Written by Alverine Simpson, with photos courtesy of Alverine Simpson
Being Black in Flint, Michigan, is like a love letter to myself.
Oh how I love the town in which I was born and raised. I have always had a love for my town and have never had a desire to leave.
I have nothing but good memories and good experiences as a child and teen in Flint.
I grew up in Flint at 122 Odette Street where I experienced a fairly great life as a child with six siblings…Vicky, Floyd, Marzella, Curtis, Janice and Walter. There was seven of us, and I came between Janice and Walter.
I and my younger siblings went to La Cooke Academy a.k.a. Cook School where I was welcomed into meeting the world of friends I have grown to remember and have today.
I was introduced to the sport of basketball at Cook School. My brother was a coach and somewhat schooled me in the sport, teaching me how to dribble, shoot and do lay ups with the ball. Through to this day I have a love for the sport. Later in high school I would play the sport all of my four years.
These fabulous days molded me into the lady I have become today.
I was surely a momma’s girl in my elementary years who never wanted my mom to leave me. I remember when she took off in her ‘lil baby blue car (I can’t recall the make and model), I would chase after the car on the sidewalk until she bent around the corner and was no longer in sight. I would cry horrifically wanting her to take me with her. Like I said, I was just being an attached momma’s girl.
My mom, Pearley Mae Ellison, having a family of eight including herself as a single mom, had to do what she had to do to take care of us. So she would go get retail jobs to help keep food on our table, clothes on our backs and shoes on our feet.
My Christmases were always the best. Me being the baby girl along with my brother Walter (a.k.a. Mickey Mouse) being the baby boy, we got the bulk of the gifts which always turned out to be very nice gifts. I never had a bad Christmas as a child. I felt in my heart and in reality I was always taken care of.
I remember my dad, Sefoster (Chicago Smitty) Smith, for the first time when I was about 4 years old. He came to pick me up to take me to his friend’s daughter’s birthday party. From that day on I was a daddy’s girl and was always around my dad.
I loved both my parents dearly. My dad and my Mom never married. So, they lived in separate households. I was then introduced to my siblings on my dad’s side and we’ve been close every since. My dad was a good dad and was not one to abandon his kids. He would come and get me and, as stated earlier, take me to fun places and that would make my day. I always believed I was a special kid and highly favored by God in my daily walk of life.
I began having a love for my city because of my upbringing by my parents and being surrounded by childhood friends and good people.
At the age of 12, I moved in with my father. I then met my siblings Sandra, Shelton and Marlowe. I later on met my sister Donna, and born later down the road of time, my little brother, Breale Smith.
Because of the fact that life gave me such good vibes, I started a relationship with my Heavenly Father God at an early age. I knew a higher power was keeping me by the miraculous experiences I had from day to day.
As I lived with my father, I attended Dolan Middle School, where it was the icing on the cake of my life’s journey as a kid. I played basketball all of my years in the Beecher School District. At Dolan, my coach was Mr. Donte Yates and at the high school, my coaches were Mr. Wiley Franklin and Mr. Dave Hollingsworth, who was also my science teacher.
I was also active in the arts, attending and performing in the Black Arts Festivals at Beecher High, directed by Mr. George Moss, either doing skits, singing or dancing.
At Beecher, it was a tight community of support. My dad never made it to my basketball games because of his two-job work schedule at General Motors and a being well known local disc jockey. It never affected me. I never missed a beat or got upset because of his absence. I knew he was working to provide a better life for me. I knew what time it was in that regard. My dad had to do what he had to do to make sure I had the best, and that’s what he gave me: the best.
I also had the support of the community which consisted of intermediate family members who were always there for me, especially my big brother, Floyd Williams, whom I mentioned earlier, who schooled me on dribbling and shooting a basketball.
I had everything I needed. I considered myself an independent child who knew how to handle myself while Dad was away. He never had problems with me in school because that saying “It takes a village” was at play in my life. If I did anything out of order, you best believe my dad was going to find out. So, I made sure my good behavior was on display at all times, especially since Dad knew the principal, Mr. Chester Hughes, the superintendent at the time, Mr. Ira A. Rutherford and Athletic Director Mr. Clarence Sevillian.
