In 2016, Johnell Allen-Bey had an epiphany. While incarcerated serving out a multi-year prison sentence, a former cellmate and friend who did his time and was released had returned to the correctional facility to give a presentation to the inmates. At first, Allen-Bey hadn’t planned to attend but his friend, Ronald Simpson-Bey, specifically requested that he be there. “He asked for me, so I went – and it was a life-changing moment,” he recalls. “To see someone I knew who was making a difference in the world and changing things for the better made me really think of possibly being free again and what I could do.” Simpson-Bey was fighting for equality for formerly incarcerated persons with Nation Outside, and Allen-Bey felt it was a cause he could believe in.The Famous Vernor’s Mural
In 1932, General Signs workers John Gonsowski and Keith Martin painted a three-story mural to advertise Vernor’s Ginger Ale on the building across from the
Postponed from 2021 due to the pandemic, the MTA gathered employees and community partners to thank them for helping the Authority make great strides in their service to Greater Flint residents for 50 years. A reception and dinner were followed by a program emceed by MTA General Manager Ed Benning, who introduced the MTA Board of Directors and special guests, sharing highlights of the Authority’s 50 year history and their momentum going forward. The FIM provided pre-program musical entertainment and deejay Peter McFray wrapped up the evening with dance music and more fun.
