🌱 Black Girls Celebrated Last Weekend + Lansing Local Hits Milestone

Hey, friends! It's me, Michelle Paul, your host of the Lansing-East Lansing Patch newsletter — back in your inbox with all the most important things happening in town.

But first, your local weather:

• Tuesday: Mostly cloudy with a shower. High: 74 Low: 55.
• Wednesday: Sunshine and beautiful. High: 80 Low: 57.

From our sponsor:

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Here are the top three stories in Lansing-East Lansing today:

1. Over the weekend, young African American girls in the Lansing community were celebrated as Grit, Glam, and Guts hosted its second annual Black Girl Day of Play. The main event of the weekend was Saturday, when people enjoyed food vendors and festivities on the lawn in front of the Capitol. On Friday, a panel was held where women in the community came in to speak about their experiences, followed by a Sunday brunch to close out the weekend. (FOX 47 News Lansing - Jackson)
2. Over the weekend in East Lansing, the annual March to Stop Violence took place along Michigan Avenue. The event was hosted by Lansing non-profit Mikey 23 Foundation, founded by Michael McKissic after he tragically lost his son to gun violence back in 2015. Many people in the Lansing and East Lansing community came out to march this year, as several families have suffered from gun violence and want to see a change. This year, the family of Brian Fraser joined in the walk after losing their loved one in the fatal Michigan State University shooting that occurred in February. (WILX)
3. Local musical theatre performer Gordon Clark reached a milestone of singing 3,000 different karaoke songs. For his 3,000th song, he performed "Thank You For The Music" by ABBA at One North, surrounded by loved ones for his birthday celebration. Clark is a well-known name in Lansing, having performed in various community theatre productions in the city since 2001. (WKAR)

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Today and tomorrow in Lansing-East Lansing:

Tuesday, June 27

• Summer Music Series Featuring Life Support At Eastwood Towne Center (6:00 PM)
• Jazz Tuesdays With Chris Glassman And Nathan Borton At Moriarty's Pub (7:00 PM)
• SamRose Entertainment Presents: Comedy Night At UrbanBeat (7:00 PM)

Wednesday, June 28

• Living History Music & Arts Noon Recital Series With John Horak At Central United Methodist Church (12:00 PM)
• Songwriters Showcase At EagleMonk Pub And Brewery (7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• According to recent data, 51 percent of families in the state of Michigan would participate in a Meet Up and Eat Up if they were more accessible to a site. There is no sign-up, registration, proof of residency, or application required to receive a free meal — just show up at one of the designated locations (available at the link) for yours. (ELPS via Facebook)
• If you haven't already made your way out to the Cabinet of Curiosity at East Lansing Public Library, you'll have another opportunity this Friday. Visitors can now interact with a STEAM resource in the Maker Studio that Dr. B set up recently. The Cabinet of Curiosity is open every Friday from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. (ELPL - East Lansing Public Library via Facebook)
• A reminder for all those who are visiting Ben Davis Park: a section of the South Lansing Pathway is still closed off temporarily. Detour routes are provided while this section undergoes repairs; it is expected that this will remain closed until around Thursday. (Lansing Parks and Recreation via Facebook)

Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Tuesday! See you soon for another update.

— Michelle Paul

About me: Michelle Paul is a Utah-based writer and photographer with a professional background in content management and registered nursing. When not working on projects ranging from photo editing to copywriting, they enjoy traveling, video games, and expanding their skills.