I had my first child, my daughter Latwanna Sherie Simpson, at the age of 18 right after my high school graduation, and that experience humbled me even more to be a civilized young lady. I dedicated my life solely to God because I wanted to be a good role model for my child. I later on got married to my children’s father, Frederick Douglas Simpson, and beget two sons, Frederick Douglas Simpson Jr. and Demario Tremaine Simpson. From that point on, I experienced the “real world” and saw life for what it really was. I rolled with the punches of life as a young adult and got divorced from my kids father, who I am friends with today because of co-parenting reasons.
When life gave me lemons, I made lemonade.
All of my life, I knew that I wanted to be a star whether singing, acting or dancing. I auditioned for roles to act at various venues, especially at the McCree Theatre. I conquered my stage fright early on in my life and that would help me out a lot.
I took oral communication in college (Baker of Flint), which helped me to be able to talk in front of large crowds of people and helped me with stage fright. I was in my 20s at the time.
Later on in my 30s, I went to see Flint native Chris Byrd fight Evander Holyfield in Atlantic City, New Jersey, with a group of people from Flint. While we were in Atlantic City, I was encouraged by my Flint peers to do an interview on behalf of Flint to talk to the news about our mission to be in their town during the fight to support our own Flintstone, Chris Byrd. I did really good with the interview naturally, without hesitation and YES, our Flint native Chris Byrd won the fight against Evander Holyfield. I got to meet Mr. Holyfield during the weigh in at Little Caesar’s Arena in New Jersey. This was a very important part of my life being around encouraging older Flint people who pushed me to pursue my acting, singing and dancing.
On that trip was Mrs. Frances Cleaves, Mateen Cleaves’ mom, who told me I would make it in show biz. She had that much confidence in me by looking at me and had never had met me before that trip. I appreciate her for that. I have never forgot her words of encouragement to me. These older people who encouraged me were like angels sent to me from God to let me know I was on the right path.
I have done videos with upcoming Flint artists. I have been in the studio with Flint artists. I even worked alongside an editor of a newspaper who allowed me to get experience interviewing stars, like the tempting Temptations, and the Dramatics after their performance in Detroit, Michigan, in Shane Park. That was a lot of fun meeting Ron Banks, L.J. Reynolds and the rest of the crew. They all knew my dad, who I mentioned before was a popular DJ and producer in Flint at local night clubs.
I traveled with Flint group Ready For the World when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a fill in backup singer. Yes, I ended up on stage with that talented group from Flint as well!
This was all a great experience for me leading up to doing commercials and voice overs for University of Michigan radio, on WDZZ, our local radio station, to my current experience of what I do today at McCree Theatre.
I have always kept busy with my craft in the arts as far as auditions, singing contest or doing stage plays. Most of the plays I was casted in when I was younger would always start and never end completed. Something would always come up that we would never finish the play. I would attribute that to lack of organization and management on the director’s part.
It was not until I came to McCree Theatre in 2015 and did “Dreamgirls” that I was able to complete my first stage play and get proper credit for it. So, because of that reason, I am still with McCree Theatre today, having done over at least 27 plays, and possibly more, being loyal to my calling as a thespian.
Sometimes I get tired and fatigued, but I keep pressing on to the mark of my higher calling of stardom.
Some of the productions I have completed at McCree Theatre are “The Motown Story,” “The Day of Absence,” “The Wiz,” “Old Time Religion,” “The Etta James Story,” “The Legend of Bass Reeves,” which was televised nationwide, “The Mary Wells Story,” “The Gospel Caravans,” “Sanctified,” “The Amen Corner,” “A Merry McCree Christmas” and many more.
I’ve done a “Raisin in the Sun” with Director Marie Blacknall on the University of Michigan’s stage and “Stranger at my Door,” directed by Mike Matthew on the University of Michigan’s stage. as well.
I recently did a play at the Whiting Auditorium called “Sugarflaps,” directed by Chevas Samuels.
I am also considered part of the Detroit Pistons family going to games and events that they offer as a season ticket holder. I’ve auditioned to perform the national anthem, or to showcase a song during half-time on more than one occasion.
My story is extensive, but yes, this is my story of being Black in Flint, Michigan.
I attend House of Prayer Missionary Baptist Church (Rev. DeQuan Ford) where I reside as superintendent of Sunday School. I am now an actress, singer and dancer at Flint’s local theatre, The New McCree Theatre, where I have graced this stage for over 25 plays. I also teach the youth in my community at Carman-Ainsworth Community Schools, where I love, love, love the kids.
My life experience of being Black in Flint, I must say on a positive note, it was all good. 55 years later I’m still here to tell about it. Flintstone-4-Life!
