Appeal to Assist

Hello collective there is an extremely important development in Detroit that warrants our participation and support.

Please note for background the following information:

Fight White Privilege: A Urgent Appeal to Help EMEAC

Re-post - Corrected with direct link to help EMEAC

August 13, 2026

Peace and Power!                                                                            

This is Gregory Hicks. I join with Kwasi Akwamu, who originally authored this letter. We are both board members with the East Michigan Environmental Action Council (EMEAC), and this letter is a direct appeal for your support.

https://givebutter.com/support-legal-defense-of-the-commons-c9qvpt 

This black-led nonprofit organization (EMEAC) is fighting to save our building, widely known as the Cass Commons, located at 4605 Cass Ave at the intersection of Forest, Detroit, Michigan. Our building is a massive historical structure that was given to us in 2013 by the First Unitarian Universalist Church (FUU). (Maybe you've attended or hosted an event in this space before?)

The building was deeded to EMEAC by way of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOU). The Commons has been a location for a wide range of non-sectarian community and cultural events and activities serving Detroit's majority-black population. A little over a year ago, officials from the church has sought through duplicitous means to reclaim this building arguing EMEAC violated the terms of the MOU. These officials never approached anyone in EMEAC with their concerns, but attempted to sue us in court to reclaim the building. 

In their rush to blindside us, they failed to even read the MOU which specified that any disputes be adjudicated via arbitration. Their suit was rejected in the court on that basis. Still, they never approached anyone in EMEAC about any of their concerns, but proceeded to make spurious claims that we failed to uphold our side of the agreement, which included allowing a Church member to attend our board meetings (which we did, and which they once engaged but at some point, stopped attending). Other provisions of the MOU sought to maintain the historical character of the building; and allowed the FUU to continue to hold congregational Sunday services in the sanctuary (which they continued to do).

After FUU’s lawsuit received unfavorable results, FUU undeterred and encouraged by the systematic operation of Trumpian styled white privilege continued in their efforts to attack black institutions, organizations, and individuals. FUU filed to reclaim ownership under Arbitration, forcing EMEAC to again, lawyer up and prepare to fight! At this point the Arbitrator is showing favorable leanings toward FUU. Our legal counsel will be filing an objection to the arbitrator’s preliminary award to receive a more legally supported judgement from the arbitrator and failing this approach we will seek relief for EMEAC in Circuit Court.

Our highly experienced attorney specializes in property disputes, and has been very attentive to details. Having led us through arbitration, and even bringing in a renowned architect and expert in historical properties who testified that much of the problems in the building were the result of deferred maintenance, not immediate or unrecoverable damage to the historical structure, the Arbitrator nevertheless decided to show favor to the Church which failed by every legal metric relevant to this dispute to defend their weak claims that EMEAC altered the historic character of the building and that the organization has allowed the building to deteriorate jeopardizing its historical character. 

As a nonprofit, EMEAC has poured a half million dollars into upgrades and repairs in the 13 years of its stewardship of the building. In the past two years, we experienced challenges with building heating as the boiler repair costs ($90K) exceeded our immediate ability to fix. In the meantime, we opted for a temporary remedy to enable continued building usage. The sanctuary, it should be noted, was unaffected and continued to have heat. Nevertheless, with no discussion or inquiry with EMEAC, the church leaped upon this as an opportune time to seize the building they volunteered to grant us.

Allow me to be blunt. The church with its dwindling congregation handed over the building that they themselves could not afford to maintain and could not sale. Yet, as the neighborhood surrounding the Cass Commons is undergoing widespread gentrification and investment, it is highly suspicious that the Church all of a sudden has a renewed interest in a building that they so willingly handed over just over a decade ago. Additionally, as our national political structures have turned more and more anti-black and extremely conservative, traditional philanthropic funding have largely disappeared for self-determined organizations like ours. To survive, we must depend on your goodwill! Our need is immediate and we hope you act today!

Returning to my opening statement, this is a letter seeking your support. Though EMEAC lost our battle in Arbitration, we are appealing this defeat. We aim to maintain ownership of this building and continue opening our doors to Detroit's majority-black community. We refuse to be shut out of this section of our city. However, your support is critical to continue this fight! We need your financial support to help sustain our legal challenge and pay legal fees as well as to keep the lights on. 

We welcome whatever level of support you can afford to offer. Anything received is generous and we, on    behalf of EMEAC, thank you in advance. The attached link is where you can send your donation (2026 Givebutter -group funding website), whether large or small, we gladly accept your gracious support!  We also ask that you acknowledge our funding appeal so that you can receive a doner letter from the East Michigan Environmental Action Council, a 501(c)(3) Public Charity – EIN23-7241219. 

https://givebutter.com/support-legal-defense-of-the-commons-c9qvpt 

Thank you, and feel free to reach me directly with any questions, concerns, or ideas to advance this righteous battle!

Dr. Gregory Hicks PhD.

EMEAC Board Member

Detroit Michigan, 48202 – gregoryhicks@hotmail.com / 313.409.0490 See less

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