Milwaukee Professionals Association

MAYOR RILLISTINE WILKINS & 7-MEMBER MICHIGAN DELEGATION

Multi-Cultural Tourism Trade Meeting

MUSKEGON HEIGHTS MAYOR LEAD DELEGATION TO TOURISM TRADE MEETING

New Approach for People of Color in Tourism

Mayor Rillistine Wilkins, Muskegon Heights, Michigan lead a delegation of 7 individuals of the Muskegon area to Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Friday, August 6, 2004, for the 1st BI-Coastal Development Consortium Trade Meeting. The meeting was held at Campaign Neighborhood – CFNBA, 2600 W. North Avenue.

“This is giving us a new approach and a new vision on how we can become successful on both sides of the lake and we all can benefit, ” said Mayor Wilkins.

Mayor Wilkins and the delegation were met at the Lake Express office by Mary Glass, Founder of BI-Coastal Development Consortium and Frank Cumberbatch, Senior Special Assistant to Mayor Tom Barrett.

The Trade Meeting was held to Kick-Off the BI-Coastal Development Multi-Cultural Tourism Initiative that focuses on linking People of Color with entrepreneurial and workforce development opportunities in tourism on both sides of Lake Michigan.

The Trade Meeting included a short tour through areas of revitalization, lunch at 311 Restaurant on Wisconsin Avenue, short chat with Cecilia Robertson of U.S. Senator Russ Feingold’s office, short chat with the owner of African Hut on Old World Third Street; and, the Trade Discussion Meeting. Due to the length of the Trade Discussion Meeting, the delegation did not make the scheduled tour of Potawatomi Casino.

The Trade meeting was attended by the Honorable Rillistine Wilkins, Mayor of Muskegon Heights, Muskegon County Commissioner Nancy Walters, Frank Cumberbatch, Senior Special Assistant to Mayor Tom Barrett, Charles Fair – Midwest Business Alliance, Ella Charles – Harambee Enterprises, Patsy Petty – Yes, Muskegon, Ja’Neal Johnson – Young Democrat Party, Algemar Childers – Camerman, John Pitta - Former Candidate for Mayor, Martha Toran - NAACP, Brandon Adams - G-Com, Gloria Miller - African World Festival, Margie Bland - Shawco Catering, Francis Pitts - Francis Pitts & Associates, Ray - McNeil’s Limo and Mary Glass – Campaign Neighborhood – CFNBA & BI-Coastal Development Consortium. Not present due to schedule: Christian Barley and Christen Pechman – Wisconsin Trade; and, Heather Mann – The Urban Space Foundation.

BCDC/BI-Coastal Development Consortium, A Think Tank, was founded by Mary Glass and is located at 2600 W. North Avenue. It was formed earlier this year and has already selected the Muskegon Heights office. The office in Muskegon will open in October, 2004.

BCDC will hold its next two trade meetings: November, 2004 - Muskegon Heights, hosted by Mayor Rillistine Wilkins, and May, 2005 – Detroit/Windsor Canada, hosted by Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick(to be confirmed).