February 2021 E-Edge
EMU celebrates Black History Month with virtual events throughout the month
In honor of Black History Month, Eastern Michigan University is offering a number of virtual open-to-the-public events that will help to celebrate and reflect upon Black history. The theme for EMU’s 2021 Black History Month celebration is “A Tribute to our Blackness.”
A round up of the February Black History Month events and how to attend them virtually can be found here.
Alumni Spotlight: Tytiana Steele
Tytiana "Ty" Steele (BFA18) is the founder of Versara Creatives and, as a set director and designer, she brings film sets and television commercial backdrops to life. Steele, who turns 25 this year, says she is often the only Black woman on set decoration.
Steele started out as an assistant on the project, but worked her way up to set dresser, and says the experience solidified what she wanted to do. She launched her company early in 2020 and, since graduating, has worked on creative projects for Stock X, Quicken Loans, the Detroit Police Department, and United Way, traveling to locations in the United Arab Emirates, Europe, United Kingdom, and the Caribbean.
Read more about Tytiana here.
#SmallBusinessSaturday: The Detroit Pepper Company
This month for #SmallBusinessSaturday, we are highlighting former EMU student Marlin Hughes, who is the chef and owner of Detroit Pepper Company! Marlin was inspired to create a restaurant after his wife requested his famous stuffed peppers to be the main dish at her birthday party--and it was a hit! In addition, he wanted his son, who has autism, to have a restaurant where he could eat freely, without worry of what type of food he was eating. From there...The Detroit Pepper Company was born!
In September of 2019, Hughes opened The Detroit Pepper Company in East English Village as a carry out-only restaurant with a variety of vegan and non-vegan options. Now, his menu consists of the famous stuffed peppers, burgers, smoothies, and more! Marlin hopes that this restaurant will introduce the neighboring communities to healthier food options.
To plan your next trip to The Detroit Pepper Company, please visit their website here. There has never been a better time to support our alumni-owned businesses than right now!
If you own a small business and would like to be featured in a future #SmallBusinessSaturday, please fill out this form.
Stay up to date with all things EMU with EMU Today!
Get updates directly to your inbox by subscribing to EMU Today, Eastern Michigan University's digital hub for stories and news around campus. Subscribe now by clicking here.
Save the Date - 2021 Alumni Awards virtual celebration
Save the date for May 15, 2021 as we celebrate both our 2020 and 2021 Alumni Award recipients. More information to come.