men Howerton was faced with changing. Kwanzel was not born into riches, had some struggles growing up which included sexual abuse, domestic violence and even having to be the protector of his mother from a very young age. But he is committed to breaking every generational curse and states time and time again that “his life is not defined by these trials and tribulations” and would often talk about the day that changed his life for the better forever March 10th 2010, the day that he chose to acknowledge the call of God on his life and decided to be the change he so desperately wanted to see. From raising large groups of kids by the age of 18 to being one of Pontiacs only near peer mentors Kwanzel knew he had his work cut out for him; he was soon faced with the challenges of reaching out to family members and forging community partnerships with local recreation centers and churches to develop programming that would change the mindset of so many broken youth in his community. Of course this challenge came with many mistakes but Kwanzel was determined to be the best father figure he could be and knew the only way he could do that at his young age and with his lack of resources would be to build an empire and a village for these young men to flourish.
Step one “Clean this House” the first thing Kwanzel did was change his living arrangements. Like any other goofy fun loving 18 year old teenager Kwanzel knew he did not have things together the way these young men needed but decided if he were going to successfully change their lives some things had to change. Day after day Kwanzel worked on breaking down the walls of insecurity with these boys and was dedicated to the process of loving the pain out of them. He would show up to every parent teacher conference, every basketball game and most practices, he worked 1 full time job and 2 part time jobs and attended Oakland University full time and thought things were going smoothly (aside from every day exhaustion) until the boys pulled him to the side after only living with him full time for no more than 6 months and told him they needed him more present in their life. Step 2 “Changing his priorities” Howerton was faced with the very real hurt, guilt, shame and stress of knowing something needed to change but not knowing how to change it. Then came an answer to prayers. Although not the answer Howerton wanted to hear he was still committed to leading these boys to Jesus and changing their lives, so he decided with the leading of God through prayer, fasting and studying his word that he was going to quit his jobs take a break from school and focus 100 percent of his time on his boys. His one and only concern was how he would provide for them and as he was led by God he decided to step out on faith and start a 501c3. It was then that he started working contracts with foster care agencies and social service agencies and started legally adopting the young men he serviced. Without realizing the pressing need he was soon bombarded with an overload of cases and requests to take on as many as 25 kids at a time; and still he pressed on. 26
Step 3 “Let’s get Better Together.” After careful consideration, family breathing down his neck to as they stated “Get a Real Job” Howerton knew he had a point to prove and a bone to pick. He was then more determined than ever to keep pressing on for greatness. Although Howerton faced many struggles from not knowing how to feed these loving boys to now having over 200 cases he had to manage in the programs prime he still pressed on. Howerton is now married with over 37 kids raised full time by Howerton whether it be by choice or by circumstance, has helped hundreds of families and has found purpose in pain and strength in the pressing towards his destiny. “I got You, You Got Me, We Got Us” now more than ever this is the mission statement that fuels Howerton’s life. After many struggles that any parent faces Howerton continues to overcome and be the best example of a God fearing man, husband and father he can be. With his boys in college full time, some still at home and others joining the workforce with a skill trade Howerton is proud of the young men he serves and states he “is dedicated to walking the children of Israel out of Egypt and into their promise land.” For more information on Howerton or the young men please contact him at www.ChosenKB.org.
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Solomon Bonner is a photographer from Pontiac MI who started the King Solomon Jr Foundation after he lost his 14yr old son to gun violence in March of 2017. The foundations mission is to improve the lives of young at-risk boys in the city of Pontiac and beyond. Solomon Jr was the most respectful kid you could ever meet. He was an excellent student, elite athlete, entrepreneur, dirt bike mechanic, photographer and entertainer. Since the day Solomon Jr was called home to heaven, his father, Solomon Sr. made it his business to keep his sons legacy alive by helping other boys by mentoring and hosting annual events such as fishing trips (Teach a man to fish and he’ll eat for a lifetime), football camps (Camp Domination Equipping young men with the confidence to dominate), and talent shows (Young Fly and Gifted - Giving kids a platform to show their gifts and talents) Solomon Sr. is also a patient tech at St Joseph Hospital in Pontiac where he received one of the highest award (Be Remarkable Award) for taking the time to speak to a young suicidal person who came in through the ER department. After a 15 minute conversation, the patient was ready to patch things up with their family, enroll in school, and win at life.
Born and raised on a farm in Middle Tennessee, Mr. Bonner learned at an early age the value of work, productivity and most importantly the value of life. He Attended “Lee Buckner” from 1st through 8th grade, which afforded him the opportunity to not only to walk to this 2 room school but to develop a keen awareness that country life was not for him. However, it did provide a foundation for understanding what’s important in life, family, friends and life itself. He attended High School at Natchez High School in Franklin Tennessee, he rode the bus 15 miles each way daily bypassing “white high schools” on the way. Mr. Bonner went on to attend Tennessee State University where he majored in Speech and Drama starring in many theatrical productions. After he completed, he moved to Pontiac Michigan in 1971 where he began his career with General Motors Corporation. Starting on the assembly line, he was quickly promoted to a salary position and continued throughout his 30 plus years, ending as an Administrator. In 1981 he was joined in holy matrimony to Ms. Lesi Carthane. Together they were successful in the molding and the development of five children, Tamika, Tres Bien, Stephanie, Solomon and Isiah. It was during the early years of his son’s development that he began to also develop other young people, coaching and mentoring, developing leaders. Beginning in 2013, he has served as a mentor on behalf of the General Motors Student Corps, where 10 high school students are hired as GM Interns. These students are educated in leadership skills and perform community service. He has worked with his son, Solomon and other family members, over the last few years developing the “Solomon Bonner Jr. Foundation. This Foundation promotes and provides young people with the skills and confidence to dominate. 28
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Books by Braggie Anne Mabry are the literal illustration of the horrors and infidelity. It basically tells how easy one can be led astray by the desires of their own flesh. AVAILABLE ON AMAZON.COM
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2050 Warner Ave Flint, MI 48503 (810) 546-4760 Open: Fri, Sat, Sun 11am-6p
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